Bell Hoot Fables: The Hidden Boy

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

Bea Flint???s family has won ???the adventure of a lifetime??? for seven people, so they grab Phoebe from next door, and Gabby, the clockwork girl who???s always lived in their house, and board the submarine bus for Bell Hoot. But while the bus is under water, Bea???s brother Theo disappears with a ???pop.??? When Bea and Phoebe set out to find Theo, they discover that Bell Hoot is not a normal vacation destination, that Bea???s family is not quite normal either, and what ???the adventure of a lifetime??? really means.

The Hidden Boy is a quick-paced, fun story with delightfully eccentric characters and an entertaining plot that never lags. Not much is believable (e.g., the Flints don???t ask Phoebe???s parents if they can take her with them, they let Bea explore Bell Hoot after Theo has disappeared and there are enemies around), but I didn???t mind ??? quirky tales can get away with this kind of absurdity.

There are still many questions to answer (Who are the Gummint? Who is Gabby? What is Arkadi up to?) and lots of room to explore Bell Hoot. A sequel, The Sleeper???s Moon, will be released in October. The Bell Hoot Fables will be a great series for kids who enjoy preposterous stories full of strange but charming characters.