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Material Type | Library | Call Number | Suggested Age | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Book | Searching... Ceredo-Kenova Public Library | JF | Juvenile | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Until now, Lottie Cook and her best friend, Lewis Weaver, have lived fairly normal lives in Iowa. But when Lottie's father carves for her a magical box from an old cherry tree, she and Lewis are transported to LightLand, a fantasy world created by the memories of real-world people.The wicked NightKing rules over LightLand, determined to destroy its citizens by stealing their memories. Soon, Lottie and Lewis are leading the struggle to overcome the NightKing, during which they must confront some painful memories of their own and find the strength to endure the frightening and difficult trials they will face.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-7-When a magic box made by her father transports Lottie and her friend Lewis to a dreamlike world called LightLand, they are drawn to the tower of the NightKing, who is stealing people's memories for his own diabolical use. The NightKing is Lewis's father, who vanished long ago, and both children battle with him, using Lewis's stalwart heart and Lottie's amazing memory. The strength of this book lies in the intriguing juxtaposition of the flat Iowa setting and straightforward prose with the dreamy, sinister world of magical LightLand. Similarly, Lottie is as sensible and plain as toast, but on the other hand, she wears only pajamas to school and remembers absolutely everything. Several other characters display this mixture of usual and unusual traits, bringing a whiff of mystery and magic to the Iowa cornfields. The fantasy elements are highly imaginative and often engrossing, but loose ends and unanswered questions abound, the flow of the plot sometimes bogs down, and some minor characters are interesting but do nothing to further the story. The writing is enchanting, however, and will pull many readers in and keep them hooked to the last page.-Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In a starred review, PW wrote, "This debut novel set in Iowa relies on a tried-and-true plot device, the magic portal, but McCutchen weaves in memorable protagonists, a mysterious villain and plenty of humor to introduce fantasy fans to a new land." Ages 8-12. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
When friends Lottie and Lewis enter a parallel world called LightLand via a magical StoryBox, they quickly realize that it's up to them to save the locals and defeat a memory-stealing villain (who turns out to be Lewis's lost father). Relationships and themes are disconnected and don't come full circle, but McCutchen introduces some appealing characters, including independent Lottie and underdog Lewis. From HORN BOOK Spring 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Set in a small Iowa town, this fantasy by a newcomer addresses the power of memory. Lottie and Lewis, both 11, are best friends, each with an eccentric trait that sets them apart from their contemporaries. Lewis does not speak except to Lottie, not even to his mother or teacher, and he sleeps with his eyes open. Lottie only wears pajamas to school. Remembering is her avocation, one that started by collecting stories of her mother, who died when Lottie was born. As she grows, so do her stories, so her father makes her a storybox from the doomed cherry tree that her mother had planted. The storybox is the magical link through which Lottie and Lewis transport to LightLand. There they must confront the evil NightKing, who experiments with the energies of memory by stealing them from people (and animals) with the Veil of Oblivion. The NightKing believes that by controlling memory, he controls destiny. This is an interesting concept, given Lottie's passion, but it's made weaker by the use of fairly shopworn fantasy devices; the storybox could as easily be a cupboard to Narnia, for instance. The story's strength is in the action and the underlying message of the importance of memories and their influence on life. The design fits nicely with the day/night theme as each chapter opens with a two-page spread of white text on black pages. Clever details and amusing quirks add character to a familiar struggle of good versus bad, in this case, played out in light and dark. (Fiction. 8-12)
