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The Mostly True Story of Jack
- By Kelly Barnhill
- Genre: Fantasy
Common Sense Media says
Lonely boy fights evil to save town in exciting page turner.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this fantasy about a neglected boy who moves to a small rural town includes a rich despot who is willing to kill children in order to retain his power and save his own son. The very real prospect of children mysteriously disappearing is disturbing, but as Jack slowly fits the pieces together of just how the town of Hazleton came to be cursed, the excitement overrides the scariness. Wendy's encounter with souls of the long-gone children may be frightening to some, but the girl's refusal to be scared will help sensitive readers feel brave.
What's the story?
Jack's mother barely notices him as she leaves him at the home of his aunt and uncle, whom he's never met. In fact, Jack is so invisible there's not a trace of him in any family photo. But all that changes when he arrives in Hazlewood, Iowa. The town bully beats him up and the richest man in town wants him dead. But even more important, he makes friends for the first time in his life. As Jack unravels the mysterious history of the town and slowly begins to believe in the magic that his friends claim is at the root of it, the danger mounts.
Is it any good?
From the beginning, when his mother barely seems to notice him, it's clear that there's something odd about Jack. But no one is more surprised than Jack when people in Hazelwood know more about his destiny than he does. Barnhill successfully weaves in the everyday loneliness of a real kid with a town's magical history to make this a fascinating and satisfying page turner.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about
why the Lady split into two halves. Did anything good come of the split?
What do you think gave Wendy the ability to stand up to the town bully and even Mr. Avery? Have you ever been that brave?
Did you find the ending satisfying? Do you think Jack was satisfied with the outcome of his adventures? How about Wendy?
Do you think there's room for a sequel to this story?
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Kid, 12 years old
January 6, 2012
AGE
Touching book is more than a tad creepy.
The Mostly True Story of Jack is exciting, and near impossible to put down, but is also violent and creepy. Similar to the movie Coraline in violence and creepiness, this book includes remnants of the old evil fairies. The town has a past where kids are stolen away. The rich man who leads the town will sacrifice more children, including Jack, to make sure his vile son Clayton doesn't get taken. Jack's parents don't seem to acknowledge him, and he has many pictures of a mom, a dad, and a boy, in which another boy, Jack, is hand-drawn in. Wendy encounters the "spirits" of the missing children who are frightening, but Wendy doesn't cave. Her brother, Frankie, was missing at one point, but came back, with numerous scars. In the end, the underlying theme is about sacrifice, and the courage to do what's right.
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy |
| Author: | Kelly Barnhill |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |
| Publication date: | August 2, 2011 |
| Number of pages: | 323 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 8 - 12 |
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