A Map of Days: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, Book 4
Common Sense says
- Ransom Riggs
- Fantasy
- 2018
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that A Map of Days is the fourth installment in Ransom Rigg's popular Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series. The events pick up about six weeks after those in the third book, and reading the other books first will deepen the reader's understanding of the characters, events, and world of "peculiars." There are scary monsters that eat people; creepy, vintage photos to add eerie atmosphere; and violence involving magical abilities and real-world weapons like guns and tear gas. A beating is briefly described. Blood's mentioned a few times, and there are some brief descriptions of monsters and fantasy creatures eating people. Sexy stuff includes a teen couple who kiss and hold hands, and who are trying to work out their relationship. A few brief instances mention beer or brown liquor. Several minor characters are described smoking, and a few pictures show people with cigars. Miss Peregrine lights and smokes a pipe once. Fictional "Mother Dust" puts people to sleep for hours at a time. Positive messages, role models, even group unity are not as strong as in earlier books, as the young teens chafe against being treated like children and try to take matters into their own hands. But their actions come from wanting to do good and help others, and they model bravery and creative problem-solving.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Absolutely Brilliant
Really great book... But when is it going to end?
It's Okay
What's the story?
A MAP OF DAYS: MISS PEREGRINE'S PECULIAR CHILDREN, BOOK 4 picks up about six weeks after the events in Book 3. The peculiars are now staying with Jacob at his home in Florida while Miss Peregrine and the other ymbrynes (a female peculiar who can take the form of a bird and manipulate time) concentrate on rebuilding their devastated world. As Jacob is trying to teach the peculiars about his "normal" world, they come across hints that Jacob's grandfather, Abe, was involved in mysterious activities in the peculiar world. Sure that they've done enough growing up to handle whatever comes their way and tired of being treated like children, Jacob, Emma, and a few other peculiar friends set out on an epic road trip from Florida to New York, trying to piece together the truth about Abe. Without telling Miss Peregrine, of course. But by the time they get to New York, things are way out of their control. Will they learn the truth about Abe, and will they be able to put some sort of life together for themselves?
Is it any good?
This fourth installment brings back much of what fans loved about the first three Miss Peregrine books, but a lot of it's diluted by large splashes of teen angst. Sure, A Map of Days has lots of deliciously creepy, vintage photographs (many now in color); sure, it's got hollowgasts, time loops, wights, and even more peculiars, good and bad; and sure, danger and mystery lurk around every corner. But those corners often come after long passages of discussion, argument, endless driving, and fretting about conflicting emotions and deciding futures. At times readers may feel as restless as the teens crammed into the back seat after four or five hours on the road.
That being said, it's still a must-read for fans of the series. Jacob's and Emma's lives are at important turning points, and the answers they're looking for echo back to the past, and will no doubt reverberate far into the future. Answers to questions only raise more questions, and readers will eagerly await the next installment because, make no mistake, this story is far from over.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the violence in A Map of Days. How much is too much? Is it different in books than in movies or TV? Why?
Have you read the other books in the series, or seen the movie of the first book? Which did you like best? Why do we like scary books, movies, games, etc.?
Have you ever been frustrated by an adult who doesn't seem to understand how grown up you are? What happened? How do you know when you're ready to tackle something on your own?
Book details
- Author: Ransom Riggs
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Misfits and Underdogs, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Dutton Books
- Publication date: October 2, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 13 - 17
- Number of pages: 496
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: June 19, 2019
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