Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Artwork, great heroine elevate futuristic fantasy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Eva Nine has lived all her life in an underground Sanctuary, raised by a robotic Muthr. When a hunter attacks, 12-year-old Eva flees to the surface. Muthr trained her, with holograms and a useful Omnipod, to survive on Earth, but Eva is completely unprepared for the strange (and terrifying) plants and animals she finds. With the hunter Besteel hot on her trail, Eva befriends a water bear named Otto and Rovender Kitt, who guides her through Orbona. Eva treasures a scorched image of a girl with an adult and a robot and the letters "Wond LA," clinging to it as she searches for fellow humans. Besteel drives her to a maritime city, then to the capital and an audience with Queen Ojo. Her quest for answers finally brings her to far-off ruins.
Is It Any Good?
The Search for WondLa, the first in the WondLa series, starts strong, with a familiar character in a most unfamiliar setting. Eva is at the age where she's itchy to escape her mother's control but anxious about being on her own. The dramatic opening chapters and deftly portrayed relationship between Muthr and Eva sets the stage for a poignant adventure. Strong characters and intriguing themes, however, get bogged down in plodding writing. Action scenes are muddled, and the descriptions of this highly imaginative world fall short.
Luckily, the book features beautiful illustrations by author Tony DiTerlizzi, who also co-wrote The Spiderwick Chronicles. The detailed, moss-toned artwork compensates for the story's descriptive failings. Fans will enjoy plentiful extras, including a map of Orbona and a guide to the alphabet, as well as online content: Three illustrations in the book unlock interactive maps on the affiliated website, which also offers games, desktop wallpaper, and other tie-ins.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about media tie-ins with The Search for WondLa, including illustrations that open interactive maps on the affiliated website, online games, and apps for tablets. Do you think the interactive content enhances the book?
The Search for WondLa is slated to become a movie. Can you picture how a filmmaker might approach the adaptation?
What do you think the author is saying about technology and human dependence on it? Does Orbona seem technologically advanced?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Tony DiTerlizzi
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster
- Publication date : September 21, 2010
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 14
- Number of pages : 512
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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