43 Old Cemetery Road: Hollywood Dead Ahead

Moving forward

Klise, Kate and Klise, Sarah. 43 Old Cemetery Road: Hollywood Dead Ahead. Boston : Harcourt Children's Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.

Plot: The fifth of the 43 Old Cemetery Road series begins with an important-looking letter from a famous Hollywood director. Pleased by the collaborative writings of the 43 Old Cemetery Road residents, the director plans to make a movie based on the series. Elderly Iggy remains skeptical, while Seymour, like any kid, wants to have a role in the film. Much to the surprise of both, Olive, the mansion's resident ghost, eagerly looks forward to her part in the movie. Hollywood does not prove to be nearly as inviting as expected. Initial thrills eventually fade to frustration, stress, and betrayal. Still, the family manages to escape the worst clause in the ordeal. Ivana Oscar, a famous actress, unwittingly promises to die during the film. The family and the actress must unite to stop the savage Hollywood executives.

Genre: Adventure, Humor

Reading Level: Grades 2-6

Similar Titles: My Haunted House, The Haunting of Granite Falls

Personal Thoughts: Creative narration saves the title from becoming a typical Hollywood story. While the pretext remains common, the characters manage to show enough individuality to benefit the tale, as well. A new title in the series is expected next year.

Varjak Paw

Two predators...

Said, S. F. Varjak Paw. New York : David Flicking Books, 2003.

Plot: While his family enjoys a pampered life as a Contessa's pets, Varjak is painfully ill-fitting for the life of a Mesopotanian blue. His eyes, the color of danger, denote his tendency to get into trouble and disturb his family's life of unruffled calm. He becomes suspicious of a Gentleman caller to the Contessa, especially after she disappears. Assisted by his grandfather, Varjak escapes to the outside world, where he immediately finds himself overwhelmed. Yet, in a dream, he is visited by his ancestor and instructed in the Way, a series of seven skills capable of helping him rescue his family. Varjak finds friends, including a pair of ally cats named Tam and Holly, as well as enemies during his training in the Way. Yet, his family, and all cats, remain in peril from the strange Gentleman and his deadly black cats. The Way alone may not be enough to stop the Gentleman's plans.

Genre: Animals, Fantasy, Coming of Age

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: The Familiars, Savvy, The Outlaw Varjak Paw

Personal Thoughts: The title provides a typical martial arts-animal fantasy-zombie-street drama-coming of age story. Joking aside, the tale manages to utilize various tropes in a surprisingly pleasing manner. Varjak's identity struggles with his family and himself echo with readers, while the surreal meetings with his legendary ancestor appeal to tweens seeking something unusual. The story also includes a thoroughly unnerving undercurrent, much like Coraline. Readers immediately know something dangerously uncanny drives the story, although its true nature remains a mystery until the very end.

The title provided a basis for an opera and play. The Jim Henson Company reported plans to use the story for an animated movie in 2006.