The Kingdom of Kevin Malone

Rating:
Summary: The Kingdom Of Kevin Malone
Review: Had I had this novel available when I was working with "Distressed's" counterparts and teaching English some years ago, I would have been a happy camper! This little jewel of a novel makes a believably realistic case for the role that well-written and highly perceptive fantasy can play in helping teens deal with very real problems of death, loss, abuse and separation. Amy, trying to cope with the death of a much-loved cousin escapes by magic into a fantasy kingdom created by a former childhood bully. She rescues him and learns a much-needed lesson in tolerance and understanding while doing so. The issues are real; the fantasy aspects, extraordinarily well-conceived; and it seems to me that Ms. Charnas has done an absolutely superb job of helping teens "walk in another's moccasins" to see and gain valuable insight into real-life problems. As an adult, I loved this book! And I've shared it with young friends of "Distressed's" age who found it equally meaningful. I'm delighted to see it back in print for all ages to read and ENJOY!

Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but not as original as others
Review: Suzy McKee Charnas is better known for her adult fiction and non-fiction (she is the author of _The Verbal Art of Self-Defense_). I picked this book up for a buck and thought, what could I lose?

The better question may have been, for a buck, what could I gain? That's not to say that this novel is bad. Charnas is too much of a professional to have written a *bad* book. And there are some little twists to the genre that she nicely pulls off. But, on the whole, it's rather unimaginative.

The protagonist is a girl whose favorite aunt has just died, and she's quite bummed about it. So when she finds herself slipping into another world from Central Park, she is skeptical--especially since the hero of this other world is Kevin Malone, a bully who used to pick on her.

As I said, not a bad book. There's your typical walking skeletons, and the little people, and the quests. But there's also a more gritty, personal nature to the protagonist. I'm not sure it is altogether successful, but it was at least interesting.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but not as original as others
Review: Suzy McKee Charnas is better known for her adult fiction and non-fiction (she is the author of _The Verbal Art of Self-Defense_). I picked this book up for a buck and thought, what could I lose?

The better question may have been, for a buck, what could I gain? That's not to say that this novel is bad. Charnas is too much of a professional to have written a *bad* book. And there are some little twists to the genre that she nicely pulls off. But, on the whole, it's rather unimaginative.

The protagonist is a girl whose favorite aunt has just died, and she's quite bummed about it. So when she finds herself slipping into another world from Central Park, she is skeptical--especially since the hero of this other world is Kevin Malone, a bully who used to pick on her.

As I said, not a bad book. There's your typical walking skeletons, and the little people, and the quests. But there's also a more gritty, personal nature to the protagonist. I'm not sure it is altogether successful, but it was at least interesting.

Rating:
Summary: SUSPENSEFUL and full of EXCITING things at its VERY BEST!!!
Review: This book was awesome! I could hardly wait to start reading it again after I went to school or had do something. I encourage everyone to buy and read this book. Believe me,it's on my top favorite list!! So,don't waste any time in reading this delightful,enchanting,engrossing fantasy book!!

Rating:
Summary: I Wonder
Review: This book was really good. I wonder what the creatures that Kevin created looked like. And I would definately buy the sequel. If there is going to be one.