#26 Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

I do not have many teen books on the list. This is one of them. I remember seeing the cover and being fascinated. Then reading the intro. The last time I did my list, I did not include this one, and it is an oversight. Like most teen books, you have to overlook the fact that adults would willingly let kids do something dangerous and possibly fatal. However, like most of those books, the reason seems perfectly logical.

At some point in the past, magical preserves were created. Humans were expanding, and many of the intelligent creatures agreed to be bound by certain rules and live on the preserves. As magical being they are unable to break that bond without the humans releasing them. The humans watch the preserves and care for the creatures and oversee beings that live there.

On top of that, humans cannot really see the magical creatures. You interpret them as something else. Two kids come to visit their grandparents that they have rarely seen when their parents go on an extended trip. They enter the preserve and live in the giant house. The daughter loves the array of giant, colorful butterflies that live in the garden. Until one day she stumbles across the magic that lets her see the butterflies for what they are, tiny fairies.

This leads them both down a path of opening their eyes. The grandparents never push the visitors to find out what is there, they let the magic take its course. Some will never believe even after they see, while others believe before they see this magical world.

Eventually, you run into a group that is trying to break the contracts and let the creatures loose. They feel that the bargains should never have been made. In the process, the two heroes make decisions to save their family and friends that leave them both touched, the older wiser sister, by the fairies. Giving her abilities that she comes to understand over the books. While the younger brother makes a deal with a demon trapped in Fablehaven. That deal leaves him touched as well. Both balancing each other.

The kids are kids. Each doing their own stupid things, and being manipulated by the creatures and adults around them. Kids are quick to trust, and get burned that way by adults that have darker motives, a pretty face and a smile makes them a bit gullible. They learn, and overcome with some fun story telling.

Maybe it was the time I was reading this first series, I think my kids were that age, and it seemed magical. It reminded me of my youth, and yearning for magic in the world like this. Centaurs, demons, witches, undead, dragons, giants, and more all find a home in this series, and it was entertaining and fantastic. I wanted more. The second series was not nearly as enjoyable, but the first was a story that was well done and told.

Is this series a great piece of fantasy literature, no. Yet I think every 13-15 year old should have the opportunity to read. This is the gateway drug to fantasy. The fun story that will relate before we get into stories of adults doing adult things.

On a fun side note. I was at Salt Lake Cities comic con a few years ago. I was in a back hallway and sat down to relax. Out of the way of the huge crowds bustling around. Out came Brandon Mull, he is one of a handful of authors that I recognize. He had his kids (I don’t know if all of them were), and they stopped next to me. He was telling them how much they could spend, (not a lot) and giving them instruction. Plus there was a little scolding for the older ones not helping with the younger ones. He had work to do as well as some fun.

It was fun to realize that he was a regular guy. Yes, he wrote books, but he had the same concern as every father out there. They headed off, and I got a nod as he went on. Just a small interaction in the back of nowhere.