Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children

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Average customer rating 4.5 (12 comments)

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Amazing. Fabulous. Stupendous. Huge words with huge meanings that barely do this book justice. I'm not one for YA books, but my daughter insisted I give it a try and I'm glad she did. This was actually my second reading of this book as I recently picked up the second book at Powell's as a gift for my daughter. The weaving together of a unique and intriguing story to go with the found pictures is a wonderful premise that Ransom Riggs has done a wonderful job creating. I truly can't wait to read the second and third books in the series, and will probably end up reading the second before I give it to my girl. Hey, she's away at college, it's fair! The only sad thing for me is that I watched the movie not knowing that they pulled story from the second book, which has spoiled the reading of that a bit.

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This is a strong entry for YA literature, but very much written for that level of reader, which is less evident during the first novel (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children) than becomes evident in the 2nd (Hollow City) and 3rd (Library of Souls). While the main and supporting characters are not overly complex, neither are they stereotypes or caricatures, and they do develop over the course of the series. For the most part, the vintage photos are entertaining, and they often enhance, for example, the imagining of the characters, but there are times as well when the narrative seems to try a bit too hard to be relevant to a particular image. The plotting can be a bit slow (there are probably two books worth of material expanded to three novels) and while the series comes to a satisfying conclusion, it does so only through deus ex machina to a distracting degree. Overall, the integration of photos into the story is a clever technique, and while underwhelming to an older reader, these books are perfectly appropriate to a YA audience.

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Ive been wanting to watch this movie but must read book first. Loving all the top-notch reviews. Guess I'll break down and buy the book.

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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was eccentric, concise, artistic, amusing, and, well . . . peculiar! Ransom Riggs' first novel shows his adept writing skills and witty British humor. It was a beautiful coming-of-age story and overcoming loss story, and it has science (and a little bit of historical) fiction. The unusual thing about this story is that it includes legitimate photographs that the author collected and chose to go along with his story. For example, the little girl pictured on the front cover is based on a character who is actually in the story. In summary, Jacob Portman is the average teenage boy who is forced to work in a family store. However, one day, he gets a call concerning his grandfather who is thought by his family to be senile. His grandfather has an interesting backstory about why he is always so paranoid, and Jacob unexpectedly goes on an adventure after a frightening and scarring event takes place. Will he really be able to meet peculiars, a group of people with superpowers and are hidden in the past? Will he ever meet old Miss Peregrine, who saved his grandfather from death as a child in multiple ways? This page-turner is bound to make you read the follow-up book, so don't wait and get your hands on Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children as soon as you can!

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This book is unlike any other. What I understand is that the author has a collection of real, odd photos (much like the one on the cover of the book) and he writes stories around them. Ms. Peregrine is about a boy who goes to England after his grandfather's death. While wandering, he comes across this home full of children with weird abilities all under the care of one woman-Ms. Peregrine. The boy then learns that he has gone back in time, when he really should not be able to find these folks and their odd powers. How did he get there? What is his purpose of finding this place? Could he be just as weird as these peculiar children? Read the trilogy-soon to be a movie!-to find out.

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Contemporary and Historical Time-Travel Paranormal YA Florida & Wales, England Jacob is a sixteen-year-old that is set on a journey when a horrific family tragedy strikes. He goes to a remote island off the coast of Wales and discovers a crumbling ruin that was once Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. The more Jacob explores the abandoned bedrooms and hallways the more he finds that Miss Peregrine’s children were much more than just peculiar. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island as they might have been dangerous and where there for a very good reason. Even more impossible is the fact that they might actually still be alive. This is a story that takes photographs and remarkable story telling to a level that makes for a book that will have readers eating it up. While there is a bit of a cliffhanger it still proves to be a story worth reading and will have readers eagerly getting the next book just to see what will happen next. The book is very different and with the photographs in it and it transports readers to another place. It will be interesting to see just where the journey of the books will take readers. While it is a young adult book adults will enjoy this one just as much as teens will. This one will also end up on many keeper shelves.

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This book is about 15 year old Jacob.Ever since he was little his Grandfather has been telling him fantastic,mysterious stories about children he used to know with peculiar gifts.A story about a little girl who can float like a balloon,a girl who can make fire come out of her hands,and a boy who is invisible.He also tells about Monsters who were always after the peculiar children. This book I found instantly fascinating,I read the whole book in one day.The book addition is gorgeous! Amazing,thought provoking old photos through out the book.A beautiful silver cover over a red hardback book that says in golden letters under the paper cover, Alma Lefay Peregrine.This book would be great for a child/teen who enjoys scary stories,but not to scary like a horror novel.Just mysterious and a little spooky with a great story plot.Wonderful book,will on my favorite books shelf for years.Can't wait to read the sequel,Hollow City.:)

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I'd been wanting to read this book ever since I first saw it in the bookstore. I was not disappointed! The story hooked me early on with the mysterious death of the main character's grandfather. The plot is quite creative and the villains are thoroughly creepy. The added touch of the antique photos really adds a new dimension, like a picture book for adults. Loved this book, can't wait to get my hands on the second one!

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I was amazed how much I enjoyed this book! The narration is so natural, and has an easy flow that transitions well. The diction is also well done, and really makes the story, and its characters, come to life. Together, they give the book such a unique quality that's hard to compare. Throughout the entire text, I felt like I was actually watching the events unfold right in front of me. The artwork added was beautifully done. Each piece was obviously given the same attention as the one before it. It gives a nice guide to the imagery where words cannot, and helped to keep my vision more in sync with the authors. I loved the story line, and the excitement of it all. The plot unfolded easily, and had me reading "just one more chapter" to see what happened next. The children are each wonderfully entertaining in their own peculiar ways. I can't wait to see where their endeavor leads them, and what's to become of it all!

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This was a delicious, quick summer read for me. Despite some challenging themes (primarily a Holocaust allegory, but also mental illness) the book really is a coming-of-age story with a strong plot and unique characters. Liberal doses of time travel and magical realism propel the action in directions that will surprise you. The story has a wonderful cinematic quality, and the author makes creative use of the antique photographs that are sprinkled throughout. Highly recommended!

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In the most simplistic(and completely spoiler free) of descriptions this is a story of a young boy discovering the world of his grandfather's secrets. I honestly didn't know what to expect when I first started this book and found myself extremely surprised at how quickly it captured my interest. This is an outstanding debut novel. Let me start with the most peculiar part of the novel, the photographs. The use of photographs was unlike anything I had ever come across while reading. They give the story more life and their use bring a closeness to the protagonist, different from any other experience I have encountered prior. The story is wondrously fantastical and, yes, very cinematic. Every detail means something and when you are finished, you are left with a complete feeling (despite this being the first book of the series.) There are a few story elements that keep me from fully getting lost in the story, elements I feel that just were not needed as of just yet. While they do bring it down a star for me, they should not deter you from reading it. I am still thoroughly awaiting the sequel.

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I found Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children to be a surprisingly pleasant journey into the unknown realms of our own world. Fans of fringe science, creepy photographs, and paranormal mysteries will no doubt enjoy this book immensely, but I'd also recommend it to those who like YA fantasy or adventure, since this book doesn't necessarily look it on the cover. Between the creepy photos and some disturbing/violent scenes toward the end, I'd recommend this for middle grade and above, though you might want to stick to daylight reading depending on your disposition. If you're looking for a book that's a little unique, or dare I say peculiar, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is an edge-of-your-seat story that will have you questioning what you know to be real, what is possible, and what might be lurking just out of view.