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DiDonovan
, May 05, 2015
(view all comments by DiDonovan)
The Key: A Taylor and Alan Adventure presents Volume 2 in an adventure series (Volume 1 not seen by this reviewer), and focuses on a brother/sister team who are eagerly awaiting the release of a summer movie at the mall which brags it holds the 'theater to end all theaters'.
Movie fantasies quickly end, however, when the two stumble into the wrong movie theater - and into another world.
Now, perhaps the author didn't intend this - but moments of comic relief lightly pepper the story; because the first reaction to their slip into another universe is indignation that, once more, they have left their world - and their intended pleasures in it; "Oh no, here we go again,” I shouted to the universe. “Not today, today I want to see my terrific movie, eat my delicious popcorn, and drink my icecold soda!”
Black and white photos also pepper the story, but its strength lies in dialogue and plot that provide advanced elementary to middle school readers with a solid adventure in the 'Land of Baltimore'.
No reader can easily resist a treasure hunt. Few can turn away from the prospect of siblings who challenge catacombs, tombs, unicorns, and mystery, either!
The dialogue is convincing, the story realistic and engrossing, and The Key provides a well-done adventure that needs no prior introduction to its predecessor to prove engrossing.
Combine siblings with another world and an adventure filled with the trappings of magic and problem-solving and you have a compelling story with enough twists and turns to keep it memorable and engrossing, even for selected adult readers!
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