Artemis Fowl
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Eoin Colfer
Hyperion/Disney, 2001 270 pages
Grades 4-Up
Fantasy/Adventure
Artemis Fowl series #1
I love this series and have since it first came out. It ticks a lot of boxes; appealing to lovers of fantasy, as well as kids who don't think they like the genre. Reluctant readers get sucked into the never-stopping action and suspend belief as the fairy agents and boy genius go toe-to-toe. For twenty years kids have been enjoying this series. Now with the movie being released in May (through Disney Plus since theaters are closed due to Covid19) and a new companion series about Artemis' younger brothers titled The Fowl Twins, there is resurging interest in the original book. After re-reading I find that it has indeed stood the test of time and is still as exciting and fresh as it was upon release. The only complaint I have is that the chapters are way too long, but there are plenty of breaks within the chapters where the scene changes to give readers a chance to catch their breaths. Much like a James Bond film with magic thrown in, the action, gadgets, and plot twists are non-stop, making it impossible to put the book down. Gnommish characters run along the bottom of the pages with a key to the alphabet in the back of the volume, which bright kids will enjoy cracking. A great book sure to appeal to a wide range of readers that serves as a great escape to today's troubled world.
Fantasy/Adventure
Artemis Fowl series #1
Twelve-year-old Child prodigy, Artemis Fowl, is determined to restore the family fortune. With his father missing and his mother no longer quite right, it is up to him to fix things. Together with his bodyguard "Butler", he travels to Vietnam, where he connects with a damaged sprite, who is willing to trade her Fairy Book for a cure. Artemis manages to translate the Gnommish language to discover the secrets of the magical creatures who have long since disappeared underground. Meanwhile, fairy captain, Holly Short, of the LEPrecon Unit is on a mission in Italy cleaning up when a rogue troll escapes and wreaks havoc, after which she must travel to Ireland to restore her magic. It is here that Artemis kidnaps Captain Short and takes her back to Fowl Manor. Holly's gruff fairy supervisor, Commander Root, is determined to get her back, even if it means coughing up an exorbitant amount of fairy gold. Root tries various tactics to retrieve his agent, including eliciting the help of a ne’er-do-well dwarf, only to fail at every turn. Finally, the mission is taken away from him-with disastrous results. Will Holly ever be rescued? And will Artemis acquire the ways and means to save his home and family?
I love this series and have since it first came out. It ticks a lot of boxes; appealing to lovers of fantasy, as well as kids who don't think they like the genre. Reluctant readers get sucked into the never-stopping action and suspend belief as the fairy agents and boy genius go toe-to-toe. For twenty years kids have been enjoying this series. Now with the movie being released in May (through Disney Plus since theaters are closed due to Covid19) and a new companion series about Artemis' younger brothers titled The Fowl Twins, there is resurging interest in the original book. After re-reading I find that it has indeed stood the test of time and is still as exciting and fresh as it was upon release. The only complaint I have is that the chapters are way too long, but there are plenty of breaks within the chapters where the scene changes to give readers a chance to catch their breaths. Much like a James Bond film with magic thrown in, the action, gadgets, and plot twists are non-stop, making it impossible to put the book down. Gnommish characters run along the bottom of the pages with a key to the alphabet in the back of the volume, which bright kids will enjoy cracking. A great book sure to appeal to a wide range of readers that serves as a great escape to today's troubled world.
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