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paraworld zero; parallel worlds book 1

Summary:
Simon Kent, 12, is a boy who lives in an orphanage. His life is filled with bullies and loneliness. One day he meets Tonya, who is from a parallel universe. She has magical powers, and Simon, too, learns that he also has special powers that he can use to save the earth. Together, Tonya and Simon must face monsters and protect Tonya from the evil people who don't like magic.

Educational Themes:
There are no weighty themes in this book. It is an imaginative and creative work of fantasy which will catch and sustain some readers’ attention with its bizarre characters and multi-level plots and sub-plots. More typical readers will eventually drift away because of the effort it takes to follow the ever-changing stories and characters.

Reading Level:
5.3

Recommended Age To Read By Yourself:
13 and Up

Recommended Age To Read Together:
10 to 12

Age of child:
Read by student at Woodside Magnet High School for Arts and Communication (Newport News, VA)

Purchase Recommendation:
Borrow or buy. Our teen reviewer really liked this book; it was exciting and had a great story. Our parental reviewer found it less enticing than Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Hobbit.

Little Kid Reaction
This book is good for kids 13 and older. I picked the book because I like science. From the very beginning it held my attention and was easy to get into. I liked how it was futuristic. I think it would be cool if there really were parallel worlds. I learned that just because someone is different, doesn't mean you have to pick on them.

Big Kid Reaction
This is a fantasy novel written in the tradition of The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and The Hobbit. Reading the book really was like reviewing Lewis, Rowling, and Tolkien on steroids. This is a fast-paced fantasy/science fiction work. The author he has written an imaginative and creative coming of age adventure.

Pros:

Reading this book is like watching a movie: you can see it in your mind. The author engages the reader immediately and carries you along with Simon and Tonya.

Cons:

It may be a little hard to understand for some audiences. There are too many characters, plots, and subplots for the average reader to track. One has to have a “score card” to keep the players and adventures straight. Despite the marketing of the book, this is the author’s first publication and he has a lot of work to do before he can comfortably join Lewis, Tolkien, and Rowling as masters of the genre.

Title	Paraworld Zero
About	Parallel Worlds, Book 1
Author	Matthew Peterson
Publisher	Orchard House Press © 2008
Illustrators	Matthew Peterson
ISBN	9781590924914
Material	Hard Cover
Cost	$16.99
Genres	Adventure, Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction