Excerpts from an Unknown Guidebook, Book 1: Phases of the Moon

Aaron is a kid who isn’t particularly good at anything, isn’t particularly bad at anything, and feels pretty unimportant most of the time. Not all the time, though. Nearly every day, he goes to see his grandfather Pap, who is one of the few things that make his life special. Why? Because his stories are beyond compare. They take Aaron away from his boring little town and fly him some place incredible. This is why Aaron looks forward to his wild tales each day. But then Pap goes missing. Aaron is worried. When he finally finds his grandfather, he discovers there is more to storytelling than he ever imagined. Pap is a Folkteller. Stories that dare not be read must be told. That is the motto of all Folktellers, and their mission to tell the stories that must be told, for they know that stories are powerful things. But it is dangerous. The Shadow People, who are enemies of all Folktellers, are closing in. Aaron must help his grandfather before the Shadow People win and Folktellers are silenced forever.

This is a well-told, eloquent tale about stories, and what they can do. They chase away shadows and bring light. This book is rather confusing at times, but older kids will enjoy the beautiful detailed pictures and the exciting plot. I wouldn’t read it to younger kids because it is sometimes slow, somewhat subtle, and can be a little creepy. The Shadow People are shown as ghostlike figures in black, and I certainly wouldn’t want to run into one. But if that is not a problem to you, and you are looking for an almost mysterious book to capture your imagination, search no further. Besides, you’ll need to know a few stories if you want to become a Folkteller.