L.N. Mayer

Although I admittedly am not a young adult reader, I requested the book as a Librarything giveaway and was overjoyed to be transported back to my days of Ronald Dahl and Shel Silverstein by Tell, or the Adventures in Themiddles. I think I may have missed a few of the hidden nuances behind specific character and location names but caught on to enough of the cleverness to be quite intrigued. I grew to appreciate Tell and his struggles, but my favorite character may very well have been a mysterious wolf that tells a great story (in part due to his exceptional hearing which is perfect for eavesdropping). The story deals with powerful themes including the value of one’s own imagination and the complexities of family ties. Tell also questions who in his life can be trusted. I was a bit disappointed in reaching the end of the book as much was left unanswered… but that is why there are sequels!… (meer)

This is an amazing book, chronicling a few exciting days in the life of ten-year-old William Teller. The setting is a fantasy land in eastern Kansas, and we follow Tell as he searches for something vitally important to him. He meets several fascinating characters on his quest, some of whom help him and some who don’t. A few problems are explained and resolved by the end of the book. Others are left for the sequel. The story flows nicely and the dialogue is seamless and believable. There are stories within stories within the main story, but it all works out in the end.
I used Calibre to read the epub edition of this book. The formatting and paging were perfect. At the end of Chapter 19, there is a reference to a pigeon coup. At the beginning of Chapter 21, there are three instances of a horse’s reigns; after that, the word reins is used. With those minor exceptions, the spelling, grammar, and punctuation are impeccable.… (meer)