Review: Marabel and the Book of Fate

Marabel and the Book of Fate by Tracy Barrett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun fantasy story for middle schoolers, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys girl heroes or fairy tales and myths.

Marabel is a princess and twin to her "Chosen One" brother. She lives in his shadow but loves him, her family, and her kingdom. When he is kidnapped, she sets off to bring him back. There is so much fun in this adventure: many references to familiar tales and even to some modern things (like "elfies," pictures of you drawn by elves). While there is a lot of fun and puns and hilarious times, along the way Marabel learns about biases and prejudices and teamwork. She also learns she's stonger than she thinks.

I enjoy a good story that makes me chuckle and gives me something to think about. This story did that. Many middle-grade stories that I read these days seem to "dumb down" the wording or sentence structure within the story; this one did not. While it may not be rich in its vocabulary, at least I did not feel talked down to. I definitely would recommend Marabel and the Book of Fate for school libraries and language arts classrooms.  

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At my request, I received a free electronic copy of this book from NetGalley.  I was not required to give a positive review.  This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions on the book, and I received no compensation for this review other than getting to keep the e-book. 

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