Customer Reviews

The Owlstone Crown

5 star:		(5)
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Why is this fast-paced fantasy fun out of print? Kids about 4th grade will want to look for it in libraries. When unhappy orphans Tim and Verity Tibb fall into a parallel world called 'Other Earth,' they quickly rally an assortment of odd friends to defeat a criminal dictator and restore peace to the realm. Suspense and excitement combine with genuine humor in this gripping yarn. There is also a sequel, called "The Eagle As Wide As the World."

I bought this book when I was in fifth grade and used to re-read it every summer until I loaned it out and never got it back. For anyone who likes magic and adventure stories, this is a great book! There are terrific lessons in this book for young and old and it's a wonderful story. A must read as far as I'm concerned.

I'm a children's librarian, and I can't figure out why this book didn't catch on and become an instant success-- well known by kids, teachers and librarians. The story is fantastic and memorable. A great fantasy for 3rd to 5th grades but slightly shorter and easier to read than others written for this age group. The adventure isn't overly complex with extensive vocabulary, which can limit audience. This lack of vocabulary and layers doesn't water down the story, it makes it faster paced. The Owlstone Crown will get kids' attention from the first page (I've witnessed this often) and they will remember details and plot because there's nothing else out there like it. It's unique! (And how many times can we say that about a time travel fantasy?)

I read this book as a child, very near the original publication date, I'm sure.

It is one that has stayed in the back of my memory, and I thought of it last winter as something my precocious 7-year-old son might enjoy reading. He just got to it today, and finished it over the course of two days. He really enjoyed it, and begged me to look online for a sequel. Who knew X.J. Kennedy had written a follow-up book, "The Eagle as Wide as the World"?

I will let my son, now age 8, read it first, but I will likely read the sequel myself. It is meaningful when a book lingers in your consciousness for almost 30 years.

We will be checking out the author's works of poetry for children as well.

This was one of my fav books as a child. It's still sitting on my bookshelf, 20+ yrs later. I think of this book every time I eat parsnips, which is quite often! I'm glad it's back in print because it's a very memorable book with its great storytelling devices, wonderful character descriptions, and excellent pacing. Good for fans of books like Lion Witch Wardrobe, Alice in Wonderland, Wiz of Oz.