School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-8-An inventive plot and memorable characters will draw listeners into Cornelia Funke's fantasy (Scholastic, 2003). Twelve-year-old Meggie and Mo, her book binder father, are fleeing their old enemy, Capricorn, when they arrive at Great Aunt Eleanor's book-lined villa in Italy. Though the three of them are brave and wily by turns, their cruelly-powerful nemesis manages to find them and their copy of the book, Inkheart. That's when Meggie learns about her father's extraordinary ability to read book characters into life, and the events that caused her mother's disappearance when Capricorn emerged from the title book. Meggie, Mo, Eleanor, and a host of friends and enemies go through plot twists that involve captures, escapes and, finally, an end to Capricorn's reign of terror. At the heart of it all, is the power of story and family love. Actress Lynn Redgrave shows her considerable powers as a narrator with well-chosen voices that fit each character and mood. Anthea Bell gets kudos for a translation from the German that is both lyrical and exciting. The sound quality and packaging are well done with information on which chapters can be found on each cassette. Inkheart is a nuanced and intriguing recording that will appeal to adults and teens as well as upper elementary and middle school students. It will be a popular choice in school libraries that serve students from grade four up, and public libraries as well.-Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.