Witch & Wizard

James Patterson has made his mark on YA lit with his Maximum Ride series, known for their action and suspense. In Witch & Wizard, Patterson, with co-author Gabrielle Charbonnet, keeps the action and suspense going with what appears to be the first book in a new series about two unlikely heroes.


Summary: Wisty & Whit Allgood had been living an average life with their parents until the night they were taken from their home by The New Order and accused of being a witch and wizard. They are taken from their parents and imprisoned. As they work together to survive, escape, and find their parents, they discover that they have much more power than they realized – and more than The New Order may be ready to deal with!

Along the way, Wisty & Whit meet a cast of characters including a ghost, a group of children on the run, and many sadistic New Order lackeys. The mix of adventure, suspense, and a touch of magic makes this a fun book – but it also serves as a warning. Think along the lines of 1984 or Fahrenheit 451.

The prologue of the book starts at the end of the story – to the moments before the public execution of the Allgood family – but does not end at that point. This, along with the teasing phrase “to be continued” on the last page has me searching for news of when the next book in this series will hit the shelves. (Which, according to Amazon, will be October 5, 2010!)


Themes:
Totalitarianism
Family
Justice
Age Appropriateness:
Grades 7 and up


Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild