Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature)
Mo was reading aloud to his wife and daughter, Meggie, when suddenly several characters from the book literally sprang to life. Mo recognized two of them, Capricorn and Basta, as villains from Inkheart and they demanded that Mo put them back in the book. Not only was he unsuccessful at returning them, but his wife disappeared into the story. Mo successfully eluded Capricorn for years. But now that he knows their location, Mo decides to confront him and takes Meggie with him. They learn that Capricorn wants to bring another character to life--that of the infamous Shadow. In their attempt to prevent this, their adventure takes them to Capricorn's village and to the home of the author of Inkheart as well. Funke has created a fast paced mysterious adventure tale for book lovers. Well-developed characters (some humorous, others sympathetic, and some downright nasty in their deeds) and a strong sense of place (whether it is a mansion full of books, a dark and damp dungeon cell, or an open hill side) will keep readers turning the pages. She begins each chapter with quotes from well-known children's books and successfully links them with the events of the chapters. 2003, The Chicken House/Scholastic, $19.95. Ages 10 to 14.

Tiffany Burgess (Children's Literature)
Cornelia Funke, popular author of The Thief Lord, creates an astonishing magical world in this novel. When a mysterious stranger suddenly appears at Meggie's door, the quiet life she has led with her father, Mo, vanishes. This stranger is linked to her father's past, and Meggie discovers that Mo has been keeping a secret that involves the disappearance of her mother, a sinister man named Capricorn, and Meggie herself. As she and her father flee from their home, Meggie learns that when her father reads aloud, he is able to bring characters out of the pages and into their world. However, Mo's gift has a terrible price: every time something comes out of a book, something must go into it, even if it is something he loves. Now Capricorn wants to use Mo for his own nasty deeds and decides to use Meggie as bait. Hidden away, Meggie must wait for her father to save her from Capricorn and his hideous plan to bring an indestructible evil to Earth. In this magical world, Meggie has to discover that all actions have consequences and that sometimes the things we long for most are right in front of us. Beginning each chapter with a quote from a famous book, Funke gives the reader ample foreshadowing and creates a false feeling of what is to come. For example, when Dustfinger betrays Meggie to Capricorn, the quote for that chapter comes from C.S. Lewis' novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: "The reason there's no use looking, said Mr. Beaver, we know already where he's gone! Everyone stared in amazement. Don't you understand? said Mr. Beaver. He's gone to her, to the White Witch. He has betrayed us all." This novel would be excellent for use in the classroom to assist with the task of teaching foreshadowing, though it is also a wonderful coming of age story in which the female protagonist has to find the courage to survive in the magical world in which she found herself. 2003, The Chicken House/Scholastic, $16.95. Ages 10 to 15.

Gillian Bernard (CM Magazine, January 30, 2004 (Vol. X, No. 11 ))
Inkheart is another wonderful tale of adventure and intrigue translated from the German author Cornelia Funke. Each chapter begins with an excerpt from a "great" piece of literature. The influence of all of these fantasy (and fantastic) authors has obviously greatly influenced Funke's writing style. The quotes widely range in authors and styles: from The Jungle Book by Kipling to The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien. This book is well written, and the beautiful imagery draws the reader further and further into the story. As a translation, this book stands up to most stories written in an author's first language. The story unfolds slowly giving away only bits and pieces of the puzzle which frustrates not only the main character, Meggie, but the reader as well. The plot revolves around the "actual" book Inkheart which influenced Meggie's past, more than she realizes at first, and then finds it greatly affecting her present and future. Meggie's father, Mortimer (Mo), is a bookbinder, and her Aunt Elinor is a overzealous book collector; these adults in the story are no more sensible than Meggie when it comes to decision making. We seem to jump into this story mid stream, which leaves the reader trying untangle all the information as it is presented to Meggie. Other important supporting characters belong to (or in) Inkheart and have been magically brought into "our" world. These characters create the conflict which Mo and Meggie ultimately need to resolve. There were parts of this novel where the plot dragged and the action seemed unnecessary for moving the story ahead. At times, the main characters plotted or planned but didn't follow through. They seemed to let the plot lead them and appeared to go along with whatever came next. Characterization in this novel lacked real depth. An attachment to any particular character was not solidified. The missing connections did not make me want to read more about Meggie, Mo, or Capricorn. The descriptions of Mo's talent were random and illogical throughout. People appearing and disappearing wasn't clearly addressed. Was there supposed to be an alternative or parallel reality? Unfortunately, the antagonistic character of Capricorn was very flat and needed far more detail to create a believable horrifying villain. The author mainly developed Capricorn through what other characters said. When Capricorn was in the "action," he seemed to shout and bluster but didn't seem powerful or evil. Even the desecration of Aunt Elinor's books was achieved in absence of both the reader and Capricorn! It also must be mentioned that the format, cover and illustrations on and within this book play a huge part in creating the aura surrounding the mystery of the plot. The book cover is subtly textured and appears to be luxuriously bound. The images shimmer and leap out to one's sense of touch. The "nutmeg" smell of the pages is referred to in the novel and literally makes the reader stick their nose in the book! The conclusion is artfully woven, although it is, again, mainly plot driven. The reader is left wondering about the reality of this tale in spite of the trolls, blue fairies, and Tinker Bell. Inkheart will appeal to all young adults. However, the size of this novel may be off putting for weaker readers. Any avid reader should definitely add this to their must read list! As an adult, I found the connections to the excerpts from other novels especially fascinating. I certainly will wonder next time I read a book aloud! Recommended. Rating: *** /4. Grades 5-9. 2003, The Chicken House/Scholastic (Distributed in Canada by Scholastic Canada), 534 pp., cloth, $24.99. Ages 10 to 14.

CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 2004)
Cornelia Funke's second novel published in the United States is a highly original fantasy story. Meggie is a reader and lover of books, a trait she inherited from her father, Mo. On a dark and stormy night, a mysterious stranger named Dustfinger shows up at their door. But he's no stranger to Mo, who is reluctant to tell Meggie who Dustfinger is. The truth turns out to be stranger than anything Meggie could ever have imagined. When Meggie was three years old, Mo was reading a novel called Inkheart aloud to Meggie's mother. Dustfinger was a character in that story. As Mo read, Dustfinger and others from the world of Inkheart-including the sinister, power-hungry Capricorn-became flesh and blood in this world. At the same time, Meggie's mother disappeared into the world of the novel. These startling revelations unfold as as Meggie and her father are on the run: Dustfinger's arrival means that Capricorn has finally tracked Mo down. There is one more character from Inkheart-a terrible, awful force-that Capricorn wants Mo to read into this world. Funke's richly imagined and vividly told story is a page turner, its unique plot peopled with intriguing characters. Dustfinger aches to return to the world of Inkheart, and will seemingly do whatever it takes to get Mo to read him back into the book, yet he is Meggie and Mo's uneasy ally. Meggie's Aunt Elinore, unwillingly dragged into the drama, lives only, at least at first, for her beloved books. And Meggie and Mo face temptations that complicate their thinking. For Mo, it is the possibility that he might be able to read Meggie's mother back from Inkheart, if he dares. Meggie is eager to find out if she might share her father's extraordinary ability, despite its potential dangers. Only the "bad guys," Capricorn's henchmen, are one-note characters, serving as part of the mood-setting backdrop for this complex story that will be relished by book-loving children and young adults. CCBC categories: Fiction for Children. 2003, The Chicken House / Scholastic, 534 pages, $19.95. Ages 9-14.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2003 (Vol. 71, No. 18))
It is hard to avoid preciosity in books about books, but here Funke pulls off the feat with vigor. Meggie, an avid reader, lives alone with her father, a bookbinder; her mother disappeared years before. When a disturbing stranger named Dustfingers intrudes on their peace, she gradually discovers that the barrier between books and the real world is permeable and that an ill-fated read-aloud years ago unleashed Capricorn, who "would feed [a] bird to [a] cat on purpose . . . and the little creature's screeching and struggling would be as sweet as honey to him." Funke takes her time with her tale, investing her situations with palpable menace and limning her characters with acute sensitivity; she creates in Meggie a stalwart heroine who never loses her childish nature even as she works to contain the monster and bring her mother back. Master translator Bell takes the German text and spins out of it vivid images and heart-stopping language that impel the reader through this adventure about narratives-a true feast for anyone who has ever been lost in a book. 2003, Chicken House/Scholastic, $19.95. Category: Fiction. Ages 10 up. Starred Review. © 2003 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Eileen Wright (Library Media Connection, January 2004)
When we read great stories, a book comes to life and the characters leap off the pages. Can you imagine that really happening? It does here. Dustfinger appears and brings an ominous warning to Mo, a book restorer, and his 12-year-old daughter Meggie that Capricorn wants his book, Inkheart. Mo takes Meggie to her eccentric, curt adorer of books, Aunt Elinor, to avoid Capricorn and his notorious men. However, Dustfinger betrays Mo, and they are all taken to Capricorn's village. Meggie discovers that her father was the one who read Capricorn into this world and sent her mother instead into the book of Inkheart. Her father's "gift" was the reason why he never read aloud to her as a child. Capricorn soon discovers that Meggie also has the gift, and he wants her to read his "Shadow" from the book. With the help of the Fenoglio, the author of Inkheart, they discover that they can destroy the perfectly evil Capricorn. Each chapter begins with a quote from another book, which gives insight into what will take place within that chapter. Many similes are used, which add more depth to Meggie's feelings, giving normally bland descriptions animation and intense feelings. There is adventure, suspense, anxiety, hope, love, and strong family bonds that all strengthen this adventure about the love of reading books. Highly Recommended. 2003, Scholastic, 534pp., $19.95 hc. Ages 11 to 15.

Vicki Arkoff (Midwest Book Review, "Vicki's Bookshelf" column, November 2003)
From the author of the best-selling "The Thief Lord" comes an exciting new adventure about magic, self-discovery, and books and the imagination they inspire. Best-selling author Cornelia Funke's latest tells a thrilling tale of Meggie who lives alone with her father, Mo, a book restorer with a strange literary talent. A frightening new chapter in their lives begins the day a strange figure from the past arrives at their door. Mo reveals an extraordinary secret -- that when he reads a book out loud, the fictional characters come to life. He is warned that a villain he read out of a book is looking for a precious book in Mo's collection and will stop at nothing to steal it. Soon, Meggie discovers that she too shares her father's gift and hopes she can use her newfound powers to send the villainous character back between the pages where he belongs. The fire of Funke's imagination in "Inkheart" proves that her award-winning "The Thief Lord" was no fluke. She's a master of her craft who has earned every one of her millions of fans around the world through her vision and craft. Watch out J.K. Rowling. Cornelia Funke has quickly climbed the ranks to become the world's third best-selling children's author, and "Inkheart" is a sure sign that she hasn't yet reached her peak. A must-read for book fans from upper elementary grades to adulthood. 2003, The Chicken House / Scholastic, 536 pages, $19.95.

Evita Wiatr (The ALAN Review, Winter 2004 (Vol. 31, No. 2))
Meggie is a rather mature 12-year-old who lives with her father, Mo. She even calls him Mo and has for as long as she can remember. One thing she does not remember is how one night when she was just 3 years old, while her father was reading aloud to Meggie, her mother vanished from the room, out of the very bed she had been sitting in. Mo has a special gift (which he passes down to Meggie) of reading characters out of books when he reads aloud. As her mother disappears, three men, Capricorn, one of the most dangerous characters; Basta, his cruel and heartless servant; and Dustfinger, a man who plays with fire, stand across the room from Mo and Meggie. They are characters from Inkheart, the book Mo had been reading aloud. After Mo chases them out of his house, he is left with Meggie; for nine years it is just the two of them, and for nine years Meggie listens intently when Mo tells stories of her mother's mysterious and exciting trips around the world. Meggi, believing her father, hasn't realized her mother is trapped in a book. Filled with twists and turns, ups and downs, this fantasy will leave you moved, especially at the reunion of three people separated for many years. Most likely in the end you will feel as Meggie and her Aunt Elinor did, that books are better left under their covers and not meant to come alive. Category: Coming of Age/Italy. YA--Young Adult. 2003, The Chicken House, 554 pp., $19.95. Ages young adult.Chicago, IL

Janice M. Del Negro (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, March 2004 (Vol. 57, No. 7))
Twelve-year-old Meggie and her bookbinder father, Mo, live a quiet if sometimes vagabond life. One rainy night Dustfinger, a man from Mo’s past, arrives at the door in search of a mysterious book entitled Inkheart. An attempted flight to Meggie’s missing mother’s aunt Elinor fails; Dustfinger follows, determined to acquire the book for his employer, the master villain Capricorn. Capricorn’s henchmen kidnap Mo and steal the book, unaware that bibliophile Aunt Elinor has switched volumes. Meggie, Elinor, and Dustfinger follow Mo with the real book in hand for ransom, but fall into Capricorn’s clutches. The villain’s obsession with both the book and Mo becomes clear: through reading aloud, Mo brings things forth from books and gives them reality in this world, which is how Dustfinger and Capricorn got here in the first place. A desperate escape frees the captives, along with Farid (a boy conjured from the pages of The Arabian Nights); they achieve a few nights of freedom while visiting Fenoglio, the author of Inkheart, before Capricorn overtakes them. The driving forces behind this plot are the magic of words and images and the transformative power of books: each of the fifty-nine chapters opens with a quote from a well-known book for youth, thematically related to the chapter content. The densely written but smooth text is richly descriptive, creating memorable characters and vivid images of the Italian countryside. The length of the story is a bit daunting, however, and the measured pace may encourage page counting. Still, this is a novel meant to be savored, not rushed: those adults who follow Funke’s own advice regarding reading aloud with feeling will find that they and their listeners are in for a rewarding literary--in all senses of the word--treat. Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2004, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2003, Chicken House/Scholastic, 534p, $19.95. Grades 5-8.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2004)
Twelve-year-old Meggie learns that many years ago, while her father was reading the novel Inkheart out loud, his voice somehow brought many of its characters--including the evil despot Capricorn--“slipping out of their story.” Now Capricorn wants Meggie’s father to summon a malevolent, immortal character called the Shadow from the pages of the book. This tale of adventure and fantasy reaches an especially satisfying conclusion. Category: Intermediate Fiction. 2003, Scholastic/Chicken House, 534pp, $19.95. Ages 9 to 12. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.

Kevin Beach (VOYA, December 2003 (Vol. 26, No. 5))
The author of The Thief Lord (Scholastic, 2002, (c)2000/VOYA April 2003) produces another magical novel that is sure to be popular. Mo is a bookmender keeping a secret from his daughter. For as long as she can remember, twelve-year-old Meggie has been on the move with her father, often fleeing in the middle of the night. When an odd character shows up on their doorstep with a mysterious book in hand, warning them to hide, she demands some answers. Mo confesses that his work is related to the absence of Meggie's mother, who disappeared nine years ago. He solicits the aid of an eccentric aunt to watch Meggie for a while, but soon they are all captives of a diabolical crime boss named Capricorn. It is revealed that Mo accidentally "released" several characters from Inkheart by reading out loud to his wife on that long-ago night. She disappeared into the book when they emerged, and Mo has spent the last decade trying to send the reluctant characters back. Capricorn and his henchmen have other plans. Secrets, surprises, and exciting escapes ensue as Mo enlists the help of Inkheart's author and a crew of sympathetic characters to outwit the bad guys. Meggie proves to be a courageous, clever girl who discovers a gift of her own. The story is unveiled as if peeling layers off a slightly twisted onion. Readers will thoroughly enjoy the excitement. The book's length might be a put-off for some or a great alternative to the Harry Potter saga for others, but it is highly recommended for all young adult collections. VOYA CODES: 5Q 4P M J (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2003, Chicken House/Scholastic, 544p., $19.95. Ages 11 to 15.