The Books of Elsewhere: The Shadows

Creative and curious Olive moves into a huge old house with her mathematician mom and dad. While her parents love her, they don’t really understand her, and she’s often left to her own devices. She explores her new home and is fascinated by all the things left behind when the previous owner died. One item that she finds when she’s rummaging through the closets and dresser drawers is a pair of old glasses. When she puts them on, she sees things move in the many paintings lining the walls of the old house. But that’s not the strangest thing she learns. She finds out that when she wears the glasses, she can actually enter the paintings. With help from the three talking cats who lived there with the previous owner, Olive explores the creepy basement, scary attic, and the worlds painted in the pictures. She makes friends and enemies and tries to ignore the resentful vibes given off by the house itself. Her journey of exploration and discovery not only leads her to conquer the evil she encounters but also helps her find her courage. West creates an exciting world and some wonderful and realistic characters. I highly recommend this book. (It might be a little scary for some young readers.)

Book 1 of the Books of Elsewhere series.

5 stars