Falling in

Perfect to read aloud to someone or to enjoy alone, this book is heartwarming and imaginative. Young Isabelle Bean, the eccentric and often misunderstood protagonist, demonstrates the importance of taking leaps of faith into imaginary worlds, opening our hearts and minds to learning new things and embracing what makes us different, even if sometimes rejected by society. While the story feels a little rough in places with changes in narrative style and little digressions, and somehow it feels rushed toward the end, the book is thoroughly enjoyable. Very nice!

Something could be on the otherside of that door. Perhaps another world? This is the setting to "Falling In" by Frances O'Roark Dowell. This book was overall inventive; I found that I didn't always know where the author was going with the story, and I like that. Isabelle Bean is a misfit in her life. She thinks about things differently from the average kid. She ends up having an adventure that explains why she is so different. Or, was it all real? It is kind of similiar to Alice in Wonderland in the sense it leaves you wondering if the author intended the story to be real or not. I really enjoyed the author's style of writing. She speaks to the reader in a confidential way. It was refreshing. Overall, the book itself is well-written. Nowadays, we get some great storylines, but the quality of writing isn't very good. Not so here. She demonstrates an ability to actually "write" in the true sense of the word. The book is written for ages 8-12. I think boys may like the story as well (or at least read it in secret).

I really enjoyed this book. It is the kind of book you never want to put down. It is sort of a modern twist between Hansel and Gretel and Alice in Wonderland. It makes you wonder if their really is such things as what this book states. The characters are really neat and inspiring. The book takes place in a unique environment, where it is now witch season. It takes unexpected turns on the expected. A person who likes likes fantasy and adventure books would like this story.

The narrarator of Falling In bemoans the public school systems for not educating the imaginations of children - here is a big step to fixing that problem! I am a big fan of this author, so I come into this with a bit of a bias, in that I was very excited to hear she had turned her attention to the fantasy realm. Not since Alice fell in that rabbit hole has there been such a charming story of a discovery of an alternative world. Our main character, Isabelle Bean is a bit different, with just "a silver strand of otherworldliness barely visible along her spine" that sets her apart from her fellow sixth graders. When she falls through a door in the nurses office and winds up in another land, she gamely sets off in search of a witch that has been terrorizing the population's children. Why would she set off after the witch? Because witches aren't dull, of course and Isabelle is surrounded by dull all the time. There are many lighthearted moments in this story, but not all is light and dreamy. Isabelle finds herself facing illness and death. So, be prepared for some adventure! I loved this story and feel very heartened that people are still writing such imaginative tales that pay tribute to the classic fairy tales of old. This is perfect for fourth through sixth graders and maybe even a third grader or two if they have a stout heart and a big vocabulary!