Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 4-6. In the first book of the Land of Elyon trilogy, which was originally self-published in 2003 and became a sensation in the Pacific Northwest, 12-year-old Alexa Daley makes the annual trip with her father, the mayor of Lathbury, to Bridewell. She has always longed to see outside the wall surrounding the town, which had been built years earlier to keep out an unnamed evil. Indeed, Alexa does unravel mysteries outside the wall, which include a destructive threat to her world, as she discovers the magical power that is part of her destiny. Readers will easily identify with intrepid Alex, who tells her own story, and her tale is simple and exciting enough to appeal to both the usual fantasy crowd and children who may not otherwise be genre readers. --Sally Estes Copyright 2005 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
There's a new heroine in the adventure-fantasy realm, and she's got plenty of smarts and girl-power drive, skillfully conveyed by Vigesaa's confident and well-paced reading. Twelve-year-old Alexa Daley spearheads this first book in a trilogy filled with such exciting, if perhaps familiar, elements as a dangerous quest, sinister enemies, talking animals, magical powers and far-away kingdoms. Though Alexa has lived inside a walled town her entire life, she longs to know what's outside. Her brave and ill-advised journey beyond the wall sets in motion a suspenseful tale about what lurks in the wild forests of the Dark Hills. Vigesaa nimbly distinguishes different character voices without too much vocal fanfare and without missing a beat. Listeners will want to stick with her on this thrilling ride. Ages 9-up. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-This entertaining, accessible fantasy is the first in a planned trilogy. Alexa, 12, longs to venture outside the high stone walls surrounding the towns and roads of her kingdom. When the elderly founder dies unexpectedly, she uses his secret key to unlock a hidden passage leading outside the barriers. There, the local animals tell her of the devastation wreaked by the walls, dividing some of them from their food supplies, homes, and families. They offer to help her prevent an impending invasion that would turn the barriers into permanent military strongholds, in return for her help in bringing them down. There's nothing very original about the novel's preindustrial setting or appealing characters, and Alexa's voice varies occasionally from precocious fantasy heroine ("I-was immediately captivated by the audacious subject matter") to anachronistically modern preteen ("a wimpy meow"). However, the story moves along at a fine clip, with plenty of suspense and action to hold readers' interest. Double identities, mysterious codes, and Alexa's magical gift of speaking with animals all enliven the plot, and the highly cinematic writing style will allow readers to visualize her adventures clearly.-Beth Wright, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, VT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
After discovering secrets behind her peaceful life in her walled community, Alexa Daley, twelve, escapes and travels beyond the walls, gaining the ability to speak to animals and uncovering the identity of a traitor in her town. Intelligent, inquisitive Alexa's first-person narrative is involving and fast paced, and her dilemmas and decisions ring true in this strong fantasy. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Thomas Warvold, founder of the land of Elyon, constructed walls around its four towns, ensuring, so he thought, his people's safety from the dangers in the surrounding countryside. Even before his sudden, mysterious death, Warvold chose 12-year-old Alexa Daley to succeed him. Driven by her curiosity about the world outside, Alexa finds a tunnel that leads her to the woodlands. There, with the help of the forest-dwellers, she passes three trials and garners information and allies to save her country. After a slow introduction, the plot takes off, and the book becomes a real page-turner. Alexa, with her brains, courage and grit, proves to be an appealingly strong female hero and the story, enriched by folkloric traditions and a solid mystery, is sure to engage reader interest. The resolution provides a satisfactory ending, but there are plenty of loose ends to be tied up in the second and third volumes of the trilogy. Here's a good high fantasy for the girls. Bravo! (Fiction. 10-12) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
