Review by Booklist Review
When twins Rose and Arthur were younger, they were inseparable; they played games, had inside jokes, and even had an imaginary world they called Roar, which they reached by crawling through a folded-up mattress in their grandfather's attic while shouting, "Hear me roar!" But now the twins are 11, and Rose is more interested in playing on her phone and jumping on a trampoline with the neighborhood girls than she is in hanging out with Arthur. Roar is a distant memory. But when Grandad is suddenly sucked into Roar by Crowky, the half-crow, half-scarecrow monster that Arthur never really stopped fearing, everything he ever knew about Roar comes rushing back. His imaginary world is quite suddenly very real, and if he's going to save Grandad, he's going to have to go back. But Arthur's only ever been one half of the Masters of Roar. Mantle's whimsical black-and-white illustrations enhance this playful, Peter Pan--like tale of sibling rivalry and affection. A series starter with heart.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Once upon a time when twins Arthur and Rose were younger, they created a make-believe world called Roar, which they accessed through a folded cot in their grandfather's attic, and where they enjoyed adventures alongside imaginary friends such as Mitch (a mermaid-witch) and Wininja (a wizard-ninja). Then they got older. But when the twins, now 11, help their grandfather clean out his attic to make way for a "proper den," they find a map that brings back memories. And when an old imaginary foe, a wicked winged scarecrow called Crowky, kidnaps Grandad, the siblings must travel to a far more alarming Roar than they remember, reunite with childhood companions, and stop Crowky from transforming Grandad into a stuffed scarecrow and conquering all of Roar. If, that is, Arthur can convince his sister that she's not too cool for fantasy games. McLachlan (Truly Wildly Deeply) infuses a traditional portal fantasy with a whimsical logic--the twins' power of belief influences Roar's landscape, and their mundane possessions (a fidget spinner, for example) become talismans to its inhabitants--while deftly portraying two modern siblings working to mend their strained friendship. Occasional illustrations by Mantle capture the story's fantastical feel. Ages 8--12. Author's agent: Julia Churchill, A.M. Heath. (June)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A fantasy world comes to life and lures its young creators back into it in this imaginative middle-grade debut and U.K. import. Narrator Arthur always loved playing make-believe in Grandad's attic with his twin sister, Rose. Years ago they dreamed up Roar, a magical land that they entered via an old fold-up cot that acted as a portal. Now that they are 11 and starting school at Langdon Academy, Rose has new friends and wants nothing to do with her brother or their imaginary world. Rose may be done with Roar, but it's not finished with her. When their grandfather is kidnapped and taken into Roar, Arthur and Rose must team up to mount a rescue mission. McLachlan does an excellent job of establishing the sibling tension before introducing the fantasy elements, and Rose's desire to grow up and fit in feels as familiar and accessible as Arthur's yearning to remain a child. While obviously reminiscent of classic fantasy, this narrative's sheer inventiveness marks it as distinct. The twins' widowed grandfather, a larger-than-life jokester from Mauritius, is a Peter Pan--like figure whose abduction brings the narrative into Roar, allowing the text and Mantle's illustrations to go wild with creativity. The use of a wordless double-page spread to depict Arthur's arrival into the fantasy realm is particularly inventive. Arthur and Rose are depicted as kids of color. A sweet adventure and a paean to imagination and childhood innocence. (map) (Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
