good vs. evil

• Candy Shop War, The by Brandon Mull (2007)

  [6/10]

  "Mull has created a fun, compelling story that in spite of some characterization problems provides an adventure that both kids and adults can enjoy."

• Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull (2007)

  [8/10]

  "Kendra and Seth expect to spend their next summer vacation helping out at Fablehaven, a mystical preserve for magical creatures tended by the kids' grandparents. But problems for Kendra and Seth start even before their summer vacation begins."

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling (2007)

  [7/10]

  "Rowling has created an interesting universe and a story that surely will never go out of print. I certainly will probably read the entire series several more times in my lifetime, in spite of the numerous problems that a more careful writer would have addressed."

• Prince Ombra by Roderick MacLeish (1982)

  [5/10]

  "I think kids and even younger teens will enjoy Prince Ombra, but any examination of the story beyond the surface leaves the reader to deal with a set of unsatisfactory philosophical conclusions necessary for the plot to function."

  Average score: 6.50