To say that the book, The World Between Blinks, is just a story about cousins who get lost in a world where all the lost things of our world have gone, would be to simplify the story unfairly.
Written by Ami Kaufman and Ryan Graudin, this book introduces us to cousins Marisol and Jake.
They are at the summer house of their grandmother, who has died. The house is being prepared for sale, much to the children’s disappointment. This house, their grandmother, and the stories she told has been the summer constant in the lives of these children.
Marisol has a remarkable eye for detail and often finds lost items. It is taken for granted within the family and nobody remarks on her talent particularly.
But one day, at the local lighthouse, she slips into another world. Very different than the one she is used to. Here, are all the lost items from our world. She is alone and scared. She is soon embroiled in the doings of this new world even though she doesn’t know the rules or how it works.
Joined with her cousin Jake they begin to explore. What a world they find.
Lost cities, lost people, extinct animals, they are all present in the Land of Blinks. The two children must learn to navigate through the world, meeting legendary figures, visiting mythical places and in the process learning about themselves and each other.
The story deepens and broadens as they find purpose and adventures in this topsy turvy world. I don’t want to hint at any more of what they find except that the world is not doing very well.
In Book 2 of the series, The Rebellion of the Lost,
the leader of the Land of Blinks has become extremely autocratic and demanding. The resolution to this dilemma is found in an intriguing way. In this time of confrontational, battling storyline solutions, this one is very satisfying.
Another joy of this series is that in the back of each book there is an index giving a brief rundown on each lost place or person mentioned. Even the Prime Minister of Australia who went for a swim and never came out of the water. Another area for exploration for an inquiring child.
I strongly recommend this series to middle grade children. It’s a good heartfelt adventure with a lot of learning tossed in.
(G.Rosemary Ludlow 1 January 2023)
