by Ransom Riggs
Quirk Books, $17.99, 247 pages
What do a photograph of a levitating baby, a boy with no head and a young man covered in bees have in common? For starters, they are all peculiar kids. They also lived at the same orphanage. When sixteen-year-old Jacob first sees the photos, he thinks they have to be a hoax. But when Grandfather tells him that he grew up with the children, Jacob discovers a world he never dreamed could exist. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is award-winning producer Ransom Rigg’s debut novel. After sharing his collection of pictures, Grandfather challenges Jacob to discover the truth about the strange children he knew as a boy. Each introduction of the peculiar occupants of Miss Peregrine’s house is accompanied by “vintage” photographs. Immerse yourself in the fantastic and compelling story of orphans drawn together at the beginning of WWII. The lengths Jacob must go to find out the secret behind the isolated and mysterious home makes this a journey you won’t soon forget. Both teens and adults will enjoy this story. Riggs weaves together a complicated tale of space and time travel. Hopefully he will “find” more photographs and continue writing this thrilling tale.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Franklin