I found this book difficult to get through and I almost didn't finish it. I honestly felt bored reading it and annoyed by the tone and immaturity of the story. The premise and back blurb had sounded so promising and I expected a much larger adventure but it really felt like a one trick pony and not a very good one. And one thing that I really disliked near the start was when Lucy tells her mother she's going to watch her uncle load up cows for slaughter or something. I felt that was really unnecessary to say in a childrens book that felt overly young in every other way? Why bring up cows going to slaughter? Such an ugly topic and irrelevant to the story. She could have simply said she fed the chickens or petted the goats or whatever. It just really struck an off-note with me almost from the start. It seemed like there was some good ideas but execution of them was really not very good and some parts were just downright nasty. Even the ending just felt forced and uncomfortable. Imo, not worth the time I spent reading it. Too many other good books out there. ( )

I HAD to read this - it's set in Iowa and features an "Aunt Lavonne" (ok, so it should be LaVonne for my sis, but we can forgive the lack of a cap letter.) Fun book - Grade School reading level. Neat premise and great story. A movie - this would make a wonderful movie or a series.
Reminiscent of, but not as "deep" as Madeline L'Engle's "Wrinkle in Time" series.
Great for a change! Why don't I read more "kids books"? - think I will!
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I have to admit that it was the first few pages that sold me and then I kind of petered out only to finish by scheer will. When the people started to become birds, I was a bit lost, but I kept moving and I got through this one only to glad that I had stuck with it. It was a very redeeming finish to a story that started off well. ( )

Cute, but kind of dragged. A bit heavy on telling vs showing, and redundant exposition. ( )

When twelve-year-old Lucy and her parents move to a farmhouse in Iowa, she discovers a century-old family mystery and a distant relative, Oscar, from the same era that jumpstart a magical journey into a book of stories. In 1914, Oscar's sister watched him row across a dark sea-- only, there are no seas in Iowa. Jump to the future, and Oscar has made an appearance in Lucy's life and explains how the Book of Story Beginnings works. The two find themselves on a wild goose hunt for Lucy's father, who has magicked himself into the Book. The set-up is intriguing, but the middle of the story is muddled by numerous plot twists where the reader might hope for more character development. Such pacing combined with the length may discourage some readers. Themes of family dynamics, how a story is built, and a classic odyssey plot could generate useful teaching moments. Readers in grades 4-7 who are interested in fantasy, fairytales, and even sci-fi will enjoy this one. Recommended. ( )