Sunday, May 20, 2012

After Hamelin by Bill Richardson

Plot: The night before her eleventh birthday, young Penelope is struck deaf. This curse becomes a gift when Penelope is safe from the Piper's enchanting music, while all the other children in Hamelin are stolen away. She must embark on a journey to rescue her friends through the dangerous world of Dreaming.

Comments: I remember enjoying this book much more when I was years younger. I believe this is a great story for young readers, perhaps eleven themselves like Penelope, but it isn't meant for sophisticated reading. The simplistic, predictable way in which the story is written can be boring and uninteresting for higher level readers.

Trying to think of After Hamelin through a young person's point of view, this was a good story. The old tale of the Piper and his magic pipes luring children away from their parents was expanded upon very well with extra details and characters. The contrast between Penelope as a young girl and as an old woman narrating the story was fun to read. However, I felt closer to the old Penelope than I did the young, main character Penelope.

After Hamelin was written using easy words and concepts and should be an exciting story for young readers. I recommend it for late elementary school or early middle school students.

Rating: I rate After Hamelin a seven out of ten for young readers.

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