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Summary
Summary
Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire is the first book in a spellbinding fantasy adventure series by screenwriter John August.
Some trails lead to magic. Some lead to danger.
As Arlo looked around, the walls of his room began to vanish, revealing a moonlit forest. Only his bed remained, and the frame of his window, through which he saw the girl. The world on her side of the glass was sparkling with silver and gold, like a palace made of autumn leaves.
She looked off to her right. Someone was coming. Her words came in an urgent whisper: "If I can see you, they can see you . . . Be careful, Arlo Finch. "
Arlo Finch thought becoming a Ranger meant learning wilderness skills, like camping and knots. But upon arriving in the tiny town of Pine Mountain, Colorado, Arlo soon learns there's so much more. His new friends Indra and Wu teach him how to harness the wild magic seeping in from the mysterious Long Woods--a parallel realm of wonder and danger.
First he must master the basics, including snaplights, thunderclaps and identifying supernatural creatures. But Arlo Finch is no ordinary Ranger, and this is no ordinary time. A dark and ancient force is sending threats into the real world . . . our world.
Through perilous adventures and close calls, Arlo is awakened to his unique destiny--but the obstacles he faces will test the foundations of the Ranger's Vow: loyalty, bravery, kindness, and truth.
A Junior Library Guild selection
Author Notes
John August is a screenwriter whose credits include Big Fish, Charlie's Angels, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, and Frankenweenie . He is also the creator of the Writer Emergency Pack, an educational storytelling school distributed to more than two thousand classrooms worldwide. Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, John now lives in Los Angeles with his family.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-7-Arlo Finch's family has returned to his mother's hometown of Pine Mountain, CO, to try to regain some normalcy after a stressful few years. But nothing is normal in Pine Mountain. From the house they live in that comes complete with an eccentric taxidermist uncle to the magical creatures that have taken special notice of Arlo, adventure and mystery are everywhere. To make new friends, 12-year-old Arlo joins the Rangers, a scoutlike group, and finds that they don't just learn to build fires-they learn some magic craft and about creatures from other realms. As Arlo prepares for his first test to advance a rank, he has no idea he and his friends' lives will be at stake. Much like other popular series such as "Percy Jackson," magic and realism are woven together. The first novel is clearly laying the groundwork for future installments, and it is very fertile ground. Enough questions are answered to provide satisfaction, but unanswered questions and mysteries that remain. VERDICT An exciting fantasy novel grounded in reality with a strong emphasis on friendships and great characters. This new series will appeal to fans of mystery and adventure as well as reluctant readers.--Elizabeth -Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library, AK © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
After moving to a remote Colorado town, Arlo joins the Rangers scouting troop and learns about the hidden magic of nearby Long Woods. Arlo builds confidence and friendships through the Rangers, but when supernatural phenomena strike, he and his troop must work together to make it back home. This intriguing combination of traditional scouting story and supernatural mystery lays the groundwork for future adventures. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A 12-year-old white boy finds out he's special in a new middle-grade fantasy series.Arlo Finch has just arrived in the tiny town of Pine Mountain, atop the high peaks of Colorado. Times are tight, and Arlo, his sister, and their mother have moved into the crumbling family home with his taxidermist uncle. Arlo, who has one green eye and one brown, isn't in Pine Mountain long before he makes friends with (the requisite girl and boy sidekicks) supersmart Indian-American doctors' daughter Indra Srinivasaraghavan-Jones and Chinese-American STEM genius Henry Wu. When Arlo joins the Rangers, a mixed-gender scouting troop, he's made privy to thunderclaps (literal hand-clapping that sounds like thunder) and snaplights (a snap of the fingers that creates illumination) along with traditional scouting tasks such as tying knots and pitching tents. As Arlo works toward earning his first rankSquirrelquestions mount. What is the Wonder? What and where are the Long Woods, the Realm, and the Valley of Fire? How is Arlo connected to a long-lost girl only he can see? Who wants to kill him, and why? Arlo is a smart, likable boy, but his story adds little new to the genre. The mountain setting and eerie house filled with stuffed and mounted animals provide an evocative sense of place for Arlo's adventure, but characters and plot feel too familiar, particularly a Goblet of Fire-like Ranger challenge.Atmospheric at best, formulaic at worst. (Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Twelve-year-old Arlo Finch is new to small-town Pine Mountain, Colorado. Observant and inquisitive, he soon realizes that there is more to the town than meets the eye. Dark and magical forces surround the town, and it doesn't take Arlo long to encounter these magical forces as they inexplicably try to harm him. With the help of new friends from an outdoor scouting group, the Rangers, Arlo learns how to use his new Rangers skills to fight off these magical forces. With nods to the Harry Potter series, accomplished screenwriter August artfully thrusts readers into a whole new world, right alongside Arlo. The many magical forces and creatures in this book are intriguing, especially because August firmly establishes them within the magical parameters of Arlo's world. Arlo, meanwhile, is a lovable, inquisitive character, and as he wittingly subdues the magical creatures, the plot only becomes more dynamic. This is just the first volume in a new series, so readers won't have to wait long to plunge back into the mysterious Long Woods.--Patterson, Savannah Copyright 2018 Booklist