A review by bookishgrrrl
Behind the Bookcase by Mark Steensland, Kelly Murphy

2.0

Meh...it was okay. I'm not a huge fantasy reader so it's really got to have something that is a wow factor to pull me in. While I like the premise of a secret world, a new 'spooky' home, a misunderstood, secretive grandmother and a brave, determined girl, I couldn't grab hold of anything to keep me excited. For me, it was too easy for the kids to be taken advantage of and too much of the story was explained through the characters. I would have loved to see the mystery develop at a slower pace, but I knew the story before I had gotten through half of it. Maybe for younger kids (1st grade) who are great readers, but not mature enough for more complicated fantasy.