Abarat by Clive Barker

First Line: "The storm came up out of the southwest like a fiend, stalking its prey on legs of lightning."

About: Candy Quackenbush, of Chickentown, Minnesota, finds nothing interesting about her town. When she is assigned to come up with 10 interesting facts about Chickentown, Candy stumbles upon some rumors about the founding family of the city. Unfortunately, Candy's teacher feels she made up these facts and Candy is kicked out of the classroom for arguing. Instead of going to the principle's office, Candy begins walking to the outskirts of Chickentown where she meets a man with several heads who needs Candy's help desperately.

My Thoughts: One of my very favorites, "Abarat" by Clive Barker is a thrilling world that sits hidden next to our own world. Filled with fascinating characters and an exciting storyline, "Abarat" is the first in a series (expected to be 5 books).
Highlights: Quirky, exotic, magical

Readalikes: Here are a few to try, "Incarceron" by Catherine Fisher, "Leviathan" by Scott Westerfeld, "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman, "Sabriel" by Garth Nix, and "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman.


"Abarat" is the Oshkosh Public Library's Teen Book Club selection for January.