THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF JACK by Kelly Barnhill

A.R. Book Level: 5.0
A.R. Points: 10.0
Pages: 323


I thought the plot of this book would tie in somehow with the “Jack and the Beanstalk” story, but I was wrong.  It was, however, still a really compelling tale of magic at work in the world.  Jack has barely been noticed by anyone his whole life—his parents, his teachers, other kids at school—but when he moves to a new town to stay with his aunt and uncle, suddenly everyone can see him, everyone seems to be on edge, and even his new house seems to be almost alive when he’s there.  He and his new friends have to juggle both a nasty town bully and a creepy mystery about a magical woman who lives underground and steals away children. It’s a long read, but a good one.