I feel like I need a new category for reviews: Books that Are Keeping Henry Unbelievably Occupied, But I Don’t Really Know What They Are. In that category I’d put The Adventures of Penrose the Mathematical Cat and Do Not Open and Fantasy: An Artist’s Realm. And now this book: The Scary Places Map Book: Seven Terrifying Tours by B.G. Hennessy, illustrated Erwin Madrid.
So, Henry will be 9 in a few days, loves the Goosebumps books (like any good almost-9-year-old) and is kind of obsessed with geography. In many ways, it seems like this book was made just for him. You have to find your way through magical map worlds to find secret (magical?) objects.
You know what? I can’t even tell you any more because he just stole the book back from me. I can tell you that, yesterday in the library, I handed Henry this book, and he didn’t lift his head out of it for 45 minutes. And then, on the walk home, he made Eli play an elaborate game where they pretended to be in the book. And they have, at this point, probably spent (honestly) 8 hours reading it since we got it yesterday.
I’m sorry I can’t tell you more. I can’t wrench it out of his hands. If you have a kid who likes maps, magical places, scary things, finding hidden things in pictures, and bookish adventures, your kid will like this book.
Hello Mom on the Edge!
Your review of SCARY PLACES really brought me back to when my three boys were little. I hope Henry and Eli have let you take a closer look! I would love to know more about their game; it sounds like just the sort of thing my boys might have conjured up.
Henry may be interested to know there really was a “Scurvy Boy.” “Scurvy Boy” was the term of “endearment” bestowed upon our youngest son by his two older brothers. It wasn’t until Scurvy Boy was in third or fourth grade when he learned what scurvy was. It was a big disappointment.
We have just launched a facebook page for THE SCARY MAP BOOK: http://www.facebook.com/ScaryPlacesMapBook. Your review is the first review posted along with a link to it. Perhaps Henry would like to add his own review or post a question?
I would be delighted to hear from you or your sons.
Best,
B. G. Hennessy
(I love your tagline, by the way)