I haven't wished to be a character in a book for a long time, but this one had me quite jealous!

Archibald Finch is an 11 year old boy who hates his name and doesn't love his life so far as he is teased and left out at school for knowing everything. He literally knows everything. He doesn't remember being taught, but it comes to him anyway which makes him quite a target.

After his grandmother's funeral, Archibald and his family move into the large home she left them and he discovers a very strange globe that upon deep inspection and accident, transports him to another realm. Here he is met by young looking girls who call themselves witches, but don't exactly fit the definition of such according to Archibald's knowledge. In fact, most things in this realm are outside of his definitions, which is a strange feeling for him entirely.

This story is a magical coming-of-age adventure for a young boy "lacking courage" who doesn't seem to fit anywhere. He learns in this new world that things that are scary are often just misunderstood and with the help of friends, discovers his own hidden strengths. There is a lot of "relearning" done, not just by Archibald but by the reader as well! I very much enjoyed the new ideas of what a "witch" was, as well as a "dragon" or other monsters we conjure up. The origins of these monsters were also a deeper message of non-violence which is carried throughout the story. I loved it!

I also loved the side story of Archibald's sister, Hailee as she goes on her own adventure to find out what happened to her brother who mysteriously disappeared right in front of her eyes! Her bravery is tested as she encounters questionable men who seem to have questionable actions. Fortunately, she befriends an ally in her quest and there is a bit of a sweet spark of interest beyond him helping her!

Marketed for pre-teens or Middle-grade students, I found this story, or rather the beginning of this story (it is a continuing series), to be very engaging and adventurous. I listened to it and very greedily snuck in every spare moment at work to listen! There was well written humor, fantastic descriptions of this magical middle age world, and exciting action all within a deeper layers of meaning.

I loved it all. I loved the characters, the settings, the creepiness, the monsters, the chapter titles (yes, the titles), and so much more. The only thing I really hated was the last line, "To be continued."

Thank you, NetGally and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the E-ALC. Please remember me when the next one comes out!

Cute, witty, entertaining! I grabbed this book in hopes of finding a fun adventure to share with my niece. I cannot wait to get a copy of this book to gift my niece, as it was exactly what I was hoping for.

Archibald is a nerdy, adventurous, and highly intelligent 11 year old boy. We see growth from him on his adventure, and I can’t wait to see what he gets into in book 2. I would compare the reading level to the Percy Jackson and Harry Potter books. Highly recommend this book!

I really like this book. It has some Spirderwick vibes - it's just magical in the same way.
You follow two simultaneous stories. One is Archibald himself as he is trying to understand what has he gotten himself into, and the other one is his sister as she is trying to solve the mystery that is her brothers' disappearance.
Both kids encounter interesting allies and enemies along the way and their stories are interesting making this book quite easy to finish in one sitting.

I must note that there are some topics that some readers might think are outdated like Archibald having to pose as a girl since the world is full of female witches and him not liking that. (you know the old girl-stuff, boy stuff discussions)... But I don't know... I liked the story and it didn't bother me that much. Maybe it might bother someone else...
Regardless the story is interesting and it might be a cool series.

The audiobook is great. The narrator does an amazing job.

My Thoughts:
After Archibald parents inherent a 20 room mansion from his grandparents Archibald decides to go exploring his large new home when a globe captures Archibald's attention. Soon he’s absorbed right into the globe, and his sister witness this happening . So while Everyone Is looking for Archibald ,
Archibald is in a new world and sets off on a magical adventure.
This is a cute book for ages 9 - 13 although I did enjoy listening to it also I have to mention that the narrator did a great job reading this book. If you have children around that age that like stories like Harry Potter they will like this.
Thanks #netgalley for letting me read this and give my honest opinion