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March 14, 2012 by Karen Jensen, MLS

Book Review: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

March 14, 2012 by Karen Jensen, MLS   Leave a Comment

Jacob Portman feels that his life has never had much of a meaning to it. His parents–his mother a rich woman who likes to show off her spoils of home décor, and his father an amateur ornithologist and a wannabe nature writer–he’s not real close to. His only friend, a chain-smoking punk-rock dresser, is the closest thing to a best friend he has. And his workmates pretty much hate his guts. There’s really no one in the world Jacob is close to. Except Grandpa Portman.        
         

A survivor of the great World War II, Grandpa Portman has always shared a strong bond with Jacob. Telling enthralling stories of his adventure-filled life when he was but a lad. Stories of a mysterious orphanage on a near-secluded island in Wales surrounded by billowy mist. The orphanage, a home to a group of mysterious children, and a dark-clothed caretaker known as The Bird.

These are the stories that enthralled Jacob when he was a little boy, snuggled under the covers as Grandpa Portman relayed the mystery behind them. They were filled with the children, peculiar beings with strange and even frightening powers. An invisible boy. A girl who could hold fire in her hand without so much as a burn. “I’ve got pictures!” said Grandpa Portman. And his stories came to an even bigger life and reality to Jacob as he gazed upon the aged, monochrome photographs of the children Grandpa Portman used to live with. “We were peculiar,” he’d say.

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As Jacob grew older, though, he began to doubt his grandfather’s stories. A bunch of weird kids with strange powers, who all lived together under the care of a bird? “You must think I’m pretty dumb, Grandpa,”he said. Who could believe such things? Maybe the mind of a six-year old boy, but a sixteen-year old? Not a chance.

But when Jacob gets a frantic and frightened call from his grandfather, everything changes. Jacob hurries to his grandfather’s home, only to find him bleeding and dying in the woods behind his house. Glimpses of monster sulking away in the shadows as Jacob holds his grandfather close.

Jacob is frantic and asks what happened, but all Grandpa Portman says seems like strands of nonsense. But one thing is certain from his grandfather’s last words.

He wants Jacob to go to the island. To find the old orphan home.

And find the children…

This mystical and hypnotic tale follows Jacob as he ventures to the mist-enclosed island in search of Miss Peregrine’s orphanage. But what is he to find? The children? Surely they’re dead. The place is riddled with a ghostly landscape. The land blemished with craters of bombs from the war. What is he looking for?

The secrets will be revealed. Because there are people watching. Waiting to see what he uncovers in the ruins…

Could the children still be alive?

Oh the joys of finding a book to add to that glorious, glistening, Pledge-scrubbed shelf reserved for your favorite tomes of adventure and mystery!

I loved this book. L-O-V-E’d the heck out of it. Anyone who’s anyone should gather up a copy of this amazing read. What’s the old saying your mother used to say? “If someone jumped off a cliff, would you do the same?” Well, I’ve grabbed my copy and I’ve jumped. I expect you to follow. Give it to your mom, ‘cause after reading this, she’ll want to follow us off that cliff too.

This book, originally intended to be a photo book, is Ransom Riggs’, award winner of short films and a travel writer, first fiction novel. This story is great for teens and adults, as intended by Mr. Riggs.

If you were to just flip through the pages, not even reading a single word, you’ll notice an awesomely creepy collection of worn and faded monotone photographs.

What’s this? What am I in the fourth grade again? I don’t need pictures to read a book!

Well sir, just hold on. Just calm your tizzy.

Mr. Riggs mixes a potent and hypnotic tale of mystery-fiction and photography. The creepy collection of photos corresponds to the book in quite an exciting way. It’s as if your there, scootched in next to Jacob, bringing the covers up to your nose, listening to Grandpa Portman’s stories. Wonder with awe as he hands you the worn and mysterious photos of the peculiar children of Miss Peregrine’s home.

Are the children really alive?

One thing I do need to mention. This is not a ghost story. Though the creepy photos of odd children seem to say otherwise, the idea of the spirits, eat you from another realm, campfire ghost story is not present. So, if that’s what you’re looking for and you’re dead set against anything otherwise, this book is not what you’re looking for. Though, if you enjoy a great, mysterious, read till 3am, amazingly wonderful, and magically delicious (getting carried away, sorry) book, then give this book a try. You won’t regret it.

All in all, amazingwork. I highly recommend this to not only YA readers, but also to adults as well. It really is a fantastic read, and with tinges of a sequel on the horizon. I give this, deservedly, five beaming gold stars.

Review by Cuyler Creech, TLT Teen Reviewer

Karen read and loved this book too and created a great program you can do with your teens here.

Filed under: Book Reviews

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About Karen Jensen, MLS

Karen Jensen has been a Teen Services Librarian for almost 30 years. She created TLT in 2011 and is the co-editor of The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services with Heather Booth (ALA Editions, 2014).

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