*Twin brothers discover their new home is also a portal--for an hour a day--to a parallel dimension in this rollicking middle-grade adventure, perfect for fans of* *The Mysterious Benedict Society*
Colm and Mal are twins so identical their own mom can't tell them apart, but they're different in just about every other way. Mal's a pragmatist while Colm's a dreamer, and they bicker and battle constantly. Neither brother is excited to be moving to Chicago for a fresh start with their mom just after their dad's death. But nothing cures homesickness like intrigue--and their new home, Brunhild Tower, has plenty of it: mysterious elderly neighbors who warn against wandering the building at midday, strange sounds in the walls, and an elevator missing a button for the thirteenth floor.
One day, that button appears--and when the doors open on the missing floor, the boys are greeted by the strangest puzzle yet: a twin building that is stuck in time and bustling with activity. All of Brunhild Tower's former residents live on in this phantom tower, where the rules of the real world don't apply. But when the brothers and their newfound friends discover they're all trapped by an ancient curse, they must band together to set everyone free before it's too late.
**
Review
*Praise for The Phantom Tower* : A Chicago Tribune Best Children's Book of 2018
"Goose bump-inducing fun."— Kirkus Reviews
"[A] nail-biting adventure. . . . Hand to fans of Eoin Colfer’s 'Artemis Fowl' novels, Roland Smith’s 'IQ' series, or Mac Barnett’s 'The Brixton Brothers.'"— School Library Journal
"Exciting action, a creepy curse and well-drawn characters make for supremely cozy reading on a cold winter’s night."— The Chicago Tribune
Praise for The Matchstick Castle :****
*"Fast-paced, anarchic fun for reluctant and avid readers alike."— Kirkus Reviews
“This quirky novel is reminiscent of a Wes Anderson movie for the tweenage set. . . . For those who enjoy a bit of absurdist humor with their realism.”— School Library Journal
“A zippy, adventurous romp in the woods complete with fierce animals and buried treasure.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"What makes this book special is the way Graff evokes the excitement of new vistas . . . . a compelling reminder that it's a great big world out there, just waiting for the next generation of dreamers and explorers."— Chicago Tribune
"A whimsical adventure with a large dose of humor? Yes, please! This story spoke to my inner child, who suffered too many boring summer vacations and longed to discover something magical and exciting in my own backyard."—Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, New York Times bestselling author of Book Scavenger and The Unbreakable Code
"For boys and girls alike, this story sings.”—Blue Balliett, award-winning author of Chasing Vermeer
“A towering tale filled with astonishing action, amazing characters, and two very daring adventurers.”—David Lubar, author of the Monsterrific Tales series, the Weenies series, and Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie
About the Author
Keir Graff is the author of The Matchstick Castle , The Other Felix , and a handful of books for grown-ups. When he's not making things up, he works as the executive editor of Booklist at the American Library Association. He lives in Chicago with his wife Marya and his sons Felix and Cosmo--in a building that looks exactly like Brunhild Tower.
Description:
*Twin brothers discover their new home is also a portal--for an hour a day--to a parallel dimension in this rollicking middle-grade adventure, perfect for fans of* *The Mysterious Benedict Society*
Colm and Mal are twins so identical their own mom can't tell them apart, but they're different in just about every other way. Mal's a pragmatist while Colm's a dreamer, and they bicker and battle constantly. Neither brother is excited to be moving to Chicago for a fresh start with their mom just after their dad's death. But nothing cures homesickness like intrigue--and their new home, Brunhild Tower, has plenty of it: mysterious elderly neighbors who warn against wandering the building at midday, strange sounds in the walls, and an elevator missing a button for the thirteenth floor.
One day, that button appears--and when the doors open on the missing floor, the boys are greeted by the strangest puzzle yet: a twin building that is stuck in time and bustling with activity. All of Brunhild Tower's former residents live on in this phantom tower, where the rules of the real world don't apply. But when the brothers and their newfound friends discover they're all trapped by an ancient curse, they must band together to set everyone free before it's too late. **
Review
*Praise for The Phantom Tower* :
A Chicago Tribune Best Children's Book of 2018
"Goose bump-inducing fun."— Kirkus Reviews
"[A] nail-biting adventure. . . . Hand to fans of Eoin Colfer’s 'Artemis Fowl' novels, Roland Smith’s 'IQ' series, or Mac Barnett’s 'The Brixton Brothers.'"— School Library Journal
"Exciting action, a creepy curse and well-drawn characters make for supremely cozy reading on a cold winter’s night."— The Chicago Tribune
Praise for The Matchstick Castle :****
*"Fast-paced, anarchic fun for reluctant and avid readers alike."— Kirkus Reviews
“A zippy, adventurous romp in the woods complete with fierce animals and buried treasure.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"What makes this book special is the way Graff evokes the excitement of new vistas . . . . a compelling reminder that it's a great big world out there, just waiting for the next generation of dreamers and explorers."— Chicago Tribune
"A whimsical adventure with a large dose of humor? Yes, please! This story spoke to my inner child, who suffered too many boring summer vacations and longed to discover something magical and exciting in my own backyard."—Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, New York Times bestselling author of Book Scavenger and The Unbreakable Code
"For boys and girls alike, this story sings.”—Blue Balliett, award-winning author of Chasing Vermeer
“A towering tale filled with astonishing action, amazing characters, and two very daring adventurers.”—David Lubar, author of the Monsterrific Tales series, the Weenies series, and Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie
About the Author
Keir Graff is the author of The Matchstick Castle , The Other Felix , and a handful of books for grown-ups. When he's not making things up, he works as the executive editor of Booklist at the American Library Association. He lives in Chicago with his wife Marya and his sons Felix and Cosmo--in a building that looks exactly like Brunhild Tower.