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Jenni's ordinary, eighth grade life becomes a thing of the past when her science class goes on a field trip. Armed with only their notebooks, MP3 players, and wits, Jenni and her classmates are unknowingly transported to another world.
There they encounter amazing creatures, some of which think a kid shish kebab would be a tasty treat. But they soon find the greatest dangers they face may come from themselves ...
Follow Jenni and her class on their extraordinary adventures in their fight to discover who - and what - they really are.
Eighth-grader Jenni Kershaw might not be part of the popular crowd, but she does well in school, has a few close friends, and lives a fairly normal life--that is, until everyone on her school science fieldtrip mysteriously falls asleep and wakes up in a different world. The students decide to scout the land and look for some answers--or at least some edible food--and that's when Jenni encounters a "local," a dwarflike man who calls himself Crank and helps Jenni and the rest of her classmates understand the world to which they've been transported. In this world, called simply "Mother," Crank explains that there are different types of people born into specific roles. His people, for example, work with machines, another tends to animals, and others still are born fighters, explorers, or even spirits tied to particular elements. Crank offers to lead the students back to his village, where they are directed to continue on a journey to the capital city in hopes that someone there can help them understand their situation. They set out, but Mother is not always a kind world, and they are beset by marauding bands who injure some of their number and impede their progress. And that's not all--the students soon discover that living in this world is working strange changes on all of them, transforming them into different species found on Mother, and sometimes not for the best. Alan Tucker provides an engaging mix between the typical hero-focused quest story and a broader exploration of self-development. Although Jenni is the main character, and most of the story is told from her perspective, Tucker narrates portions of the novel from the perspectives of others, which helps to expose these characters' conflicted motivations. Once the initial group of students splits up, with some deciding to join with the powerful shapeshifter Mogritas who promises to help them develop their powers but possesses an ulterior motive for this generosity, the technique of jumping back and forth between perspectives increases suspense. Although the book got off to something of a slow start, with the characters trying to figure out why they'd been transported and what they were going to do about it, once the transformation of the students into Mother creatures began the plot really took off. The transformations allow Tucker to showcase the personalities of these very different characters, and although it could be confusing to keep track of the entire cast of students at all times, by the end I had a fair sense of who everyone was. The conclusion, while satisfying, leaves plenty of room for the next works in this series, and I'll be interested to see where Tucker takes this story next.
12 out of 17 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 2, 2012
Still reading. This is probably a "teen" book, but it is an easy read and is keeping my interest.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 8, 2012
I absolutly loved this book! The idea for the plot was very interesting and the author pulled it off flawlessly. I loved all the different characters and personalities (but tori is my favorite ;D) I could not put it down when I got to the ending! This is way too go to be free and I can't wait to read the rest of the series!! (But seriously, get it. It's free and worth your time.)
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 15, 2010
OMFG! this book is like THE BEST! I read it in one day i even held off on all my homework just to read this!!!!!!! you people MUST read this! its worth every cent and i can't wait for its sequel!!!
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 28, 2013
I want a movie of this.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 11, 2013
Excellent book. What a writer!! Loved it all. Cant wait to read # 2.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 3, 2013
A VERY good book! Its the best book ive ever read so far and the second one is the same. Now im reading the third one in hope for jenni! Read it! Its so worth it!!!!!!!! :)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 22, 2012
It is great
2 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 20, 2012
Interesting..........621 pages.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 8, 2013
This book has it all, love, msytery, magic, and shapeshifters. There was omly one thing that I found hard to get at first was the plot, but if you keep reading you will get very, very hucked. I can not wait to read the next omes to see how it all ends. Do they all make it back, can they save both worlds? Can't wait to find out.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 5, 2013
This book is amazingly awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 8, 2013
This is the best book ever i have never read a book like this ever!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 9, 2013
!!!!!!!!!It is sooooo good!!!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 27, 2012
I love the plot them the chaters the prsonality
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 16, 2012
Finished this book in 1day!!!!!! Best book ever!!!!!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 14, 2012
Awsome
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 20, 2012
I really enjoyed this book! Full of fantasy and mystery you don't want to miss out.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 13, 2012
this is an awesome book very descriptive definitely recommened even if it has a few confusing words
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 8, 2012
In a magic land every one of herfriends changes but Jenni in what starts as a class field trip. Then Jenni gets her wish to be unique when she transforms into a creature so rare only1 person knows what it is.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 25, 2012
The best free book you can get in childrens fiction
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
Jenni's ordinary, eighth grade life becomes a thing of the past when her science class goes on a field trip. Armed with only their notebooks, MP3 players, and wits, Jenni and her classmates are unknowingly transported to another world.
There they encounter amazing creatures, some of which think a kid shish kebab would...