Blog Tour: Book Review of The Caretaker's Guide to Fablehaven

So very excited to be a part of the blog tour for this book!!!

The Fablehaven series has been a favorite in my family and with my students for a long time!

Title: The Caretaker's Guide to Fablehaven
Author: Brandon Mull
Illustrated by: Brandon Dorman
Book acquired: From publisher in exchange for an honest review

This guidebook to the Fablehaven magical preserve is filled with everything a new Caretaker might need to know in order to survive. There are entries detailing important information about artifacts large and small, a complete bestiary of creatures (from fairies to trolls to satyrs), a guide to identifying demons, dragons, and wizards as well as valuable insights into the other magical preserves.

Immerse yourself into the secret knowledge that has been handed down through the generations by reading the updates and notes written in the margins by the former Caretakers of Fablehaven, including Grandpa Sorenson, Kendra, and Seth. Fully-illustrated, this unique encyclopedia has gathered the world of Fablehaven into one volume.

Scattered throughout the book are colorful fairies that also mark some of the characters, artifacts, and creatures that will be featured in the upcoming sequel series, Dragonwatch.

Ok this is a cool book.  As I said above, the Fablehaven series has been a popular one both at my house and with the students I taught.  The idea of a sanctuary for all the mythical creatures we know about is such a cool concept.  And then to see them all there and interacting and people taking care of them.  It was just a fun concept carried out wonderfully.  So when I was introduced to this book I knew I had to check it out.  I will be honest and tell you that I don't typically read these types of books - the "extra" books for a series.  My daughter loves them and has many for different series she has loved, but they've never truly been my thing.  But I loved all the creatures in the series, and I wanted to know more, so my curiosity was raised!  I wasn't disappointed.  It was so fun to read about the characteristics of some of the different creature and how to care for them.  I mean you get a bit of that from reading the series, but this gives you so much more.  Even some minor characters were explained so the landscape of the sanctuary became richer.

Part of me really wishes I had read this book first because I'm curious how it would've changed my reading of the story.  It would've been kinda cool to be learning everything, but also having this handbook to add to it.  

So in short - I enjoyed this.  It was fun to read.  And what is cool too is that you can skip around and read about this part and that part.  Kids would love that as well.

Take a look at this one or share with anyone you know who loves Fablehaven.