Frankie and the Gift of Fantasy

Gr 3-6–When a mysterious crack opens in the ceiling of Frankie Russo’s room, curiosity gets the best of him and he has to investigate. Moments later, he’s zapped thousands of light-years away to another planet called Urth, where he embarks on a great adventure. With the help of Ideth, his new alien uppie, or chaperone, Frankie travels across Urth, learns to make use of his special gift of Fantasy, and completes a quest to save a Krog Padder friend before finally returning to Earth. This offbeat adventure introduces some sci-fi elements such as aliens and space/time travel, but the narrative is still accessible for readers who struggle with the genre. Unfortunately there are several story lines that are not adequately explored, such as the other Frankie Russo who lives on the other side of Earth. Ballard also breaks the fourth wall at one point early in the story, but never utilizes this tactic again, which some young readers may find confusing. Frankie’s ride on Ideth and his adventures with the Krog Padders are exciting, and fans of the genre will remain engaged.