Gr 4—7—Three friends wielding wooden swords and clad in their homemade costumes battle tirelessly during the long summer days of 1961. Ever since Bobby's Grandpa Max read The Three Musketeers to the 11-year-old boys, they have made each adventure come to life. Soon, however, Bobby, Fritzy, and Keith find playing without a fourth person to be D'Artagnan is becoming boring. Deciding to ask Grandpa Max to help, they are surprised to find him pacing in his closet of special books given to him by a mysterious old woman at a book sale. He confesses that he can transport himself into the stories and has unknowingly altered the plot of the Dumas novel. Musketeers Athos, Porthos, and Aramis are imprisoned by the ruthless Cardinal Richelieu and Bobby, his grandpa, and friends must travel back to 1626 Paris to set things right. Although somewhat predictable, the story has fast-paced action, comic relief, and brief moments of 11-year-old romanticizing. This first of a series to get young readers "into" the classics delivers a rip-roaring debut and presents a multidimensional avenue to introduce literature to a large audience, including reluctant readers. It will need to be booktalked as the cover is deadly.—D. Maria LaRocco, Cuyahoga Public Library, Strongsville, OH
In 1961, Grandpa Max introduces Bobby and his friends to Dumas's classic. Grandpa's enchanted edition transports the kids into the story; there they meet the "real" musketeers and try desperately to keep the original tale intact. The book feels dated and presupposes a familiarity with the classic that few modern readers of this age group are likely to have.
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