Wander Lost

Gr 3-7–Twin brothers Nash and Rhett have always been forbidden by their mom to play board games. They never knew why—until the day their grandfather, Ace, picks them up from school after receiving a frantic voicemail from the twins’ mom. They learn that their family are bounders—people who can go in and out of board games. Now their mother is trapped in a game, and it’s up to the twins to bring her home. The pacing at the novel’s beginning is bogged down by all the exposition readers need to understand how the world works. For those who make it through the setup, the second half is a nonstop adventure through many worlds. It’s fun to explore the variety of original board games. Though readers may get confused keeping up with the different roles (bounder, Wanderer, and Wander Lost), the heart of the story lies in the twins’ relationship. The siblings share a deep bond, and Rhett has a satisfying individual character arc as well. Snow White brings something comfortable and familiar to a setting where all the worlds are unfamiliar; she also provides some comic relief and a surprisingly essential assist to the twins. The story has a good resolution and a satisfying, though slightly abrupt, ending. The book itself reads like a board game: it may take some time to understand the rules, but once you get into it, it’s a lot of fun.