The Paradise Trap

February 13, 2012
Jinks (the Evil Genius series) combines a plot filled with surreal twists and turns with a dash of Greek mythology in a novel that hits the mark on both the humor and horror fronts. Eleven-year-old Marcus has no interest in spending the summer at the beach with his mother, Holly, in the old trailer she buys—he’d rather play video games than deal with the obnoxious crowds. However, Marcus and his new friends, siblings Edison and Newt, discover that the trailer somehow has a secret cellar, which takes them to fantastic, too-good-to-be-true places that entice them to stay in the mysterious realm (for Edison, it’s an amusement park; for Newt, a rocking nightclub). Although several classic tropes appear (from the various dangerous paradises to Edison and Newt’s mad scientist–like father), Jinks keeps her material fresh, weaving in old myths and the occasional bit of social commentary; a sizable amount of the story is told from Holly’s point of view, in addition to Marcus’s. The result is a fast-paced adventure that’s easily as exciting as one of Marcus’s beloved video games. Ages 8–12.

March 1, 2012

Gr 4-7-Marcus is devastated when his mom, Holly, ruins his summer plans by buying a junky old trailer and taking him to her favorite childhood vacation spot, Diamond Beach. When they arrive, Holly runs into Coco, one of her friends from the old days, all grown up and married to a semi-famous inventor, Sterling Huckstepp. He has two kids: Newt, a sassy teen girl, and a younger boy, Edison. Their trailer is full of crazy inventions, including a bumbling robot, Prot. Then the boys find that Marcus's trailer has a cellar. When Edison opens the cellar door, it leads to a fantastic amusement park, and he doesn't want to leave. Marcus realizes that the cellar creates the personal dream vacation of whoever opens the door, only the vacation never, ever ends. He enlists the help of Prot, Newt, and the adults, which takes the action up a notch as they all fight to escape the trap, rescue Holly's missing childhood crush, and defeat the evil that is trying to destroy them. Readers will be anxious to get lost in this world of dreams, nightmares, and deception. Jinks deftly mixes mild horror with humor to give younger readers a few shivers and make older readers chuckle. Each dream/nightmare world sheds dramatic, sometimes touching, insight into the character whose hopes and fears created it, and the nonstop action will make for exciting read-alouds and booktalks. Completely absorbing and totally fun.-Mandy Laferriere, Fowler Middle School, Frisco, TX

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 30, 2012
When Holly rents a busted trailer from childhood friend Coco for a vacation at Diamond Beach, her 11-year-old son, Marcus—who would rather spend the summer playing video games—is less than thrilled. Adding to his displeasure is the fact that the beach (a prime vacation spot, as his mother recalls it) has gone to seed. But while playing in the trailer with Coco’s stepson, Edison, Marcus discovers a hidden stairwell that leads to a number of alternate universes. Chelsea Bruland’s narration is clean and engaging, if a little uninspired. She does little to differentiate the book’s characters, e.g., her rendering of Marcus is very similar to her narration of descriptive and expository passages. However, Bruland does deepen her voice for some of the male characters—and her rendition of the story will likely please fans of the book. Ages 8–12. An Egmont USA hardcover.

March 1, 2012
Grades 4-6 Be careful what you wish for is certainly the advice Holly Bradshaw should have heeded in this darkish fantasy. Her son, Marcus, wants to spend his eleventh summer playing video games, but she drags him off in a dilapidated trailer to re-create her happiest childhood holidays. Joined by the family of Holly's old friend Coco, they accidentally discover that down the cellar stairs of the camper (unusual in and of itself) lies a land of dream vacations that are truly nightmares. As each of the characters in turn is trapped in his or her own fantasy gone wrongspa, theme park, nightclub, and so onit's up to the others to evade killer cats, a witch, a robot, and other convolutions to rescue them. Fans of Jinks should be wary, as this lacks much of the psychological and technical interest of her Evil Genius series, and the adults often seem more important than the kids. But, as with a real trip, even if it's not what you expected, it's fun to escape from the everyday.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2012
On vacation at overcrowded Diamond Beach, Marcus and his new friend Edison discover an impossible cellar in Marcus's trailer leading to a choice of dream vacations--but once in, you can't leave. Their families join the peril before Marcus figures out how to escape. Fast-paced computer-game-type action will especially please boy readers.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 15, 2012
Two vacationing families fall afoul of a deadly predator from Greek mythology. Just arrived among the hordes of vacationers surrounding Diamond Beach, 11-year-old video-gamer Marcus is astounded to discover that the shabby, wheeled trailer his mother Holly bought for the outing sports a hidden staircase that leads down to a dark cellar. Stranger yet, the cellar has doors that lead to the opener's dream vacation. These range from a fabulous amusement park for the young son of Coco, a childhood friend of Holly's who follows Marcus down the stairs, and a rock club packed with celebrities for Coco's moody teenage daughter to the idyllic beach resort of Holly's childhood. The disturbing discovery that each locale turns hostile toward anyone who wants to leave or isn't having fun prompts Marcus to enlist the grownups in a rescue that becomes a running battle with the trailer's former owner, Miss Molpe. This kindly old lady from Holly's youth is in truth a clever and powerful child-eating Siren who has lost her voice but still retains the ability to set elaborate magical snares for intended victims. She can also create vacations from hell, as Marcus and company discover before a narrow escape that (possibly) sends her to a fiery doom. A breathless escapade, featuring several horror-show tropes leavened with hints of satire. (Fantasy. 11-13)

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