Larklight: A Rousing Tale of Dauntless Pluck in the Farthest Reaches of Space

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-10–Philip Reeve's novel (Bloomsbury, 2006) combines historical fiction, fantasy, and science fiction into a charming story that young listeners will devour. Art and his sister Myrtle are British youngsters living with their father at Larklight during the reign of Queen Victoria. However, in this alternate Victorian era, Britain controls not only most of Earth—including the American colonies—but also Venus, Mars, and the moons of Jupiter. Larklight is a home that hangs just beyond the moon. Art is happy living in the suburbs of the solar system, but his priggish sister longs for the excitement of London's social scene. When giant spiders attack their home and their father disappears, the siblings are tossed onto a lifeboat and float through the ether until they are rescued by young space pirate with a grudge against the Empire. This Victorian Star Wars trio hurtles through space battling robots, aliens, and a loony scientist. Narrator Greg Steinbruner's British-accented narration helps American listeners understand the wordy English prose, but be sure to have a copy of the book available so listeners don't miss out on the quirky illustrations. The story is complete in itself, but more adventures are promised.– Tricia Melgaard, Centennial Middle School, Broken Arrow, OK Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.