Review: Face "Quirky, Hodge-podgey Style"

Book review: The Face in the FrostI've always been a big fan of John Bellairs, who is mostly famous for writing spooky children's books. He just has a great style. The Face in the Frost was his first novel, and it was aimed more at adults, but really you could give it to a kid who already likes his books. It's not much scarier than the others, and it's only a little longer.

This is a great example of Bellairs' quirky, hodge-podgey style and it's fun to read, so any fan will enjoy it. Although it sounds like the usual sword-and-sorcery kind of thing, it isn't at all--but it is considered a classic of fantasy literature. This book isn't very easy to find any more, though. I was lucky to find my copy...at Dark Carnival in Berkeley years ago.

If you have a kid who likes scary books, and you don't want him reading awful YA horror yet, John Bellairs would be an excellent choice (William Sleator too). My theory is that a kid who has already developed a taste for Bellairs' erudite silliness will be pretty immune to the lure of trashy horror.

Jean
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