After Reading The Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand by Jen Swann Downey You’ll Want to Visit Petrarch’s Library

GameStop, Inc.

Ninja_Librarians_Jen_Swann_DowneyThe Ninja Librarians (an irresistible title if ever there was one) is a lively middle-grade fantasy full of friendship, exploration, and a truly wonderful library.

Dorrie is a twelve year old girl, owner of a stage sword, fond of stage sword fighting, and someone who has just realized that:

“though she wanted to wield a sword against evil, modern evil had no intention of making itself available for spearing. Not in the cooperative way it used to once upon a time, at least according to the books she liked to read. Not in the form of a scar-faced villain in a black cloak with a nicely obvious fiendish laugh that she could corner with a piece of dazzling sword-work.
 
No, modern evil was…complicated, and its spectacularly vile, wicked villains—the ones who really knew how to brew up trouble, the ones who invisibly lurked in the radio’s news stories about war and hunger and poisoned rivers—were masters of disguise.”

She and her brother, Marcus, find themselves tumbling through a hole in a library closet into Petrarch’s Library, home of a secret society of Lybrarians whose job is to protect people’s words and, to the best of their abilities, people who get into trouble for writing or saying the wrong thing. The library has branches throughout time and space, allowing them to travel to ancient Greece to argue Socrates’ case or, now, to access modern Passaic, New Jersey. It’s Dorrie’s chance to learn to use a real sword to fight real evil. The trouble is, she has to learn sword fighting first. And there is the little matter of convincing the Lybrarians that she and her brother are not serving the evil Foundation, despite their strange arrival and other troubles that happen at the same time. Somewhere in there, she has to learn a bit more about what evil is and which sorts she wants to fight and why.

Downey’s makes one want to go to Petrarch’s Library themselves. Dorrie and Marcus face some suspicion and have some difficult puzzles to solve. They have one or two enemies. The Library also has a staff of supportive adults who teach useful skills—things like fencing, stealth, and reading things out of books (there are some great feasts in there).

The time travel largely works, and the historical figure most present turns out to be a great teacher and friend, but there are a couple of points where the adult me balked a little: It is hard to believe that if John Milton, John Stewart Mill, and John Locke had ever actually got to chat and then return to their respective times, they would return with their writings and theories intact. This, however, is a small niggle in the middle of a gloriously fun exploration of an ideal library.

While The Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand stands on its own, it is clearly intended to be the first book in a series with further exploration of the times and worlds beyond the library and the nature of the conflict between the Library and its mysterious, evil opposite to be developed further. Here’s hoping Jen Swann Downey gets the chance!

Publication Information
Published: April 1, 2014
Publisher:Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
ISBN: 1402287704 (ISBN13: 9781402287701)

Anytime Costumes

Leave a Reply

FanboyNation
Animation/Anime Interviews Animation/Anime News Animation/Anime Reviews Film/TV Interviews Film/TV News Film/TV Review
‘Insidious: The Red Door’ is Available on Blu-ray Today

‘Insidious: The Red Door‘ Dips in Quality where, ‘The Conjuring‘ Left...

‘Mr Jimmy’ Director Peter Michael Dowd – Interview

‘Mr Jimmy‘ Producer, Director and Editor, Peter Michael Dowd talks about...

Michael Jai White Talks About His Latest Flick, ‘Outlaw Johnny Black’ – Interview

Martial Arts and Action Legend Michael Jai White Talks About His...

Event News Event Reviews
ScareScape Announces To-Die-For Specialty Haunted Treats

Experience To-Die-For Specialty Lattes, Signature Cocktails, Sinister Sweets, and More at...

AGBO Announces Third Annual ‘No Sleep ’til Film Fest’

AGBO Announces Third Annual Global Filmmaking Competition for Emerging Creators, “No...

‘A Black and White Cookie’ Brings Color to Old Racial Tensions

‘A Black and White Cookie‘ Brings Color to Old Racial Tensions...

Automotives Football MMA, Kick Boxing & Boxing Professional Wrestling
Olympic Runner Colleen Quigley ‘On The Road to Paris’

Team USA Olympic Runner, Colleen Quigley is On The Road to...

Paralympian Swimmer Ahalya Lettenberger On The Road to Paris

Team USA Paralympian Swimmer, Ahalya Lettenberger is On The Road to...

Ultimate Women of Wrestling Comes to the Globe Theatre – Interview

Ultimate Women of Wrestling Comes to the Globe Theatre on Sunday,...

Adult Continuity Comics on the Can Cultural Junk Drawer Future Comic Rock Stars Is That Racist? Revisiting the Reviled THAT'S NOT ROTTEN! The B-Reel The Cantina Scene This Week in Crowdfunding What the HELL Did I just...?
Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the Pahrump Saga (sooner or later)

Oi, roboscabs; you're fired!

Fantoy Comics Presents – Harry Potter and the Pharump Apocalypse!

Like how you'll all be watching reality shows and 2 Broke...

Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the final interruption.

Sorry, was expecting another interruption.

Music Interviews Music News Music Reviews
Songwriter and Poet, Tamara Mechael Talks About Her Career in the Arts

First Generation Assyrian-Chaldean, Songwriter and Poet, Tamara Mechael Talks About Her...

Louden Swain Headlining Los Angeles Show at The Echo

Press Release – Louden Swain are headlining Los Angeles show at...

Shira Elias Talks About Her New Single ‘Earth Sun’ and EP ‘Services’

Shira Elias talks about her new single ‘Earth Sun‘ out now...

Enabled Gaming Gaming News Gaming Reviews
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Gameplay Trailer

The first Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay trailer was revealed during...

Wonder Woman Game
Wonder Woman Game Announced By DC and WB Games

Wonder Woman game will feature the iconic hero in a 3rd...

MultiVersus
MultiVersus brings Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny, and More

MultiVersus is bringing Shaggy, Harley Quinn, Jake, Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny,...

Comic Creator Interviews Comic/Graphic Novel News Comic/Graphic Novel Reviews Manga News Manga Reviews Novel/Novella Author Interviews Novel/Novella News Novel/Novella Reviews
Chris Clews Is ‘Raised on the 80s’ and Shares Those Life Lessons

Chris Clews was ‘Raised on the 80s‘ and Shares Those Life...

Roye Okupe Brings Authentic African Representation to HBO Max and Cartoon Network

Nigerian-American, Roye Okupe brings authentic African representation to HBO Max and...

Steve Niles and David Dastmalchian Team Up for a Criminal Macabre/Count Crowley Crossover at SDCC

Steve Niles and David Dastmalchian Team Up for a Criminal Macabre/Count...

Apparel/Personal Maintenance News Apparel/Personal Maintenance Reviews Entertainment Product News Entertainment Product Reviews Food/Beverage Reviews Hardware News Hardware Reviews Mystery Box News Mystery Box Reviews
Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand Demo

The new ‘Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand‘ is ready to ship...

Chef Jen Peters and Matthew Clayton Bring us the ‘Good Flour’

Canadian Super Chef Jen Peters and Matthew Clayton Bring us the...

Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide
Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide

The Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide is now available to help...

Gaming Uncensored Toon-In-Talk
Episode 38: Hamid Rahmanian

Join Whitney Grace as she speaks with artist Hamid Rahmanian, who...

No Preview
Toon-In Talk Episode 37: Niki Smith

Whitney Grace interviews graphic novel writer and artist Niki Smith about...

Toon-In Talk Episode 36: Rob Paulsen

Rob Paulsen takes some time from his busy voice acting schedule...