The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

          The first book students in the high school book club chose to read this year was The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly.  This book is set during World War II and is about a young boy named David who is mourning the death of his mother.  Shortly after his mother's death, David's father remarries and together the couple welcome another son.  They move David from the only home he has ever known, and soon he begins to hear voices speaking to him.  The voices seem to be coming from the treasured fairy tale books his mother read to him.  The episodes begin to get worse, and David soon begins having "fits" where he passes out when the voices get too loud.  Over time, all the books in David's room begin to speak to him, and he worries that his father will send him away because of his "problems."
          One day, as David watches out his bedroom window, he sees a military plane falling from the sky.  David runs from the house and seeks refuge in the sunken garden outside his home.  Suddenly, David is swept into another world, where the characters in his books come alive!  The kingdom in this new world is ruled by a king, whose power is fading.  Unusual and dangerous creatures begin to take control of the kingdom.  David, in his quest to return home, decides to try to find the king and ask for his help.  Along the way, there is danger, a little laughter, and new formed friendships. David learns about family, love, sacrifice, bravery, and more.
          In recent years, many authors have taken fairy tales and their characters and have turned them into new plot lines and stories.  However, The Book of Lost Things is much more than that.  This book is not for the faint of heart.  It is dark and often violent, but its message and main character stay with you long after you read the last page!