Colfer, Eoin. The Supernaturalists. Hyperion, 2004 (reprint). ISBN 978-0786851485 265 pp. $16.95

*****

Since I was at amazon.com I decided to look and see what people are saying about Eoin Colfer’s The Supernaturalists. I observed that the grown ups like Artemis Fowl better and the kids just love it … why am I not surprised? I think adults have trouble “moving on”. I think we should be more like children and read books on an individual basis…and I know, I need to follow my own advice! But I am a huge Colfer fan and love booktalking these books to any kid who will listen but especially those reluctant readers (most often, boys) and I want people to give this new book a chance!

One of the things I love about Colfer is how he combines technology with the supernatural & folklore. In his latest novel a dystopian future is controlled by a giant satellite…. and a group of kids are desperately and selflessly fighting parasites that prey on the wounded. I loved all the sci-fi aspects of this book… the insane power of the satellite, the complicated but not lethal weapons of the future, the rotating apartment building … yeah, we all love Artemis Fowl but these are the kinds of things that young boys want to read about… sorry, all you grown ups! And despite what the others say, I like the characters and I like that Colfer includes strong females in his books … and he does it effortlessly… they aren’t tokens, they belong here. Oh, and prepare yourself for a sequel… this one is primed!