The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar From Elsewhere

Kingdoms and Empires #4

by Jaclyn Moriarty

During a sleepover, a letter comes to five children begging for the urgent assistance of Esther Mettlestone-Staranise; she must arrive before 10am on Monday to save an entire town of elves trapped under layers of silver. And a regular-size boy who, soon after seeing the children, dies.

Oscar is that boy who skipped school in our world on Monday to skate, and found himself in the city of the elves at just the wrong moment: He fled as fast as he could, but not fast enough because the silver wave struck him and he fell down dead.

And that's just the beginning!

At breakneck pace the cousins and friends (and a six year old stowaway elf named Grufford, who's a troublemaker) try to stop the clock and rewind the tragedy. Can they do it?

The pleasure is all in the adventure, as only Jaclyn Moriarty can tell it. Hers is a unique blend of humor, suspense, and magic, unfolding through the instantly recognizable rivalries, affections and foibles of her characters.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Adventure, Childrens, Audiobook, Magic, Fiction

408 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2021

About the author

Jaclyn Moriarty is an Australian writer of young adult literature.

She studied English at the University of Sydney, and law at Yale University and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where she was awarded a PhD.

She is the younger sister of Liane Moriarty. She was previously married to Canadian writer Colin McAdam, and has a son, Charlie. She currently lives in Sydney.

Reviews

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know anytime I feel sad, I can think of this book and my heart with swell with joy.

(thanks Esther).

[John Gilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed nearly all of Jaclyn Moriarty's books, especially the first three books in this series, but this one just did not keep my interest. There was just too much going on with little of it making much sense. Based in the same world of magic with all of our previous characters present, including newcomer Oscar, a skateboarder from another world (Australia actually). It had it's moments, but far too much fluff to keep it together for me. Sorry Jaclyn, gave up the ghost at 278 pages as I just did not care enough for the story to finish. 3 stars anyway as I've loved the series up to now. Library ebook.

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVE this series! I can’t say hardly anything since this is I believe the 4th in the series, but wow! We have some old favorites from books 1 & 3 in this one, & we meet a new character who quickly becomes a new favorite. The author has such a unique writing style in these, & I couldn’t even begin to explain it, or how amazing it is. It’s funny, engaging, entertaining-all while so much is going on, & at most times, chaos! But it never feels chaotic. The author makes it flow so well, & you know everything that’s happening. The chapters alternate between 2 characters, & as always, I loved seeing both experiences & perspectives. Such different characters, but similar in so many ways as well. These have so much adventure(& misadventures), humor, & so many great messages. So quirky-with the writing & the characters. Both you fall in love with too. Loved this! Such a great series. So original, unique, imaginative, & just phenomenal. HIGHLY recommend! Don’t know if there will be more, but I sure hope so! STUNNING cover front & back, along with full page stunning illustrations throughout too by Kelly Canby. Also, a naked hardback! The whole series, & all editions are gorgeous. Swipe to see more!💜

[Jacq.and.the.readstalk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic addition to the Kingdom and Empires series! Jacyln Moriarty once again delivers a thrilling magical adventure full of wit and heart!

This lovably, unique group of individuals tackle on mysterious tasks, non-stop action, and the tests of friendship, all to save a magical city of tiny Elves! There were familiar faces and new faces that all worked really well together. Moriarty shines a light on people's strengths and weaknesses, and how we can overcome obstacles by working together and acceptance.

Kelly Canby's illustrations continue to capture Jaclyn Moriarty's wit and whimsicalness, making them a perfect author and illustrator partnership.

My favourite part of all was towards the end, when Reuben the Genie explained how life itself was magic in its own "twisty-turny, topsy-turvey" way. I had to take a picture of it as it really captured my heart and was something I feel like I can always look back on and treasure those words to help me whenever I need.

This book and series is like a big comforting hug and bursting with happiness! Something to be enjoyed by readers of ALL ages! I do so hope there will be more, these books are too wonderful to stop!

[Dayse Dantas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comecei o ano com pé na estrada, e quando vi que era segunda-feira e o livro era separado em cinco partes de segunda a sexta, eu decidi acompanhar a história da forma que ela mesmo sugeriu.

Como sempre, completamente apaixonada por Jaclyn Moriarty. Se no livro passado ela lidou com mommy issues, nesse livro ela me fez chorar com temas relacionados a insegurança e subestimação. Mas ela é tudo, e a cena do Oscar da Imogen olha do um pro outro e se entendendo!!!! incrível! e ainda tivemos menção ao reino de Cello!!! quase chorei de emoção.

vamo que vamo!!! o amo vai ser bom!!!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was beyond excited when I was in Dymocks last week and saw that Jaclyn Moriarty had a fourth book in the 'A Kingdoms and Empires' series.
I love them so much, I know I'm not the targeted audience but they make me so happy. The illustrations are so beautiful and Oscar was such a brilliant addition to an amazing array of cast members.
I'm gifting this set to my niece and nephew (4 & 7) for Christmas.
Thank you for such inspiring messages in such a fun and beautifully written series.
Also hoping there will be a fifth, Astrid still hasn't had her story yet.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

[Travis Tolar · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I would like to thank NetGalley, and the publisher for the eArc I received which in no way bias' my review.

The middle grade fantasy world that Moriarty develops is big enough to entertain, small enough to be easy to follow, and once I started reading I knew I wasn't going to be able to put it down.

"The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar from Elsewhere" will be great for your child to read by themself, or an adult to read at bedtime. It has great characters, and a magical parallel realm that has everything you could want! Witches, Elfs, and, Genies, are just some of the great fantastical elements woven between the pages.

The story is told as an accounting of events from the two main characters, Oscar, and Imogen. Readers will relate to them both immediately, and cheer for them throughout their quest to save the Elfs, and their city. Oscar, a 12 year old skateboarder from modern day earth is thrust into a storybook adventure with Imogen, native to the realm, but the only person without powers, in an overpowered family.

I absolutely loved this novel, and can't overstate that enough. It brought back a whiff of old memories, and left me with such a great taste in my mouth. It read so nicely, and developed the characters so well that I had no idea that it was the fourth in a series until I started to research after I finished it. I can't wait to read them all to my toddler!

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly enjoyed this book, I love the author and this did not disappoint. I felt like at times it was a tad bit slow but I overall thought it was a very cute, good read. As always there were some surprising twists, and funny moments. Just a reminder that this is #4 in the kingdoms and empires series and #1 is “ The Extremely Inconvenient Events of Bronte Mettlestone”

[Akilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hi, if you liked this book, then run don't walk to read A Corner of White. It's the first book in a YA series set in this same world.

When the book started, I didn't love the dual narration because I felt it made the narrative too choppy. THAT SAID, the explanation of Oscar and Imogen's connection near the end of this book almost made me cry, so I would say that the dual narration was warranted and all came together nicely. The lesson here is to always trust Jaclyn Moriarty, obviously, because I don't think I've ever been disappointed by a book of hers. Do with that as you will.

By which I mean read her books.

Duh.

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story starts with Oscar who is assigned to write a report about the reasons why he was absent from school for the whole week, and that is what this book is about.

This book has dual pov. Usually, a story with dual pov would feel separated. Each character tells their own story with their own perspective. But not in this book. Like I said before, this book is supposed to be Oscar's report, but there is another person who also writes in it, Imogen. And throughout this book they write back to each other, and it is so fun to read.

Please visit my blog to read an article about Oscar From Elsewhere: hijabireads.blogspot.com

[Cathy]

I like the way Jaclyn Moriarty returns to the same world and characters in these tales, but each story is independent and fresh, told from another character’s or characters’ perspective. This time Oscar and Imogen are the narrators, as they go on a quest with Imogen’s sisters, cousin Bronte, friend Alejandro and Gruffudd the elf. The readers on the audiobook were great to listen to, and the tale entertaining and imaginative.

[Kristin Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a children’s book can be adored by both children (it is 7 year old Daisy’s favourite book ever) and adults (me!), then it is something special. Jaclyn’s sense of humour and quirkiness, along with her exquisite way with words, make for another engrossing and delightful book.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I like people to look me in the eyes, speak the truth and be themselves."

The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar from Elsewhere is about Oscar, just a regular boy from Australia who one day looks in the mirror and finds himself in the magical world of Kingdoms and Empires where he meets some faces that we have met before. But there is a problem: The witches have cursed almost all of the elves - apart from one small boy - and they have five days to complete a quest before the spell becomes permanent.

I really like how Oscar was just a normal kid from our world who was now introduced to the magical world of Kingdoms and Empires. And even better we got to see Bronte (who is still 100% my absolute favourite!), Alessandro, Esther who we followed much more closely in the previous books. And the addition of Imogen and Astrid was excellent. I loved their dynamics on this whole adventure.

Moriarty has created a great, magical world with a lot of facets that we get to meet: good and bad magic, fairies, elves, witches, and just so many charming - and exasperating - grownups. It is always a whole lot of fun, and the plot of finding nine different keys in all of these places really gave a great opportunity for showcasing the world. And I also just love a good quest. I will say that it got a bit repetitive in the middle. They would show up somewhere, had to perform some tasks, perhaps a bit of danger, find the key, on to the next place. The book did begin to feel overly long. But I still really liked it, so it is just a minor criticism.

But my absolute favourite part of all of Moriarty's books are the themes she brings up, and this was no different. It was all about kids feeling abandoned by their parents in different ways. They theoretically knew that they were loved - and they also did love their parents - but they couldn't rely on them. And I really loved how such a unifying experience could be expressed in so many different ways as Oscar and Imogen showed. It was just so well done!

This is just such a strong series that I would highly recommend for all kids - and adults - to read!

My other reviews in the Kingdoms & Empires series:
The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone (#1)
The Slightly Alarming Tale of the Whispering Wars (#2)
The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst (#3)

[Gretchen Bernet-Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

An otherworld novel about Oscar, an ordinary kid who skips school to ride his skateboard. His absence is questioned by the school Principal but how does he explain where he has really been? Behavioural model Oscar enters another dimension and realises that learning on a very dangerous quest isn’t the same as learning sitting in a classroom. He makes six new friends, pretty unusual kids, not forgetting Gruffudd, a fast-moving tiny Elf. Each young person has a special skill and when the Elf city of Dun-sorey-lo-vay-lo-hey is completely covered by a silver wave of solid evil, Oscar learns valuable lessons in resourcefulness, puzzle solving and working together as a team to rescue the trapped elves. And their Quest? They have to find nine separate pieces of an old key, held by nine separate people (not your average people) in order to free the city. Naturally it’s a strange quest with a time limit. Tick, tick, tick. Each youngster has their own skill, e.g. speedy kick-boxing Imogen and Esther is a Rain Weaver.

Meanwhile, the intrepid group are being thwarted by tricksters, nasty ogres, a dodgy map, cackling witches, etc. They meet superior Faery Sapphire who plays a xylophone in a terrible yet funny way. She’s of the Crystal Faeries who are true Mages (like flower power hippies) and they love beauty, music, nature, and the power of Bright Magic. The character points-of-view are numerous and occasionally I had to check to see who’s chapter I was reading, but they all work well within the rewards system. Bronte makes magical Spellbinding rings; useful Alejandro was a pirate now a prince; ten year old Astrid can read minds. The scenes are numerous and quick-paced and the dialogue is good but a tad predictable; repartee has a clichéd feel. Proof-reading often went astray, e.g. many letters left off words like “blowing into a lute”. On the whole I enjoyed the read and would recommend it to upper primary readers/maybe early teens. Kelly Canby’s illustrations work well and there’s plenty more Jacklyn Moriarty stories where this one came from.

[Alyssa (HeartwyldsLibrary) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my 2nd experience with Moriarty's work and one of the elements that I love about this particular series is how each installment can be read on its own. I have never read books 1 and 2 in the Kingdom and Empires series but I have read book 3. Having not read books 1 and 2, I am testament that it does not in fact ruin the overall experience, any characters that have come from the earlier books are given just enough information of that I don't feel like I need to go back and read the earlier installments. Every character fits in the story nice and cozy and with each book focusing on a whole and completed story you never feel like you missed out on vital information.

Oscar from Elsewhere is absolutely brimming with adventure from start to finish. Oscar is transported to another world where magic exists and meets all the lovely characters from the earlier books,and promptly gets wrapped up in going on an adventure to save an elf kingdom. Its dual point of view and I still love how in the point of views the characters talk to the reader, since its technically them writing a report to their teacher about where they have been for the last week. Its such a fun and silly way to keep the reader engaged with the on going tale.

As the story went on there started to be a focus on themes of different types of parent abandonment, anxiety, and ignorance to learning behaviors (meaning Oscars teacher ignored the fact that he had a concentration problem and kept writing him off as a bad kid) Moriarty handles these topics really well and does a spectacular job at showing them from a child's' perspective. The kids had moments where they got along and where they did not, but eventually learned that its okay to talk about their problems and that they dont need to keep everything bottled up to themselves.

Its all around a fast paced high adventure story with a great cast of characters!

[OpenedBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six children, a troublemaker elf, a treacherous quest. A race against time, tripped over by magic.

Can they free the Elven city before it gets crushed by a mountain of silver? Will Oscar ever return to his world? This fast-paced adventure will make you hold your breath on more than one occasion.

At first, I thought this story was the Astonishing Chronicles of Anyone BUT Oscar from Elsewhere because his being part of the group seems irrelevant most of the time. But in the second part, I was proven wrong and hit by my ignorance. Especially chapter 76 had me sobbing, and the end made me see how wrong I was and that even a 6-year-old elf is wiser than me.

The writing style was fantastic. I enjoyed switching between Oscar and Imogen telling us about their adventure. And the way Jaclyn Moriarty plays with language gave the book an especially immersive experience. Throughout the book, I had to think of Gary Provost's teachings: "The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. […] And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals–sounds that say listen to this, it is important.” Jaclyn absolutely nailed this.

Even though this is book 4 in the Kingdoms and Empires series, this book can be read as a standalone. I have not read the first three books, but now I am so curious to get a deeper understanding of the characters that I will go back and begin from the start.

I enjoyed this book immensely and recommend it to everyone who likes A Series of Unfortunate Events mixed with magic like in Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids get to read the most fun books. Jaclyn Moriarty’s “The Astonishing Chronicles of OSCAR from ELSEWHERE” is a fun kid's book. I don’t want to read children’s or middle grade books my whole life (though I would like to be a kid again), but I liked this one.

Oscar From Elsewhere is a quest book. It reminds me a little of Lord of the Rings (but easier to follow) and a little of Alice in Wonderland (but no Humpty-Dumpty). To save a town of Elves from permanently being covered by waves of silver (go with it), Oscar from elsewhere (actually from Sydney, Australia), five related children, and a tiny elf must round up nine parts of a key before the elves’s town is fully covered in silver. Six clues to where the key parts are located come in dreams (3 to Oscar and 3 to Imogen). The remaining three clues are found in songs the elf sings. Getting each key part is a separate adventure.

Now, dear reader, a hint to the wise. We don’t find out until late in the book that the group must solve two remaining riddles. The clues to them are given in the nine stops to collect the nine key parts - so keep looking for them.

The book was almost a 28-page children’s book since a wave of silver killed Oscar from Elsewhere on page 26. The author, Jaclyn Moriarity, must have realized a book about Oscar would be short indeed with Oscar dead so soon, so she brought him back to life on page 37.

There are some interesting characters in the book: a genie, shadow mages, crystal faeries, radish gnomes, water sprites, witches, elves, a rainbow weaver, a school teacher, a judge, a murdered man, a filmmaker, a helpful carriage driver, a girl who can tell when someone is lying, and a skateboard.

My rating: 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another adventure with the Mettlestone-Staranise cousins and siblings, this time with the addition of Oscar who skipped school on Monday in our world to skate and found himself in their world just as another silver wave was about to cover an Elven city.
Meanwhile, a letter comes to Esther Mettlestone-Staranise begging for her urgent assistance; she must arrive before 10am on Monday (that same Monday Oscar is skipping school) to save an entire town of elves trapped under layers of silver.

The children arrive at the city just as Oscar appears with the wave coming behind him. He runs, but not fast enough because the silver wave struck him and he fell down dead.

The children first rescue Oscar who isn't dead after all, and are set with a task to find the 9 pieces of a key to unlock the elven city before time runs out and it is crushed forever beneath the silver wave. They are spurred on by Grufford, a 6 year old elf who was also skipping school that day, urging them to save his city (and also unknowingly thwarting them at every turn). To find the keys, they need to solve clues - Grufford has 3 in remembered songs, a genie provides clues he hides in 3 memories each of Oscar and Imogene. And off they go, encountering shadow and true magic, fairies, silver foxes, gnomes, water sprites, and the lantern moon witches.

At breakneck pace the cousins and friends (and a six year old stowaway elf named Grufford, who's a troublemaker) try to stop the clock and rewind the tragedy. Can they do it?

[Sya A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful read.

Oscar looked into a mirror that two older boys had said could bring you to the best skate park ever (Oscar loved skateboarding, as opposed to… Say, school) and while the two older boys had somehow failed, Oscar found himself carried over (or into?) the mirror. There was a small immediate problem: as soon as Oscar arrived, he died.

Imogen, Ester, Astrid, Bronte and Alejandro were on a mission to help the Elves break a sleeping curse when they came across Oscar (and soon, his dead state).

They all ended up going together on the quest to save the Elfin world.

I love that each character had their distinctive personality that was both likeable and relatable. I love that this world was both familiar and unique. I love that the concept and premise were both easy to follow and so fresh. This was actually the fourth book in the series, which I realized after reading it for some time; there no issue on that, I enjoyed it thoroughly – wit, adventure and friendships go so well together. Oscar, especially, was so endearing I was chuckling here and there just at his thoughts.

Recommended for children aged 8-12 (also adults who are children at heart).

Thank you to Netgalley and Levine Querido for the advance reader copy (:

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightfully quirky book about five normal magical kids, a young elf, and an Australian boy who have to save the world...or at least a small part of it. The book seems to be geared towards kids in the 10-12 year age group (the main protagonists are 12-13ish) but I found it to be quite enjoyable even though I am much much older than that.

The book is very well-written and was an absolutely delightful read. The book creates a fun, magical world, without taking itself too seriously. I thought I caught the author in a couple of errors, but as it turns out, I didn't! Everything is answered and resolved by the end. Also, I did not even realize this was part of a series until I read some of the other reviews here. It can definitely read like a stand-alone book, but now that I know there are other stories on the five "normal" kids, I just might have to go read those!

Also, I am very much a proponent of judging a book by its contents, and in this case, those are fantastic. However, I also have to note that this is just a gorgeous book. The dust jacket is beautiful, the embossed cover is very classy, and the illuminated letters (does it still count if they are black and white?) at the start of each chapter are fun!

Overall, a great read and a great gift for an older child.

[Kate H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

So… Oscar definitely didn’t go to school last week. Sorry Mrs. Kugelhopf. But he was actually learning a lot! Specifically about spellbinders, witches, sibling relationships, and how to pull off a quest to stop an entire elven town from being covered in silver forever. Yeah.. let’s back up a bit. Oscar has always preferred skateboarding over school, so when he’s suddenly transported into a magical land he figures he might as well help out the people who saved him. Nobody will miss him at home anyway, and let’s be honest, he has no idea how to get back to Australia. The world he’s stuck in has no phones, a complex magic system, and apparently a lot of pointless arguing. If his group of an experienced 12 year old magical adventurer, a former pirate now prince, a girl his age who’s been acting as a parent since birth, one of the most powerful magical users in the land, a girl who can always tell if someone is lying, and a 6 year old elf who’s constantly hungry can’t get themselves together in time to save the elven city of Dun-sorey-lo-vay-lo-hey it means certain doom for the tiny people he didn’t even know existed a week ago. Seriously, what has he gotten himself into?!?

I love Jaclyn Moriaty’s Kingdom and Empires series, and have been waiting to read this one for awhile. It’s hard to describe the style of writing, but it’s one of my favorite mixes of simplicity, descriptive language, and sarcasm. Specifically in this book, I really liked the switch off from Oscars perspective to Imogens, and the slow realization that they’re more similar than we could’ve ever imagined. I’d recommend this series to anyone looking for a simple fantasy world or a very unique cast of characters.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huh. I only just now discovered, as I prepared to review this book, that it's the fourth in a series. Needless to say, it stands alone well enough, as I thoroughly enjoyed it--and now I want to read the others I missed. It's delightful fun, with endearing characters, enough danger and heartache to add substance but not heaviness, an often absurd setting, and just enough growth and poignancy to satisfy. Most enjoyable.

One final thing. This issue you two have with magic. Oscar, you say there is none in your world; Imogen, you say you don't like it. Children, listen: magic is life. Life is twisty-turny, topsy-turvy, and breaks as many rules as bright magic. Life can be as dark and cruel as shadow magic. And life can zigzag between them both. You'll meet good people who are vain, self-absorbed, and careless, like the Crystal Faeries. You'll meet bad people who reform and start jewelry shops in cities. Wise old innkeepers will infuriate you with their absentmindedness yet surprise you with their generosity; distinguished judges will be mulish and cantankerous yet ultimately fair. Those meant to care for you will fail you, or fade from your life; strangers will offer shelter, or step in and become family. Find the thread of love and beauty in it all--beauty like occasional descriptive language, Imogen. Beauty like a kickflip for no reason, Oscar.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't aware that this was #4 in the series. This book does extremely well "standing on its own". I was only about 1/4 into the book I ordered the 1st book in the series from Audible. (Often I "say" that I plan to check out other books in the series or by the author; but I rarely take the plunge and purchase ... and almost never before finishing the current book. Anyway, no regrets. Finished and loved Oscar from Elsewhere!

Other-worldly Oscar falls into a fantasy world and teams up with some other children to save a city of elves from destruction.

The narrators Dorje Swallow and Rebecca Norfolk were absolutely fantastic! I especially loved their singing!

Absolutely wonderful story line!

Thank you to NetGalley (especially for once again introducing me to a "new to me author") and for the opportunity to listen to Oscar from Elsewhere in exchange for an honest review. Great job to the author Jaclyn Moriarty. Also thank you to the publisher RB Media, Recorded Books. Publication date is 15 Nov 2022.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided with a digital ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I quickly fell in love with the world that Moriarty created in her Kingdoms & Empires series. This is middle grades fantasy at its best -- the kind that provides incredibly detailed world-building with just enough whimsy to make you giggle, but characters who can tug at your heartstrings too.

Oscar from Elsewhere is a great addition to this series. Part of me wants to say that I hope students will see themselves in Oscar, but part of me doesn't want to say that because I hope that students are never made to feel the way Oscar is made to feel by his teachers and principal. There's so much good stuff here -- the character development, the ongoing mystery with its riddles and puzzles, the world-building.

My only complaint is that a few of the narrative choices felt a little *too* convenient, but overall this was a great story. Fun and heartwarming.

[Yamini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magic, Elves, Witches and a contest to elect the leader. Immerse yourself in the middle-grade saga of this adventure story of Oscar.

At this time of the year, reading books with magical adventures seems like a bonus to me. It's light, mystic and a bit silly in places. If your real-life schedule is currently keeping you on your toes, this story can be like a power nap. The character of Oscar is showcased as an average young boy in the modern world - which intertwines with the magical world of the other 5. The cross-breed product is great but certain instances in the story felt too silly to even for children (especially considering the smarter generation we have now). Overall an enjoyable one-time read for me.

Thankyou @netgalley @jaclynmoriarty @levinequerido and @recordedbooks for the Digital ARC

Genre: #fantasy #middlegrade #children #magic
Rating: 4/5

#OscarfromElsewhere #NetGalley

[Judy Wollin · Rating 4 out of 5]

School is not Oscar’s thing. Trouble followed him, and the Deputy Principle thought he was a waste of space. Skateboarding was what Oscar loved to do. At the skate park, he met boys who told him he’d arrive at the best skatepark ever built if he looked through a mirror. He didn’t believe them, but anything was better than school, so he looked into the mirror.
Imogen, Ester and Astrid are home from boarding school, and their cousins Bronte and Alejandro have come to stay. A letter from the Elfin king beginning Esther to save them sends the cousins on a quest. They find a strange boy, Oscar, and he joins their quest to find nine pieces of a key needed to save the elfin world. If they can’t save the elfin world, Oscar can’t get home.
What do the questers find?
I enjoyed the mix of cultures across the two worlds.
Recommended for 10–12-year-olds.

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. This was my least favourite of the series, though I still very much enjoyed it. My main issue with the book was Oscar. It’s not that Oscar isn’t a great character (he is!), I just did not the fact that he was from our world. It ruined a lot of the escapism for me. Personally, I don’t want to be reminded of the real everyday world when I’m reading such a fun fantasy adventure. It kept pulling me back out in a jarring way.

Note: I originally started listening to the audiobook of this and couldn’t continue. The narrator for Oscar was so annoying to listen to. His accent was SO Australian and very Play School presenter. I had to wait a few months to read the physical book so I could forget his voice.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Iced really enjoyed this entire series. This one is the first one I’ve read rather than listened to. I won a free copy in a Goodreads giveaway. I may go ahead and listen as a reread at some future point simply because I’ve really enjoyed hearing each of these books as they’ve come out. This one didn’t feel quite as original as the others, probably because it’s the fourth entry in the series and the world, the talents and abilities of many of the main characters, and the evils of the evil characters along with the neglect of some of the parental figures is not new any longer. But I did enjoy the update on previous main characters, and I enjoyed Oscar and Imogene and the story overall. And if there’s to be another entry to the series, I’ll read it as well.

[aurelie *ੈ✩‧₊˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved this series. One of my favorite primary school series was this. THE CHARACTERS. and THE PLOT. Yes, it's childish. Yes, it's for youngsters. BUT DO I CARE?! NO. KINGDOMS AND EMPIRES ARE LITERALLY SO ENTERTAINING AND JUST HILARIOUS. I CAN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T READ THIS EARLIER LET ALONE FIND IT. ITS BEAUTIFUL AND ENTERTAINING. LITERALLY MAKES ME SMILE TO MYSELF FOR NO REASON.

Overall rating: 5/5
Genre: fiction, young fiction, fantasy, middle grade, children, fiction, contemporary, kids
Dates read: 10/2/2023 - 11/2/2023 (2 days across)
Time period: Approximately 2-3 hrs in total, easy beach read
Amount of pages: 415 (book copy, PHYSICAL, medium, HARDCOVER)
Word count: UNKNOWN