While most readers are likely to agree that the magic school setting is very reminiscent of Harry Potter, the unexpected twists and turns of the plot make it an excellent example of a "first book" in a series. By the end of the book, readers will be asking when the next one will be released.
Holly Black and Cassandra Clare make a dynamic writing team. While Black generally writes for children, Clare is better known as a young adult author. This winning combination works well for this new series.
While there’s nothing particularly special about THE IRON TRIAL (Lexile 830L), it’s likely to be a hot item in most libraries. It’s a quick read and a good lead-in series for children without the reading skills to be success with the HARRY POTTER books (Lexile 880L-980L).
THE IRON TRIAL was number three in the GoodReads Choice Awards for 2014, so it’s sure to be popular with middle grade youth.
For information about Holly Black, go to http://blackholly.com/.
For information about Cassandra Clare, go to http://www.cassandraclare.com/.
For activities and online games related to the book, go to http://irontrial.scholastic.com
Publisher ARC used for review
