The Blue Door

September 15, 2012
A spiritual adventure balances strong Christian messages of family and faith with the challenges of being a teenager on a farm. This first installment in the Threshold series introduces 14-year-old Prissie Pomeroy, the only daughter in her family (she has five brothers). Life for Prissie on her family farm is pretty mundane: The highlight of her week is a visit from the friendly letter carrier, Milo. However, one day a heavenly visitor changes everything, especially her interactions with Milo, who turns out to be an angel sent to help deliver her a message. This revelation rocks Prissie's world, with the appearance of angels testing her deep faith and opening her eyes to the many ethereal beings that surround humankind, including her own guardian angel. Kinde dedicates much of this first volume to laying the foundation for the series and clearly defining the hierarchy of angels, which range from protectors to messengers. Although the tale is short on adventure, the majority of chapters open with a short snippet of text featuring fallen angels that hints of great danger for Prissie in future installments. In tandem with Prissie's attempts to reconcile her new ethereal companions are her struggles to maintain friendships and deal with growing pains. A Christian fantasy with a wholesome message and down-on-the-farm twist. (Fantasy. 10-14)

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November 15, 2012
Grades 6-8 Fourteen-year-old Prissie Pomeroy leads an ordinary existence, chatting with her somewhat shallow friends, making plans to attend the county fair, and enjoying time with her family. Everything changes, however, when she realizes she can see angelsas in, celestial beings walking the planet. Suddenly, the young farm girl's life is turned upside down as she discovers she is a key player in a spiritual battle being waged on earth. Her Observer, Koji, is startled when he realizes Prissie can see him as a young human teen, although he remains invisible to other earthly eyes. Prissie begins to lean on him for advice and support, even though at times she feels she doesn't need it. Kinde's world building is strongest in her angel characters, each of whom has a distinct personality, much like the humans they watch. Less praiseworthy is that none of her angels are female, which might have provided more interest to girl readers. The language and plot of this first title in a series are well geared toward middle-graders, and the positive Christian message may please some parents.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2013
Fourteen-year-old Prissie's crush on the mailman takes an odd turn when she discovers that he's an angel only she can see. The battle between heaven and hell provides the backdrop as Prissie struggles with her new ability and her role in the fight. Clumsy prose and cardboard characters overtake the action, however, and the sense of crisis is only marginally conveyed.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)