Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo

Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo by Obert Skye is a quirky little book (368 pages). It tells the strange tale of a boy named Leven Thumps, who grew up in depressing Burnt Culvert, Oklahoma, with his two nasty guardians, his aunt Addy and his uncle Terry. Mysterious things happen around Leven, and things get even more mysterious when he meets an odd cast of characters including a strange creature named Clover, Winter, a girl whose name suits her very well, and a talking toothpick named Geth. They've come from a world named Foo, where Leven is meant to serve a unique purpose. Hmmm...

I liked Leven Thumps. There's definitely strange moments- talking toothpicks,funny names, and the like. They add to the offbeat charm of the book, which is fast-paced, suspenseful and funny. It leaves on a cliffhanger, which is, of course, resolved in the second installment, Leven Thumps and the Whispered Secret. Two of the things I really loved were the glossary in the back of the book, wittily detailing all of the creatures and people encountered, and the beautifully drawn pictures and maps. They really added to the book instead of distracting.

One of my biggest problems with the book was the sense of tiredness. We've all seen the miserable kid with mean caretakers and funky name finds out he/she has a magical mystical purpose/ability and must save either our world or some other one. It's been done a lot- especially the biggest example of this formula, Harry Potter.

Despite its flaws, Leven Thumps is a good fantasy book. I'm currently reading the equally wacky second book, and will probably review it. Four stars.