The first book of the Magic Door series is a fun ride, a story about three children getting sucked into another world.

Ten year olds Michael and Sarah (with six year old Joey) are in the town of Bridgeport when an earthquake strikes - and opens a discreet-looking old door that leads to a bizarre-looking room. In an instant, they are transported to the alternate world of Great Kettles (yes, that is the real name).

It is, not surprisingly, a place filled with magic and mystery. The inhabitants include storybook characters like the Sandman, Father Time, and others like them that are seen only in storybooks and fairy tales. But, there is something extremely bad brewing: a giant is looking for something important and powerful, which is capable of destroying Great Kettles - and the town in our world also!

This story has similarities to others (like Alan Garner's "Elidor") but is presented in a fresh and enjoyable manner. Readers who initially think "oh ack, it has little-kid storybook characters in it!" might like the portrayal of them - not to mention the fact that the illustrations are just beautiful.

It's a light, pleasant fantasy with above-par illustrations and a nice storyline that will keep the reader interested. It's not very long, though, and I wonder if it is targeting an audience slightly below the 9-12 crowd.

Looking forward to Book 2.

Sarah and Michael, both 10, were standing at the window of the Magic Door Toyshop with Joey, 6, when owner Sam set a toy on his workbench and implied that it was magic. The shop had a door with an arched top, and a great latch and bolt. They had never seen it open. Suddenly, as Sam spoke, the gumball machine on the bench started to shake and a strange rumble passed through the shop. Nothing like this had ever happened before in Old Bridgeport. Then, right before them, the magic door swung open.

The door led to a dusty shop, although there was no other shop next door and no door on the Sam's outside wall. There was a clock tower. They found themselves in Kettles, and Videlia Potts introduced herself as the shop owner. With eyes bright as stars, she explained that the magic door connected Kettles to the Outland. Just then, an earthquake seemed to shake the shop. It was Mogg, the local giant.

The children met the cow who jumped over the moon, and saw the actual moon, not to mention the man in it. In the next six chapters, the children had several adventures before returning to Sam's shop, where the clock was only 20 minutes later than when they had left.

This is a great book, albeit short (64 pages) and the illustrations are wonderful. It is most suitable for children in first or second grade. Alyssa A. Lappen

This background is reminiscent of C.S. Lewis' Narnia. A young child enters a different world through a magic door and meets good and evil characters. The comparison ends here. There is none of Narnia's rich texture, excitement and underlying morality. The book is poorly written, the plot could have been written by a (not very talented) 11 year old and leaves one feeling cheated. The beautiful illustrations make up the only redeeming feature.