Fablehaven Series by Brandon Mull

The Fablehaven Series by Brandon Mull was first published in 2006. Matt and I read the first book and part of the second one and then he started having seizures and lost interest, so I didn't finish the series until recently. 

Matt and I met Brandon Mull when we were reading the first book, and he was so good with all the kids. He took time to greet each one, exchange pleasantries, and sign books. We commented that some of his fight scenes reminded us of the video game The Legend of Zelda, and he told us that he has gotten inspiration from that game. 

You will want to the read this series in order or you will be confused. This series follows siblings Kendra and Seth as they first learn that fairies and other fairy tale creatures are in fact, real. They visit their grandparents who run a sanctuary for fairy tale creatures and learn that others in the world are trying to harm these sanctuaries and change the balance of good and evil. 

The series gets progressively darker. The action is fast paced, font size is larger, and there is plenty of white space along with illustrations, so it's a good series for Hi/Lo readers. 

Quotes I liked:

"Choices determine character" (225 Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary). 

"Making mistakes is part of learning to choose well. No way around it. Choices are thrust upon us, and we don't always get things right. Even postponing or avoiding a decision can become a choice that carries heavy consequences. Mistakes can be painful - sometimes they cause irrevocable harm - but welcome to Earth. Poor choices are part of growing up, and part of life. You will make bad choices, and you will be affected by the poor choices of others" (279 Keys to the Demon Prison).

"Some imagine the difference between heaven and hell to be a matter of geography. Not so. The difference is much more evident in the individuals who dwell there" (562 Keys to the Demon Prison). 

I enjoyed this series and so have my older grandchildren. 



There are five books in this completed series.

1. Fablehaven

2. Rise of the Evening Star

3. Grip of the Shadow Plague

4. Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary

5. Keys to the Demon Prison

Read to a child today even if that child is you. 

Link to our NICU book registry if you'd like to donate books to babies in the newborn intensive care unit so their parents can read to them while they grow. You can also donate gently used books to our project by sending them to me or to Angie. Email me for a mailing address. We can use both English and Spanish books. If you have a graduate of the NICU, or if you have a baby whose life you would like to honor by donating books to this project, let me know, and I can make a book plate with their name for the books you donate.