Literary heroes come alive, thanks to Billy Gillfoyle's imagination and some brilliant engineering on the part of the mysterious Dr. Libris, a worthy successor to the mastermind in Chris Grabenstein's novel Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library.
Billy's parents are undergoing a trial separation, so Billy is spending the summer with his mother in a cabin belonging to Dr. Libris while his father stays in their New York apartment. With no TV and a cell phone that died when it fell from a tree, 12-year-old Billy peruses Dr. Libris's bookshelves, and he hears--and sees--the books' characters. The characters seem to be housed on the island, so Billy heads out there and is soon aided by Poseidon. The cast of characters grows as Billy's reading expands. Billy joins forces with Hercules (after helping him defeat Antaeus), Robin Hood and Maid Marian, and they best the Sheriff of Nottingham. One-page "Theta Project" notes penned by Dr. Libris let readers know more than Billy does about the professor's grand plans. When Billy brings neighbor Walter along to see if he can see and hear the characters, too, Billy plays right into Dr. Libris's plans.
The mash-up of stories results in some original twists. Walter suggests they read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland so Alice can give her shrinking potion to the Sheriff of Nottingham. And Billy borrows from H.G. Wells to try to rekindle what drew his parents together by sending them into the past. Though the plot grows pleasingly farfetched, Grabenstein grounds the novel in Billy's authentic emotions. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness