The Emerald Tablet

Benjamin Holt has always been different from the kids in his class, besides his best friend Andy who also has the same "abilities" as Benjamin. Andy and Benjamin just don't get what's so weird about being able to read people's minds and making frogs in science class fly into girls' hair! When Benjamin sees his mom go through a picture and disappear into a speckle of light he's not that surprised since his life is just a little weird that way - but that doesn't stop him from wondering where in the world she went. He soon finds out when his mirror, yes that's right his mirror, tells him he's going to summer school. At first Benjamin isn't at all excited about going (I mean what thirteen year old kid in his right mind would be excited about giving up their summer to go to school, especially when they're smart!), but then he finds out this school is in another world and the only way to get there is through the same picture that his mom vanished through earlier! When Benjamin arrives in Lemuria all his doubts instantly vanish, but his life gets even stranger. He's not even at school for ten minutes when he learns that he's not really human he's a telegen which is why he has so many different "abilities." When the Emerald Tablet chooses him as its champion, Benjamin is dumbfounded. I mean while he thought he was special on earth, his powers just make him normal in Lemuria, so why him? While Benjamin was expecting a pretty normal (or as normal as you can get when you're at summer school on a submerged continent) summer he knows that won't ever happen know. With Andy and his newly acquired friends, Benjamin has the summer of a lifetime, even if it isn't your classical definition of fun! I had such a good time reading this book! I loved every minute that I was reading it and I feel like I want to reread the book over and over again. From the very first sentence I was laughing, and while the book wasn't intended to be a comedy there were many times where I couldn't help but suppress a giggle. The very idea for the story was magical. I don't think I've ever read a book along the same lines as The Emerald Tablet. While reading the book I kept thinking that in a way it was almost like a myth that was being told and how cool it would be if it was actually true. The characters were also very well developed. PJ Hoover really captured the essence of a thirteen year old boy in Benjamin's character. He had the whole goofy, know it all, I'd rather not be here attitude which made the book so real. I feel like sometimes authors really grasp the ages of their characters and sometimes they don't, but this is definitely a case in which the author does. PJ Hoover also did a great job incorporating her supporting characters. They were all essential and I loved how she showed that in most cases we need to all use our best abilities to reach a common goal. I also loved her quirky little character Jack, who had the funniest things to say and was an added bonus to the story

I loved reading this book. Every page was filled with action and suspense. I highly recommend it for middle grade and fantasy lovers of all ages. As an adult, I found it very entertaining and am looking forward to the sequel. I was very impressed with all the research done by the author.

At the start of summer, the farthest thing from Benjamin Holt's mind is the possibility of summer school. However, it seems his plans are changed. Benjamin is not what you'd call a normal person; he and his best friend Andy have special powers that allow them to communicate silently and use telekinesis to play pranks. It turns out that Benjamin and Andy aren't human; instead, they're of a similar species called telegens. So these special abilities that set Benjamin apart from humans only makes him normal among the other telegens attending the school on the hidden continent called Lemuria. But normality is elusive for Benjamin, especially after a mysterious stone called the Emerald Tablet chooses Benjamin to be its champion. Now, Benjamin is charged with the task of saving the world. It seems the summer has just gotten a lot more interesting. The Emerald Tablet was an interesting, unique, and fun story. I loved the originality of the new continents Lemuria and Atlantis besides the seven accepted ones. Plus, I have to admit, I am a sucker for stories involving special talents such as the ones that Benjamin and his friends possess. These powers (most of which contained the prefix tele-) are part of what made this story so fun to read; they added a humorous and yet dangerous factor. The plot was suspenseful and well drawn out. However, the characters were a slightly different story. I felt that Benjamin and his friends were a little boring at times, and I didn't get to know any of the characters besides Benjamin well, and even then I didn't completely understand the protagonist. The interesting and slightly futuristic plot is really what captured and held my interest throughout the book, as well as the twists, riddles, and deception, but the characters could've been improved on. In all, The Emerald Tablet was a solid first young adult novel, and I'm glad there will be at least two more books in this Forgotten Worlds series. If you enjoy fast-paced stories about hidden futuristic worlds, I recommend The Emerald Tablet, but if you're more concerned with the characters than the plot, then you shouldn't read this novel.

As I child, I loved any book that described a secret world, the possibility of a superhuman race, or the untapped powers of the mind. (I was convinced I could hypnotize my teacher or move the dishes to the sink, if only I practiced long and hard enough.) P.J. Hoover's novel, The Emerald Tablet, succeeded in transporting me, not only back in time to my childhood, but to an exciting, alternate world deep beneath the sea -- one filled with adventure, friendship, mystery, telepathy, and telekinesis. Hoover's main character, Benjamin Holt, searches for three keys that will save this world, and those middle grade readers who follow Holt in his quest are in for a unique, mind-blowing treat.

Benjamin Holt has always been different from the kids in his class, besides his best friend, Andy, who also has the same "abilities" as Benjamin. Andy and Benjamin just don't get what's so weird about being able to read people's minds and making frogs in science class fly into girls' hair! When Benjamin sees his mom go through a picture and disappear into a speckle of light he's not that surprised, since his life is just a little weird that way - but that doesn't stop him from wondering where in the world she went. He soon finds out when his mirror, yes, that's right, his mirror, tells him he's going to summer school. At first, Benjamin isn't at all excited about going (I mean, what thirteen-year-old kid in his right mind would be excited about giving up their summer to go to school, especially when they're smart?!), but then he finds out this school is in another world and the only way to get there is through the same picture that his mom vanished through earlier! When Benjamin arrives in Lemuria all his doubts instantly vanish, but his life gets even stranger. He's not even at school for ten minutes when he learns that he's not really human -- he's a telegen, which is why he has so many different "abilities." When the Emerald Tablet chooses him as its champion, Benjamin is dumbfounded. I mean, while he thought he was special on earth, his powers just make him normal in Lemuria, so why him? While Benjamin was expecting a pretty normal (or as normal as you can get when you're at summer school on a submerged continent) summer, he knows that won't ever happen now. With Andy and his newly acquired friends, Benjamin has the summer of a lifetime, even if it isn't your classical definition of fun! I had such a good time reading this book! I loved every minute that I was reading it, and I feel like I want to reread the book over and over again. From the very first sentence I was laughing, and while the book wasn't intended to be a comedy there were many times where I couldn't help but suppress a giggle. The very idea for the story is magical. I don't think I've ever read a book along the same lines as THE EMERALD TABLET. While reading the book I kept thinking that in a way it was almost like a myth that was being told and how cool it would be if it was actually true. The characters were also very well-developed. P. J. Hoover really captured the essence of a thirteen-year-old boy in Benjamin's character. He had the whole goofy, know it all, "I'd rather not be here" attitude, which made the book so real. I feel like sometimes authors really grasp the ages of their characters and sometimes they don't, but this is definitely a case in which the author does. Hoover also did a great job incorporating the supporting characters. They were all essential and I loved how she showed that in most cases we need to all use our best abilities to reach a common goal. I also loved her quirky little character, Jack, who had the funniest things to say and was an added