have read all four in this series with my children and we are sad to see it end, but Malone wraps it up well.
So glad that she realized that it had run its course instead of trying
to drag it out, Again, Highly recommend this whole series as a family read or for children third grade and older, Loved it! To be fair, my rating would be a,but the fact that this series has so much that would normally recommend it to me that the fact that I'm lukewarm on it says something, I think.
In this series, two kids stumble upon a magical discovery that allows them to step into the miniature Thorne Rooms in the Art Institute and travel through time.
In the final installment, Jack and Ruthie realize they are not the only travelers while simultaneously bumping up against some potentially problematic loopholes in the magic that could have fire consequences if they're not careful.
With miniaturization, time travel, and the making good on the afterhours escapadesinamuseum dream so many of us Mixed Up Files.
. . fans gave had, it seems inconceivable that these factors would not add up to a win, Unfortunately the main characters come off as flat yet familiar as Jack and Annie from the Magic Treehouse books, and there is a certain slightly teacherly undertone to any of the historyrelated scenes you can't quite shake that adds to that Magic Treehousegrowsup feel.
The kids feel a little Pat and pigeonholed to me and have a slight formality to their speech and behavior towards each other and adults that reminds me do much of The Boxcar children and other similar series books from that time.
Even when the kids are acting against an adult's wishes I have a hard time finding them believable as troublemakers.
Also, the magic rules of the world are a bit too arbitrary and contradictory for my taste, I like having a system to my magic, a philosophy, and there felt like there was too much going on here, making it feel like the author was evolving it on the spot to meet her narrative needs as convenience allowed.
For a more interesting take, I'd recommend the Grimm Legacy, For a more humorous take, I'd recommend the Mr, Lemoncello books by Grabenstein.
Otherwise, for MT fans, this seems a very natural next step, or for Boxcar Childrenloving parents that are looking for a tame read with a bit of mystery.
Guilty pleasure. Yes, there were lots of other things I needed to do today, but somehow it slipped by me that the fourth and final book in the SixtyEight Rooms series had come out.
I had to read it, I had to shrink down and go back into the Thorne Rooms of the Chicago Art Institute one more time.
This book wraps up the series and brings in a few more dilemmas for the children to solve before their magical adventures come to a close.
Jack and Ruthie have realized the time traveling magic is more dangerous than they thought and that their actions have consequences.
I liked that Ruthie's thoughts on their adventures were maturing, We get to explore more of the rooms with them as well,
Per usual I found their dealings with adults overly simplified and the resolutions to conflicts rather convenient, There's a reunion in this book spoiler maybe idk, siblings who haven't seen each other foryears and after amin convo they go their own ways, possibly never to see each other again.
No catch up, no tearful goodbyes, . . sorry, not buying it.
An interesting, if rushed, conclusion to the series,
This is a solid series overall, My main issues are a lack of detail/realism when it comes to the two kids solving crimes, wandering mostly unscathed through the past and convincing adults to do whatever they need/adults aware of the situation letting the kids handle everything alone.
Were I younger, the series might rank higher with me, I also think the illustrations were too few and typically didn't highlight useful scenes or enrich the book all that much.
The chapters area pretty short and it makes for easy reading for a younger audience, This would be a great intro to history for some kids and could also add some appeal to museums, I would love to see the rooms after having read this series and should I ever find myself in Chicago, a trip to the Thorne Rooms is certainly in order! The thrilling conclusion to the SixtyEight Rooms.
Ruthie and Jack discover that their travels with the key are not all fun and games they are dangerous, They visit's New York,s California, andth Century England, But something is amiss there is a woman in the past who seems to know they are from the future! Meanwhile, they discover a letter from Mrs.
Thorne warning them to stop using the key, Ruthie and Jack must figure out both mysteries before it is too late, Filled with magic, mystery, miniatures, and adventure, the SixtyEight Rooms is the perfect series for fans of Chasing Vermeer, The MixedUp Files of Mrs.
Basil E. Frankweiler, and The Dollpeople!
Chicago sixth graders Ruthie and Jack think theyve learned everything about the magic of the Art Institutes Thorne Rooms.
But the magic starts to act strangely when Ruthie and Jack discover two rings that are out of placeand out of timeand a portal that shouldnt be open but somehow is.
Ruthie and Jack follow the clues to seventeenthcentury England and the Brownlow house, where they meet the Brownlows governess, Rebecca.
But Rebecca has a few secrets of her ownand she might even be in the wrong century! Can Ruthie and Jack discover the truth about Rebeccas mysterious past, or will they end up stuck in the wrong century themselves Their quest for answers takes them froms New York City and San Francisco to turnofthecentury China.
The only one who can truly answer their questions may be the woman who started it all: the rooms creator, Narcissa Thorne.
But to talk to Mrs, Thorne, theyll have to go back in time and find her!
Unlock the magic, . . in the exciting conclusion to the SixtyEight Rooms Adventures! This series is, in my view, starting to loose a little of it's luster.
In the beginning the level of mystery and enchantment was so high, these books were magical, Now though at the end, they have become predictable and a little boring, In this installment Ruthie and Jack learn more about the magic of the Thorne Rooms, specifically how that magic relates to the key that lets them shrink.
The story had some interesting elements, the variety of time periods the children visited for one, but mostly it just meandered at a slow, somewhat uneven pace.
Overall, it was not the best or most exciting book I have ever read, but it was alright, Sad that the series ended, . . I would have loved a book about every room, but it was a good ending : The Secret of the Key appears to be the final book in Marianne Malones SIXTYEIGHT ROOMS adventures.
This childrens series has been a bit of a disappointment for me and the only reason I have continued with it is that I requested a review copy of the audiobook edition of this final book and so I felt obligated to read it.
As I have noted previously, and as Bill and Kelly have mentioned, the premise is fabulous, but the execution falls short.
The stories follow Ruthie and Jack, two sixth graders who find a way to shrink and explore the Thorne Rooms in the Art Institute of Chicago.
The two likable kids discover that the, . . Read More: sitelink fantasyliterature. com/revi Final book in this really awesome series, Could have totally been aseriesone for each of the rooms and I would have read every single one of them!
"Chicago sixth graders Ruthie and Jack think theyve learned everything about the magic of the Art Institutes Thorne Rooms.
But the magic starts to act strangely when Ruthie and Jack discover two rings that are out of placeand out of timeand a portal that shouldnt be open but somehow is.
Ruthie and Jack follow the clues to seventeenthcentury England and the Brownlow house, where they meet the Brownlows governess, Rebecca.
But Rebecca has a few secrets of her ownand she might even be in the wrong century! Can Ruthie and Jack discover the truth about Rebeccas mysterious past, or will they end up stuck in the wrong century themselves Their quest for answers takes them froms New York City and San Francisco to turnofthecentury China.
The only one who can truly answer their questions may be the woman who started it all: the rooms creator, Narcissa Thorne.
But to talk to Mrs, Thorne, theyll have to go back in time and find her!" My daughter and I read all four of the books in the series and just loved them.
The ending of this one even made me tear up, So creative, clever and fun, Ill be giving this set of books away as birthday gifts to kids agesfor years to come, In this fourth and final book in the SixtyEight Rooms series, Ruthie and Jack have some of their most dangerous adventures yet.
They begin to find some things out of place in a few of the rooms, items that are not in the correct time period.
But after finding a note from Mrs, Thorne inside a vase, they set out to discover a way to return the key to her, Along the way they visit a variety of time periods and solve another mystery, Recommended for fans of the series, grades, Others should read the beginning books first,
T esre and time travel elemeniii in it, I think it wrapped up too fast, but I still really enjoyed it, The historical aspects of these stories are always fun, .