Editorial Content for The Keepers: The Box and the Dragonfly
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Curiosity --- and misreading a billboard --- leads Horace F. Andrews to the House of Answers, a vast warehouse that contains extraordinary objects waiting to be claimed. Twelve-year-old Horace is instructed by the warden to choose an item, but really it is the wooden box that chooses Horace. He feels an instant connection to the box, which only strengthens as he discovers its capabilities. Drawing from both science and fantasy, Ted Sanders’ debut series evokes an immediate sense of wonder and engagement in readers.
The practical-minded Horace sets out to solve the box’s enigma. After some experimenting, he learns that the box offers a window into the future. With it, Horace can see 24 hours ahead and send small objects one day forward in time. The portable time machine is one of many objects, or Tan’ji, that bond with individuals to help them realize their full potential. In mastering the box, Horace finds himself in the middle of a battle between the Keepers of the Tan’ji and the Riven, who wish to steal the instruments for themselves.
Drawing from both science and fantasy, Ted Sanders’ debut series evokes an immediate sense of wonder and engagement in readers.
Horace befriends Chloe, a girl with a Tan’ji of her own: a dragonfly pendant that enables her to pass through solid matter. Although the Keepers hope to recruit the children in the fight against the Riven, Horace and Chloe are reluctant to join. They fear putting their objects and their lives at risk. But when Chloe’s family is in danger, the kids are left with no choice.
While physics is important to part one of The Keepers series, it’s the chemistry between the main characters that kept me turning the pages. Cautious and analytical Horace has a fitting counterpart in the moody and impulsive Chloe. Sanders balances fast-paced action with meaningful character development. The children’s Tan’ji help to shape their identities, making the conflict deeply personal. I only wish that the mentor figures were as well-rounded; they don’t quite have the specificity or charm of memorable fantasy mentors. Overall, THE BOX AND THE DRAGONFLY is a strong series opener that will leave readers wishing for a window into the future books.
Teaser
When Horace finds the Box of Promises in the curio shop, he quickly discovers that ordinary-looking objects can hold extraordinary power. From the enormous, sinister man shadowing him to the gradual mastery of his newfound abilities to his encounters with Chloe --- a girl who has an astonishing talent of her own --- Horace follows a path that puts the pair in the middle of a centuries-old conflict between two warring factions in which every decision they make could have disastrous consequences.
Promo
When Horace finds the Box of Promises in the curio shop, he quickly discovers that ordinary-looking objects can hold extraordinary power. From the enormous, sinister man shadowing him to the gradual mastery of his newfound abilities to his encounters with Chloe --- a girl who has an astonishing talent of her own --- Horace follows a path that puts the pair in the middle of a centuries-old conflict between two warring factions in which every decision they make could have disastrous consequences.
