Skip to main content

The Inquisitor's Apprentice

By

The Inquisitor's Apprentice
by Chris Moriarty
Harcourt, 2011. 343 pgs. Fantasy.

While Sacha Kessler is shopping with his Mom at Lassky & Daughters Kosher Baked Goods, he sees an aura around Mrs. Kessler's head. "How did you do that?" he asks and is almost immediately fingered by an NYPD Inquisitor. Inquisitor's ferret out illegal magic in this alternate history of turn-of-the-century New York and Sacha's ability to see witches gets him a job as an apprentice to the NYPD's chief Inquisitor, Maximillian Wolf. Not a line of work a nice young Jewish boy really wants to get into, but it's a job that will bring cash to his impoverished family so he agrees. Soon he and his fellow apprentice Lily Astral (one of the upper East Side, rich as Croesus Astrals) are racing to discover who is trying to kill Thomas Edison and keep his mechanical witch detector from ever seeing the light of day. Robber barons, Harry Houdini, the Elephant Hotel of Coney Island, and an extremely frightening dybbuk who looks a lot like . . . but no spoilers here . . . fill these pages with slightly off-kilter history, fantastical duels, Jewish mythology, and the rich ethnic stew of 19th century New York. A terrific story which begs for a sequel. One can only hope.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Mixed-Up Owl

By
The Mixed-Up Owl  Written by Marzena Sowa Illustrated by Joanna Lorno New York : Hippo Park, 2025. Picture Book. When Owl can't sleep at night, he heads off to see if any forest animals can help him understand why, and even more so, how to fix it!  Unfortunately, all the animals Owl runs into at night are asleep and all the animals he meets during the day are too rude or too busy to answer him.  Will Owl give up or will a chance meeting with a grumpy hedgehog provide all the solutions Owl was looking for? The premise of an owl trying to stay awake during the day because all the other animals around him do is very fun. Kids who know that owls are nocturnal will get a kick out of Owl's confusion and be quick to try to tell him what's going on.  Readers who don't know many facts about owls (or nocturnal animals in general) will get a brief introduction to the different ways animals sleep. The illustrations are charming, especially cute Owl and his expressive body langua...
Post a Comment
Read more

Five Fives: Friendship

By
Friendship is such an important part of life! I love to have my friends to celebrate life's victories with. When I am having a rough time, I also rely on the strength of my friends. Picture books are a great way to talk to kids about friendships. With a new school year just around the corner, I think talking with kids about friendship and how to be a good friend is so important. These five books have friendships in them that might help facilitate discussions with your people! Love Grows Here By Amy Adele New York : Magic Cat Publishing, 2025. Picture Book. In this sweet story, there is a lovely garden that an elderly couple tends to with joy in their heart. When the woman is sent to the hospital for an extended stay, the animals that love the garden worry it won't be the same. But through grit and determination and teamwork, they work together and do what friends do best: take care of each other! The illustrations are absolutely amazing and will have kids enthralled with all of...
Post a Comment
Read more

Display: Be A World Traveller

By Suzanne
Real Castles Around the World Written by Kaitlyn Duling Vero Beach, Florida : Rourke Educational Media, 2025. Informational. 48 pages Take a trip around the world as you read about the most impressive castles ever built! Explore fierce fortresses, castles that have inspired stories, uniquely colorful castles, and the history behind them all as you Travel to Real Castles Around the World! Part of the Travel to Children s Book Series, this 48-page nonfiction book explores castles both past and present, the kings that inhabited them, and knights that fought to protect them! Lower the drawbridge, cross the moat, and travel to real castles from all around the world as you learn about our magical history with fun-filled facts and vibrant photos. History Book Features: Before- and after-reading activities. Extension activity. Glossary About Rourke Educational Media: We proudly publish respectful and relevant nonfiction and fiction titles that represent our diverse readers, and are designed to...
Post a Comment
Read more