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Fablehaven Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Fablehaven


Siblings Kendra and Seth discover that their grandfather is hiding magical creatures on his farm. Siblings Kendra and Seth Sorenson have to spend a month at their Grandpa Stan's farm while their parents go on vacation. They live in a playroom in the attic with a hen named Goldilocks. They're allowed to swim in the pool and play in the garden, but they can't enter the barn or the mysterious woods. The reckless Seth gets bored and decides to explore. In the forest he meets an odd old woman who's biting a rope knot. She tries to get him to come inside her shed and, frightened, Seth runs back to the house.
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Meanwhile Kendra, the reserved, sensible one, sees the groundskeeper, Dale, place pie tins of milk in the grass that seems to attract hummingbirds, butterflies and other insects. During a quest of her grandfather's making, she discovers a message: "drink the milk." She and Seth obey, and when they drink the milk they're able to see the farm for what it really is: a sanctuary for magical creatures. The hummingbirds and bugs are actually fairies and the housekeeper, Lena, turns out to be a naiad. When Seth catches a fairy and it turns into an imp, the other fairies get their revenge by turning Seth into a walrus. Only the woman in the woods, who turns out to be a vile witch named Muriel, has the magic to transform him back. Grandpa Sorenson makes a deal with her and Seth is restored.

On Midsummer's Eve, Seth sees a baby on the roof outside of their attic. When he opens the window to rescue it, the baby morphs into a goblin. Kendra and the others are all attacked by monsters. Dale gets turned into a statue and Grandpa and Lena are captured. It's up to Kendra and Seth to save them but they don't know how. That's when Goldilocks the hen reveals that she's actually their grandmother. They go back into the woods so that Muriel can restore her to human form, too, but the spell frees the witch. Worried that Muriel will try to free a demon named Bahumat, Kendra, Seth and Grandma Sorenson go to the Forgotten Chapel to try to stop her.

When her grandma and her brother get caught, too, Kendra is left alone to figure out how to rescue her family. She manages to speak with the Fairy Queen who makes the fairies six feet tall so that they can fight against the demons, dwarves and minotaurs. Thanks to Kendra everyone is saved. The story ends with her parents returning to pick them up.
Best part of story, including ending: Fablehaven is one of my favorite fantasy novels. It's fun to learn about the different magical creatures and the rules that (usually) keep them from hurting humans.

Best scene in story: My favorite scene is when Grandma Sorenson convinced a demon named Nero to tell her where Grandpa Sorenson was. She failed to bribe him with money but instead gave him a massage!

Opinion about the main character: Kendra and Seth get equal "screen time" as the protagonists but Kendra is the main character because she's the one who rescues everyone at the end. She's a classic older sister who's annoyed by her brother's shenanigans.

The review of this Book prepared by Meredith Morckel a Level 1 Blue Jay scholar

Chapter Analysis of Fablehaven

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Plot & Themes

Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence 10%planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives 60%Feelings, relationships, character bio/development 20%Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places 10% Tone of book    -   very upbeat FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?    -   fantasy story on current Earth Magical Beings/Mental/Magical/Powers    -   Yes magical powers:    -   Fairies (fantasy) Is this an adult or child's book?    -   Kid's book (ages 7-14)

Main Character

Identity:    -   Female Profession/status:    -   student Age:    -   a teen

Setting

Terrain    -   Forests Earth setting:    -   current (early 21st century) Takes place on Earth?    -   Yes

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   no torture/death scientific jargon? (SF only)    -   none/very little science jargon needed How much dialogue?    -   roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Brandon Mull Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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