Fresh off the Century Quartet, Baccalario (City of Wind, 2011) brings middle readers another fun fantasy adventure with the new Enchanted Emporium series. Seven families their names only known to one another fight for the right to own the titular Emporium, which houses fairy-tale artifacts. Finley McPhee, young Scottish adventurer and collector of rare finds, gets caught up in the centuries-old fight, which involves giants, riddles, self-propelling pants, and a mysterious suitcase of stars. He meets Aiby Lily, one of the current protectors of the Emporium, and makes fast friends with the garrulous girl. Along with local dressmaker Meb McCameron, they adventure through the small town of Applecross, and Finley discovers he has a more interesting life than he ever expected. The story builds slowly, but it gradually picks up speed and zips along to the conclusion, with the promise of more series entries in the future. And for a special bonus, illustrated catalog pages for mystical items like Golden Ink, Spirit Powder, and the Trip Stick are peppered throughout the tale.--Comfort, Stacey Copyright 2014 Booklist

Teeming fantasy trappings largely substitute for internal logic in this meandering tale of a pop-up shop extraordinaire. Finley McPhee narrates his temporary transformation from a lazy lad in the sleepy Scottish village of Applecross to a modern incarnation of the Irish hero Cuchalainn. Finley's world begins morphing with the arrival of lovely Aiby Lily and her father. Finley, atoning for truancy by delivering mail for Applecross' injured postman, discovers the Lilys while carrying a mysterious letter to their not-there-before red house. It's the magical father and daughter's turn to open the Enchanted Emporium, which trades in magical objects, powders, potions and spells. (Finley's witnessing plenty of examples: Aiby uses a Fix-It Spider to repair his broken bike; Aiby's father travels through the village via Self-Propelling Pants.) Old rivalries unleash evildoers bent on destroying the Emporium, including a mysteriously macabre "Dutchman" and a giant literally unearthed from the ruins of the Lilys' ancestral castle. Besides Finley, the mythic battle's unlikely heroes include his annoying brother, Doug, and Meb the dressmaker. A triumphant grand opening draws a thousand international visitors. When the festivities, fireworks and commerce conclude, Meb and Finley each receive a key to the Emporium, their roles in future adventures all but ensured. Bruno's elegant, steampunk-ish illustrations elevate the story, but its slow start and overreliance on dei ex machina flaw it. (Fantasy. 9-12)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In a Scottish village, thirteen-year-old Finn meets the Lily family, who runs a centuries-old shop that specializes in magical objects. Soon Finn finds himself in the midst of an ancient rivalry. The story starts slowly but builds to Finn's climactic face-off with a giant. Illustrated pages from the (fictional) Big Book of Magical Objects are interspersed in this Italian import. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 4-6-This delightful story stars Finley, a 13-year-old boy who lives in a small, quiet village by the ocean with his faithful dog, Patches. Finley describes himself as "the last person who would flee from scary stuff," which is a good thing since something pretty scary is coming. School is almost over and he has begun summer break early by skipping school and going fishing instead. When he is eventually caught, his punishment is to work at the local post office where he is responsible for delivering the mail. He soon meets Aiby Lily and her strange father, who have just moved to the small community. They are part of an ancient legacy involving seven families who care for, trade, and sell magical items to collectors. Finley now encounters magical items daily, such as self-propelling pants, a cloak of invisibility, flying carpets, and rock giants. Even though Finley is technically a teen, his voice and development make this book appropriate for a slightly younger audience. Overall, this is a fast-paced, clever book bogged down occasionally with a story line spread across too many pages. Readers will appreciate the short chapters; the plentiful white space; and the intricate, detailed pencil drawings at the end of each chapter showing the different magical items that the Lily family have in their shop. Although not quite as sophisticated in the characterization or plotting, this first book in a new series will appeal to fans of Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black's "The Spiderwick Chronicles" (S. & S.).-Lisa Nabel, Dayton Metro Library, OH (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.