![SPENCER, 1928 cover image SPENCER, 1928 cover image](https://www.kidsfirst.org/kidsfirst/images/db/titles/221290.jpg)
Myth has a tendency to embrace lessons and our understanding of the world. This script has a strong mythical element as travel to another universe suggests. The locations, designs, costumes, potential for visual storytelling in more than one media are enormous. The writer has taken a fantasy and blended it well with a seemingly simple family whose young son had disappeared. The family has secrets, which the young sister, his twin, intuitively knows and they, with determination, help her find her brother, sensing that he is in an unknown universe. They sense each other; she sees him on a dragon; he sees her searching. They connect emotionally. This connection becomes physical when she enters his universe, becoming very inventive in doing so. They work together; outsmarting the malicious circus Ringmaster of the new universe, finding the den for the sad stolen dragon, the home for a child and a little girl lost. Together the twins return home on the wings of a grateful master dragon. Upon their return and telling their story, the parents' secrets are revealed. The family becomes more unified in the truth about themselves and their acceptance and love for one another. The story is told boldly, with humor, color, surprise and multiple barriers to overcome - all in the service of traveling home. I give this 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages to 18, plus adults. Reviewed by Juror #11.
Myth has a tendency to embrace lessons and our understanding of the world. This script has a strong mythical element as travel to another universe suggests. The locations, designs, costumes, potential for visual storytelling in more than one media are enormous. The writer has taken a fantasy and blended it well with a seemingly simple family whose young son had disappeared. The family has secrets, which the young sister, his twin, intuitively knows and they, with determination, help her find her brother, sensing that he is in an unknown universe. They sense each other; she sees him on a dragon; he sees her searching. They connect emotionally. This connection becomes physical when she enters his universe, becoming very inventive in doing so. They work together; outsmarting the malicious circus Ringmaster of the new universe, finding the den for the sad stolen dragon, the home for a child and a little girl lost. Together the twins return home on the wings of a grateful master dragon. Upon their return and telling their story, the parents' secrets are revealed. The family becomes more unified in the truth about themselves and their acceptance and love for one another. The story is told boldly, with humor, color, surprise and multiple barriers to overcome - all in the service of traveling home. I give this 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages to 18, plus adults. Reviewed by Juror #11.
It's 1928 and Edwin's birthday. He and his friends are camping out in the backyard to celebrate. This is new for Edwin, who has had trouble making friends at school. But Emma, Edwin's twin sister, isn't allowed to campout because she's a girl. She's told girls need to stay at home. When she complains to her brother he tells her it's "just how things are" and "boys do, girls watch." For revenge, Emma and her friends play an elaborate prank that makes the boys believe they are being haunted. It works and sends the tough boys running home, screaming. Only Edwin isn't running or screaming. He's missing.
Edwin has managed to dream himself to another world and a city made of circus tents. There he finds the inhabitants aren't human, but animal-like.
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