Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Despite their initial surprise at winning the "Blue Moon Once-in-a-Lifetime Adventure Holiday" from a contest they never entered, Bea and her family decide that a little vacation time is just what they need. Transported to the magical land of Bell Hoot by the amphibious Blue Moon Mobile, the family soon realizes two things: the prize never guaranteed them a return trip, and the youngest member of their clan, Theo, is missing. Since Bea can hear her younger brother's disembodied voice, she is charged with the task of saving him—which means defying the most powerful and malicious family in all of Bell Hoot. Populated with an assortment of pleasantly eccentric characters, including a brusque but quirky grandmother and a hulking but utterly affable father, this series opener is quickly appealing in its gentle humor and fantastical adventure. Bell Hoot is a magical place reminiscent of Never Never Land, and readers will enjoy following Bea as she uncovers this world's secrets and realizes powerful abilities of her own. The happy ending is entirely satisfying even as it hints at the possibilities of new dangers and a just as thrilling second installment.