Beyond the Isle of the Lost
(Libby/OverDrive eBook, Kindle)

Where do defeated villains go? To the Isle of the Lost, a tiny, magicless island off the coast of the kingdom of Auradon, where the heroes live, ruled by King Beast and Queen Belle. On the island, the children learn "Advanced Evil Schemes" and "Vanities" to better live up to their wicked parents' reputations. For Mal, daughter of Maleficent, nothing is more important than nastiness. Resentment runs deep among the villains, and a years-old grudge puts Mal at odds with Evie, daughter of Snow White's Evil Queen. But magic may be waking on the island, and Mal, Evie, and a few others must join forces to find it. Meanwhile, on the mainland, Prince Ben has plans for the children of villains. The concept is a bit odd—this isn't a fairy-tale retelling; it's about the actual Disney characters—and this novel acts as a prequel for the upcoming Disney Channel movie, out later this year. But stuffed full of cartoon nostalgia and reluctant friendships—and backed by Disney's considerable weight—this is sure to find an audience.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This paves the way for the Disney Channel movie, and both will benefit from the extensive cross-promotion. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.

Gr 4–6—All the evil villains of Disney movie fame have been exiled to the Isle of the Lost. A huge dome covers the island, keeping them from using any magic. They are relegated to eating scraps and wearing castoffs of the good citizens of Auradon, ruled by King Beast and Queen Belle. The children of Maleficient, Jabar, Evil Queen, and Cruella De Vil (respectively Mal, Jay, Evie, and Carlos) don't know any other life away from the island. Every aspect of their existence is focused on becoming more evil, and finding nefarious ways to entertain themselves. When Carlos invents a device that is meant to provide them with more cable channels, he inadvertently opens a hole in the dome, allowing a tiny bit of magic to reactivate Maleficient's scepter, the Dragon's Eye. The four go off on a quest to find the staff, each for their own selfish reasons. All the while, though, the descendants of the most evil villains to ever walk the earth are starting to (gasp!) show signs of caring for each other. And over on Auradon, Prince Ben, son of Beast and Belle, is having visions of a beautiful blue-haired girl he's never met, even though he's betrothed to Princess Audrey, daughter of Aurora. Clichéd characters and a predictable plot probably won't deter young readers from finishing this fun little romp through practically every Disney movie ever made. VERDICT Billed as a prequel to a Disney Channel movie, there's a built-in fan base for this story. Disney lovers and fairy-tale fans alike will need to get their hands on this book.—Mandy Laferriere, Fowler Middle School, Frisco, TX

Gr 4–6—All the evil villains of Disney movie fame have been exiled to the Isle of the Lost. A huge dome covers the island, keeping them from using any magic. They are relegated to eating scraps and wearing castoffs of the good citizens of Auradon, ruled by King Beast and Queen Belle. The children of Maleficient, Jabar, Evil Queen, and Cruella De Vil (respectively Mal, Jay, Evie, and Carlos) don't know any other life away from the island. Every aspect of their existence is focused on becoming more evil, and finding nefarious ways to entertain themselves. When Carlos invents a device that is meant to provide them with more cable channels, he inadvertently opens a hole in the dome, allowing a tiny bit of magic to reactivate Maleficient's scepter, the Dragon's Eye. The four go off on a quest to find the staff, each for their own selfish reasons. All the while, though, the descendants of the most evil villains to ever walk the earth are starting to (gasp!) show signs of caring for each other. And over on Auradon, Prince Ben, son of Beast and Belle, is having visions of a beautiful blue-haired girl he's never met, even though he's betrothed to Princess Audrey, daughter of Aurora. Clichéd characters and a predictable plot probably won't deter young readers from finishing this fun little romp through practically every Disney movie ever made. VERDICT Billed as a prequel to a Disney Channel movie, there's a built-in fan base for this story. Disney lovers and fairy-tale fans alike will need to get their hands on this book.—Mandy Laferriere, Fowler Middle School, Frisco, TX