BOOK REVIEW: Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers by Lee Edward Födi

Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers ~ BOOK One ~ Chronicles of Kendra Kandlestar

Author:  Lee Edward Födi
Hardcover:  255 pages
Publisher:  Brown Books; First Edition edition (October 10, 2005)
Language:  English
Reading Level:  Ages 8 and up

For over a thousand years, the Box of Whispers has guarded the most precious treasure in the Land of Een.  

But when the Box is suddenly stolen, young Kendra Kandlestar finds herself swept away on a magical adventure where doors speak in riddles, plants spit poisonous venom, and strange creatures lurk in every shadow. 

With only a handful of enchanted carrot seeds to help her, will Kendra be able to face these dangers and find the fabled chest?

There's only one way to find out:  peer inside The Box of Whipsers, and enter a world of magic, monsters and mystery...Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers is a perfect book for lovers of fantasy, aged 8 and up.  

The book features over 100 black and white illustrations by the author.

I have to admit that Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers took me a while to get into; the author's writing style is a quick paced, in your face kind of approach and while I found it delightful to read, it took me a bit to catch on to the dance.

Author Lee Edward Födi has created some truly magical and interesting characters.  I loved the tenacity and bravery of the grasshopper, Jinx.  Her courage and determination to protect her friends was very commendable, if not oftentimes following a tad on the stupidity side of things.  Professor Bumblebean with all of his scholarly ways and his horde of books and Kendra's Uncle Griffenskitch with his magical staff and his gruff ways all make for a remarkable read you will enjoy.

Kendra has a secret and will do anything to keep it hidden.  She broke the number one rule of Een and that is to never ever help their enemies, the Unger's, who prey on Kendra and her folks.  Kendra happens upon a young Unger who is in a very dangerous situation and if Kendra did not help, then he would have surely died.  However, this secret is causing Kendra to have nightmares and her courage is failing.

When the Box of Whispers is stolen, Kendra and her group set off to Castle of Krodos to reclaim what is rightfully theirs.  However, along the journey, each person finds out what they are made of and how secrets can destroy your inner self.  

I would give Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers a three and half stars out of five.  I loved the adventure but often there was just way to much dialogue going on and found it somewhat confusing which caused me to backtrack to find who was who.   I cannot wait to read the continuing adventures of Kendra and her motley group of friends however, after I got into the story, I couldn't put it down!

The Chronicles of Kendra Kandlestar

**  Reviewed by me...as I see it~!!  **