Who knew you'd be a true weaver? Great things have been expected of Thea, the seventh child of two seventh children. Now, with Cheveyo, a mage, Thea has begun to weave herself a new magical identity, infused with elements of the original worlds. But back home, Thea keeps her abilities hidden and attends the Wandless Academy, the one school on Earth for those who have no apparent magical talent. It is there that Thea realizes that her enemies are hungrier and more dangerous than she knew. What's more, her greatest strength may be the powerlessness she has resisted for so long. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

The first volume in Alexander's Worldweavers trilogy recalls Carlos Castaneda's mind-altering New Age journeys, integrating moments of wonder into large expanses of wandering, ethereal prose. Young Thea, the seventh child of a seventh child, disappoints her family when she appears to have no magical powers at all, unlike everyone around her. Her father, who works for the Federal Bureau of Magic taming "feral libraries," sends her off into the past through a "Time Pass," to a mysterious old man named Cheveyo. Cheveyo leads her on a psychedelic journey of self; she meets Grandmother Spider, who takes her to the "First World," where Thea embodies a powerful magician who can weave world-portals from light. She narrowly escapes kidnap by a shapeshifting trickster who wants to sell Thea to the world-trotting Alphiri people. When she returns home, Thea finds that months have passed, and the world is bracing for the impact of a magical force called the Nothing-a force she seems destined to battle with her newfound abilities. Alexander's "different is good" message is a valuable one, and a strange subplot at the very end involving computers holds tantalizing promise for volume two. But long, meandering pages of near-gibberish dialogue (e.g., "Every action you have taken has been based on a change in yourself, in the spirit you brought here to me to be healed of what it believed were its faults") mar an otherwise imaginative modern fantasy. Ages 12-up. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 7 Up Galathea is a Double Seventh the seventh child born of two seventh children which should mean that she has extraordinary magical powers. Her whole life has been spent under a microscope with everyone watching her for signs of magical ability, and they've come to the conclusion that she just doesn't have any. As a last resort, Thea's father sends her through a Portal to the ancient mage Cheveyo. He leads her on a vision quest in the Native American tradition, and Thea discovers that she does indeed have great powers but there are reasons why she has not displayed them. She returns home realizing that her life may be in danger, but she does not know from what or whom. Because her family is still unaware of her magical abilities, they send her to a special school for those like her. There she makes a new group of friends, and life seems pretty normal. Soon, however, teachers start disappearing, and people on Earth are being killed by an entity called The Nothing. After Thea has an epiphany about her powers, she and her friends figure out a way to save Earth. There is a lot going on in this novel, but most of it works. The author weaves in many elements of ancient Native American mythology, which provide a unique contrast to the futuristic elements. Fans of science fiction, folklore, and fantasy will be intrigued by the directions in which this story goes. The ending is a little swift and leaves readers wanting more details and waiting for the next installment. Cheri Dobbs, Detroit Country Day Middle School, Beverly Hills, MI Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

They say there's no heavier burden than great potential, and Thea is weighted down. The seventh child of two seventh children, she has been watched from near and far for signs of magical greatness, but, alas, none have appeared. Her perpetually disappointed father finally brings her to a place where she meets Grandma Spider, who shows her that she has the ability to weave dreams and stories and a new life for herself. But Thea, who has subjugated her powers to thwart enemies, now finds that they won't take no for an answer. The book, which is the first in the Worldweavers trilogy, is itself divided into three parts: before, during, and after Thea's spirit quest. Alexander does an exquisite job of showing Thea's growth, her ability to maintain her own counsel, and her boldness. Although the languid pacing in the middle is appropriate to the action, it does drag the story a bit. But once Thea is at Wandless Academy for the magically challenged, she faces a barrage of experiences, many terrifying. Readers will look forward to finding out how Thea saves her world. IleneCooper. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.