Promoted as the next Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl has many of the same elements that attracted HP readers--but with notable differences. Twelve-year-old Artemis is not an innocent; he comes from a long line of criminals and his mission is to capture all the gold from the underground world of leprechauns, fairies, and goblins. The magic of the underworld is different from Hogwarts'. Artemis's world is not as richly drawn as Harry Potter's but it is an entertaining, fast read. The mental illness of Artemis's mother resolves itself but makes this an inappropriate and unsettling read for kids 9 & under. Since our original review this has grown into a series and is now available in a boxed set.

Age: Later School Years, Tweens. Award Year: 2010. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

The long-anticipated fifth book takes about a hundred pages to get going, but not to worry—that leaves almost 700 more pages to satisfy the most die-hard Harry Potter fan. For kids that find an 800+ page book a little daunting, you may want to consider the Listening Library CD's by master stroy teller, Jim Dale listed on our audio pages. 26 hours & 30 minutes of listening. Age: late school years, ’tweens, teens. Still top rated, the first three audio books in the series. PLATINUM AWARD ’01.

Age: Later School Years. Award Year: 2004. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.