4 out of 4 stars
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Christopher Dean really ignites your senses in his very imaginative book, Trankarri: The Boy With a Magical Pen. Stepping into Inkworld is like walking through the wardrobe and into Narnia for the first time. It is filled with wonder, excitement, and exudes creativity.
Nathaniel is a young boy with a natural talent for drawing, which his PaPa tries to encourage. PaPa gives Nathaniel a special pen as a gift and challenges him to draw a masterpiece with it. Nathaniel soon discovers that this is no ordinary pen. Its drawings not only come to life, but also serve as a portal to the illustrious Inkworld. Inkworld is an entire universe created from the pen and ink drawings that are sketched by The Pen. As Nathaniel explores its depths, he encounters the most whimsical places and characters. His adventures in Inkworld lead him into some impossible predicaments, but allow him to meet the most compelling and devoted friends.
There is so much to love about this book. The author does a superb job at descriptions and making the imagery come to life in your mind. This is one of the only authors I have read that uses the sense of smell so well. One time when Nathaniel was able to really relish in the new land he was standing in, he considers how it has “ the smell of fresh ink on fresh paper… but with the added excitement of a new book about to be read.” Any book lover knows exactly what he is describing here and may even stop to remember the last time they enjoyed that pleasure.
Without a doubt the most impressive thing about this story is the imagination and creativity that went into creating its places, characters, and the various details. This is rather fitting considering the entire theme of the book is trying to encourage people to not allow others to squelch their creativity. Another interesting concept that was explored throughout the book was if one person’s imagination could influence another’s. One of the unique tools he used for writing was to use an extreme form of alliteration for a full paragraph, which just added to the intrigue of the book. Something else I thought was very ingenious was having Nathaniel become covered in a sticky substance when he passed through a drawing, because it had a sealant on it that was now on Nathaniel. My absolute favorite place in this book was The Valley of Orbs. Oh, it is such a wonderful place. It has music and beauty and the soothing sound of the rain. I find myself sometimes in the middle of the day thinking of this place and feeling joy and peace wash over me.
I believe this book would appeal to many types of people; however, at the top of the list are children, those who adore whimsical or fantasy lands, and artists.The author goes into detail about specific strokes and drawing techniques being used, that make the story and the drawings within, feel authentic.
I would give this book a 4 out of 4 stars. The only negative thing I can think of is that there was one part, where Nathaniel was talking to some twins, that was a little too long and redundant. Although, I do love the characters and their uncommon hobby. I only noticed one typo in the entire book.The imagination this author uses is refreshing and the story is so compelling. I wish I could take the time to describe the characters and their many unique-to-Inkworld characteristics. The author does a better job anyway, so reading the book yourself is the best way to discover it!
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Trankarri
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