Connolly, John The Gates, 320 pgs. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2011. $6.99. Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG.
In an attempt to beat the crowds, young Samuel decides to go trick-or-treating three days before Halloween. Because of this odd plan, Samuel and Boswell, his faithful dachshund, inadvertently witness the gates of Hell opening in his neighbors' basement. It is now up to Samuel and Boswell to stop the Great Malevolence (the name used for Satan) from emerging from Hell and taking over the world.
This book is truly delightful. It is written very tongue in cheek and will keep the reader amused throughout the story. Quantum mechanics, black holes, wormholes, and the Hadron Collider all figure into the nefarious plan of the GM with the footnotes used to explain the science done in a satirical manner reminiscent of Lemony Snicket. In addition to Samuel the notable standout characters are Nurd, a demon whose annoying personality got him banished to a particularly unpleasant area of Hell by the Great Malevolence and the Bishop, who is less a man of God and more an undead and unfriendly problem. This battle quickly becomes less about good triumphing over evil and more about what humankind is capable of and if they even deserve to be saved.
EL/MS - ESSENTIAL. AEB, Social Studies Teacher
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