Reckless

Reckless, by Cornelia Funke
 
Jacob Reckless spent nights in his father's study searching for clues to why his father had vanished and left Jacob, his grief stricken mother and younger brother Will. At twelve, Jacob first discovered the magical mirror in that room which took him far away from his home to the Mirrorworld where fairy-tale stories of witches and gingerbread houses, sleeping princesses and ogres and dwarves were all true. Twelve years later, Jacob is a treasure hunter in this dangerous, volatile and dark world, collecting glass slippers, magical items and fairy tale treasures. He has always slipped through the mirror unknown, until his brother Will follows him through. Will is attacked and turned into one of the Goyle, the stone creatures who are the enemy of the kingdom. It is up to Jacob Reckless to follow shape shifters, dwarves and fairies on a seemingly hopeless quest to save his brother from this curse of the Mirrorworld. Cornelia Funke has created a great read, a dark story where not all is happily-ever after. The first in a new series. For readers grades 5 and up.
-Deirdre