The Book Jumper by Mechthild Gläser (review)

In this German import, Amy and her mom have had a rough time in Germany recently, so they agree that it’s time to head to the (fictional) island of Stormsay in Scotland, where her mother grew up, and regroup. Stunning surprises await Amy there, however, as she learns that her family and another on the island are keepers of an antiquated library and that they can dive into texts and interact with literature (say, chatting with Shere Khan just before he goes to meet Mowgli), as long as they don’t mess with the core of the stories. She’s shown up at the perfect time to use this ability, as this is also the moment that a thief is stealing actual ideas, ruining the books completely. Readers will get the most enjoyment if they know the books into which Amy and her two new friends are jumping, as Gläser does a stellar job imagining how modern teens would fare interacting with Oliver Twist, Sherlock Holmes, or an evil fairy-tale princess. On top of all the other surprises, it’s a bit overwhelming to discover an additional secret about Amy’s father, a man her mother never spoke of, but it does explain Amy’s exceptional book-jumping abilities. A cool gothic Scottish setting, lots of literary references to please bookish readers, and a snarky, accessible protagonist who navigates it all with bemused flair—this novel is a well-balanced treat.