Lit Picks and Tech Tips

The Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson

RL 4.2

 “In this fantastical thriller, five young teens tapped as models for theme park “guides” find themselves pitted against Disney villains and witches that threaten both the future of Walt Disney World and the stability of the world outside its walls.  Using a cutting-edge technology called DHI–which stands for both Disney Host Interactive and Daylight Hologram Imaging–Finn Whitman, an Orlando teen, and four other kids are transformed into hologram projections that guide guests through the park.The new technology turns out, however, to have unexpected effects that are both thrilling and scary. Soon Finn finds himself transported in his DHI form into the Magic Kingdom at night. Is it real? Is he dreaming?Finn’s confusion only increases when he encounters Wayne, an elderly Imagineer who tells him that the park is in grave danger. Led by the scheming witch Maleficent, a mysterious group of characters called the Overtakers is plotting to destroy Disney’s beloved realm, and maybe more.” -review from the author’s website 

Cindy’s Two-Cents Worth:

As much I tend to like fantasy stories, I thought I would really love this one, especially since it combines fun things like Disney World and computer technology. J I can’t place my finger on the reason, but I actually had a hard time getting through the book. It just didn’t hold my attention. BUT (and this is a big “but”), the whole time I was reading the book, all I could think was that the kids are going to LOVE this story. My own son is the perfect example. He read the book twice this summer, and will probably read it again (check out his review on his blog).  

This is one of the books I gave you for a back-to-school present. I think it would work pretty well for a read-aloud, though the story is kind of hard to follow in the beginning, so you might have to do some explaining to help the kids follow along. I do have the audiobook available in the LMC.  

As far as extending the story into the curriculum, you could focus on the famous Missourian aspect of Walt Disney himself. Ridley Pearson, the author of the book, also lives in Missouri. The story would fit in a genre study of fantasy literature, and is also an example of a mystery story.  

I really do think our students will enjoy the book. Once you read it yourself, post a comment and let me know what you thought of it. I think it’s one that I need to give a second chance. 

Online Resources

The Official Ridley Pearson Website
http://www.ridleypearson.com/kingdom.html 

Ridley Pearson’s Blog
http://www.ridleypearson.com/blog_kids.html 

Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom
http://www.vmk.com
(Note: This is the real site that is mentioned in the book. I would probably not show it at school, but it is great if you want show your own kids at home. Corey has an account and loves playing the games. It is very safe for kids to use, but they just need parent permission.) 

Disney Characters Index
http://disney.go.com/vault/archives/characters_ai.html 

Walt Disney Biography
http://disney.go.com/vault/read/walt/index.html 

The Walt Disney Family Museum
http://disney.go.com/disneyatoz/familymuseum/index.html