Un Lun Dun by China Mieville

There is another London, where the garbage left at the curb disappears to. Other things tend to seep between these worlds: ideas, pollution, and two girls who happen to be part of a prophesy. But things go rather awry, prophecies are falling apart, and quests are veering outside of expectations. An unexpected hero has to learn to think for herself to save Un Lun Dun.

The characters are pretty simple, the story is very rich, full of quirks Lewis Carroll would be proud of. There is more of a story through-line than Alice's Adventures though, and a more structured world that allows the reader to predict what might happen, and be surprised over and again when they don't go as planned. Though it lives in the YA section, it's completely appropriate for kids as young as 8. I'd take this book over Gaiman's Coraline any day.

[click here to see if it's available]

by Scott