Mar 16, 2009  Our family just finished reading this book together and we all loved it. We look forward to the next book which is scheduled for release in August, 2009. The first book in the series is excellent, as well. I read the first book before going to the Disney parks in Florida, but re-read it after actually being there. Your children will enjoy the books either way, but if they have just had a trip to Disney, you can re-live the memories of the place by reading these books. It is a great idea to write books for kids about actual places.  Book one takes place primarily in The Magic Kingdom, Book two in Animal kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. Most of the action in book two is in Animal Kingdom. the next Kingdom Keepers book, (the third), will take place primarily in Epcot.

It’s supposed to be a happy day at the Magic Kingdom–the return of the teenaged holographic hosts. But things go very wrong when a sudden lightning storm disrupts the celebration, and Amanda’s mysterious sister, Jez, disappears. The only clue is the sighting of a wild monkey in the Magic Kingdom during the storm. The mystery deepens as Finn is contacted by Wayne, an old man he hasn’t heard from in months. Wayne tells Finn that there’s trouble at the Animal Kingdom: the evil Overtakers have gained control of one of the computer servers that will be used to operate Daylight Holographic Imaging there. That means that if any of the holographic hosts fall asleep, they will go into comas-permanently. Filled with action and brimming with the same meticulous detail as The Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark, this second book in the series–Disney at Dawn–is the result of hands-on research behind the scenes at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. Young and older readers alike will get a glimpse into a second Disney kingdom. The wild rides have only just begun; and the clock is ticking. How long can the teens keep themselves awake in their quest to find their friend–and what happens if they fail?

Ridley Pearson has also written some excellent books with Dave Barry. I highly recommend them. The books are fun adventure novels about Peter Pan. The first book, Peter and the Starcatchers, is about his background story before he could fly and how he came to have his abilities. r