When your favourite secret playground has been vandalised with a sign that reads “Archeological Site #238, do not disturb, official archeological research” what’s a boy to do? He goes in, of course. After all Jim had already survived a strange encounter with a being not in his own reality (i.e a stunningly attractive girl, after all such heavenly things can’t really exist). Following this rare encounter he returned home with plans to play on the vines. But this latest development piqued his interest. Evidence suggested his familiar haunt had, in fact, been an Indian burial ground, but his desire not to anger anything otherworldly saw him adventure further afield and inadvertently make his own historical and monumental discovery. But what he found was more than a few arrow tips and old bones. What he found opened his mind to a whole new world of possibilities.
Edged with a humour all too familiar for a teenager facing many of the sometimes uncomfortable situations, Jimmy Prophet’s Library contains the correct mixture of dramatic flair, devastation, and elation. There is certainly a lot of information in this story. As Jim expands his mind and understanding, so too does author John W. Milor invite and encourage the reader to do the same. From math to biology, sport to nature, the possibilities seem endless as Jim astounds peers and professionals alike. Jim’s abilities put me a lot in mind of JJ from No Ordinary Family, his brain becomes like a super computer able to link, calculate, and correlate data he has encountered. In the hands of a hormone charged teenager it could be a terrifying gift indeed. The book itself is certainly packed with knowledge, and if there is one thing a reader will take away from it, it will be the importance of challenging and developing ideas. I really liked the combination of story meets encouragement to learn and expand horizons.
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