The Oak Hotel: The Chronicles of Burnam Tau'roh, Book One by Walter G. Klimczak Grades 7+ 136 pages Autumn Harbor Press April 2008 Paperback     The Oak Hotel introduces readers to the "Chronicles of Burnam Tau’roh." Lincoln and Kayleigh are on the hunt for an old magical book lost somewhere in the Kayleigh's grandparents' abandoned home. Although they know little about it, entries left by Kayleigh’s grandmother in her diary make for an appealing mystery that has both kids eager to find the missing volume. When they discover the book, more than just a good read comes with it: both Lincoln and Kayleigh are transported to the world of Burnam Tau’roh with evil men hot in pursuit. The two children must travel through strange lands in an unknown world to connect the pieces of an odd, somewhat vague puzzle. They encounter many unusual people and things that are of assistance as their journey leads them away from one world and into the next, as well as frightening reminders that evil lurks just out of sight in the worlds they travel. When Kayleigh and Lincoln finally meet an ancient tree, surprise turns to wonder when it sends them hurtling through time and space to a land that has been abandoned by all but two souls. One is good and one is evil, but why have they been sent there? Just when danger seems to be at its farthest, Kayleigh is taken and Lincoln left stranded and alone on the deserted planet. If he is to make a move, it must be wise one and it must be done quickly. With Kayleigh’s fate unknown, Lincoln can't risk poor judgment or falling into enemy hands himself. For the most part, Klimczak looses his creativity in the creation of this series. This first book shows great potential for the growth of the plot, characters, and reader base. On the downside, the storyline lags for the first fifty pages - which for a short book is not a good thing. When the narrative does pick up steam, many of the hanging questions are answered and allow the reader to get a better understanding of the author’s design as it unfolds. The Oak Hotel is a Chronicles of Narnia-meets-Pendragon type book, although it is not of the same caliber of either.     web reviews   Sonia R. Polinsky/2009 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)