Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Imagine being a young 15 year old, not connecting with others, ostracized because you believed your grandfather’s stories about his friends from a far-away island, an island that contained seemingly strange children?  That is the lead in to MissPeregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs where Jacob Portman shares the impact that his father has on his life, and continues to have when his grandfather is killed in the backwoods of his home.  Was it self-inflicted wounds?  Was it from a pack of feral dogs? Or was it by some monster that Jacob thinks he sees, though his friend who was with him doesn’t…. this sets the stage for Jacob’s hospitalization.  Is he crazy?  His parents, the police, and his only friend think so.  And now the journey begins.  In his dying words to Jacob, his grandfather shares a few cryptic last words about things for Jacob to look for after his death.  It isn’t until Jacob’s 16^th birthday party when his aunt shares a book that his grandfather had left for him that he understands he needs to find out about his grandfather’s heritage and the strange cast of characters that were shared with Jacob throughout his childhood.  Jacob’s psychiatrist allows his father and him to visit an island off the coast of Wales (Jacob’s father to do some bird watching for his newest book and Jacob to find the hidden secrets).  I really enjoyed the cast of characters that Jacob found and how he connected to his grandfather, both outcasts in their respective circles.  Jacob finds more than he bargained for, especially a day of infamy, September 3, 1940, that goes over and over.   Loops? Peregrines? Whites? There is mystery and intrigue at every step.  A great kid's story – every kid wishes imagination never ended and usually when we are old enough to fall in love for the first time it does, but not in this one.  A wonderful story that has you wanting to never put the book down.  Thanks Lisa for the suggestion.  I won’t tell you what happens for Jacob who in the end needs to make the decision to leave this world for love and for the salvation of the peculiars.  Pick it up!