The Call (Magnificent 12 Series #1)

by Michael Grant

Overview

Twelve-year-old Mack MacAvoy suffers from a serious case of mediumness. Medium looks. Medium grades. Medium parents who barely notice him. With a list of phobias that could make anyone crazy, Mack never would have guessed that he is destined for a more-than-medium life.

And then, one day, something incredibly strange happens to Mack. A three-thousand-year-old man named Grimluk appears in the boys’ bathroom to deliver some startling news: Mack is one of the Magnificent Twelve, called the Magnifica in ancient times, whatever that means. An evil force is on its way, and it’s up to Mack to track down eleven other twelve-year-olds in order to stop it. He must travel across the world to battle the wicked Pale Queen’s dangerous daughter, Ereskigal—also known as Risky. But Risky sounds a little scary, and Mack doesn’t want to be a hero. Will he answer the call?

A laugh-out-loud story filled with excitement and magic, The Magnificent Twelve: The Call is the first book in bestselling author Michael Grant’s hilarious new fantasy adventure series.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061833670
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	07/26/2011
Series:	Magnificent 12 Series , #1
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.80(d)
Lexile:	710L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Michael Grant, author of the Gone series, the Messenger of Fear series, the Magnificent Twelve series, and the Front Lines trilogy, has spent much of his life on the move. Raised in a military family, he attended ten schools in five states, as well as three schools in France. Even as an adult he kept moving, and in fact he became a writer in part because it was one of the few jobs that wouldn’t tie him down. His fondest dream is to spend a year circumnavigating the globe and visiting every continent. Yes, even Antarctica. He lives in California with his wife, Katherine Applegate, with whom he cowrote the wildly popular Animorphs series. You can visit him online at www.themichaelgrant.com and follow him on Twitter @MichaelGrantBks.

What People are Saying About This

Morning Call

“A laugh-out-loud story full of adventure and magic great for grades 4-7.”

Editorial Reviews

Grant’s brand of action and humor should satisfy both those readers who get down with fantasy and those who prefer to send it up.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Grant’s brand of action and humor should satisfy both those readers who get down with fantasy and those who prefer to send it up.

The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books

"A terrific start, with an elaborate website festooned with games and contests to ease the wait for sequels."

Booklist

"Grant’s brand of action and humor should satisfy both those readers who get down with fantasy and those who prefer to send it up."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

A laugh-out-loud story full of adventure and magic great for grades 4-7.

Morning Call

Grant’s brand of action and humor should satisfy both those readers who get down with fantasy and those who prefer to send it up.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

A terrific start, with an elaborate website festooned with games and contests to ease the wait for sequels.

Booklist (starred review)

Twelve-year-old Mack MacAvoy spends each and every day at school being average until two incredible things happen. First, the biggest bully in school becomes his companion. Next, an old man named Grimluk informs Mack that he is one of the Magnificent Twelve, destined to be a hero and stop the evil Pale Queen. Now Mack and his new buddy, Stefan, must form a league to save the world. Of course, our hero is a tad immature to be venturing all over the world 3,000 years ago, especially when he has more phobias than socks and no way to hide his disappearance. Oh yes, he also has his own golem which changes form to become his exact double. The golem adds comic relief throughout the book as Mack takes the more serious role of fighting Risky, the evil daughter of the Pale Queen. As the story flashes back and forth from present to past, the reader must pay close attention to the story line, to avoid becoming confused Grant creates lovable characters. Even the bully, Stefan, can make the reader laugh and sympathize with his wild perils as he protects Mack. This book definitely reads as part of a series because we only get a taste of the plot and a lot is left to the imagination. It seems more targeted to boys, but there is a strong female character that would appeal to girls. Reviewer: Julia Beiker

Children's Literature - Julia Beiker

The first book in Grant's new series, The Magnificent 12, introduces unlikely hero Mack, who has "a serious case of mediumness" and a vast array of phobias. Enter Grimluk, a 3,000-year-old man who informs Mack that he is to be the first of the new Magnifica, a group of 12 kids who must join their talents and inherited-yet-unknown powers to fight the evil Pale Queen and her vicious daughter. Reluctant and frankly freaked out by this news, Mack and former bully, now guardian friend Stefan team up to evade deadly attentions from a seriously creepy set of insect-like monsters and demonic elves. The author keeps the story moving at a brisk pace with suspenseful action and laugh-out-loud humor. The juxtaposition of chapters that recount Grimluk's ancient adventures in times when math wasn't even invented against those when the young protagonist is equipped with an iPhone and receives text messages from his golem produces a lighter-than-usual fantasy action-adventure that is sure to win many fans and fly off the shelves. (Fantasy. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews