I remember when the first book in the Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children Series was first published, and how unique and cool I found it. A book for teens about weird kids who had special abilities? And vintage looking pictures within the pages?–I knew right away this book was going to be good. Little did I know then that the one book would turn into a series! 

I love this series for several reasons, one of them being that both girls and boys can enjoy the story. Another is that though the “peculiar” kids in these books obviously have abilities that aren’t possible in real life, their peculiarities offer a chance for those of us that have always felt a little different or out of place a chance to escape into a book that views being different as both a bad thing and a positive. The peculiar children stick together and take care of each other when no one else will.

There are several instances in this book that were a little violent, but they add to the creepiness of the storyline. If you’ve read any previous books in this series, you’ll know that a little creepiness does go a long way–the scarier the better! 

Although it is helpful to have read the other three books previous to A Map of Days, I think this book could still be enjoyed without having read the predecessors. The main character, Jacob Portman, and his bunch of peculiar friends are easy to get acquainted with, and their personalities are quick to show themselves. Personally, I think this series is perfect for reluctant readers and those that have a difficult time finding books to keep them engaged. This book is full of twists and turns and will please those looking for adventure with a lot of paranormal peculiarities! 

Review of an Advanced Reading Copy

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Dutton Books for Young Readers

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  3 religious exclamations; 7 mild obscenities; 5 scatological words; 3 anatomical terms.

Violence/Gore:  A child is mentioned to possibly be dead; buildings are destroyed in a brief scene; a creature from another world is said to have killed a character’s grandfather; an adolescent character has a frightening dream about a monstrous creature trying to kill him; a beast attacks two teens in another reality in a brief scene, their lives are threatened; an accusation is made against a man for kidnapping a child; a man slaps a boy; a threatening creature is seen and a group of adolescents fear for their lives in a brief scene.

Sex/Nudity:  Minors kiss and are obviously attracted to each other, this is mentioned several times throughout the book.

Mature Subject Matter:

Kidnapping; crime; murder; scary monsters described; paranormal.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Addiction is mentioned; someone is referred to as a “pot head”; underage drinking is engaged in, in one scene; adults mentioned to drink alcohol; adults mentioned to smoke cigars.