Jimmy Crikey's Adventures in the Sky Islands (and beyond)


Children - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
303 Pages
Reviewed on 08/31/2021
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

“Never underestimate the power of the guardians of Earth," says Ira, one of the four protector witches of Earth. The galactic race of Zyrons has invaded the Sky Islands above Earth and the Ropians, who live in caverns beneath Mars’s surface, threaten to invade Earth to confiscate its water. In order to avert this invasion, Jimmy Crikey, an orphan alien who chose Earth as his home, his team of witches, an ancient weatherman, and a tiny apprentice witch named Jade come up with a viable solution. From threatening invasive alien forces to ingenious solutions using collective brainpower, the interplanetary adventures of one orphan alien, Jimmy Crikey, an outcast, once bullied by his peers, can overcome evil; not through bullying, but through brainpower and courage.

Wallace E. Briggs’ middle-grade novel, Jimmy Crikey’s Adventures in the Sky Islands (and beyond), is a clever, sensitive fantasy/science fiction story that combines the allure of some of the best-known books in this genre. One senses a bit of Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland and the fairy tales of our youth where the underdog, the scapegoat, always rises above everyone else in the end. The main protagonist, Jimmy Crikey, is the type of character that will attract young readers and they will be cheering him on through one courageously fought battle after another. There is lots of action and mayhem to keep the plot moving forward and the true magic of this story is the magic found deep within us all. The story is full of relevant messages about bullying and how one can overcome and rise above the conflict through courage and self-confidence. It also speaks strongly about the true source of beauty – deep within our souls. A great read for a young audience.

Soumya Sreehari

Jimmy Crikey is back with new adventures! The evil Zyrons have taken over Sky Islands. They are determined to destroy the Islanders and gain control. They have wreaked havoc in the Sky Islands using their superior powers of electrical energy. Not only that, but they have also captured Ira, the friendly witch of the skies. How will Jimmy and his friends help the Sky Islanders? In Jimmy Crikey’s Adventures in the Sky Islands (and beyond), Wallace E Briggs spins another captivating story. Jimmy, the Weatherman, and the witches (with a surprise addition) work as one to help the Sky Islanders and those in faraway lands. Pick up this book for a light and adventurous journey through different worlds.

Wallace E Briggs builds a gripping story that leads from one danger to another in Jimmy Crikey’s Adventures in the Sky Islands (and beyond). Filled with suspense, danger, clash of powers, teamwork, and friendship, the story takes the young reader through different worlds and events effortlessly. As Jimmy and his friends solve one problem, another crops up in its place. The combined power of the witches is put to the ultimate test to solve one problem after another. I thoroughly enjoyed the page-turning adventure story, sprinkled as usual with a healthy dose of magic and humor in the mix. It is likely that Jimmy and his friends will go on many more adventures, and I am curious to read them all.

Sarah Scheele

Jimmy Crikey’s Adventures in the Sky Islands (and beyond) is a children’s novel by Wallace E Briggs. Jimmy, also called Commander McGellan, is the son of travelers from a distant planet. He now lives in a fantasy version of Earth filled with different “worlds”—ecosystems with their own natural phenomena and creatures. When a malicious race called Zyrons invade the Sky Islands situated in the remote top of the atmosphere, the powerful Weatherman Lord Oron uses a risky magic spell to banish them. He returns home to find his portable dwelling, the Cloud, has been stolen and then he vanishes with the thieves. With no one to control Earth’s weather, Jimmy and his computer friend XRU must team up with the four witches of Earth, blending magic and science in harmony to travel the solar system and find the Weatherman before it’s too late.

Jimmy Crikey’s Adventures in the Sky Islands (and beyond) lives up to its name as a gently-paced, sprawling adventure tale that takes the characters and any lucky readers into one interesting world after another. There is a leisurely richness to the story and it introduces continually interesting new places as Earth becomes a fantasy land before the reader’s eyes. There is an unpretentious, sincere quality to the building of each invented place on Earth and the effortless combination of science fiction with fantasy and magic was beautifully managed. Wallace E Briggs’ book is natural to read and easy to enjoy, and children will find themselves transported into a wholesome storyline in which the qualities of friendship, hope, persistence, and courage are not only brought forward but fully realized through characters that shine on the page. A real treat and a lot of fun, this book is a quiet delight.