The Hand of the Necromancer (Johnny Dixon)

My son is an addict to all of these books, and I'll take the blame for it. To him this shows a glimpse into the fascinating, exotic world of his mother, with tight gender roles, strange academics, and peculiar debates on right and wrong, magic and science. This book is satisfying on a rare level. We can always rely on the Strickland/Bellairs world to remind us of the horrors of bullying and situations among adults where we need to be brave. I could have spliced portions of this book into my own high school experiences where oddballs met other oddballs and developed friendships. One of the most subtle, good moments in this book is Johnny Dixon realizes his recurrent nightmares of the school bully is a trick from his real enemy.

In this world it is not easy to be interested in things outside the gender barriers. Johnny's new friend is a girl. She likes baseball. She likes to learn things. She's honest about what she thinks and feels. Her dad is scholastic so her mind is open...and shut in some areas. But friendship is really important, and when weird, eerie, really disturbing characters creep out of the woodwork you feel a genuine chill because these kids are only just beginning to explore the fact that they have common interests. And in true Bellairs style, capable of creating unlimited damage to the world around us. Be sure to add this book to your collection. I'll always love the Lewis Barnavelt series, but the Johnny Dixon books can really stand toe to toe with mysteries mixed with the relish of supernatural dread.