I really enjoyed this book. It's a real page turner! Of course you cringe as the puddlejumpers steal Shawn from his widowed father. The imagery is convincing and at times I even felt a bit claustrophobic as they go underground. The strongest image I am left with is of the troggs...their smelly description, piling all kinds of horrible odors on top of rotting potatoes, made me wince. I think kids will be able to relate to Ernie's misunderstood existence in the boy's home and his fear of doing what he knows he has to do. Highly recommended! ( )

Puddlejumpers by Mark Jean and Christopher Carlson. This was in the teen section at my library. I personally feel they should re-shelve in the middle grade area. It’s solidly for 9-12 year olds. The main character grows up in an orphanage. There is a sub-plot here that we go through and the main overall theme is revealed later. I will say the plot did have some complexities but I stick with my younger age group for this book. This story was well put together, moved quickly and kept me reading. In the end, the main character, Ernie has to join with the puddlejumpers to save the town. You wind up being a silent observer who’s cheering Ernie on the whole way. ( )

Reviewed by Tasha for TeensReadToo.com

Ernie Banks was left on the doorstep of the Lakeside Home for Boys when he was just three years old. Now, ten years later, he's thirteen and well on his way to spending his life running from the law.

The one thing that irks him is that he knows he used to belong to someone. See, he came to Lakeside with a baseball card, an unusual crystal acorn necklace, and a weird spiral-shaped birthmark on his right foot. Out of desperation, Ernie is sent out to a farm in the middle of Nowhere, Illinois, in hopes that he will come back as a kid with a new attitude.

Here he meets an interesting mix of people. There's Russ Frazier, the owner; Joey, the girl who lives on the neighboring farm; and then there are the Holsapples. The Holsapples are a mean bunch of money-guzzling oil hordes who are trying to buy out all the farms in order to drill for oil. The Holsapples are pretty much ruining the small town. Then there's the horrendous drought that is causing everyone to lose hope... If only there was some way that everything could be fixed.

As Ernie learns more about the people of the small town, he also finds out that Russ' son was kidnapped ten years ago and was never found. What's even weirder is that Ernie feels familiar in Russ' house. A coincidence? Maybe! When Ernie is exploring one day he finds two Puddlejumpers, small people that live beneath puddles, and learns that he is their rainmaker. It is even prophesied that he will save them from their greatest enemy, the Troggs.

Will Ernie help save the Puddlejumpers? Will he find out about himself along the way?

This was a great book! I was absorbed into the action from the very beginning. While the book is geared more for middle grade readers, I definitely think anyone would get a kick out of it. I thought that the characters, especially Ernie, were well-developed and really had a sense of being. I also liked the premise of the story. I thought it was original and cute, plus the adventure in it was great.

At the beginning of the book there is what I would describe as a mini-story within the story. It tells the origins of the Puddlejumpers and about the kidnapping of Russ' son. I thought this section may have explained too much, since I found that a lot of the events in the book following this beginning were predictable, but there were definitely still a couple of things that took me by surprise. Overall, I really liked PUDDLEJUMPERS and think it would be a great book for readers of all levels. I think this book would be especially great for reluctant readers, as it incorporates a little bit of action, adventure, fantasy, and sports!! What more could you ask for? ( )

concocted and manipulative...no soul...so disney ( )

Submitted by Ariana...
I loved it, it was a thrilling book with twists and turns that keep a reader's attention. It's a kind of book that you can't put down and once you're done you're stuck wanting more.
Kidnapped as a young kid about 6 months old in the small town of Circle, Illinois, Shawn Frazier is drawn into the world of the 11 inch tall water creatures called Puddlejumpers. He is to fulfill their prophecy and kill the evil 10 foot tall Troggs. Later on Christmas when Shawn is 3 he is left on the doorstep of Lakeside Home For Boys and is named Ernie Banks and lives their for 9 years. When he is 13 he goes on a parilous journey to save the Puddlejumpers and is reunited with his dadand they live happily together once again.