Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye written by Tania del Rio, illustrations by Will Staehle | Rating: ★★★★☆

As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

Looking for a gift for your favorite young reader? Have no fear, Warren the 13th is here!

Written by Tania del Rio and illustrations provided by Will Staehle, Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye provides audiences of all ages with an engaging read and vivid images that will surely captivate readers. Not only is the story magical and easy to process, which is a good thing, the art inside is just as good. Warren is the perfect addition to any youngsters library and is fast on the track to becoming one of the best middle grade books of 2015.


By that I mean it is the best children’s book of the year. I’m not sorry.

Although targeted primarily to its middle-grade audience, it loses no points and remains a story full of life. When you gift a younger reader with this little guy, be prepared to be that kids favorite person in the world! And if you purchase it for a child who isn’t typically a reader, this will be the book that changes that.

It definitely needs to be added to your must-have list for yourself or family. Chop full of mystery, humor and all things that make novels good, this little guy is a definite hit.

Warren is delightfully charming and a little dark. It’s unique and because of this, it makes reading it pleasant. Adults who wish to feel younger at heart will find it just as fun as its target audience. Because of the way it’s written, it’s a face read for anyone without actually lacking or watering itself down.

What makes it a fast read goes beyond its prose. Watching it unfold is something that will make you eager as you study the words and admire the illustrations. Warren isn’t a picture book that is only good because of one thing or another: the story is excellent and so are the pictures. It’s the perfect combination of team work.

Go, team, go! But seriously: I’m obsessed with the story and its illustrations. I love the colours, the way it all ties in so vividly with the story as it unfolds. It creates a great hint of scenery for readers to indulge themselves in and the Victorian elements shine through in it. There’s something so natural about how Tania and Will weave their work together and I hope we see more in the future.

Without spoiling the goodies of it all, I’m now going to give you a brief on what the story is like. As I’ve said before, it is sweet and unique and mysterious.

Warren is a delightful surprise: he is an optimistic, 12 year old who works hard as a bellhop at his family’s hotel, which is now run by his Aunt Anaconda–who is just as nasty as you’d expected with someone by that name. Warren is unlucky, so much so that it’s endearing and readers will come to love him at first sight.

Our deliciously evil Aunt Anaconda is determined to discover the supposed All Seeing Eye, which is said to be hidden nearby and probably on the very grounds which the hotel is.

Because Warren is so determined to keep his family’s legacy alive and prevent his aunt from finding this treasure, he must be the one to find it first. And thus begins a generalized plot of good vs. evil that will draw young readers in from the start as they stand by and watch the wackiness, the mystery and more.

But who will prevail?

Let’s just say that readers will have plenty to enjoy in this one. From the writing, to the drawings, to the spooky and hilarious mysteries and guests, Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye is here to stay!