REVIEW: Artemis Fowl

Colfer, E. (2001). Artemis Fowl. New York: Hyperion Paperbacks for Children.

Artemis Fowl is not only to tale of the ingenious and villainous Artemis Fowl, but also the Story of Captain Holly Short, the first female to protect the magical people by joining LEPrechaun force.

Artemis, whose mother is unwell since his father was lost in the Arctic, searches with his friend and protector, Butler, to restore the Fowl fortune. This leads Artemis into trouble with the magical world when he takes Holly hostage. From there Artemis must match wits with LEP’s best agents and one of the magical community’s sneakiest criminals.

The book allows students to question their own cultural norms, as humans are called Mud People and their (our) practices are called into question.

The story includes subtle environmental messages. It also blurs the lines between genres, as it includes both sci-fi and fantasy elements. But most of all, this is a fun series for the young action-adventure lover to become addicted to.

Plus, Artemis is a Mac user, the clever boy.


Activities to do with the book:

This is a book is a great adventure story to help to get students immersed in a story. It lends itself to role-play since students can have fun being a villainous and powerful child genius.

Since some complain that the Artemis Fowl books are hard to visualize, students could create their own illustrations to help with this or create their own adventures for some of the supporting characters.


Favorite Quotes:

“How does one describe Artemis Fowl? Various psychiatrists have tried and failed. The main problem is Artemis’s own intelligence. He babboozles every test thrown at him. He has puzzled the greatest medical minds, and sent many of them gibbering to their own hospitals” (p. 1).

“The Mud People destroyed everything they came into contact with. Of course they didn’t live in the mud anymore. Not in this country, at least. Oh no. Big fancy dwellings with room for everything—rooms for sleeping, rooms for eating, even a room to go to the toilet! Indoors! Holly shuddered. Imagine going to the toilet inside your own house. Disgusting!” (p. 50).

“Mummlp,” said her treacherous lips. No good. Incomprehensible even by a drunken gnome’s standards” (p. 97).