Artemis Fowl

Twelve-year-old criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl, hatches an ingenious plot to steal all the gold in fairy land. Although a little dubious about the plan - indeed not even quite believing in the existence of fairies - his trusty bodyguard and companion, Butler, is on hand to help. However, they have not reckoned on eld Holly Short, who as first female officer in the Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance unit, or LEPrecon, has much to prove and when she is kidnapped by Artemis, she is determined to stand her ground and protect the fairy secrets.

The unscrupulous protagonist in this amusing, imaginative fairy adventure is an extremely likeable character, and you almost will him to succeed in his dastardly scheme! Colfer's explanations of the structure and technology of fairy land are absolutely believable, making this a light-hearted, enjoyable read.