THE SECRET LIFE OF BILLIE'S UNCLE MYRON

When Billie and her baby brother, Bix, neglected children of rock stars, stow away in their uncle's car, they find themselves transported to the Borderland, a world where animals talk. When Bix is kidnapped by the evil Kingfish, Billie must try to rescue him, with help from a shady crow and a talking wheelchair. No one would ever accuse the father-and-daughter team of Jenkin and Jenkins of lacking imagination, but there's little evidence of discipline or focus anywhere. The endless parade of invention for its own sake rapidly loses control; at first diverting, the action becomes numbing, and readers won't care enough about the characters to keep traipsing after them. Truly original creative turns show promise, but can't compensate for a wild-card plot.