In the first chapter of The Peddler's Road, a work of fantasy by Matthew Cody, I was already rooting for the two main characters: 13 year old Max and her 10 year old little brother, Carter. The siblings' adventure starts with an old story. It is said that in the 13th century, in the same town of Hamelin where Max and Carter currently live, a piper lured all but one of the children away with his magic flute to a strange and magical land called Summer Isle. The piper promised the children that they would never get older in this mysterious place where it would always be summer, so the children built a village there and called it New Hamelin. Many years later, an old witch prophesied that the last children of Hamelin would be able to bring the children of New Hamelin back to their true home. Meanwhile, in present day Hamelin, Max and Carter's father accidentally signs a form that pledges the children to the Piper. Before they know it, Max and Carter find themselves in Summer Isle and the magical portal to get back to present day Hamelin closes. Now it's up to Max and Carter, the last children of Hamelin, to fulfill the prophesy.