5/8/11

This Sunday's round-up of middle-grade science fiction and fantasy, with bonus question-who is your favorite mother who happens to be a ghost?

Welcome to the Mother's Day edition of my weekly round-up of blog postings related to middle-grade science fiction and fantasy roundups! (although there's actual almost never much science fiction, so it's a bit of a misnomer). Please let me know if I missed your post, or the posts of your loved ones.

I thought about asking you all who your favorite mg sff mother was, but then I figured Molly Weasley would win, as usual. So to be more interesting, how about your favorite fictional mother, or mother surrogate, who happens to be a ghost?

Here's the list so far:

Belladonna Johnson's mother, from Spellbinder and The Midnight Gate, by Helen Stringer
Mrs. Wilkinson, from Dial-a-Ghost, by Eva Ibbotson
Mrs. Owens, from The Graveyard Book
The ghost mother from the I So Don't Do Mysteries series by Barrie Summy (thanks Doret!)
Olive C. Spence, from Kate Klise's 43 Old Cemetery Road series (thanks Kate!)

Any more?

The Reviews:

Broomsticks, by Sean McHugh and Katie McHugh Parker, at The O.W.L.

Charlotte Sometimes, by Penelope Farmer, reviewed by Jo Walton at Tor, who thinks this is a book best appreciated by adults-I myself loved it as a child, but then I've always been fond of books in which detail and character trump Happenings. Or maybe it's because I'm Charlotte, and have a little sister named Emily, as is the case in the book (sort of).

Crusade in Jeans, by Thea Beckman, at Charlotte's Library

The Dead Boys, by Royce Buckingham, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens, at Jen Robinson's Book Page and The BookKids Blog

The Friendship Doll, by Kirby Larson, at The Fourth Musketeer (I guess it's fantasy, because it's narrated by a doll....)

Gregor the Overlander, by Suzanne Collins, at Just Booking Around

Juniper Berry, by M.P. Kozlowsky, at There's A Book, Lori Calabrese, and Reading Vacation

Kat, Incorrigible, by Stephanie Burgis, at Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog, Karissa's Reading Review, and Laura Pauling

The Midnight Gate, by Helen Stringer, at The Bluestocking Guide

The Pinhoe Egg, by Diana Wynne Jones, at Ela's Book Blog

Re: Wired, by Alex Keller, at Mr Ripleys Enchanted Books

The Shadow Hunt, by Katherine Langrish, at The Written World

The Silver Bowl, by Diane Stanley, at Book Aunt

Troubletwisters, by Garth Nix and Sean Williams, at Ms. Martin Teaches Media and reviewed by Cory Doctorow at BoingBoing

A Web of Air, by Philip Reeve, at Fantasy Literature

West of the Moon, by Katherine Langrish, at Book Aunt

Zorgamazoo, by Robert Paul Weston, at Great Kid Books

Fun with Monsters (a variety of titles) at Great Kid Books

Ms. Yingling looks at the new books in the Ranger's Apprentice series and The Last Apprentice series

And finally (although it's not exactly a review) Michael Chabon shares his thoughts on The Phantom Tollbooth at The New York Review of Books

Interviews and authors:

Sean McHugh and Katie McHugh Parker (Broomsticks) at The O.W.L.

Alex Keller (Haywired and Re: Wired) at Mr Ripleys Enchanted Books

Janice Hardy (The Shifter and Blue Fire) at Literary Rambles

M.P. Kozlowsky (Juniper Berry) at Literary Asylum and Lori Calabrese

Mark Jeffrey (Max Quick: The Pocket and the Pendant) at Book Dreaming; he's also interviewed at Book Dreaming

Christine Brodien-Jones (The Owl Keeper) on "writing scary (but not too scary) for tweens" at Cynsations

Jennifer Trafton (The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic) on map making at Imagination Soup

Other Good Stuff:

Ninth Ward is a Jane Addams Award Honor Book

The Children's Choice Awards
have been announced--Rick Riordan has won Author of the Year for The Lost Hero, and The Red Pyramid was chosen as fifth grade to sixth grade book of the year.

Not middle grade sff, per se, but so very much worth linking to it doesn't matter--at Bookyurt you can find the transcription of the finalists for the Los Angeles Time Book Prize for Young Adult Literature (Megan Whalen Turner, Jonathan Stroud, and Rick Yancy) speaking in the Worlds Beyond Imagination panel.

And finally, the Really Exciting News:


Small Beer Press has published a new anthology of Joan Aiken stories, entitled The Monkey's Wedding and Other Stories! This is a gift unhoped for, as she is no longer with us. Thanks, Colleen, for this happy news. Although the cover looks creepy. Which makes sense, given Aiken's occasional penchant for the discomforting--anyone else wish they hadn't read the story in which the boy's broken leg gets eaten by insects inside the cast?



Postscript:

In addition to all the news and reviews, don't forget to check out the Guys Lit Wire book drive for a needy Washington D.C. high school! Some mg sff books on the list that still need buyers are The Devil's Arithmetic, by Jane Yolen, The Grey King and Silver on the Tree, by Susan Cooper, The Hobbit, and The Thief Lord, by Cornelia Funke, and, moving YA-ward, I hope someone buys The King of Attolia and Conspiracy of Kings, by Megan Whalen Turner!

5/7/11

Did you know that the next two books about Fever Crumb have already been pulished in the UK?

I had no idea until just now, peacefully blog reading in the aftermath of my eight year-old's birthday party.*

They have, at least in the UK--and they are called A Web of Air, and Scrivener's Moon. Anyone know when they might be coming out in the US? I liked Fever Crumb, which I helped shortlist for last year's Cybils, lots, and I'm wondering if it's worth ordering them from over there...



*viz birthday party--the other little boys seemed to be enjoying themselves, but I am tempted to hand out a satisfaction survey next time, because I am always vaguely conscious that there is room for improvement. It would begin thus:

"We realize you have many choices in Birthday Parties, and we thank you for chosing ours..."

5/6/11

My boy's eighth reading year

When my little one turned six, I posted a list of his favorite books of the year. I'd wish I'd done it the next year, but I didn't...it was his year of the Wimpy Kid, and so not that interesting anyway. More interestingly, he met Odd and the Frost Giant that year too; it's a book he still loves (me too).

So anyway, he turns eight tomorrow. He started his eighth year of reading with the Magic Treehouse books...but happily moved on to richer things. This was his year of meeting Harry Potter, and spending hours and hours in a row reading books 1-4 almost straight through. We've agreed he should wait a bit before book 5; I think he'll enjoy it more when he's a bit older. Another favorite series was Roddy Doyle's books--The Giggler Treatment, the Meanwhile Adventures, and Rover Saves Christmas. And this was the year that I read him the Hobbit.

Here are the books he's getting for his birthday: Long Tail Kitty, by Lark Pien (cause it looked really cute and fun), and Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection, by Matt Dembicki (because he thinks of himself as the trickster type. "I'm a lot like Loki, aren't I, Mama," he says. To which I answer, "Not so's you'd notice.") I like to give my boys graphic novels as presents, by the way. It's a much better bet they'll like them--chapter books are so darn hit and miss, and it is so sad to give them a chapter book, watch them read it for a few chapters, put it down, and never finish it).

So tomorrow his ninth year of fun with books will begin...and we'll be playing host to a total of 8 little boys. My plan is to attach the hose to the rain barrel, and let them flood the garden. Making streams and dams is fun, and nothing is planted yet.

Which leads me to my final thought for the day--why is it that May, the one month where I want to work in my garden to the exclusion of all else, is so richly packed with so many other things???? February was really boring.

5/5/11

Super-Dragon, written by Steven Kroll, illustrated by Douglas Holgate

I am off to another archaeology conference, this time as part of a panel on digitizing regional archaeological information. All of the professional business of the past week has meant less time to read, but I've received several picture books to review, and managed to finish one of them....

So today I offer Super-Dragon, written by Steven Kroll, illustrated by Douglas Holgate (Marshall Cavendish, 2011, 28 pages).

Drago (a little dragon) longs to compete in the upcoming Dragon Contests. But "You're too little," says his obnoxious big sister. "You don't know how to fly yet," says his mother. "Maybe next year...when you're bigger," says his dad.

Fortunately, a friendly bird takes Drago under its wings, and, after a few brave tries, Drago is flying!!! For two weeks, he secretly practices...and you can guess how it all plays out.

It's fun and engaging; any little kid who likes dragons, and who sometimes feels Too Young, will enjoy it. And for those of us who are Manatee (as opposed to Tiger) Mothers, it's nice to have book on The Importance of Practicing to offer our children, in hopes that they will pick up the message themselves without us having to constantly loom over their shoulders!

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

5/4/11

My tbr deciphering challenge update

For those playing along, my tbr deciphering challenge update is up here. Only a few remain, and I've gone ahead and bought my seven books, as promised. This challenge, btw, is in aid of a need high school in Washington D.C., whose library has less than one book per kid.

Here's what I bought:

Escape!: The Story of the Great Houdini
King Dork
The Latte Rebellion (by my blogging friend Sarah Stevenson! Hi Sarah!)
Rikers High
A Girl Named Disaster (someday I'll review it)
American Gods: A Novel (someday I'll read it)
Lincoln's Dreams (a comparatively obscure Connie Willis, that I rather like)

I was just looking at the wish list over at Powells, and even if money is tight, there are books that are less than three dollars. Like an anthology of British World War I poetry. And there are lots of books under $10. More information on this book drive can be found here at Guys Lit Wire.

Thanks to those who played my TBR challenge game!

Waiting on Wednesday-- Caddy's World, by Hilary McKay


The book I'm most anxiously waiting for this week is Caddy's World, by Hilary McKay; when I get a hold of it, I will drop everything else and read!

From Goodreads: "Hilary McKay revisits the Casson family, but this time with a difference ... Go back in time ...Caddy is 12, grappling with school, best friends, first boyfriends, younger siblings and the unexpected arrival of one baby Permanent Rose who has arrived in the world a little sooner than expected. While baby Rose lies in critical condition in hospital, life goes on in the unpredictable, colourful Casson household."

It comes out in the UK tomorrow!

I love the Casson family, whose intricate, detail-rich lives McKay has explored in a five book series beginning with Saffy's Angel.

  1. Saffy's Angel
  2. Indigo's Star
  3. Permanent Rose
  4. Caddy Ever After
  5. Forever Rose
I'm utterly thrilled that there is a new book in the series. By happy chance, it's my little sister's birthday, so I can order it from the UK with a clear conscience, and since I'll be seeing her when I go down to Book Expo America I'll be able to read it!

Speaking of which--if anyone else wants to order this through the Book Depository (where it's currently priced at $13.28, with free shipping), I'd be mighty pleased. At sixty six cents per book, if as few as 200 people did so (in my dreams), I will have earned more than enough to cover my Book Expo America/Book Blogger Convention registration costs.* The Book Depository link is off in the sidebar. Thanks.

*technically any commissions go to my library, but since most of the books I get through blogging end up there anyway, I think in this case it's fair to use the money (if there should be any money) for this worthy cause.

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

5/3/11

Help a worthy cause by taking my tbr list deciphering challenge!



Edited to add:

here are the updated lists, if anyone wants to try to decipher the last few remaing titles in my TBR deciphering challenge! 65 have been deciphered (although two are still listed unanswered on the pictures (To Timbuktu and Charlie and Kiwi: an Evolutionary Adventure, 1 was left as answered by me when I was fiddling with the picture. I can't edit the picture from my mac at home (I have spent too long trying already, and I can't access my blog at work, so it's tricky).

But in any event, thanks for playing--7 books are on their way to Ballou Senior High School.

And here's the bonus round: if anyone can tell me what this book, from the last round of my tbr list, is (I have no clue, myself) I'll buy an eighth book:

The c and the -ity are my best guess, but they could be wrong. Sigh. My speculations can be found here in this post.

The current tbr list, with answers spelled out:
















Here's the explaination part, for those just now tuning in:

For the past few years, Colleen at Chasing Ray has been organizing book drives for needy schools. This year, the books will go to Ballou Senior High School, a public high school library in Washington D.C. that needs them so, so badly. There are 1,150 books on the shelves at Ballou; there are over 1,200 students in the school. Here's the page at Guys Lit Wire that tells all about it, and how to help. It's very easy--you go to the wish list at Powells, buy your books, and put in the librarian's address.

In my house, there are four people and multiple thousands of books. If I see a new book I want in the bookstore, I can buy it without worrying about the cost. Books come to me from publishers. I live in a state with a brilliant, and free, interlibrary loan service, and my library is four doors down from my house. I'm lucky that my only problem (viz books) is finding the time to read all the ones I have on hand!

Last year, just to underscore this point to myself, and because I find it amusing, I issued a challenge to readers of my blog. I put up a copy of my tbr list (you can find that one here), and promised that for every ten titles that could be deciphered, I'd buy a book for the cause. I dunno how much it was enjoyed by others, but at any event people played along. 61 titles were deciphered, so I bought seven books--the one I'd have bought anyway, and six more.

So I'm doing it again this year! Here's my main tbr list (there are others, like my library list and my amazon list and my paperback book swap list, but this is the main one). I added an easy one at the end, just to be nice! I'll buy a book for every ten titles deciphered.

Update: lots of titles have been deciphered, but not all are correct...I'll update tomorrow, when I have the piece of paper in front of me again!



Even if you don't want to play, do consider donating a book or two to this worthy cause.

And to make it even more worthy, if you buy your donations through the Powells link I have up on the left, you'll be helping my local public library....If you do, just put guyslitwire@gmail into the find a friend's wish list box, and it will come up!

Crusade in Jeans, by Thea Beckman, for Timeslip Tuesday

Crusade in Jeans, by Thea Beckman (1973 in Holland, 1975 in the US) is a classic example of the use of time travel to play out a thought experiment--how would a modern boy react to all the ramifications (physical, spiritual, and cultural) of the Children's Crusade?

Rudolf Hefting just wanted to travel back in time for a few hours. The time machine his dad's friends had invented had only been tested on animals, but it seemed to work just fine... And so the Dutch teenager is sent back to the Middle Ages, wearing jeans and sneakers, and armed with a bread knife, ready for three hours of observation, before the time travel field pulls him back.

But things go wrong. By unhappy chance, the time travel field kicks in just as the Children's Crusade is passing by--and instead of Rudolf returning home, one of the medieval children is taken in his place, leaving Rudolf stranded, caught in a seemingly endless procession of sick, exhausted children....

The dreadful plight of the children gives Rudolf a purpose back in the past. He travels with them from Germany to the tip of Italy, using his 20th century knowledge to serve as a de facto guardian angel, trying to save as many children as he can from a wild animals, the scarlet fever, starvation, hostile towns and farmers, a robber baron who demands children as tribute, a perilous crossing the Alps, and malaria....

Finally, when the Mediterranean has been reached, Rudolf faces his greatest challenge yet. The oceans did not part for the children, opening their way to Jerusalem, as the charismatic shepherd boy, Nicholas, has promised. Instead, it was all a plot to gather the children together and sell them as slaves.

Dolf is forced to be a hero, but he in his own mind is simply doing what is obvious--trying to keep as many kids as possible alive, and, in the process, to give some point to his enforced stay in the Middle Ages. As the journey progresses, his emotional involvement with particular kids grows (although not quite as much as I would have liked), giving depth to the story, and providing a nice counterpoint to the unrelenting series of perils they face. Once the rather cheesy time machine part is out of the way, it becomes an interesting story of courage and survival in time and place worlds away from modern Europe.

When it was first published in Holland back in the 1970s, Crusade in Jeans received The Golden Pen award (the most prestigious Dutch national award for children's books) Apparently, judging from the comments on Amazon, it lost something in translation, and indeed, although I thought the book was just fine, I wasn't blown away. Apparently the Dutch version is much more emotionally gripping, and the language more relaxed and colloquial--in Dutch, it seems to be a book to love with a passion.

That being said, the young English reader who loves all things medieval should find this fascinating.

Crusade in Jeans was a wildly popular book in Holland. It is being republished by Lemniscaat (November, 2011) in paperback in the US, and, mercifully, given a new cover (the one I used above). The older edition I read is shown at left, and it is a stunning example of how to make the early Middle Ages look really, really boring and dorky. Edited to add: I just spoke with someone from Lemniscaat at Book Expo America yesterday, who said the translation had been tweaked with a bit, which might alleviate some of the disconnect between the Dutch and the English response.

It was made into an English language movie (shown at right) in 2008. Apparently the Dutch won again--that version, which came out in 2006, seems to have been more complete than the US edition.

Viz age--When I wrote this review, Amazon gave 4-8 year old reading level recommendation, which is obviously a mistake. It's correctly up as Young Adult now, although it's perfectly suitable for upper middle grade kids (ie 10-12 year olds). Although Dolf is 15, there's no sex or language here that would automatically kick this into YA. Due to the disturbing situations in which the Children's Crusade finds itself, however (ie, lots of kids die), younger kids who are bothered by such things might want to avoid it.

5/2/11

New releases of fantasy and science fiction for kids and teens--the first half of May, 2011 edition

Lots of good books coming out this first half of May!!! So many I can't pick just one or two to lust after....pretty overwhelming, but in a good way.

As usual, my information comes from the Teens Read Too website, and the blurbs are from Amazon, Goodreads, the publishers, etc. I haven't read all these books, so sometimes I'm guessing about whether a book is sci fi/fantasy or not--please let me know if I've made a mistake, or left a new release out.

(I'm giving up on pictures, for the moment at least--too much work, too little time, and blogger gives me conniptions with layout. If you think that these lists are worth nothing without pictures, let me know so that I might find it worthwhile to make the effort again in the future!)

The Books for Middle Grade Readers (9-12 years old)

ALIENS ON VACATION by Clete Barrett Smith Scrub isn’t happy about leaving Florida and his friends to summer with his crazy grandmother in “Middle-of-Nowhere,” Washington. Arriving at her Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast, he isn’t surprised by its the-60’s-meets-Star-Wars décor, but he is surprised by the weird-looking guests. It turns out that each room in the inn is an off-earth portal and his grandma the gate-keeper, allowing aliens to vacation on Earth. Grandma desperately needs Scrub’s help monitoring the visitors, shopping for cartloads of aluminum-foil for dinner, and taking rambunctious alien kids, that glow-in-the-dark and look like trees, camping. The problem is, the town sheriff, already suspicious about Granny, is a scout leader camping in the same spot. Will Scrub blow Granny’s cover, forcing the B&B to shut down for good, or will the intergalactic police have to intervene?

BETWEEN TWO ENDS by David Ward When Yeats and his parents visit his grandmother's creepy old house, Yeats reunites a pair of pirate bookends and uncovers the amazing truth: Years ago, Yeats's father traveled into The Arabian Nights with a friend, and the friend, Shari, is still stuck in the tales. Assisted by the not-always-trustworthy pirates, Yeats must navigate the unfamiliar world of the story of Shaharazad--dodging guards and tigers and the dangerous things that lurk in the margins of the stories--in order to save Shari and bring peace to his family.

THE CHALICE OF IMMORTALITY: MAGICKEEPERS by Erica Kirov "Harry Houdini stole it from his best friend. Shakespeare used it to kill Macbeth. And it's the secret to Rasputin's terrifying existence.

The Chalice of Immortality has been missing for nearly a hundred years. Nick Rostov has only a few days to find it-or his father will die. What would you do for a goblet with the power to control life and death?"

FALCON QUINN AND THE CRIMSON VAPOR by Jennifer Finney Boylan "Falcon Quinn survived the first term at the Academy for Monsters along with his monstrous friends Max, Pearl, Mortia, and the rest. He has finally discovered his monster nature and is working hard to embrace it. But what does it mean to be an Angel, exactly? Having wings is great, when Falcon can remember to use them, but with parents who are the leaders of two warring groups—the monsters and the guardians—Falcon still feels torn in half.

When his monster friends begin to doubt his loyalty to the monster world and his only option is flight to Guardian Island, where his mother rules and he is a prince, he'll see the guardians as well as his monster friends in a whole new light. He will also have to decide if Jonny Frankenstein can be trusted and find a way to save his friend Megan from her imprisonment on Guardian Island, not to mention find a way to stop the monsters and guardians from fighting, once and for all."

FOREST OF SECRETS: GRIM HILL by Linda DeMeulemeester "After nearly losing Sookie to a coven of witches during their student exchange to Sweden, Cat Peters has vowed to keep her sister as far from magic as possible. But when Cat and her friends are taken hostage and find themselves stranded in Headless Valley, it's clear they will need a miracle to get back home. Although they find an abandoned cabin for shelter, their supply of food and water is running out fast, their kidnappers are hot on their heels, and a sinister threat lurks in the loft of the cabin. Cat has to make an impossible choice—risk the group's chances of survival, or risk her sister, who may be able to summon help using her magical skills. But if Sookie opens the door to Fairy, what will be the cost?"

THE FRIENDSHIP DOLL by Kirby Larson "I am Miss Kanagawa. In 1927, my 57 doll-sisters and I were sent from Japan to America as Ambassadors of Friendship. Our work wasn't all peach blossoms and tea cakes. My story will take you from New York to Oregon, during the Great Depression. Though few in this tale are as fascinating as I, their stories won't be an unpleasant diversion. You will make the acquaintance of Bunny, bent on revenge; Lois, with her head in the clouds; Willie Mae, who not only awakened my heart, but broke it; and Lucy, a friend so dear, not even war could part us. I have put this tale to paper because from those 58 Friendship Dolls only 45 remain. I know that someone who chooses this book is capable of solving the mystery of the missing sisters. Perhaps that someone is you."

HAILEY TWITCH AND THE CAMPGROUND ITCH by Lauren Barnholdt "Hailey Twitch wants to have fun, fun, FUN!

Hailey has a secret. She has a friend named Maybelle that no one else can see. Hello, long weekend! Hailey is going camping with her best friend and her magical sprite. They will get to eat delicious ooey-gooey marshmallows. It will be the best weekend ever! Only one thing can ruin their fun: Maybelle's out of control magic. Can Hailey stop Maybelle from giving them itch, itch, itchy poison ivy?"

HAUNTINGS AND HEISTS: THE MYSTERIOUS FOUR by Dan Poblocki "Can you crack the case with six clues or less?

Welcome to Moon Hollow, where mystery lurks around every corner--and four kids have come together to solve crimes and puzzles big and small.

Whether they're debunking sea monsters, thwarting bullies, or revealing who threw out mom's asparagus, Viola, Sylvester, Rosie, and Woodrow will figure out the truth in six clues or less. And readers are invited to guess alongside them each step of the way.

Each book comes with an exclusive code so that readers can download a FREE copy of the e-book . . . which includes an extra mystery unavailable anywhere else!"

HORTON HALFPOTT; OR, THE FIENDISH MYSTERY OF SMUGWICK MANOR; OR, THE LOOSENING OF M'LADY LUGGERTUCK'S CORSET
by Tom Angleberger Tom Angleberger's latest, loopiest middle-grade novel begins when M'Lady Luggertuck loosens her corset (it's never been loosened before!), thereby setting off a chain of events in which all the strict rules of Smugwick Manor are abandoned. When, as a result of "the Loosening," the precious family heirloom, the Luggertuck Lump (quite literally a lump), goes missing, the Luggertucks look for someone to blame. Is it Horton Halfpott, the good-natured but lowly kitchen boy who can't tell a lie? Or one of the many colorful cast members in this silly romp of a mystery.

I SO DON'T DO FAMOUS by Barrie Summy "Having a boyfriend in eighth grade makes me kind of a celebrity at school. I'm also known throughout the spirit world--I've helped my ghost mom solve some tough cases. And now I'm on my biggest one of all . . . in Hollywood!
Everyone is so famous here. But there's no time for stargazing. Somehow I managed to stumble upon a mystery right on Hollywood Boulevard. Homes of young celebs are being burglarized, and it's up to me to figure out who's behind the million dollar crimes--and prove it to the Beverly Hills police. And to complicate things? The ghost of a teen star is dying to help me. One thing you never hear in the land of glitz & glamour? I so don't do famous."

JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW by Nathan Bransford "Jacob Wonderbar is used to detentions, but when a spaceship crashes near his house, he finds himself in a whole new level of trouble. After swapping a corn dog for the ship, he and his two best friends, Sarah Daisy and Dexter, take off on a madcap adventure. They accidentally cause an epic explosion, get kidnapped by a space pirate, and are marooned on planets like Numonia and Paisley, where the air smells like burp breath and revenge-hungry substitute teachers rule. And that's only the beginning . . . It turns out that there's an entire colony of space humans, and Jacob's long-lost father just might be one of them.

The first book in debut author Nathan Bransford's hilarious space adventure series has dynamite friendships, peculiar planets, and nonstop action. You'll never look at the stars the same way!"

JAKE RANSOM AND THE HOWLING SPHINX by James Rollins "Using his father's watch as a key, Jake intends to return to Calypsos. Instead he's thrust into a strange desert land where he's joined by his friends Marika, Pindor, and Bach'uuk and his sister, Kady. As they try to figure out what to do next, a surprise attack by the beautiful young Princess Nefertiti takes them all captive.

Soon even she is battling the Skull King's minions. For Jake has something the Skull King wants—a prize that will give its owner awesome power, including control of the fearsome Howling Sphinx. In a new pounding adventure, Jake races against time to outfight and outwit Kalverum Rex, knowing that if the Skull King wins, he'll be unstoppable."

LILU'S BOOK: THE FAIRY GODMOTHER ACADEMY by Jan Bozarth "When Lilu Hart wakes to discover herself in Aventurine—the place where girls train to become fairy godmothers, keepers of the earth and all its inhabitants—her mission is to travel across a dangerous marshland to the Castle on Stilts, where she has to rescue a special bird's egg before a devastating magical hurricane hits. If Lilu is to succeed, she must first master her family's talent for weaving the elements. But how can Lilu braid moonbeams? And will she be able to succeed without her twin sister's help?"

MERRY-GO-HORSES: WIND DANCERS by Sibley Miller "The Wind Dancers—Kona, Brisa, Sumatra, and Sirocco—are back with four more full-color illustrated titles sure to delight the imaginations of horse-loving little girls everywhere.

When the Wind Dancers find themselves at a county fair, they are enchanted by everything there is to see (from the show jumping horses to the English pleasure rides) and do (riding horses that, astonishingly, look just like them). Carousel rides, anyone?"

THE MIDNIGHT GATE by Helen Stringer "It’s been two months since Belladonna Johnson discovered she was the Spellbinder, and she’s full of questions about her powers. When a ghost finds Belladonna and her classmate, Steve, and gives them a mysterious map, the friends don’t know if they should be looking for or hiding from the one person who holds the answers to Belladonna’s powers: the Queen of the Abyss. Throw into the mix that Belladonna’s parents, who are ghosts, have disappeared and that her brand-new and maybe even sinister foster family seems to know more than they’ll let on, and you have a sequel made of high adventure and intrigue, seasoned with affecting characters and topped with a dollop of wit."

NO PLACE LIKE HOLMES by Jason Lethcoe "When Griffin is sent to stay with his detective uncle at 221A Baker Street for the summer, he is certain that his uncle must be the great Sherlock Holmes! But Griffin is disappointed to discover that Holmes lives at 221B Baker Street and his uncle lives unit 221A. His uncle is a detective, just not a very good one. But when Griffin meets a woman with a case that Holmes has turned away for being too ridiculous, he and his uncle team up to help her. Along the way, Griffin shows his uncle just what it means to have true faith in God, even when the case challenges that. The woman claims that her husband was eaten by the Loch Ness Monster, but monsters aren't real-or are they?"

NOAH BARLEYWATER RUNS AWAY by John Boyne "Eight-year-old Noah's problems seem easier to deal with if he doesn't think about them. So he runs away, taking an untrodden path through the forest.

Before long, he comes across a shop. But this is no ordinary shop: it's a toyshop, full of the most amazing toys, and brimming with the most wonderful magic. And here Noah meets a very unusual toymaker. The toymaker has a story to tell, and it's a story of adventure and wonder and broken promises. He takes Noah on a journey. A journey that will change his life."

QUILLBLADE: VOYAGES OF THE FLYING DRAGON by Ben Chandler "Twin brother and sister, Lenis and Missy, are slaves aboard the powerful airship Hiryu—but when the airship is stolen on its maiden voyage, they find themselves working for a captain whose noble quest seems to make no sense. Relentlessly pursued by the emperor's own airships, they fly over the perilous Wasteland, where corrupted demons lie in wait. When Lenis dreams of Apsilla, the blue dragon of the east, the captain decides to help the twins find Apsilla's daughter. The survival of the last totem may be their only hope—but will they find Apsilla's egg in time, or will their enemies find them first?"

THE RELIC HUNTERS: GREY GRIFFINS, THE CLOCKWORK CHRONICLES
by Derek Benz & J. S. Lewis "In just one semester at Iron Bridge Academy, The Grey Griffins have already had quite an education-clockwork robots, students with super powers, and a hidden land beyond our world where mystical creatures and incredible inventions exist. But as second semester begins, their friendship is put to the test-Max, Ernie, Natalia, and Harley are growing apart. When their arch nemesis Otto Von Strife reemerges with another evil plan, the Griffins must learn to set aside their differences and reunite to save the world. And each other."

THE ROGUE CREW: A TALE OF REDWALL by Brian Jacques "Redwall Abbey has never seen a creature more evil or more hideous than Razzid Wearat. Captain of the Greenshroud, a ship with wheels that can sail through water as well as the forest, this beast is a terror of both land and sea, traveling Mossflower Country, killing nearly everything-and everyone- in his path. And his goal? To conquer Redwall Abbey.

From Salamandastron to the High North Coast, the brave hares of the Long Patrol team up with the fearless sea otters of the Rogue Crew to form a pack so tough, so rough, only they can defend the abbey and defeat Razzid Wearat once and for all."

SEVEN SORCERERS by Caro King "Nin Redfern wakes up one Wednesday to
discover that her little brother, Toby, has vanished and no one -- not her mother, not her grandparents -- can remember him. Only Nin can, and she's going to get him back. But when Bogeyman Skerridge (who always gets his child) comes for Nin too, she realizes that finding Toby is going to be a lot harder then she thought. Toby is trapped in the House of Strood, which is located in another land called The Drift, and Skerridge can't -- or won't -- help her find him. Left with no choice, Nin heads into The Drift with her new friend Jonas. The Drift is filled with the fabulous and the terrible, but a plague is slowly killing all the magical things. The Seven Sorcerers who ruled there might have been able to prevent it, but in the end, even they have succumbed. Can Nin find Toby before he falls victim to a terrible fate in the House of Strood and before the plague makes it impossible for them to get home? Can she and Jonas avoid the tombfolk, mud men, and various creatures who want to stop them? And what is the secret of the Seven Sorcerers?"

SMELLS LIKE TREASURE by Suzanne Selfors "When Homer Pudding receives a mysterious note emblazoned with the letters L.O.S.T., he knows the moment he has been waiting for has arrived. It is time to meet the society of Legends, Objects, Secrets, and Treasures, take his Uncle's place, and become a true adventurer.

With his best friend, Dog, at his side, everything seems to be going as planned...until an unexpected opponent challenges Homer's spot, and they are tasked with a dangerous quest. Only the one who can solve the clues and reach the treasure first will be given membership.

Homer is counting on Dog's hidden ability to smell treasure to help him along the way -- but someone is trying to hinder his quest and keep him out of L.O.S.T. And who is plotting to steal Dog? From the sleepy goat fields of Milkydale to fantastical mansions and hidden islands, Dog and Homer are off on another page-turning adventure!"

A TALE OF TWO CASTLES by Gail Carson Levine "Newly arrived in the town of Two Castles, Elodie unexpectedly becomes the assistant to a brilliant dragon named Meenore, and together they solve mysteries. Their most important case concerns the town’s shape-shifting ogre, Count Jonty Um: Someone is plotting against him. Elodie must disguise herself to discover the source of the threat amid a cast of characters that includes a greedy king, a giddy princess, and a handsome cat trainer."

THE THRONE OF FIRE: THE KANE CHRONICLES by Rick Riordan "In this exciting second installment of the three-book series, Carter and Sadie, offspring of the brilliant Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane, embark on a worldwide search for the Book of Ra, but the House of Life and the gods of chaos are determined to stop them."

TILL DEATH DO US BARK: 43 OLD CEMETERY ROAD by Kate Klise "When a dog arrives at Spence Mansion, Seymour is overjoyed. His adoptive parents, Ignatius B. Grumply and Olive C. Spence, are less enthusiastic—especially when Secret, the dog, begins barking all night long. Is it possible Secret just misses his old companion, the late Noah Breth, whose children are fighting like cats and dogs over their father’s money? Or does Secret have a secret that, in the end, will make the entire town of Ghastly howl with delight?

This third book in the 43 Old Cemetery Road series, a runaway mystery told in letters, limericks, a last will, and loose change, is guaranteed to please anyone who’s ever tried to keep a secret."

TROUBLETWISTERS by Garth Nix & Sean Williams "A spectacular new middle-grade fantasy series from NYT bestselling authors Garth Nix and Sean Williams, in which two twins find that they must act as wards against a threatening evil.

The Evil has been trying to break into our dimension and dominate the earth for centuries. Unbeknownst to most of us, there are Wardens all over the globe, who protect humanity from the Evil that asserts itself at the Portals, which are the only places through which the Evil may pass into our world.

Jaide and Jack Shield don't know that the world is under attack. They don't know that their dad and their Grandma X, who they move in with, are Wardens, or that they themselves are troubletwisters, young Wardens just coming into their powers."



Young Adult books (for teenagers)


AFTER MIDNIGHT: THE YOUNGBLOODS by Lynn Viehl "Ever since the death of their parents, Catlyn Youngblood and her two older brothers have shared a nomadic existence, always moving from place to place. When they at last settle for good in the sleepy backwoods town of Lost Lake, Florida, Cat thinks she might finally have a normal life. While riding her horse late one night, Cat meets an enigmatic boy named Jesse Raven. Even more strange than her overpowering attraction to him is Jesse's apparent aversion to daylight. Only under the cover of darkness can they meet. As Cat and Jesse's bond grows stronger, Cat discovers an incredible secret about the Ravens' and her own family's pasts—a secret that could destroy their love. Their families, knowing the truth, conspire to keep them apart. But Cat and Jesse will risk everything to be together . . . including death."

ALMOST FINAL CURTAIN: A VAMPIRE PRINCESS NOVEL by Tate Hallaway "Ever since high school student Anastasija Parker discovered she was vampire royalty, her life has been sort of crazy. The half-vampire- half-witch just wants some normalcy, and trying out for the spring musical seems like the perfect fix.

But when the ancient talisman that stands between vampire freedom and slavery to witches is stolen, Ana has to skip rehersal and track down the dangerous artifact before someone uses it to make this year's curtain call her last..."

ANGEL KISS by Laura Jane Cassidy "Jacki King is fifteen and adjusting to her new life in a small village. She’s missing Dublin but she’s making new friends: artistic Colin, feisty Emily – and Nick, gorgeous yet unavailable.

But no sooner is Jacki settled than the torturous headaches and nightmares begin – followed by strange visions, voices and signs…Jacki refuses to believe that something paranormal is happening. But then she discovers the unsolved murder that occurred in the village years before . . ."

BEHIND THE GATES: TOMORROW GIRLS by Eva Gray "In a terrifying future world, four girls must depend on each other if they want to survive.

Louisa is nervous about being sent away to a boarding school -- but she’s excited, too. And she has her best friend, Maddie, to keep her company. The girls have to pretend to be twin sisters, which Louisa thinks just adds to the adventure!

Country Manor School isn’t all excitement, though. Louisa isn’t sure how she feels about her new roommates: athletic but snobby Rosie and everything’s-a-conspiracy Evelyn. Even Maddie seems different away from home, quiet and worried all the time.

Still, Louisa loves CMS -- the survival skills classes, the fresh air. She doesn’t even miss not having a TV, or the internet, or any contact with home. It’s for their own safety, after all.

Or is it?"

BITE CLUB: THE MORGANVILLE VAMPIRES by Rachel Caine "After discovering that vampires populate her town, college student Claire Danvers knows that the undead just want to live their lives. But someone else wants them to get ready to rumble.

There's a new extreme sport getting picked up on the Internet: bare- knuckle fights pitting captured vampires against each other-or humans. Tracking the remote signal leads Claire- accompanied by her friends and frenemies-to discover that what started as an online brawl will soon threaten everyone in Morganville.."

CAPTURED: THE DIVIDED REALMS by Maggie L. Wood "Fifteen-year-old Willow Kingswell has been listening to her Nana's tales of faeries and enchanted kingdoms for as long as she can remember. But when she is magically transported to the realm of Mistolear, she is stunned to learn that the stories were true, and that she is actually a princess. Suddenly, Willow has to fit into a royal family she didn't know she had, deal with customs she doesn't understand and sort out her feelings for Brand, the handsome knight who has sworn to protect her.

On top of everything, she may also be the key to saving Mistolear from a terrifying spell. The nefarious faerie prince Nezeral has pitted two kingdoms against each other in a life-or-death chess match, in which people are the game pieces. As a pawn, Willow now glows with the light of the game and must find the courage and cleverness to battle Nezeral before her loved ones fall. Could a meager pawn really be the most powerful piece on the board?"

THE CELLAR by A.J. Whitten "Meredith Willis is suspicious of Adrien, the new guy next door. When she dares to sneak a look into the windows of his house, she sees something in the cellar that makes her believe that Adrien might be more than just a creep—he may be an actual monster.

But her sister, Heather, doesn’t share Meredith’s repulsion. Heather believes Adrien is the only guy who really understands her. In fact, she may be falling in love with him. When Adrien and Heather are cast as the leads in the school production of Romeo and Juliet, to Heather, it feels like fate. To Meredith, it feels like a bad omen. But if she tries to tear the couple apart, she could end up in the last place she’d ever want to be: the cellar. Can Meredith convince her sister that she’s dating the living dead before it’s too late for both of
them?"

THE CRAVING: THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, STEFAN'S DIARIES by L.J. Smith "After his brother, Damon Salvatore, betrays him in New Orleans, Stefan starts over in Manhattan. Vowing never to harm another human, he roams the streets, trying to disappear into the city’s chaos. But just when he thinks he’s left his past behind, Stefan discovers that he can never escape his brother. Damon has grand plans for the vampire Salvatore brothers—whether Stefan likes it or not. Together, they take New York by storm. When their exploits end up on the society pages, an old enemy resurfaces—one hell-bent on revenge."

THE DARKENING: THE DIVIDED REALMS by Maggie L. Wood "Life is returning to normal since Willow defeated the faerie prince who had ensnared Mistolear in a deadly game. She is refining her skills at Mage School and spending time with her new friends, especially Brand, the handsome knight who has sworn to protect her. Unfortunately, he also drives her mad with his old-fashioned rules about "proper courtship."

The peace does not last, however, as a misstep in Clarion dooms Willow to play another twisted faerie game. If she loses, faeries will once again be free to wreak havoc in the realms of Mistolear and Earth. The Game Master, King Jarlath of the Unseelie Court, throws Willow and Brand into the Goblin's Gauntlet where goblins, phookas and a host of bloodthirsty creatures are on the hunt. In a surprising move, Jarlath sends his own children into the game as well. Dacia, the female twin, is ruthless and cunning. Theon, the male, is clever, flirtatious and, like all faeries, devastatingly beautiful. Willow struggles to resist Theon's charm, while Brand's jealousy simmers—but with the fate of two realms hanging in the balance, both must push their emotions aside. Can Willow and Brand trust the faerie siblings, or is there more than one game being played?"

DAWNBRINGER: FORGOTTEN REALMS by Samantha Henderson "Battle the forces of darkness in the Forgotten Realms®

Two angels given mortal flesh are sent to guard two star-crossed lovers, born scions of rival merchant houses. At first, it looks as though love will conquer all, and the rift will finally be mended. But there are those who hate the word peace with a passion so much that it poisons everything they touch, corrupting house to turn against house, mother to turn against child, and angel to turn against angel."

Dawnbringer is the perfect meld between classic and contemporary fantasy, with shades of Romeo and Juliet, told from the perspective of guardian angels, in a world where sorcery and monsters are commonplace.

DEAD IS NOT AN OPTION by Marlene Perez "It’s springtime of senior year, and psychic sleuth Daisy Giordano is preparing to say goodbye to Nightshade High. But no college acceptance letters have arrived yet, and she’s beginning to worry about where she’ll end up come fall—and if it will be anywhere near her boyfriend, Ryan. But that’s not the only uncertainty Daisy’s dealing with. There’s a vamps-versus-shifters war going on in Nightshade, and things are so tense that there is talk of canceling the prom. The conflict is carrying over to the Giordano home, since Rose and Daisy are both dating werewolves and Poppy’s new boyfriend is a vampire.

Can the paranormal community in Nightshade finally find peace? And will Daisy and her friends survive graduation? All of these questions and more are answered in the latest explosive installment in the Dead Is series."

DIE FOR ME by Amy Plum "In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again."

THE DISCOVERY: GHOST HUNTRESS by Marley Gibson "After some time off, Kendall’s ready to begin ghost hunting again. But her life is still in flux. She misses Patrick, her new love. She needs to find a photographer to replace Taylor. Plus, she may have discovered who her real father is, but to be sure, she has to convince his family she’s not a fake. And then there’s a certain doll that seems to be out to get her and her friends. A doll? How could that be? Unless, perhaps, it’s not just a doll. Maybe it’s a vessel containing the soul of a man so evil in life, not even death could stop his reign of terror. This could be Kendall’s most terrifying and deadliest encounter yet."

DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth "In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her."

EVERFOUND: SKINJACKER by Neal Shusterman "While Mary lies in a glass coffin aboard a ghost train heading west, her minions are awaiting her re-awakening by bringing lots of new souls into Everlost to serve her. Meanwhile Jackin’ Jill has met Jix, a fur-jacker—a skin jacker who can take over the bodies of animals, most notably jaguars. Jix serves a Mayan god who collects Everlost coins, and has his own agenda. In the concluding volume of The Skinjacker Trilogy, Neal Shusterman reveals new sides of the characters of Everlost, who are pitted against each other in a battle that may destroy all life on Earth."

THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING by Catherynne M. Valente "Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday. With exquisite illustrations by acclaimed artist Ana Juan, Fairyland lives up to the sensation it created when the author first posted it online."

THE FORGOTTEN LOCKET: THE HOURGLASS DOOR by Lisa Mangum "The future is uncertain. The battle to control the past has begun. The final book in the riveting Hourglass Door trilogy begins when Abby steps through the black door, and she doesn t dare look back. Though it means leaving Dante wounded, bleeding, and possibly blind she knows it is the only way to save her family and stop Zo from manipulating the river of time and throwing the future into chaos. In the end, Abby must face a final confrontation that will take her to the very origins of the hourglass door."

GETH AND THE RETURN OF THE LITHENS: BEYOND FOO by Obert Skye Book one in a new unFOOgettable trilogy! Geth has existed for hundreds of years. In Foo, the realm that allows us to hope, imagine, and dream, Geth is one of the strongest and most respected beings, a powerful and wise lithen. At the conclusion of the Leven Thumps series, the realm of Foo has once again found balance dreams can thrive and grow. With things in order, Geth and Clover set off to find a new adventure that leads beyond the guarded border of Foo and into an unknown land where dreams have been trapped and freedom has been crushed. Geth, always a defender of fate and truth, takes readers on a page-turning quest with many life lessons to be learned. What we want is often buried in what we fear. Geth I d like to imagine a world where there is nothing but happiness and purring, but I m not sure there d be much to cheer about if every day was nothing but sunshine and success. I suppose you can never know the good if you ve never been visited by the bad. Obert Skye, Geth and the Return of the Lithens."

ILLUSIONS by Aprilynne Pike "I don't do patrols, I don't go hunting, I just stick close to you. You live your life. I'll keep you safe," Tamani said, sweeping a lock of hair from her face. "Or die trying."

Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice. But just as life returns to normal, Laurel realizes that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail."

JANE JONES: WORST. VAMPIRE. EVER. by Caissie St. Onge "For Jane Jones, being a vampire is nothing like you read about in books. In fact, it kind of sucks. She's not beautiful, she's not rich, and she doesn't "sparkle." She's just an average, slightly nerdy girl from an ordinary suburban family (who happens to be vampires.) Jane's from the wrong side of the tracks (not to mention stuck in the world's longest awkward phase), so she doesn't fit in with the cool vampire kids at school or with the humans kids. To top it all off, she's battling an overprotective mom, a clique of high school mean girls (the kind who really do have fangs), and the most embarrassing allergy in the history of the undead, she's blood intolerant. So no one's more surprised than Jane when for the first time in her life, things start to heat up (as much as they can for a walking corpse, anyway) with not one, but two boys. Eli's a geeky, but cute real-live boy in her history class, and Timothy is a beautiful, brooding bloodsucker, who might just hold the key to a possible "cure" for vampirism. Facing an eternity of high school pressure, fumbling first dates, or a mere lifetime together with Timothy, what's a 90-something year-old teen vampire to do?"

THE MAGNOLIA LEAGUE by Katie Crouch "When her free-spirited mother dies in a tragic accident, sixteen-year-old Alexandria Lee is forced to leave her West Coast home and move in with a wealthy grandmother she's never known in Savannah, Georgia. By birth, Alex is a rightful if unwilling member of the Magnolia League-Savannah's long-standing debutante society. But white gloves and silk gowns are a far cry from the vintage t-shirts and torn jeans shorts she's used to.

Alex is the first in decades to question the Magnolia League's intentions, yet even she becomes entangled in their seductive world. The members enjoy youth, beauty and power...but at what cost? As Alex discovers a pact between the Magnolias and the Buzzards, a legendary hoodoo family, she discovers secrets-some deadly-hidden beneath the glossy Southern veneer."

THE NONSUCH KING: THE BAD TUESDAYS by Benjamin J. Myers "Splinter Tuesday is hungry for power, and he has a daring plan to get it - if he can stay alive! His brother, Box, is fighting for his life on a distant planet. His sister, Chess, is learning to walk between the worlds. Only then will she be ready to take on the evil Twisted Symmetry - and win. But the Twisted Symmetry has plans of its own. Time is running out. Splinter, Box and Chess have never been in more danger."

THE RAVEN: SKELETON CREEK by Patrick Carman "Part text, part video, all spine-tingling mystery. Patrick Carman's Skeleton Creek returns to thrill.

Strange things happen in Skeleton Creek - and when they do, Ryan writes them down and Sarah captures them on video. They've solved old mysteries. They've followed clues all over the country and underground. They've investigated secret societies. They've found their answers.

Or so they thought. Because there are still some secrets that Ryan and Sarah haven't uncovered yet. And there's still a shadowy figure standing in their path...someone who doesn't want Ryan and Sarah digging up any more of the past."

THE ROAD'S END: ELF REALM by Daniel Kirk "In this action-filled conclusion to the Elf Realm trilogy, Matt, Tuava-Li, and Tomtar must reach the fabled elfin city of Hunaland at the North Pole. There they will plant the seed that will cause the Tree of Adri to grow anew and strengthen the invisible walls that separate the elfin world from the human.

Meanwhile, Jardaine and Nick the troll have tricked Becky into joining them to supposedly rescue Matt from danger. In reality they wish to plant the Seed of Adri themselves, sacrifice Becky, and claim the glory and rewards from the elfin gods.

It is a fast-paced race to get to the North Pole first and plant the seed, but unexpected horrors await whoever journeys beyond the Gates of Vattar, where the fading tree grows and where the new seed must be relinquished. Who will get there first? Readers will eagerly seek to discover if Matt and Becky save the world from impending doom and destruction and forever separate the human world from the elf realm for the safety of them all."

THE ROYAL TREATMENT: PRINCESS FOR HIRE by Lindsey Leavitt "Desi Bascomb's job as a princess substitute has gotten a whole lot more glamorous now that she's advanced to Level 2 within the Facade Agency. Magical make-up, roller-skating celebrities, and the chance to see Prince Karl again are just some of the major perks. Not to mention, she's landed the role of Fairy Queen in her school's production of Midsummer's Night Dream (opposite her best friend's crush. Which is a little weird, but at least he wears a donkey head during their kissing scene). Life should be perfect, but Desi can't seem to shake the feeling that there is more going on with the agency's magic than she's told. Like why is this mind-bending power exclusive to royals? Is it possible that there could be a bigger way to make an impact in both parts of her life?"

RUBY RED by Kerstin Gier "Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust."

SIDEKICKS by Jack D. Ferraiolo "Batman has Robin, Wonder Woman has Wonder Girl, and Phantom Justice has Bright Boy, a.k.a. Scott Hutchinson, an ordinary schoolkid by day and a superfast, superstrong sidekick by night, fighting loyally next to his hero.

But after an embarrassing incident involving his too-tight spandex costume, plus some signs that Phantom Justice may not be the good guy he pretends to be, Scott begins to question his role. With the help of a fellow sidekick, once his nemesis, Scott must decide if growing up means being loyal or stepping boldly to the center of things."

SHIFT: SHADE by Jeri Smith-Ready "Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart."

TEMPEST RISING by Tracy Deebs "Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance."

TIGHTER by Adele Griffin "When 17-year-old Jamie arrives on the idyllic New England island of Little Bly to work as a summer au pair, she is stunned to learn of the horror that precedes her. Seeking the truth surrounding a young couple's tragic deaths, Jamie discovers that she herself looks shockingly like the dead girl—and that she has a disturbing ability to sense the two ghosts. Why is Jamie's connection to the couple so intense? What really happened last summer at Little Bly? As the secrets of the house wrap tighter and tighter around her, Jamie must navigate the increasingly blurred divide between the worlds of the living and the dead."

THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: PARANORMAL

by David Borgenicht & Ben H. Winters On hit TV shows, in best-selling books, blockbuster films, video games, and comics, pop culture has been overrun by hordes of vampires, zombies, werewolves, ghosts, wizards, and other paranormal creatures. Luckily, the authors of the Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook series are back with all-new, expert advice designed to help readers fend off the furry, fanged, freaky, and frightful. This classic handbook format is packed with new illustrated instructions for crucial scenarios ranging from the domestic (How to Host a Cocktail Party When Your House is Haunted) to the scary (How to Survive a Zombie Attack in the First Day, First Week, and Long Term) to the practical (How to Break Up with a Vampire).

ZOMBIES DON'T CRY: A LIVING DEAD LOVE STORY by Rusty Fischer "In the sleepy small town of Barracuda Bay, Maddy Swift leads the life of a fairly typical teenager, but while attending a party one night, Maddy is struck by lightning and awakens to realize she has been reanimated and turned into a zombie. While becoming acquainted with her new "lifestyle," Maddy stumbles upon two unexpected undead chaperones, fellow students Dane and Chloe, who begin to teach her the ways of zombie life, including defending the populace from Zerkers—the bad zombies. Together, on prom night, the three teens must ultimately defend Barracuda Bay High from an all-out zombie Armageddon."

Psychiatric Tales, by Darryl Cunningham, for Non-Fiction Monday

After reading a review at Comics Worth Reading, I added Psychiatric Tales, by Darryl Cunningham, to my (too long) list of library books. I am fascinated by explorations of the workings (and not working) of the mind, and very much wanted to see for myself Cunningham's exploration of mental illness, presented in graphic novel form.

Front and center, Cunningham makes it clear that he has a purpose in creating his book--it "is intended to be a stigma-busting book. This is needed because fear and ignorance of mental illness remain widespread in society" (page ix). In his compassionate portrayals of those suffering from various forms of mental illness, he succeeds in making the point that victims of these illnesses remain People, that they can (sometimes) be helped through medical care, and that they are not to blame for the symptoms of their illness.

All but one of the eleven stories that comprise this book stem from Cunnigham's experiences training to be a mental health nurse; the exception is the author's look at his own struggle with mental illness. Dementia, self-harm, depression, anti-social personality disorder, suicide, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia are covered in accounts of the author's experience working with people affected by these. His stories aren't at an Oliver Sachs-ian level of intricate detail, but enough is there to makes it possible to feel the fundamental humanity of each of the people one encounters here. A chapter on people with mental illness who have enriched our lives underscores this point.

Most powerful, though, is the final chapter of the book, in which the author shares his story of crippling anxiety and depression, in which suicide seemed like a very tempting alternative to a life of hopeless darkness. Thankfully Cunningham (with the help of Prozac and the Internet) was able to find hope again, in large part through the creation of this book. Fusing his talent for art with his hard-earned knowledge of mental illness, he has created something of value.

Although Psychiatric Tales wasn't written with a Young Adult audience in mind, I think this is one that deserves to be widely read by that demographic. What people understand they are less likely to fear, and mental illness, with all its various stigmas, is still poorly understood by too many of us. Teens, in particular, are (I think) at a point in their lives when they are trying to Make Sense of things, and a book like this, that presents a difficult topic in a very accessible way, can serve as a useful introduction to the different forms mental illness can take. It is a message-heavy book, but that works in its favor when it's considered as such an introduction.

Also of particular interest to teenagers, wondering what path they might following in their own lives, is that this is a book about finding one's career. It is a look at what the life of a mental health nurse is like--the gritty, down-right revolting things one must deal with, and the stigma that's associated with this branch of the health care profession--psychiatric nurses are, in Cunningham's experience, looked down on by others in the nursing profession. It's also a career book about becoming a professional artist and graphic novel author--in particular, how the Internet helped Cunningham launch his own career.

There isn't any "adult content" viz sex and language here, but some things are very terrible. I read parts of the book with my ten-year-old, who is keenly interested in the topic. With me to explain, and soothe, and elaborate (and skip some things that I thought were too much for him to take), it worked for him.

Though there are sad and deeply disturbing things in this book, the ultimate message is one of hope.

(I feel totally unqualified to talk about the graphics...suffice it to say that I, who have trouble reading graphic novels, found that the images enhanced the words, as opposed to distracting me from them).

Other reviews, besides the one linked to at the beginning, can be found at PsychCentral, Ich Liebe Comics, Sound Therapy Radio, The Sleepless Bookworm, and Of Books and Reading.

Coincidentally (I'm incapable of actual Planning) May is National Mental Health Month! (it is a wide variety of other health related things too--you can find the whole list here. It's fascinating. I think I will celebrate Mediterranean Diet Month, and make my usual half-hearted effort viz Employee Fitness Month).

And finally, the non-fiction Monday round-up is at Jean Little Library today.

5/1/11

This Sunday's middle grade fantasy and science fiction round-up

I am back from my conference, and here's this week's round-up of the posts I found in my blog reading that are relevant to middle grade science fiction and fantasy (middle grade being books written for kids 9-12). Please let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews:

The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True, by Gerald Morris, at There's a Book

Alanna, by Tamora Pierce, leads a list of books that defy stereotypes over at Great Kid Books

The Celestial Globe, by Marie Rutkoski, at Beyond Books

The Children of Green Knowe, by L. M. Boston, at Strange and Random Happenstance

The Dead Boys, by Royce Buckingham, at Library Chicken

Dragonbreath: Curse of the Were-Weiner, by Ursula Vernon, at Back to Books

Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster, by Ursula Vernon, at Back to Books

The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens, at Eva's Book Addiction

The Hound of Rowan, by Henry H. Neff, at Book Dreaming

In the Land of the Silver Apples, by Nancy Farmer, at Becky's Book Reviews

The Lost Hero, by Rick Riordan, at Boys Rule Boys Read!

Just in Time, Abraham Lincoln, by Patricia Polacco, at The Fourth Musketeer

The Ropemaker, by Peter Dickinson, at Becky's Book Reviews

The Rotten Adventures of Zachary Ruthless, by Allan Woodrow, at Middle Grade Ninja

A Tale Dark and Grimm, by Adam Gidwitz, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

And over at Book Aunt, Kate Coombs has a long and toothsome list of Spring Boy Books, including some mg sff.

Interviews and authors:

Andrew Peters (Ravenwood) talks about building a fictional world at Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

An interview with Kelly Murphy (illustrator of the Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, series) at The Enchanted Inkpot

Other Good Stuff:

Did you know the first book of the Spook's Apprentice series is being made into a movie? Here are some details.

On May 12, I hope to be at the Cambridge Public Library for the Diversity in YA tour stop. The mind-blowing line up is as follows: Holly Black, Sarah Rees Brennan, Deva Fagan, Malinda Lo, Cindy Pon, and Francisco X. Stork (anyone else going? Anyone who maybe wants to meet up before hand?)

Back in February, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin, has been chosen as the first ever Kids Reading Across Rhode Island book. To kick things off, Grace will be visiting the Rhode Island State House on Saturday, May 14th, from 12 to 3. I'm going to try to go, with my eldest boy--anyone else?

Watch this space for this Sunday's mg sff round up

Thanks for stopping by!

I am off at a conference, getting back later today, so the round up won't be up until late afternoon/early evening.

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