The Haunting of Nathaniel Wolfe, by Brian Keaney

The Haunting of Nathaniel Wolfe, by Brian Keaney (Hodder & Stoughton, April 1, 2012, middle grade, 240 pages).

On a smoky, foggy, fetid March evening in Victorian London, young Nathaniel is engaged in his usual occupation--selling tickets to his father's show, one that promises that the dead will speak from beyond the grave. The audience is desperate to receive news of their departed loved ones (or not so loved ones), but Nathaniel knows it's all trickery. But even though his father spends the bulk of the money drinking, at least it keeps a roof over their heads....

But then the unexpected happens.

"Up there on the stage beside his father was a shadow, a shape, blurred at first but becoming clearer with every passing moment until finally he was looking at the figure of a woman, dressed in a long white robe. Her eyes were the palest blue and they were fixed directly on him. With every fibre of his being he knew her for what she was: a ghost."

And so Nathaniel finds himself unwilling drawn into a dark mystery as he tries to find out just what this ghost wants....and how she died.

He's not alone in his quest--a new friend named Lily, a plucky servant girl, has her own part to play in solving the mystery. But as Lily and Nathaniel come closer to figuring out what happened to the dead woman, their own lives become at risk. Murderers don't always stop at just one victim....

This was a very satisfying murder mystery for young readers--I guessed a key aspect of the plot early (because of having read the right Dorothy Sayers) but that didn't keep me from being enthralled by Nathaniel and Lily's adventures. Although my credulity was a tad stretched toward the end, when Queen Victoria made an appearance, the mystery itself unfolded very nicely, and I was quite anxious on behalf of Nathaniel and Lily. Nathaniel in particular is a character for whom I found it easy to care--his life is of neglect and poverty, yet he manages to keep going bravely (without being annoyingly Plucky) .

The book might perhaps be hard sell for young readers who aren't drawn to historical fiction, but once the ghost starts haunting Nathaniel in earnest, the pace picks up. I think it's one where the cover will do a good job of sorting out the readers who will like it from those that won't, in as much at it's a cover of historical, spooky atmosphere, as opposed to a cover of Exciting Adventure. It's certainly one to offer any kid looking for a good ghost story, and I'd recommend it in particular to fans of Avi's historical fiction, or perhaps, moving in the other direction, to readers of The Wolves of Whilloughby Chase, by Joan Aiken, who found the farcical fun of that book a bit over the top, but enjoyed the historical mystery.

Here's another review, at Serendipity Reviews

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

A Stitch in Time, by Penelope Lively, for Timeslip Tuesday

Penelope Lively began her career as a writer for children, with the publication of Astercote (my review) in 1970. She continued to write for children up to the end of the 20th century, before turning entirely to adult books in the 21st. This, to my mind, is a shame, because her children's books are awfully good! Not least among them is today's Timeslip Tuesday book, A Stitch in Time (1976).

Maria is the dreamy only child of distant parents who make little effort to truly engage with her. They aren't bad parents--after all, they are taking her on a seaside vacation away from London to a rent house in Dorset, near the famous fossil cliffs of Lyme Regis (where Mary Anning made her discoveries). But still, Maria is used to being alone with her thoughts.

The house where Maria is staying is a Victorian period piece, and the past seems particularly close to the present. She begins to hear things that aren't there--the creak of a swing, the barking of a dog. When she sees the sampler embroidered by a Victorian girl named Harriet whose home it was, she begins to wonder, and worry, about what happened to that long gone girl...until on an expedition to the cliffs past and present collide, to give Maria a glimpse of a day long ago, when tragedy struck...or maybe not.

And in the meantime, Maria grows fascinated with fossils, and makes her first real friend--the boy staying in the house next door, who becomes her companion in exploration. As the days pass, she grows in confidence, until even her parents are forced to re-evaluate her as a person in her own right. To a large extent, the book is a character study of this lonely, intelligent girl, and it was lovely to see her change as the story progressed.

Up until the climax, which lasts only a page or two, the timeslip element is somewhat understated--more echoes of the past, than traveling to and from it. Even the pivotal scene has a dream-like quality. But the past is present enough enough so as to make this an intriguing mystery--like Maria, the reader (me at least) becomes more and more anxious for Harriet....

This isn't one for those who like Exciting Plots, but I'd say it's pretty much a must read for quite, bookish, imaginative girls, who will enjoy it lots.

I myself enjoyed it quite a bit because I've actually been to the very beach Maria so enjoyed exploring. Here are the boys and I enjoying a beautiful March day--the fossil cliffs of mudstone are (sort of) visible on the right.


I wouldn't let the boys scramble on the cliffs, which are indeed very dangerous looking, but the beach was littered with bits of the fossil-bearing mudstone, which we happily cracked open, and we came home with a number of scrappy ammonite fossils, even though we failed to find our own ichthyosaur.

And even though the weather didn't cooperate that first day, we had a lovely time, and I would love to go back someday now they are older--sadly, they were too young to really remember it.

We stayed in Charmouth, right next to the beach, at a lovely bed and breakfast called Swansmead. Here's the view of the beach from our window.
Reading A Stitch in Time, with all its lovely references to the fossils (they ever are included in the Victorian sampler that give the book its title) brought it all back...

This week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and sci fi from around the blogs

Happy Downfall of Sauron day, which subsequently was designated Tolkein Reading Day. In my own house, my younger son will find out tonight that Frodo, post-Shelob, is actually still alive...

And welcome to another round-up of middle grade fantasy and science fiction from around the blogs! Please let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews ("C" continues to be the letter of choice--a fine letter, if I say so who shouldn't):

Artemis the Loyal (Goddess Girls 7) by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams, at Small Review

Bless This Mouse, by Lois Lowry, at Becky's Book Reviews

The Cabinet of Earths, by Anne Nesbit, at books4yourkids

Castle of Shadows, by Ellen Renner, at Bookworm1858 and Charlotte's Library

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again, by Frank Cottrell Boyce, at Waking Brain Cells

Chronal Engine, by Greg Leitch Smith, at Book Moot and I Read Banned Books (giveaway)

Cold Cereal, by Adam Rex, at Guys Lit Wire

Courtney Crumrin, Vol. 1: The Night Things, by Ted Naifeh, at Finding Wonderland

Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact, by A.J. Hartley, at Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Dragon Castle, by Joseph Bruchac, at Library Chicken

Drizzle, by Kathleen Van Cleve, at Pass the Chiclets

The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens (audio book review) at Cool Kids Read

The Eyeball Collector, by F.E. Higgins, at Becky's Book Reviews

The False Prince, by Jennifer Nielsen, at Fuse #8 and Roots in Myth

Flidderbugs, by Jonathan Gould, at Books are Magic (plus interview)

Fly By Night, and Fly Trap, by Frances Hardinge, at Musings from a Modern Bluestocking

Giants Beware! by Rafael Rosado and Jorge Aguirre, at Charlotte's Library (graphic novel)

How To Slay a Dragon, by Bill Allen, at Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

The Humming Room, by Ellen Potter, at Book Ends

Icefall, by Matthew Kirby, at Fantasy Literature

Janitors, by Tylor Whitesides, at Charlotte's Library

Magical Mischief, by Anna Dale, at Ms. Yingling Reads

A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness, at Sonderbooks

Oddfellows Orphanage, by Emily Winfield Martin, at books4yourkids

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, at Waking Brain Cells

Peaceweaver, by Rebecca Barnhouse, at Random Musings of a Bibliophile and The Book Smugglers

Project Jackalope, by Emily Ecton, at Middle Grade Mafioso

The Rock of Ivanore, by Laurisa White Reyes, at So Simply Sara (also an interview)

Space Lizards Stole My Brain, by Mark Griffiths, at The Book Zone

Throne of Fire, by Rick Riordan, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

Time Snatchers, by Richard Ungar, at Charlotte's Library

Vikram and the Enchanted Seals, by Sanjiv Behera, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain, by Oldman Brook, at Review Haven

Wonder Show, by Hannah Barnaby, at A Patchwork of Books and Bookyurt

At Time Travel Times Two are The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynne Reid Banks, and Dinosaur Habitat, by Helen Griffith

Authors and Interviews

Jenny Lundquist (Seeing Cinderella) at Literary Rambles (giveaway)

Jennifer Nielsen (Elliot and the Goblin War, The False Prince) at Project Mayhem

Greg Leitich Smith (Chronal Engines) at Cynsations and DEBtastic Reads (giveaway)

Jenn Reese (Above World) at A Thousand Wrongs

Derek the Ghost (Scary School) at Geo Librarian

Maryrose Wood (The Unseen Guest--Incorrigible Children of Aston Place book 3) at Kid Lit Frenzy

Charles London (We Dine with Cannibals--An Accidental Adventure #2), at The O.W.L.

Laurisa White Reyes (The Rock of Ivanore), at So Simply Sara (also a review)

Jonathan Gould (Flidderbugs) at Books are Magic (also a review)

Other Interesting Stuff

At the Guardian, an article on the enduring appeal of Enid Blyton--her fantasy books did little for me at the time, but in retrospect have a certain charm

The Once Upon a Time VI Challenge is up and running at Stainless Steel Droppings--I've never participated because basically every book I read (72 so far this year, which is the first time I've ever managed to keep track) counts, so it's not exactly a challenge. But this year I plan to join the other children on the playground....in part because I love the magical fox mascot shown at right! (here's my list of favorite fantasy foxes).

Monica has the latest Fairy Tale News at Educating Alice, and I have a guest post up at the O.W.L. on Fantasy Classics.


And speaking of classics, here's a Narnia wardrobe in real life; if you click through, you can see the lovely Narnia playroom it leads too. (Found via 100 Scope Notes)

Janitors, by Tyler Whitesides

Janitors, by Tyler Whitesides (Shadow Mountain, 2011, middle grade, 288 pages), was nominated for the Cybils last fall...and a review copy came for me (thank you!)...and I read and enjoyed it...and am only now writing my review (hangs head). *

Here's the basic premise--schools across the world are invested by hideous, (though invisible to most eyes) supernatural beings known as Toxites that suck all goodness from the learning experience. Lethargy, indifference, distractedness--all caused by these monsters. But there is hope for the children! A brave band of magically empowered Janitors is using the ancient lore of their guild to fight the good fight against this horrible blight. At least, that the way the Janitors tell the story...

And Spencer, and ordinary boy, stumbles into this shadow world when an encounter with mysterious pink soap opens his eyes to what's really happening at school. Allied (slightly uneasily) with his goodhearted but guilable classmate Daisy, Spencer must decide if can trust Merv and the other janitors, or throw his lot in with the Beareau of Educational Maintence, the mysterious agency who seek to wrest the magic of the janitors away from them.

Things quickly escalate, and mayhem and danger ensue!

This was an interseting take on magic that felt fresh and fun, especially because the school setting is one not used very much. I appreciated the fact that the kids stumbled into things, and weren't Chosen Ones--it made it easy to relate to them and their strange situation. Spencer and Daisy never became quite fully alive to me, but I liked them well enough, and believed in them just fine. It was perhaps a tad too expository in places (lots of time is spent on explaintations), but that didn't keep me from enjoying it in a light-hearted sort of way.

Not really one I'd recommend to grown-up fans of mg fantasy, and I don't think I'll ever feel the need to re-read it myself, but with its zippy, whacky story it should appeal to young fantasy fans (I'd say fourth and fifth graders in particular) who want something with a contemporary, real-life feel to it. And if it leads to greater respect for school custodians, that's a nice added bonus!

Other reviews: Ms. Yingling Reads, ThomStratton.com, and Geo Librarian

This is just to say I have a guest post up at the O.W.L. on mg fantasy classics

Jill at the O.W.L. is having a whole month of middle grade fun. Yesterday I contribute a guest post in which I did my best to be Thoughtful on the subject of middle grade fantasy classics--here's the link.

Giants Beware! by Rafael Rosado and Jorge Aguirre

Giants Beware! by Rafael Rosado and Jorge Aguirre (First Second, April 10, 2012, ages 7 on up) is one of my favorite books of the year. It does absolutely everything that I think a graphic novel for kids should do. For starters, the day it arrived in my house both my boys (8 and 11) read and then re-read it, and have enjoyed it multiple times since then. And I myself can't think of a graphic novel for kids I've enjoyed more (yes, even more than Zita the Spacegirl).

The story starts when young Claudette learns why her small French town has a wall around it. The XXXIL Marquis de Mont Petit Pierre set out one day to kill the "Baby-Feet Eating Giant" who was terrorizing the town....but instead of slaying the giant, he came home and built the wall to keep everyone safe inside. Claudette is outraged, and, afire with heroic dreams, she decides to slay the giant herself!

She is not deterred by the fact that her father, the town's blacksmith, lost both legs and an arm in an encounter with a dragon, nor does she pay much attention to the wise words of her father's colleague, Zubair--"Most monsters can be reasoned with. They do not wish to die." (page 22). Nope, Claudette just wants to SLAY! and become a hero.

So Claudette convinces her best friend, Marie, the daughter of the current Marquis, who dreams of being a princess, and her little brother, Gaston, a rather timid child who aspires to twin careers as a sword maker and a master chef, to set out with her to find and slay the giant.

Their path to the giant's mountain is filled with magical obstacles--which are overcome thanks mainly to Marie and Gaston. But when they find that Claudette used some underhand rhetoric to convince them to come, they won't go any further. Claudette sets out through the dark and stormy night to defeat the giant alone. Until her own nerve breaks....and it's up to Marie and Gaston to convince her to take up the quest again.


And in the meantime, once the adults have realized the children are gone, they set out themselves (including Claudette and Gaston's dad, in his wheelchair). Amidst their somewhat bumbling incompetence, Zubair comes into his own as the only truly knowledgeable, powerful adult in the story.

And I'll stop summarizing right there, except to add one last little spoiler--Claudette gets the ending she wants!

The story was tremendously satisfying as a story--the introduction of the Danger, the Quest, the mischances along the way, and the final confrontation taking a pleasing twist. But what made me love this one is the characters, who defy the expectations and normative categorizations most beautifully.

Marie wants to be a princess, and Claudette, tomboy though she is, is a supportive friend, agreeing to be a lady-in-waiting. Being a princess, in this book, is a little bit about frivolous things, but Marie is not dismissed as vapid. Instead, she gets to use her intelligence to save the trio from a very sticky situation, and by the end of the book, she's considering become a diplomat. For girls who want to be heros, but like dresses, and know that sword-fighting is not a possibility, Marie is an empowering character.

Gaston is timid, and starts at shadows, but is forced to be incredibly brave to save the others--fairly standard. What is less typical is his burning interest in haute cuisine, celebrated by the other characters, combined with a longing to learn the craft of sword making at his father's side.

And as for Claudette--she is, to a large extent, the stereotypical tom-boyish girl who wants to be a warrior, but that stereotype ends up being subverted--violence is not the answer to this particular problem.

It's all summed up rather nicely in this extra strip, from the book's website:


The character who most intrigued me, though, is Zubair. At first I thought he was simply the assistant to Claudette's blacksmith dad, but by the end of the book it became clear that not only was he incredibly strong--he carried Claudette's dad's wheelchair up a mountain-- he was incredibly wise, knew more about magic and monsters than anyone else in the book, and obviously had a whole tremendously interesting back-story. And although it strays perhaps too close to the cliche of the Mysterious Exotic Other, I was pleased to see that this most puissant of all the characters was black.

The creators, in subtitling their website The Chronicles of Claudette, do suggest the possibility of other books about Claudette and co.--and indeed, even though the threat of the giant is no longer an issue, if I lived in Claudette's town, I wouldn't be in a hurry to take the wall down. There are things out there that I would be very wary of indeed....

The pictures were tremendously appealing (apart from my own dislike of boys drawn with little hair, ala Gaston), and they were clearly drawn, and worked well with the story, such that even a reader who is somewhat graphic novel challenged (ie me, because I am use to reading fast fast fast which doesn't work with pictures) found it all pleasing and easy to follow. Here's a sample:And here's an inking demo from Rafael Rosado.

Anyway, I loved it and my boys love it and I bet just about any kid of upper elementary school age would enjoy it too. In my ordering of graphic novel readers by age of reader, I'd slot it just before Zita, which in turn goes just before the Bone series, with Ghostopolis coming next (my 11 year old, reading this over my shoulder, thinks Bone would go before Zita. I think he's wrong).

Other reviews: 100 Scope Notes, Paige in Training, Musings of a Librarian, and Indie Comic Review

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

Waiting on Wednesday--Boneland, by Alan Garner

At the end of August, a book is coming out that is the most beautifully unexpected and unlooked for type of book--the continuation of a series after decades have past. Boneland, by Alan Garner, is the third book that began with The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and continued with its sequel, The Moon of Gomrath.

These are powerful, beautiful fantasy books that tell the story of what happens when two ordinary siblings, Susan and Colin, become entangled with ancient magic. My husband pretty much worships Alan Garner, and these two books, with their strong sense of the old magic of a particular piece of England (Alderley Edge) are very dear to him. But I only read The Moon of Gomrath once, which means, inveterate re-reader that I am, that I didn't love it. Why? Because of the ending, which I shan't spoil, but which left me frustrated as all get out. Deeply, deeply, unforgivably so.

Now, at last, my frustration will be ended (unless this third book ends in way that frustrates me all over again!)

Alan Garner had felt at one point that there would be a third book, as he explains in this interview from 1989 (which is absolutely must reading for anyone interested in British fantasy. Really truly must reading).

"At one stage, before beginning The Moon of Gomrath, I thought it was a trilogy. By the time I'd finished The Moon of Gomrath, however, I knew it was time for me to be moving on. There was no need for me to write that third book. But there is, lurking within The Moon of Gomrath, the idea that something else is going to happen. And there is. There's a third book, which I shall never write. I couldn't write it now if I wanted to, because it wouldn't match. One changes."

And happily, he changed again.

Lifting shamelessly from the Guardian article that alerted me to this new book:

"In Boneland, Colin is a professor who spends his days at Jodrell Bank [shown at right] "using the radio telescope to look for his lost sister in the Pleiades. At night, he is on Alderley Edge, watching", said Garner's publisher. "At the same time, and in another time, the Watcher cuts the rock and blows bulls on the stone with his blood, and dances, to keep the sky above the earth and the stars flying."

The adult Colin can remember nothing from his life before the age of 13, and afterwards he remembers everything, from every minute of every hour of every day. "Colin can't remember; and he remembers too much," said Fourth Estate. "And then, finally, a new force enters his life, a therapist who might be able to unlock what happened to him when he was 12, what happened to his sister. But Colin will have to remember quickly, to find his sister. And the Watcher will have to find the Woman. Otherwise the skies will fall, and there will be only winter, wanderers and moon …"

I'm looking forward not only to this new book, but also to the required re-reading of the first two--I wonder what I will find in them, an older and wiser (?) reader. And I can't wait to find out what an older, and doubtless wiser, Alan Garner has in store for me now.

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

Time Snatchers, by Richard Ungar, for Timeslip Tuesday

Time Snatchers, by Richard Ungar (Putnam Juvenile, March 2012, mg/ya, 384 pages).

Thirteen year old Caleb is one of a small group of orphans, collected by "Uncle" and trained to use secret time travelling technology to travel from the present (2061) into the past. There they must steal valuable cultural treasures (like the first photograph, and the first Frisbee), and replace them with replicas before time travel takes its toll on them. Three hours in the past, and you die from lack of oxygen.

At first Uncle was a kindly patron, but now he has become a megalomaniac and sadistic dictator, blinded by ambition. Punishments for failed snatches are brutal. Caleb's fellow orphan, Frank, is pushing hard to be the best, even if that means sabotaging the snatches Caleb and his partner Abbie are supposed to be making. Abbie seems to be falling for Frank (and since Caleb is falling for Abbie, this hurts pretty badly), and on top of that, Uncle has begun an aggressive campaign of kidnapping young children to swell the ranks of the Time Snatchers. Caleb is beginning to long for a way out of his life as time travelling thief.

On a time snatch back to the sixties, Caleb meets the family he's always dreamt off. But Uncle never lets anyone go....and his punishments, as Caleb knows too well, are bloody and even deadly.

Ungar's writing brings the tense situations that Caleb faces vividly to life--scenes of places and times from around the world are flashed in front of the reader with great clarity, told with an urgent immediacy in Caleb's first person voice. And although the first few pages are somewhat heavy on explanations, once the action gets going, it basically never stops.

Caleb's situation is truly awful--he is psychologically or physically abused, sent on dangerous missions with no time to relax and enjoy the pass, and he's emotionally bent out of shape by his feelings for Abbie and the seeming betrayal of her feelings for Frank (since he is more than a little inarticulate in communicating with Abbie, this last problem is to a large extent of his own making, and I wanted to shake him more than once, but still. Not nice for him). He is more victim than hero; fortunately, Abbie steps up to save the day (yay Abbie! I liked her).

I found the mechanics of the time travelling a little opaque. Ungar relies on lightly sketched technology, consisting of computerized implants handling the logistical details, which is fine, except that I'm not sure it always works by consistent rules. At times it seemed a tad too magical--the mind speaking, for instance, stretched credulity--and there were seeming inconsistencies. It become hard for me to suspend disbelief, for instance, when time sickness doesn't actually kill Caleb after weeks of being banished to the past (possibly he got a special upgraded implant. But if so, I didn't notice it happening), and the kidnapped children are also brought from various time periods to Caleb's present without any ill effects. Likewise, I can't quite accept a memory wiping pill that works with delicate precision to erase only what the main characters want it too. I had to read very quickly at times to keep from thinking about the mechanics and logistics of it all, afraid that if I did, the whole edifice might collapse.

There are very few moments of peace or happiness here, making this one for readers who prefer dark intensity with lots of action (and cool technology) to peaceful escapism. Some of the torments that Uncle inflicts are truly grotesque and disturbing (being forced to stick your arm into a tank of flesh eating turtles...having bits of your body chopped off), and these particulars, plus the general feeling Caleb gave me of hopeless victimhood, makes this one for older middle grade or even YA readers--seventh and eight graders, perhaps.

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

Castle of Shadows, by Ellen Renner

Castle of Shadows, by Ellen Renner (Houghton Mifflin, March 20th, 2012 in the US, middle grade, 400 pages)

When Charlie (aka Princess Charlotte Augusta Joanna Hortense of Quale) was only six, her mother kissed her in the middle of the night, and left mysteriously, and her father the King withdrew into a world of his own, where all that mattered was constructing an enormous house of cards. Five years later, Charlie is scrounging a living for herself as best she can, a neglected ghost in a castle now ruled by a tyrannical housekeeper, in a country governed by the Prime Minister, Alistair Windlass.

But things are changing. Revolutionaries are plotting against the Prime Minister, and he himself (a cold, intelligent man who was great friends with the King and Queen), has remembered Charlie's existence. Suddenly she finds herself caught in a web of political intrigue, desperately trying to unravel the reasons behind her mother's abrupt departure, and trying to figure out whom she can trust. Is Tobias, the (moderately) friendly gardener's boy, an ally...or are the secrets he refuses to share a threat to the kingdom? Is Windlass Charlie's friend, or is he using her for her own ends? And what of the Revolutionaries, Charlie's missing mother, and the enemy expansionist state threatening the peace of Quale!

Set in a quasi-Victorian world similar to our own, but with a dash of steampunky alternate technology, this is one that should appeal to those who like plucky kids caught in complicated situations, where not much happens in the way of outright adventure, but plenty of locks are picked, clues uncovered, and suspicion clashes with friendship. Charlie doesn't actually accomplish all that much--she never exactly saves the day and sets things to right. Her story is not a hero's quest, but rather a satisfying journey from life as a forgotten pawn to an active and intelligent participant in her world, capable of making true friends and assuming responsibilities.

It's not a cheerful, cozy read--it is, after all, set somewhat clausterphobically in a castle of shadows, and Charlie's life is pretty horrendous. The ending comes with surprising, sudden darkness, that was somewhat distressing, involving a gruesome death (so those who don't like gruesome deaths should be warned!).

I myself found it gripping, though patience and intelligence are required of the reader during the gradual uncovering of secrets, and the hunt for answers. Like Charlie, the reader only knows bits and pieces of the story, some of which come from untrustworthy sources, so a lot of speculating is called for!

The book ends at a reasonable ending place, but I, for one, am glad there's a sequel. City of Thieves is already out in the UK--another one for my burgeoning Book Depository shopping cart...

(review copy received from the publisher)

This week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and sci fi from around the blogs

Although there are several letters of the alphabet missing (B, which used to be a good initial letter for mg sff books (Breadcrumbs, Bigger Than a Breadbox, etc), seems to have fallen from favor, and C and S are now in the lead), I hope you enjoy this week's round-up of all the middle grade sci fi/fantasy blog posts I found this week! Please let me know if I missed yours!

The Reviews:

Above World, by Jenn Reese, at Pro(B)logue

The Cabinet of Earths, by Anne Nesbit, at Beyond Books

Castle in the Air, by Diana Wynne Jones, at Equus Phasmatis

The Cheshire Cheese Cat, by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright, at Book Love

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again, by Frank Cottrell Boyce, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Chronal Engine, by Greg Leitich Smith, at Jen Robinson's Book Page

The Crowfield Demon, by Pat Walsh, at Charlotte's Library

Dragon Castle, by Joseph Bruchac, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

Earthseed, by Pamela Sargent, guest post by Deva Fagan at The Intergalactic Academy (Deva has just let me know that this is actually more YA....but having put it in, I don't feel like taking it out again.....)

Eye of the Storm, by Kate Messner, at Great Kid Books

Fairy Lies, by E.D. Baker, at Charlotte's Library

The False Prince, by Jennifer A. Nielson, at Singing and Reading in the Rain

Fibble, by Dale E. Basye, at Back to Books

The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman, at Fyrefly's Book Blog

Heir Apparent, by Vivian Vande Velde, at The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia

Hereville, by Barry Deutsch, at Finding Wonderland

The Last Dragonslayer, by Jasper Fforde, at My Favorite Books

Liesl and Po, by Lauren Oliver, at The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia

Museum of Thieves, by Lian Tanner, at Susan Dennard

Remarkable, by Lizze K. Foley, at Welcome to my Tweendom

The Ruins of Gorlan, by John Flanagan, at Just Deb

Scary School, by Derek the Ghost, at Geo Librarian

Secondhand Spirits, by Juliet Blackwell, at Fantasy Literature

The Secret World of Arriety, Vols 1 and 2, by Studio Ghibli, at Book Dragon

Seeds of Rebellion (Beyonders book 2), by Brandon Mull, at Reading Fairy Tales

The Son of Neptune, by Rick Riordan, at Challenging the Bookworm

The Starshard, by Frederick S. Durbin, at Book Chelle

A Tale Dark and Grimm, by Adam Gidwitz, at Read in a Single Sitting

The Trap (Magnificent 12 book 2), by Michael Grant, at Book Dreaming

Wildwood, by Colin Meloy, reviewed by Patrick Ness at The Guardian

Witch Hill, by Marcus Sedgwick, at The Book Smugglers

The Wizard of Dark Street, by Shawn Thomas Odyssey, at BooksYALove

Zahrah the Windseeker, by Nnedi Okorafor, at Bibliophilia--Maggie's Bookshelf

A two for one at Ms Yingling Reads--The Dead of Winter, by Frank Priestly, and A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness

Authors and Interviews

Barry Hutchison (The 13th Horseman) at Big Book Little Book

Greg Leitich Smith (Chronal Engines) at Writing With a Broken Tusk

Sarwat Chadda (Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress) at My Favorite Books

Matthew Cody (The Dead Gentleman) at Literary Asylum

Brandon Mull (Seeds of Rebellion) at Cracking the Cover

Jenn Reese (Above World), at The Writer Librarian

Derek the Ghost (Scary School) at The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia (giveaway) and at The O.W.L. (also a giveaway)

Katherine Roberts (Sword of Light) at The Book Cellar

Roy Gillman (The Daemon Parallel) guest post at Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Other Good (?) Stuff:

The School Library Journal Battle of the Kids' Books took a sad turn (in my opinion) on March 15 when the one undeniably middle grade fantasy book in the running, The Cheshire Cheese Cat, was squashed by Chime. A Monster Calls (which I think is mg, although some would differ) is now the only hope of mgsff--unless the C.C.C. returns as the winner of the Undead Poll.

Meet the Cat Scientists of the 1960s! (found via io9)


Disappointingly and distressingly, Teens Read Too, where I got all my book release information, seems to have gone dark. So, unless I find another good source, I'll no longer be doing posts listing the new releases of mg and ya sci fi/fantasy.

And finally, I saw this at Tor and had to share it with you--Gandalf and Bilbo a la Calvin and Hobbs, by CoolJohnny

The Crowfield Demon, by Pat Walsh

The Crowfield Demon (Chicken House, middle grade, Feb. 2012 in the US--it came out in April 2011 in paperback in the UK, but I wanted the hardback). In a nutshell, this book is a nailbiting struggle of good vs. evil, verging on horror story, set in a vividly real medieval abbey with an endearing cast of characters (except of course the demon, who isn't).

I loved Pat Walsh's first book, The Crowfield Curse, a beautiful historical fantasy that throws an orphaned boy, William, into a dangerous mix of fay magic and angelic power. And so I looked forward with great forwardness to having the chance to return to the abbey where William is a servant, sharing his home with a friendly (and most endearing) hob, Brother Snail (a gentle monk), and Shadlok, the banished fey warrior whose is bound to him.

But, as the title suggests, things are not exactly going well in the abbey. In fact, it can't really be worse--a demon has awoken, hell-bent on destruction. Gradually its power grows, and the abbey begins to fall, the statues and paintings of the saints clawed and crumbled into shadows. And beneath the ruins William and the monks find the heart of the evil....and unwittingly free the demon.

And gee, it was hard reading for me! I am a weak reader, and the horror (not grotesque, blood in the face horror, but slowly inexorably growing Doom and Evil type horror making people I cared about lots and lots unhappy in an utterly terrified way) was almost too much for me. The suspense builds gradually but inexorably; the last thirty pages were a blur to me because I was reading very quickly indeed to make sure it would all work out. But because I did care, there was no way I could stop reading, and throughout the book there were small moments of light and humor and love between the characters that strengthened me.

Walsh fills her story with details, making both the mundane (the damp and nasty medieval March and the daily life of the abbey) and the extraordinary (the inexorably growing horror of the demon) brilliantly alive for the reader. It's the relationships between the characters, though, that I loved best--William, who lost his first family to a horrible fire, desperately needs the security of his second one, odd mix though it is, and the bonds of loyalty they have forged remain unbroken.

I hope there will be more about William and co.! The ending of this one shows a path toward a third book (and I saw some vauge rumors to that effect)...and in the meantime, Brother Snail has a blog....

Note regarding religion:

The mix of Christianity and the fey is both interesting and unusual. The demon is a fallen angel, and the good angel of the Crowfield Curse has a role to play in vanquishing it. The whole business with the demon seemed to me perfectly consistent with medieval Christianity (although the monks are not troubled with Lust, which, to the best of my knowledge, was a common demonic trick). Yet alongside this Christian part of the book is the wilder magic of the fey folk. It's part of the same creation, and not set in disrespectful opposition to Christianity, but it's clearly not standard doctrine!

Note regarding age:

It's middle grade--William is still a kid, and there's no teenage looking out and away from family. But it's scary. Almost nightmarish. A bit of scary can be good, sparking the imagination and making brilliantly clear pictures in the mind, but it might not be the right book for the sensitive reader.

Fairy Lies, by E.D. Baker

Fairy Lies, by E.D. Baker (Bloomsbury, 2011, middle grade, 256 pages)

A few months after the end of her adventures told in Fairy Wings (originally titled Wings), fifteen year old Tamisin is growing restless. She finds herself drawn to the closed gate that leads to the land of the fey...a land where her birth mother Titania is queen of the fairies. She's not sure she wants to actually go back there anytime soon, and she knows her boyfriend Jak, who's magical in his own right, would far, far rather not.

But then her own wishes become irrelevant when the fairy king, Oberon, kidnaps her and claims to be her father. At first Tamisin is giddy with a happy sense of belonging, and relishes life in the fairy realm, but as she explores the strange society of Oberon's court, she learns that all is not as pretty as it first seems. In the meantime, Jak has set out to rescue her, and bring her home--despite the monsters and pitfalls that he must confront on his journey. Though he makes it to Oberon's kingdom, it's up to Tamisin to draw on all her cleverness and resourcefulness to get them out again...if she wants to leave.

Fairy Lies is a combination of mystery, adventure, and light romance, set in a world peopled by all manner of colorful mythological beings--goblins, sphinxes, unicorns, mermaids, sea monsters and more! The perspective shifts between Jak's more action and adventure arc and Tamisin's more thoughtful one, and although Tamisin's side of things might not have as much fast-paced zest as Jak's, I always appreciate a young heroine who becomes aware of injustice and activly opposes it!

Young readers (fifth grade girls, in particular) will probably love it--it's cute, and amusing, and has a nice bit of fairy princess wish-fulfilment. Although the main characters are high school students, they don't seem like almost adults, but more like kids who just happen to be teenagers.

This might make readers who are themselves teens impatient with both Tamisin and Jak's relationship, which never quite reaches a deep level of commitment, and with the light simplicity of the story telling. In short--if you find the cover appealing, you'll probably enjoy the book lots!

Speaking of covers and age levels, the original cover of the first book in the series (Wings/aka Fairy Wings) had an older looking girl; I'd give that book to a 12 year old. The new edition matches the more 10 year old girl feel of the second book (and of course the change to a pink tunic adds to its girl appeal!).





Disclaimer: ARC of Fairy Lies received from the publisher for review.

The Backwards Watch, by Eric Houghton, for Timeslip Tuesday

This has been a difficult Timeslip Tuesday, book-wise. I realized yesterday that I wouldn't finish the one I was planning to review, so I switched just before bedtime to one I thought I could finish (Time and Mr. Bass), whose blurb promised "a terrifying test of endurance involving Time itself" which sure sounds to me like time travel, and I did finish it, at lunch time today, but I am uncertain about whether I should count it or not. It was a pretty good couple of paragraphs about scary time travelling ponies, and there were a few visions, but is that enough???? Sigh.

So in any event, I'm falling back on one of my time travel Tuesday emergency books--a picture book that really truly is Time Travel.

The Backwards Watch, by Eric Houghton, illustrated by Simone Abel (Orchard Books, 1991). Sorry for the bad picture; if I'd been able to find a better one, I'd have used it.

Being the sort of girl who climbs trees, its natural that Sally comes inside covered with leaves and twigs. "You are a mess," says her grandfather, taking her up on his lap, and Sally bristles. "When I was your age," he continues, "I would never have got myself so filthy." Sally sniffs, and asks if she can wind his watch...

Somehow she winds it backwards, and "SPLOYNNG!" time starts running backwards too... and as Sally watches in amazement, Granddad un-ages from old man to a little boy about her own age! George and Sally head outside to play in the world of his childhood. They have a fine time in a nearby junkyard, building a castle and a dragon....but then George's dad comes looking for him, and marches George away, scolding him all the while for the mess he's made of himself.

And Sally finds herself back in the present, with a better appreciation of her Granddad.

This is a rare, perhaps unique, example of time travel used in picture book format to bridge generational gaps. It might be a good one to read, perhaps, to four or five year old kids who haven't spent much time with their grandparents, and who have never had a chance to realize their grandparents were once mischievous kids themselves.

I liked the premise lots, but sadly, I found both the art and the story telling uninspired and uninspiring...and I think the didactic message ends up overshadowing the substance of the book. "Insipid" and "bland" are the adjectives Pubishers Weekly used, and I can't really argue with them.

That being said, I feel that Publishers Weekly went Too Far when they said that "Houghton's insubstantial text relies too heavily on the hackneyed plot device of time travel." I resent this. When you are a four year old, you haven't exactly been exposed to a whole heck of a lot of time travel, so how can it be hackneyed? (baby animal looking for/running away from Mama = hackneyed, time travel to granddad's era = fresh exciting new premise for the young reader!). And it's a picture book about a girl who travels back in time--so how can it not rely on time travel as a plot device? Hmph.

The School Library Journal reviewer was much closer to the mark: "Time travel is an unusual theme in picture books, and it's sure to hold children's interest." Thank you, SLJ.

The Goddess Test, by Aimee Carter

The Goddess Test, by Aimee Carter (Harlequin Teen, YA, 2011) is, essentially, Hades and Persephone meets Beauty and the Beast (the first Robin McKinley version, which is my personal B. and B. benchmark!). Since I like both, and since Carter's spin on the story was pleasingly interesting, I found it a nice read, although one that I enjoyed more while I was actually reading it, than while thinking about it afterward.

The Persephone/Beauty character in this case is a teenaged girl named Kate. Her mom wanted to come back to her home town to live the last little while she has left before she dies....and so Kate has to try to be cheerful about their dingy new house and starting a new school. When, of course, cheerful is the last thing Kate feels, in as much as her beloved mother won't be there much longer.

But! When Kate is lured onto the grounds of a mysterious estate by high school queen bee Ava, she meets a strange, dark, brooding man named Henry, who seems to have power over death itself. And so Kate makes a bargain with Henry. He will keep her mother alive while she spends the winter with him in his sumptuous manor with rooms full of clothes etc., beautiful gardens, horse, and lots of tasty snacks. There are two catches. She must marry him, and she must try to pass the seven tests that no other girl ever lived long enough to complete.

If she wins, she's a goddess. If she looses (but manages to stay alive), she's an ordinary girl again, and Henry is the one who fades away...

Although I did find this a pleasantly diverting read, once I hit the end, and started thinking about it, it fell apart. For one thing, I never quite suspended my disbelief about the romance side of things--Kate sort of passively fell into her situation, and her one real emotional preoccupation (understandably) is with her mother. More than that, the whole being married to the god of the dead who you really don't know all that well, who makes squirrely bargains with you without clearly explaining the consequences, and who's still in love with his dead ex-wife (Persephone), is in general not something I'd like for my own daughter (if I had one). I wasn't exactly rooting for it to end up all rosy and happy, and indeed, Carter doesn't insult the reader by making it a happy ever after ending (which I appreciated).

My main complaint is that the Greek gods and goddess play parts in the story, but they are Greek gods and goddesses seen through a blurry lens. If you are more than passingly familiar with Greek mythology, you may well find this annoying; I was profoundly disappointed. For instance, Carter took tremendous liberties with Hera. Hera's trademark characteristic is marital loyalty, which goes out the window here in a way that almost spoiled the whole book for me. She also takes liberties with the underworld, which I can sympathize with--it must have been tricky, but the result is a mishmash of various religions with the underworld of Greek myth and it never quite make sense. (I was also thrown by the fact that I got to the end of the book, encountered a character named Walter who I presume must have been mentioned, but of whom I had No Memory....but that could easily be my fault and not the author's. If someone can tell me who Walter is, I'd appreciate it--I flipped through the book, but didn't see him...).

I'd did enjoy this one, and I'll be reading the next one (Goddess Interrupted, coming out at the end of March), but since I am assuming the sphere of action is going to move beyond the manor house of Hades, and the other gods will have more page time, I'm kind of doubtful....will I be even more profoundly irked by Carter's reimagining of the myths?

This week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and sci fi from around the blogs

Happy Day Light Savings Time (I guess), and welcome to this week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and science fiction postings from around the blogs. Please let me know if I missed yours!

The Reviews:

An Acceptable Time, by Madeline L'Engle, at Tor

Astercote, by Penelope Lively, at Charlotte's Library

The Crowfield Demon, by Pat Walsh, at Fantasy Literature

Dragonskin Slippers, by Jessica Day George, at Nayu's Reading Corner, followed by Dragon Flight here, and Dragon Spear here

The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens (audio book review), at Bunbury in the Stacks

Goblin Secrets, by William Alexander, at Fantasy Matters

The Humming Room, by Ellen Potter, at Books of Wonder and Wisdom, Shannon Messenger (giveaway) and Waking Brain Cells

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, at A Strong Belief in Wicker (I used to think this was YA, but after watching my sixth grader and his colleagues avidly consuming it, I guess it's middle grade too...)

Explorer: The Mystery Boxes, edited by Kazu Kibuishi, at 100 Scope Notes and books4yourkids.com

The Inquisitor's Apprentice, by Chris Moriarty, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

The Lens and the Looker, by Lory. S. Kaufman, at The O.W.L.

Mouse Guard: Winter of 1152, by David Peterson, at Karissa's Reading Review

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny-Detectives Extraordinaire! by Polly Horvath, at books4yourkids.com and Confessions of a Bibliovore

On the Blue Comet, by Rosemary Wells, at BookMoot

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, at Middle Grade Mafioso (giveaway) and Fuse #8

Popular Clone, by M.E. Castle, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Princess of the Wild Swans, by Diane Zahler, at Good Books and Good Wine

Scary School, by Derek the Ghost, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Secret World of Arietty, vol. 2, by Studio Ghibli, at Back to Books

Talina in the Tower, by Michelle Lovric, at The Book Zone

When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew: Tales of Ti-Jean, by Jan Andrews, at Charlotte's Library

When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead, at Intergalactic Academy

The Wide-Awake Princess, by E.D. Baker, at The O.W.L. (giveaway)

A two-for-one time travel pair--Archer's Quest, by Linda Sue Park, and Frozen in Time, by Ali Sparks, at Time Travel Times Two

And a three-for-one, of the books by Randall Jarrell, illustrated by Maurice Sendak ---Fly by Night, The Animal Family, and The Bat-Poet-- at Book Aunt

Authors and Interviews

Robert Pease (Noah Zarc--Mammoth Trouble) on writing for boys at The O.W.L.

Stephanie Burgis (Kat, Incorrigible) on writing middle grade at The O.W.L. (giveaway)

Derek the Ghost (Scary School) at Everything to do With Books

Other Good Stuff

"An Unscheduled Rant: The Death of Science Fiction and Unrepentant Ignorance of YA Sf" at The King of Elfland's Second Cousin

"Why Middle Grade Fantasy Novels Can be Educational" at Pineapple Press, Inc.

Amy shares pictures from her library's Wrinkle in Time party at Amy's Library of ROCK

The program for the Book Expo America Bloggers Conference (Monday, June 4) is up! I am on the fence about going this year--I want to make sure first that there will be lots of people I want to see there before I commit to giving up three days of precious vacation time!

And finally, in 1939 "Sparko" became the first robot dog killed chasing a car (thanks io9). Sparko seems to have been a nice dog; here is a Sparko (there were three of them) at the 1939 World Fair, just before his untimely end (and you can see more pictures here):

Libraries of my life, #6--York Central, England

This is the last library I'll be writing about for now--after today, the library booksale will be pretty much over, and my 11 year old will be on vacation for two weeks (of no homework!!!! I will be able to spend my evenings reading!!!)


Today's library, the sixth major library of my life, is in York, England. I got my master's at the University of York; although the program in medieval archaeology was certainly appealing, I was also taken by the prospect of improved access to English children's books. And happiness! The library had large numbers of books I wanted to read, including many by Lorna Hill (author of many fine ballet books, none of which the library seems to have anymore). Making friends with someone who owned all the Noel Streatfeild books I'd never read was nice too.

Of course, now I'm banned from giving blood here in the US, because of the risk of mad cow disease. My children are quick to warn me when I display its symptoms (which is often).

Libraries of My Life #2-- Porto

Still haven't finished a book....library booksale set up (me with little help moving 3000 books) means no time. So here's another library of my life!

When I was five (1972), we moved to Porto, Portugal, and we were enrolled in the Oporto British School. This school mainly catered to ex-pat Brits involved in the port wine industry (once when I was eight I got a small bottle of port as a birthday favor), and they were reluctant to admit us because we were Americans...they feared we would lower the academic standard (we showed them wrong. So wrong. Ha!). Incidentally, there weren't many Portuguese students either, although that has now changed (thanks google).

But in any event, I vividly remember the day in first grade when my teacher announced that a new library for us students had opened in someone's home--"Go left at the roundabout," she said. I was thrilled--not only was there a new library (I was already reading just about anything) but there was a merry-go-round! Sadly, it was just a traffic circle, but the library was satisfactory, and I proceeded to binge on Enid Blyton for the next three years. My mother didn't exactly approve, but tolerated it (this was when she still kept an eye on my reading).

Here's the house in question (although I'm not exactly sure which of that row it was...):

Libraries of my life, #3

In as much as my dear child's homework was particularly onerous this week, and it's library booksale time, and sundry other things, I haven't had time to read much, let alone think coherently....

So here's a picture of the third important library in my life, in Nassau, Bahamas, which I visited from the ages of 9-12 (the late 1970s). Sadly, the children's section wasn't all that great, and the only book I vividly remember reading from the library at all was an adult book about Cassandra, that was rather disturbing and my mother shouldn't have let me read it. "The house reeks of blood," says Cassandra. "It is but the odor of the sacrifice." And then everyone gets raped/killed.

It was built between 1798 and 1799, to serve as a workhouse and prison, and became a library in 1873.

Waiting on Wednesday--The Second Spy, by Jacqueline West

I loved The Shadows, by Jacqueline West (here's what I said about it), the first of the Books of Elsewhere (and was pleased as punch to see it win the Cybils Award in middle grade sci fi fantasy the year before this!), and the second book in the series, Spellbound, was also a pleasure to read (my thoughts).


So naturally I am looking forward with keen intensity to the third volume of the series, which now has a cover and a release date! The Second Spy comes out on July 5, 2012, and here it is:

"In Olive's third adventure, what lurks below the house could be as dangerous as what's hidden inside . . .

Some terrifying things have happened to Olive in the old stone house, but none as scary as starting junior high. Or so she thinks. When she plummets through a hole in her backyard, though, she realizes two things that may change her mind: First, the wicked Annabelle McMartin is back. Second, there's a secret underground that unlocks not one but two of Elsewhere's biggest, most powerful, most dangerous forces yet. But with the house's guardian cats acting suspicious, her best friend threatening to move away, and her ally Morton starting to rebel, Olive isn't sure where to turn. Will she figure it out in time? Or will she be lured into Elsewhere, and trapped there for good?"

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

When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew: Tales of Ti-Jean, by Jan Andrews

When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew: Tales of Ti-Jean, by Jan Andrews, illustrations by Dusan Petricic (Groundwood Books, 2011, elementary/middle grade, 72 pages)

Ti-Jean is the French Canadian hero of many a tall tale. Sometimes he seems simple, sometimes wise, but always he ends up on top! At least I assume he does--I'd heard of him before today, but the three stories re-told here are the first I've ever experienced him for myself.

It was a fine introduction! Ti-Jean and the Princess of Tomboso gives a fine twist to the story of three brothers inheriting magical gifts, Ti-Jean and the Marble Player is a lovely Impossible Task story, and How Ti-Jean Became a Fiddler is, best of all, an only faintly familiar Simple Lad Wins Princess tale.

Andrews is careful to emphasize the French-Canadian setting and history, adding to the charm and interest of the tales. Living in a part of New England where many French Canadian families toiled in the mills (there are many grandparents who still speak a bit of French, and are called Meme and Pepe), it feels to me like this book fills an important cultural gap. There just aren't that many fun, friendly kids' books in my local library about French Canadians (at least I can't think of any).

I found her writing to be spot on--clearly it's fairy tale language, but avoids being stilted or forced. I liked it that, even though Ti-Jean is the third brother, the older brothers aren't too unkind, and, being a mother, I liked very much that Ti-Jean in the third story appreciated his own mama lots! And his success in this story comes in large part from having practiced, at his mama's side, the domestic arts.

There are also pictures (and now I have to go back and actually look at them, because I was so busy reading, as usual, they didn't register. Except for the one where the princess in the first story grows a magical long nose.* That was hard to miss)....Having now looked at the pictures--black and white, drawn in a relaxed and playful way, I can now say with conviction that they seem just fine to me.

I'd be very happy to read more of stories of Ti-Jean, if Jan Andrews should be so kind...

*I thought, from the title, that an apple would end up with a nose. Not so! The apple is the agent of nose-growth....