Oceanology, a Fantasy Book for Non-fiction Monday

Just about everyone looking for Gift Books for the Young has probably considered, or even bought, one of the "-0logy" books--Dragonology, Piratology, Monsterology, etc. For the most part, these are fantasy in the guise of non-fiction--the imaginary presented as if it were real.

Oceanology: The True Account of the Voyage of the Nautilus (Candlewick 2009) is slightly different. It is a gorgeous presentation, both in words and in lovely faux 19th-century illustrations, of facts about the ocean, embedded within a fantastical narrative.

The information (touching on such diverse topics as types of coral, the movement of the planet's plates, and the installation of the transatlantic telegraph cable) is presented as sidebars to the journal of a young boy who finds himself voyaging with Captain Nemo (of Twenty thousand Leagues Under the Sea fame). It is a rather gripping story (although I don't think it's quite enough of one to work as a stand-alone). The boy's wonder at all the strange things he sees, and his excitement as the ship explores uncharted realms below the waves, gradually gives way to terror as he realizes that the Captain is insane, and has no plans to return to dry land.

There's a lot here for the reader who has a fondness both for fantasy and science, whether child or adult. Of all the -ology books, this is the one I think has most appeal for the adult reader (and not just the Jules Verne fan). It's a beautiful book, with lots to look at and learn from.

My only caveat is that for younger readers, this might have to be a read-aloud, because it's written in cursive...but, having read it aloud myself, I can promise that it is a rather pleasantly engrossing experience for the adult as well as the child. The narrative tends to get lost in the excitement of flaps to lift and strange sea creatures to read about, but the story can wait till later, when they are old enough to read it for themselves...

And then they will want a copy of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

Oceanology has been nominated for the Cybils in the middle grade science fiction and fantasy category, for which I am a panelist, and my review copy was generously supplied by the publisher.

The Non-fiction Monday Roundup is hosted by In Need of Chocolate today!

The Runaway Dragon, by Kate Coombs

In The Runaway Princess, Kate Coombs introduced us to a young princess named Meg, who refuses to be shut up in a tower while princes quest on her behalf. Instead, she sneaks down to save the dragon, and warn the witch and the brigands that the princes are out to get them...and in the process, she befriends the little dragon child, Laddy.

Now, in The Runaway Dragon(2009, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, middle grade, 285pp), we get to hear what happens to Meg and Laddy next.

When Laddy decides he getting to be too much of a grown-up dragon to hang around a farm, with just one measly bit of gold, he sets off on his own to make his way in the world. Meg, anxious for his safety, goes off to find him, accompanied not just by the men-at-arms her father insists on, but by her friends from the first book--Cam, the young palace gardener, Dilly, her maid-in-waiting, and Lex, a young wizard with a penchant for hot chocolate.

And a wild and wonderful quest awaits them, through a dark wood haunted by the tropes of fairy tales past--the diminutive and surly guide, the white stage, the damsel with magically growing hair, and the giant...All but one of the men-at-arms are ensnared by the spell of the stag, and Cam, Dilly, the remaining young soldier, and the hair-endowed damsel are kidnapped by the giant and taken home for his little giant girl to play with. But how can Meg and Lex save them, when they find themselves prisoners of the wicked would-be empress of the dark castle? And what of young Laddy? Will he still want to be friends with Meg, now he has a hoard of his own?

It is a most entertaining read, one I'd recommend in a second to anyone with a fondness for fairy tales and plucky girls. Meg might not be that great at magic (although she's good at raising sneezing fits and the most charming magical scarf I've ever read about), and she's still working on her swordsmanship, but she is tough, and smart, and determined, persevering in the face of difficulties. In short, a true hero.

And Coombs' writing is sharp and funny, and interesting--it's clear that she's having fun with her words, and that makes it fun for the reader too! It's not the most wildly original plot, described in its bare bones, but what Coombs does with her story, and its characters, makes for a fresh and fast read. (I especially liked the scenes in which the prisoners of the giant are forced to be dolls for the little (big) girl. Guess whose super-long, magical hair is a big hit).

It's not necessary to have read the first book first, although it makes this one more engaging--it is always nice to be reunited with characters that one likes. There is some scariness in the dark castle, but nothing gory or drastically violent. There are hints of possible future love, but nothing is made explicit. The spacing of the lines is generous and easy on the eye (without overdoing the wide margin bit), and the vocabulary is neither patronizingly simple nor overly erudite. In short, middle-grade at its most perfect middle!

To steal Mother Reader's idea of pairing books with sundry related items, this would be an excellent book to pair with fencing lessons, so your own girl can cast off gender stereotypes and become a heroine-in-training! But even without the fencing lessons, it would make a great present.

The Runaway Dragon has been nominated for the Cybils, who will (if I did it right) receive any commission made from sales through my Amazon links (which is not as unselfish as it might sound, because I live in a state where I can't do it for myself!).

The Shifter (The Healing Wars Book 1), by Janice Hardy

The Shifter, by Janice Hardy (Balzer and Bray, HarperCollins, 2009, upper middle grade and beyond, 370 pp) is one of those books that just goes to show that fascinating ideas are still out there, waiting to be written about. That is to say that, I, at least, have never before encountered the magical idea at the center of this book.

In Nya's world, a place of conflict and conquest, Healers can shift pain, sickness, and injuries into a magical type of metal called pynvium. But there is a dark side to this seemingly benign process. Nya's city was conquered by a foreign people when she and her sister were young, in a war that killed her parents, and more war seems close at hand. And in this world pain can be used as weapon. Literally.

Nya's twelve-year old sister was accepted by the Healing Guild, and is safely housed in their headquarters. Fifteen-year old Nya, on the other hand, lives a hand to mouth life on the streets, scrounging for odd jobs, kicked at by the foreigners who are now in charge. Because although Nya can heal too, taking other people's injuries into herself, she can't transfer the pain into pynvium. But she can, however, push it into other people.

Now unscrupulous practitioners of pain and intrigue want to use Nya and her seemingly twisted gift. And dark and unpleasant things are happening back at the Healer's Guild, where the apprentices are falling "sick." Nya and her friends must figure out what's going on, and put a stop to it. In so doing she must find out how to use her gift for good, and, while saving her sister, maybe set in motion a way to save her city...

It's an exciting story, one that raises interesting ethical questions while entertaining the reader with interesting characters and situations. It starts a tad confusingly, but that feeling soon fades as the plot kicks into high gear. Nya is a stubborn and conflicted narrator, in pretty desperate circumstances, and it is a pleasure to cheer her on.

This book is marketed as a middle grade (9-12 year olds)--there are hints of possible future relationships, but no real "young adult" issues. There are some pretty heavy descriptions of injuries and pain, but nothing horribly disturbing, and I think it's fine for confident, older readers in this age group. It felt to me more like a young adult novel, though--Nya is older than most middle grade protagonists, and is engaged in a fairly complicated struggle--complicated ethically, politically, and in terms of day to day survival. And although romantic relationships are only hinted at as possible on the horizon in this book, it seems quite possible that the next book in the series will be moving YA-ward in that regard. At least, I hope it will...the young man in question is rather sweet, although maybe too good to be true.

The UK title of The Shifter is The Pain Merchants, and here's its cover over there. I like the UK title, but the US cover!

Finally, and somewhat tangentially, one thing that added to the book's appeal in my mind is that it is about two sisters. Being a sister myself, I am fond of books in which that relationship is a key motivating factor for the characters , as it is in The Hunger Games, Charlotte Sometimes, and, um, doubtless many other books...so if you have any other recommendations of fantasy books in which the relationship between a little sister and a big sister is important, let me know!

Here's an interview with Janice Hardy at The Enchanted Inkpot.

The Shifter is a Cybils nominee in the Middle Grade Science Fiction and Fantasy category, for which I am a panelist.

Two Whacky Middle Grade Fantasies--The Revenge of the Itty-Bitty Brothers and Night of the Living Lawn Ornaments

There's a sub-genre of middle-grade fantasy that embraces the over-the-top and runs with it. These are the sort of books where silliness rules, where characters are caught in situations that break all the rules, books that set out to entertain their intended audience and keep them turning the pages. They are the sort of book that you might give to the child who loved the Captain Underpants books back when they were learning to read, and who might still be re-reading them.

Here are two examples, from my recent Cybils reading--both of these have been nominated in the middle grade science fiction and fantasy category.

Revenge of the Itty-Bitty Brothers, by Lin Oliver, illustrated by Stephen Gilpin (Simon and Schuster, 2009, 159pp) is the third book of the Who Shrunk Daniel Funk? series. But it's not necessary to have read the first two to enjoy this one. A (moderately gross) encounter with a taco leads Daniel Funk to a breakthrough--through the explosive expulsion of digestive gasses he can control when he shrinks! This is great news for his tiny twin brother, Pablo, who lives a semi-secret life among the detritus of Daniel's room. Now the two can be tiny together, sharing the joys of marshmallow trampolining, soap surfing in the bathtub, and, as the grand finale, shooting into space in model rockets over the La Brea tar pits...

It's straight-forward, light-hearted fun, told in crisp, clear sentences. There are hints that future books in the series might explore some of the intriguing questions that aren't answered here--what happened to the Funk family dad, who disappeared while off on a scientific expedition? Will Pablo always be small? Will his mother and sisters ever get to meet him??? I'd love to know more about these aspects of the story, and less about what it is like to wallow in an ice-cream sundae...but the intended readers who aren't me (fourth and fifth grade boys, I'd say) might well disagree!

Night of the Living Lawn Ornaments, by Emily Ecton (Aladdin--Simon and Schuster, 2009, 229 pages), is a notch up age-wise (seventh grade-ish, I think), and not so much a Boy book--it's narrated by a girl, and there is less burping. That being said, there is a sheep-shaped pepper shaker who has come to life and who is having major digestive issues:

"Eunice patted me on the hand with her little hoof. "We'll be quiet. But if you get a chance?" She did a little hip swivel. There was no sound at all from her insides. "I'm very clumpy," she whispered.

I nodded. "I'll see what I can do." Nothing like adding "find a good sheep innard substitute" to your list of things to do." (p 139)

And the pepper shaker is not the only inanimate thing to come to life. When Arlie and her friend Ty find a mysterious dragonfly pendant, and playfully drape it over the necks of various lawn ornaments and sundry knick knacks, stuffed animals, and Mr. Boots' favorite toy (Mr. Boots being a neurotic Chihuahua), little do they know the mayhem they are about to unleash...

It is non-stop insanity--no quite moments of tranquil beauty and intricate character development here (although I like the "just friends for now" relationship between Ty and Arlie very much)! But Ecton has a way with words that makes the reading fun for all ages, even if it is all, perhaps, just a bit too crazy for my own taste.

Many thanks to Simon and Schuster for supporting the Cybils by sending us panelists review copies!

Sent, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, for Timeslip Tuesday

Sent, by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Simon and Schuster, 2009, middle grade, 308pp), is the second book of The Missing. It's not entirely necessary to have read Found, the first book of the series, before reading Sent, but it will spoil Found considerably if you read this one first....so consider this whole review a spoiler for Found.

Jonah, Katherine, Chip and Alex were ordinary 21st century kids. It's true that three of them were orphans, found as babies on a mysterious airplane that appeared out of no where, but other than that, life was normal. But then they learn that all those babies were rescued from certain death back in various pasts, and that the time has come for them to be sent home again to meet their destinies and fix the wrinkles that have formed in time. If, like Chip and Alex, you are the Princes in the Tower, supposedly killed by your wicked uncle Richard III, the smooth course of history might be the last thing on your mind.

When Chip and Alex are sent back to 15th century, Jonah and Katherine travel with them, much to the dismay of JB and the other mysterious time guardians of the future, who are working to Fix things. Chip and Alex gradually take on their medieval identities, caught up in a perilous contest over the crown of England. But Jonah and Katherine are determined to bring them safely back to the present, even if it means donning medieval armor and joining in the Battle of Bosworth Field...

It's a fast, fun read. Haddix is an excellent story-teller, and keeps things swinging along.

Despite the engrossing action, however, there's not a whole lot of emotional wallop to the story. Partly this is because the mechanisms of plot are given more prominence than the subtleties of characterization and emotional response--although the kids have distinct personalities, they are painted with a rather wide brush.

In larger part this lack of emotional punch is due to the fact that these kids have it very easy, time-travel wise. They are in touch with JB for most of their time in the past, and can be pulled out at any moment, and, even in the final battle, there is no immediate sense that they will come to any harm. And they are never modern children forced to act convincingly in the past. Chip and Alex have ready made identities to slip into, and Jonah and Katherine are handily made invisible by a futuristic gizmo that translates for them. Even when they have to leave their translator in the present, after a brief break from the middle ages, they get an injection of linguistic elixir that solves the language problem...

But although this isn't the most powerful story I've ever read, it is a lovely history lesson packaged in adventure, one that (for the most part) steers clear of obvious didacticism. In this aspect of the book I give Haddix high marks. Her Richard III is not a monster, and the princes in the tower are clearly caught in a complex situation for which there is no easy answer. I loved the way she brought Shakespeare's version into the picture, raising the issue of literary propaganda!

In short, this is a good, kid-friendly read that's also a great introduction to the trickiness of the historian's craft. I'll be looking forward to the next books in the series...

Sent has been nominated for the Cybils in middle grade science fiction/fantasy, and its publisher, Simon and Schuster, very generously provided us panelists with review copies--thanks.

The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance (Candle Man, Book One)

The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance (Candle Man, Book One) by Glenn Dakin (Egmont, 2009, Middle Grade, 300 pages)

Theo has lived all his life a prisoner, shut away in miserable confinement by his guardian (the head of the "Society of Good Works) to keep him from contaminating the outside world with his mysterious illness. But on a birthday outing to a nearby deserted cemetery, he finds a mysterious birthday gift--someone out there knows who he is.

Turns out the Society of Good Works are not good at all. Pitted against that society is another, the Society of Unrelenting Vigilance. And Theo might be just the hero they are looking for. But the Dodo, another mysterious bad guy with legions of extinct creatures at his command, wants Theo too...

Theo finds himself swept into a London of sinister underground tunnels, villains large and small, and creatures that he never dreamed existed (the smoglodytes are especially fun, in a polluted sort of way!). It's all a bit much for a boy whose barely even been outside, but with the mysterious powers of the Candle Man to help him, maybe Theo and his new friends can prevail...

This is an action-packed adventure, that takes the familiar trope of orphaned boy with special powers and runs with it like crazy! There are hints of steam-punkishness that add interest--such as infernal machines down in a dark underworld that never existed. It's definitely middle-grade, in that the darkness is leavened with a bit of silliness, and though there is violence, it is not disturbingly wrenching. It's a great one for readers who enjoy rather frenetic pacing, brisk shifts in the point of view from hero to various assorted secondary characters, and a densely packed canvas of villains, good guys, and assorted fantastical creatures.

The problem with all that, though, is that it doesn't leave much room for strong relationships to develop among the characters, or between the reader and the characters, for that matter. I wish there had been a bit more quite time to spend with Theo when he wasn't in mortal peril. He's a rather wonderfully neurotic character (blame it on his peculiar upbringing), and I hope he brings his quirkiness with him into the next book of the series (The Society of Dread, coming Fall 2010). I'm also hoping to find out more about Chloe--the young agent of the Society of Unrelenting Vigilance who plays a pivotal role in guiding Theo to his confrontation with the bad guys.

Here's one of my favorite passages from the book:

"I would be glad to meet anybody," Theo said eagerly. "There have been thirteen so far if you count a skeleton and don't count--what does Sam call those flying things?" Theo asked Chloe, remembering the garghoul.

"Birds," snapped Chloe." (page 84)

But it really was a garghoul, as Chloe well knows....

The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance has been nominated for the Cybils in the Middle Grade Science Fiction and Fantasy category, and the publisher generously provided review copies for us panelists (thanks Egmont!)

A Walk Through A Window, for Timeslip "Tuesday"

A Walk Through a Window, by kc dyer (Doubleday Canada, 2009, middle grade, 222pp)

Darby has been sent to spend the summer with her grandparents on Prince Edward Island, where she's never been before (her father and her grandfather are not close). She's not happy about the long, boring months stretching in front of her, stuck in a "lame little place." At least, she thinks, she'll have plenty of time to practice skateboarding.

Then she meets Gabe, who takes it on himself to prove that she is wrong in her perception of the island.

"Follow me," Gabe's voice somehow carried through the storm. There was a clap of thunder and something leapt straight out at Darby from the grass. She jumped, but it was only Maurice, her grandparents' cat, hanging out here again. He must have been looking for shelter because he hopped past them onto the stone windowsill of the chapel.

"This place doesn't look very safe," Darby yelled, looking at the half-collapsed roof and piles of rubble inside. Definitely more like a chicken-house than a chapel."

"Perhaps you are correct," Gabe replied. "But what choice have we? Please take my hand."

She grabbed on and they stepped up onto the windowsill..." (page 48)

And then they walk through the window, and go back in time.

Three times Darby passes through during the course of the story, and each time she finds herself on a journey to Canada. She sees the first people to follow the caribou herds across the Bering Straits land bridge, she sees, to her horror, the suffering of the Irish immigrants trapped on a coffin ship, and finally she watches her grandfather's great-grandfather's arrival at the end of the 18th-century. Gabe seems to be a part of each of the groups she visit, but Darby herself is a ghost, a passive spectator as she watches and learns from the past.

In the present, Darby is also watching and learning from the events unfolding around her, as her grandfather sinks slowly into the clutches of Alzheimer's. As she grows closer to her grandparents, Darby learns about her own family, and the tragedy that lead to her father's alienation from his parents.

This plot-line in the present gives depth and meaning to the episodic time-slip elements, which, although engrossing, well-written, and historically accurate, fall squarely on the passively didactic side. And in turn her encounters with the past make Darby an increasingly sympathetic character (especially as she turns to the local library for help making sense of the stories she has seen--this almost makes up for her complete lack of interest in Anne of Green Gables).

This is the sort of book that is an excellent read for those who like to learn history from their fiction--it's interesting and enjoyable. If I knew any 10 or 11 year olds traveling to Canada, I'd give it to them in a second. But, for me at least, it never made the transition to truly magical...almost, but not quite.

Perhaps this is because Gabe, who instigates the time slipping, and who has active roles to play in the past, remains a complete mystery, and never gets to be much more than a plot device. Why does the window take them back in time, and how did Gabe figure it out? Why can people see Gabe but not Darby? Who the heck is he, anyway? I can't help but feel that the book would have been richer if more had been made of him...

In the end, it is the family dynamics in the present that are more compelling than the time travel, especially the moving portrayal of Darby's Grandfather, with his memories of war and past tragedy. Here Dyer succeeds rather powerfully in creating a poignant picture of what it means to have history, and to belong to a family and a place.

Here's another review, from Kate at The Book Aunt last April, where I left a comment saying that this one was going on my list! I'm glad it got nominated for the Cybils mg sff/f (for which I am a panelist), because I've been wanting to read it ever since, and I'd like to thank the publisher for sending review copies--thank, Doubleday Canada!

Read Kate's review reminds me that I also added Dyer's Eagle Glen trilogy to my list--Kate says it's "about a girl named Darrell Connor who travels through time to Scotland, Italy, England, and Spain at crucial points in history and deals with villainous intrigues" and I am so sold. After the Cybils...

Mike Stellar: Nerves of Steel, by K.A. Holt

See up there, next to my orange snail, where it says I review science fiction and fantasy books? Um. I just did some math. Turns out I've reviewed or talked about fantasy 184 times, sci fi only 23. It's true that I gravitate more toward fantasy, but my personal bias is not entirely to blame. There is much less science fiction for children and teens then there is fantasy.

But today I have a science fiction book for middle grade kids! And it isn't a Jimmy Neutron type boy genius concocting things in his lab story, nor is it an aliens among us story. It is a real, honest-to-goodness, edge-of-your seat straight-up space adventure.

It is Mike Stellar: Nerves of Steel, by K.A. Holt (Random House, 2009, middle grade, 262pp).

Young Mike has been having a rough time of it ever since the last mission that set off to terraform Mars was lost in space. A lot of people think his parents were to blame. Then suddenly he is whisked by his folks off on mission number 2. But strange things are happening on board their space craft, and soon Mike isn't sure if even he can still believe his parents are the good guys.

Mike puts his intelligence and technological savvy to work sneaking information from under the noses of the grownups, with the help of a very odd, but even more knowledgeable, girl named Larc. But meanwhile, the bad guys, whoever they are, are getting closer, and there's only way out.

"I just thought we would hide in here- not fly away!" I looked crazily around the pod. Through the porthole next to me, I saw stars streaking by.

Larc giggled and said, "Belt." Her belt slid off and she hovered in front of me. With her hair whipping around and her billowing jumpsuit, she looked like a ghost or a fairy or something.

"An escape pod is for escaping, Mike. It's not called a hiding pod." (pp 195-196)

Mike Stellar is a fun space adventure, narrated by a smart kid who's confused and annoyed (with good reason), but likable. There's cool technology that doesn't distract from the story. A mystery to solve. (although, characteristically, I was too busy reading to stop and ask if I knew what was going on). A wacky girl, who's even smarter than the boy.

This probably isn't a book that will appeal to grown-up fans of science-fiction, for whom the plot and its concomitant technology might seem simplistic. But, since they aren't the target audience, so what. I bet Mike Stellar is a huge hit among ten and eleven year olds, and, given how few recent middle grade books there are about kids in space,* I bet it will be fresh and fun for them as all get out.

And then they can go forward and read Asimov.

*please, leave recommendations of such books in the comments! I want to know if I am totally wrong! (although I wouldn't, of course, mind being told just how right I am).

Mike Stellar: Nerves of Steel is a nominee for the Cybils Awards in the Middle Grade Science Fiction and Fantasy category, for which I am a panelist. The copy I was reviewed was provided by the publisher.

The Museum of Mary Child, by Cassandra Golds

Writing a review of The Museum of Mary Child, by Cassandra Golds (Kane Miller, 2009, 329pp, for readers 10ish on up) is a bit daunting. I somehow want to convey just how much I enjoyed this book without spoiling it at all. I hope I succeed, because I think this book is rather special...

A long while ago, near a city that isn't a real city, a girl named Heloise lives next door to the Museum of Mary Child. She has never been inside it. Her godmother, cold and unloving, shows visitors through it, and always the visitors leave disturbed and shaken.

Heloise who is not allowed to have friends. She is not allowed to play. She is not allowed to know the meaning of love--her bible, the one book she can read, has been edited, and pages glued together, to keep her from anything that speaks of that forbidden subject. But one day, hidden under the floorboards of her room, she finds a doll. And, having at last found something to love, something that needs protecting, Heloise is about to escape.

Her escape will take her into a family of orphaned girls, trained as a church choir (I loved this part most of all). It will bring her into contact with envoys of the Society of Caged Birds, who fly through the city at night doing good deeds. It will take her to the prison, and the mad house next door to it, and, at last, it will bring her face to face with what lies inside the Museum of Mary Child.

This book is many things. It is a fairy tale, and it is a Gothic horror story. It is a lovely story about a girl discovering who she is and growing up. It is a fantasy, with magic that is real. It is a little bit of a mystery. And at the book's heart is a story about the redemptive power of love, with gentle allusions to Christianity. All these elements are happening at the same time, like juggling balls flying through the air, but they are held together in coherent form by Golds' wonderful characterization of Heloise.

I was riveted, and lost track of time and space. I also had to occasionally work hard at suspending disbelief, and I remain uncertain about the ending. But boy, did I have a good time reading this one. It felt to me a little bit like Elizabeth Goudge crossed with Oscar Wilde's fairy tales...and if you think you might know what I mean, you will probably like this book very much!


Note on the cover: This is not what I would have chosen. The girl show looks far too modern to be Heloise, and the whole ensemble leans too far, I think, toward the Gothic end of things, and doesn't convey enough of the book's fairy tale-ness. At right is the Australian cover, which doesn't match my image of the book either...

The Museum of Mary Child has been nominated for the Cybils in the Middle Grade Science Fiction and Fantasy category, for which I am a panelist. Here are other two other reviews, at Kids Lit and Sweet Trees.

PS: The museum is the creepiest museum I have ever read about. Anywhere.

PPS: Golds is also the author of Clair-de-lune (2006); after reading this review of it at the Guardian, it is high on my list of books to read after I have fulfilled my Cybils obligations!

The Taker and the Keeper (Red Monocle 1) for Timeslip Tuesday

The Taker and the Keeper, by Wim Colemand and Pat Perrin (ChironBooks, 2009, 158pp, ages 8 and up), is one of those books that isn't quite a timeslip, in as much as the time to which the children travel isn't real, but since the kids think for a good part of the book that they've travelled through time, I'm doing to go with it for today's edition of Timelip Tuesday.

Gregory and Yolanda are two ordinary middle school kids, who are about to become heroes. The colored lenses that Gregory found in a box discarded by their old science teacher are more than just pieces of glass--they let the kids see a dark tunnel that leads them back to the Dark Ages. But it is a Dark Ages in even more trouble than usual. The stone that holds Excalibur, waiting for young Arthur to pull it out, is there, but the sword is gone. Morgan Le Fey has stolen it in her own bid for power, and in doing so has just messed up the course of history, both in the realm of ancient story, and in our own modern world.

It's up to Gregory, the Taker of risks, and Yolanda, the Keeper of the true stories, to help Merlin and his young apprentice set things straight.

This is the sort of book that's great for a nine or ten year-old looking for a pretty straightforward narrative punctuated by danger (like a battle with a giant venomous serpent) and adventure (scaling the walls of a forbidding castle, and confronting the animated suits of armour inside). The "timeslip" part is rather nicely done, and I chuckled when Yolanda, confronting the medieval folk, assumes they are costumed festival participants--"These people really need to get a life," she grumbles (page 53).

In many ways The Taker and the Keeper reminded me of the Magic Tree House books (although at a reading level several grades up), which is a fine thing if you are a young reader, but less so if you are an adult lover of middle grade fantasy. Like those books, stylistically this one is aimed at young readers (shortish sentences, relatively un-latinate vocabulary), and story-wise, the experienced fantasy reader is not going to be blown away by the plot or stunned by the depth of characterization.

But the kid who's perhaps a reluctant reader might well find this an exciting read, and that's who it's written for, after all. I am pretty sure my own nine-year old will enjoy it a lot.

(Bonus points to the book for featuring a girl of color, a non-issue in the story, but apparent in the cover art).

The Taker and the Keeper has been nominated for the Cybils Awards in the MG Sci fi/fantasy category. Many thanks to the publisher for sending us panelists review copies! And please feel free to purchase this, or any other book you want, through the Cybils link at the right, to help fund the awards!

Odd and the Frost Giants, by Neil Gaiman

Odd and the Frost Giants, by Neil Gaiman (Harper Collins, 2009, 117 pages) is a gem of a book. It is smaller than average, and instead of a bright dust jacket, it is a plain dark blue, except for the color plate on the cover. It looks special--old and magical, yet friendly. The black and white illustrations, by Brett Helquist, add to the feeling that this might be a book from long ago, but are considerably less scary than the bulk of the fairy tale illustrations I can remember from the old books of my childhood. In short, this is the sort of book that makes you want to pick it up.

Odd and the Frost Giants had not been inside our house for more than a few minutes before my older boy had it in his hands. I didn't let him read it to himself, though-I wanted to read it to him. And for the next few nights, we were enchanted by the story.

In Norway, long ago, a boy named Odd leaves home very early one cold winter morning, when it was supposed to be spring, but wasn't. After his father had died while off being a Viking, a tree had crushed his leg, and his mother had married a man who did not want him. With nothing left to keep him in his village, he sets off to live alone, as best he can, in his father's old woodcutting hut.

There in the snowy woods he meets three animals--a fox, a bear, and an eagle--and learns that they are Norse gods, transformed by the curse of a Frost Giant. The giant has claimed Asgard, the realm of the gods, as his own, and, unless he is driven out, winter will last forever.

The gods (Loki, Thor, and Odin), trapped in their animal forms, think it's all pretty hopeless, but they have nothing to loose, and Odd doesn't either. So when Odd suggests that a visit to Asgard might be in order, off they go, with Odd riding on the bear's back, to find the rainbow bridge that leads away from Midgard, the middle earth where humans live.

And then Odd must face the Frost Giant. He can't outfight the giant, he can't think of a way to trick him, and he doesn't have any special magical powers or talismans. All he has is a carving his father had begun before he died, and his wits...

I am very fond of Odd. He is smart without being smart-aleky, unhappy without ever whining, brave partly because taking action beats doing nothing, and partly because of his delighted self-awareness that he is living a story:

"As the bear sped up, the cold went through Odd's clothes and chilled him to the bone.

The fox dashed ahead of them, the eagle flew above them and Odd thought, crazily, happily, I'm just like one of the brave lords in my mother's ballads. Only without the horse, the dog and the falcon." (page 21)

The gods don't come off as well as Odd does. This should not be a surprise to anyone familiar with Norse mythology, and the bickering back-talk between Thor and Loki is delightfully spot-on (Odin, the rather grumpy and aloof eagle, has much less to say).

My nine year-old loved this book. He knows his Norse mythology pretty well, however, and I wonder how much that contributed to his reaction, in as much as he was able to greet Thor and Loki as old friends. I am pretty sure, however, that Gaiman has created a solid enough enchantment to sustain even young readers meeting these gods for the first time. He doesn't try to fit "An Introduction to the Gods of the Vikings" into his story, but instead trusts his readers to find their own way in, with a minimal amount of overt explanation. As events unfold, some things are made clear, but other stories and mysteries and magics are only hinted at.

In short, this is a lovely book to buy a child, for winter time reading together under the covers or in front of a fire. It is a lovely book to have on one's shelf. It is a lovely book for those who delight in Norse Mythology. It's hard to predict if this will please "Gaiman fans," because his books are all so different from each other, but those who loved The Graveyard Book will, I think, like this one.

And now I am trying to decide in my own mind if Odd, from this book, and Bod, from The Graveyard Book, are pretty much the same boy in different circumstances....they both provoke a similar maternal response in me.

The end note of Odd and the Frost Giants implies that there may be more stories about Odd--I do so hope that is the case. The book was written for World Book Day in the UK--the cover for that edition (which kids could buy for just one pound) is at right.

Here are some other reviews, at Things Mean a Lot, Chasing Ray, and Shelf Elf, and, by way of interesting contrast, reviews by adults for adults at SF Signal and Graeme's Fantasy Book Review.

Odd has been nominated for the Cybils Awards in middle grade science fiction and fantasy, for which I am on the short list committee; the opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

In which I give up my rash quest to find the Undiscovered Gem of middle grade fantasy and nominate a book I love

The past 24 hours I have been (rather foolishly, I now know) trying to discover an Un-nominated Middle Grade Fantasy/Sci Fi Gem of Unsurpassable Child Appeal to nominate for the Cybils. Although I ended up reading some pretty good books, there was nothing that I simply had to nominate (except for Ghost Town, by Richard Jennings, which I ended up nominating in Middle Grade, because the fantasy-ish elements in that don't drive the plot particularly, and don't necessarily happen, in a happening in reality sense. I hope they like it over there in MG. I think it is one of the best books I've read all year).

But back to me, and my own category of mg sff. In the end, I decided just to nominate a book that I love--The Serial Garden, a collection of stories by Joan Aiken. So there it is.

There are, however, still a few hours during which Other Gems can be nominated.

And now that I've gotten that settled, and have found Inner Peace, I shall pack for the kidlitosphere conference in DC!!!! Actually, I have packed my books already (oh my gosh I am so looking forward to travelling without my children and actually being able to read on the airplane....). I am also looking forward, in a shy and cautiously optimistic way, to meeting my fellow bloggers....

Exciting Bartimaeus news, and more about the Cybils

Over at Fantasy Book Review (a UK site) I was pleased as punch to see that Jonathan Stroud is writing a prequel to the Bartimaeus trilogy--"The new and fourth Bartimaeus book will follow Bartimaeus’s adventures during his 5,000 year career as a djinni." For those of us for whom Bartimaeus made the series, this is wonderful news. Ptolemy's Gate, the third book in the trilogy, won the Cybils Sci Fi/Fantasy award in 2006.

Which leads nicely into this years Cybils--nominations close tomorrow! I have still not committed myself to a nomination in my own category--science fiction and fantasy. Indeed, I am still hoping to find the perfect book that hasn't been nominated yet, one that I can really stand behind. So tonight and tomorrow (unless someone nominates them before I get to them) I am reading:

The Unfinished Angel, by Sharon Creech (now read)
The Oracle of Delphi Keep, by Victoria Laurie (halfway done)
Ghost Town, by Richard W. Jennings (now read)
and Dormia, by Jake Halper and Peter Kujawinski (now read)

Poor Dormia got stuck with a cover I, at least, find utterly dreary. I know someone must have put a lot of love and effort into it, but the end result is just, well, un-exciting. But I am enjoying it...

Reviews that made me want the Middle Grade Science Fiction Fantasy book to end up on the Cybils list Part 2

I want to start by apologizing for the clunky post title. It's supposed to be a riff on "reviews that made me want the book" which is a feature Jen does, but since my reading of them this fall is contingent on these books being nominated for the Cybils award (since I'm a panelist in mg sf/f) I tried to get all that into the title.

But anyway. I meant well.

So. Here are more reviews of middle grade science fiction/fantasy books that have made me want to read them (and in order for that to happen anytime soon, first they must be nominated by the end of October 15 (which you can do at the Cybils site, here)

The Midnight Charter. Back in August, Shiela Ruth, our very own Category Organizer, and the technology genius behind the Cybils, said "The Midnight Charter is one of the most original and creative books I've read in a long time. David Whitley has done an amazing job of world-building." And I said, "I'll add it to my list." And there it has stayed.... (now nominated, although the consensus is that it's YA)

Candle Man (The Society of Unrelenting Vigilence Book ) Bookworming in the 21st Century says "Full of thrilling adventures, Candle Man pulls you into the story and makes you crave more." It sounds awfully fun.

Last year I enjoyed Gods of Manhattan; this year, its sequel, Spirits in the Park, is eligible. Kiss the Book says: "The Trap around Central Park that is holding the spirits within is becoming more violent in its attempts to loosen. Rory must combine efforts with the Rattle Watch and trust his little sister, too, if he not only wants to lower The Trap safely, but also wants to ensure that the Park spirits and the City Spirits don’t kill each other on sight. The cast of spirit characters gets larger and the plot gets more complicated in this sequel. The danger and adventure are even greater..."

And speaking of sequels, there's the new Skulduggery Pleasant book--The Faceless Ones. Jennifer over at the Jean Little Library says: "There's betrayal at every corner and Skulduggery's trademark humor has a dark flavor. Valkyrie continues to ignore the grim hints and expostulations of Skulduggery's friends and refuse to return to her ordinary life, even when she knows she may not survive. Heart-stopping action peppered with grim humor lead up to a startling conclusion that's not altogether unexpected." (now nominated)

Continuing to speak of sequels, there's The Silver Door, which my co-panelist Eva recommended highly.

Then there's The Dark Planet, the third of the Atherton books, which I read about at Books for Sale? -- “Atherton - The Dark Planet” is truly amazing. Once again, Patrick Carman has created a rich world full of details that make it stand solid. The innovative thinking behind the Atherton series makes it unique when compared with many other science fiction and dystopian series."

I saw the description of The Feathered Cloak in a recent new releases post I did, and went looking for reviews. I found this one, at Jane On Books, that made me want to read it rather badly--"This is a lovely fantasy book that incorporates a somewhat old-fashioned style of writing with a mastery of the elements of great fantasy." Viking fantasy! Yes!

and please take a look at Part 1, the post below this one, for more books that sound excellent!

Reviews that made me want the middle grade sci fi/fantasy book to be nominated

I'm on the first-round panel for middle grade science fiction and fantasy for the Cybils, and so I'm keeping a very interested eye on what's been nominated. I thought today I'd share a list of reviews that made me want particular books to be nominated, because they look so darn good and I don't really have time to read anything that's not on the list.

So. Here is Part 1 of My List of Books that Haven't Been Nominated Yet that I Want to Read:

Be A Genie in Six Easy Steps, at Never Jam Today: "Be a Genie in Six Easy Steps is truly to Nesbit what Snyder's Any Which Wall is to Edward Eager: a lively continuation of a great author's legacy. One of my favorite books of 2009." Sold. I am so sold. I had no idea I wanted to read this book so badly.

The Undrowned Child, at Bookwitch "...for anyone who might feel the need for something Harry Potterish after HP himself; look no further. And if you’re not, I still recommend reading this mermaid war drama set in Venice." And then she adds "...don’t be put off by the mermaids. Anything less mermaidish I’ve not come across. It’s not cute; it’s exciting and different."

Back in July, Doret at TheHappyNappyBookseller wrote about The Poisons of Caux, and I left a comment saying I'd look for it, but I never did. I still want it, though. (EDITED: it's now been nominated).

The Unfinished Angel, at 3T News and Reviews.

City of Fire, reviewed at Good Books for Kids: Yep "...sets his story in an alternate universe where an alternate earth enjoys magic and magical creatures; and where certain historic events, such as World War II, never happened. [Hawaii remains an independent country!]"

I've never read The Runaway Princess, by Kate Coombs, but it's on my list, along with its sequel, The Runaway Dragon (eligible this year), mainly because of this interview with Kate at The Enchanted Inkpot. (EDITED: now nominated)

And finally, here's a book that I requested from the library ages ago mainly because of its title, The Hotel Under the Sand, by Kage Baker. Looking for reviews, I see it hasn't gotten much attention yet...here's a brief review, from someone who didn't know she was getting a children's books, at Disorganized, as Usual. (EDITED: it's now been nominated)

The nomination deadline for the Cybils is 11:59 pm, Pacific Time, October 15.

Here is the list of middle grade sf/f books nominated for the Cybils

Here are all the books nominated for the Cybils in the Middle Grade Science Fiction and Fantasy Category. My fellow panelists and I are looking forward to reading them all in the next 10 weeks!

DO YOU SEE ANY BOOKS THAT AREN'T ON THIS LIST THAT REALLY REALLY SHOULD BE BECAUSE THEY ARE SO GOOD? (well, you can't see what's not there, but you know what I mean).

We want to be sure that our starting lineup of books is as good as it can be, so please, if you notice a striking gap where a Great mg sf/f book published between Oct 16th 2008 and Oct 15 2009 belongs, please head over to the Cybils site to nominate it! And while you're there, you also can, of course, nominate books for other categories...

I have been making lists of new releases in sf/f since April, so feel free to click on the "new releases" label at right if you want reminding of some of the good books published this past year.

(this list will be revised until nominations close at the end of the day on October 15)

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass
Any Which Wall by Laurel Snyder
The Book of Knowledge (Sacred Books, Volume II) by David Michael Slater
The Brotherhood of the Traveling Underpants (Melvin Beederman, Superhero), by Greg Trine
The Boy Who Fell Down Exit 43 by Harriet Goodwin
Century #1: Ring of Fire by Pierdomenico Baccalario
Chronicles of Ancient Darkness #5: Oath Breaker by Michelle Paver
Daddy's Little Angel (Bedeviled) by Shani Petroff
Dandelion Fire: Book 2 of the 100 Cupboards, by N.D. Wilson
Darkwood by M.E. Breen

Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George
The Dragon of Trelian by Michelle Knudsen
The Dragons of Ordinary Farm by Tad Williams
Dreamdark: Silksinger (Faeries of Dreamdark) by Laini Taylor
Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull
Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter by R. J. Anderson
Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen, by Serena Valentino
Farwalker's Quest, The by Joni Sensel
Fortune's Folly by Deva Fagan
Fortune's Magic Farm by Suzanne Selfors

Ghost on the Stairs, The (Haunted) by Chris Eboch
Grey Ghost, The (Wolf's Apprentice) by Julie Hahnke
Hannah (Daughters Of The Sea) by Kathryn Lasky
Hannah's Winter by Kierin Meehan
The Healing Wars; Book One: The Shifter by Janice Hardy
Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud
Immortal Fire, The (Cronus Chronicles) by Anne Ursu
Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow by James Rollins
Jaspa's Journey: The Great Migration by Rich Meyrick
Kendra Kandlestar and the Shard from Greeve (The Chronicles of Kendra Kandlestar Book 3) by Lee Edward Fodi

The Last Apprentice: Clash of the Demons, by Joseph Delaney
Last Olympian, The (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 5) by Rick Riordan
Last Synapsid, The by Timothy Mason
The Lost Conspiracy by Frances Hardinge
The Magic Thief: Lost by Sarah Prineas
Magician's Elephant, The by Kate DiCamillo
Magickeepers: The Eternal Hourglass by Erica Kirov
Mike Stellar: Nerves of Steel by K. A. Holt
Mousehunter, The by Alex Milway
The Museum of Mary Child by Cassandra Golds

My Rotten Life (Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie) by David Lubar
The Navel of the World (The Forgotten Worlds, Book 2) by P. J. Hoover
The Nine Pound Hammer: Book 1 of The Clockwork Dark by John Claude Bemis
Night of the Living Lawn Ornaments by Emily Ecton
Oceanology: The True Account of the Voyage of the Nautilus (Ologies) by Ferdinand Zoticus deLessups
Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
Outlandish Adventures of Liberty Aimes, The by Kelly Easton
Prince of Fenway Park, The by Julianna Baggott
Quest for the Simurgh by Marva Dasef
Revenge of the Itty-Bitty Brothers (Who Shrunk Daniel Funk?) by Lin Oliver

Roar by Emma Clayton
The Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonell
The Secrets of the Cheese Syndicate by Donna St. Cyr
Stonewall Hinkleman and the Battle of Bull Run by Sam Riddleburger
Suddenly Supernatural: Scaredy Kat by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Syren (Septimus Heap, Book 5) by Angie Sage
Taker and the Keeper, The (The Red Monocle) by Pat Perrin
Tentacles by Roland Smith
The Wyrm King (Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles) by Holly Black
Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris by R. L. LaFevers

Timothy and the Dragon's Gate by Adrienne Kress
Troll's Eye View: A Book of Villainous Tales edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
Walk Through A Window, A by KC Dyer
Water, Water Everywhere (Sluggers) by Loren Long
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

The Cybils: "memento awards confirmed at effortlessly"

I just found my post from Sept. 30th babbled on a site that shall be nameless. I thought it was funny (especially the effortlessly part):

"Tomorrow the 2009 Cybils build!The Cybils are memento awards confirmed at effortlessly the children’s and teenaged grown-up memento blogging community. mainly depreciatory Everyone (blogger or not) mainly is invited to set forward the books of the days of yore year they friendship kindest in a multitude of categories, including Science Fiction and Fantasy. mainly From these nominations, a panel of readers selects a shortlist, which then goes on to a guild of judges. mainly There hand down be more details agree upon at effortlessly how to set forward books on the Cybils Website tomorrow. mainly Any memento in English published from October 16th 2008 to October 15, 2009 is eligible–this includes books published this days of yore...."

Do keep nominating books (or mementos)! Especially the bestest middle grade science fiction and fantasy mementos out there, because that's my panel, and I want to read them, and, of course, it's all about me (tongue firmly in check).

A post for Cybils sf/f geeks--the 2006 long list

Ok. I am a Cybils Geek. Not a Cybils nerd, or, so help me, a Cybils dork, but a Geek. Obsessivly, intelligently (?) interested....as this post demonstates.

I just came across a list that Jocelyn put together back in December, 2006, of all the science fiction and fantasy books nominated for the Cybils in its first year...

Two things struck me:
1: It is much shorter than our lists now, and they didn't split it up into age groups back then.
2: I t is, on the one hand, rather neat to see so many books and authors I love, and familiar series that are still going strong (whose books have been nominated again this year!), back when they were new and shiny....and, on the other hand, it is a little melancholy to see books that have faded like flowers of the spring...

Here are the books:

Abadazad: The Road to Inconceivable by J.M. DeMatteis, Mike Ploog. Hyperion
Agent Boo: The Littlest Agent by Alex De Campi; illustrated by Edo Fuijkschot. TokyoPop
Amazing Flight of Darius Frobisher, The by Bill Harley. Peachtree Publishers
Anatopsis by Chris Abouzeid. Penguin: Dutton
Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer. Hyperion: Miramax
AutumnQuest by Terie Garrison. Flux
Avielle of Rhia by Dia Calhoun. Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books
Beast of Noor, The by Janet Lee CareySimon & Schuster: Atheneum
Beasts of Clawstone Castle, The by Eva Ibbotson. Penguin: Dutton
Beka Cooper: Terrier by Tamora Pierce. Random House
Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley. HarperCollins
Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz. Hyperion
Book of Story Beginnings, The by Kristin Kladstrup. Candlewick
Braced2Bite by Serena Robar. Penguin: Berkley
Changeling by Delia Sherman. Penguin: Viking Juvenile
Charlie Bone And The Hidden King by Jenny Nimmo. Scholastic
Corbenic by Catherine Fisher. HarperCollins. Greenwillow
Darkling Plain, A by Philip Reeve . HarperCollins. Eos
Death of a Ghost by Charles Butler. HarperCollins
Devilish by Maureen Johnson. Penguin: Razorbill
Dream Spinner by Bonnie Dobkin. Flux
Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton. RandomHouse: Delacorte
Enemies by Christopher Golden and Ford Lytle Gilmore. Penguin: Razorbill
Erec Rex: The Dragon’s Eye by Kaza Kingsley. Firelight Press
Evil Star by Anthony Horowitz. Scholastic
Eye Pocket: The Fantastic Society of Peculiar Adventurers, The by E.J. Crow. DNA Press
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull. Shadow Mountain
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine. HarperCollins
Fetch, The by Chris Humphreys. RandomHouse: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Floating Island, The by Elizabeth Haydon. Tor: Starscape
Gideon: The Cutpurse by Linda Buckley-Archer. Simon & Schuster
Gilda Joyce, and the Ladies of the Lake by Jennifer Allison. Penguin: Dutton
Golden by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. RandomHouse: Delacorte
Good Fairies of New York, The by Martin Millar. Soft Skull
Gossamer by Lois Lowry. Houghton Mifflin: Walter Lorraine Books
Hellbent by Anthony McGowan. Simon & Schuster
Here Be Monsters by Alan Snow. Simon & Schuster: Atheneum
Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen. Simon & Schuster
High School Bites: The Lucy Chronicles by Liza Conrad. NAL Trade
Homefree by Nina Wright. Flux
Horns & Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson. Houghton Mifflin
Horse Passages by Jennifer Macaire. Medallion Press
Into the Woods by Lyn Gardner. David Fickling Books
King of Attolia, The by Megan Whalen Turner. HarperCollins: Greenwillow
Larklight by Philip Reeve. Bloomsbury
Last Days, The by Scott Westerfield. Penguin: Razorbill
Last Dragon, The by Silvana de Mari. Hyperion: Miramax
Last of the Wilds by Trudi Canavan. HarperCollins: Eos
Legend of Zoey, The by Candie Moonshower. RandomHouse: Delacorte
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Harcourt Children’s Books
London Calling by Edward Bloor. RandomHouse: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Looking Glass Wars, The by Frank Beddor. Penguin: Dial
Lurkers, The by Charles Butler. Usborne Publishing Ltd
Magic Lessons by Justine Larbalestier. Penguin: Razorbill
Monster Blood Tattoo: The Foundling by DM Cornish. Penguin: Putnam
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. Little, Brown (Hachette)
Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean. Simon & Schuster: Margaret K. McElderry
Pinhoe Egg, The by Diana Wynne Jones. HarperCollins: Greenwillow
Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner. RandomHouse: Bantam Dell
Prophet of Yonwood, The by Jeanne Duprau. Random House
Ptolemy’s Gate by Jonathan Stroud. Hyperion: Miramax
Pucker by Melanie Gideon. Penguin: Razorbill
Quest of the Dragon Stone by Ami Blackford. Red Cygnet Press
Ranger’s Apprentice: The Burning Bridge, The. by John FlanaganPenguin: Philomel
River Secrets by Shannon Hale. Bloomsbury
Samurai by Jason Hightman. HarperCollins: Eos
Sea of Monsters, The by Rick Riordan. Hyperion: Miramax
Septimus Heap #2: Flyte by Angie Sage. HarperCollins: Katherine Tegen Books
Shadow in the Deep by L.B. Graham. P & R Publishing
Shadow Thieves, The by Anne Ursu. Simon & Schuster: Atheneum
Silver City by Cliff McNish. Carolrhoda Books
Sir Thursday by Garth Nix. Scholastic
Sisters Grimm: The Problem Child by Michael Buckley. Amulet
Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1, The by PJ Haarsma. Candlewick
Stones of Abraxas by K Osborn . SullivanMedallion
Summer King, The by O.R. Melling. Amulet Books
Sword of Anton by Gene Del Vecchio. Pelican Publishing Company
Temping Fate by Esther Friesner. Penguin: Dutton
Tide Knot, The by Helen Dunmore. HarperCollins
Travels of Thelonious by Susan Schade and Jon Buller. Simon & Schuster: Simon & Schuster
Undine by Penni Russon. HarperCollins: Greenwillow
Voices by Ursula Le Guin. Harcourt Children’s Books
Wabi by Joseph Bruchac. Penguin: Dial
Wall and the Wing, The by Laura Ruby. HarperCollins: Eos
Wintersmith by Terry PratchettHarperTeen
Wolfproof by Maureen Doyle McQuerry. Idylls Press
Wuthering High by Cara Lockwood. MTV


Here's what made it to the 2006 shortlist: Ptolomey's Gate, Silver City, Beka Cooper: Terrier, The Last Dragon, and Pucker. Hmmm. I've read exactly one of these. Pathetic.

For me, King of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner, and Voices, by Ursula Le Guin, stand out. But I haven't read enough of these 2006 titles to come up with a shortlist of five, and I'm not sure if either of these two that I love have the Kid Appeal that would make them truly Cybilian (which I guess the 2006 panelists decided as well).

Which would you have picked?

The Cybils!

Nominations are coming in fast and furious over at the Cybils website. Lists of the books nominated are updated minute by minute, and getting beautifully long...

I am honored to be part of the Cybils this year, on the nominating panel for Middle Grade Science Fiction and Fantasy.* Hooray for MG sf/f! This subgenre is my favorite--it's here that you find the best stories. Lovely, fun, imaginative, wacky, subversive, scary--that's MG sf/f.

So please go and give us a good one to read!!!! Spread the word! Ask handy fifth graders to send in their favorites of the past year (published from 16 October 2008- 15 October 2009). Let us know what books are so good they zip from hand to hand...


Here are my co-panelists:

Anamaria Anderson, bookstogether
Cindy Hannikman, Fantasy Book Critic
Brian Jung, Critique de Mr. Chompchomp
Eva Mitnick, Eva's Book Addiction


For the next three months, we will be emailing like crazy as we pick our shortlist of the books nominated. Fun!

*Middle Grade and YA have parted ways, because c. 161 books (the number nominated last year for both categories) is really too many for one person to read in 3 months, and there will be more this year. So although you only get to nominate one sci fi/fantasy book, there are two groups of readers...

New Releases of Fantasy and Science for Children and Teenagers, the Cybils Eve edition!

Tomorrow the 2009 Cybils begin!

The Cybils are book awards given by the children's and young adult book blogging community. Everyone (blogger or not) is invited to nominate the books of the past year they love best in a number of categories, including Science Fiction and Fantasy. From these nominations, a panel of readers selects a shortlist, which then goes on to a group of judges. Any book in English published from October 16th 2008 to October 15, 2009 is eligible--this includes books published this past year in the US that might have already been published in their home country, but have not yet been nominated for the Cybils. There will be more details about how to nominate books on the Cybils Website tomorrow. Please spread the word!

Science fiction and fantasy are divided into two age groups (M.G. and Y.A.), and I am fortunate to be on the nominating committee for the younger group. I hope that lots of great books end up on our list! Last year there were c. 60 middle grade books, and c. 100 YA books; I bet there are many more than that this year....

I hope that my lists of new releases prove helpful to people like myself who have trouble remembering books they read in the past year. I only started doing this in April, though, so I have only the faintest idea what books were published from October, 2008, through March, 2009...

So, that being said, and much more about the Cybils to come, here are the new releases of science fiction and fantasy books for children and teenagers from the end of September, taken from the list at Teens Read Too, with help from Amazon.

THE APOCRYPHON: FABULOUS TERRIBLE by Sophie Talbot. "In your first year as a student at Trumbull Woodhouse school for girls, your secret psychic gifts have led you into the depths of a mythic side of the school known only to a select few. The elite school has a powerful history that has been kept secret for the past 125 years. Warring factions, strained alliances, and a hidden magic all lurk beneath the posh surface of your exclusive school. At the center of the mystery lies The Apocryphon, a book of secret texts and prophecies written by school founder Emma Woodhouse. The Apocryphonshifts the tide of power between Lionhead, a group of adults who claim you are “The One”: the girl who was prophesied in the book, someone who will change the future with her unprecedented abilities and powers. Lionhead has controlled The Apocryphon for decades- but if you can locate it and unify the two factions, your school will change forever. You've always been ambivalent about your psychic powers. But what if they are the key to making you an insider for the first time in your life?"

THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX: NATHANIEL FLUDD, BEASTOLOGIST by R. L. LaFevers. "Nathaniel Fludd’s life has taken a turn for the worst. With his parents lost at sea, he lands on the doorstep of a distant cousin—the world’s last remaining beastologist. Soon Nate is whisked off on his first expedition, to Arabia, where the world’s only phoenix prepares to lay its new egg. When disaster strikes, Nate quickly finds himself all alone. Will he be able to see the phoenix safely hatched, keep his accidental pet gremlin out of trouble, and rescue his guardian from the Bedouin? If he fails, nothing will stand between the world’s mythical creatures and extinction. Too bad Nate’s not the sort of boy who enjoys adventure . . .yet."

LEVEN THUMPS AND THE RUINS OF ALDERby Obert Skye

SPELLBINDER by Helen Stringer. "Belladonna Johnson can see ghosts. It’s a trait she’s inherited from her mother’s side of the family, like blue eyes or straight hair. And it’s a trait she could do without, because what twelve-year-old wants to be caught talking to someone invisible. It is convenient, though, after Belladonna’s parents are killed in a car accident. They can live with her the same as always, watching the same old TV shows in their same old house. Nothing has changed . . . until everything changes. One night, with no warning, they vanish into thin air—along with every other ghost in the world. It’s what some people think ghosts are supposed to do, but Belladonna knows it’s all wrong. They may not be living, but they’re not supposed to be gone. With the help of her classmate Steve, a master of sneaking and spying, Belladonna is left to uncover what’s become of the spirits and to navigate a whole world her parents have kept well-hidden. If she can’t find her way, she’ll lose them again—this time for good."

SYREN: SEPTIMUS HEAP by Angie Sage. "In this fifth book in the Magykal series, Septimus ends up on a captivatingly beautiful island, one of seven set in a sparkling sea. He's stranded there with his badly injured dragon, Spit Fyre, along with Jenna and Beetle. There are some strange things about the island, including a Magykal girl named Syrah, a cat-shaped lighthouse that has lost its Light, and an eerie presence that sings to Septimus—can he escape the persistent call? Trouble is also brewing for Lucy and Wolf Boy, who have become entangled with some nefarious sailors at sea, and for Milo Banda, Jenna's father, who is harboring a mysterious treasure chest in his ship's hold."

THE SEED OF HOPE by Quinton Wall. "Growing up in Devon Grove, kids are used to magic talents. After all, magic grows on trees --- literally. One bite of the magical apples, and your wildest dreams could come true. Turning invisible, flying, and even talking to animals are all just part of everyday life. Like any kid in Devon Grove, thirteen-year-old Charlie Parker has been waiting for his talent apple his entire life, but he has even more at stake: his father is the caretaker of the Talent Tree, the source of the town's magic, and someday Charlie will inherit the responsibility, whether he wants to or not. But when Charlie's apple is stolen from him and the great Talent Tree falls, killing his father, Charlie and his five companions must embark on a quest to find the mythical Bag of Brakka. The Bag, said to foretell the future, holds the key to Charlie discovering who stole his talent, and why his father died. Friendship, loyalties, and magical abilities are put to the test when the companions discover they are in the center of a plot that threatens to destroy the world they live in."

Young Adult

RAPTURE OF THE DEEP: BLOODY JACK ADVENTURES by Louis A. MeyerOn the very day that Jacky Faber is to wed her true love, she is kidnapped by British Naval Intelligence and forced to embark on yet another daring mission—this time to search for sunken Spanish gold. But when Jacky is involved, things don't always go as planned. Jacky has survived battles on the high seas, the stifling propriety of a Boston finishing school, and even confinement in a dank French prison. But no adventure has quite matched her opportunistic street-urchin desires—until now."

THE SQUIRE'S QUEST: THE SQUIRE'S TALES by Gerald Morris. "And why is it, after all of these years, that Terence is still just a squire, offering advice on how best to scrub the rust spots from armor? But Squire Terence has more to worry about than his place on the social scale. For all the peace and prosperity that has made England famous across Europe, Terence is uneasy. After nearly six months without contact with the World of the Faeries – not even from his old friend, the mischievous sprite Robin – Terence is sure something is rotten in King Arthur's court."

BETRAYING SEASON by Marissa Doyle. "Penelope (Pen) Leland has come to Ireland to study magic and prove to herself that she is as good a witch as her twin sister, Persy. But when the dashing Niall Keating begins to pay her court, she can’t help being distracted from her studies. Little does Pen know, Niall is acting upon orders from his sorceress mother. And although it starts as a sham, Niall actually falls deeply in love with Pen, and she with him. But even if he halts his mother’s evil plan, will Pen be able to forgive him for trying to seduce her into a plot? And what of Pen’s magic, which seems to be increasingly powerful?"

BLOOD RELATIVES VOL. III: VAMPIRES KISSES by Ellen Schreiber. "Raven's romance with her dreamy vampire boyfriend, Alexander, has been complicated once again by Alexander's menacing half-vamp cousin. Now that Claude and his fearless gang have been tricked out of the blood-filled vials that can turn them into full vampires, Claude will stop at nothing to find the real vials. Raven's family and friends could be in danger. When Claude teams up with Raven's longtime nemesis, Trevor, invitations soon go out for a vampire-themed masquerade party. Could Claude be scheming to turn all of the students at Dullsville High into vampires if he doesn't get what he wants? Raven and Alexander must try to stop Claude—but also ask themselves what really matters most in the end."

DEMON PRINCESS: REIGN OR SHINE by Michelle Rowen. "As if trying to fit in at a new school isn't stressful enough, sixteen-year-old Nikki Donovan just found out that her long-lost father is, in fact, the demon king of the Shadowlands—the world that separates and protects us from the Underworld. When she is brought there by the mysterious—and surprisingly cute—messenger Michael, she learns that her father is dying, and he wants her to assume the throne. To complicate matters, a war is brewing between the Shadowlands and the Underworld, her half-demon qualities are manifesting, and her growing feelings for Michael are completely forbidden. Ruling a kingdom, navigating a secret crush, and still making it home by curfew—what's a teenage demon princess to do?"

DREAMS OF THE DEAD: THE WAKING by Thomas Randall. "Sixteen-year-old Kara Foster is an outsider in Japan, but is doing her best to fit at the private school where her father is teaching English for the year. Fortunately she’s befriended by Sakura, a fellow outsider struggling to make sense of her sister’s unsolved murder some months ago. No one seems to care about the beautiful girl who was so brutally murdered, and the other students go on as if nothing has happened. Unfortunately, the calm doesn’t last for long. Kara begins to have nightmares, and soon other students in the school turn up dead, viciously attacked by someone . . . or something. Is Sakura getting back at those she thinks are responsible for her sister’s death? Or has her dead sister come back to take revenge for herself?"

DUPLIKATE by Cherry Cheva. "By the time Kate Larson accidentally fell asleep at three a.m., she'd already done more work in one night than the average high school senior does in a week. Getting into Yale has been her dream for years—and being generally overworked and totally under-rested is the price of admission. But when she opens her eyes the next day, she comes face-to-face with, well, her face—which is attached to her body, which is standing across the room. Wait, what? Meet Kate's computer-generated twin. Kate doesn't know why she's here or how to put her back where she belongs, but she's real. And she's the last thing Kate has time to deal with right now. Unless . . ."

THE EVERAFTER by Amy Huntley. "Madison Stanton doesn't know where she is or how she got there. But she does know this—she is dead. And alone, in a vast, dark space. The only company she has in this place are luminescent objects that turn out to be all the things Maddy lost while she was alive. And soon she discovers that with these artifacts, she can reexperience—and sometimes even change—moments from her life."

THE LOST TRAIN OF THOUGHT: THE SEEMS by John Hulme & Michael Wexler. "Fixer Becker Drane never thought things could get so bad: he's in deep trouble with The Seems for breaking so many rules, he never gets to see his girlfriend, and it looks like his days as a Fixer may be numbered. So when a train carrying a load of Thought destined for The World disappears, Becker reluctantly agrees to join a crew of fixers to solve the mystery—in The Middle of Nowhere. The mission leads Becker into a scenario more terrifying and dangerous than he could have ever prepared for. Getting the Train of Thought back on track is just a temporary Fix. Becker's real mission may prove to be saving The World from ending—forever."

NEVER BITE A BOY ON THE FIRST DATE by Tamara Summers

1. I've got a few issues:
2. I'm a vampire now.
3. One of my classmates was found dead, with telltale fang marks.
4. I didn't do it! (really!)
5. Nobody believes me, so . . .
6. I'm going to have to find the real killer. I've already got three suspects. (three very cute suspects.)
7. One more problem: I am seriously falling for one of them . . . but what if he's the killer?

PASTWORLD by Ian Beck. "What if all of London were really an amusement park—a whole city returned to Victorian times to entertain visitors from the twenty-first century? That's the wildly original premise of Ian Beck's Pastworld, a high-stakes mystery set in a simulated past. Eve is a lifelong resident of Pastworld who doesn’t know she’s living in a theme park until a mysterious threat forces her to leave home. Caleb is a visiting tourist who finds the lawlessness of the past thrilling—until he suddenly becomes a fugitive from an antiquated justice system. And in the midst of it all, in the thick London fog a dark and deadly figure prowls, claiming victim after victim."