This week's round-up of middle grade sci fi/fantasy from around the blogs (December 16, 2012))

This is the last round-up before the world ends, so I hope you enjoy it.  Please let me know if I missed your post.  I follow about 400 of you in google reader (which is why I don't comment much--I'm too busy skimming), but there are so many blogs out there a girl just can't find everyone.

The Reviews

Beauty and the Beast: The Only One Who Didn't Run Away, by Wendy Mass, at Semicolon

Bliss, by Kathryn Littlewood, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Cabinet of Earths, by Anne Nesbet, at Book Nut

Chance Fortune and the Outlaws, by Shane Berryhill, at Madigan Reads

The Cup and the Crown, by Diane Stanley, at Semicolon

Deadly Pink, by Vivien Vande Velde, at Semicolon

The Emerald Atlas and The Fire Chronicle, by John Stephens, at Kid Lik Geek

The Expeditioners and the Treasure of Drowned Man's Canyon, by S.S Taylor, at In Bed With Books and Jen Robinson's Book Page

The Fire Chronicle, by John Stephens, at The Write Path and Charlotte's Library

Freakling, by Lana Krumwiede, at Challenging the Bookworm

Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities, by Mike Jung, at Semicolon

The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels, by Catherynne M. Valente, at Book Nut

Goblin Secrets, by William Alexander, at Great Kid Books and alibrarymama

The Grimm Legacy, by Polly Shulman, at Sharon the Librarian 

In the Nick of Time, by J. Lee Graham, at Time Travel Times Two

The Icarus Project, by Laura Quimby, at Book Nut

Iron Hearted Violet, by Kelly Barnhill, at The Book Smugglers

Island of Silence, by Lisa McMann, at Challenging the Bookworm

The Last Dragonslayer, by Jasper Fforde, at Charlotte's Library and Finding Wonderland

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, at Barbara Ann Watson

Princess of the Silver Woods, by Jessica Day George, at The Book Smugglers and A Backwards Story

Princess of the Wild Swans, by Diane Zahlerat Kid Lit Geek

Shiverton Hall, by Emerald Fennell, at Bart's Bookshelf

The Spindlers, by Lauren Oliver, at The Irish Banana

Splendors and Glooms, by Laura Amy Schiltz, at Fuse #8

Tilly's Moonlight Garden, by Julia Green, at Jean Little Library 

Wildwood, by Colin Meloy, at Shelf Elf

Zoe & Zak and the Ghost Leopard, by Lars Guignard, at Sharon the Librarian

At Random Musings of a Bibliophile, quick looks at four mg fantasies: The Graverobber's Apprentice, by Allan Stratton, Ordinary Magic, by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway, The Sea of Trolls, by Nancy Farmer, and The Star Shard, by Frederic S. Durbin.

And more quick reviews at Candace's Book Blog:  The Flame of Olympus, by Kate O'Hearn, The Tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo, and Once Upon a Merigold, by Jean Ferris. 

Author and Interviews:

Mike Jung (Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities) at Cynsations
 
Sarwat Chadda (Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress) at The Book Smugglers

Other Good Stuff:

I missed this list in November--School Library Journal's compilation of Middle Grade Fantasy you should have in your library.

(and I made my own little list of fantasy books to give a nine-year old boy)

Jenn Reese reminds us of middle grade books that have been honored by the Norton Award, and urges nominators to keep this age group in mind this year.

What's with all the dead parents in middle grade fantasy? at KimberlyLynKane

We went to see The Hobbit last night, and were pretty happy with it (though some of us, ie me, felt there was too much fighting, felt that Rivendell looks too much like a Thomas Kincade painting, and thought Galadriel's dress was silly).  But in any event, it would be very helpful to have studied this dwarf identification flowchart in advance, and perhaps even to have it printed out, with a little pen light on hand, to consult during the movie.  My younger son and I like Kili best (which makes me sad in advance about the ultimate ending....).

The Last Dragonslayer, by Jasper Fforde

The Last Dragonslayer, by Jasper Fforde, is one of the few books that made it onto my list of favorite books read in 2012.   In large part this is due to the presence of  a utterly awesome magical creature, the Quarkbeast, but even Quarkbeast aside, it's a fun one.

It's set in an alternate UK--the Un-united Kingdoms, where all the little bits of the British Isles are separate kingdoms, engaged in fierce struggles against each other (it helps to have a decent grip of the geography of England and Wales in particular to make sense of this--it could be confusing if you don't know where Hereford and Brecon are, for instance).

In this world there is magic, and once there was a lot more of it.  The magicians, much less powerful than they once were, have come down in the world,  using carpets to make routine delivers, and magic to unclog drains.  Jennifer, the 15-year-old indentured foundling who runs Kazam Mystical Arts Management,  a place full of eccentric magic users, struggles to find enough work for everyone to keep things going.

But then the level of magic begins to surge, and soothsayers across the divided lands begin predicting the death of the last dragon.   Jennifer finds herself in the right place and the right time to assume, much to her surprise, the role of Dragonslayer, inheriting a super-cool dragon slaying mobile, super sharp dragonslaying sword, and the ability to pass unharmed into the vast area of wilderness that is home to the dragon.    When the dragon dies, it will trigger a land rush, and not only are thousands of people camping out by the boarder, eager to stake their claims, but the Kingdom of Hereford and the duchy of Brecon are preparing for all out war over this opportunity for territorial expansion.

There's just one problem in the King of Hereford's plans, however.  Jennifer, far from being eager to fulfil the premonitions and slay the dragon at 12 on Sunday, finds her sympathies firmly on the side of the ancient creature.   And Big Magic is coming...

It's the sort of book that's filled with amusing minor characters, somewhat over the top world building, and sly pokes at modern society.    And I Loved her ferocious pet Quarkbeast (lots of fangs, but a heart of gold).  I also appreciated the digs at greedy consumer culture, and shared Jennifer's distaste at the thought of development despoiling the dragon's wilderness.  And though some may feel all this sort of thing distracts from the central story of Jennifer and the dragon, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

I really liked Jennifer--the story is written in a distant 1st person, but I thought her character came through loud and clear from her actions and words.   Insufficient Jennifer-characteriztion is a critism I noticed in  my glance at the Goodreads reviews--I think if you approach this one as a book for kids, this becomes less of an issue.

It's mostly labled Young Adult, but it has much more of a middle grade feel--adventure fun, with lots of magical rushings around.  I'd recommend in in particular to fans of Terry Pratchett and Diana Wynne Jones--humor verging on over-the-top-ness, high expectations that the reader will be able to figure out what's happening without a whole lot of underlined exposition, and a sense of things on the edge (both for the reader, and within the world of the book) of becoming utterly chaotic!

I thought the story hung together rather well, with no desperate need for a sequel; however, there is one--  Song of the Quarkbeast--already out in the UK.  Had I but known how much I'd like this one, I would have asked for it for Christmas!

Other reviews:  Finding Wonderland, The Bookwyrm's Hold, and oh goodness lots of others and I have to go to work now sorry.

Fantasy books for a nine-year old boy

Here are some great fantasy books that a nine year old boy might well enjoy!

For those in need of books for their own nine year old who's burned through Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, and needs more, here are some sure-fire winners.  I've organized them roughly in reading level, from Dragonbreath, which is fine for seven year olds, to Runemarks, labeled 12 and up on Amazon.  As an added bonus, many of them have heroines--it's my experience that boys don't need, want, or expect to read about boys!

The Dragonbreath books, by Ursula Vernon.  The easy to read adventures of a young dragon and his reptilian pals, with lots of illustrations that verge on graphic novel-ness, funny as all get out, and in general just utterly top-notch.

The Nathaniel Flood, Beastologist series, by R. L. LaFevers, beginning with book 1, The Flight of the Phoenix.  This is the story of a plucky lad and his gremlin friend travelling the world to come to the aid of mythical creatures. Easy, but substantial, reading, full of humor and mystery.

Odd and the Frost Giants, by Neil Gaiman, is the best Norse mythology fantasy for young readers that I know of.  A magical wintery tale, in which a young boy must save transformed Norse gods from a giant who's conquered Valhalla.

Wings of Fire: the Dragonet Prophecy, by Tui T. Sutherland, exudes kid appeal--it's one of the most popular books in my son's fourth grade. Five young dragons must find their destiny and survive the dangers in their path.

Keeper of the Lost Cities, by Shannon Messenger, isn't one for the adult reader (I found it somewhat derivative, and full of rather unsubstantial description).  But for the kid who desperatly wants to be an elf with tremendous magical powers, this is utterly satisfying wish-fulfillment.  My own son read it cover to cover, and appreciated the fact that there was no big bad guy involved in the plot.  He also liked the magical pet very much.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin.  A Chinese fairy tale-filled story, with gorgeous illustrations, about a girl and a dragon and a talking fish on a mission to bring happiness to her family.   It might not seem like one "for boys," but both of mine love it.

Tuesdays at the Castle, by Jessica Day George.  Best Fantasy Castle Ever.  Brave girl who saves the day.  Fun for all ages.  (This was the book my son did his first 4th grade report on--he spent ages drawing the transformation of the stuffed animal into a griffin in four steps, only to be told by his teacher he needed to use color, which then ruined everything.  Sigh.)

Runemarks, by Joanne Harris, is another with Norse Mythology.  Full of tremendously interesting magic, with an appealing heroine who has a Destiny, this is one that I've always thought deserved more attention.

And here are the books I'll be offering my own nine-year old son in the coming year, all books I've read that I think he'll enjoy:  Raider's Ransom, by Emily Diamand, Mistress of the Storm, by M. L. Welsh,  The Shadows, by Jacqueline West, Troll Fell, by Katherine Langrish, and Blackbringer, by Laini Taylor...and so many others, as well whatever else takes his fancy from my review pile!  It's so nice to have another inveterate reader of middle grade fantasy around to share the pleasure of book opening with!

The Fire Chronicle, by John Stephens, for Timeslip Tuesday

The Fire Chronicle, by John Stephens, the second of The Books of Beginning.   This post contains spoilers for the first book, The Emerald Atlas, which really needs to be read first for a reader to make sense of this one!

In The Emerald Atlas (my review) we met three siblings, Kate, Michael, and Emma, whose parents had mysteriously abandoned them to a series of orphanages.  Their destiny led them to the home of an ancient wizard, Dr. Pym, and they embarked on a perilous journey through time that ended in the defeat of an evil witch and the recovery of the Emerald Atlas, one of a mysterious trio of ancient texts.

The Emerald Atlas gave Kate the power of travelling through time.  When The Fire Chronicle begins, Kate and her siblings have been sent by the wizard back to an orphanage, where they come under attack by evil minions.  Kate uses her time travelling powers to save her siblings, and finds herself trapped in New York city at the very end of the 19th century.   There the magical world is preparing to sunder itself from the mortal world, the persecution of magic users having become intolerable.   Though a group of magical kids, led by the charismatic Rafe, shelters her, she's still in danger from the most evilly powerful magician of them all, who wants the Emerald Atlas for himself. 

Michael and Emma find themselves in dangerous circumstances of their own, as Dr. Pym sets them on a path that will, if all goes well, lead them to the second book--the Fire Chronicle.  Michael must find it in himself to be truly brave (and to overcome his distaste for elves) as he braves the lair of a dragon in a hidden antarctic Elven paradise...now besieged by the forces of evil.


It's to Stephens' credit that that all this busyness gels into two coherent story lines that come together nicely at the end.  There is much excitement, mystery, and mayhem, but though my tolerance for unbridled adventure is not as great as it might be, I still enjoyed The Fire Chronicle very much, mainly because I was genuinely interested in the characters.  As Jen Robinson rightly points out in her review of this book, the fact that this trio are siblings, with only themselves to count on, rather than friends, adds to the emotional weight of their story.

That being said, I much preferred Kate's story arc of a magical 19th century New York, full of lovely details and twistiness.  It's a lovely addition to the "magical New York" sub-genre of juvenile fantasy.  My enjoyment was enhanced by the enigmatic and attractive Rafe,  an appealingly nuanced addition to the cast of characters--will he turn out to be a hero or a traitor?  Though The Emerald Atlas left me interested in its sequel, this particular twist of the second book left me right on the edge of my seat, wanting more.

And I'm also looking forward to seeing feisty, frightened Emma come into her own in the third book!

Stephens perhaps overwrites his story at times, using two adjectives where one would do, and such like, but the book as a whole works well. That being said, this series is a solid entry into the field of "children of destiny" fantasy, managing to make that basic plot fresh and interesting.  The series is not my own personal favorite (because of my own distaste for pages of non-stop action), but I enjoyed this second book lots more than the first, galloping through it at break-neck speed.

It's not as much a wish-fulfilment story as some (like Harry Potter, for instance)--though the children are special, it's not because they themselves have untapped cool magic talents that are cooler than everybody elses, and there are no cute magical pets.   Instead, the characters are faced with serious responsibilities, and must find the emotional maturity to make the right decisions.  So I'd not rush to give this to a nine year old looking for escapist fun--it's a better fit, I think, for older kids.

Disclaimer:  review copy received from the publisher, and read for the Cybils.

Oh No, Little Dragon! by Jim Averbeck

Last week my blog was a stop on the Dragon and Dangerous Princess blog tour, in which Jim Averbeck, writer and illustrator of Oh No, Little Dragon! (Atheneum Books, 2012) and Dangerously Ever After, by Dashka Slater (my review).  At that time I hadn't actually had the pleasure of reading Jim's new book, but that has now been remedied!

Oh No, Little Dragon (Atheneum, 2012) is a picture book for the 2 to 4 year old set, a perfect offering for the small child who loves his little fire-breathing colleagues in childhood!  Little Dragon loves ot huff and puff and PHOOSH out fire, but there's a side-effect--sootiness.  Which means bathtime, complete with a toy Viking ship to incinerate.  But when Little Dragon decides to play the part of the Fire Department, the spark inside him goes out!  How will he find his flame again?  And without his flame, will his mama dragon still love him?  Of course she will, and the warmth of her love is just what he's been looking for.

Totally charming.   The pictures are simple, and so is the story, but in a most excellent way.

Along with Oh No,  Little Dragon!  I also received one of Jim Averbeck's earlier books, Except If (Atheneum, 2011).  This one's more sophisticated--in a series of possibilities, the reader/viewer is taken from an egg to a snake to a lizard to a fossilized dinosaur (!), and back again to an egg.   Mind expanding for the young, and one a grown-up can enjoy reading too.


If you didn't get a chance to read Jim Averbeck and Dashka Slater's chat about fantasy books here at my blog tour stop, here's the link again.

This Week's Round-Up of Middle Grade Sci Fi and Fantasy (Dec. 9, 2012)

I found a rather nice bunch of reviews and other good stuff this week--please let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews:

Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident, by Eoin Colfer, at So Many Books, So Little Time

The Aviary, by Kathleen O'Dell,  at Good Books and Good Wine

The Burning Bridge, by John Flanagan, at Sonderbooks

The Castle in the Attic, by Elizabeth Winthrop, at Time Travel Times Two 

Chase Tinker and the House of Magic, by Malia Ann Haberman, at YA Book Season

The Cloak Society, by Jeramey Kraatz, at Maria's Melange

Deadly Pink, by Vivien Vande Velde, at Semicolon

Deadweather and Sunrise, by Geoff Rodkey, at Sonderbooks

Divide and Conquer (Infinity Ring 2), by Carrie Ryan, at Cracking the Cover

Eye of the Storm, by Kate Messner, at That's Another Story

The Fire Chronicle, by John Stephens, at Jen Robinson's Book Page

Freakling, by Lara Krumwiede, at Semicolon

In a Glass Grimmly, by Adam Gidwitz, at The Book Smugglers

Ivy and the Meanstalk, by Dawn Lairamore, at 300 Pages

Liesl and Po, by Lauren Oliver, at Challenging the Bookworm

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny: Detectives Extraordinaire, by Polly Horvath, at Crunchings and Munchings

Nanny Piggins and the Wicked Plan, by R. A. Spratt, at Book Nut 

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, at Heavy Medal

The Peculiar, by Stefan Bachmann, at Random Musings of a Bibliophile

The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan, at Fyrefly's Book Blog

The Savage Fortress, by Sarwat Chadda, at Semicolon

Small Medium at Large, by Joanne Levy, at Book Nut

The Tale of Timewarp Tuesday, by Leslie A. Susskind, at Nayu's Reading Corner

The Time-Travelling Fashionista at the Palace of Marie Antoinette, by Bianca Turetsky, at Charlotte's Library

Under My Hat, edited by Jonathan Strahan, at Book Nut 

Under Wildwood, by Colin Meloy, at Guys Lit Wire 

Unlocking the Spell, by E.D. Baker, at Geo Librarian

The Voyage of Lucy P. Simmons, by Barbara Mariconda, at Semicolon

Who Could That Be At This Hour? by Lemony Snicket, at Charlotte's Library,  Kid Lit Geek and Crunchings and Munchings

Wings of Fire-The Dragonet Prophecy, by Tui T. Sutherland, at Book Nut and Challenging the Bookworm

Winter of Enchantment, by Victoria Walker, at Tor  

A look at the Tunnels series, by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams,  at Guys Lit Wire

Authors and Inverviews:

Rick Riordan talks about myths at The Guardian

Other Good Stuff:

If you want to try Diana Wynne Jones, here's a great guide from Andrea K. Höst at The Book Smugglers

I did not know that Harrison Ford has a major role in the Ender's Game movie!  My already considerable interest now much greater.

For those tired of stew, other foods in children's fantasy, at Seven Miles of Steel Thistles

Overlapping onto YA territory, the Andre Norton Award (which includes middle grade books) is being promoted in a blog tour during which great authors talk about their favorite boos of the year (and other good stuff)

 At The Mary Sue, the cast of the Hobbit meet their lego selves:

and in the random but almost sci fi category--catfish = pigeon killers

The books my loved ones are getting for Christmas

I buy books for my family at Christmas, and they buy books for me.  It all works out very nicely.  Here's what I'm getting them this year (which of them would you want?)

For my 9 year old son:

Warriors Super Edition: Yellowfang's Secret, and Warriors: Battles of the Clans  Erin Hunter

Mal and Chad: Food Fight! Stephen McCranie

Simon's Dream (Fog Mound)  Susan Schade

For my 12 year old son:

August Moon, Diana Thung

Baffling and Bizarre Inventions, Jim Murphy (currently hidden so well for Christmas that I can't find it.  Sigh.)

Faradawn (Fog Mound), Susan Schade

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Big Bad Ironclad

The Darwin Awards Next Evolution: Chlorinating the Gene Pool Wendy Northcutt (another one I hid really, really well.  whah.)

For my husband:

Three of these he asked for, the rest were picked up over the course of the year, and miraculously I didn't hide any of them too well (although it's possible there are more little mouse nests of book presents somewhere that I've forgotten all about...)

The Penelopiad, by Margaret Atwood

The Ingenious Edgar Jones, Elizabeth Garner (Alan Garner's daughter; he's a huge fan of his, so I thought he'd find it interesting.  I think I'll find it interesting too--have any of you all read it?  It is a YA/adult fantasy that came out in 2010)

It All Turns on Affection (Paperback), Wendell Berry

London's Overthrow, China Mieville

The Holistic Orchard: Tree Fruits and Berries the Biological Way, Michael Phillips

Bento's Sketchbook, John Berger

A Place in Time: Twenty Stories of the Port William Membership, Wendell Berry

The annotated Hunting of the Snark

For my mother: 

Birds of Melanesia: Bismarcks, Solomons, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia (Princeton Field Guides), Guy Dutson (her request)

Existence, by David Brin (it's nice to have a mama whose reading taste overlaps with one's own--although I'm not looking forward to dipping into the Birds of Melanesia, I'm am excited about reading this one!)

For my sister: 

The Moomins and the Great Flood, by Tove Jansson (again, it's nice to give books that one wants to read--it save on having to pack books for oneself.   I'm pretty sure this one is still at work....I hope)

and one secret one that she doesn't know about (if you aren't Emily, feel free to highlight to see what it is)
Bright Island, by Mabel L. Robinson

My son's first sestina, for Poetry Friday

My blogging time was severely constrained this week by the amount of homework my son had (and many other things as well)...sigh. So since I have nothing else to offer, here is one of the products of this past week of business--his first sestina.

Balloon show

By B. H.

Balloons navigate by hot air.

Our balloon hangar is infested with monkeys!

The biggest balloons are called zeppelins.

But if it rains,

water soaks the balloon cloth,

and we have to stop the show.

We try not to stop the show,

but some of our pilots have heads of air.

Luckily our balloons are reinforced with cloth,

and we stitched on pictures of good-luck monkeys.

Oh good, it will not rain.

There go the racing zeppelins!

Oh no! a crashing zeppelin!

This will surely ruin the show.

Please please please don’t rain.

Smoke is billowing in the air!

That pilot that crashed is such a monkey.

Know what’s burning? Balloon cloth!

We got  the shipment of balloon cloth

today. Now we can repair the zeppelin!

What are those monkeys

doing in the balloon that starts the show?

Help! That balloon is filling with hot air!

Catch it before it rains!

We caught the rogue balloon before it rained,

So there was no damage to its cloth.

Though clouds are billowing in the air,

Now we can repair the zeppelin!

Now we can perform our show!

Now, where are those mischievous monkeys?

The zoo people came and took away the monkeys

and it will not rain

today. This is going to be a great show!

Good thing we got that new cloth.

We spent weeks on that zeppelin.

Now let us float on a sea of air.

No more monkeys so we aren’t buying more cloth.

The rain is really bad for the zeppelins.

We had a great show in the air.

The Poetry Friday round-up is at Robyn Hood Black's blog today!

Waiting on Wednesday--Wings of Fire #2: The Lost Heir

The book I'm waiting for today (The Lost Heir, by Tui T. Sutherland, the second book of the Wings of Fire series) is actually one that I've already received a review copy off.  However, such is the kid appeal of this series about a band of young dragons, trying to bring about the prophecy that they were hand-picked to fulfil, that it might be a while before I get to read it.

The review copy arrived, and within minutes my younger son was on the phone with his book loving friends--"This is the best day ever!" he said.   And The Lost Heir went to school with him the next day, so he could finish it...and then it went to Will, and then to Marshall....and there's a rather long list of other fans of the first book, all desperately wanting it.

My son had read the first book (The Dragonet Prophecy) as a review copy, and I think hand sold the entire stock of it at the school's book fair.   It's gratifying to have my own opinion (here's my review) of the extreme kid appeal of this series recognized!  But I am a little anxious about getting The Lost Heir back safely--not only do I feel an obligation to the publisher, but I want to read it myself.  Even though I'm a hardened, cynical adult, I really liked book 1.

And am looking forward to book 2:

"The WINGS OF FIRE saga continues with a thrilling underwater adventure--and a mystery that will change everything!

Tsunami the SeaWing is overjoyed to be reunited with her fellow ocean-dwelling dragons. For the first time in her life, she actually fits in.

But not everything is as perfect as it seems underwater. Tsunami and the other "dragonets of destiny" aren't any closer to ending the war for Pyrrhia . . . and someone in the SeaWing kingdom wants them dead before they can even try. Tsunami wants to stay with her fellow SeaWings, but can she keep her friends safe at the same time?"

The Lost Heir comes out January 1 from Scholastic.

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

The Time-Travelling Fashionista at the Palace of Marie Antoinette, by Bianca Turetsky

The Time-Travelling Fashionista at the Palace of Marie Antoinette, by Bianca Turetsky, is the second adventure of Louise--12 years old, connoisseur of vintage fashion, and survivor of the Titanic on her first trip back to the past.   The two strange ladies who sold her the dress that took her through time are having another open house, and Louise is once again invited. 

This time it's a blue mid-18th century dress that catches Louise's eye...and she surreptitiously tries it on.   It transports her back to Versailles, where young Marie Antoinette is the center of a giddy whirl of beautiful clothes, lavish food, and sumptuous surroundings (plus a few nasty smells).   Louise (now a lady-in-waiting) is, naturally, charmed by the clothes, but once her wonder fades a bit, she begins to fear for the princess.  Louise knows the Revolution is coming, and she can see first hand the grave injustices that will set it off.   And, like so many time travellers, she's worried about getting home safely again....

This is first and foremost a book to give to girls who love beautiful dresses.  Turetsky does not skip on her descriptions, and there are many beautiful illustrations by Sandra Suy.   There's also a lot of designer name dropping--Louise is nothing if not knowledgeable about her obsession.   Even though I don't share her passion, I do appreciate a heroine who's focused, and don't object to learning new things!  And the dresses do sound lovely. 

The plot is somewhat thin, mainly involving descriptions of what Louise sees, and what she thinks about it.    She remains an outsider, observing rather than interacting all that much with those around her.  There's a smidge of (somewhat improbable) romance, and a whiff of danger to come, but apart from the central fact that she's gone back in time, nothing much happens.  

Turetsky does give a hint that there is more backstory to the whole business of time travelling fashionistas than was apparent at first, which stirred my interest.  The fact that there are others who time travel via clothes opens up all sorts of possibilities that could lift Louise's adventures to a new level.   

Although Louise's second adventure didn't work as well for me as her first, it's still a pleasantly readable and somewhat educational excursion to the past that should find many fans in its target audience of middle school girls.  They will probably appreciate the actual glitter on the cover more than I did, too! 

(Thanks in part to the glitter, and to the lovely pictures, this is the sort of book that has "present" written all over it.  It would work beautifully paired with any number of fashion designing kits and crafts).

(review copy received from the publishers for Cybils consideration)

"Who Could That Be at This Hour?" by Lemony Snicket

All the Wrong Questions is a new series from Lemony Snicket, and the first wrong question is "Who Could That Be at this Hour?"  I shall not summarize the plot (much), because to do so would keep anyone who hasn't read it yet from asking their own questions.  I myself had many questions, mostly along the lines of "What the heck is happening?" (in a good, intrigued way, as opposed to an "I am confused and cross" way). 

My first question (as a reader)--who is this almost 13 year old boy named Lemony Snicket, whom I have just met, and why is he exiting this distasteful cafe by way of the bathroom window?  What secrets does he hide from me?  Already I sense that he is an unreliable narrator.  Why does he tease me so?

The boy and his new companion, a teacher and mentor of uncertain credentials, journey to Stain'd by the Sea. There they must solve the mystery of a stolen statue. 

My second question (asked as a person planning to review the books)--are the many peculiarities of Stain'd by the Sea and its environs sufficiently peculiar to make this "fantasy"?  Answer: yes, if one must label it something, and doesn't it stink to have fallen into a pigeon-holing mindset.

Not only is Stain'd by the Sea a geographical enigma, it holds dark secrets.....! 

My third question:  ??????  Which is to say, there are mysteries piled on mysteries, and the breadcrumbs marking the path through the woods have been eaten (as it were, or else I'm dense.  Or both).  It does not help to know who anybody is at any particular hour, because there are Secrets and Lies......

As I read, my mind kept conjuring Edward Gorey to illustrate the surreal scenes unfolding.    The surreal landscape, the enigmatic characters, all playing their parts but communicating very little--coming and going on and off stage, and doing bizarre things--, the mystery of it all, and an sense that this was not the present (whether that's justified I'm not sure), made it fell very Gorey-esque to me.  So strong were these images that it was something of a surprise to go back after reading it to see that it was actually illustrated, and very nicely too, by an artist named Seth.

In any event, my own mental images added considerably to my enjoyment.  But added to that was a growing emotional investment in young Snicket--I knew nothing, yet still I cared.  

Here's what the NY Times said, rather more articulately than me!

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

This Week's Round-Up of Middle Grade Sci fi/Fantasy (Dec 2, 2012 edition)

Here's what I found in my blog reading this week. It was a stickier week than usual, so apologies if I missed your post, and please let me know about it!

The Reviews:

Caught, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, at Book Nut and Charlotte's Library

The Dead Gentleman, by Matthew Cody, at Semicolon 

Dragon Slippers, by Jessica Day George, at The Book Smugglers

Finally, by Wendy Mass, at The O.W.L.

Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities, by Mike Jung, at Sonderbooks 

The Girl Who Could Fly, by Victoria Forester, at Books Beside My Bed

The Golden Door, by Emily Rodda, at Cracking the Cover 

Icefall, by Matthew Kirby, at Great Imaginations

Kenny and the Dragon, by Tony DiTerlizzi, at Fantasy Literature

The Search for WondLa, by Tony DiTerlizzi, at Sonderbooks

Signed by Zelda, by Kate Feiffer, at Book Nut and Semicolon

The Sisters Grimm, by Michael Buckley, at KimberlyLynKane.com

The Secret History of Hobgoblins, by Ari Berk, at books4yourkids

Splendors and Glooms, by Laura Amy Schlitz, at Bunbury in the Stacks

A Squire's Tale, by Gerald Morris, at Tales of the Marvelous

Starry River of the Sky, by Grace Lin, at alibrarymama and Kid Lit Geek

Tilly's Moonlight Garden, by Julia Green, at Semicolon

The Wednesdays, by Julie Bourbeau, at Book Nut

Wings of Fire: the Dragonet Prophecy, by Tui Sutherland, at Semicolon

A look at the Heroes in Training series, by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams, at Books Beside My Bed  and another at A Thousand Wrongs

A look at the Demigod Diaries and The Mark of Athena, by Rick Riordan, at Boys Rule Boys Read 

2 books with bad black cats (Behind the Bookcase, and Escape from Hat) at Charlotte's Library

Other Good Stuff:

Sherwood Smith, who was there at its beginning, looks back at the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy (nb:  middle grade books are also eligible)

The NY Times lists its notable children's books of 2012

Gift recommendation lists are popping up these days--here's a nice one at Book Aunt, that features some mg sff.

And for those wanting gifts of a bookish sort, check out YA for NJ--a Hurricane Sandy fundraiser in which YA authors are auctioning signed books, critiques, and visits at ebay (through Dec. 7)

At Scribble City Central, W is for Weres, with Curtis Jobling

The Encyclopedia of Fantasy has joined the Encyclopedia of Sci Fi on-line

And for those contemplating colleges, here are the top picks for Harry Potter fans.

Fortunately Totoro is roomy enough so that one can snuggle inside him (hat tip to Tanita, who hat tipped The Mary Sue)

Bad black cats--Behind the Bookcase, and Escape from Hat

Generally cats in children's fantasy are the good guys--magical friends and helpers. Sometimes, however, even cats can go bad...here are two books with black cats no one could love!

Behind the Bookcase, by Mark Steensland. When Sally's grandmother dies, the family heads to Pennsylvania to back up her house, and perhaps fix it up. Her mother is not at all happy about revisiting her childhood home--her own mother was more than a little odd. Turns out, Grandma Winnie had good reason for her peculiarities--her house holds passages to other realities.

When Sally finds one of these portals behind the bookcase in her room, she sets out to explore the land beyond. Befriended by a black cat, who seems to be her protector, she see no harm in acquiescing to the cat's desire to come home with her....But it's clear to the reader that this is a bad idea, not just because the illustrations of the cat make him look demonic, a suggestion re-enforced by his name, Balthazat. And indeed, Balthazat has a sinister scheme in mind, and no scruples whatsoever about cruelly transforming anyone who stands in his way--including Sally's little brother, Billy.   Sally must figure out how to stop Balthazat, journeying through a magical realm with rivers of moonlight, strange creatures, like a half bat/half boy who befriends her, and great dangers.

Although portal fantasies for older readers might be in short shrift, they are still a dime a dozen in kids books. This is a perfectly fine example--the reason for portal travel is fairly original, the denizens of the fantasy realm are suitably creepy and magical, and the heroine has a clear sense of purpose (partly because of her destiny as her grandmother's heir, though she's not a Child of Prophecy, thank goodness), and acts believably. If you enjoyed another recent portal fantasy, The Spindlers, by Lauren Oliver, you'll like this one too.

Escape From Hat, by Adam Kline and Brian Taylor, was nominated for the Cybils in middle grade sci-fi/fantasy by my own 12-year old.  It was a book that both he and his 9-year old brother pounced on when it arrived; the 9-year old has read it twice.  When I asked why they liked it, they opined that it was "fun and cute," and "I liked the turnip trap lots."

It's the story of a would-be magician who gets his hands on a hat that really is magic--any rabbit put into it is forced into the magical realm of Hat, a place run by bad-luck bringing black cats.   Many of these unfortunate rabbits were once luck-bringers to human children, caught up in an age old struggle of good bunnies vs bad cats.  One such rabbit is our hero Leck, who had worked hard to make sure that young Cecil Bean was protected from the malevolence of the black cat Millikin before finding himself a prisoner of Hat.

Millikin, driven by a desire to impress the girls with all his skills at bad luck, is determined to bring Cecil the worst luck possible, destroying Leck once and for all.  Leck, now trapped in the world of Hat, is equally determined to escape, and save Cecil from his fate....

Hat is full of dangers and strange creatures, but with the help of a brave girl rabbit, Morel, and a musical mouse, Leck might make it through to the fortress of the black cats, and escape the prison of bad luck....and in the meantime, Cecil, above ground, is searching for the actual hat, hoping free the rabbits imprisoned inside it.

It's a book that enjoys fantasy tropes and cliches very much; the language is very  highfaluting:

"Morel strode slow and soft to her companion and knelt by his tiny side.

"Leck, dear Leck," she whispered, "who art the luck-giver.  Oft have I watched, with spear in paw, as you have given luck to others and sought nothing in return.  And as I have borne witness to your small brand of courage, I have done naught but roll my eyes" (page 152).

I think it's one that has a lot more kid appeal than grown-up appeal--although I was engaged enough to read it straight through, I just could not thrill to the rabbits' adventures with the same enthusiasm of my boys.  And I could not help but be troubled by the inclusion of the Pigmies, a society of pigs embodying African tribal stereotypes in much the same "fun with cliche" way that the authors' bring to the quest narrative.  And I was also a bit bothered by the motivation of the villainous cat Millikin--he is all about getting the girls through showing-off, and ends up with a harem.  Yes, he's a villain, but still, not exactly the sort of thing I want my boys to accept unquestioningly.

 It does, however, end with useful moral that one makes one's own luck in the world, and the illustrations, several in full color, are very appealing in a fantasy cartoon way (as shown in the example at the right).  And like I said, my own boys enjoyed it lots.

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

So that's it for cats for now....tune in next Saturday for "Fantasy Moths."

My Stop on the Dragon and Dangerous Princess Blog Tour

Way back in May of 2008, I interviewed Jim Averbeck on the occasion of his first book, In a Blue Room.  Even though I've moved on, since that time, to focus on middle grade sci fi/fantasy, I still have a soft spot in my heart for great fantasy picture books, and so it's a pleasure to welcome Jim back for a blog tour celebrating not only the release of his latest book, Oh No, Little Dragon, but the publication of Dangerously Ever After, by Dashka Slater (which I reviewed here)

First, the books:

Oh No, Little Dragon!  "With a PHOOSH and a Grrrrrr and a CANNONBAAAALLLLLL! Little Dragon tears through his day (and the house). But even when he gets a little too rambunctious, there’s no OH NO! that Mama’s kiss can’t fix."

Dangerously Ever After  "Princess Amanita laughs in the face of danger. Brakeless bicycles, pet scorpions, spiky plants--that's her thing. So when quiet Prince Florian gives her roses, Amanita is unimpressed . . . until she sees their glorious thorns! Now she must have rose seeds of her own. But when huge, honking noses grow instead, what is a princess with a taste for danger to do?"

And now, over to Dashka and Jim, talking about fantasy picture books and childhood reading!
 

JIM:  Hi Dashka.  This has been really fun touring the blogosphere with you. Mostly we’ve been interviewed by others, but here we have a chance for a little conversation. Charlotte’s blog focuses on fantasy and science fiction, and I think our stories fall under that heading, though for a much younger age group than usually considered for these genres.  So my first question for you is: Do you think introduction to fantasy themed books like DANGEROUSLY EVER AFTER or OH NO LITTLE DRAGON! lead kids to a lifelong openness or fascination with the fantasy genre?

DASHKA: I’m sure that there are people who read fantasy as kids and grew up to read nothing but annual reports and software manuals. But I think those people are the exception (at least I hope so). In my case, the books that I read as a child decorated the inside of my head with a landscape and a set of characters and an entire aesthetic that will be with me always. Once you begin to believe in a magical universe, it’s hard to stop.

JIM: What sort of books were your favorite earliest books? Do you see a connection between them and the stories you read as an adult?

DASHKA: I loved fairy tales of all kinds -- one of my favorite books was a picture storybook of Beauty and the Beast with Klimt-like illustrations by Hilary Knight and an afterward by Jean Cocteau. Spooky and cool (though my mother always insisted that the Beast was more attractive than the Prince.) I’m certain that the mixture of danger and absurdity present in that book influenced DANGEROUSLY EVER AFTER, as did the wry humor of E. Nesbit’s books, which I read over and over.

I was also raised on the Oz books, all 33 of them, which were conceived as being a new kind of quintessentially American fairytale. They were my father’s favorite childhood books and no child, grandchild, or even great grandchild of his is allowed to reach maturity without having read them. Having grown up reading books about magic, I was delighted to discover magical realist books like ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE and BELOVED as an adult, which in turn inspired me to write a magical realist novel of my own. I’ve never stopped believing that mysterious and inexplicable things can happen to ordinary people, and I’m always excited when I find other writers who believe that too.

JIM: The first Oz book was published over 100 years ago. Do you think DANGEROUSLY EVER AFTER reflects quintessential American values?

DASHKA: In DANGEROUSLY EVER AFTER, the main character, Princess Amanita, has reinvented the role of princess, which is a very American thing to do. She’s not bound by traditional ideas of who she should be and so she’s decided that she can be a bicycle-riding, broken glass-collecting, dangerous-plant-growing princess -- without giving up her stylish outfits or her ruby-studded wheelbarrow.

What about Little Dragon? Is he a quintessentially American dragon?

JIM:  I think so. In the opening  pages of OH NO, LITTLE DRAGON! we see pictures that Little Dragon has drawn. He has a very all-American family with strong ties to their own roots.  This is illustrated by the fact that they have their very own castle, right there in the middle of suburbia, complete with a skull-foot tub and a viking-cap shower. They have their little corner of America, to which they've brought their immigrant experience. I think Little Dragon himself is second generation American.

DASHKA: I’ve told you about my childhood literary influences, now I want to hear about yours. Are there certain childhood books that you feel formed your tastes as a reader or as a writer?
           
JIM: I think I must have been a pretty cheap child to bring up, at least when I was very young, because I don’t remember having a ton of books. The one I remember best, however, had 366 stories- one for each day of the year (plus an extra for leap year).  It was illustrated by Richard Scarry. If you know anything about his work you know that it’s mostly animals in waistcoats. I’m sure this early grounding in fantasy led me later to WATERSHIP DOWN and THE HOBBIT, both of which prominently feature talking animals. And, of course, THE HOBBIT  led directly to THE LORD OF THE RINGS, which I have read annually every year since I was 14. That’s 35 times for those who are counting. All of this is to say, I really like fantasy.

DASHKA: So we were both heavily influenced by fantasy -- which shows up in our fairy-tale themed books. What do you think makes fantasy and fairy tales such an enduring source of inspiration?

JIM: I’m going to have to stand with Dr. Carl Gustav Jung on that (as filtered through Joseph Campbell).  I think fairy tales trade in archetypes. The Big Bad Wolf is our shadow self, the wise woman a sort of anima, etc and they all reside happily in the collective unconscious.  Fantasy stories tap into that unconscious directly, so they have a feel of being at once familiar and new, and on some level completely right. So they inspire us.

DASHKA: Where else do you go for inspiration? Do you have any remedies for the days when -- like Little Dragon -- your creative fire has been snuffed out?

JIM:   For me, writing is a process of synthesis. I tend to pull ideas from a lot of sources, let them stew around a bit in my head and  come out as something new. I get inspiration from dreams, news articles, observation.  For picture books in particular, I get inspiration from form.  Picture books have fairly constrictive set of rules and I like figuring out how to tell a story within those constrictions. It's a challenge.

When I am feeling uncreative, I like to soak in a hot tub. It's important to relax to get the creative juices flowing. Hot tub writing is why so many of my manuscripts have blotchy smeared ink words on rippled paper.

By the way, I like what you said earlier: “I’ve never stopped believing that mysterious and inexplicable things can happen to ordinary people.”  Can you share a mysterious and inexplicable occurrence that happened to you?

DASHKA: I’ve had many inexplicable occurrences happen around my books, maybe because if you put that much effort into creating an imaginary world, a little of it can’t help but leak out into the real world. After my book BABY SHOES was accepted for publication, for example, I received a box of hand-me-downs that included a pair of formerly white baby shoes that had been splashed with all different colors of paint so that they looked just like the  “speckled, spotted, polka-dotted, puddle-stomping, rainbow-romping” shoes at the end of the book. To this day I have no idea where they came from or what the origin was -- maybe someone put their baby to work painting the house.

When, THE WISHING BOX, my novel for adults, came out, I gave a reading attended by a man who looked exactly as I’d always imagined the protagonist’s father, a ne’er-do-well named Bill Harris. He heckled me during the Q&A and then stormed out of the bookstore. I guess he felt I hadn’t treated him all that well in the novel.

It was one of the rare occasions when I got a huge kick out of someone hating one of my books! What’s your favorite thing that anyone has said to you about your books? What, to you, is the ultimate compliment?  

JIM: The ultimate compliment for me is when I see a child make a connection to my book. But sometimes they can surprise you.  OH NO, LITTLE DRAGON! has a repeated phrase "Oh, No!" which I imagined kids would call out when the book was being read aloud to them. Judging from the many school visits I've done with the book, it turns out that they love the sound of Little Dragon making fire: "phoosh."  They call it out whenever they see illustrations with fire in the book. I love that they are making this connection with the book and the character of Little Dragon.

DASHKA: I love that! To me, the way children can fall in passionately in love with a book is the reason that writing for them is the best job in the world. Thanks for inviting us to visit your blog, Charlotte!

 

Thank you, very much, Dashka and Jim, for stopping by!

Caught (The Missing: Book 5) by Margaret Peterson Haddix, for Timeslip Tuesday

It's a little hard to believe that over four years have passed since I read and reviewed Found, the first book of The Missing series, by Margaret Peterson Haddix (I think my reviews are in general much better now!).  It's stuck in my mind vividly--the mysterious plane filled with babies, who we find out are children kidnapped from history--children who would otherwise have died.  The children are adopted by 21st century families, and all is well....until agents of time enforcement arrive to stabilize history by returning the children to their rightful places. 

When Caught, the fifth book of the series (Simon & Schuster, 2012) begins, Jonah (one of the time kidnapped kids) and his adopted sister, Katherine, have travelled back in time on numerous occasions, accompanying children being returned.  But it hasn't helped Time recover at all--instead, due to the machinations of hostile individuals, and the difficulties of time travel, history is in worse shape then ever, and Jonah and Katherine have been told that their time travelling is finished for now.

Not true.  Albert Einstein has gotten off on the wrong research path--he's hotly pursuing time travel, instead of general relativity, and Jonah and Katherine must travel back in time to somehow set that right.   But when they arrive at Einstein's house, they are confronted with a more immediate mystery involving the out-of-wedlock daughter of Albert Einstein and his first wife, Mileva, who has been kept a secret, hidden with Mileva's parents in Serbia.  Back in 1903, Lieserl, the daughter, isn't missing yet, but she is dying of scarlet fever.  Jonah and Katherine, shadowing Mileva, arrive in Serbia just in time to see Lieserl being kidnapped by the unscrupulous time travellers responsible for the whole mess (Einstein's daughter would fetch a good price on the adoption market of the future).

But the 21st century version of Lieserl is back in time too, as a twelve year old named Emily.   Mileva (a formidably intelligent woman) figures out what's happening, and is faced with a horrible choice.  Does she keep her daughter, and let time go to heck, or can she (without a whole lot of help from the 21st century kids) somehow find a solution that will unsnarl time, without destroying every hope of her own happiness?

Although the sci fi fun and games of technology-driven time travel still are an integral part of the plot, this book is primarily Mileva's story  And it's worth reading in its own right, even if you haven't read the others, for her complex, conflicted character, especially in relationship to Albert Einstein.  It's emotionally powerful, and educational to boot (and not just because it has a fascinating author's note!).

I have to confess that at this point in the series I am letting the time catastrophe aspect of things just drift by in the background, without making much mental effort to Understand what's happening.   But on a more straightforward time travel level, Haddix does an excellent job making vivid differences in attitudes and social mores between the present and the past.

In short--this is my favorite book of the series so far, and one that can be read as a stand alone by a reader willing to let a certain amount of confusion wash over them.

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher for Cybils consideration)

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, by Susannah Cahalan

I am fascinated by the workings, and not workings, of the brain--for instance, Oliver Sacks' newest book, Hallucinations, is on my Christmas wish list.  So naturally I said yes, enthusiastically, to the offer of a review copy of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, by Susannah Cahalan (Free Press, November 2012).

Susannah was a healthy, vibrant young reporter when, slowly and insidiously, her brain betrayed her.   At first the signs were subtle--manic mood swings, paranoia, and a sense of not-rightness, but progressively thing got worse.  Fortunately for Susannah, she began having seizures, making it clear that there was something actually, physically, wrong.   And so, instead of being committed to a mental hospital, she spent a month of madness as a neurological mystery.

A team of doctors tested and assessed and observed, and Susannah's condition progressively worsened.  Her self was masked by a cascade of impairment, but her family and her boyfriend continued to believe that the Susannah they loved was still there.

Most fortunately, a new doctor, Souhel Najjar took up her case, one who just happened to be familiar with examples of other young women suffering from similarly catastrophic mental collapse.  Susannah finally had a diagnosis--a newly discovered autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks the brain. With diagnosis came treatment, restoring Susannah to her self.   And Susannah decided to write this book.

Though she herself has few memories of her month of madness, she set out to chronicle with journalist attention to finding out facts just what happened to her.  It is gripping as all get out. 

Susannah's descent into illness is not comfortable reading.  Though I was absorbed, it was a lot like watching a train wreck happening...and I was much more comfortable once the new doctor arrived on the scene, and the tone of the narrative becomes one that's more hopeful, and one that's more focused on the scientific non-fiction aspect of her illness, and less on watching her mind collapse.

And it is fascinating to speculate, along with Susannah, just how this illness, and others like it, might be responsible for misdiagnosed mental dysfunction...and it's scary as all get out to think that had Susannah's first doctor been the only one she saw, a complete and utter misdiagnosis of too much alcohol consumption might have been on her charts as her brain became completely consumed by her sickness.

Highly recommended for those like me who are fascinated by medical mysteries with the human element front and center!