A book I can't imagine reading--The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Undead

I think I will pass on reading this one (found via Graeme's Fantasy Book Review)


In the tradition of the blockbuster sensation Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Tor is proud to offer up The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Undead. Taking the original coming of age classic, Don Borchart has inflicted it with a taste of the macabre, as the world has been overrun by a Zombie epidemic that in the South has been dubbed "Zum." Where in the original text you would find Tom Sawyer duping his friends into whitewatching [sic] the fence, now in that same scene, Tom and his friends sharpen the edges of the fence to ward off Zombie approaches. Where Tom Sawyer doesn't have to fake his dealth [sic], just merely pretends to be a Zum. The murderous Injun' Joe is the first of the rising self-realized zombies, who know what they are and are even more vicious for it...

Tom Sawyer doesn't need zombies. And "Injun' Joe" is a problematical enough in the original, without being a zombie.

On the other hand, Dickens could use a few vampires. Like Estella in Great Expectations--she is pretty much un-dead already.

Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool, by Odo Hirsch

Here's a lovely book that isn't fantasy, although it is certainly fantastical--Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool, by Odo Hirsch (Kane Miller, 2010, middle grade, 214 pages). This one's an Australian import, already out there and coming to the US in September.

Darius Bell is the younger son of a proud family that has fallen on hard times. A long ago Bell ancestor did his city such a service that he was given a large land grant, and on that land, the Bell's constructed a vast estate, whose centerpiece was a huge, fantastical house (really huge and really fantastical--I loved it!). There was one requirement of the grant--every twenty five years, the Bells must give a gift, any gift, back to the city (which is now full of edifices of past Bell generosity).

It is almost time for the Bell's to give their gift again. But Darius' father has no money. The house is falling to pieces, and the only way the Bell's manage to stay there at all is through a network of families who work the land and harvest trees and fish the ponds in exchange for tithes. Darius, unlike his older brother Cyrus (who wants to leave the decaying grandeur of home to make a life for himself as an engineer named Robert), loves the Bell estate, and would do anything to save it. So when it becomes clear that his father is in deep denial viz gift giving (too proud of the family name to admit to poverty, too impractical to come up with a "worthy" gift), Darius sets out to find the perfect thing himself.

When an earthquake opens the way to an underground lake, a place of extraordinary beauty, Darius thinks he might have found the answer to his family's problems...but gifts, especially those with lots of legal strings attached, are tricky things.

The quality of Hirsch's writing is just lovely. It's full of description--the residents of the Bell estate, and the place itself, come to magical life. Those who love children's books about old, decaying houses full of endless rooms and follies will love this one. And all the description is merged beautifully with the story, so that my eyes never bounced of off unread adjectives in their haste to see what happened next.

Darius is a most lovable character--determined and plucky, despite being squashed somewhat by his older brother. I was firmly on his side from the get go, and he is one of my favorite fictional boys of the year. (Can't say the same, though, for his somewhat annoying proverb-mangling friend). Cyrus (aka Robert) grew on me considerably, and Darius' parents, even though they might seem ineffective (needing, as they do in Darius' mind at least), a lot of help, are not without dignity. And it is this dignity that comes to the fore toward the end of the book, when the author explores what really constitutes a good Gift (there's a fine lesson here, not made into a Moral with a capital M, but still very much present).

This is a wonderful book for the grown-up aficionado of middle grade children's literature- but I think there is more than enough scheming and exploring and imagining to enthral the young reader too.

added bonus 1: an interesting geology lesson
added bonus 2: lots of good things to eat

Here's another review from Australian Women Online that echoes my sentiments exactly.

Disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher at ALA in DC this summer, and now I have to decide whether to pass it on to the library as planned or selfishly keep it because I enjoyed it so very much. But since the book is so focused on giving, it would be hard to do the later...I don't think I could meet its eyes on my own shelves, as it were.

A Tale of Time City, by Diana Wynne Jones, for Timeslip Tuesday

A Tale of Time City, by Diana Wynne Jones (1987)

Vivien Smith was being evacuated from London in WW II when her trip to the country turned out to be much more than she bargained for--she ended up kidnapped by two boys from the future, and whisked off to Time City. There, far from the familiarities of home, she finds herself in a pickle of twisted time, and Jonathan and Sam, would-be-heroes, find they have the wrong Vivien Smith. She's just an ordinary girl, not the powerful twister of time they had hoped to capture.

Vivien can readily accept that the twentieth century was unstable, time-wise; but it's a bit harder to grasp that Time City itself, with its elaborate edifices and artifacts accumulated over the centuries, is about to collapse. To try to keep that from happening, Vivien, the two boys, and a helpful android set off to whisk through the ages, searching for the lost artifacts that will stabilize Time City, and, in a temporally rippling way, all of the past...but someone is to be working against them, and none of their plans are working out....

Oh dear. This is my least favorite Diana Wynne Jones; I had hoped, this second time through it, that I would fall for it, but it was not to be. There is just too much detail. Too much Happening. To many things, and people, and little bits of plot that never coalesce to make magic happen. And time travel-wise, it's a bit of an amusement park ride, rather than a finely wrought immersive experience. I never quite grasped the whole Point of Time City's existence, or why people traipsed around through time...and so, time travel-wise, it didn't engage me, and by the time the Exciting Final Showdown happened, I wasn't all that sure I cared.

Yet. If you like lots of detail, if you don't mind not having a clue for much of the time, if you can appreciate great inventiveness, you might like this one....especially, judging by Stella Matutina's review, if you are a child....I was a grown-up when I read this for the first time, and am still a grown-up, so I never got to read it with the (cliche alert) bright wonder of the child mind. There are bits that almost sing, but.

The Pinhoe Egg, by Diana Wynne Jones

The Pinhoe Egg, by Diana Wynne Jones (Greenwillow, 2006, middle grade, 515 pages, but it's the sort with very generous spacing so it's not really that long)

Christopher Chant, the svelte, incredibly powerful nine-lived enchanter, better known by his job title of Chrestomanci, was introduced to the world way back in 1977, with the publication of Charmed Life. He made appearances in a few other books (Witch Week and The Magicians of Caprona), and finally got his own book in 1988--The Lives of Christopher Chant. Then years of silence followed...but in the 2005, Jones revisited Chrestomanci with Conrad's Fate, followed in 2006 by The Pinhoe Egg. The Pinhoe Egg happens to be one of my favorite Diana Wynne Jones-es, so I'm offering it for Diana Wynne Jones week at Jenny's Books. Here goes:

Chrestomanci lives in a castle-type building, with spacious magical grounds. In The Pinhoe Egg, Jones takes us beyond his demesne, exploring the magical secrets that lie just outside his walls. Turns out, there are a lot of these. Two families, the Pinhoes and the Farleighs, full of all sorts of intrigue and secrets and shenanigans, have been practicing their own variety of enchantment for centuries. Young Marianne Pinhoe is the only girl of her generation, and she's expected to eventually become the clan matriarch. But fate has other plans in store for her, involving a mysterious Egg, a plague of frogs, a tangled web of domestic magic, and a strong and (perhaps) deadly network of enchantments that is keeping Something bound...

And Chrestomanci has no clue what's going on. Nope, so powerful are the Do Not Notice spells of the village families that he's been living in happy oblivion. Until, that is, Marianne becomes friends with his ward, young Cat (of Charmed Life fame). Both Cat and Marianne are strong magic users in their own rights, and together they began to unravel the mysteries of the Pinhoe and Farleigh families...

And in the process, they (and a host of other characters, old friends and new) are submerged in the sort of hugely entertaining magical mayhem that characterizes Jones' writing.

I like this one awfully much, but, as is often the case with DWJ, more so the second time reading it. Her plots are so tangly and her details so detailed and there is so much going on, that she repays re-reading more than just about any author I can think of. I'm still not entirely clear about every one of the motivations and machinations in The Pinhoe Egg, but I do know that Marianne is one of my favorite DWJ heroines (not because she is so very extraordinary; more the opposite in fact), it was wonderful to see so much more of Cat, and the magic is utterly fascinating.

Added bonus for animal lovers: baby griffin, and a horse who, although not magical per se, is a very fine horse indeed.
Added bonus for plant lovers: lots of gardening and other botanizing
Added bonus for people who like machines: machines (mixed with magic in a very strange way. Never underestimate the power of a dead ferret.)

Do Not Open: An encyclopedia of the world's best-kept secrets, for Non-fiction Monday

Do Not Open: An encyclopedia of the world's best-kept secrets, by John Farndon (DK Publishing)

First published in 2007, this amazing collection of fascinating "secrets" is now available in paperback form. I think DK really knocked it out of the park with this one-there is something for everyone. There's obvious stuff-- spy gear, ufos, lost treasures, and the like--subjects that will interest the young boy reader (quite possibly girls too, but boy reader is what I observe first hand), but there are sections devoted to more esoteric secrets. If you are interested in art, read about the secrets contained within Holbein's painting, The Ambassadors. Elizabethan alchemy is popping up in quite a few fantasy books these days, so the section on Alchemists and Wizards is very apropos, ditto the sections on the Knight's Templar and Werewolves vs Vampires. Young writers of science fiction might well find inspiration in the sections on the human genome, and the ingredients of a fast-food strawberry milkshake...And for the mathematically inclined, there are fractals and the Fibonacci sequence.

There are many, many more topics covered in DK signature style--crisply written prose blocks with lots of illustrations. 244 topics, in fact, on all sorts of subjects. Great fun to browse through (in which one is helped by suggestions of similar sections to go to next, leading to a long chain of explorations). In short, a fine source of cocktail party conversation, and a fine source of tidbits for the information loving kid to add to his store, to be shared with whoever he can find to listen to him. Leave this lying around your house (along with all the other books lying around the house la la la) and your ten year old boy will find it and be entranced. (And since for days at a time it might be buried beneath other books, he can have the pleasure of discovering it over and over again...)

The Non-Fiction Monday roundup this week is at Three Turtles and Their Pet Librarian.

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

New Releases of Fantasy and Science Fiction for kids and teens-the beginning of August 2010 edition

Here are the new releases of science fiction and fantasy for children and teens from the beginning of August to the 10th. My information comes from Teens Read Too, and the publisher's blurbs are lifted from Amazon or directly from the publishers. The one I want most is the very last one on the list--You Wish, by Mandy Hubbard. It sounds brilliant...

Middle Grade:

APHRODITE THE BEAUTY: GODDESS GIRLS by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams The latest addition to the Goddess Girls series.

THE ATLANTIS COMPLEX: ARTEMIS FOWL by Eoin Colfer Artemis has committed his entire fortune to a project he believes will save the planet and its inhabitants, both human and fairy. Can it be true? Has goodness taken hold of the world’s greatest teenage criminal mastermind?

Captain Holly Short is unconvinced, and discovers that Artemis is suffering from Atlantis Complex, a psychosis common among guilt-ridden fairies - not humans - and most likely triggered by Artemis’s dabbling with fairy magic. Symptoms include obsessive-compulsive behavior, paranoia, multiple personality disorder and, in extreme cases, embarrassing professions of love to a certain feisty LEPrecon fairy.

Unfortunately, Atlantis Complex has struck at the worst possible time. A deadly foe from Holly’s past is intent on destroying the actual city of Atlantis. Can Artemis escape the confines of his mind – and the grips of a giant squid – in time to save the underwater metropolis and its fairy inhabitants?

The BODY THIEF: THE DEATH (AND FURTHER ADVENTURES) OF SILAS WINTERBOTTOM by Stephen Giles And you thought your family was strange.

I am dying. . . I might get the chance to know you before death takes me...I would like you to be my guest at Sommerset. . .I have enclosed a check for $ 10,000. . . Should you accept my offer...

Uncle Silas has always been greedy, evil, insulting, and extremely rich! But a dying uncle with a vast fortune is definitely one worth getting to know. Even if it means spending 2 months on his secluded island home with a houseful of suspicious servants and a hungry pet crocodile.

But what is Uncle Silas really up to? Will Adele, Milo, and Isabella outlive Uncle Silas to inherit his money? And just who is that mysterious "guest" in his basement? Is it worth the money (or their lives) to stick around and find out?

CLAW OF THE WEREWOLF: SCREAM STREET by Tommy Donbavand Luke is just one relic away from opening the doorway back to his own world and taking his parents away from the terrors of Scream Street! But the final search threatens to plunge him into the most dangerous adventure yet. With the help of Resus and Cleo, Luke is desperately hunting for the claw of a werewolf — and in the process he learns something most unexpected about Samuel Skipstone, the author who has helped them so much on their quest. This forces the trio into making a difficult decision, made harder by the witch convention taking place on Scream Street. The sixth and final relic is almost in Luke’s grasp, but will it ever be his?

THE FABLED FIFTH GRADERS OF AESOP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL by Candace Fleming Welcome back to Mr. Jupiter's inimitable class at Aesop Elementary. His rambunctious, special students are fifth graders now . . . and they rule the school! Bernadette Braggadoccio stirs things up when her probing investigative reporting for the school's TV station reveals some scandalous stuff. But . . . don't believe everything you hear. Is that new art teacher really a crazy lady with zillions of cats, or could there be more to this story?

For their last year at Aesop, the fifth graders are hoping for the coolest class pet—a unicorn, a pink-headed duck, or at least a giant squid. Imagine their disappointment when they get guinea pigs. But . . . appearances can be deceiving. These guinea pigs have some very unusual traits.

THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A GHOST: AND OTHER TALES FROM NIGERIA
by Ifeoma Onyefulu As a child, Ifeoma Onyefulu was catapulted into a strange storytelling world predominated less by happy endings than by learning a lesson or two. For this collection, she retells nine of the best Nigerian tales. In The Girl Who Married a Ghost, stuck-up Oglisa discovers that pride goes before a fall; and in the Wrestler and the Ghost, the greatest wrestler in the world gets his comeuppance when he challenges a ghost. Many stories feature animals from the African jungle: Tortoise tricks the other animals so that he can win The Great Eating Competition, and hoards food for himself in The Famine — until the other animals become suspicious. Why the Lizard Nods His Head explores greed and how it can get you into deep trouble, while Lazy Dog and Tortoise shows that everyone should work together, unlike Dog who would never help his friends dig a well. Onyefulu retells these magical stories for generations of city-dwelling children who have moved far, far away from the world of animals and spirits.

JACK BLANK AND THE IMAGINE NATION by Matt Myklusch All Jack Blank knows is his bleak, dreary life at St. Barnaby’s Home for the Hopeless, Abandoned, Forgotten, and Lost—an orphanage in the swampland of New Jersey. Covertly reading old comic books is JackÂ’s only solace. But his life changes forever when he meets an emissary from a secret country called the Imagine Nation, an astonishing place where all the fantastic and unbelievable things in the world originate. Including Jack.

Jack soon discovers that he has an amazing ability—one that could make him the savior of Imagine Nation and the world beyond…or the biggest threat they’ve ever faced.

MISS FORTUNE by Brandi Dougherty Zoe’s never been superstitious, so when she and her best friend Mia have their fortunes read at a carnival, she doesn’t take it seriously. In fact, Zoe mocks the fortune-teller. But the woman gives Zoe a necklace to seal her fortune, and as soon as Zoe puts it on, unexplained things begin to happen to her. Her bike spins out of control, a fire starts in the oven when it isn’t on, and Zoe begins receiving threatening texts and emails. The necklace must be cursed! But when Zoe and Mia return to the site of the carnival, it’s gone! Can they break the curse before something terrible happens?

MISTY GORDON AND THE MYSTERY OF THE GHOST PIRATES by Kim Kennedy Things in the New England town of Ashcrumb are getting weird. Or just weirder. Misty Gordon, whose antique-dealing parents drive a van that says “D.E.A.D.” on the side (for “Deceased’s Estate and Antique Dealer”), is accustomed to weird.

One day, when accompanying her father to the estate of a recently departed clairvoyant, Misty discovers a notebook and a pair of eyeglasses that enable her to see ghosts! And solve mysteries. With the help of her new powers and her best friend, Yoshi, Misty learns that her hometown was settled not by respectable colonists but by pirates! And the ghosts of the pirates are returning to reclaim a dangerous, powerful treasure they lost centuries ago. Who will find it first, Misty or the pirates?

NIGHTSHADE CITY by Hilary Wagner Deep beneath a modern metropolis lies the Catacombs, the kingdom of remarkable rats of superior intellect. Juniper and his maverick band of rebel rats have been plotting ever since the Bloody Coup turned the Catacombs, a once-peaceful democracy, into a brutal dictatorship ruled by decadent High Minister Killdeer and his vicious henchman, Billycan, a former lab rat with a fondness for butchery. When three young orphan rats--brothers Vincent and Victor and a clever female named Clover--flee the Catacombs in mortal peril and join forces with the rebels, it proves to be the spark that ignites the long-awaited battle to overthrow their oppressors and create a new city--Nightshade City.

THE PACK by LM Preston Shamira is considered an outcast by most, but little do they know that she is on a mission. Kids on Mars are disappearing, but Shamira decides to use the criminals most unlikely weapons against them the very kids of which they have captured. In order to succeed, she is forced to trust another, something she is afraid to do. However, Valens, her connection to the underworld of her enemy, proves to be a useful ally. Time is slipping, and so is her control on the power that resides within her. But in order to save her brother's life, she is willing to risk it all.

SKULL OF THE SKELETON: SCREAM STREET by Tommy Donbavand None other than the Headless Horseman, the world’s most famous ghost, is appearing at Everwell’s Emporium to launch his new perfume, “Decapitation pour l’Homme.” Unfortunately, the celebrity’s head is stolen during the event, and his overbearing gargoyle manager is not amused. Eefa Everwell recruits Luke, Resus, and Cleo to help with the search, but Luke is on a headhunt of his own: he’s searching for a skull left behind by Scream Street’s first skeleton resident. Of course, Sir Otto Sneer is determined to thwart the trio — and when he launches a Frankenstein-esque monster, it’s all they can do to keep their own heads!

SKYCLAN'S DESTINY: WARRIORS by Erin Hunter

The return of a long lost Clan . . .

Many moons ago, five warrior Clans shared the forest in peace. But as Twolegs encroached on the cats' territories, the warriors of SkyClan were forced to abandon their home and try to forge a new life far away. Eventually, the Clan disbanded—forgotten by all until Firestar was sent on a quest to reunite its descendants and return SkyClan to its former glory.

Now, with Leafstar in place as leader, SkyClan is thriving. Leafstar is desperate to believe that her Clan will survive where the ancient SkyClan cats failed. But threats continue to plague the Clan, and as dissent grows from within, Leafstar must face the one question she dreads: Is SkyClan meant to survive?

THE TASTERS GUILD: THE POISONS OF CAUX by Susannah Appelbaum After the perilous adventure of The Hollow Bettle (Book I), the dark reign of the Nightshades is over at last, and a new day has arrived in Caux, a land long ruled by poison and deceit. The ancient Prophecy-the coming of a Noble Child to cure the one, true King-has finally begun.

But fear still grips the people of Caux, for they live in the shadow of the powerful, poisonous Tasters' Guild. Sequestered high within its corrupt walls sits Vidal Verjouce, the Guild's diabolical Director, his dark magic more potent than ever. Eleven-year-old Ivy, famed healer and Noble Child, and her friend and taster Rowan must venture inside the Guild itself if they are to find the door to their sister world, Pimcaux-and fulfill the Prophecy. But a deadly weed-once thought extinct-threatens their journey: scourge bracken, a plant dedicated to domination and destruction, also known, ominously, as Kingmaker. Who else has detected it? And will Ivy's remarkable gift-her dominion over plants and nature-be enough to thwart it?

THE THREE FURIES: EREC REX by Kaza Kingsley Erec Rex continues his quest to become king.

THRESHOLDS by Nina Kiriki Hoffman Maya’s family has just moved from Idaho to Spores Ferry, Oregon. She’s nervous about starting middle school and making new friends, but soon that’s the last thing on her mind. First, a fairy flies into her room. Then it turns out that the kids in the apartment building next door do magic, and their basement is full of portals to other worlds. She’s bursting with new experiences and delight . . . and secrets, because she can’t breathe a word to her family, not even when she winds up taking care of an alien!

Imagine the family in Ingrid Law’s Savvy seen through the eyes of a young Ray Bradbury. Cross the Threshold!

TOBY AND THE SECRETS OF THE TREE by Timothee de Fombelle Toby’s world is under greater threat than ever before. A giant crater has been dug right into the center of the Tree, moss and lichen have invaded the branches, and one tyrant controls it all. Leo Blue, once Toby’s best friend, is holding Toby’s beloved Elisha prisoner, hunting the Grass People with merciless force, and inflicting a life of poverty and fear on the Tree People. But after several years among the Grass People, Toby has returned to fight back. And this time he’s not alone: a resistance is forming. In the much-anticipated sequel to the award-winning Toby Alone, the compelling eco-adventure reaches its gripping conclusion.

UNEARTHLY ASYLUM: THE JOY OF SPOOKING by P.J. Bracegirdle In Unearthly Asylum, sequel to Fiendish Deeds, Joy discovers something strange happening at the Spooking Asylum.

A ZOMBIE'S GUIDE TO THE HUMAN BODY by Tom Becker & Mercer Mayer All of the critical information kids need to know about the human body, with a zombie twist! From head-to-toe, every human body part will be explored and explained with a combination of illustrated zombies and full-color photographs throughout. Learn how many bones are in the human body, what blood's made up of, how fast fingernails grow, where your dinner goes after you eat it, plus lots of fun zombie facts and tips so you can avoid losing your head (and brains) to one!

Young Adult:

ALMOST TO DIE FOR: VAMPIRE PRINCESS OF ST. PAUL by Tate Hallaway On her sixteenth birthday, Anastasija Parker learns that her so-called deadbeat dad is actually a vampire king. And he wants Ana to assume her rightful position at his side, in spite of the fact that she has witch's blood running through her veins-from her mother's side.

Too bad witches and vampires are mortal enemies. And now Ana's parents are at each other's throats over her future. It's up to Ana to make a choice, but deciding your eternal destiny is a pretty big deal for a girl who just wants to get through high school.

BETRAYAL by Gillian Shields here are the small betrayals: the unkind word, the petty lies. And there are the betrayals that break hearts, destroy worlds, and turn the strong sweet light of day into bitter dust.

When Evie Johnson started at Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, her life changed in ways she couldn't possibly have envisioned: the discovery of her link with Lady Agnes, her special bond with Helen and Sarah, and their sisterhood in the astonishing secrets of the Mystic Way. Above all, Evie's love for Sebastian has turned her world upside down.

Now Evie returns to Wyldcliffe for another term and more danger. Surrounded by enemies, she lives every day in fear that Sebastian will fall into the darkness of servitude to the Unconquered Lords. The Wyldcliffe coven is plotting to destroy Evie and use Sebastian to secure their own immortality. Evie and her sisters must master the power of the Talisman before it is too late. But could it be Sebastian himself who will ultimately betray Evie?

BRAIN CAMP by Susan Kim & Lawrence Klavan (graphic novel) Neither artistic, dreamy Jenna nor surly, delinquent Lucas expected to find themselves at an invitation-only summer camp that turns problem children into prodigies. And yet, here they both are at Camp Fielding, settling in with all the other losers and misfits who’ve been shipped off by their parents in a last-ditch effort to produce a child worth bragging about.

But strange disappearances, spooky lights in the woods, and a chilling alteration that turns the dimmest, rowdiest campers into docile zombie Einsteins have Jenna and Lucas feeling more than a little suspicious . . . and a lot afraid.

DATING FOR DEMONS by Serena Robar I just started to grasp that my best friend is a half-blood vampire, and now I'm facing demons of my own. Colby needs my help with an ancient prophesy, and a mysterious loner, Hunter, has been kind enough to take me under his wing. But is he teaching me or studying me? Usually I'm on the sidelines but have been thrust into the thick of things by a zombie vampire attack and a surprising declaration revealing that I'm a Demon Hunter. Too bad no one buys it. If I could only get my best friend to believe in me before an ancient evil destroys her and her half-blood sisters, I might actually get the guy and save the world.

DIVIDED SOULS: DARKE ACADEMY by Gabriella Poole The Darke Academy is a school like no other. An elite establishment that moves to an exotic new city every term, its students are impossibly beautiful, sophisticated and rich. Death has followed the Darke Academy to the ancient city of Istanbul. An unseen hunter is on the loose. Scholarship girl Cassie Bell is fascinated by the city's beauty, but there's no time for her to relax. Torn between an old flame and a new romance, she must also choose between the select world of the Few and her loyalty towards her best friends. And all the time a killer is stalking the Few. As Cassie is about to discover, no one is above suspicion. Sometimes, the people you love can be the most dangerous enemies of all ...

THE ETERNAL ONES by Kirsten Miller Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother’s house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.

In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves¸ before all is lost and the cycle begins again.

THE EXTRAORDINARY SECRETS OF APRIL, MAY, & JUNE by Robin Benway I hugged my sisters and they fit against my sides like two jigsaw pieces that would never fit anywhere else. I couldn’t imagine ever letting them go again, like releasing them would be to surrender the best parts of myself.

Three sisters share a magical, unshakeable bond in this witty high-concept novel from the critically acclaimed author of Audrey, Wait! Around the time of their parents’ divorce, sisters April, May, and June recover special powers from childhood—powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?

April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle-child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds—everyone’s but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they’ll always have each other.

Because there’s one thing stronger than magic: sisterhood.

GIRL PARTS by John M. Cusick David and Charlie are opposites. David has a million friends, online and off. Charlie is a soulful outsider, off the grid completely. But neither feels close to anybody. When David’s parents present him with a hot Companion bot designed to encourage healthy bonds and treat his “dissociative disorder,” he can’t get enough of luscious redheaded Rose — and he can’t get it soon. Companions come with strict intimacy protocols, and whenever he tries anything, David gets an electric shock. Parted from the boy she was built to love, Rose turns to Charlie, who finds he can open up, knowing Rose isn’t real. With Charlie’s help, the ideal “companion” is about to become her own best friend. In a stunning and hilarious debut, John Cusick takes rollicking aim at internet culture and our craving for meaningful connection in an uberconnected world.

GUARDIAN OF THE GATE: PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS by Michelle Zink The ultimate battle between sisters is nearing, and its outcome could have catastrophic consequences. As sixteen year-old Lia Milthorpe searches for a way to end the prophecy, her twin sister Alice hones the skills she'll need to defeat Lia. Alice will stop at nothing to reclaim her sister's role in the prophecy, and that's not the only thing she wants: There's also Lia's boyfriend James.

Lia and Alice always knew the Prophecy would turn those closest to them against them. But they didn't know what betrayal could lead them to do. In the end, only one sister will be left standing.

I AM NUMBER FOUR by Pittacus Lore Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers y...more Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

INFINITE DAYS: A VAMPIRE QUEEN NOVEL by Rebecca Maizel "Throughout all my histories, I found no one I loved more than you...no one."

Those were some of Rhode's last words to me. The last time he would pronounce his love. The last time I would see his face. It was the first time in 592 years I could take a breath. Lay in the sun. Taste. Rhode sacrificed himself so I, Lenah Beaudonte, could be human again. So I could stop the blood lust. I never expected to fall in love with someone else that wasn't Rhode. But Justin was...daring. Exciting. More beautiful than I could dream. I never expected to be sixteen again...then again, I never expected my past to come back and haunt me...

THE IRON DAUGHTER: THE IRON FEY by Julie Kagawa Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

KISS ME DEADLY: 13 TALES OF PARANORMAL LOVE edited by Trisha Telep If you can possibly thirst for more mysterious metaphysical accounts of love, Trisha Telep has organized some of the greatest and most thrilling tales of paranormal paramours since The Eternal Kiss. She presents the acclaimed literary talent of thirteen unique authors, creating a collection of stories that will undoubtedly capture the imagination of every soul who dares to read them. Werewolves, ghosts, zombies, vampires, and fallen angels drive the plot of these riveting romances.

MANIFEST: A MISFITS NOVEL by Artist Arthur When fifteen-year-old Krystal Bentley moves to Lincoln, Connecticut, her mom's hometown, she assumes her biggest drama will be adjusting to the burbs after living in New York City.

But Lincoln is nothing like Krystal imagined. The weirdness begins when Ricky Watson starts confiding in her. He's cute, funny, a good listener—and everything she'd ever want—except that he was killed nearly a year ago. Krystal's ghost-whispering talents soon lead other "freaks" to her door—Sasha, a rich girl who can literally disappear, and Jake, who moves objects with his mind. All three share a distinctive birthmark in the shape of an M and, fittingly, call themselves the Mystyx. They set out to learn what really happened to Ricky, only to realize that they aren't the only ones with mysterious powers. But if Krystal succeeds in finding out the truth about Ricky's death, will she lose him for good?

THE THIN EXECUTIONER by Darren Shan In a kingdom of merciless tyrants, Jebel Rum's family is honored as royalty because his father is the executioner. But Rashed Rum is near retirement. And when he goes, there will be a contest to determine his successor. It is a contest that thin, puny Jebel has no chance of winning.

Humiliated and ashamed, Jebel sets out on a quest to the faraway home of a legendary fire god to beg for inhuman powers so that he can become the most lethal of men. He must take with him a slave, named Tel Hesani, to be sacrificed to the god. It will be a dark and brutal journey filled with lynch mobs, suicide cults, terrible monsters, and worse, monstrous men. But to Jebel, the risk is worth it.

To retrieve his honor . . .To wield unimaginable power . . .To become . . .The thin executioner

YOU WISH by Mandy Hubbard Kayla McHenry’s sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla’s secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin’ do.Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year’s supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla’s wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is her best friend’s boyfriend.

This Sunday's round-up of middle grade fantasy and science fiction reviews, news, and more from around the blogs

Another Sunday, another round-up!

Here are the reviews that I found:

13 Treasures, by Michelle Harrison, at Eva's Book Addiction

100 Cupboards, by N.D. Wilson, at Read in a Single Sitting.

The Adventures of Nanny Piggins, by R. A. Spratt, at Jean Little Library.

The Amaranth Enchantment, by Julie Berry, at The Book Nest.

Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex, by Eoin Colfer, at The Book Zone (for boys).

Crossing Over (Suddenly Supernatural), by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, at Books & Other Thoughts.

Dark Life, by Kat Falls, at The Book Zone (for Boys) and at Becky's Book Reviews.

Dragon Rider, by Cornelia Funke, at The Bookworm Chronicles.

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall, by Mary Downing Hahn, at The Fourth Musketeer.

Ivy's Ever After, by Dawn Lairamore, at Eva's Book Addiction

Karma Bites, by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas, at The O.W.L.

The Kneebone Boy, by Ellen Potter, at Book Aunt (note--Kate actually says this isn't fantasy, but since a lot of us (ie me) might have been making that assumption, I'm sticking it in anyway!)

No Such Thing as Dragons, by Philip Reeve, at Bookends.

Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth, by Rick Riordan, at Nayu's Reading Corner.

The Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale, at Emily's Reading Room.

The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan, at Eva's Book Addiction.

Rise of the Darklings, by Paul Crilley, at Fantasy Literature.

The Shadows (Books of Elsewhere 1), by Jacqueline West, at Books Together.

A Tale Dark and Grimm, by Adam Gidwitz, at Fuse #8

The Unsinkable Walker Bean, a graphic novel by Aaron Renier, at 100 Scope Notes.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin, at Book Reviews for LS 5653 Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults.

Whistle Bright Magic--a Nutfolk Tale, by Barb Bentler Ullman, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams, by Rhonda Hayter, at Charlotte's Library.

Interviews:

For over a year, a book called A Most Improper Magick has been on my to-be-read list. At last, today, it is published (in the UK)! Here's an interview with its author, Stephanie Burgis, at Bart's Bookshelf.

J. and P. Voekel (Middleworld) continue their blog tour at Reading in Color.

Other Fun Stuff:

Diana Wynne Jones Week kicks off at Jenny's Books! Since, very very sadly, Diana Wynne Jones is critically ill, taking part in the celebration of her great books is a wonderful chance to pay homage to one of the greatest writers of fantasy for the younger reader...(and older reader too). And, for affecianados of fairy tales, Once Upon a Week is also beginning today at Today's Adventure.

At Tamora Pierce's blog -- "Why I write girl heros for the most part."

The League of Extraordinary Writers has been busily discussing Among the Hidden, by Margaret Petterson Haddix, as their July Book Club selection.

I've gathered together two lists of Cold Fantasy Books for a hot summer's day--here are Part 1 (for younger readers, 7-10ish) and Part 2 (for older readers).

Over at The Spectacle, there's an interesting post on Violence in mg sff.

With her review of Merry Go Round In Oz, Mari Ness has now reviewed all 40 of the canonical Oz books. When I was nine or so, and found out that the Library of Congress existed, I made plans to spend several days there reading them all. After reading these reviews, I'm not so sure this is going to happen...

Just for kicks, I put up a poll to see which Newbery Award winner that was a fantasy/sci fi book is best beloved. 60 people have voted so far...

Not specifically fantasy related, but still of interest: the Kidlit Con 2010 (this October, Minneapolis) information is up, registration begins now (and is surprisingly affordable), and I have a swell room-mate lined up already! It's a great conference to go to--there is lots of time for just talking to other book minded folk.

And speaking of meeting, here's a picture of me (brown hair, green shirt) listening to the fantasy writing panel at the Toadstool that I went to a week ago (lifted from Angie Frazier's blog, where you can see more pictures:

The authors shown, from r to l, are Deva Fagan, Angie Frazier, and 2/3 of Kate Milford. (Here's my account).

If you enjoy these round-ups, please feel free to spread the word! And if I missed your post, or that of your best friend, etc., please let me know! (I am especially anxious that because I don't read that many author blogs, I am missing many Good Posts....so, if anyone reading this happens to either be an author of mg fantasy/sci fi, or an avid reader of such blogs, please feel free to contact me with links at any time!).

Cold Fantasy for a Hot Summer's Day -- Part 2: books for older readers

In my previous post, I offered some Cold Books for younger readers (7 to 10ish). Here's a rather eclectic, off the top of my head, selection of books for older readers (11 and up) that are delightfully chilly, guaranteed (maybe) to take your mind off the heat.

No list of Cold Books would be complete without the classics--The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis (and the even colder The Silver Chair), and The Dark is Rising, by Susan Cooper. These, I feel, are so familiar that no discussion is necessary...other books, however, aren't so familiar:

The Snow-Walker Trilogy, by Catherine Fisher (The Snow-Walker's Son, The Empty Hand, and The Soul Thieves)
This book features lots of cold, the sort where the dregs of the wine freeze in the bottoms of the cups, and concomitant desperate circumstances for the people struggling in snowy wastelands against oppressive evil. This trilogy, drawing on Norse and Anglo-Saxon mythology, tells of the evil magic of the Snow Walker Gudrun, who rules the Jarl and his people with her oppressive power. Banished to the most northern keep, where Gudrun's monstrous son is imprisoned, Jessa fears for the lives of herself and her brother. But even in the frozen north there is hope... (Anyone curious about Catherine Fisher's pre-Incarceron books might do worse than to start with these books--I enjoyed them lots).

Norse mythology lends itself nicely to cold--another good series (for upper middle grade readers) is that of Katherine Langrish, beginning with Troll Fell (my review). If memory serves, by the second chapter we are knee-deep in snow, and very cold withall.

The Owl Keeper, by Christine Brodien-Jones (2010)
In her dystopian fantasy (another for upper middle grade readers), Brodien-Jones went the Cold route. The apocalypse that destroyed much of civilization left supposedly uninhabitable frozen zones in its wake...but, as young Max discovers, there are many things that he hadn't been told. There are the horrible secrets, such as the hideous destiny for which he is being prepared, but there are also more pleasant surprises awaiting in the frozen lands to which he escapes....Definitely a book that will make you glad your feet are warm and toasty!

Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld
Some people might remember the steam-punk elements of this book, or the strange genetically- crafted Darwenist creatures. Although those are still clear in my mind, I also remember lots of struggling in snow in the Swiss Alps. (here's my review).

Three books have taken the fairy tale "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" and run with it -- Ice, by Sarah Beth Durst, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, by Jessica Day George, and East, by Edith Pattou. I've checked East out of the library at least three times....and never read it, but I can attest to the fact that the first two books both have lovely ice castles--just the thing for a hot August day.

Winter Rose, by Patricia McKillip (1996), is a Cold Book I'd recommend to fans of lyrical fantasy:

""Who are you you?" I whispered. Cold racked through me, the thorns tightened their hold. She was something wild in my wood, the glint of an eye on a lightless night, the formless shadow the moon reveals tangled in the shadow of a tree. "Who are you?"

"I am night," she said, and it was. "I am winter's song," and I heard it. "I am the shadow of the bloody moon and all the winds that harvest in it." I felt them. "I am the dead of winter."

She wore my mother's face." (page 185)

Moving off into space, to cold planets, two in particular come to mind. Marion Zimmer Bradely's Darkover, with its red, inadequately warm, sun, is the setting for numerous books. I think the coldest of them all has to be City of Sorcery, in which there is much plowing through snowdrifts and falling off icy mountains and other wintry fun. And then there is Winter, a freezing planet created by Ursula Le Guin in The Left Hand of Darkness. This is a sci fi classic for two reasons--the world building is superb, and it is a powerful exploration of what "gender" means. It's also one of those imaginary places that are so cold you'll be glad it's summer, which was the whole point of these lists....

Like I said up at the beginning, this list is a bit of a smorgasbord. Please do feel free to suggest others--the colder the better!

Edited to add: Readers have reminded me that Hannah's Winter (my review) and The Doomsday Book (my review) are both very nicely cold indeed. And also The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, and Elidor, both by Alan Garner (which I should review someday...)

(just in case anyone was wondering why I didn't include Thief Eyes, which I just reviewed, since it is set in Iceland, and therefore is not exactly warm, geography-wise. However, in as much as the central character finds herself on the verge of setting fire to the world for a good part of the book, it didn't seem quite cold enough).

And maybe (since, ironically, it is a very pleasantly un-hot day here in southern New England) I'll go downstairs now, and read Lord of the Burning Sands, which somehow I wasn't quite in the mood for much of our own burningly hot July...or I could go and do more wood stacking. Winter, after all, is On Its Way.

(Message for Tanita, over in Scotland, who has been frustrated of late by my recommendations of older books--Troll Fell and Winter Rose are available in the Glasgow Library; the Snow-Walker trilogy, not so much. My faith in the Glasgow Public Library hit rock bottom when I found that it did not have a copy of Mark of the Horse Lord, by Rosemary Sutcliff, which I had made Tanita promise, more or less, to read, as her first Sutcliff book. The Shame of it).

Cold Fantasy for a Hot Summer's Day -- Part 1: books for young readers

When it's hot outside (as it so often is in summer), I like to curl up with a cold, cold book. One where the snow is falling, and ice is everywhere. Here are some great cold fantasies for younger readers, 7-10 ish; books for older readers can be found in Part 2.

The Ice Dragon, by George R.R. Martin

George R.R. Martin is best known for his on-going adult fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. But he also wrote a very cold book for young readers--The Ice Dragon, first published in 1980, but re-issued with illustrations by Yvonne Gilbert in 2006 (107 pages).

It begins "Adara liked the winter best of all, for when the world grew cold the ice dragon came." Adara is a Winter child--her mother died giving birth to her in middle of the coldest winter her village had known. And all her life she loved winter best, building castles out of snow with her bare hands, gently holding the ice lizards, easily killed by the warm hands of the other children, but happy with her cold touch. Better still, though, was the Ice Dragon, on whose back she rides...But when the peace of Adara's cold life is shattered by war, she must turn her back on winter, and sacrifice the ice dragon to save her family.

A fairy-tale type story that makes lovely pictures in the mind's eye.

Odd and the Frost Giants, by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Brett Helquist (2009, 117 pages)

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. 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.

It's a wonderfully cold and snowy world, peopled by gods and giants, and a brave and smart boy (my review).


Moominland Midwinter, by Tove Jansson (first published in English in 1958)

My favorite winter book, no holds barred. In her earlier Moomin books, Jansson was happy to have fun--they are very Adventure driven, have a large cast of characters, and are somewhat episodic. This book, however, focuses primarily on a single character-- young Moomintroll, facing winter for the first time, while all the rest of his family sleeps. It is cold, dark, and incredibly haunting, as well as being lots of fun! This book is where the grown-up reader, who has never read any Moomin books, should start the series.

The Last Polar Bears, written and illustrated by Harry Horse (2007)

"Dear Child,
I am writing to let you know that Roo and I are well. I'm sorry I was unable to say goodbye to you properly and I hope that you can understand why I had to go on this expedition. I am going to the North Pole to find the Last Polar Bears."

All his life, the grandfather writes, he has either been too old or too young to do what he wanted to do, so with his dog Roo he has set off to find the polar bears before they are gone. In letters to his grandchild, he tells of a journey full of snow, and ice, and strangeness. This is a book that made both laugh and cry, and there are a number of bits that are very cold indeed. (my review)

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, by Joan Aiken (1963)

One bitterly cold winter's day, a young orphan named Sylvia travels by (freezing cold) train to the home of her cousin Bonnie. When she arrives at Bonnie's grand home, she is dismayed that Bonnie's parents are preparing to depart for a long voyage...and there is good reason for her trepidation. Beset by wolves and winter without, and by an evil governess within, Sylvia and Bonnie face a cold journey (literally and metaphorically) before warmer weather comes and all is well again.

What are your wintry favorites for younger readers? (I'm putting The Dark is Rising in the next post, btw, so do not be dismayed by its absence).

The Grey Horse, by R.A. MacAvoy, for Retro Friday

The Grey Horse, by R.A. MacAvoy (1987, YA, although it was marketed as an adult book--there wasn't much fantasy marketed as YA per se back in the day, 247 pages)

Before the explosion of paranormal romances, before fairy lovers were as common as all get out, before the myths of Ireland had been written about and written about, there was The Grey Horse, by R.A. MacAvoy.

A hundred and thirty years or so ago, when the English ruled all of Ireland, an old man named Anrai met a grey horse on the hill. And Anrai, Irish through and through, was much taken with the animal, which was clearly a native born and bred, just like himself. When the horse offered him a ride, Anrai cast off common sense and mounted...and the grey horse took him for a wild race, over the hills and through the town, past its staring inhabitants:

"God to you, Anrai O Reachtaire!" called one of them, "I have the weaving your own Aine spoke for!" Anrai stared straight ahead of him with a face of forbidding majesty, and affected not to hear. One hand he carried clenched at the horse's withers, as though it held a rein of such fine and narrow leather it could not be seen from a distance, while with the other he fished in his waistcoat pocket and drew out his silver pocket watch, which he held in front of his face in a preoccupied, businesslike manner." (pp 8-9)

Clearly this is no ordinary horse. In fact, not a horse at all, but one of the other folk...Ruairi Mac Eibhir, who has come back to the mortal world to find a bride. But will the woman who has entered his dreams agree to his proposal? Maire Standon is no weak reed, to fall for fairy magic--she is is as strong and stalwart as a young tree, more than a match for any fairy foolery. To win her heart, Ruairi will need more than magic. He will need to prove himself by his actions in the human world.

And the world of Maire and Anrai and their families is not a happy one. The Troubles are at their height, and Ireland is a volatile powder keg of injustice. In the real world, real people are suffering, at a personal, homely scale as well as in the larger political realm. And Ruairi, the gray horse of Ireland, can only do so much...

This is a book with just tons of heart, and tons of magic made intimate and real through R.A. MacAvoy's loving and detailed world-building and people-building. If you like a. shapeshifters b. fairy lovers c. historical fiction about Ireland, in which ordinary people can do extraordinary things d. books about old couples, very much in love still, keeping their dignity in the face of fierce odds e. horses, or f. any combination of the above, find this book!

(although I really would have liked a bit more romance...there was lots of chemistry, but not quite enough, um...er...)

Apologetic end note: sorry I didn't put in the fadas on the names (that's the acute accent)--I don't know how...

Every Friday Angie at Angieville hosts Retro Friday, and I am have been meaning to write this one up and contribute it for ages! Yay for getting something off the mental to-do list.

Thief Eyes, by Janni Lee Simner

Thief Eyes, by Janni Lee Simner (Random House 2010, YA, 256 pages)

Haley's mother disappeared into the mists at Thingvellir in Iceland, the central gathering place of the medieval Icelandic settlers (shown below). She was never found. A year later, Haley and her father have returned to that very spot. There is no sign of her mother, but Haley finds a small silver coin, that burns her hand when she picks it up. And that night, the dreams come--dreams of fire, and smoke, and destruction.

Picking up the coin has bound Haley to the dark spell cast a thousand years earlier by her ancestor, Hallgerd. It was a spell cast in anger, made of blood on the day when Hallgerd found that her father was going to break his promise, and give her in marriage instead of letting her have her freedom. The spell led Hallgerd's soul down through all the line of her female descendants, looking for one who would change places with her....and at last it has led Hallgerd to Haley. An American teenager, greiving for her mother, knowing almost nothing of the legends of Iceland in which she is now entangled.

The spell draws Haley into a world where the Norse gods are real, where fire demons can send their power into the living, where one of Odin's ravens plays tricks with the memory of the entire island. With Haley is Ari, an Icelandic boy, with his own ancient magic brought to life by the reverberations of Hallgerd's ancient spell. Trapped by forces even older than Hallgerd's spell, the two must make their way back to their own present, and find some way of breaking the power of the fire that has taken hold of Haley's spirit. For the fire is seeking its own way out, to burn and to destroy....

Thief Eyes merges the Icelandic sagas and a story of contemporary teenagers into an adventure that reminds me of forays into the myths of the British Isles that characterized many twentieth century books for older children--I'm thinking of such luminaries as Alan Garner, Catherine Fisher (although she's early 21st century as well!), and Susan Cooper. The mythological and historical elements, freshly drawn from the original sources, provides the danger--that particular danger that happens when old magic ensnares the modern child. This is one of my favorite types of fantasy, and the Norse myths and sagas are still pretty fresh ground, fantasy-wise, so I was predisposed to enjoy this book very much.

And I did. It didn't have all the emotive power of the authors I mention above--there weren't any moments when the numinous hit me in the face and I was struck cold, but I enjoyed it lots. It helped, I think, that I'm pretty familiar with Njal's Saga, from which Simner drew heavily. I read Njal's Saga in Iceland, during a long cold summer spent digging up an abandoned medieval farm, and Hallgerd, a central character in the saga, came to be vividly alive in my mind. Simner's Iceland, a place where passion plays out in a magically-charged landscape that is fairly unfriendly to people, felt pretty much spot on to me. But I wasn't quite convinced by the trajectory of the magical danger in Simner's story---I would have preferred to have the focus stay more firmly on Hallgerd and her machinations, and felt that the involvement of the fire demons and Odin's raven confused the issue at hand somewhat.

On the contemporary side of things, Simner likewise doesn't quite achieve thematic coherence in the emotional forces buffeting Haley. I found Haley and Ari to be engaging central characters, whose growing attraction for each other added a nice dollop of (paranoramally flavored) romantic interest. This part of the story should appeal greatly to teenaged readers, and I liked it too. However, in addition to trying to work out just what she feels for Ari, Haley is also grieving profoundly for her mother, while trying to resolve the desperately scary circumstances into which the Hallgerd's ancient spell has propelled Ari and herself. These three elements of Haley's story seem to take it in turn to be on center stage, never quite working together to make one larger, more powerful, story.

Despite these reservations, I enjoyed the book very much; I almost loved it, which is why I went into detail about why I didn't. I had no trouble whatsoever turning the pages briskly till I reached the end, and I'd highly recommend it to those who enjoy their YA fantasies infused with myth and history, who are ready to accept the elements of those older stories with which they are unfamiliar, and willingly journey through an ancient land where the echos of past anger reverberate in the present.

Bonus feature: really charming arctic fox.

Which Newbery Award winning fantasy do you like best? A poll

Update: 52 of you have spoken, and the winner is....a tie between The Hero and the Crown, and A Wrinkle in Time, with ten votes each! Truly both are classics. Feel free to keep voting, if you haven't already done so!

The past two winners of the Newbery Award have both been science fiction/fantasy, and I found myself wondering just how many winners are from this, my favorite, genre. (The 1950s seems like a bad time to be a sff writer for children).

So I looked, and having looked, wondered which one I liked best, and wondered what "liking best meant" --is it "if I could only save one and the rest would be lost forever to posterity" or is it "which am I most likely to re-read." I decided to go with the later, more personally meaningful, definition--the book I love best.

And then, just for the heck of it, I made a poll, to see which sff Newbery winner is the most popular, according to that definition. Here it is:

Which do you like best?

• When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead (2010)
• The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman (2009)
• The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (2004)
• Holes by Louis Sachar (1999)
• The Giver by Lois Lowry (1994)
• The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley (1985)
• The Grey King by Susan Cooper (1976)
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien (1972)
• The High King by Lloyd Alexander (1969)
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (1963)
• The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pène du Bois (1948)
• Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey (1947)
• Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson (1945)
• The Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth (1931)
• Hitty, Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field (1930)
• The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting (1923)

View Results
Create a Blog Poll

I hope I found all the sff winners--but I haven't read them all. Please let me know if I missed any!

The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams, by Rhonda Hayter, for Timeslip Tuesday

The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams, by Rhonda Hayter (Dail, 2010, middle grade, 242 pages)

Abbie Adams is going through a rough patch. It's hard being one of a family of witches, trying to pass as normal in elementary school--the temptation to use just a smidge of magic to get out of trouble is great! And it's even harder when your much younger brother has just started at the same school, and you have to worry about his own magic getting away from him...Abbie wishes she could tell her best friend all about her life; it's hard to relax when every time your friend comes over you might have to use a forgetting spell on her...

But Thomas Edison (yes, the Thomas Edison) is having an even harder time. He's been dragged through time as an enchanted black kitten. By chance, Abbie's father found him, and brought him home as a surprise for Abbie. It soon became clear to everyone, though, that this was no normal cat. Although he can't (being a kitten) tell anyone what happened to him, he uses his formidable intelligence to figure out how to use the computer with his little paws...and when his true identity is revealed, it becomes clear that someone wanted young Tom out of the way, to serve his own sinister purposes. Somehow Tom must be returned (preferably in boy form) back to the past, before it changes so much that Tom, and his inventions, are written out of history.

Off the top of my head, I feel that there are a number of books about families of witches living among us. But I think Hayter does a fine job making that aspect of her story fresh and fun. Abbie's problems are vexing enough to cause her real anxiety, while still staying firmly on this side of entertaining. The magic side of things is interesting, although sketched rather than explored and explained in detail.

It is the time-travelling kitten, however, who steals the show. Poking his little nose into every gadget around, Tom marvels at the 21st century. Even though for much of the book he's unable to express his feelings, it's clear that he's utterly fascinated by everything he's learning. And it's great fun to watch his relationship with Abbie unfolding--even though I shrink from Life Lessons in books, it's a pleasure to watch his example of hard work rub on her.

I don't think I've ever read a book in which someone time travels to the future enchanted as an animal. It's a fine premise in its own right, and even more fun that it is someone so very famous. The addition of Thomas Edison to Abbie's witchy world makes what could have been just a light, fun, book into a still light, but very fun indeed, book. And I think Tom, hero to all scientifically minded ten year olds that I know, adds a generous dollop of boy friendliness. I am determined to try it on my ten year old, using Tom as a hook...

(disclaimer: my copy of this book was received through The Picnic Basket, where you can read the thoughts of many others)