Blogging the Backlist --a recap of what I said at Kidlit Con

At Kidlit Con I found myself on a panel about blogging the backlist, with two Holiday Inn post it notes clutched in my hot little hand. Fortunately, I was flanked by three other eloquent speakers (Melissa, Jen, and Carol), and it’s hard to be nervous when talking about books to kidlit bloggers (because you know they care too). My two post it notes are long gone, but here’s my effort to recapture my scattered thoughts.

Our panel’s structure was based on a framework developed by Jen, who posed the following questions about why one might blog about out of print or backlisted books.

1. What’s in it for me?
2. What’s in it for my blog?
3. What’s in it for my readers?
4. What’s in it for the greater good?

And so these are the points that I address, starting, as comes so naturally, with Me.

Sometimes, I think I want mine to be a cutting edge blog--one of the beautiful blogs whose template is never wrinkled, who talk about the latest new releases, and who always seem to know what is New and Hot. But I have decided that is simply not who I am. Sure, I like getting ARCs in general, and Love getting ARCs of Megan Whalen Turner books, in particular, and it’s lots of fun to write excitedly about new books. I will never not want to review new books. In fact, I just wrote to HarperCollins requesting one today (Invisible Things, the sequel to The Explosionist, by Jenny Davidson, which I loved).

But there’s a downside to blogging about what’s current and accepting lots of review copies—it’s stressful. The beady eyes of all the review copies accumulating on every flat surface of your house, watching as you read a library book, or, heaven forbid, a book off your own shelves, make for nervous pleasure reading. And there’s no time for re-reading at all. It's considerably more relaxing to write about an old favorite that one loves--there are no deadlines for sharing old favorites, and there they all are, in my own case, on the shelves closest to my bed, just peacefully waiting.

Another reason there's less stress is that when one writes about a backlist or out of print book, the audience is simply people who love books. When posting about a new book I received for review, I'm writing for the gatekeepers. I feel that I should be thinking Critically, making clear arguments about the book's strengths and weaknesses. I enjoy doing that (otherwise I would do it), but it still takes a bit of effort. When writing about a book I just happen to love, I don't feel compelled to do that as much (which is good, because it's hard to think critically about a book you've practically memorized). If I want to write about the loveliness of the heroine's room, or her charming boots, I can gush at will. And boy, is it gratifying when some one reads a review of a childhood favorite, and shares their own love for it! Or rushes out to hunt for a copy of their own.

I've done both of those things when reading reviews of out of print books at other blogs. And one reason I like such posts is not just for the books, but because of the insight they give me into the character of the blogger. For one thing, the choice of which books to talk about is much wider--not just what is new, but what is loved--so you can learn about the blogger. When some one posts a review of a D.E. Stevenson book, for instance, I think "This person could be a friend," and I want to keep reading their blog. It's not just the choices that express a blogger's character, it's the writing as well-- when I posted my review of Valley of Song, by Elizabeth Goudge, for instance, I was writing much more as me, Charlotte, than is the case when I review a new book, with the gatekeepers in my mind. And so maybe my readers know me a bit better.

It doesn't hurt one's blog stats, either, to include older books. My look at The Green Book, by Jill Patton Walsh, is my fourth most googled post. If you want comments, write about an old favorite.

There are some blogs whose have made a clear choice to focus on backlist or out of print books, or at least to include lots of them. This gives them a lovely clear point, that greatly benefits readers. The Children's War, for instance, is a place where you'll find exclusively books about kids in WW II; lots of them are old, but that doesn't make them less wonderful, and it is a great resource. I include a lot of backlist/out of print titles in my two thematic lists--Time Travel Books and Multicultural sci fi/fantasy, and I think this makes them a much more useful place for people to come. (And, as an INFP, I am apparently focused on making the world a better place, seeking to serve humanity as best I can (pats self on back). I don't think I'd want to blog if my blog wasn't Useful to someone).

Finally, thinking now of the greater good--blogging the backlist gives historical depth to issues still very contentious today. It puts things in context. It brings to readers books that might not be on bookstore shelves, that still have the power to wake people up, shattering bubbles of naivete. And I think it's incredibly important to go back, as Debbie Reese does at Native Americans in Children's Literature, to re-examine old books with insights that expose their weaknesses, so that we don't just blindly accept the printed pages of yester year, with all their ignorance and prejudice. I'm looking forward lots to participating in Mitali's upcoming feature--community re-reads of children's classics, looking at them with fresh eyes (up first, on November 1-5, Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace).

And those are the reasons why, amongst my of new books, there are lots of reviews of old ones! So join Angie for her Retro Friday feature, if you want some structure to your backlist blogging, or simply share an old favorite...Rediscovering what lurks on your own shelves, or in the public library, can be just as rewarding as a full mailbox of new books. (But I really hope HarperCollins sends me Invisible Things).

I wish I could remember the insightful things my co-panelists said, but sadly I can't remember much. I'm pretty sure that the comments I've just made above were shaped very much by what they said too (if not lifted directly from something they said first)--so thanks to Jen and Melissa and Carol!

I do remember one specific point-that blogging the backlist can be instrumental in bringing beloved books back into print--with the Betsy-Tacy books being a shining example (although this hasn't helped Betsy Bird's Winged Girl of Knossos yet...every year she mentions it, to no avail). And I'm sure the others said many more wonderful things--I do remember nodding lots and lots in agreement...

Ursula Le Guin is blogging!

I am back from Kidlit Con 2010, which was great fun, and there are lots of things I want to post about, which are going to require Time and Thought, but, since at this moment I have neither, I just wanted to share the exciting news that Ursula Le Guin has started blogging, here at Book View Cafe! I am so pleased, because I admire her so much, and I welcome the chance to sit at her (virtual) feet...

This Sunday's Round-Up of Middle Grade Fantasy and Science Fiction

This week's round-up was compiled last Friday, just before I headed out to Kidlitcon 2010 in Minneapolis...I'll update it on Sunday night (or, more likely, Monday morning....)

Here's what's new since I posted this on Friday:

Kate Coombs has a fascinating, utterly fascinating, post about trends in mg sff using the Cybils Nominees as a data set--check it out here at Book Aunt.

Reviews:

Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising, by Jason Henderson, at Booked Up.

Cosmic, by Frank Cottrell Boyce, at Booked Up.

The Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Capture, by Kathryn Lasky, at The O.W.L.

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall, by Mary Downing Hahn at Lucy Was Robbed.

Halt's Peril, by John Flanagan, at Ms. Yingling Reads.

Heart of Glass, by Vivian French, at Back to Books.

The Lost Children, by Carolyn Cohagan, at Charlotte's Library.

The Lost Hero, by Rick Riordan, at Ms. Yingling Reads, Essa Pamandanan, and The Book Zone

The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan, at One Librarian's Book Reviews.

On the Blue Comet, by Rosemary Wells, at Charlotte's Library

Takeshita Demons, by Cristy Burne, at Great Kid Books.

The Thirteenth Princess, by Diane Zahler, at Biblio File and Booked Up.

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, by Alan Garner, at Bart's Bookshelf.

Zombiekins, by Kevin Bolger, at Cloudy With a Chance of Books.

A three for one at Ms. Yingling reads--Princesses, Fairies, and Basilisks...and do spend some time browsing Ms. Yingling's other posts from this past week--lots of good mg fantasy sprinkled among them!

Interviews:

Panama Oxridge (Justin Thyme) at The Book Zone
Penny Noyce (Lost in Lexicon) at Author.
Rick Riordan (The Lost Hero etc) at Wired

And an interview with Stacy Whitman, editor of Tu Books (an imprint of Lee & Low dedicated to publishing multicultural fantasy/sci fi for kids and teens) at Cynsations.

Katherine Roberts is this week's contributor to Katherine Langrish's Fairytale Reflections series.

There's a guest post J.S. Lewis (Grey Griffins books) at Reading Vacation

News:

J.K. Rowling is the first winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Prize, which comes with a prize of slightly over $93,000. This prize is given to an author comparable to Anderson, and is not the same award as the Hans Christian Andersen medal, which was first awarded in 1956). I am still mulling over ways in which Rowling is comparable to Andersen...and not quite coming up with much that satisfies me, apart from "famous" and "memorable." In Andersen's case (for me at least) too many horrific details are all too memorable....

And other, sad, news:

Eva Ibbotson, great creator of magical stories, has died...here's an interview from the Guardian with her from earlier this month, where she talks about her life as a writer, and her most recent book, The Ogre of Ogglefort-- "When I get stuck in a book now, I usually try putting an aunt in," says Eva Ibbotson, matter-of-factly. "I find it difficult to write a book without aunts. With The Ogre I had to put in three aunts, if I remember rightly." Ogre was shortlisted for the 2010 Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize and will be released in the U.S. by Dutton in summer 2011.

New Releases of sci fi/fantasy for kids and teens--the second half of October, 2010, edition

Here are the new releases of fantasy and science fiction for kids and teens for the second half of October. My information comes straight from Teens Read Too--please let me know of any new releases I've missed!!! The blurbs are lifted from Amazon/Goodreads/etc.

Middle Grade:

AGENT Q, OR THE SMELL OF DANGER!: A PALS IN PERIL TALE by M. T. Anderson. "It's time for Lily, Katie, and Jasper to head home from their exciting Delaware adventure, but the Awful Autarch's spies and goons are everywhere, and it's clear that *they* have other plans for our three intrepid heroes.

Chock full of ups, downs, twists, turns, and even a band of sentient lobsters fighting on the side of Good, this fourth installment of the Pals in Peril series is every bit as wild, wacky, and wonderfully outrageous as the first three."

THE BOOK OF MAPS: SACRED BOOKS by David Michael Slater. "It's been nearly a year, but Dex and Daphna are still not over what happened in Turkey. What they gained and what they lost there is almost too much to conceive. They've done their best to put the whole nightmare behind them, to start a new life with their new mother--but their dreams won't let them move on: dreams of falling into the void through that noxious wind; dreams of wings, millions of black wings, flapping in the dark; dreams of that awful, bone-chilling laughter. And now, the night before they were to officially open a new chapter in their lives, they find their fears are not only in their heads. They find that when they came back from those dreadful caves, something came with them."

THE BOY WHO HOWLED by Timothy Power. "As far back as Callum can really remember, he's been living in the Wild as the furless mascot of a wolf pack. But when his pack sends him back to live with his own kind—humans—fitting in is quite a challenge. He doesn't remember English very well, so he accidentally says his name is "Clam." He's spent most of his life eating fresh-killed elk, so dining with vegetarians is tricky. And when he tries to impress the Alpha student in the school cafeteria by stealing food, people seem offended!

A mix of wildness and humor, Timothy Power's inventive writing makes him a debut author to watch. And Callum's quest to find his place in a strange world will have readers rooting for him—when they're not howling with laughter."

THE COMING OF THE DRAGON by Rebecca Barnhouse. "Rebecca Barnhouse weaves Norse gods, blood feuds, and a terrifying dragon into this spectacular retelling of the end of the Old English poem Beowulf.

When he was a baby, Rune washed up onshore in a boat, along with a sword and a pendant bearing the runes that gave him his nickname. Some people thought he was a sacrifice to the gods and wanted to send him right back to the sea. Luckily for Rune, King Beowulf disagreed. He lifted the boy from the boat and gave him to Amma, a wisewoman living on a farm far removed from the king’s hall, to raise as she saw fit.

Sixteen years later, Rune spends his summers laboring on the farm. And at King Beowulf’s request, he comes to the hall each winter for weapons training. But somehow he never quite fits in. Many people still fear he will bring a curse on the kingdom. Then a terrible thing happens. On a lonely crag on a mountain that belongs to the giants, someone awakens a dragon. It is time for Rune to find the warrior inside himself and prove to the doubters once and for all that he is a true hero."

THE NECROPOLIS: THE FORGOTTEN WORLDS by PJ Hoover. "The situation in Lemuria is rapidly deteriorating. In fact teleportation between the hidden continent and the outside world has become so dangerous, all agents and their families have been recalled. Although Benjamin is pleased to be living in Lemuria full time, he knows he needs to find his last sibling soon. However, between classes, a murderous half-brother, and complications with his friend Heidi, Benjamin can barely focus. Besides, there's only one place left they haven't searched - the hidden continent of Atlantis."

UNDER THE GREEN HILL by Laura L. Sullivan. "Rowan, Meg, Silly and James Morgan are sent to the home of a distant relative in rural England. They are joined by their brilliant, bashful friend Dickie Rhys, and the despised Finn Fachan.

First they scoff at the country traditions – never give your real name to strangers, don’t step on the ants – but soon realize those silly superstitions are deadly serious. They help protect people from fairy influence. Their great-great aunt Phyllida Ash is the Guardian of the Green Hill, the last bastion of fairies in England.

Rowan, the eldest, is chosen to be one of the champions in the Midsummer War. His options are grim: kill his opponent, a beloved friend, or die himself as sacrifice. His sister Meg thinks she sees a way out, but will she risk her life and the fate of the earth itself to change a ritual that has gone on for thousands of years?"


Young Adult:

CRESCENDO by Becca Fitzpatrick. "Nora should have know her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?"

THE DRAGON'S APPRENTICE: THE CHRONICLES OF THE IMAGINARIUM GEOGRAPHICA by James A. Owen. "Seven years after the events of The Shadow Dragons, John, Jack and Charles are finally able to return to their beloved Archipelago of Dreams. But even as their return is celebrated by old friends, new concerns shadow the reunion: the threat of Ecthroi, primordial Shadow. And perhaps even worse, the apparent splintering of Time itself.

Now, the Caretakers must fight against their most fearsome enemy ever and attempt to restore Time. They must journey through a forgotten Door from the destroyed Keep of Time in order to seek out the Dragon's Apprentice. If they fail, it will mean the end of both of the worlds. But success will carry its own price--a price that may be too high even for the Caretakers to bear."

HUNGER by Jackie Morse Kessler. "Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?
Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home—her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power—and the courage to fight her own inner demons?
A wildly original approach to the issue of eating disorders, Hunger is about the struggle to find balance in a world of extremes, and uses fantastic tropes to explore a difficult topic that touches the lives of many teens."

NIGHTSHADE by Andrea Cremer. "Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything--including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?"

THE EMERALD FLAME: WARRIOR PRINCESS by Frewin Jones. " Branwen has finally accepted that the Shining Ones have chosen her to save her country from the Saxon invaders. But the next stage in her journey includes a seemingly impossible mission, and the path before her is filled with darkness and danger. Branwen is pushed to the brink of disaster, and with each step she takes, she is being pulled farther from the life she once knew—the life she still desperately misses.

Guided by the spirits, with both her fearless friend Rhodri and the dashing, sometimes maddening Iwan by her side, Branwen must overcome terrifying odds if she is to succeed in her quest. But a true Warrior Princess won't back down . . . even when an old enemy returns."

FANTASY: AN ARTIST'S REALM by Ben Boos. "Imaginative people have always longed to experience a world more magical, more adventurous, more enchanted than our own. In this lavish volume, Ben Boos welcomes us to a land of his own creation, a land replete with beings of fantasy and folklore, including elves, dwarves, minotaurs, hobgoblins, and undead horrors. From the windy forests where elves and healers dwell to the misty coastal fortresses of Paladins and the towering libraries of Mages, each mysterious region comes alive in Ben Boos’s extraordinary art and descriptive text. Filled with exquisite detail on every page, this is an absorbing and inspiring fantasy experience not to be missed."

THE FLEDGLING HANDBOOK 101: HOUSE OF NIGHT by P.C. Cast & Kim Doner. "This might seem like a scary time, Fledgling, but never fear! As you start your journey through the ancient halls of the House of Night, this indispensable handbook will aid you in your transition from human to fledgling. Within these pages you will find invaluable information about the history of vampyres. You will also come to a better understanding of your body’s transformation, as well as read words of hope from great vampyres of the past and learn essential foundations of rituals and lore. Now, Fledgling, read on. A new life awaits you; your path to that magickal future begins here!"

GHOST TOWN: THE MORGANVILLE VAMPIRES by Rachel Caine. "While developing a new system to maintain Morganville's defenses, student Claire Danvers discovers a way to amplify vampire mental powers. Through this, she's able to re-establish the field around this vampire-infested Texas college town that protects it from outsiders.

But the new upgrades have an unexpected consequence: people inside the town begin to slowly forget who they are-even the vampires. Soon, the town's little memory problem has turned into a full-on epidemic. Now Claire needs to figure out a way to pull the plug on her experiment- before she forgets how to save Morganville..."

THE HAUNTING OF CHARLES DICKENS by Lewis Buzbee. "Meg Pickel’s older brother, Orion, has disappeared. One night, she steals out to look for him, and makes two surprising discoveries: She stumbles upon a séance that she suspects involves Orion, and she meets the author Charles Dickens, also unable to sleep, and roaming the London streets. He is a customer of Meg’s father, who owns a print shop, and a family friend. Mr. Dickens fears that the children of London aren’t safe, and is trying to solve the mystery of so many disappearances. If he can, then perhaps he’ll be able to write once again."

MISGUIDED ANGEL: BLUE BLOODS by Melissa de la Cruz. "After inheriting the dark Van Alen Legacy, Schuyler fled to Florence with her forbidden love, Jack. Now the two of them must embark on the mission Schuyler was destined to complete: to find and protect the five remaining gates that guard the earth from Lucifer, lord of the Silver Bloods.

Back in New York, Mimi has been elected Regent of a crumbling coven. Struggling with her heartache over the loss of Kingsley and with her overwhelming desire to destroy Jack, she must focus all of her energy on a perilous new threat. Vampires are being abducted and their captors are planning to burn them alive online…for all the world to see. Help arrives in the form of Deming Chen, a Venator from Shanghai, who must untangle the web of deceptions before the killers strike again.

As the young vampires struggle for the survival of the coven, they uncover a deadly secret, a truth first discovered by Schuyler’s mother during the Renaissance but kept buried for centuries. And as the Blue Blood enclave weakens yet further, fate leads Schuyler to a terrible choice that will ultimately map the destiny of her heart."

WICKED WOODS by Kailin Gow. "Briony had to move to Wicked Woods, Massachusetts to live with her Great Aunt Sophie after her family disappears on vacation. The woods at the edge of Aunt Sophie s inn is filled with secrets and inhabitants both seductive and deadly. Among them is a beautiful boy name Fallon who saves her one night in the woods. As Briony gets closer to Fallon, she learns he has a secret, as do most of the residents of Wicked Wood. Book 1 of 5 in the Wicked Woods Series."

ORPHAN OF DESTINY: THE YOUNGEST TEMPLAR by Michael P. Spradlin

"Tristan and his companions-the fiery archer Robard Hode and the assassin maid Maryam-have escaped to England. But tragedy has occurred to Tristan's beloved abbey while they were on the Third Crusade, and Robard's home in Sherwood Forest suffers under the rule of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Many obstacles still prevent them from delivering the Holy Grail into safe hands. Tristan must defeat the evil Sir Hugh in one final battle. And he must learn the secret of his birth, a secret Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine are willing to kill to protect!"

Blogging the back list

I am off to Minneapolis today, to join in the book blogger fun at Kidlitcon 2010.

Tomorrow I'll be part of a panel talking about "Blogging the Backlist;" for which I am, as yet, not quite prepared....(why change my life's modus operendum at this late date?)

But, just in case I get to check my email later today--what do you thing about old/out-of-print/backlisted books? I like them, myself--partly because I only skim a lot of the reviews of just released books, because of not having read them. But a review of an out of print book, even if it's new to me, I'm more likely to read slowly...especially if it's a review of a children's/YA fantasy book published in the 1990s, when (for many reasons, like playing way too much pool/being in grad school) I didn't read many new-to-me books....

The Lost Children, by Carolyn Cohagan

The Lost Children, by Carolyn Cohagan (Aladdin, 2010, middle grade, 320 pages)

"Plucky Orphans/Neglected Children in Deadly Danger" is one of my favorite sub-genres of fantasy for children, especially (and this is important) when they aren't Chosen Ones. This isn't to say that Chosen One stories can't be good, too--there's just a certain fresh piquancy (or something like that) that ordinary children can have that adds to my reading enjoyment!

The Lost Children delivers plucky children in spades. Young Josephine, neglected by her father, passes through a portal in a shed and finds herself in another world--a world where children are hunted by terrible beasts, known as the Brothers, who serve a sinister and powerful Master. Josephine has landed at the Higgins Institute for Wayward Children and Forsake Youth, but there are only two Wayward Children left (the others having been thrown to the Brothers)--a girl named Ida and a boy named Fargus. Together the plucky youngsters escape (as one might expect), and eventually (again, as expected) overthrow the bad Master.

Their journey to that happy conclusion is dotted with mystery and adventure, and the three central kids are nicely individual. The point of view shifts between them, and other minor characters, which further fleshes out the story. The strong characters of the kids, coupled with the particular circumstances of Cohagan's world-building, are more than distinct enough to keep the story fresh and fun, even though the bones of the plot aren't wildly original, and it never quite delivered all that much emotional power.

In short, a fine fantasy for the plucky-child-loving reader who doesn't require magical pyrotechnics.

Manifest, by Artist Arthur

Manifest, by Artist Arthur (2010, Harlequin Enterprises, YA, 256 pages)

Krystal is angry and hurting. She didn't want to leave New York to go live with her mom and her mom's new husband Gerald in a small town in Connecticut, and she misses her old life, and her dad, something fierce. But one thing has followed her to her new hometown--the dead.

She's seen them before. But now she's being haunted out of her mind by the ghost of a rather cute boy who wants her help figuring out who killed him, and why...And Ricky's just the most persistent of the ghosts who are making contact with her.

Krystal isn't the only freak in her high school--two other kids have mysterious powers as well, and the same birthmark that Krystal does. These three kids join forces, calling themselves the Mystyx. They don't know why they can do what they do, or how it happened, but they do know that something dark is heading their way...and solving they mystery of Ricky's death might be just the tip of the iceberg.

Krystal is an angry and annoying character for a large chunk of the book. It was incredibly hard to sympathize with her; I wanted to shake her instead. Fortunately, once the book hits its stride, and the supernatural mystery gets going, Krystal stops being quite so self-absorbed, and I was able to enjoy the ghostly intrigue. And it was a rather gripping mystery, although Arthur stops short of actually bringing all the pieces together, presumably keeping that for future books, which was a tad frustrating. Most of the really interesting paranormal aspects are still utterly unexplained....

What makes this book stand out is that Krystal and her friends are normal African-American teenagers (apart, of course, from their supernatural abilities); their ethnicity wasn't a plot point, just a fact of their lives (and isn't it a beautiful cover!).

In short, although this first book of the series was somewhat uneven, the second book promises more -- Krystal's grown up somewhat, and I no longer want to shake her, and the paranormal plot is about to really get going!

Other reviews at The Brain Lair, Girls in the Stacks, On a Pale Star, YA Addict, and Marie Loves Books.

My blog's wearing purple today...

...because of this.

In the words of Brittany McMillan, who organized this event:

"It’s been decided. On October 20th, 2010, we will wear purple in memory of the recent gay suicides. Many of them suffered from homophobic abuse in their schools or in their homes. We want to take a stand to say that we will not tolerate this. Purple represents Spirit on the LGBTQ flag and that’s exactly what we’d like all of you to have with you: spirit. Please know that times will get better and that you will meet people who will love you and respect you for who you are, no matter your sexuality. Please wear purple on October 20th to remember all the lives of LGBTQ youth that have been lost due to homophobia. Tell your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and schools."

(I'd be wearing purple too, if I had any, but at any event, more people will see my blog than see me...)

On the Blue Comet, by Rosemary Wells, for Timeslip Tuesday

On the Blue Comet, by Rosemary Wells (2010, Candlewick, middle grade, 329 pages)

Oscar and his dad, a John Deere tractor salesman, have a comfortable life together back in the late 1920s in Cairo, Illinois. Together they've filled the basement of their home with a model train layout that both of them love--Oscar especially enjoys squinching down to peer inside the trains, imagining himself on board.

Then the stock market crashes, and no-one's buying tractors anymore. Oscar's dad heads west to look for work, and their house, and (heartbreakingly for Oscar) all the trains, must be sold. Living with his aunt, and having to eat her casseroles, is very hard for Oscar, but some comfort comes in the regular visits of an out-of-work history teacher, who drops by when the aunt is off in the afternoons giving music and elocution lessons. This gentleman just happens to have been a theoretical math whizz--not only does he help Oscar with his math homework, but (among other conversations, including the best way to memorize poetry) he explains that time travel is theoretically possible.

Eventually the teacher gets a job as a night watchman in the biggest bank in town, which just happens to have a superb model train layout on display for the holidays....and so it's natural that Oscar should drop by to visit his friend, and the trains. But one night, armed bank robbers break in. Oscar's friend is shot, and to save himself, Oscar jumps...into the model train layout. And so a fantastical rail journey through time begins.

Oscar finds himself on a train headed out to his dad in California. But when he arrives, he somehow pushes through a barrier in time, and finds himself ten years older. WW II has broken out, and Oscar's in danger of being drafted--even though he still is eleven inside. Fortunately he made friends, back on the train when he was eleven, with a young man who's destined to become a movie star; ten years later, that friendship gets him inside Joan Collins (!) house (she has a lovely train layout), where he escapes army recruits by diving into trains again...back into the past.

He's still not home, though, and his last adventure, in the company of another magically train jumping girl in 1925, is his strangest yet....

This is a beautiful book, both physically--there are full color illustrations that are beautifully retro--and content-wise. It's the sort of story that combines lots of feeling--the emotions that tug on the heart--with an exciting adventure. Oscar's reactions rang true for me throughout, without being overdone, and the historical aspects of the book were fascinating (I love learning history through historical fiction, and if I were teaching a class on the Great Depression, I'd assign this book). And I never once had any quibbles with the writing--in particular, I thought Wells did a lovely job with Oscar's narration of the story--the short, simple sentences are spot on. In short, it's a great book.

I think, though, that this might be one that appeals even more to the grown-up fan of children's fantasy then to kids themselves, mainly because it takes a while for the Adventure to get going, and because adults, with their (presumably) greater knowledge of history and the culture of the 1920s-40s, might more easily appreciate the details of Oscar's life. If I were giving this as a Christmas present, I'd look in particular for the parent who plays trains with his or her son! The train obsessed kid is, of course, another fine target audience.

Timeslip-wise, the possibility of time travel is sketched early in the book, at a theoretical level, and then Wells leaves it just to happen, without trying to Explain. This is perhaps a wise decision, as it allows the story to flow without potentially awkward attempts to make it Reasonable, but, on the other hand, when a second child is able to magically jump the rails, it becomes possibly too inexplicable for the more logically oriented reader.

Other reviews at Ms. Yingling Reads, and at You Know, for Kids

Supernatural, from DK, for Non-Fiction Monday

Supernatural: Explore the Unknown, from Atlantis to Zombies, from DK Publishing (2010, middle grade, 96 pages) Ghosts. Mediums. Telepathy. Bigfoot. UFOs. These are just a few of the strange and scary topics are covered in DK’s Supernatural, which combines Seasonal Appropriateness, genuinely interesting content and lovely presentation.

The book is a thing of beauty, with silver boarder design and lettering, and a holographic image on the cover. It has much the same appeal, object-wise, as the –ology books (Dragonology, Monstorology, etc). It is given heft (enough so that it is a “tome’), by the thickness and sturdiness of the pages (almost board book thick). And inside is the usual combination that characterizes DK—the subject bites arranged in paragraphs, and accompanied by copious illustrations.

Many and various are the DK books that I have enjoyed reading with my children, but Supernatural is the first that I read cover to cover all by myself in one sitting! It relies heavily on authentic historical images, so that the reader sees the same photographs of ghosts that convinced the masses 100 years ago. There’s a picture of a medium with ectoplasm, a picture of a victim of spontaneous combustion (lying inside a fire place), and a picture of what a poltergeist did to an office back in the 1980s.. These historically-oriented topics I found tremendously engaging, and even more shop-worn topics (zombies and vampires) were not without interest.

This book is not intended to scare the reader, but to inform and educate. The creators of this book to side firmly on the side of disbelief, with “Dr. Doubt” (the self-proclaimed spokesman for “sanity and sense”) introducing the book and showing up to cast aspersions the reality of each topic covered. The book closes with a look at the two opposing sides of Spooked and Skeptic—fringe “scientists” vs. rational thinker and the reader is invited to choose their side. In my mind, at least, the perfectly rational explanations offered for some (but not all) of the supernatural mysteries presented, the gallery of famous hoaxes, and my own natural cynicism make the choice easy!

The Non-Fiction Monday Roundup is hosted by Mother Reader today!

(review copy received from the publisher)

This week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and science fiction reviews and news

Welcome to another week of middle grade science fiction and fantasy postings from around the blogging world, in which I have searched for everything I could find of interest to aficionados of this particular genre. If you review a mg sff book anytime in this coming week, if you know of something I missed this week, or if you have any other questions or comments, please let me know in the comments or via email! Thanks!

The Big MG SFF news today is that nominations for the Cybils have now closed, and 143 books are in contention! (this number might change slightly). Fantasy continues to dominate--of the eligible books, sixteen (by my reckoning, which might change once I've actually read all the books) are science fiction/future dystopian. However, I'm pretty sure this is more than there were last year...

The Reviews:

Among Ghosts, by Amber Benson, at The Bibliophilic Book Blog.

Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex, by Eoin Colfer, at Bookworming in the 21st Century.

Blimpo: The Third Circle of Heck, by Dale E. Basye, at Back to Books.

The Cabinet of Wonders, by Marie Rutkoski, at Kindle Books: Children's Books, Literature.

Don't Know Where, Don't Know When, by Annette Laing, at The Children's War.

Enchanted Glass, by Diana Wynne Jones, at Vulpes Libris.

Falling in, by Frances O'Rouke Dowell, at Confessions of a Book Addict

The Familiars, by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson, at Bart's Bookshelf.

Forbidden Sea, by Sheila Neilsen, at Ms. Yingling Reads.

The Game, by Diana Wynne Jones, at Stella Matutina

Gregor the Overlander, by Suzanne Collins, at Super Librarian Reviews.

Haunted Houses, by Robert San Souci, at Great Kid Books.

Kid vs. Squid, by Greg van Eekhout, at Ms. Yingling Reads.

The Lost Hero, by Rick Riordan, at the Kirkus Review Blog.

Luka and the Fire of Life, by Salman Rushdie, at The Telegraph.

Mistress of the Storm, by M.L. Welsh, at Nayu's Reading Corner.

On the Blue Comet, by Rosemary Wells, at Ms. Yingling Reads.

Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale, at Super Librarian Reviews.

Princess for Hire, by Lindsey Leavitt, at Charlotte's Library.

Radiance, by Alyson Noel, at Nayu's Reading Corner, Ms. Yingling Reads, and The O.W.L.

The Search for WondLa, by Tony DiTerlizzi at BookKids

Stopping for a Spell, by Diana Wynne Jones, at Stella Matutina.

The True Meaning of Smekday, by Adam Rex, at Stacked.

The Tune is in the Tree, by Maud Hart Lovelace (yes, the Betsty-Tacy author wrote a fantasy story!), at A Library is a Hospital for the Mind.

Wiff and Dirty George: the Z.E.B.R.A. Incident, by Stephen Swinburne, at Ms. Yingling Reads.

Some posts with multiple reviewing bang for the buck:

At Random Musings of a Bibliophile, Brandy is reading Diana Wynne Jones' Chrestomanci books for the first time...(and liking them lots!)

Ms. Yingling (who is truly this weeks winner for the most mg sff books reviewed) looks at The Immortals (the Edge Chronicles) by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell, Unearthly Asylum, by P.J. Bracegirdle, and Curse of the Spider King: The Berinfell Prophecies, by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper.

And a few days before that, Ms. Yingling wrote about The Magic Thief: Found, by Sarah Prineas, The Celestial Globe, by Marie Rutkoski, and Ivy's Ever After, by Dawn Lairamore

And even before that, Ms. Yingling read A Nest for Celeste, by Henry Cole, Whistle Bright Magic, a Nutfolk Tale, by Barb Bentler Ullman, and Legends: Battles and Quests, by Anthony Horowitz.

And finally (guess which Cybils Panel Ms. Yingling is on! Yes, the elementary/middle grade sff!), in this post are reviews of Smells Like Dog, by Suzanne Selfors, and Ortega, by Maureen Fergus.

Another three for one post is here at Charlotte's Library--Fiendish Deeds, by P.J. Bracegirdle, Forbidden Sea, by Sheila Neilsen, and Zombiekins, by Kevin Bolger.

Interviews and Writers talking about themselves and their books:

An interview with Aaron Blecha, illustrator of Zombiekins (and other books) at Literary Asylum

Jennifer Neilson (Elliot and the Goblin War) is interviewed at The Enchanted Inkpot.

Matthew J. Kirby (The Clockwork Three) is this weeks Big Idea at Whatever

Andrew Jacobson (The Familiars) at Sisters in Scribe

Janice Hardy (Blue Fire) continues her blog tour (that's a link to day 12; scroll down her blog for more days), with lots of fascinating posts hither and yon.

Other things of great interest:

Week 5 of Fairytale Reflections at Katherine Langrish's blog, Seven Miles of Steel Thistles, continues, this week featuring middle grade fantasy author Kate Forsyth.

The Class of 2k10 is having a fabulous giveaway for Book Clubs that includes a mg fantasy prize pack (10 copies of each of three books!!!!)

Willy the Wizard is going to face off against Harry Potter in court...

Slightly old news: Michelle Paver has won the prestigious Guardian children's fiction prize for Ghost Hunter, the sixth and final volume of her Guardian's of Ancient Darkness series (this is on my Cybils reading list, and I'm looking forward to it!)

Anamaria at Books Together continues her Middle Grade Gallery Series with the portrait of Queen Etheldredda, from Physik, by Angie Sage.

And speaking of paintings, here is one of my favorite pieces of fantasy art, from German artist Michael Sowa (whose book of collected paintings, Sowa's Ark, I love to pieces):

Three haunting books

Even though the sun has come out, it is sufficiently blustery outside to make reading inside for the Halloween Reading Challenge (which I joined at the last minute) a rather nice thing to do. Here are the three middle grade fantasy/horror books that I've read today:

The Joy of Spooking, Book 1: Fiendish Deeds, by P.J. Bracegirdle (2008, 215 pages) Despite incessant taunting from the residents of ultra-bright Darlington down below, Joy loves the all but abandoned hamlet of Spooking, where she lives in an old house full of remnants of the past, with a pleasingly gloomy swamp and a large cemetery adding ambiance. When a water amusement park threatens the swamp, Joy is determined to save it....after all, it is almost certainly the home of the hideous Bog Fiend, made (moderately) famous in the fiction of her favorite author, horror writer E.A. Peugeot. But supernatural horrors pale in comparison to the determination of the mayor's nefarious assistant to get the bulldozers going...

Dark gothic fun for the young reader, although there is some strong stuff here, including a grisly chainsaw murder (the details aren't given, but the imagination has more than enough to go on). I'd advise caution here, because it's rather icky. And there are lots of leaches. On the other hand, Joy, with her spunky intelligence, Peugeot obsession, and penchant for dressing in the abandoned clothes of yesteryear (they came with the house) is a most engaging heroine. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

Forbidden Sea, by Sheila A. Nielson (2010, 296 pages). Adrienne has heard the story all her life--of how, years before, a mermaid had laid waste to the island, before taking a beautiful girl away, under the water, forever. Now the mermaid has returned, and is haunting Adrienne....the cuts of her fingernails swollen welts on Adrienne's arm, her voice in Adrienne's ears, sleeping and waking. Adrienne's life is already hard--poverty-stricken after her father's death, her family is struggling to survive, and she is convinced she faces a life of bitterness and drudgery. But then the mermaid offers her a chance of a life beyond her wildest dreams--if she forsakes the land, and all those whom she loves, for the sea.

I wasn't sure about this one at first--the characters and the action seemed to me to lack subtly, and the writing felt stiff. Adrienne, who narrates this story, is, with reason, not a happy person to spend time with, and I found the cast of characters to be rather unsympathetic in general (many of them needed a good shaking). But by the middle of the book, I had become, all unwitting, absorbed in the story, and the last hundred pages flew by as the unpleasantness of Adrienne's life turned into a fantasy wish-fulfillment story with a satisfying ending. This one falls on the upper end of mg--it might be just the thing for the eleven or so year old girl who isn't ready for fantasy that's heavy on the romance, but wants something moving in that direction.

Zombiekins, by Kevin Bolger (2010, 206 pages, but not nearly as many words as that suggests). The witty account of a stuffed animal who is Evil. Who is, in fact, a Zombie! Who is turning all the school children into zombies! Who must be stopped!

Copious illustrations of charm (well, in an un-dead kind of way) and humor, and a pleasingly dry tone make this more than just a silly story. A good one for the Wimpy Kid reader who detests cute stuffed animals that giggle annoyingly. A bad one for the kid who might have nightmares about being suffocated by their own stuffed animals. It is easy to tell these two groups apart, by showing them the cover. Some, like my seven year old, will be repulsed and frightened and ask that it be placed face down once at home. Others, like the random boy of around that age who happened to be at the circulation desk of the library at the same time as us, will be intrigued.

This morning's reading is a nice example of why I am so fond of mg/younger YA fantasy and science fiction--there is so much variety within the genre that it does not grow stale!

Time to read....

The Cybils nominations are closed (you can see the lists at the Cybils site), and I have about 80 books to read in the next two months. It's a cold damp day here in southern New England, so working in the yard isn't going to happen. What I'd like to be doing is going to the Rhode Island Festival of Children's Books and Authors, but the car is going to be in Boston (I took my oldest to this festival when he was three--he's always been a huge fan of David Macaulay, who is a regular at it. Poor Mr. Macaulay looked a tad alarmed when I told him my boy wanted to know where he lived so he could go sit outside his house and see more of him).

So I've joined a Halloween Readathon at the last minute!

Princess For Hire, by Lindsey Leavitt

Princess For Hire, by Lindsey Leavitt (Hyperion 2010, upper middle grade, 256 pages)

Who would have thought that fish in a pet store aquarium could grant wishes? Not Desi. But reeling from an unfortunate encounter--one in which the head of her groundhog costume (part of her pet store job) is ripped off by her ex-best friend in front of the boy she's been crushing on for ages---she's willing to suspend disbelief. "I wish I was the kind of person who made an impact" (page 15).

Her chance comes that night, when a strange woman appears inside an iridescent bubble and offers Desi the chance to become a substitute princess. Turns out there's a lot of demand for girls with a touch of magic to them, willing to fill in for princesses who want to take a break. So Desi signs on the dotted line...and is off on a whirlwind adventure of princessly proportions.

Life as a princess, as Desi is soon to find out, isn't all yachts and bonbons. As a novice, Desi is starting at the bottom of the princess scale...the "easy" princesses, the one's whose lives aren't likely to be messed up by substitute incompetence. But Desi, even though she's not incompetent, had wished to make an impact....and before she's done, she's interfered rather dramatically with the lives of a Sheikh's daughter, the daughter of an Amazonian Chief, and that of a lonely girl from a very obscure branch of European royalty.

The job is not an easy one--it doesn't come with instructions about how to play the French horn, perform a tribal dance, or how to know when to kiss a handsome prince....but by trusting to her instincts, Desi finds the confidence to truly make an impact (for the better) on her princesses...and she gains confidence in her own life as well.

It's a fun and diverting book in its episodic way, and I'm pleased that two more are on the way. But, despite the pink and fluffy cover, it's not all makeup and fancy living. The lives that Desi steps into aren't anything like those lived by the stereotypical princess of her imaginings, for one thing (and I was rather pleased that my hackles weren't raised by Neo Colonialism/Western Imperialism in Leavitt's portrayal of these princess). But what raises it above just light reading into the realm of the thought-provoking is the rather appealing message that a fresh perspective on one's life can spotlight things that can be changed for the better.

And now I am now awfully curious about where the princesses go when they're "on vacation" from their own lives...

Note on age: The interest in boys side of life is part of the story, and there is one kiss, but it lightly done, and the book as a whole is very "middle grade" in feel -- less personal angst (although there is some) and more fun adventure than one finds in the average YA book.

My stupid chicken

Some days all one has to offer one's readers is a picture of a really stupid chicken. Here is Aggie, who climbed into an apple tree yesterday, and couldn't get down again:

She required rescuing. Earlier in the evening she had tried to roost in a forsythia bush (she can't remember how to find the coop under the barn) and had gotten stuck in that. We were alerted to this calamity by the violent shaking of the bush and frenzied bawk-ing....which, since she is supposed to be a Sekrit Chicken (zoning issues) is a bad thing....

What hasn't been nominated for the Cybils in elementary/middle grade sci fi/fantasy--a long list

I've taken down this list of books that hadn't yet been nominated in elementary/middle grade sci fi/fantasy for the Cybils Awards; nominations are now closed.

Thanks to all who nominated books!

Time Piper, by Delia Huddy

Time Piper, by Delia Huddy (Greenwillow, YA, 1979)

In contemporary England (book-wise, not 2010), young Luke is biding his time waiting to go study math at university. The boredom of life at home is broken when he sees the village lads savagly pursuing a strange girl across the countryside. Luke comes to her rescue, and is enchanted by her strange, fey beauty...Hare, as she is called, has drawn the ire of the villagers because of her differences (if the book were being written today, she'd be called autistic). But though she's set apart from normal human interactions, Luke is obsessed by her.

It is something of a relief both to Luke and his own family when he gets a job in London, working on a tremendously exciting scientific project. A renowned scientist has formulated a way to make a time machine (explained pretty convincingly--it involves tacheons, and polarities, and that sort of thing). But it is hard for Luke to immerse himself fully in the project, because Hare has come to London too, and is squatting in an abandoned house nearby. And joining her are other young people like herself, people similarly detached from human relationships.

They have been drawn to the time machine...and when at last, the switch is turned on, the reason becomes clear. The book's title is a Big Clue; it's easy (even for a usually clue-less reader like me) to guess what story these kids are implicated in (especially with the cover showing a prancing medeivally piper).

The book itself, however, stays very much in the here and then of Luke's life. Although time slippiness is involved, no characters travel back to the past, and the travel to the present is a very small part of the book, right at the end...So although the timeslip is a central foundation to the plot, it's not exactly what the book is about.

It's much more a rather gripping story about a teenaged boy moving away from his family, finding a place with like minded people, falling into impossible love in London in the 1970s (there's lots of smoking), and trying to figure out a mystery (why are these strange kids being draw to London?). And this made for fine reading--the characters were interesting (Luke's own family life, in particular, was nicely done), as was their situation. It just wasn't exactly stirring fantasy, and the science fiction part of the time machine was likewise somewhat limited--they built it, turned it on and it worked (8 pages), it turned itself off.

Although Time Piper was first published in 1979, the edition I read was 1984- it was number 11 of the "Magic Quest" series (Tempo Books). The cover takes me right back to the bookstore I frequented in high school in the early eighties. I am glad we have travelled forward in time sufficiently so that prancing pipers such as this aren't appearing in cover art anymore.

That being said, the books in the MagicQuest series are a very appealing bunch--The Throme of the Erril of Sherill, by Patricia McKillip, The Perilous Gard, by Elizabeth Marie Pope, and The Power of Three, by Diana Wynne Jones, among others I haven't read. It's not surprising that its such a strong list--Terri Windling put it together. Here's what she says about it:

"MagicQuest was an early attempt to create a publishing line of children's fantasy novels. I confess that I never much liked the "MagicQuest" name or logo (they came from publisher's marketing department), but I was very pleased to have the chance to put this line together, and the books themselves were wonderful.

This was back in the 1980s, however -- when many reviewers, librarians, educators, and parents still had grave doubts about the value of modern fantasy fiction (in those pre-Harry Potter Days). Thus it was an uphill struggle to get magical fiction, aside from a few annointed classics, into children's hands." (you can read more here; scroll down).

I couldn't find a list of all the title in the series--if anyone knows of such a list, I'd love to link to it!

In honor of 10/10/10-- a Cybils post of 10 books that I think should be nominated, and ten blogs to visit

Over at the Cybils Blog, Gina has put forward a challenge!

Here's Part 1: "Try to think up ten books that aren't nominated that should be and list them along with why they should be nominated."

Edited to add: most of the books I suggested here originally have since been nominated; here is a
a long list of what hasn't been nominated here, if anyone still wants ideas...but the clock is ticking!


As many of you know because I talk talk talk about it, I'm reading middle grade sci fi/fantasy for the Cybils...and I have a list of about 60 books that haven't been nominated yet. Goodness knows that we don't Actually need any more books--we have over a hundred, so far, with more doubtless to come...and it's going to be a hard job to pick a shortlist. But I think our list would be the poorer without the following books.

The Call: The Magnificent Twelve Book 1, by Michael Grant. This should be on our list because it is a funny, fast, exciting book that my 10 year old loved, and I bet it's going to be tremendously popular (and it has a cool website). (now nominated)

Fever Crumb, by Philip Reeve Excellent story telling, fascinating world building, a memorable central character (SLJ has it as grades 5-7, and I've read it, so I'm pretty sure it counts as middle grade). (now nominated)

These next books should be on our list because they are continuations to very popular series-es (serii?) and will doubtless be popular themselves, and I think it would be a shame if our list didn't include them:

Lord Sunday: The Keys to the Kingdom, by Garth Nix

Sabotaged: Missing by Margaret Peterson Haddix (now nominated)

Dark Days: Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy (although this doesn't seem to be out yet in the US, and might be hard for us panelists to get, so it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing to put it on hold till it comes out in the US...)

A Wizard of Mars, by Diane Duane (I think of this as a middle grade series, although this one might be YA) (now nominated)

The Wyverns' Treasure: Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, by R. L. LaFevers (the second book of the series, The Basilisk's Lair, is also eligible) (both nominated)

Keys to the Demon Prison (Fablehaven Book 5), by Brandon Mull (nominated)

These should be on our list-- they got lots of good buzz when they came out, but I worry that they have been forgotten about:

Powerless, by Matthew Cody

The Ever Breath, Julianna Baggott

And this one should be on our list because it's a fine book that deserved more buzz, I think, when it first came out:

Green, by Laura Peyton Roberts (now nominated)

And that's my ten (give or take)....but there are tons more that I haven't read, that I'm worried about--what if one of these is The One? I'm thinking of the new releases here, like the new Ranger's Apprentice book, which just came out, and the new Tollins book, and Museum of Thieves, by Lian Tanner, and Star of Stone, by Pierdomenico Baccalario, and This Isn't What it Looks Like, by Pseudonymous Bosch etc etc....



And here's Part 2 of the Challenge: "visit ten amazing kidlit blogs and tell us why you think they are amazing"

So many blogs to choose from....I'm going to cheat a bit here--my first seven are a few of my fellow Cybilians. These blogs all amaze me because somehow they just know what books I might like to read and write very nicely about them-- Book Aunt, Books Together, Ms. Yingling Reads, Finding Wonderland, Angieville, Book Nut, and Eva's Book Addiction (on the Cybils with me last year).

Another blogger whose taste in books is amazingly close to mine is Maureen, at By Singing Light; by way of contrast, I also find it amazing that Colleen, at Chasing Ray, so often writes about books I didn't know I wanted to read.

And for my last pick-um um um....Laini Taylor's blog, Grow Wings, amazes me with it's pretty colors (I enjoy the words she writes, too, of course, but when I think of her blog I see orange and blue etc etc and it makes me happy).



And part three of the challenge is to share your favorite bookstore/library; here's my own dear public library, that I slave my little fingers to the bone fundraising for, and where most of my review copies that aren't arcs find their final home (I don't particulary want to broadcast exactly where I live, so I won't name names...)

This Sunday's Round-up of Middle Grade Science Fiction and Fantasy postings from around the blogs

This Sunday sees us moving toward the homestreach of Cybils nominations. The Middle Grade Science Fiction and Fantasy list is currently at around 100 books, and you can see it here; there are still many fine books that haven't yet been nominated, though, so if you haven't put forward your own favorite, now's the time to do it! (I've emboldened the books reviewed this week that haven't been nominated yet, as a reminder to those who loved them).

As usual, please let me know if I missed your post!

Aldwyn's Academy, by Nathan Meyer, at Manga Maniac Cafe.

Archvillain, by Barry Lyga, at Comics Worth Reading

Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies, by Andrea Beaty, at Coffee for the Brain

Bogbrush the Barbarian, by Howard Whitehouse, at Jean Little Library and at Book Nut.

Brains for Lunch, a Zombie Novel in Hiaku, by K.A. Holt, at The Excelsior File.

The Call (The Magnificent 12, Book 1), by Michael Grant, at Middle Grade Ninja and Charlotte's Library

Cosmic, by Frank Cottrell Boyce, at Charlotte's Library.

Dark Life, by Kat Fall, at Biblio File

The Dead Boys, by Royce Buckingham, at BC Book Talk.

Falling In, by Francis O'Roark Dowell, at Coffee for the Brain.

The Grimm Legacy, by Polly Schulman, at Kidsreads.

The Invisible Order Book 1: The Rise of the Darklings, by Paul Crilley, at The Book Smugglers.

Karma Bites, by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas, at Young Adult Literature Lounge.

The Magic Thief: Found, by Sarah Prineas, at Kidsreads.

The Memory Bank, by Carolyn Coman, at Kids Lit

Museum of Thieves, by Lian Tanner, at BookKids

Nightshade City, by Hilary Wagner, at Lucy Was Robbed and Carol's Prints

No Such Thing as Dragons, by Philip Reeve, at Middle School Book Reviews.

Reckless, by Cornelia Funke, at Kidsreads.

The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan, at Charlotte's Library

Restoring Harmony, by Joelle Anthony, at Becky's Book Reviews.

Second Hand Charm, by Julie Berry, at The Book Cellar

The Shifter (The Healing Wars Book 1) by Janice Hardy at The Book Book.

The Ship that Flew, by Hilda Lewis, at Charlotte's Library

The Smoky Corridor, by Chris Grabenstein, at Kidsreads.

Unearthly Asylum, by P.J. Bracegirdle, at Presenting Lenore.

When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead, at Stainless Steel Droppings.

Wolven, by Di Toft, at Charlotte's Library.

The Wyvern's Treasure, by R.L. LaFevers, at Strange and Random Happenings.

Young Wizard's Handbook: How to trap a zombie, track a vampire, and other hands-on activities for monster hunters, by A. R. Rotruck, at Jean Little Library.

At Fantasy Book Critic there's a two for one post, looking at The Crowfield Curse, by Pat Walsh, and No Such Thing as Dragons, by Phillip Reeve.


Interviews/Author Guest Posts

Tom Llewellyn (The Tilting House) at The O.W.L.

Tracy Trivas (The Wish Stealers) at Cynsations.

Paul Crilley (The Invisible Order Book 1: The Rise of the Darklings) at Whatever

Royce Buckingham (The Dead Boys) at Through the Tollbooth.

Cindy Callaghan (Just Add Magic), at Manga Maniac Cafe.

Penny Noyce (Lost in Lexicon) at Dasef Central

Hilary Wagner (Nightshade City) at Tartitude.

Kevin Bolger (Zombiekins) at Literary Asylum.

P.J. Bracegirdle (Unearthly Asylum) at Literary Asylum

Janice Hardy has kicked off her blog tour to promote her new release, Blue Fire, with an interview here at YA Highway (here's a list of all the other stops)

And in addition to all that, here's more:

Debbie Reese, at American Indians in Children's Literature, discusses the conversations/thoughts/fall out that emerged when Neil Gaiman was called out for his remark, anent The Graveyard Book, about "a few dead Indians."

Mary Hoffman is the visitor for the fourth week of Fairy Tale Reflections at Seven Miles of Steel Thistles.

Cosmic, by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Cosmic, by Frank Cottrell Boyce (HarperCollins, 2010 in the US, 2008 in the UK, middle grade, 320 pages), begins thus:

"Mom, Dad--if you're listening---you know I said I was going to the South Lakeland Outdoor Activity Center with the school?"

To be completely honest, I'm not exactly in the Lake District.

To be completely honest, I'm more sort of in space." (page 1)

And things up in space have gone rather wrong.

Liam, the narrator, is very tall for a eleven-year old, and he's started shaving already. This leads to unpleasantness at school, where he is mocked more than a little, but it is not without advantages. He's able, for instance, to pass as an adult and go on any amusement park ride he wants to. And he's able to pass as a Dad, and win, for himself and his "daughter," the chance to go on the trip that promises the ride of a lifetime, open only to four dads, and four kids.

It takes some convincing to get his "daughter" Florida, a celebrity-obsessed girl his own age, to agree to come with him, but at last she does, and they are whisked off to China by private jet. There they find waiting for them an actual rocket ship, waiting to blast off. Much to Liam's dismay, only the kids are going to actually go into space. But the director of the program agrees to let a dad accompany them, and during the days of training that follow, Liam has to prove that he's the best dad there is.

Out in space, he's going to have to prove it all over again, and bring the kids safely home.

It's a lot for an eleven year old boy to handle, and Liam, even though he's so big, is still a kid--enthusiastic, anxious, and caring. The other three sets of kids and dads, although their characters are somewhat exaggerated (success-driven pair, money-driven pair, and intellectual accomplishment-driven pair), provide an amusing and poignant contrast to Liam's efforts to be a "good dad" to his "daughter"/friend, Florida. Even with the help of his handy reference book, "Talk to Your Teen," which he nicked from his dad (quotes from this are included, and made me chuckle), it's hard for Liam (who's not even a teen yet himself) to figure out his new role.

Cosmic is one of only four books so far this year to have received six starred reviews from the major publishing journals; its stars are very well deserved. Both an exciting adventure, and a powerful character-driven story, this is one of the more memorable books I've read this year. It's been nominated for this year's Cybils Awards in the middle grade science fiction/fantasy category, and justifiably so, given that the journey into space, although technically possible, is so unlikely as to be science fictional (the UK cover, shown at right, emphasizes this sci fi-ness). But those who normally eschew space travel books shouldn't let that bias them against this book. They should just gloss over that, and let themselves enjoy this big-hearted story.

(Because I am always looking for kids of color in sci fi/fantasy--two of the other kids are Samson Two Toure from Sierra Leone, and Hasan Xanadu from Bosnia (who I'm assuming is a Bosniak); they get considerable page time, but not enough for me to add this to my list of multicultural sci fi/fantasy).