New releases of sci fi and fantasy for kids and teens--the first half of January, 2011

I, for one, don't actually need any new releases--I have on hand enough books from 2010 to survive weeks of being snowed in...and I am still convinced that I will find the time to read them all.

But new years, and new releases, happen, and this First Half of January list is an especially appealing one. My top pick is Season of Secrets, by Sally Nicholls--it sounds so good that I will graciously forgive her for how much she made me cry with her first book (Ways to Live for Ever). I also have the two YA timeslip books on hand to review on forthcoming Tuesdays, which makes me happy!

(As usual my information comes from Teens Read Too, with blurbs from the publishers. Feel free to point out any errors or omissions!)

MIDDLE GRADE

ALIEN ENCOUNTER: ALIEN AGENT by Pamela F. Service "Zack's back at work again, as an Alien Agent. His assignment: find an alien kid who hijacked a spaceship to Roswell, New Mexico. Sound easy? Not quite. Because Zack's dad is going too. And he's being chased by a man with a serious grudge against aliens. Can Zack find the missing alien and keep the truth from his dad while escaping the clutches of one Major Garrett? It's all in a day's work for Earth's Alien Agent."

A BOY AND HIS BOT by Daniel H. Wilson "When young Code falls down a hole while following a mysterious robotic insect, he lands in a world that defies all imagination. Everything in Mekhos is made from metal and circuitry, including the citizens-who happen to be robots. To find his way home, Code must first cross Mekhos's bizarre and dangerous landscape to reach the Beam Stalk. There, an artifact known as the Robonomicon is being guarded by an evil ruler who has plans to destroy Mekhos. Can Code free the Robonomicon, save the robots of Mekhos from impending doom, and still get himself back to Earth in time to catch the school bus? With its dazzling array of robots and futuristic gadgetry, this rollicking story will hold special appeal for boys and budding sci-fi lovers everywhere."

BUBBLE IN THE BATHTUB: DOCTOR PROCTOR'S FART POWDER by Jo Nesbo (I wasn't able to find a blurb for this sequel to Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder...)

THE DEADLY CONCH: TARA TRILOGY by Mahtab Narsimhan "After the conclusion of The Silver Anklet, Tara’s triumphant return to Morni is short-lived. Tara’s deceased former stepmother, Kali, seeks revenge through her daughter, Layla. And so begins a series of carefully orchestrated events to cast suspicion on Tara: a dead dog in the village temple, contaminated well water, and whispers that Tara is still possessed. Layla fuels the villagers’ blind superstitions and fears. Soon all of Morni is against Tara, even her own family. Death seems to be the only way to stop her evil stepsister. Tara turns to Lord Yama and his deadly conch for help. He takes her to the Underworld to seek advice, but when she returns, she has only 24 hours to prove her innocence and to save the village before she must go back to the World of the Dead. Forever. Can Tara believe in herself once more to defeat Layla, or will Lord Yama and his deadly conch claim their next victim? The harrowing conclusion to the thrilling Tara Trilogy answers these questions and more."

ENTER THE ZOMBIE: NATHAN ABERCROMBIE, ACCIDENTAL ZOMBIE by David Lubar "When Mr. Murphy finds out that evil organization RABID is using a student academic and athletic competition to recruit agents, he asks Nathan, Abigail, and Mookie to form a team and enter the contest. Things go terribly wrong when Nathan’s nemesis, Rodney the bully, forms his own team to go up against Nathan. Soon Rodney and his pals start to notice some very odd things about Nathan. Will they discover Nathan’s secret and expose his zombie identity to the entire world?"

FREEDOM STONE by Jeffrey Kluger. "Lillie's papa believed in freedom--for him, his family, and all the slaves on the Greenfog plantation. So when the Confederate Army promised freedom to the family of every slave who served in the Civil War--whether they came home or not--Lillie's papa decided he had to take the chance.

But when Lillie's family got the news that her papa was killed, they weren't freed. The army claimed that Lillie's papa was a thief. Lillie knew that couldn't be true! Even worse, the master started making plans to sell off Lillie's little brother, Plato. With the help of an old slave, Bett, who bakes bread that bends time, Lillie travels to the battle during which her father died to find out the true story. Using a little magic of her own, Lillie rights a few wrongs and buys her family their freedom."

MAGIC HEARTS: CANDY FAIRIES by Helen Perelman
"It's Heart Day in the Candy Fairies series"

THE MISSING MAGIC: B MAGICAL by Lexi Connor. "An enchanting new series about an eleven-year-old witch, Beatrix, will cast a S-P-E-L-L on readers! Eleven-year-old Beatrix just wants to be able to cast spells the way all the other witches can. But when B discovers that magic happens when she spells out a word, the C-H-A-O-S begins!"

RESCUE ON TANKIUM3: MISSILE MOUSE by Jake Parker "Missile Mouse is back in action for an amazing new adventure!

The daring agent Missile Mouse must help free a planet forced into slavery by evil King Bognarsh. But things get dicey when Bognarsh hires the Blazing Bat to take Missile Mouse out before he can shut the operation down."

SEASON OF SECRETS by Sally Nicholls "Molly and Hannah have just lost their mother, and while Dad "figures things out", they're sent to stay with their grandparents in a quiet country town. Everything is different: there are only ten kids in their entire school; they have to walk home by themselves every day; and a phone call from Dad just isn't the same as a hug. In fact, they're not even sure when, or if, their dad will be back for them.

One night Hannah decides to run away, and Molly follows her out into the storm. Suddenly, Molly is surrounded by dogs and strange men on horseback, and they're all chasing a man in the road. Molly rushes to find someone to help him, but when she returns, he's nowhere to be seen. She finds him again the next day, and he's badly injured. As he heals, Molly befriends him and realizes that there's something magical about him. He can make a flower blossom in the palm of his hand; he can make a sapling grow in the dead of winter. Molly wants desperately to figure out who he is and just how much power he has. If he can make the trees come to life again, is there still hope for Molly's mother?"

THE TROUBLE WITH SECRETS: B MAGICAL by Lexi Connor "An enchanting new series about an eleven-year-old witch, Beatrix, will cast a S-P-E-L-L on readers!

Eleven-year-old Beatrix is thrilled -- she can finally cast spells just like the rest of her family. When her non-magical best friend George finds out her secret, however, the result is T-R-O-U-B-L-E!"

YOUNG ADULT

XVI by Julia Karr. "Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world - even the most predatory of men - that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past - one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer."

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis "Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules. Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone--one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship--tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming."

ALL JUST GLASS by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. "Sarah Vida has given up everything for love. From a legendary family of vampire-hunting witches, Sarah was raised to never trust a vampire, to never let her guard down, and to avoid all tricky attachments of the heart. But now Sarah IS a vampire—changed by the boy she thought she loved. Her family has forsaken her, and Sarah herself is disgusted by her appetite for blood. Aida Vida is Sarah's older sister, the good, reliable sibling who always does her family proud. But when Aida's mother insists that Sarah be found and killed, Aida is given the one assignment that she may not be able to carry out.
Taking place over just twenty-four hours, ALL JUST GLASS tells the story of a game-changing battle that will forever change the world of the Den of Shadows. And at its center is the story of two sisters who must choose between love and duty."

AWAKENED: HOUSE OF NIGHT by P.C & Kristin Cast "Exonerated by the Vampyre High Council and returned to her position of High Priestess at Tulsa’s House of Night, Neferet has sworn vengeance on Zoey. Dominion over Kalona is only one of the weapons she plans to use against Z. But Zoey has found sanctuary on the Isle of Skye and is being groomed by Queen Sgiach to take over for her there. Being Queen would be cool, wouldn’t it? Why should she return to Tulsa? After losing her human consort, Heath, she will never be the same – and her relationship with her super-hot-warrior, Stark, may never be the same either…And what about Stevie Rae and Rephaim? The Raven Mocker refuses to be used against Stevie Rae, but what choice does he have when no one in the entire world, including Zoey, would be okay with their relationship? Does he betray his father or his heart?

In the pulse-pounding 8th book in the bestselling House of Night series, how far will the bonds of friendship stretch and how strong are the ties that bind one girl’s heart?"

THE FAEMAN QUEST: THE FAERIE WARS CHRONICLES by Herbie Brennan "....with The Faeman Quest, Brennan returns to the world of Faerie to introduce a new character - Mella, the daughter of King Consort Henry and Queen Holly Blue. When Mella accidentally travels to the country of Haleklind, she discovers rebel forces preparing an invasion using a terrifying new magical weapon. This novel features old favorites-Brimstone, Pyrgus, and Lord Hairstreak's head-but readers will identify immediately with Mella, whose stubborn streak and fiesty daring must save the Faerie realm from mass destruction."

HEART OF GOLD: THE LAWS OF MAGIC by Michael Pryor At a loss after finishing their end-of-year exams, Aubrey and George travel to the Gallian capital, Lutetia, where it so happens that the lovely Caroline is studying natural history. Aubrey wants to pursue a cure for his condition—though his family has other ideas, and he's soon burdened with a royal mystery to solve, old letters to procure, a missing ornithologist to locate, and a spot of diplomatic espionage. These tasks should keep Aubrey occupied—but that would be underestimating his sense of curiosity and uncanny knack of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Someone is stealing people's souls and turning them into mindless monsters, and the country's magical lifeline, the Heart of Gold, has been stolen, leaving the city in chaos. Aubrey, George, and a somewhat reluctant Caroline are on the case in this engaging read.

HEXBOUND: DARK ELITE by Chloe Neill Lily Parker is new to St. Sophia's School for Girls, but she's already learned that magic can be your best friend-or your worst enemy. That's why Lily has to learn how to control her newly discovered paranormal abilities while fighting the good fight with her best friend Scout as they take on Chicago's nastiest nightlife-including the tainted magic users known as Reapers...

INVASION: A CHAOS NOVEL by Jon S. Lewis Colt McAlister is drawn into a war against things he thought only existed in comic books. After a car wreck takes the lives of his parents, Colt moves to Arizona to stay with his grandfather. There, an informant tells him that his parents were actually murdered because his mom, a journalist, was getting ready to write a story exposing Trident Industries. Along with Oz and Danielle, his new comrades at Chandler High, Colt vows to uncover the truth. But the more they learn, the more bizarre reality becomes. Mind control, jet packs, and flying motorcycles only scratch the surface of what they discover. Colt is recruited by a secret organization called the Central Headquarters Against the Occult and Supernatural. But the battle isn't just against an out-of-control giant corporation. A gateway to another world is opening, and the invasion has already begun.

THE JUDAS CODE: MONSTER REPUBLIC by Ben Horton. "The explosion at the Prime Minister's visit to Long Harbour means the cover of the Monster Republic is blown, and they are forced deep into hiding. Lazarus Fry turns his tactics to infiltration, and is confident of their swift crushing. Plus his new pets, the Blood Hawks, are hungry to get their talons into some fresh kill...But Fry hasn't counted on this band of rebel kids' awesome will for survival. When your back is against the wall, the only option is to come out fighting..."

THE LEGACY by Gemma Malley When a Pincent Pharmaceutical van is ambushed by the rebel group known as the Underground, its contents come as a huge surprise-not drugs, but corpses in a horrible state. It appears that the pharmaceutical company's top drug, Longevity-which is supposed to eradicate disease and ensure eternal life-isn't living up to its promises. Now a virus is sweeping the country, killing hundreds in its wake, and Longevity is powerless to fight it. But when the unscrupulous head of Pincent claims that the Underground is responsible for releasing the virus, it's up to Peter, Anna, and their friends to alert the world to the terrifying truth behind Longevity before it's too late.

THE LEGEND OF WARAWA: CHOSEN BY DESTINY TO FIGHT THE EVILS OF THE EXTREMES
by Robert C. Powers (couldn't find a blurb, but I guess it could be fantasy...)

MAD LOVE by Suzanne Selfors "When you're the daughter of the bestselling Queen of Romance, life should be pretty good. But 16-year-old Alice Amorous has been living a lie ever since her mother was secretly hospitalized for mental illness. After putting on a brave front for months, time is running out. The next book is overdue, and the Queen can't write it. Alice needs a story for her mother-and she needs one fast.

That's when she meets Errol, a strange boy who claims to be Cupid, who insists that Alice write about the greatest love story in history: his tragic relationship with Psyche. As Alice begins to hear Errol's voice in her head and see things she can't explain, she must face the truth-that she's either inherited her mother's madness, or Errol is for real."

THE NASCENZA CONSPIRACY: THE CASSAFORTE CHRONICLES by V. Briceland . "Petro Divetri—younger brother of famed sorceress Risa Divetri—just wants to be left alone. His status as one of the seven ruling families in Cassaforte has saddled him with unwanted attention, from bullies as well as from those seeking favors. So when Petro and his best friend Adrio are sent to far-off Nascenza for the Midsummer High Rites, they swap identities. Their prank goes awry when Adrio, mistaken for Petro, is kidnapped by rebels determined to overthrow the king. With the help of Emilia, a palace guard who wants to prove her worth, Petro must rescue his friend and defeat a political plot that threatens to wipe out all of Cassaforte."

NIGHT SCHOOL: BLOOD COVEN by Mari Mancusi "After their parents' shocking revelation about their fae heritage and an attack on their lives, the McDonald twins are forced to hide out deep in the Swiss Alps at Riverdale Academy, a secret vampire slayer training facility. And with no way to contact their vampire boyfriends for rescue, they're going to have to play nice with the locals. But when Sunny starts acting strange, Rayne realizes that there's more to fear at Riverdale than getting staked by the student body-leading to a showdown in Fairyland that may cost the twins their lives"

SHADOWSPELL: FAERIEWALKER by Jenna Black "On top of spending most of her time in a bunkerlike safe house and having her dates hijacked by a formidable Fae bodyguard, Faeriewalker Dana Hathaway is in for some more bad news: the Erlking and his pack of murderous minions known as the Wild Hunt have descended upon Avalon. With his homicidal appetite and immortal powers, the Erlking has long been the nightmare of the Fae realm. A fragile treaty with the Faerie Queen, sealed with a mysterious spell, is the one thing that keeps him from hunting unchecked in Avalon, the only place on Earth where humans and Fae live together. Which means Dana’s in trouble, since it’s common knowledge that the Faerie Queen wants her – and her rare Faeriewalker powers – dead. The smoldering, sexy Erlking’s got his sights set on Dana, but does he only seek to kill her, or does he have something much darker in mind?"

SHANTORIAN: TRACKERS by Patrick Carman "In the 21st century landscape of bits and bytes, everyone leaves a digital footprint ... even the most advanced cyber criminals. And that's where the Trackers come in. Four tech-savvy kids armed with high-tech video cameras and esoteric coding skills, the Trackers can find almost anyone, anywhere. Told through a collage of videos, text, and websites, Trackers #1 follows Adam, Finn, Lewis, and Emily as they become entangled in a high-tech, high-stakes game of cat and mouse with Shantorian, the world's most dangerous hacker. At least, that's who they think they're tracking....

As the four dig deeper into the shadowy world of online crime, they soon learn that things aren't always as they seem."

TIMELESS by Alexandra Monir "When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives."

TRICKSTER'S GIRL by Hilari Bell "In the year 2098 America isn't so different from the USA of today. But, in a post-9/11 security-obssessed world, "secured" doesn't just refer to borders between countries, it also refer to borders between states. Teenagers still think they know everything, but there is no cure for cancer, as Kelsa knows first-hand from watching her father die. The night Kelsa buries her father, a boy appears. He claims magic is responsible for the health of Earth, but human damage disrupts its flow. The planet is dying. Kelsa has the power to reverse the damage, but first she must accept that magic exists and see beyond her own pain in order to heal the planet."

UNEARTHLY by Cynthia Hand "Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy. Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?"

WARPED by Maurissa Guibord "Tessa doesn't believe in magic. Or Fate. But there's something weird about the dusty unicorn tapestry she discovers in a box of old books. She finds the creature woven within it compelling and frightening. After the tapestry comes into her possession, Tessa experiences dreams of the past and scenes from a brutal hunt that she herself participated in. When she accidentally pulls a thread from the tapestry, Tessa releases a terrible centuries old secret. She also meets William de Chaucy, an irresistible 16th-century nobleman. His fate is as inextricably tied to the tapestry as Tessa's own. Together, they must correct the wrongs of the past. But then the Fates step in, making a tangled mess of Tessa's life. Now everyone she loves will be destroyed unless Tessa does their bidding and defeats a cruel and crafty ancient enemy."

THE WATER WARS by Cameron Stracher "Welcome to a future where water is more precious than oil or gold...Hundreds of millions of people have already died, and millions more will soon fall-victims of disease, hunger, and dehydration. It is a time of drought and war. The rivers have dried up, the polar caps have melted, and drinkable water is now in the hands of the powerful few. There are fines for wasting it and prison sentences for exceeding the quotas.

But Kai didn't seem to care about any of this. He stood in the open road drinking water from a plastic cup, then spilled the remaining drops into the dirt. He didn't go to school, and he traveled with armed guards. Kai claimed he knew a secret-something the government is keeping from us... And then he was gone. Vanished in the middle of the night. Was he kidnapped? Did he flee? Is he alive or dead? There are no clues, only questions. And no one can guess the lengths to which they will go to keep him silent. We have to find him-and the truth-before it is too late for all of us."

WISHFUL THINKING by Alexandra Bullen "If you could wish for a different life, would you? What if that life changed everything you thought was real? Adopted as a baby, Hazel Snow has always been alone. She's never belonged anywhere--and has always yearned to know the truth about where she comes from. So when she receives three stunning, enchanted dresses--each with the power to grant one wish--Hazel wishes to know her mother. Transported to a time and place she couldn't have imagined, Hazel finds herself living an alternate life--a life with the mother she never knew.

Over the course of one amazing, miraculous summer, Hazel finds her home, falls in love, and forms an unexpected friendship. But will her search to uncover her past forever alter her future?"

The Cybils Elementary and Middle Grade Sci Fi Fantasy Shortlist!!!!

For the past few months, I and my fellow panelists have been busily burrowing our way through the 150 books nominated for the Cybils Awards in the Elementary/Middle Grade Sci Fi Fantasy category!

And here (drum roll) is our beautiful Shortlist, as officially announced five minutes ago over at the Cybils Website:

Call, The (The Magnificent 12)
by Michael Grant
Katherine Tegen Books
Nominated by: Ben

Michael Grant has crafted a great beginning to a new series that is guaranteed to leave you wanting more action, more plot development, more laugh-out-loud humor and the next book in the series. The Call follows a 12-year-old boy named Mack who is just a "medium" regular old boy with nothing special about him. However, he soon learns he is one of 12 Magnifica and it is up to him to track down the other eleven kids to stop the evil forces. This book will have you reading right through until the end as you come across some interesting characters and some scenes that may cause you to squirm. Through it all you will find yourself laughing along with the adventures of Mack. --Aaron Maurer

Dead Boys, The
by Royce Buckingham
Putnam Juvenile
Nominated by: Mike Schoeneck

When Teddy moves to a desert community, he makes a lot of new friends, but they are all dead! Victims of a tree mutated by toxic waste into a vicious killer, the boys all perished ten years apart, and if Teddy can’t help them rest in peace, he may be next tasty snack for the maniacal tree. This creepy tale is packed with action, suspense, sly humor and an environmental message as well. --Karen Yingling

Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs
by Ursula Vernon
Dial
Nominated by: Debbie Nance

This second tale of the young dragon, Danny Dragonbreath, is full of hilarious enchantment that should delight the fantasy reader of any age. When Suki, a Japanese exchange student, is beset by Ninja Frogs, Danny and Wendell, his geeky iguana pal (who's fallen hard for Suki), travel with her to mythical Japan to find out what's going on. Danny thinks it's the greatest thing ever to be in the thick of real Ninja action, Wendell's worried about Suki, and as for Suki herself--she just wants to be a comic-book reading veterinarian, preferably a veterinarian who isn't being stalked by Ninjas...Not only is this a laugh-out-loud story, with smart, snappy dialogue and endearing characters, but Vernon's many illustrations, including panels that carry the story forward, are masterpieces of comic art. --Charlotte Taylor

Fever Crumb
by Philip Reeve
Scholastic
Nominated by: Gwenda Bond

Fever is a foundling, adopted as an infant girl and educated by the Order of Engineers, all male, who live in the head of a giant statue. But she has other memories, too--ones that aren't hers, that arise on her first assignment outside the head. Who is Fever Crumb, and why do people want her dead? This prequel to Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines quartet, set in a future London that bears the traces of our own in its language ("Who gives a blog?") and technology, introduces a new series. Yet smart, original, and full of memorable images--of paper boys, and movable fortresses, and a head full of bald engineers--Fever Crumb also stands alone. --Anamaria Anderson

Ninth Ward
by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Little, Brown
Nominated by: Hallie Tibbetts

Twelve-year-old Lanesha has always seen the ghosts of New Orleans, including that of her mother who died in childbirth. While she thinks often about the Uptown family that’s abandoned her, her heart belongs to her caretaker Mama Ya-Ya, the Ninth Ward where they live, and her dreams of becoming an engineer. This gripping, magical portrait of the days before, during and after Hurricane Katrina follows Lanesha as she and her friend TaShon battle real-life dystopian conditions to save their own lives (and their dog, Spot). The result is a powerful survival story that will haunt young readers. --Gwenda Bond

Reckless
by Cornelia Funke
Little, Brown
Nominated by: Angela

Jacob Reckless never intended for his younger brother, Will, to learn about Mirrorworld. He had been keeping it secret since discovering the enchanted portal shortly after their father's disappearance. But when an enchantment causes Will to slowly turn to stone, Jacob realizes he can no longer afford to keep the magic of the land a secret. Accompanied by a shape-shifter and Will's girlfriend, Jacob sets out to find the antidote before his brother's transformation is complete. Cornelia Funke deftly intertwines familiar fairy tales and characters into an action-packed quest tale full of political rivals, jealous lovers and deadly monsters. --Nicole Signoretta

Shadows, The (The Books of Elsewhere, Vol. 1)
by Jacqueline West
Dial
Nominated by: Sandra Stiles

After being forced to move into an old Victorian household with her Math nut parents, 11-year-old Olive discovers an amazing secret, stuffed into a dresser drawer is a pair of spectacles that allows Olive to climb through the pictures on the walls and into another world that is strangely similar to the real world, right down to the houses and neighbors. However, Olive quickly realizes there are a lot of hidden secrets contained within the old house like why a mysterious cat follows her around, why none of the pictures on the wall can be moved and who is the child Morton who lives inside the mysterious world known as Elsewhere. This first book in the Books of Elsewhere series, weaves a dark tale of mystery, adventure and a battle against a darker power that is determined to turn the lights out on Olive’s world for good. --Cindy Hannikman

Which one do you like best?

And then there's the YA Sci Fi/Fantasy shortlist, which is full of books I didn't expect to see, but includes some favorites of mine (although it is missing a few books I had hoped to see sob sob):

Brain Jack, by Brian Falkner

Guardian of the Dead, by Karen Healey

Plain Kate, by Erin Bow

Pod, by Stephen Wallenfels

Rot & Ruin, by Jonathan Maberry

Ship Breaker, by Paolo Bacigalupi

The Wager, by Donna Jo Napoli

Congratulations to all the authors! Now the books will make their way to the second round panelists, who will have the virtually impossible task of picking one winner....to be announced in February.

Thanks, Fellow Panelists, Sheila Ruth, our sff leader, and Anne Levy, Cybils Administrator, and special thanks to all the publishers and authors who sent us books!

(The links in this post take you to Amazon, where the Cybils Awards will earn a small commission from any purchases. That commission will be used to buy awards for the winners...)

The Dragons of 2010

To celebrate the last day of 2010, here's a list of all the Middle Grade and Young Adult dragon books from 2010! There are lots here I haven't read (which, since all I seem to have done in 2010 is read, baffles me more than somewhat). The blurbs in quotation marks, therefore, are lifted from the publishers' descriptions.

Ancient, Strange, and Lovely: the Dragon Chronicles by Susan Fletcher. "In a new dragon novel by Susan Fletcher, Bryn must save a dracling from a dangerous modern world that seems to have no place for an ancient dragon."

Attack of the Ninja Frogs and Curse of the Were-Wiener by Ursula Vernon. 2010 was a happy year--two new Dragonbreath books! I do so adore these stories, part elementary chapter books, part graphic novels. They are laugh out loud funny. Danny Dragonbreath is an utterly engaging draconic hero, and his adventures are utterly delightful. Here's my review of Ninja Frogs, here's my review of Were-Wiener.

The Coming of the Dragon by Rebecca Barnhouse. A beautiful historical fantasy that re-tells the story of Beowulf versus the Dragon from the point of view of Rune, a young boy who must stand up beside the king he loves against a horrible evil. I highly recommend it--here's my review.

The Dragon in the Library: Dragon Keepers by Kate Klimo. "Dragon keepers Jesse and Daisy need help! Emmy, their rapidly growing dragon, has become a real grouch, saying she's missing "something," and the cousins don't have a clue what that something is. Jesse and Daisy go online to ask Professor Andersson, their favorite dragon expert, for help and end up seeing him being kidnapped! The kidnapper is none other than Sadie Huffington, the girlfriend of their enemy, St. George the Dragon Slayer. She has hatched a wicked scheme to use the professor to both find St. George and capture Emmy. Now the dragon keepers and their dragon must storm Sadie's castle and rescue the professor from the witch and her pack of vicious dog-men!"

Dragon Games: The Books of Umber by P. W. Catanese. Sequel to Happentance Found. I'm not sure that the baby dragons actually play enough of a role in this one to justify its inclusion, but I'm a fan of this series, which tells of the fantastical adventures of a young boy (Happenstance) and his mysterious guardian, Lord Umber (who reminds me a bit of Diana Wynne Jones' Howl). Lots of adventure of the wildly creative sort, and characters I care about. And some bonus baby dragons toward the end.

Elspeth: Shadow of the Dragon by Kate O'Hearn. “Kira and Elspeth have already broken First Law many times over. Now outlawed and running for their lives, they are determined to stand amongst the men and fight the unjust First Law that binds the kingdom. But cruel Lord Dorcon still stands in their way and the heat of his chase is stronger than ever. A prophecy to fulfill, a cruel monarchy to upend.”

The Final Quest: Secrets of Droon by Tony Abbott "An immortal dragon. A long hidden secret. The kingdom of Droon is at the brink of war. . . The situation in Droon has never been more desperate. The wizard Galen is missing. Eric has been forced undercover with Gethwing, the all-powerful Moon Dragon. And millions of beasts are assembling outside Jaffa City, ready to attack Droon's capital. Eric, Keeah, Neal, and Julie will do whatever it takes to save their beloved kingdom. But to defeat the Moon Dragon, they'll need to uncover the greatest secret in all of Droon. . . ."

Found: The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas. Trouble is, once again, hot on young Conn's heels. In this third book of the Magic Thief series, he finds himself exiled from his city. Searching for his locus magicalus, a stone that would focus his powers of magic, he finds a dragon instead...I am awfully fond of young Conn, and happy to see him return to his old form in this third book of the series after a rather somber second book. Eminently readable--I found myself very reluctant to put it down when looking at it again this morning....and might well have to finish re-reading it later today!

Gauge: The Dragons of Wayward Crescent by Chris D'Lacey. "The town council wants to demolish the old clock and replace it with a fancy modern one. Lucy's mother is determined to stop it -- with the help of a timing dragon named Gauge. Will Gauge, Lucy and the ghost Sir Rufus Trenchchomb be able to outsmart Councilman Roger Trustable before time runs out?"

Gold Dragon Codex: The Dragon Codices by R.D. Henham. "When the blue dragon Lazuli threatens to destroy Sandon's village of Hartfall, Sandon vows to locate the legendary gold dragon, once Hartfall's sworn protector, and convince it to return. Sandon finds the gold dragon's lair--only to stumble on a secret that throws everything he thought he knew about his home and his family into question. Filled with everything readers love about dragons--power, action, and intrigue--this tale shows what one boy can accomplish when he finds the strength of a dragon lies within himself."

How to Ride a Dragon's Storm by Cressida Cowell. "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, everyone's favorite reluctant Viking hero, has three months, five days and six hours to discover America, get back to Berk, save his father, battle Polarserpents and win the annual Inter-Tribal Friendly Swimming Race. Can he do it?"

Ivy's Ever After by Dawn Lairamore. Ivy doesn't want to marry Romil, Prince Charming dude who showed up to claim her, and her kingdom. He's a jerk. So she joins forces with an undersized dragon to thwart his evil plans...it's a lighthearted adventure, that should be pleasing to those who enjoy fun riffs on fairy tale conventions. (my review).

Knights of the Ruby Wand: Secrets of Droon by Tony Abbott. "Oh no! The secret of Droon is a secret no longer. Eric's mother knows about the rainbow staircase . . . and what's worse, so does Gethwing. The Moon Dragon has sent his minions to the Upper World to search for a magical object that could give him power over all of Droon. Now no place is safe from Gethwing's dark magic. . ."

The Last Hunt, by Bruce Coville. In this fourth volume of the Unicorn Chronicles, the land of Luster is in turmoil. Young Cara, half girl, half unicorn, must set off on a quest to find a dragon...or the unicorns will be hunted and killed. This was one I read for the Cybils, and I've not read the first three books, so the various maelstroms of danger and action into which I was plunged (lots of characters, lots of different story lines) made for a dizzying experience....I think I need to play catch-up to appreciate this one...

No Such Thing as Dragons by Philip Reeve. Ansel's new master is taking him high into the snowy mountains, to find a dragon, and slay it. That's what professional dragon slayers do, after all. But though this man knows there's no such thing as dragons, there is something waiting for them up in the snow...something very much like a dragon. Not a friendly one. This is exiting historical fantasy, scary and gripping as all get out (my review).

A Practical Guide to Dragon Magic by Susan Morris. "Do you wish you could fly on wings of your own? Breathe fire? Cast spells in the blink of an eye? These are the secrets only dragon magic can teach you. In this next edition in the Practical Guide family of fantasy essentials, dragon expert Sindri Suncatcher opens up his notebooks one last time to give readers an insider's look into the Darastrix Academy, a place where young wizards and dragon hatchlings live side-by-side mastering the powerful magic that makes dragons so special. For every fantasy fan who loves dragons and wants to know everything about these enigmatic creatures, this book reveals the greatest dragon secrets of all."

Shadow: Dragon Orb by Mark Robson "Pell and his night dragon Shadow must find the dark orb to help save the Oracle, leader of all dragonkind. But Segun, a power-hungry tyrant, stands in their way. Pell must use his flying skills, bravery, and resourcefulness to the limit, as Segun is determined to get the orb—even if it means killing the opposition."

Ultimate Magic: Merlin's Dragon by T. A. Barron. This is third book of a series, and I read it expecting to be confused. But instead, when I found myself plunged into a great battle, with a great dragon named Basil leading the defenders of Avalon against various bad guys, I found myself drawn into the story....and I was happy to follow Basil, and sundry other characters, off in their subsequent quest to defeat the evil mastermind behind it all, Doomraga. Basil is perhaps the most Heroic dragon of all those published in 2010...

The Wyverns' Treaure: Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist by R. L. LaFevers. This third book about young Nathaniel is my favorite of the series to date, in large part due to LaFevers wonderful way with wyverns. Nathaniel and Aunt Phil are off to Wales in this book, where the wyverns are in an uproar. Someone has intruded into their territory, and the truce keeping them from pillaging the Welsh countryside is in jeopardy...never have Nathaniel's Beastologist skills been put to so fraught a test! With this book, I began to feel as though I were at last travelling toward answers to the larger mystery of the series--the fate of Nathaniel's missing parents--and this made the story more spacious and meaningful. The simple yet satisfying prose, numerous illustrations, and light touches of comic relief that characterize this series make it perfect for many an upper elementary reader. And the wyverns in this particular book are great.

Young Adult

Dragons are holding their own in books for teenagers quite nicely! I knew there were lots of mg dragons, but there are plenty for older readers as well.

The Battle of the Sun by Jeanette Winterson "Jack is the chosen one, the Radiant Boy the Magus needs in order to perfect the alchemy that will transform London of the 1600s into a golden city. But Jack isn’t the kind of boy who will do what he is told by an evil genius, and soon he’s battling to save London in an epic and nail-biting adventure featuring dragons, knights and Queen Elizabeth I."

Has anyone read this? It sounds good.

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."

Dragons of Darkness by Antonia Michaelis. Two boys, Jumar, an invisible prince of Nepal, the other Christopher, a German boy searching for his kidnapped brother, join forces in an incredible journey through the mountains. There they see the havoc wrought by the beautiful but deadly color dragons, who steal all that is good and beautiful wherever their shadows pass. The grey rice in the fields has no sustenance, and worse still, any person touched by a dragon's shadow becomes a bronze statue. The suffering of the mountain people is exacerbated by the war between the Maoists and the Royalists. The rebel cause becomes real to the boys in the person of Nayu, a girl their age who is recruiting for the Maoists. She is brave, she is beautiful, and both boys fall hard for her... Jumar, Nayu and Christopher must journey bravely through mountains where death--in the beauty of a dragon's wing, in the muzzle of a gun, in the land itself-- could lie around every corner. And it would be a lot easier if they were sure what they were looking for...(my full review)

The Dragons of Noor by Janet Lee Carey "A dreamwalker who has lost her way. A shape shifter who fears his own dark power. A fire herd punished for his magic. Can these three teens keep the human world of Noor and the magical world of Oth from splitting apart? The ancient trees of Noor are dying. If the blight kills the last azure trees whose deep roots bind the worlds, the bridge between Noor and Oth will split apart forever. Already as Hanna, Miles, and Taunier sail to the source of the blight, the rent between the worlds is widening, and magic is going out of Noor. The quest deepens when a strange wind blows across Noor stealing young children, and Hanna is powerless to protect her younger brother from the stealing wind. The Three journey east to the azure forests of Jarrosh. East to the dragon lands. East to the place where the wind-stolen children were taken. In Jarrosh, among dragons, the Three will be challenged to discover their hidden powers. Each of them must break beyond the boundaries of self to discover the ancient magic joining all to all."

Choke: Pillage by Obert Skye. "Choke....continues the eccentric adventures of Beck Phillips, who seems to have a knack for causing mischief in the secluded village of Kingsplot. In book one, Beck used his unique gift to unexpectedly hatch several dragon eggs. Thankfully, the dragons were destroyed . . . or were they? In Choke, a stranger has discovered that Beck Phillips is the key to finding and hatching a lost dragon s egg a task that will bring the riches and fortune that Beck s family was destined to have. Beck learns that outward appearances can be deceiving and that grown-ups really do have valuable lessons to offer. Readers will laugh out loud at Beck s antics and sit on the edge of their seats while Beck and his friends confront Liz, the largest, most ferocious dragon Beck has ever seen!"

Firelight by Sophie Jordan. "Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy."

Heartless, by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. "Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon marry. She dreams of a charming prince, but when her first suitor arrives, he's not what she'd hoped. Prince Aethelbald of mysterious Farthestshore has travelled a great distance to prove his love--and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be on the hunt and blazing a path of terror.

Una, smitten instead with a more dashing prince, refuses Aethelbald's offer--and ignores his cautions with dire consequences. Soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir and Una, in giving her heart away unwisely, finds herself in his sights. Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil."

Starlighter: Dragons of Starlight by Bryan Davis. "Dragons are enslaving humankind and a black egg signals the end of the world. Jason Masters must journey to another realm and join forces with a slave girl named Koren to rescue the captives and save two worlds from destruction. What if the Legends Are True? Jason Masters doubted the myths: people taken through a portal to another realm and enslaved by dragons. But when his brother is taken, he must uncover the truth and find the portal before it's too late. Once he's through the portal, he meets Koren, a slave in the dragons' realm, who struggles to destroy a black egg prophesied to doom all mankind. Jason and Koren must work together to save their two worlds before the dragons learn that their secrets have been discovered."

Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn. Here's what I said in my review: "a rather unusual fantasy, in that it combines contemporary YA-ness--the heroine's best girl friend who is putting the pressure on her to grow up, the developing relationship with the cute boy-- with Dragons. And the result is a rather fun, rather interesting, and more than somewhat memorable story. " In an alternate modern world, there's human territory, and dragon territory, and the two stay seperate. But Kay breakes the rules...and becomes friends with a dragon. Will their friendship bring peace, or will it exacerbate the existing tensions and lead to war? I'm looking forward to the sequel (my full review).

Wings of Fire, edited by Jonathan Strahan and Marianne S. Jablon. A rich anthology of dragon stories both old (Ursula Le Guin's The Rule of Names) and new (included are two never before published stories by Holly Black and Margo Langevin). Other big names include George R.R. Martin, Naomi Novick, and Charles De Lint. The editors set out to gather together the best dragon stories the could, and the result is a hefty book with much to enjoy-- some stories delight, and others disturb...

Zog, by Julia Donaldson --a dragon picture book in verse

Zog, by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler (Alison Green Books, 2010 in the UK)


By happy chance the Book Depository accidentally included this picture book in with my recent order, and said I was welcome to keep it. I'd heard about this one--it was the winner of the Galaxy Children's Book Award in 2010, and Julia Donaldson was well known to me already as the author of The Gruffalo.

"Madam Dragon ran a school, many moons ago.
She taught young dragons all the things that dragons need to know.

Zog, the biggest dragon, was the keenest one by far.
He tried his hardest every day to win a golden star."

But alas for Zog! He is rather accident prone, and his efforts to fly, roar, and breath fire all come to painful conclusions. Happily, he is rescued each time by a girl who ministers to his hurts...and when it comes time for the next test of draconic ability, Princess Kidnapping, Pearl is there for him again, kindly allowing herself to be captured.

Pearl stays with the dragons, serving as their resident doctor...but princess kidnapped by dragons have a habit of attracting knights who want to rescue them (even if they don't want to be rescued).

"A year went by, and in Year Five, the dragons learned to fight.
"Right!" said Madam Dragon. "Here comes a real live knight!"

"Up spoke the knight: "My name," he said,
"is Gadabout the Great.
I've come to rescue Princess Pearl.
I hope I'm not too late."

But all ends happily, with Pearl, the knight, and Zog setting off to begin a new career as the Flying Doctors.

It's fun, it's charming, and it has a nice point. The verse in which it is written both scans nicely and has great swing to it. I don't quite see it as an award winner myself, but Zog and co are truly likable dragons who should delight the young reader.

It's handy to have a book in verse to contribute to Poetry Friday! The round-up is at Carol's Corner today.

The Good Little Devil, by Ann Lawrence

Yesterday I wrote about one of my sister's Christmas presents; today it's a book I got myself that made me all kinds of happy! A while ago, I re-read a childhood favorite, Tom Ass, by Ann Lawrence (my review), and it occurred to me (after 30 odd years) that maybe this author, whose book I love so much, might perhaps have written something else (duh)! And she had! And my list of books that would be welcomed grew accordingly, and The Good Little Devil graced my Christmas Pile.

The Good Little Devil (1978, illustrated most charmingly by Ionicus) is the story of what happens when a medieval monastery becomes home to a small dark supernatural creature. When kegs of beer and wine are mysteriously opened overnight, the cellarer, Brother John, becomes convinced the abbey is bewitched...and indeed, a suitable ritual captures the devil behind the mischief! It is a small, somewhat subdued imp, and the Abbot, always one to think things through, decides it would be good publicity for the monastery to have a devil as one of the brothers. So, robbed as a monastic brother, the imp joins the boys of the choir school....and does his best to fit in.

Young Wilfred, one of the two resident boys, becomes fond of the creature, as do Brother John and other thoughtful brothers. They become increasingly convinced that this depressed little devil is, perhaps, something more along the lines of a hob or a brownie...and at last Brother John frees it from its hated robes. But the creature, now in the form of a black cat, stays with his new friends, bringing them good luck, while working its mischievous side out on paying back the boys that had tormented it when it was forced to be a choirboy.

Goodness, this was a fun little story. It doesn't try to be Historical Fiction, in the sense of accurately capturing the essence of Medieval Monastic Life, and indeed, several of the characters sound like they'd be more at home in an early 20th century British comedy of manners. But that doesn't hurt the story one single bit--instead, it gives Lawrence the freedom just to enjoy her storytelling, and the reader enjoys it right along with her.

An excellent read out loud, an excellent one to give to a kid who enjoys lighter historical fiction mixed with fantasy, or simply a book for the grown-up reader to savor herself (and isn't it so awfully nice when you read a middle grade book and just plain like it, instead of thinking, oh I would have liked this so much if I'd read it when I was ten! It's possible that this was the case with this book because the adults were as likeable as the central boy character).

Especially recommended to those who enjoy books set in monasteries and books with clever black cats.

(I couldn't find a picture of the cover on line anywhere; I guess I'll take mine to work tomorrow and scan it there-Done!)

Erica Wins Through, by Josephine Elder

I have a great fondness for the British School Girl genre--I find tales of plucky girls at boarding school rather soothing in a pleasantly escapist way. I don't talk about them much here, because it's so very rare to have a new one to read, in as much as almost every author I collect is dead. But thanks to small publishers reissuing hard-to-find books, sometimes there are new-to-me books to read...books like Erica Wins Through, by Josephine Elder (originally published in 1924, recently republished by Girls Gone By Publishers).

Josephine Elder wrote one of my Favorite Books Ever--Evelyn Finds Herself. It's an incredibly intelligent look at the coming of age of an extremely likable heroine, which I particularly enjoy because of Evelyn's focus on botany with an eye to a medical career (I do so enjoy school books in which people are actually learning interesting things, and in which people take school seriously!) Erica was Elder's first foray into the school girl world, so I wasn't expecting it to quite measure up to Evelyn; still, there was much to enjoy here.

12 year old Erica resents that her brother has been sent to boarding school, while she herself has been left at home with a new governess. After her bad behavior makes it clear that she will not cooperate, she's packed off to boarding school herself. Shy, quirky, and uncertain, Erica has trouble fitting in...there are mean girls, and strange customs, and so Erica retreats into a world of daydreams. But happily she finds two comrades at arms, her hockey playing improves, and she begins to apply her intellect (she's an ace at Latin) and creativity (expressed as set design in the end of term play) to the world of the school, with happy results.

It's fairly standard, plot-wise, but Elder manages to make Erica both believable and likable. It is nice to escape into a world where the problems experienced by the central character are both utterly like one's own, but applicable to one's own life--the conflict between conformity and main tining one's own identity, the shy girl finding confidence. Erica's particular personality makes her story (initial horrible-ness of boarding school, followed by the pleasures of becoming one of a threesome) especially appealing to introverts.

In short, I'm very glad my sister got it for Christmas! My own school story was The School On Cloud Ridge, by Mabel Esther Allan, which I haven't read yet....I had to read my sister's books first, of course, because of going our separate ways.

Johnny Mackintosh and the Spirit of London for Timeslip Tuesday

Now that my frantic Cybils reading is behind me (and our Cybils shortlist is rather lovely, if I say so who shouldn't), it is time to return to regular blogging. So, since this is Tuesday, here's a time travel book--Johnny Mackintosh and the Spirit of London, by Keith Mansfield (Quercus, 2008, middle grade, 352 pages).

13 year-old Johnny isn't an ordinary boy. It's not just that he lives in a children's home, with his mother in an insane asylum and his father imprisoned, or his phenomenal skill with computers. It's the fact that his life is entwined with the fate of an intergalactic empire....which, when the book begins, he has no idea even exists.

But soon he finds himself abducted by aliens along with a sister, Clara, whom he never knew existed, saved from them, and taken to the residence of the emperor himself. For reasons unclear to him, the emperor makes him a gift of an extraordinary intergalactic space ship (the titular Spirit of London), and he and Clara head for home....only to find that that they have travelled through time, setting in motion the meteor that will spell extinction for the dinosaurs. And that's not all--their next jump forward takes them to the sinister realm of Atlantis, where a plot to control the universe must be foiled. But that's still not all--what is the mystery surrounding their parents? Who are these kids, and why does the emperor take such an interest in them? And what will happen when they make it back to their own present (more or less) and face down the bad guy aliens???

There's actually more, but that's enough to gone on with. Lots of action, twists and turns of plot, and a generous dollop of suspense make for a page-turning adventure that is, I think, just the ticket for a sci fi loving upper middle grade reader (and the sort of book an adult reader who's willing to suspend disbelief and who's looking for something fun should appreciate as well). The story is told strictly from Johnny's point of view, so the reader only knows what he does, keeping things very interesting indeed.

The emphasis on Things Happening faster and faster means that this isn't a book for everyone, though--it's a cracking good story, but it doesn't have a ton of emotional power--I kept reading briskly not so much because I cared all that much about Johnny and Clara, but because I was so interested and curious.

And that is just fine--I'll be passing this one right over to my ten-year old, and I bet he enjoys it (space ships! computers! aliens! dinosaurs! sinister bad guys!).

Time travel-wise--the journey of Johnny and Clara back in time leads to interesting sub-plots and intriguing explorations of paradox. It's a key part of the plot, in a very sci-fi way (as opposed to time-travel for the sake of exploring the past, or for the sake of exploring characters). And as such it works well, adding zest and excitement to a story already full of both.

Edited, in response to a comment from the author: This is the first of a UK series. It's available directly from Amazon in the US as well (see link above), although it is singularly unavailable on bookstore shelves (at least in my area) and in libraries (not even the Library of Congress has a copy), which is a pity. There is so little middle grade science fiction out there, and I imagine that a fun, exciting series like this would find itself lots of readers....if they knew it existed!

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

So yesterday I posed all my new books prettily under the tree so I could post their picture, only to find that the card reader thingy and my mother's computer won't talk to each other. Blah. I will have to try the library tomorrow...But apart from that, it was a lovely Christmas, and no-one did any whining or scrapping or complaining that their sibling got better presents. Not even the grown-ups.

I thought it would be a sparse-ish week for mg sff; happily, I was wrong.

The Reviews:

The Adventures of Nanny Piggins, by R.A. Spratt, at Fuse #8

Agent Q, or The Smell of Danger (A Pals in Peril novel) by M.T. Anderson, at A Year of Reading

Attack of the Ninja Frogs (Dragonbreath Book 2), by Ursula Vernon, at Coffee for the Brain.

Boom!, by Mark Haddon, at Book Dragon

The Charlatan's Boy, by Jonathan Rogers, at Word Lily

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

The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens, at The Book Nest

The End of the World Club, by J&P Voelkel, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

Falling In, by Frances O'Roark Dowell, at Cloudy With A Chance of Reading

Knights of the Kitchen Table, by Jon Scieszka, at Charlotte's Library

The Night Fairy, by Laura Amy Schlitz, at Coffee for the Brain

On the Blue Comet, by Rosemary Wells, at Back to Books.

Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale, at Shannon Whitney Messenger

Quest for Merlin's Map (The Jumper Chronicles) by W.C. Peever, at Wicked Awesome Books

Reckless, by Cornelia Funke, at Coffee For the Brain

The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan, at Nayu's Reading Corner.

The Revenge of the Shadow King (Grey Griffins), by Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis, at Reading Vacation

Scumble, by Ingrid Law, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

The Sherwood Ring, by Elizabeth Marie Pope, at Random Musings of a Bibliophile

A Two for One post at Ms. Yingling--Dragonbreath: Attach of the Ninja Frogs, by Ursula Vernon, and Windblowne, by Stephen Messer.

Interviews/author guest posts (by the way, authors of mg sff, please let me know if you are on tour or have been interviewed, so that I can be sure to include you!)

W.C.Peever (The Jumper Chronicles) at Wicked Awesome Books.

Lesley M.M. Blume (Modern Fairies, Dwarves, Goblins, and Other Nasties: A Practical Guide by Miss Edythe McFate) at The Reading Zone, where you can also find the whole tour schedule, which I missed last week :(

And finally, here's a gallery of monstrous gingerbread houses (example shown below)

Happy Boxing Day, everyone!

In which my optimism proves ill founded

A week ago I thought I'd have review posts written for every day this week, because I knew I wouldn't have time to do it this week. A few days ago I thought I'd surly be able to at least blog about something meaningful....

A week ago, I thought I'd have all ten library books and the six books I have left for the Cybils read (there are more than that unread by me, but don't have access to them).

A week ago, I thought that all the books I'd ordered would have arrived by now.

Oh well. Even though these things have not happened, there is always tomorrow....when I will, I'm sure, have thousands of brilliant things to say and the time to write them up in a blog post.

Knights of the Kitchen Table, by Jon Scieszka, for Timeslip Tuesday

Earlier yesterday evening, I realized that I would not have time to finish the 400 odd page book that was intended to be this week's Timeslip Tuesday book. The line at the post office had just not been long enough (only 35 pages read). So I fell back on a book that I've been holding in reserve for just such an occasion-- Knights of the Kitchen Table (the first book of the Time Warp Trio series), by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith.

Ten minutes after making this decision I'd read the book; the remarkable fact is that this included locating the book. Happily I'd been trying to get my 7 year old to read it just last week; vexingly, he had refused, but at least I knew where it was. And now, having read it myself, I am even more vexed at his refusal. Because (although not one I'll be recommending to my adult readers for their own enjoyment--too short) this is a lovely book for the seven year old boy.

There is Adventure! Three boys travel back to the time of King Arthur with the help of a magical book. They defeat the Black Knight. Solve the nasty problem of the giant and the dragon. Try, and fail, to teach the youth of the Dark Ages to play baseball. Can't help but notice the little personal hygiene issues of those around them. All good fun, written in crisply simple sentences, enlivened by Smith's humorous drawings.

Timeslip-wise--this is one where the differences of clothes and speech are noticed by the "contemps." And I think this is as it should be in a book for this age; it makes sense. Education-wise--well, I guess it's good to have familiarity with Arthur, Merlin, et al., but this isn't one that paints an accurate picture of Dark Age Britain. Although it does address the issue of armour being really, really, heavy, which is a useful thing to know.

Although I won't be seeking out the rest of the series for myself, I'll try again to get my 7 year old to read this one. He should enjoy it. And if the force of his will proves stronger than the force of mine, it's his loss. And if he liked it...there are fifteen more books in the series...

(although now he has the first four Harry Potter books under his belt, it might be a lost cause....)

The Crowfield Curse, by Pat Walsh

I love good historical fiction mixed with good fantasy, and 2010 has served me well in that regard. There was Katherine Langrish's lovely book, The Shadow Hunt, Philip Reeve's gripping No Such Thing as Dragons, and Rebecca Barnhouse's very satisfying reimagining of Beowulf, The Coming of the Dragon.

And then came The Crowfield Curse, by Pat Walsh, a book I enjoyed immensely. It's set in a medieval monastery in winter, where a young orphan boy named William works hard in return for meager food and a cold place to sleep. The forest lies close around...and in the forest there are Things. One of these is a friendly Hob, rescued by William from an iron trap and now his friend. But there is also a forbidden place, where something strange and horrible happened years before. A place where the monks buried a murdered angel.

Drawn to that place, an unlikely pair of travellers have come to the monastery--a leper, once a great musician, with a companion who isn't human...

And Will finds himself caught in the middle of a struggle between the forces of dark and light, with only his own good heart, and the friendship of the friendly Hob, to help him raise the angel from the dead and set things right.

Yes, there really is an angel, which took me aback somewhat. But Walsh manages to make her angel a believable part of a world in which there are also fairies. The story was both familiar (the good vs the bad factions of the Other People), but at the same time, beautifully original. The supernatural is an integral part of the cold winter story, but Walsh sets the fantastic most satisfyingly into a nicely authentic medieval world. And on top of that, William and his Hob friend are characters to take to one's heart. I found it especially pleasing that William is chosen to play his part mainly because he is warm-hearted, genuinely good and well-intentioned.

A great one for readers of 10 years old on up to enjoy during the dark winter nights! That being said, it's not tremendously Action Packed, so I think the contemplative sort of middle grade reader is the natural audience for this one, as opposed to those that like non-stop Happenings. The other natural audience for this one being readers like me, for whom this book was a lovely treat.

Here's another review, at The Book Aunt, that includes excerpts.

The sequel, The Crowfield Demon, comes out in the UK this April--thank goodness for the Book Depository and its free shipping! Here's the blurb, from the author's website:

"In this second Crowfield adventure, it is March 1348. Evil lurks in Crowfield Abbey and the building is starting to collapse. Fay creatures have fled the surrounding forest in terror.

Repairs begin and William is given the job of lifting floor tiles in a haunted side chapel. There he finds a box from an earlier pagan time containing a small wooden bowl, covered with strange warnings and symbols.

The bowl is cursed and a hideous demon is unleashed within the Abbey’s walls, that will wreak unspeakable havoc. Can Will and his friends summon help in time or is it the end of Crowfield forever?"