The Bloomswell Diaries, by Louis L. Buitendag (a slightly steampunkish adventure for the young reader)

The Bloomswell Diaries, by Louis L. Buitendag (Kane Miller, 2011, middle grade, 272 pages)

Young Ben Bloomswell is used to his parents going off on business of their own; they always come back. But this time is different. This time, they've taken him from England to stay with his uncle in New York, while his sister is sent to a boarding school in Switzerland, part of his parents' plan to keep them safe.

And this time, his parents might not be coming back for him. A newspaper article claims they're dead. His uncle warns him that his parents have made powerful and ruthless enemies--men who would love to have young Ben as a hostage. But his uncle proves powerless to keep him safe, and disappears under mysterious circumstances.

With evil men who's motives he doesn't understand at all pursuing him, Ben sets off on his own to try to get back to Europe--first to find his sister, and then to find his parents. But to get there, he'll have to escape from the kidnappers who have imprisoned him in an most unpleasant orphanage, become a stowaway on board a ship (carrying very unusual passengers indeed) and face an army of metal automatons....all the while not knowing who to trust, and desperately seeking the answers to his questions about his parents--what have they been doing, to acquire such fearsome enemies, and more importantly, where are they now?

The Bloomswell Diaries is a very nice take indeed on the Child Fleeing from Mysterious Bad Guys story, and I enjoyed it lots. Here's why.

1. The story moves briskly in a series of swoops from one perilous situation to the next, but not so briskly as to be dizzying, and the relatively peaceful ocean voyage in the middle provided a nice break from the swooping. I like things to be brisk, but I also don't want to be overwhelmed--I thought Buitendag's pacing was just right.

2. The writing pleased me lots (my inner editor was beautifully quiet throughout); it was neither too verbose or too terse, and there was a lightness to it that made the reading of it fun. Lots of the explaining is done with very natural sounding dialogue, and although we are privy to some of Ben's thoughts, we are not overwhelmed by the author spelling them out for us in too great detail.

3. Ben is very much an Every Boy--there's not much to his particular character that made him distinct in my mind--but his normalcy worked well here. He's anxious, uncertain, and not gifted with special gifts--smart enough, and sharp enough, to make it through, but not so much so as to be unrealistic.

My one substantial complaint concerns the metal automatons. I have nothing against them, per se, and, in general, like the added interest they can bring. But I think that they need a bit more historical depth and assorted cultural reverberations than Buitendag gives them. The book would have been essentially the same story if they had been flesh and blood...and so I was jolted from my acceptance of the story when they were on stage.

But perhaps in the sequel (surely there will be one, because although one ending is reached, there's lots more that needs to happen), the world building will become clearer and I'll enjoy the story even more!

This Sunday's round-up of middle-grade science fiction and fantasy posts from around the blogs

Good morning! Here's another week's worth of what I found in my blog reading. Please do let me know if I missed your post! And thanks, everyone who has mentioned these roundups over at your own blogs--I appreciate it lots, because the more people who read these the more worthwhile it is.

The Reviews:

The 13 Secrets, by Michelle Harrison, at Beyond Books

Can I Get There by Candlelight? by Jean Slaughter Doty, at Charlotte's Library

The Clockwork Three, by Matthew Kirby, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

Dealing with Dragons, by Patricia C. Wrede, at Random Musings of a Bibliophile

The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens, at The O.W.L., and here's a gathering of ringing endorsements for it at Random Acts of Reading.

Hazel Wetherby and the Elixer of Love, by Bill Defelis, at Nayu's Reading Corner

The Goblin Brothers Adventures, by Linday Buroker, at MotherLode

Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale, at Bookie Woogie (if you've never visited this blog, do! It's three (sometimes four) kids and their dad, discussing books)

Priscilla the Great, by Sybil Nelson, at Reading Vacation

Robot vs Gorilla in the Desert, by Nikalas Catlow and Time Wesson, at The Book Zone (For Boys)

The Search for WondLa, by Tony DiTerlizzi, at ComaCalm's Corner

The Trouble With Chickens, by Doreen Cronin, at A Patchwork of Books

The Witches' Kitchen, by Allen Williams, at P.S. I Love Books

Young Fredle, by Cynthia Voight, at Eva's Book Addiction

Zoolin Vale and the Chalice of Ringtar, by Craig Smith, at Nayu's Reading Corner

Kristin at Bookworming in the 21st Century has gathered four great "middle grade shorts," all sff.

Kidsread has gathered their February reviews here, including Spirits in the Stars, by Erin Hunter, No Passengers Beyond this Point, by Gennifer Choldenko, Bone: Quest for the Spark, by Jeff Smith, Young Fredle, by Cynthia Voight, Season of Secrets, by Sally Nichols, and The Fiend and the Forge, by Henry H. Neff.

From the Mixed-Up Files (of middle-grade authors) offers a lovely list of fantasy books.

Authors doing stuff:

Katherine Langrish is on tour to celebrate the reissue of her troll books in single volume, entitled West of the Moon. Katherine has been keeping track of all her stops at her own blog, Seven Miles of Steel Thistles (this link goes to the introduction; keep reading her blog for particulars). Enter to win one of four copies at Scribble City Central! (which is a beautifully unselfish link for me to put in, cause I want one myself!)

Barry Deutsch talks about Hereville at The School Library Journal.

At GeekDad, Mark Andrew Smith talks about why Kickstarter may save independent comic books, like his own New Brighton Archaeology series.

Adam Rex (The True Meaning of Smekday) is interviewed at A Foodie Biblophile in Wonderland)

Pat Walsh (The Crowfield Curse) is interviewed, and the book reviewed, at Deranged Book Lovers.

Much excitment:

The Suvudu Cage Match, in which fantasy characters battle to the death, is great fun. This year's line-ups have been announced, and carrying the middle grade (or close enough) flag are... Percy Jackson! Severus Snape! Martin the Warrior! and, since I just read the Hobbit to my seven year old, I'm counting Gollum.

There is no overlap between these books and those featured in another exciting event, School Library Journal's Battle of the Kids Books, whose brackets are also up, and whose judges have been announced. Lots of good mg sff. I've said before that I'm rooting for Bartimaeus (Ring of Solomon), and if he were in the Suvudu Cage Match, I'd root for him there too.

The ABA 2011 Indies Choice books have been announced, and in the E.B. White Read Aloud group for middle readers are several mg sff titles:

Because of Mr. Terupt, by Rob Buyea (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)
The Familiars, by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson (HarperCollins)
Penny Dreadful, by Laurel Snyder, Abigail Halpin (illus.) (Random House Books for Young Readers)
The Sixty-Eight Rooms, by Marianne Malone, Greg Call (illus.) (Random House Books for Young Readers)
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, by Tom Angleberger (Amulet Books)
A Tale Dark and Grimm, by Adam Gidwitz (Dutton Juvenile)

And Kate, aka Book Aunt, has created her own delightfully idiosyncratic Pistachio Awards, giving nods to several mg sff books.

Finally, just in case you wanted to spend more time on the internet reading about books, instead of actually reading books: The Guardian has a new section of their website that's exclusively for children's books.

Thanks for stopping by!

Shapeshifter, by Holly Bennett

The ancient Irish tale of the great hero Finn mac Cumhail tells how he chased a white deer and found the love of his life. For the deer was a woman named Sive, one of the Sidhe, the fairy folk, who had been trapped in the shape of a deer by the dark magic of an evil druid. Inside the shelter of Finn's holding, she is safe, until trickery draws her out again, and once again she must live as a deer; but this time, she has Finn's baby at her side.

And in that story, Finn finds his young son eventually, but never sees Sive again....

Shapeshifter, by Holly Bennett (Orca, 2010, YA, 237 pages) takes the bare bones of Sive's story and makes them come alive. She gives it a beginning--the story of Sive as a young girl, with a magical voice whose songs can persuade anyone who hears them to do whatever she asks. This gift is the reason why the dark druid to wants to possess her...to use her power for his own nefarious purposes.

But Sive has another gift--she can transform herself into a deer, and while she is in that shape, the druid cannot find her or compel her to his will. So for lonely years she lives in exile, until she finds her way to Finn...and human love. As in the original story, it doesn't last, but it is Finn's son, raised by his mother in fleeting human moments snatched from the hateful power of the druid, who will ultimately save her. And so Sive's story gets a bittersweet ending--she is saved from her curse, but will never be able to return to Finn again.

On the one hand, this is a dreamlike, rather lovely, and rather moving story. On the other, it's told with a slight distance to it, that kept me from finding it completely absorbing and convincing. The narrative is primarily from Sive's third-person point of view, with occasional alternate perspectives, also third person, which is fine--I don't mind that. But, in a series of interjections, various characters (primarily Sive) look back on events, and tell in the first person how they felt at the time. I'm not sure it did anything that omniscient third person couldn't have done--it didn't make me feel closer to the characters; in fact, it did the opposite, because of throwing me out of the world of the story.

A similar feeling of distance gradually builds as the story progresses, because of the faster passing of the years. We see Sive's earlier adventures in great detail, but once she's become a deer, time moves rapidly, so her life with Finn, and her life with her son, are not given in great detail. Obviously, there are limits to what the author could include, but it still felt as though the characters were moving away from the reader, back into a distant story.

With regard to shapeshifting, however, Bennett has done a lovely job! Sive's dual life as woman and as deer is beautifully and convincingly explored. Although this is not a book I'd call a must read, I do recommend it to those who like shapeshifting tales and retellings of legends--it has a lovely fairy tale feel to it.

Waiting on Wednesday--Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu

I had the pleasure of meeting Anne Ursu, whose Chronus Chronicle series I like lots, at last fall's kidlit con. She mentioned that her new book was a middle grade fantasy inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen, at which point I naturally added it to my mental wish list....

Anne just shared on twitter that it now has an official catalogue listing-- "From the acclaimed author of the Cronus Chronicles comes a story of growing up, wrapped in a modern-day fantasy inspired by the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale “The Snow Queen” --as well as an official cover (at left), and title (Breadcrumbs), and publication date (9/27/2011)! It looks lovely.

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

Saraswati's Way, by Monika Schröder

If you are looking for a book to give your 12 year old (ish) boy (especially if he thinks of himself as rather good at math) that will open his eyes to the unhappy reality of life for a kid like himself in the slums of an Indian city, Saraswati's Way, by Monika Schröder (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010, 240 pages), is the book you are looking for!

12-year old Akash has always loved numbers--his daydreams are full of patterns and progressions. But he's learned all the village school master can teach him, and there's no money to pay for more education. His father tells him that the future is in the hands of the gods...but Akash can't help but feel that Saraswati, goddess of knowledge, might not mind him doing his best to help himself.

His hopes are dashed when his father dies, and he's sent to work in a stone quarry--it's essentially slavery, and he'll never earn enough to be free. Unwilling to give up hope, he escapes to New Delhi. There he becomes one of the multitude of slum kids, begging and scrounging for a living. Surrounded by kids whose lives are going horribly wrong, Akash realizes that indeed, the path to knowledge won't just fall into his lap--Saraswati's way requires that he learn patience and wisdom before he can achieve his dreams.

Happily, fate does seem to favour him, and the book ends on a hopeful note.

I had wondered from descriptions I'd read if Saraswati might actually play a role, pushing the book fantasy-wards, but she doesn't. Still, with her rich descriptions of Akash's two Indias, the rural and the urban, Schröder brings to life a world that might well seem unbelievable to an American kid, and this I felt was the greatest strength of the book.

Despite the possibly overwhelming setting, there is a simplicity to Schröder's storytelling that works to keep it accessible to a younger reader. The narrative unfolds along an unhurried, linear-path--harking back to fantasy again, the hero faces trials, overcomes them; faces temptations, and realizes that they would lead him from his path, and eventually receives the goddess' favor (or at any rate, is rewarded for his choices). The older reader might find it not entirely believable...but still will cheer for Akash in his struggle!

On the down side, at times Schröder's dialogue felt somewhat stiff, as though she were using it more to talk to the reader than for the characters to talk to each other. And perhaps because of this, I never quite lost myself to the fictional characters. But I think this is something that might be more an issue with grown up readers than with the intended audience (especially the math-loving boys), who might well find this directness works in the books favor.

Speaking of which--although this is a book that could be read by a ten-year old, and Akash feels like a kid, as opposed to a full-fledged teenager, there are difficult and painful things described--drug use, including kids getting high by sniffing glue, homelessness, and the general struggle of life as a slum kid, and one nasty episode in which an older man tries to lure Akash into his home (it's subtle, though, so it would probably go right over the head of many young readers). On the other hand, the book stays clear of the truly, horribly gut-wrenching--Akesh is very lucky indeed--and so it is not the stuff of nightmares. School Library Journal says grades 5-7, Booklist says grades 4-7, and it's listed on Amazon as Young Adult (which means 12 year and up). I say 6th-8th grade; my own math-loving fifth grader isn't ready for it this year, but next year I'll offer it to him....

Other thoughts at Musings of a Book Addict, Tahleen's Mixed-Up Files, Middle Grade Ninja, and Book Aunt

Disclaimer: my copy of the book was gratefully received from its author.

Can I Get There by Candlelight? by Jean Slaughter Doty, for Timeslip Tuesday

So there I was last week, jammed into the book sorting closet at the library, going through the latest round of discards in preparation for our next book sale, when I met a book I had enjoyed nigh on thirty years ago--Can I Get There by Candlelight? by Jean Slaughter Doty (1980, Macmillan, middle grade, 112 pages). JSD wrote scads of pony books, but in this one she added an element of fantasy to the mix. Remembering that this was a time travel book, I took it home with me....

How many miles to Babylon?
Three score and ten.
Can I get there by Candlelight?
Yes, and back again.

JSD uses this old rhyme as the basis for her story. Candlelight is the name of a pony belonging to a rather lonely girl named Gail, whose family are staying for the summer in an old coachman's house that had once been part of a grand 19th-century estate called Babylon. And it's Candlelight, the pony, who takes Gail back into the past, when Babylon was still a home (get it? "Can I get there by Candlelight?")

Gail and Candlelight (aka "Candy") discover an old path through the woods, that leads to the beautiful gardens, and there they meet a lonely girl, Hilary, left for the summer in the care of a governess while her parents are abroad. Gail gradually picks up on the subtle clues (sarcasm alert--they are screamingly obvious) that every time she visits Hilary she travels back in time, but being more interested in horses than history, she's content to spend her summer learning to ride side-saddle, and doesn't want to bother about the strange and magical experience that is happening to her.

But when, at the end of the summer, Hilary takes off with Candy, leaving Gail stranded on foot in the past, Gail is forced to confront the fact that time travel can be a scary thing....(this exciting bit only lasts seven pages, which is too bad).

It's a book that I think would please the pony aficionado more than the true lover of time travel, mainly because that's where the interests of the two main characters lie. Hilary seems either utterly oblivious to fact that Gail is from another time or determined not to question it (she notices that Gail is wearing "cowboy" pants, but that's about it). Gail has the advantage of having found Hilary's riding gear old and moldering in the loft above Candy's stable, and knows that in her real life Babylon crumbled into ruin years ago, but she too is determined not to let any strangeness disturb her friendship with Hilary.

I do think that it would seem lovely and enchanting to the imaginative girl who loves horses...so if you have such a girl reader in your life, you might well do worse than to offer her this book (there are lots of reviews on Goodreads and Amazon corroborating this). But it all ends up a bit disappointing to me as an adult reader--it's a neat premise, and a nice description of two pony loving girls and their beautiful pony being happy together, but it's not one I think I will ever need to re-read again.

Especially since I am really annoyed that JSD never tells us what happens to Hilary. Spoiler Alert--the last we see of her, she's lying, possibly dead, next to the wreckage of the pony cart in which she had galloped off with Candy into the night. How hard would it have been for Gail to have found out the end of her friend's story?

New releases of sci fi/fantasy for kids and teens--the first half of March 2011 edition

Here are the new releases of sci fi and fanasy for kids and teens from the first half of March! My information comes, as always, from Teens Read Too, and the blurbs are from Amazon/Goodreads/the publishers.

Enjoy!

Middle Grade

AURORA: DRAGON ORB by Mark Robson. "In this final installment four dragon riders are on a mission to save their world. Elian and his dawn dragon, Aurora, lead the search for the fourth and final orb. Pursued by night dragons and helped by a World War I airman, the four dragon riders are drawn into a huge aerial battle between all the dragon enclaves. The ultimate fate of dragonkind hangs by a thread. To restore order, a terrible price must be paid."

THE BLOOMSWELL DIARIES by Louis L. Buitendag. "Benjamin Bloomswell is pleased to be staying with his uncle in America while his parents are off on another business trip. It's like a vacation. But when a series of newspaper articles, telephone calls and mysterious disappearances result in his being sent to - and having to escape from - a sinister orphanage and the criminals who run it, he knows he's somehow got to find a way back to Europe. He has to get to his sister's boarding school before anyone else does. And somehow, he has to find his parents, who are also in trouble. But how..."

CLAWS!: GOOSEBUMPS HORRORLAND, HALL OF HORRORS by R.L. Stine "The Hall of Horrors is open. Step into the nightmare! Mickey and Amanda are put in charge of their vacationing neighbors' cat, Bella. All they have to do is make sure she has enough to eat and doesn't destroy the house. Seems simple enough. But Bella escapes from the house and disappears. Mickey thinks she may have been hit by a car but there is no body. Amanda has an idea to replace the cat with a look-alike from the local pet store Cat Heaven. They find a cat that looks exactly like Bella, but the clerk won't sell it to them, so they decide to steal it. Big mistake! These cats are more than they seem to be."

DRAGONWORLD: SECRETS OF THE DRAGON DOMAIN by S. A. Caldwell. "Dragonworld: Secrets of the Dragon Domain is a richly illustrated volume showcasing a comprehensive look at the fantastic mythological world of dragons-- without the danger of being scorched. Ignite the imagination with the painstakingly detailed, gallery-like approach of illustrations that present more than you could ever imagine. The lavish artwork engages readers to look at every corner of the page, which includes dragon profiles, maps, diagrams, and inventive memorabilia. The illustrations are so detailed that little text is required to explain each unique quality of these ornate creatures."

THE FAERIE LOCKET: THE COMPANION NOVEL TO A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO FAERIES by Susan Morris. "When Jadenia finds a locket hidden in a tree, she slips into a world of faeries—and the adventure of a lifetime. The locket opens a door to a magical forest rimed in frost. Jade soon learns that the Winter Queen has escaped her prison and waits at the edge of the feywild, plotting to turn the faeries’ world and everyone in it to ice. The faeries are counting on Jade to help them for it is prophesied that the locket will push back the tide of winter. There’s just one catch. Whoever wears the locket becomes a faerie—forever. Can Jade find a way to stop the Winter Queen and go home again?"

FIRE OVER SWALLOWHAVEN: SUNDERED LANDS by Allan Frewin Jones. "Trundle, Esmeralda and Jack are racing across the skies of the Sundered Lands, in search of the nest of the wondrous phoenix bird. There they will surely find the Crown of Fire, third of the six lost crowns of the ancient Badger Lords. Well, that's the plan, but first they must survive a terrible battle in the skies over the city of Swallowhaven, with Captain Grizzletusk and his pirate fleet.

And if they do live to tell the tale - can they be sure in the end that the extraordinary phoenix will choose to help them?"

GHOSTS OF THE TITANIC by Julie Lawson. "A teenage boy finds himself caught up in a century-old mystery aboard the Titanic! Kevin and his family are enroute to Halifax to check out a house they have mysteriously inherited from a man named Angus Seaton -- mysterious because none of them have any clue who he was or why they would be named in his will. While at the house, Kevin does his own investigating and discovers some old artifacts hidden behind a wall, including enigmatic photographs dating back to 1911, which show a young woman and her baby. This puzzling discovery leads to troubling dreams for Kevin -- haunting dreams and a voice that plagues him, a voice he cannot escape. Someone -- somewhere -- needs his help. One night he tries to answer the call, and finds himself in another reality, another time, in a flooded corridor... ...aboard the ship Titanic. In this ghostly new mystery by award-winning writer Julie Lawson, the terror, anxiety and reality of the sinking of the Titanic comes to life, as a teenage boy tries to right the wrongs of the past and put some troubled souls to rest."

JIGGY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: JIGGY MCCUE by Michael Lawrence. "What would you do if you were attacked by vampires? Edwardian butcher's son Jiggy Offal-Trype knows what he'd do. Run. But he can't. He has to fight back. Luckily, he has these killer new skills...

A fang-tastically funny new story from a bestselling author."

LOST & FOUND by Shaun Tan. "A collection of three jaw-dropping stories: THE RED TREE, THE LOST THING, and THE RABBITS, by New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Shaun Tan

A girl finds a bright spot in a dark world. A boy leads a strange, lost creature home. And a group of peaceful creatures loses their home to cruel invaders. Three stories, written and illustrated by Shaun Tan, about how we lose and find what matters most to us. Never widely available in the U.S., these tales are presented in their entirety with new artwork and author's notes."

MADELINE THE MERMAID by Anna Fienberg. "Some people tell stories about mermaids and their wild, wicked ways, but Madeline is the friendliest mermaid anyone could meet She lives in a conch shell, and when she sings, a golden light flashes from her tail. Still, not all the creatures under the sea are friendly, and Madeline faces some bad ones in these four tales. Will Madeline be swallowed up by the monster Kraken or be bored to death by the talkative Pufferfish? Can she escape the Sea Harpy with her hair of hissing snakes? Can she prevent a war of magic between the rival Sea Witches—a war that would mean the end for all sea creatures?"

MASTER OF MIRRORS: A MAGIC REPAIR SHOP BOOK by Amanda Marrone. "Maggie has discovered a kobold—a creature similar to a house brownie but with an evil bent. Her grandfather trapped a particular kobold thirty years ago to keep it away from Maggie’s father, but the creature has escaped and is out to punish Maggie's family. Narrowly escaping the creature in her house, Maggie and Hasenpfeffer head to Mr. McGuire’s Magic Repair Shop to repair the spell and end up in a tricky spot thanks to Milo the Magnificent. Milo may still be trapped in the magice mirror, but he's trying to get out, and in the kobold he may have found someone to help him--even if that includes kidnapping Fiona and Mr. McGuire! Can Maggie foil Milo's plans, stop the kobold, rescue her friends, and escape the mirror maze? Or will she be stuck inside forever?"

THE SECRET OF ROVER by Rachel Wildavsky. "The Secret of Rover follows the clever and resourceful twins Katie and David as they race across country in their attempt to outwit an international team of insurgents who hold their parents and baby sister captive in a foreign land. Held hostage because they invented a spy technology called Rover that can locate anyone in the world, Katie and David’s parents are in grave danger. Now, it’s up to Katie and David to rescue them. But first they must find their reclusive uncle, whom they have never met—the only person they know who can help them."

THE TROUBLE WITH CHICKENS: A J.J. TULLY MYSTERY by Doreen Cronin. "J.J. Tully is a former search-and-rescue dog who is trying to enjoy his retirement after years of performing daring missions saving lives. So he’s not terribly impressed when two chicks named Dirt and Sugar (who look like popcorn on legs), along with their chicken mom, show up demanding his help to track down their missing siblings. Driven by the promise of a cheeseburger, J.J. begins to track down clues. Is Vince the Funnel hiding something? Are there dark forces at work—or is J.J. not smelling the evidence that’s right in front of him?"

Young Adult

AFTERLIFE: EVERNIGHT by Claudia Gray. "Destiny awaits Bianca and Lucas . . .Bianca and Lucas have always believed they could endure anything to be together. When a twist of fate not only transforms Bianca into a wraith but also turns Lucas into a vampire—the very creature he spent his life hunting—they are left reeling. Haunted by his powerful need to kill, Lucas can turn to only one place for help . . . Evernight Academy. Bianca is determined to remain with him. But with the vampire leader of Evernight waging a war against wraiths, her former home has become the most dangerous place she could be, despite the new powers her ghostly transformation has given her. A battle between wraiths and vampires looms, and Bianca and Lucas face a terrifying new reality. They've overcome every obstacle life has thrown at them, but is their love strong enough to survive the challenges after life."

AFTERWAR by Gloria Skurzynski. "There’s only one thing more deadly than disease, more destructive than the forces of nature: jealousy. It’s been years since the world was nearly destroyed by natural disasters, but even the biggest earthquake couldn’t shake the evils of mankind. Of course, Corgan and Brigand are not normal human beings. Brigand is the product of a cloning experiment gone wrong and Corgan was conceived and raised in a sterile environment, conditioned to be a hero for the Federation’s virtual wars. They aren’t typical humans, but they are still flesh and blood. And their virtual competition spills over into the real world when the beautiful, rebellious Sharla comes between them. Corgan’s adventure, which began with Devastation, continues as Brigand launches an attack to eliminate his rival. Corgan is about to see that even battles fought with mind controlled avatars can have very high personal stakes."

BETRAYAL: HAUNTING EMMA by Lee Nichols. "Emma Vaile is the most powerful ghostkeeper in centuries. Which is great when she's battling the wraith-master Neos, but terrible when she's flirting with fellow ghostkeeper (and soul mate) Bennett. When ghostkeepers fall in love, the weaker one loses all power, and that's not something Bennett can handle. Heartbroken and alone, Emma tries to lose herself in school with fellow ghostkeeper, Natalie. When a new team of ghostkeepers arrive-one a snarky teen boy, the other a British scholar-Emma finds solace in training for the battle against Neos. But as the team grows stronger, they are threatened by an unknown force. One they thought was good. As chilling and page-turning as Deception, this sequel will grab readers and hold them to the last page. No one is safe from suspicion as Emma closes in on the traitor."

BLOOD & FLOWERS by Penny Blubaugh. "Three years ago, Persia ran away from her drug-addict parents and found a home with the Outlaws, an underground theater troupe. This motley band of mortals and fey, puppeteers and actors, becomes the loving family Persia never had, and soon Persia not only discovers a passion for theater but also falls in love with Nicholas, one of the other Outlaws. Life could not be more perfect. Until an enemy with a grudge makes an unfair accusation against the group and forces them to flee the mortal world and hide in the neighboring realm of Faerie. But in Faerie, all is not flowers and rainbows—with bloodthirsty trolls, a hostile monarchy, and a dangerous code of magic, the fey world is not quite the safe haven the Outlaws had hoped for. And they must decide what’s more important: protecting their right to perform or protecting themselves."

BLUE BLOOD: PULSE by Kailin Gow. "With an early acceptance to Yale, Kalina is set to graduate from Rutherford High School and becoming a Yale Blue student, putting behind all the tragedies of her past. But on a visit to Yale, Kalina makes a discovery that will change her destiny. In this pivotal book to the PULSE Vampire series, Blue Blood, everything you knew about Life's Blood will change as Kalina meets her maker. One of her vampire loves will die, another will be turned, and another will break her heart forever."

THE CHAOS: NUMBERS by Rachel Ward. "The curse of the NUM8ERS continues in Rachel Ward's CHA0T1C, earth-shattering sequel!

Adam has more than inherited his mother's curse: When he looks in someone's eyes, he not only sees the date of their death...he feels the searing, shocking pain of it. Since Jem died, Adam has lived by the sea with his great-grandmother, Val. But when rising tides flood the coast, they return to London. The city is an alien, exciting, frightening place. Most disturbing of all, Adam can't help but clock how many people's numbers are in January 2027; how many are on New Year's Day. What chaos awaits the world? Can he and Sarah stop a catastrophe? Or are they, too, counted among the "twenty-sevens"?"

CLARITY by Kim Harrington. "When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth? This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.

Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift. And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?"

CYBER TERROR: JORDAN STRYKER by Malcolm Rose. "Bionic agent Jordan Stryker returns with a new mission, new foe and even greater danger. When planes start falling from the sky with no warning and even less explanation, Unit Red has no option but to send out their top recruit - Jordan Stryker, cybernetically-enhanced secret agent - to uncover the truth. In a race against time, Stryker is drawn deep into the hidden world of the Dark Web - the digital catacombs of websites long since abandoned, replaced by newer, better technologies, and unreachable by any search engine. Using these hidden channels, a criminal mastermind is wreaking havoc in the skies using electromagnetic bombs that burn out circuits and render any electronic device unusable, including those in Stryker's implants. Jordan is going to need every ounce of cunning to track down this deadly foe in a mission where his cyber-enhancements are less of an advantage and more of a liability. Fast-paced, action-packed and all too believable, 'Jordan Stryker' is a gripping thriller from the best-selling author of 'Kiss of Death'."

DARK MIRROR by M.J. Putney. "Lady Victoria Mansfield, youngest daughter of the earl and countess of Fairmount, is destined for a charmed life. Soon she will be presented during the London season, where she can choose a mate worthy of her status.

Yet Tory has a shameful secret—a secret so powerful that, if exposed, it could strip her of her position and disgrace her family forever. Tory’s blood is tainted . . . by magic.

When a shocking accident forces Tory to demonstrate her despised skill, the secret she’s fought so hard to hide is revealed for all to see. She is immediately exiled to Lackland Abbey, a reform school for young men and women in her position. There she will learn to suppress her deplorable talents and maybe, if she’s one of the lucky ones, be able to return to society.

But Tory’s life is about to change forever. All that she’s ever known or considered important will be challenged. What lies ahead is only the beginning of a strange and wonderful journey into a world where destiny and magic come together, where true love and friendship find her, and where courage and strength of character are the only things that determine a young girl’s worth."

DEMONGLASS: A HEX HALL NOVEL by Rachel Hawkins. "Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Acher to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?"

EVERCROSSED: KISSED BY AN ANGEL by Elizabeth Chandler. "It’s been a year since Ivy’s boyfriend, Tristan, died. They’ve both moved on—Tristan to the other side of the afterlife, and Ivy to sweet, dependable Will. Now Ivy’s heading to Cape Cod, hoping to leave the horror of last summer behind. She wants nothing more than to lie on the beach, sip lemonade, and hang out with her friends. But then a car crash ends Ivy’s life.

As she floats to the beyond, looking down on the life she’s left behind, Tristan breathes life back into her with a passionate kiss. She wakes up in the hospital, surrounded by Will and her family, but all she can think about is the love that she lost. But memories aren’t all that’s come back from the past. And this time, Ivy’s not sure love will be enough to save her."

EXCALIBUR: THE LEGEND OF KING ARTHUR by Tony Lee Arthur Pendragon was raised in obscurity, but fate will not leave him to the shadows. In a moment of desperate need, he draws a legendary sword from its stonebed and commences the life he was born to lead. A series of adventures sparked by the elusive wizard Merlin launches Arthur through love and betrayal, domination and defeat, and toward the prophesied end awaiting him. Merging a faithful retelling with dynamic illustrations, EXCALIBUR invites long-time fans to relive the legend and those new to the story to experience it up close in a vivid graphic adventure.

FALLING UNDER by Gwen Hayes. "Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul."

A FLICKERING FIRE by Alexandria Cramer. "Join Fiammetta, a young traveling entertainer, as she embarks on a journey that will change the course of a kingdom. An outcast among her own people, she possesses the power to create and control fire; it is this power that embroils her in the plot of the cruel King Nicholas, who as killed his brother and usurped the throne. Framed for the murder, Fiammetta must buy her family's freedom by accepting the King's quest to find the Gavino Claw. With her cursed companion, Paolo, she must endure an arduous journey that will either bring her face to face with destiny, or end her life."

HUMAN.4 by Mike A. Lancaster. "Kyle Straker volunteered to be hypnotized at the annual community talent show, expecting the same old lame amateur acts. But when he wakes up, his world will never be the same. Televisions and computers no longer work, but a strange language streams across their screens. Everyone’s behaving oddly. It’s as if Kyle doesn’t exit.

Is this nightmare a result of the hypnosis? Will Kyle wake up with a snap of fingers to roars of laughter? Or is this something much more sinister?

Narrated on a set of found cassette tapes at an unspecified point in the future, Human.4 is an absolutely chilling look at technology gone too far."

THE HUNT OF THE UNICORN by Chris Humphreys. "Elayne thinks the old family story that one of her ancestors stepped through a tapestry into a world of mythical beasts makes a great fireside tale. But she lives in the real world. In New York City. And she's outgrown that kind of fantasy.

Until she finds herself in front of a unicorn tapestry at the Cloisters museum and sees her initials woven into the fabric. And hears a unicorn calling to her. And slips and falls—into that other world.

Suddenly the line between fantasy and reality isn't so clear. But the danger is real enough. Almost before she can think, Elayne is attacked by a ferocious beast, rescued by a unicorn, and taken prisoner by a tyrant king. Each of them seems to have an idea about her—that she's a hero, a villain, dinner!

But Elayne has a few ideas of her own. She wants to overthrow the king; she wants to tame the unicorn. She wants to go home! And she's willing to become both hero and villain to do it."

THE LIMPING MAN: THE SALT TRILOGY by Maurice Gee. "In this compelling final volume of The Salt Trilogy, Hana narrowly escapes Blood Burrow after her mother chooses to swallow poison rather than die in the great witch-burning in People's Square. Deep in the forest she meets Ben, son of Lo, and Hawk, who becomes her silent protector and guide. But even in the forest there is no peace. When they learn of the advancing armies that will wipe out all those who have sought refuge in the wilderness, they realize they have no choice but to return to the city and confront the terrible power of the Limping Man head-on. The problem is they know that, unless they discover the secret to his power, none of them—alone or together—is strong enough to fight the evil the Limping Man embodies."

MAY: DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA by Kathryn Lasky. "May feels her life drying up. The sea calls to her, but her parents forbid her from swimming. She longs for books, but her mother finds her passion for learning strange. She yearns for independence, but a persistent suitor, Rudd, wants to tame her spirited ways. Yet after her fifteenth birthday, the urge to break free becomes overpowering and May makes a life-changing discovery. She does not belong on land where girls are meant to be obedient. She is a mermaid-a creature of the sea.

For the first time, May learns what freedom feels like-the thrill of exploring both the vast ocean and the previously forbidden books. She even catches the eye of Hugh, an astronomy student who, unlike the townspeople, finds May anything but strange. But not everyone is pleased with May's transformation. Rudd decides that if can't have May, no one will. He knows how to destroy her happiness and goes to drastic measures to ensure that May loses everything: her freedom and the only boy she's ever loved."

MY SO-CALLED PHANTOM LOVELIFE by Tamsyn Murray. "When fourteen-year-old Skye Thackery meets Owen Wicks, it’s not exactly love at first sight. She’s getting over a broken heart and he’s — well — a ghost. But as Sky gets to know him, she can’t help wondering what it would be like to kiss him. Dating a ghost isn’t easy, and things get worse when Owen declares he’s found a way to stay with Skye forever. His plans make her uneasy — the shadowy organisation which claims to be able to help him is bad news, and it seems Nico, her ex, is involved too. As Owen prepares to risk everything, Skye begins to wonder if she really has a future with him, or if his desire to be more than just a ghost will cost them everything."

PERCIVAL'S ANGEL by Anne Eliot Crompton. "Lili, an apprentice of the Lady of the Lake, is the childhood friend of Percy, the boy who will become one of Arthur's greatest knights. But as they grow older, Lili begins to see their differences. She has otherworldly magic while he has the magic that lives within the Human Heart. Lili dreams of knowing human love while Percy dreams of finding the Holy Grail. Neither can succeed without the other."

SUMMER: BEAUTIFUL DEAD by Eden Maguire. "It's been months since Darina has seen her undead boyfriend and her heart is breaking all over again. The wait is slowly driving her crazy. All she wants to do is be with Phoenix, to feel his arms wrapped around her. But to earn the pleasure of that embrace, Darina must track down the crazed killer that shot Summer Madison. Was it a random shooting? Or was the gifted singer the victim of an obsessive fan? As time runs out, Darina will risk her own life to discover the truth. But if she solves Summer's murder, Darina knows it only brings her one step closer to losing Phoenix forever..."

THE VERSPERTINE by Saundra Mitchell. "It's the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia's world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she's not the seer of dark portents, but the cause."

This Sunday's Round-Up of middle grade sci fi/fantasy related posts from around the blogs

Hi. Here's another week's worth of the mg sff posts I found. I posted this yesterday, so if you had a post of your own on Saturday I might have missed it--let me know! And feel free to let me know of other blog posts I didn't find (or remember to link to).

Edited to add: I am back, and have added the additional links! Thanks. We were off in western Massachusetts, and visited the Eric Carle museum for the first time; there was a lovely exhibit of the original art from a number of Jane Yolen's books that I especially enjoyed (and would have enjoyed more if my boys hadn't been with me--the art is hung at a comfortble height for grown-ups, and they grew restless).

The Reviews:

The 13 Curses, by Michelle Harrison, at Ex Libris

Bless This Mouse, by Lois Lowry, at GreenBeanTeenQueen

Bone, by Jeff Smith, at Stacked

The Call, by Michael Grant, at books4yourkids

Charmed Life, by Diana Wynne Jones, at Read in a Single Sitting

The Crowmaster (Invisible Fiends) by Barry Hutchison, at Bart's Bookshelf

The Dead Boys, by Royce Buckingham, at books4yourkids and Challenging the Bookworm

Dragonbreath, and Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs, by Ursula Vernon, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

Fever Crumb, by Philip Reeve, at Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia

Foiled, by Jane Yolen, at Great Kid Books

The Giver, by Lois Lowry, at Middle Grade Ninja

House of the Star, by Caitlin Brennan, at Charlotte's Library

Kat, Incorribable (UK title A Most Improper Magick) by Stephanie Brugis, at Book Aunt

The Last Olympian, by Rick Riordan, at Beyond Books

The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge, at Ex Libris

Museum of Thieves, by Lian Tanner, at BSCKids

Reckless, by Cornelia Funke at Book Dragon and books4yourkids

The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic, by Jennifer Trafton, at Book Aunt

Season of Secrets, by Sally Nichols, at book bits

Small Persons With Wings, by Ellen Booraem, at Fuse #8 and Becky's Book Reviews

A Tale Dark and Grimm, by Adam Gidwitz, at the excelsior file and Guys Lit Wire

Till Death Do Us Bark (43 Old Cemetery Road) by Kate Klise, at It's All About Books

Tom's Midnight Garden, by Philippa Pearce, at Books Under Skin

Tortilla Sun, by Jennifer Cervantes, at Charlotte's Library

A World Without Heroes, by Brandon Mull, at Ms. Martin Teaches Media

Interviews and Guest Posts

Barry Hutchison (Invisible Fiends) at Bart's Bookshelf

Janice Hardy (The Healing Wars) at Working Writers

Chelsea M. Campbell (The Rise of Renegade X) at Cynsations

Lois Lowry at Middle Grade Ninja

Other good stuff:

Topless Robot offers a list of "14 Great But Lesser-Known Fantasies for Lil' Nerd" - some I think are rather well-known, but others were new to me (this list skews a tad older then middle grade, but still well worth checking out)

And I have nothing else as an extra today....next week will be better.

EDITED TO ADD: I have a good thing!

Here's Jewell Parker Rhodes, reading from Ninth Ward, courtesy of White Readers Meet Black Authors.

House of the Star, by Caitlin Brennan

House of the Star, by Caitlin Brennan, aka Judith Tarr, (2010, Tor, middle grade, 288 pages) is an absolutely must-read book for any young girl who likes horses and fantasy. It was written with that audience in mind, and succeeds beautifully.

Elen has always dreamed of being chosen to ride a worldrunner--one of the horses who can travel the path between the worlds. But she's a princes of the world of Ymbria, as well as being a horse-loving girl, and she's not sure how it's going to happen.

When her chance does come to go to the House of the Star, a ranch on earth (in Arizona, to be more specific) where the worldrunners are bred and their riders are trained, it comes with a pretty steep price. Ymbria has been at war for years with another world, Caledon, and among the other young recruits in Elen's cohert there will be a member of the Caledonian royal family. Elen is convinced that political matchmaking is behind it all, and the thought is so abhorrent that she decides to run away from home, along the world road to a far off land of green grass (and lots of horses).

But without a worldrunner to ride, Elen finds the road far more perilous than she had imagined....it's only the unlooked for arrival of Bianca, one of the magical horses, that saves her.

When Bianca takes a protesting Elen to the House of the Star, Elen finds that the war between Ymbria and Caledon is threatening the fabric of the whole road--it is beginning to crumble into a maelstrom of fairy magic. The Horned King has threatened to interdict her planet, and the worldrunners are finding it ever more difficult to survive the chaotic creatures that are besetting the road.

Elen must find it in herself to make peace with her Caledonian counterpart, and end the war. But she's not ready to put her anger aside, until the beautiful horses themselves come under threat.

Elen's by no means a stereotypical princess--she's willing to muck out stalls, for instance! And she's stubborn, sometimes to the point where the reader wants to shake her a tad. But she's all the more believable for this, and it makes her gradual acceptance that peace might be possible all the more compelling.

As Judith Tarr, the author wrote "Writing Horses: The Fine Art of Getting it Right". Her expertise is front and center here--and it's always nice when the competencies of the writer come through in the small details of a book, adding credibility and richness to the story.

Skewed slightly younger than Robin McKinley's The Blue Sword, the classic horse fantasy, this is one that should utterly delight its target audience. Full of beautiful horses, dark magic, and escalating tension, it pleased me lots too! In particular, I'm always a sucker for a nicely nuanced Horned Lord.

Although, in the interests of full disclosure, I'm not, myself, a horse crazy girl anymore, and for this to be the perfect book for me it needed to have a bit of romance, which it doesn't have. Not the book's fault, of course, but this is the main reason why this falls into middle grade, despite the heroine being a teenager. Incidentally, both Amazon and my library system have it as YA, but the publisher says "Grade Range: 4 to 8, Age Range: 8 to 12." I myself say "10-14." Or possibly "9-13." Something like that, at any rate.

(Based on the description of Elen in the book as brown skinned and dark haired, which is (more or less) corroborated by the cover (or at least not egregiously contradicted by the cover), this one gets a place in my multicultural sci fi/fantasy list).

Alien Invasion and Other Inconveniences, by Brian Yansky

Alien Invasion and Other Inconveniences, by Brian Yansky (Candlewick, 2010, YA, 227 pages)

Jesse was an ordinary teenager, neither a follower or a leader, just sitting in class learning about the Great Depression, when every single other person in his classroom dropped dead. They were terminated by alien invaders.

But Jesse isn't killed. Instead, he hears a voice inside his head: "You are one of the few product who can hear. Congratulations." (p 2) Which means that Jesse is now a slave of Lord Vertenomous, who's just claimed earth for the Republic of Sanginia.

Unfortunately for Lord Vertenomous, Jesse isn't the sort to just sit back and accept life as a "product." Contact with the alien minds is awaking abilities inside him, and together with four other captured teenagers, Jesse begins to think about escape and resistance.

It's hard to escape psychic alien overlords who can kill you with a thought. But Jesse and his gang--Michael, the football player, Lindsey, the wanna-be model, Lauren, the activist girl, and Catlin, the fey girl used by Vertenomous as his mistress--aren't going to take no for an answer.

It's a wild page-turner of a book. The 10-second victory of the aliens plunges the reader (and of course the characters) into a nightmare, but Yansky writes with a lightness of touch, and even wry humor, about the unthinkable (the title's a good indication of his tone). He skates lightly over the utterly unspeakable tragedy that his protagonists are experiencing, and although this at times didn't ring true to me (the lack of attention to the horrors of Catlin's situation, in particular, troubled me more than somewhat), one can imagine that if the characters themselves stopped and actually thought too much about it all, they'd just collapse. And yet he doesn't pull his punches, either--there are moments of savage violence that bring home the reality of life as "product" who can be killed at a moment's notice.

At times he strays a tad far, I thought, toward farce (for instance with the alien professor of human studies, whose enthusiasm far exceeds his grasp of his subject), but this is balanced by more serious and heartfelt moments, such as Jesse's dreams of his dead father. And further depth is added by the understated but very present parallel to the European invasion of the Americas.

If you are looking for an alien invasion story with intense characterization and gritty reality, you'd be better off going with Pod, by Stephen Wallenfels (my review). But if you prefer your dastardly alien invaders on the lighter side, with more conscious humor, this is the book for you!

(disclaimer: copy received from the author)

Wildwing, by Emily Whitman, for Timeslip Tuesday

I quite often find books I wish I'd read when I was nine or ten. It's not nearly as common (why?) to find books I wish I'd had on hand when I was thirteen. Wildwing, by Emily Whitman (2010, YA) is one of those rare books--I would have utterly adored it. Utterly. The medieval-ness! the romance (which, although mild by YA standards, has its moments of steam)! the falconry! the pretty dresses! And even the jaded, cynical me of today enjoyed it lots, in a pleasant sort of way.

Life in early 20th-century England is not being kind to young Addy. She's bitter at being forced to leave school to take a job as a maid, and she's raw from the taunts of her school-mates who scorn her both for her poverty and for having an unknown father. Her new position isn't all bad--she's working for an absent-minded inventor, who pulls himself out of his shell of grief (dead wife and son) enough to discuss Shakespeare with her, and she gets to live at her own home. But her mother soon decides she'd be better off in a live-in situation--and Addy, contemplating a future of hard labor and few opportunities, becomes desperate to escape.

And one of her employee's inventions provides the perfect way to do so. Addy discovers it is a time machine, and passes through it into the Middle Ages. In a huge stroke of luck (for Addy at any rate) her arrival coincides with the sinking of a ship that was bringing the Lady Matilda to the castle whose lord she was shortly to marry. And Addy, discovered standing on the shore amid the wreckage, with Matilda's jeweled cross in her hands, finds she has a rather nice little place for herself in this new reality.

No longer the object of anyone's scorn, she revels in her new found status. And even more so, she delights in her growing friendship with Will, the handsome young falconer. With her intended husband away from home, it's easy not to think about what the future might hold. Especially when out flying falcons with Will...

But life as a medieval lady comes with a price. "Matilda" must marry the lord of the castle; if she does not, blood will be shed and innocent people will suffer. Gradually Addy begins to realize that status and luxury aren't the most important things in life after all....

So, as I said above, it's a book I would have loved at the height of my unicorn phase back in the day. I would have thought Addy and Will's romance just as swoonworthy as all get out, and sympathized tons with Addy's growing realization that life in the past isn't all wish fulfillment, and that her actions might have serious consequences for others. The build-up of political tension leads to a nice ratcheting up of the suspense as the story progresses, moving the focus away from Addy's preoccupation with herself, to larger issues. (And something else very interesting happened toward the end that would be a spoiler to mention, but which I appreciated as a reader).

And, as I also said above, it was a pleasant read for me today, but it didn't quite cross-over into the territory of books with which I form a deep and visceral connection. This is, I think, because Addy's story is a fantasy of a middle ages that never was. It requires a lot of suspension of disbelief to accept her easy adjustment into the role of Matilda (I am, however, perfectly willing to accept the happy opportunity of Matilda's shipwreck, unlikely though that is--that's just what happens). It was also hard for me to believe that she would be able to forge her relationship with Will. There is a lot of vivid historical detail, but still Whitman, as she makes clear in her author's note, knew very well she was sacrificing historical accuracy in the interests of story telling.

The result is just too easy. This is one of those nice, sanitary middle ages where the time traveller can understand the language and everything is more or less logical (as opposed, say, to the middle ages of Connie Willis' Doomsday Book). And because I couldn't quite believe in this medieval world, I never quite believed (until things heated up toward the end) that it was much more than a dream, in which there was little consequence to anything anyone did.

Still, if you have a thirteen year old girl around who dreams of tapestries and lords and ladies riding out with falcons on their arms....do them a favor and give them this book! They will thank you.

Other thoughts at Stacked, The Story Siren, Tempting Persephone, and Ezine of a Random Girl

Here's the list of nominees for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy

The lists of nominees for the Nebula Awards have been announced; here are the books in contention for the Andre Norton Award, given for "young adult" books:

• Ship Breaker, Paolo Bacigalupi (Little, Brown)
• White Cat, Holly Black (McElderry)
• Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press; Scholastic UK)
• Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword, Barry Deutsch (Amulet)
• The Boy from Ilysies, Pearl North (Tor Teen)
• I Shall Wear Midnight, Terry Pratchett (Gollancz; Harper)
• A Conspiracy of Kings, Megan Whalen Turner (Greenwillow)
• Behemoth, Scott Westerfeld (Simon Pulse; Simon & Schuster UK)

What a list! What awesome books! What a nice mix!

The Boy from Ilysies is the only one I haven't read, but I quickly hurried over to Amazon where it was sitting in my shopping cart to place my order....

And here, just for the heck of it, are the "adult" titles:

• The Native Star, M.K. Hobson (Spectra)
• The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit UK; Orbit US)
• Shades of Milk and Honey, Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)
• Echo, Jack McDevitt (Ace)
• Who Fears Death, Nnedi Okorafor (DAW)
• Blackout/All Clear, Connie Willis (Spectra)

I find it interesting that they are considering the Connie Willis books as a single entity. This is the only one I've read from this list, although several of the others are on my hideously engorged TBR list....

Tortilla Sun, by Jennifer Cervantes

After my last fiction review, of a book of a much more, um, mature type than I usually read (Bleeding Violet, a book I liked, but which sure wasn't middle grade), it is with a sense of peaceful composure that I sit down to write about Tortilla Sun, by Jennifer Cervantes (Chronicle Books, 2010, middle grade, 218 pages)

12-year-old Izzy has been sent off unexpectedly to spend the summer with her grandmother in New Mexico, where she has never been before, while her mother heads off to Costa Rica to do her own research. She takes with her the baseball she had found just before her mother broke the news-- an old baseball, tucked away in box, with faded words written on it--"Because....magic." Izzy is pretty sure the ball belonged to her father, who died before she was born, but her mom won't talk about him at all.

That summer in New Mexico, Izzy not only finds a place for herself in the love of her grandmother's home, but she finds as well the story of her father and mother, and the tragic end of their love for each other. And helping her find this story is her father himself, calling to her on the wind....

This is a book that makes pictures in the mind--of patches of shade in a hot sunny place, of cool walls with high windows to let in the starlight, places lived in by people who care for each other. And I'm a sucker for books that give me beautiful bedrooms:

"A tall four-poster bed stood at the center of the room. Creamy gauze curtain hung loosely around the edges. At the foot of the bed lay a light blue blanket threaded with lemon yellow that matched the blue swirls layering the walls. Two French doors opened to a walled courtyard with a brightly painted yellow and purple fountain.

"It's so ... so colorful," I said with a hint of surprise.

Nana laughed and leaned against one of the bedposts. "But of course it's colorful. Life is color, isn't it?" (page 31)

Nana's small village is filled with life--with the entwined stories of those who live in this close knit community, and Cervantes' writing is similarly rich with loving descriptions of all the foods, and fabrics, and beliefs and customs that make up their daily lives. It is a book full of things that pulled at my heart, and things that made me laugh. Perhaps it is a bit unbelievably Utopian--it's a place where people aren't pigeon-holed because they are Hispanic (like Izzy's mom) or not (like her dad); where even though people don't have much money, they don't suffer in consequence-- but heck, that makes it an awfully nice place to spend one's reading time.

And it's not at all cloying--Izzy is vividly alive with the twitchy energy of growing up and pushing back a bit at life and figuring out her place in the scheme of things. I liked her lots, and not just because she wants to be a writer--one of the sources of her frustration is her struggle to make her words into stories (which is one of the many metaphors (yay for metaphors) that can be found here!).

Finally, it is awfully nice when a cover matches a book so beautifully. If you like this cover, you will like this book. It was also nice having it's lovely cheerfulness out and about during our most recent spat of grey February weather.

There are things in this story that are magic; things far beyond the quotidian that infuse Izzy's experiences with mystery. I'm a bit torn--on the one hand, I want very much to put the label "fantasy" on this post, so that I can include Izzy's story in my list of multicultural fantasy, and because I think that readers who like the subtle type of fantasy where magical-ness overlaps with the everyday world as part of the natural order of things, will be the readers that like this book best. But on the other hand, the magic so overlaps with the real in this case that "fantasy" isn't the right word--"magical realism" is a better fit, and I don't have a label for that, and I don't want to have to decide which books are what. Sigh. Labels are vexing.

ps. I've decided that putting "fantasy" in the label section is the best way to share with others that I like this book; it will get lost in the morass of my blog otherwise. So I did.

pps. and then I went back and labeled it magical realism too.

Here are some other thoughts, at Readergirlz, The Mother Daughter Book Club, Elizabeth Varadan's Fourth Wish, and The HappyNappyBookseller.

Digging for Troy, by Jill Rubalcaba and Eric H. Cline, for Non-fiction Monday

Jill Rubalcaba is no stranger to writing non-fiction about the distant past--her books cover hominin discoveries (Every Bone Tells a Story) and the more recent ancient times of the Mayan and Egyptian empires.

Digging for Troy: From Homer to Hisarlik (Charlesbridge, 2011) co-written a classisist, Eric H. Cline, Rubalcaba sets her sites on Homer's Troy. Her concern is not so much the story of the Trojan War, although she does retell that story by way of introduction (and very well she does this--this is one of the best Trojan War retellings for kids I've read). Instead, Rublacaba focuses on the history of the archaeological search for Troy, from Schliemann in the 19th century, through the various digs of the 20th.

"Schliemann spun dramatic stories about his search for Troy around Homer's battles and the heroes who had fought them. If he found a cup, then Achilles must have drunk from it; if he found an earring, then Helen must have worn it. But nothing would make Schliemann as truly unforgettable as what happened next. On May 31, 1873, Schliemann discovered treasure." (page 32)

It's a fascinating look at how archaeological evidence can be interpreted in various ways depending on the expertise, and the agenda, of the archaeologist. As each archaeological expedition progressed, more and more information about the various occupations of the site was uncovered, and Rubalcba explains how the story of the many "Troys" that are found at the place now called Hisarlik evolved over time.

Being an archaeologist myself, I would have appreciated more illustrations of the actual artifacts--I think there's nothing like artifacts for making the past come alive, and I found the book curiously skimpy in that regard. And I would have liked to have been told what happened to "Priam's treasure," the rich cache of artifacts that included the jewelry with which Schliemann's wife was famously bedecked. The bulk of it disappeared from a German bunker in WW II, and turned up in 1993 in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, where it remains to this day.

This would make a great book to read while exploring the Greek myths--there are so many fascinating lines of discussion that it raises, from the mutable nature of "scientific evidence" to the historical basis for many myths.

Here's some of the treasure in its modern setting at the Pushkin Museum. I wouldn't mind trying it on myself!

And in that vein, a lovely companion to this book, that similarly deals with the trickiness of archaeological interpretations of material culture is Motel of the Mysteries, by David Macaulay. At right is my favorite illustration from that book! In case you can't read the writing on the headband, it says "Sanitized for your pro...."

Today's Non-fiction Monday Round Up is at Three Turtles and Their Pet Librarian.
(disclaimer: review copy of Digging for Troy received from the publisher)

Bleeding Violet, by Dia Reeves

Today Ari, Edi, and Doret are hosting an African American Read In, discussing Bleeding Violet, by Dia Reeves (2010, Simon Pulse, YA, 454 pages). I'd been meaning to read this one for ages, so I was glad of the push to finally do so!

One dark night, Hanna, accompanied by the ghost of her dead father, shows up at her mother's door in a small town in Texas, having just brained her aunt with a rolling pin. Hanna has never met her mother before, and showing up with her aunt's blood on her hands isn't the best way to start a new relationship, especially since it's one her mother doesn't want.

(If you ask me, it's not the best way to start a relationship with the reader, either, but Hanna grew on me--she's insane (literally), smart-assed, pushy, and needy, but still a character to cheer for).

Yes, Hanna is nuts, less so when she takes her meds. But soon she finds out that this small Texas town is even more so, it being the sort of place where hideously dark and deadly monstrous beings (and some that aren't deadly but just gross) beset the townsfolk on all sides. Some of the townsfolk, including one particularly cute high school boy, Wyatt, are part of an order of safekeeping killers of the bad things, a gang of protectors for whom "mercy" is a foreign concept (they are serious slayers).

Hanna turns out to fit right in in the madness of her new home, but it's a place in her mother's heart that she really craves. And there are some serious stumbling blocks, both of supernatural and more generically human, standing in the way.

There are no Rainbow Unicorns in this book. There's bad language, nasty stuff (I don't think I'd ever be able to slice strips of flesh off the leg of my boyfriend's father to throw to the monster trying to eat him, even if this ultimately is a successful tactic), and there's quite a bit of sex, in bathroom, bedroom, and back of car.

And that's not the sort of book I generally like. Yet somehow I did like this one! It took me a few false starts, but once I was past page 100 I was hooked.

There is humor (I laughed out loud several times), and there's a huge energy in Reeves' portrayal of this seriously messed up town. Her wild and wacky imagination, her over the top strange people and circumstances enchanted me in a blood soaked kind of way (although I could have used less blood. I think about half as much blood would have been plenty--it seemed like the second half of the book, ever other page there was blood or wounds or what have you. Sometimes less blood is more). The story also made Sense--there was a logical progression to it all that allowed me to accept the whacky-ness.

Further depth to the story comes from the fact that Hanna is half black, and half Finnish. Growing up as a black kid in Finland with a white dad didn't exactly give her a confident sense of her identity; now, with her sexy mom in Texas (whom she strongly resembles) she has a chance to try a new identity.

But most importantly, in terms of me ultimately enjoying the book (which is an important aspect of any story), Hanna's a character that one (ie me) with whom one can make an emotional connection. Her relationship with her mother is painful, but it's rewarding to watch the two very similar personalities warming to each other. On the other hand, her relationship with Wyatt was interesting to read about, but didn't move me particularly.

In short--a book I enjoyed more than I think I really should have, knowing my reading tastes as I do, which is a credit to Reeves' snappy prose!

However, I am left with a burning question, that happily for me is one on the table for today's discussion--what is up with the swans?

Ari has the discussion up at her blog, if you want to stop by!