The cover of Magic Under Glass

BREAKING NEWS, added 1/21/10: From the Bloomsbury Kids website: “Bloomsbury is ceasing to supply copies of the US edition of *Magic Under Glass*. The jacket design has caused offense and we apologize for our mistake. Copies of the book with a new jacket design will be available shortly.”

Added 2/23/10 --here's the new cover, as shown on Amazon


A discussion is currently taking place about the cover of Magic Under Glass, by Jaclyn Dolamore (Bloomsbury, 2010), castigating the publishers for showing a girl on the cover who does not accurately represent the ethnicity of the character in the book--in short, the cover shows a character of color as white. (If you are wondering why this matters, please read this letter to Bloomsbury from Ari at Reading in Color).

I thought it might be a useful contribution to the discussion to share exactly how Nimira is described, because most of the people talking about it haven't read the book. All the page numbers refer to the ARC. I tried to find every example, but may have missed some.

"My hair tumbled down my back, glossy black and shining in the low light." (page 3)

"I knew how the men of Lorinar thought, what they wanted. To him, I was dark and foreign and crude." (page 4)

"...pink does not do with skin like yours." (pp 32-33)

"Miss Rashten thinks pink doesn't suit my complexion," I warned him.
"Nonsense," he said. "There is no color more feminine than pink; no woman it does not suit, and you especially, with your golden glow." (page 64)

"[The dress] dipped low in back and front...exposing what seemed like far too much of my brown skin." (page 96)

In my mind, as I read the book, I pictured Nimira as someone from Turkey (based mainly on descriptions of things other than Nimira). When I finished reading, and was writing my review, I stared at the cover for quite some time.

The girl on the cover was not as dark as I pictured Nimira, especially with regard to her hair. Her hair is brown on the cover, not black. Her skin was paler than I thought it should be too, although it does, mainly because of the lighting, have a "golden glow," which was the phrase that suck in my mind, because when I read "golden glow" I stopped reading and wondered what crayon I would use for that.

I remember thinking how glad I was that at least they had not made Nimira into an overly romanticised example of the "exotic other" (which was something that Dolamore managed to avoid in her book, but which I was a bit nervous about).

I wish I had mentioned this in my comments about the book. I do not think this is as catastrophic a race fail as the cover of Liar, but I am sorry that Bloomsbury didn't take advantage of the opportunity provided by the story to show a beautiful girl who actually is "dark." And I'm sorry I failed to raise the issue in my review, and with my silence indicated acceptance of this white-washing.

To see how the author herself vizualized Nimira, here's the book trailer.

This Sunday's round-up of middle grade fantasy and science fiction

Here are the reviews and miscellaneous items of interest pertaining to middle grade (9-12 year olds) science fiction and fantasy, gathered from around the blogosphere. Please let me know if I missed your posts!

Dragon Slippers, by Jessica Day George, at Fantasy Book Review

Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld (for the upper limit of mg) at In Need of Chocolate.

Odd and the Frost Giants, at Book Nut

Spellbinder, by Helen Stringer, at Book Addiction.

The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance (Candleman, Book 1), by Glenn Dakin, at One Librarians' Book Reviews.

Tentacles, by Roland Smith, at Charlotte's Library.

Unfinished Angel, by Sharon Creech, at Mama Librarian

Jill, at the O.W.L., takes a look at the Alfred Kropp Series

Calamity Jack, by Shannon and Dean Hale, was on tour this week, at Whispers of Dawn, Reading is My Superpower, Fireside Musings, Through the Looking Glass Book Review , Booking Mama, Cafe of Dreams, Becky’s Book Reviews, The Hungry Readers, The Friendly Book Book, My Own Little Corner of the World, Book Blather, GreenBeanTeenQueen, Book Crumbs , Abby (the) Librarian, Dolce Belleza, Homeschoolbuzz.com, The Book Cellar, Carrie’s YA Bookshelf, Bookshelf Monstrosity, Everyday Reading, Frenetic Reader, KidzBookBuzz.com, Maw Books

And here's a teaser of a review from the Times Online (UK not NY) about two mg fantasy books that aren't out here in the US yet--The 13 Curses, by Michelle Harrison, and Rebel, by R.J. Anderson. Both are sequels, to The 13 Treasures and Knife, aka Fairy Rebels, respectively. The 13 Treasures, which won the Waterstone Children's Book Prize last year, will be released here in the US by Little Brown in March (and I just picked up an ARC of it at ALA!)

Speaking of the Waterstone Children's Book Prize, here are the books shortlisted this year, winner to be announced Feb. 10.

And speaking of ALA (the American Library Association), I went up to Boston yesterday and spent a very happy time in the exhibits hall, squeeing left and right as my bags grew heavier (mainly with middle grade fantasy--The Magic Thief: Found (coming in June); Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs (coming February); A Wizard of Mars, by Diane Duane (coming in April), and lots lots more...).

Tentacles, by Roland Smith

Tentacles, by Roland Smith (2009, Scholastic, upper middle grade on up, 319pp)

In Cryptid Hunters (2006), Smith introduced Marty and Grace, the young wards of their uncle, an obsessed cryptologist, who travels the world looking for evidence that "mythological" creatures are actually real. In this case, the creature in question is a dinosaur, and, after confronting an evil villain who seeks to kill, rather than conserve, the marvellous creature, the twins and their uncle successfully save two dinosaur eggs.

Now Marty and Grace, and Marty's best friend Luther, have signed on for another cryptozoologial quest. This time around they are on board a possibly haunted research vessel in the South Pacific, hunting for the Kraken, with the dinosaur eggs in tow. It is anything but a peaceful scientific expedition, as it becomes clear that a saboteur is on board, the dino eggs are hatching, and the same bad guy they met in the Congo is pursuing them once again...

Despite the science fictionesque elements of dinosaurs and giant squids, this book is much more the action/adventure type genre, the sort of book in which clever kids, with some neat science on their side, try to foil the bad guys. The story moves briskly with touches of humor, the suspense mounts nicely, and, all in all, it's a well-told story with plenty of twists that should have great appeal, in particular, to upper middle-grade boys

I say this, incidentally, not simply because boys might be more drawn to action/adventure books with lots of cool technology. Marty and Luther, the guy pals, felt much more front and center than Grace, and their boyish interactions, which included too much reiteration of their pet phrase "duh du jour" might be a smidge annoying to the girl type reader (or, for that matter, to the reader in general--like Jack at Book Review).

There is no need to have read Cryptid Hunters--Smith does an excellent job of gracefully working in what the reader needs to know.

Other reviews and comments at Readingjunky's Reading Roost, Lauren's Book Stop, and, most interestingly, a rave review here at the blog of the International Crypto Community, Still on the Track.

(Tentacles was nominated for the Cybils Award in middle grade sci fi/fantasy, and I received my copy from the publisher in my role as a first round panelist in that category)

New Releases of Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Children and Teens--the middle of January, 2010 edition

Here are the middle of January releases of science fiction and fantasy for children and teenagers.

For nine to twelve year olds:

THE DEATH-DEFYING PEPPER ROUX by Geraldine McCaughrean. "Pepper's fourteenth birthday is a momentous one. It's the day he's supposed to die. Everyone seems resigned to it—even Pepper, although he would much prefer to live. But can you sidestep Fate? Jump sideways into a different life? NaÏve and trusting, Pepper sets a course through dangerous waters, inviting disaster and mayhem at every turn, one eye on the sky for fear of angels, one on the magnificent possibilities of being alive."

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."

GREEN by Laura Peyton Roberts. "Turning thirteen starts off with a bang for Lily. Literally. A birthday present explodes on her porch . . . and soon after a trio of leprechauns (yes, leprechauns) appears in her bedroom. They whisk her away to a land of clover, piskies, a new friend, a cute boy, and lots of glimmering, glittering gold. A world of Green. It turns out that Lily, like her grandmother before her, is next in line to be keeper for the Clan of Green, and in charge of all their gold. That is, if she passes three tests. And she has to pass them. Because if she doesn’t she may never get to go home again. She’ll be stuck with the Greens. Forever."

Young Adult:

FREAKSVILLE by Kitty Keswick. "Every woman in the Maxwell family has the gift of sight. A talent sixteen year old Kasey would gladly give up. Until Kasey has a vision about Josh Johnstone, the foreign exchange student from England. The vision leads her into deep waters, a lead in a play, and into the arms of Josh. But Josh, too, has a secret. Something that could put them all in danger. To solve a mystery of a supernatural haunting, they must uncover the secrets of the haunted theater when they are trapped on the night of the full moon."

THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE: JARVIS by Jesper Ejsing. "Jarvis can hardly believe his own luck: the sorcerer Harnigel has chosen him as his apprentice! The entire village is astonished - the son of a goat herder, a sorcerer? What would such a simple boy know about magic?

Jarvis will soon learn the secrets of the Elder Tongue, of the Ledian Runes and of incantations and wizardry he thought belonged only to fairy tales. Yet, Jarvis' own story is soon to take a dark, mysterious turn. Why are there so many apprentices in Harnigel's keep? Who was the keep's mistress and why did she disappear? Why has an emissary arrived from the Red Council? What is behind the dangerous test Harnigel is preparing for his most capable apprentices?"

DREAM LIFE by Lauren Mechling. "Claire Voyante's first semester at Henry Hudson High School was eventful, to say the least. As she heads into her second semester, things are calming down a bit. But Claire has a few secrets that are getting harder to keep. Her biggest secret of all? The onyx and ivory cameo necklace her grandmother gave her for her 15th birthday. Ever since she started wearing it, her dreams have been coming to her in black and white and turning out to be oddly prophetic. Becca’s been hanging out with her old prep school friends and never seems to have time for Claire anymore. And soon, Claire discovers why—there’s a secret group of society girls with a mysterious identity. And, turns out, a mysterious enemy who’s out to get them. The second she sniffs out trouble, Claire jumps on the case. But is it someone close to Claire who’s in danger again—or could it be Claire herself whose life is at stake?"

THE MARK by Jen Nadol. "Cassandra Renfield has always seen the mark—a glow around certain people reminiscent of candlelight. But the one time she mentioned it, it was dismissed as a trick of the light. Until the day she watches a man awash in the mark die. After searching her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today. Armed with a vague understanding of the light, Cassie begins to explore her “gift,” seeking those marked for death and probing the line between decision and destiny. Though she’s careful to hide her secret—even from her new philosophy-obsessed boyfriend—with each impending death comes the temptation to test fate. But so many questions remain. How does the mark work? Why is she the only one who sees it? And finally, the most important of all: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them?"

PLAYER'S RUSE by Hilari Bell. Not fantasy, but of possible interest to fantasy readers. "Sir Michael Sevenson and his squire, Fisk, were just beginning to enjoy the quiet life. They really should have known better. When Lady Rosamund runs away from home to marry a traveling player, former knight errant Michael makes a noble promise to help the object of his unrequited love. The quest takes our would-be heroes to the coastal town of Huckerston, where savage sea pirates called wreckers terrorize the coast. With the help of a reluctant Fisk, Michael plans on catching the wreckers and winning back his lady; but when mysterious murders and dangerous accidents threaten the town and its players, love might be the least of his problems. . . .Part buddy novel, part medieval whodunit, the latest installment of Hilari Bell's Knight and Rogue Novels continues the boys' saga with another classic tale of mishaps, wit, and adventure."

WISH by Alexandra Bullen. "For broken-hearted Olivia Larsen, nothing can change the fact that her twin sister, Violet, is gone... until a mysterious, beautiful gown arrives on her doorstep. The dress doesn't just look magical; it is magical. It has the power to grant her one wish, and the only thing Olivia wants is her sister back. With Violet again by her side, both girls get a second chance at life. And as the sisters soon discover, they have two more dresses-and two more wishes left. But magic can't solve everything, and Olivia is forced to confront her ghosts to learn how to laugh, love, and live again.

Fire, by Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson

Fire, by Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson (Putnam, 2009, 297 pp, YA, but with a great middle-grade appropriate story) is the second volume of Tales of Elemental Spirits from these two very talented writers. The first, Water, first came out back in 2002; Fire took so long to finish because McKinley's stories kept getting away from her. Dragonhaven (2007), and Chalice (2008) both started life as Fire stories, but demanded their own books.

And of the five stories that are collected in Fire, the two that McKinley wrote ("Hellhound" and "First Flight" are much closer to novellas than to stories--you can almost feel the later, in particular, wanting to become a book). I am not complaining; too often short stories are too short, and leave me wanting more. But these two are just right. In "Hellhound," a girl's prosaic life as an assistant stable master and riding instructor becomes much more interesting when she adopts a strange (but sweet) dog with glowing red eyes...and finds herself having to confront a malevolent spirit that threatens to take her brother's life.

Her second contribution, "First Flight," is quite simply one of the best boy meets dragon (and grows up in the process) stories I've read in ages (this was the longest story in the book, at 116 pages). It's a gem of plot and character and world building, and would be a great story to give to a middle-grade fantasy loving kid, even though it's here in a "young adult" anthology. It tells of Ern, the runty third brother who's full of self-doubt--the oldest son is on his way to being a successful Dragon Rider, the middle brother is on his way to being a successful spiritseeker. All clumsy young Ern has done is to save the life of a creature who is the butt of jokes in song and story--a foogit pup named Sippy. But his life is about change when he (and Sippy) meet their first dragons...

Dickinson's contributions are equally gripping. He brings us a reimagined phoenix, tended by a gamekeeper in an English wood, a strangely horrible fireworm, terrorizing an ice-age people, and a great story about a boy possessed by salamanders.

In short, I liked the book lots and lots, and recommend it highly! But I'm not holding my breath for Air--McKinley is having her same troubles with runaway plots, and is in the throes of the second book in a series about pegasi (plural of pegasus) that began as a simple short story for that volume.

Other reviews/thoughts at Working Title, Kiss the Book, and Sonderbooks.

A must click link for fans of fairy tales--Once Upon a Blog's Fairy Tale News Bumper edition!

Here is the Fairy Tale News New Year's Bumper Edition from the Ink Gypsy, at Once Upon a Blog. It is fabulous.

In a series of sequential posts, you get:

General (& latest) fairy tale news headlines (that I haven't seen posted elsewhere)
Blog posts and/or articles discussing/using fairy tales
Friends and other fairy tale people
Fairy tales in performance & creative arts
Fairy tale artists & illustrators (past & present)
Fairy tale journals/magazines/online 'zines
Fairy tale films & movies
Fairy tale influenced books (and reviews)
Newly discovered online fairy tale retellings
Fairy tale fashion news
Home & garden fairy tale style
Fairy tale sports
Fun fairy tale finds
Fairy tale funnies
Fairy tale weather & the natural world
Fairy tale music
Food and dining fairy tale news
Classifieds/ads for fairy tale people Careers - fairy tale knowledge required!
From the archives: fairy tale articles to read again (or for the first time)
End notes & recap

WOW!

The Long Wait for Tomorrow, by Joaquin Dorfman, for Time Slip Tuesday

For this week's time travel book, I offer something you don't see often--a time travel book for teenagers, in which a character from the future returns to his past life as a teenager in the early 21st century: The Long Wait for Tomorrow, by Joaquin Dorfman (2009, Random House, YA, 342 pp)

Kelly is the Golden Boy of his school, the star football player for whom the stars align themselves. Patrick is his faithful, much less cool, follower (he plays saxophone, not football), who has watched through the years as all good things come to Kelly. And one day he watches as Kelly uses his power to torture Edmund, a science-nerd freshman, who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and seen something he shouldn't have.

This was the last day that Patrick's old friend Kelly existed. Because the next morning, the Kelly with whom Patrick found himself was his friend's 40 year-old self--somehow, his spirit had left the mental institution where Kelly had ended up, and travelled back in time. Now New Kelly, with years of life between himself and high school, has a different perspective on things (although some, like the rush of meeting his girlfriend Jenna, are just as good the second time around).

But one thing in particular needs to be changed. After he's accepted the fact that he's back in the past, Kelly wants to fix what happened to Edmund, and alter the course of events that are about to unfold when Edmund takes his revenge. But he doesn't remember what is going to happen, making it hard to change things...

So Patrick and Jenna scramble to cover for the New Kelly as best they can, scramble to make sense of what he's saying, and become ever more desperately involved in trying to right a situation that should never have begun.

I picked this up so as to have a Time Slip Tuesday book on hand. I'm not sure I would have kept reading past the beginning if I didn't have that motivation. But this is one that gathers momentum--by the end I found it a very powerful story. With each day that Kelly is back in the past, the tension builds...until the humdinger of an ending.

The book opens with a scene that makes the central characters impossible to like, and at first they seem like stock characters. Slowly more and more detail is given about them and their relationships to each other that gradually makes them interesting individuals. Patrick and Jenna, that is, become real (although Dorfman takes his time about this); Kelly always seems larger than life, not quite believable, and his behavior to Edmund remains unexplained and unexcused. But to be fair, Kelly is two different people...so it's hard to know just what he thinks.

Time travel-wise, I think Dorfman cheats a bit. He makes it clear that in his version of how things work, the time traveller's memories aren't necessarily intact. Kelly hasn't sent himself back through time to heroically change the past--he can't even remember how events unfolded. This made the story rather frustrating (for Patrick and Jenna, as well as the reader; one presumes Kelly felt frustrated too, although one can't be sure).

But that being said, it's a fascinating take on time travel, especially when it becomes clear that for Kelly there can't be an ending--he's on track to reach 40 again, to find himself in the same mental institution where his time travelling began, to come back to try to change the inevitable...

Even though I have doubts, I'd recommend this one to its intended YA audience (especially teenaged boys). Even though I had my doubts, I read it intently, and put it down with that somewhat stunned feeling one gets after a book packs a punch.

Other reviews at The Book Owl, and one from a 6th grade girl at Book Trends.

Genesis, by Bernard Beckett

Genesis, by Bernard Beckett (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009 in the US, 2006 in Australia, YA, 150 pages)

In 2051, a wealthy man created his ideal society on an isolated island far to the south. His "utopia" left no room for the individual to be an individual, with all the very human ambiguity that entails. Still, it functioned, keeping its inhabitants safe from the death and destruction that ended the rest of the world. Until a man named Adam changed it forever...

Years after Adam passed into legend, Anaximander, a candidate for the Academy, has chosen him as the subject of her entrance examination. Genesis tells her story, as she in turn tells Adam's story, and the conclusions she has drawn from it...and in the process, she learns that even the most logically consistent assumptions about the past can have powerful consequences that an individual cannot predict.

It surprised me just how gripping a book that essentially is a transcription of a four hour examination can be. Although it reads somewhat stiffly at first, the action moves progressively faster as Adam's story is told, and the Wham! of the ending packs one heck of a punch. Despite the framework of the story, which distances the reader from both Adam and Anax, Becket has made them fascinating and memorable characters. And this is one of the most thought-provoking books I've read in a while--the philosophical and ethical questions raised linger in the mind.

A few other reviews can be found at The Book Nest, Zogworld, The Book Smugglers (scroll down), and at the Guardian, where Patrick Ness says that it possesses "a palate-cleansing purity unusual in most young adult fiction." Although I don't think I would have come up with just that turn of phrase myself, I agree with his point--there is (I really mean it) a minty freshness to it....cold and crisp, yet compelling.

Tutankhamun, by Demi, for Non-fiction Monday

Tutankhamun, by Demi (Marshall Cavendish Children, 2009) is a stunningly beautiful picture-book that brings ancient Egypt to gorgeous, gold-decorated life in true Demi style. It is truly one of the most handsome non-fiction books I've read-the pictures range from the humorously detailed (we loved the little wheels added to young Tutankhamun's toys) to the simply magnificent. For the illustrations alone, this one is a must to put in the hands of an Egypt loving child.

And the text is a worthy accompaniment to the illustrations. I thought I knew enough about King Tut to go on with, but this is one of those non-fiction books for children that makes clear the extent of one's adult ignorance. Unlike many books, which, I vaguely feel, focus on the treasure that was buried with him, and the rituals of Egyptian death rites, this book is a solid biography, with lots of excellent historical and cultural context. Now I know so much more not just about the details of the young king's life, but about the religious struggles that shaped his time and about the larger political situation of his Egypt.

This book does not talk down to its readers, but presents complex issues and ideas in a matter-of-fact way. I don't know if it will speak to all 6 to 9 year olds, but I can attest to the fact that it kept the rapt attention of my own boys. Already I am thinking ahead to the Third Grade Biography breakfast--this will be one I offer my first-grader when he reaches that point in his young life.

A truly excellent book on all counts for the child whose fascination with things Egypt goes beyond the grotesque appeal of mummification...

Demi is, incidentally, a favorite illustrator of mine; for those who want to learn more about her, here is a great interview at Paper Tigers.

Today's Non-Fiction Monday is being hosted by Sally Apokedak's blog, Whispers of Dawn.

(review copy received from the publisher)

This Sunday's roundup of middle-grade fantasy and science fiction

Welcome to this week's round-up of posts from around the blogging world about middle-grade science-fiction and fantasy! Please let me know if I missed yours, and, since this is a regular Sunday feature, please feel free to send me links during the week for next time!

Reviews:

Blackbringer, by Laini Taylor, at Debuts and Reviews, and one of its sequel Silksinger at Children Come First.

Calamity Jack, by Shannon and Dean Hale, at Book Nut (and check out the paper dolls illustrator Nathan Hale has made! Cool).

There's a look back at Charlotte Sometimes, by Penelope Farmer, at Red House Books (this is one of my favorite time travel stories ever!)

Cosmic, by Frank Cottrell Boyce, at A Fuse #8 Production. (I've never actually read this myself, and it sounded science-fictiony, but apparently it's not--see Monica's comment below)

A Different Day, a Different Destiny, by Annette Laing, at Charlotte's Library.

Dragon Games, by P.W. Catanese, at Eva's Book Addiction.

The First Escape, by G.P. Taylor, at Becky's Book Reviews.

The Magician's Elephant, at Becky's Book Reviews.

Odd and the Frost Giants, by Neil Gaiman, at Sonderbooks.

The Roar, by Emma Clayton, at Charlotte's Library.

The Society for Unrelenting Vigilance (Candleman Book 1), by Glenn Dakin, at Fantasy Book Critic.

Toby Alone, by Timothee Fombelle, at Critique de Mr. Chompchomp (who also shares the news that a sequel, Toby and the Secrets of the Tree, is on its way!)

Interviews and miscellaneous items of interest:

Kazu Kibuishi talks about his new book Copper, a graphic novel about a boy and his talking dog, here at Zack Smith: Writer, and here at Newsarama. (Readers of Flight, Volume One, have already met Copper--thanks to my 9 year old for pointing this out). Copper was just released, but already has been named a Junior Library Guild Selection for Fall 2009. (Kibuishi is also the creator of the Amulet graphic novels for kids, and Amulet 3 seems to be nearing completion...)

This year's winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction is the graphic novel The Storm in the Barn, which is also a fantasy. This has sparked some discussion about fantasy and historical fiction at Oz and Ends, Educating Alice, and here at Charlotte's Library.

Tiffany at Eudaimonium has proposed "a one-day virtual conference sometime in late March or April. I want this to be a truly useful conference to writers and aficionados of MG/YA SFF. Many of us see the same panels over and over again at conferences, making us feel like we've wasted time and money. How might we do it differently? What panels would you like to see that you haven't seen?" The technology part of this daunts me, but it sounds like it could be a good and interesting thing!

And finally, at Kidliterate there's An Argument in Favor of Waiting for Harry, with which I heartily agree! There are lots of great suggestions in the post itself and in the comments for other books (fantasy and otherwise) for kids who aren't ready to be hurried into Harry Potter.

Magic Under Glass, by Jaclyn Dolamore

Magic Under Glass, by Jaclyn Dolamore (Bloomsbury 2010, ya, 208 pp), is a pleasantly diverting tale of enchantment set in a quasi-Victorian world shared by fairies and humans. As a young girl, Nimira came to Lorinor to seek her fortune dancing and singing as a "trouser girl." She is plucked from her life as an exotic curiosity by a handsome and wealthy young sorcerer, Hollin Percy, and called upon to perform in a much more unusual capacity--singing to the accompaniment of a beautifully made automaton.

She was not his first choice, but no other girl had been able to tolerate the company of the haunted automaton for long. And that's not all that's strange about Hollin Percy's ancestral home. There's the taxidermy display of garden fairies, the madwoman roaming the halls, the mysteriously unpleasant housekeeper, and Hollin's involvement in the sinister politics of the sorcerers who govern the country.

When Nimira realizes that a prince of the fairy people is trapped inside the automaton, she must choose where her heart lies....as well as trying to figure out how the heck a dancing girl can break a dark and powerful enchantment.

It's primarily a historical romance novel (though not too racy for younger teens), with a charming though predictable love triangle, given interest by the magic that permeates its setting and the mysteries that fill the plot. But the emphasis on the romance left me feeling a bit let down by the magical and political aspects of Dolamore's world-building. I wanted more backstory to the conflict between fairies and humans, and I was never quite convinced that Hollin was actually a sorcerer, nor am I sure I understood just who these sorcerers were and what they were up to.

In short, very diverting (as I said above), and a fine book for a rainy day read, but frustratingly falling short of truly riveting.

Edited to add: this is no longer the cover of the book, which was changed to more accuratly reflecte the way in which Nimira is described by the author, as discussed in detail in this post. The new cover is shown at right.

(review copy received from the publisher)

The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, by Michael Morpurgo

After the Cybils ended, and I had the freedom to read whatever the heck I wanted, I went a little crazy with interlibrary loans, requesting about fifteen books pretty much at random from my long to-be-read list. Some of the books have been on it for over a year, and I've forgotten why I added them in the first place...

One rather pleasant surprise from this recent batch was The Amazing Story of Adolpuhs Tips, by Michael Morpurgo (Scholastic, 2005, middle grade, 140 pp).

In 1943, an eleven year-old girl named Lily lives in a seaside village in England. War has brought evacuees from the cities to her school, and American soldiers are filling the streets, but life for Lily and her beloved cat, Tips, goes on pretty much as normal.

Then her entire village is ordered to leave. It is going to become a training ground for the Americans preparing for D-Day. But Tips doesn't understand his old home is now forbidden ground, and Lily risks her life going back beyond the fences to try to find him...

An American soldier, the first black person she has ever met, promises to help her. Though they meet seldom, they become true friends. And years later, when both are old, their paths cross again.

It's a gentle book, the sort that, even though I sniffed a bit in places, is a comfort read--even though the war brings disruption and loss, friendship triumphs, and Tips is found. This is a book cat-loving girls who like stories of World War II England will love--my only complaint was that at 140 pages, it was too short.

The Roar, by Emma Clayton

(The Whisper, the sequel to The Roar, has now been released! Here are my thoughts)

The Roar, by Emma Clayten (Scholastic, 2009, upper middle grade on up, 481 pp)

In a hellish dystopia, where a mega-London lies half-drowned, in a world where all animals are dead and walls enclose the overcrowded warrens of humanity to keep them safe from the plauge, there lives an eleven year-old boy named Mika who refuses to believe his twin sister is dead.

He's right, and the reader knows it--she's the first person we meet, desperatly flying a stolen pod fighter homeward, trying to escape from a mysterious Them who have kept her imprisoned on a spaceship. But she doesn't make it all the way home, and Mika's life in the dampness and darkness of the lower classes remains unchanged.

Then one day a new and strangly sinister Program is announced, a program that will make the kids of London Fit and Happy. A large part of this is a new virtual reality video game, based on flying pod-fighters in combat. The game offers everything to children who have nothing--if they play the game well enough, they can win fabulous prizes. And despite his growing sense of danger, Mica knows in his heart that if he is a winner, he can find his sister again....But the games keep getting harder, and each round brings new challenges.

So in short, this is a survival game story, a story of clever children outwitting and outplaying their grown-up enemies, set in a post-environemntal-disaster dystopia.

Contrary to what the reader might expect from the referrence to spaceships early on, it's set pretty firmly on earth--a convincingly drawn mess of a place. Mika is a smart, interesting character. He's just as much in the dark as the reader, and Clayton does a fine job letting reader and character figure things out at the same pace. Because the book focus so tightly on Mika, he's the only one of the cast of diverse kids involved in the game who became real to me, but looking back on it, this is is in keeping with his rather self-focused state of mind throughout the book.

Clayton keeps the book moving briskly with fresh intrigue and complexity at each level of the game, and the unsolved mysteries made for gripping reader. But for me at least, the story fell apart a bit toward the end--the answers felt a bit anticlimactic--and so I was left a little disappointed.

But that is just me. I think many older middle grade kids, and teenagers as well, to say nothing of adults, might well find this gripping and enjoyable right to the end. Especially after reading glowing reviews such as this one at Pink Me and this one at The Book Blog.

Especially recommended for boys who love video games that involve blowing up space ships, who also care about the environment.

(review copy recieved from the publishers, for Cybils Award consideration)

Bloggiesta time!

I am bloggiesta-ing this weekend--joining in the fun organized by Natasha at Maw Books! Bloggiesta is a time to focus on making our Blogs the Best that they can Be.

I'm going to spend time this weekend writing reviews, sending links of reviews already written to publishers (I am so so bad at this), organizing books waiting to be read and reviewed, finishing non-review posts that have been lurking for months, and updating my side-bar links.

I have already done one useful thing: I gathered all the books I've gotten from publishers but haven't read yet (not including books from the Cybils) from the various flat surfaces around the house and put them all in neat piles on the dining room table. This works against my New Year's Resolution to promote Gracious Dinning, but you can't have everything.

And I've also signed up for Pam and Lee's Comment Challenge 2010--for the next 21 days, I'll be leaving five comments a day around and about...

I'll be using this post to keep track of my progress. To date:

Friday (2 hours):
1 review finished and posted. Have "temporarily misplaced" publisher's contact information, so cannot let them know. sigh.

Side bar of recent reviews updated. Am not sure just how interesting this list is to anyone, but I like to imagine that it gives the books I review a little bit more time in the sun...

Saturday (3 hours to date):
Completed the mini-challenge at Bookworming in the 21st Century--I joined their new forum, the Bloggie Cult, and left a tip that I hope is useful.

I completed the Dead Links mini-challenge at Karin's Book Nook.

I wrote two reviews (but what I really want to do is write reviews to have on hand for the future--I'll want to do that tomorrow!)

I left several comments while scrambling around looking for links for my post tomorrow rounding up links to middle-grade science fiction and fantasy reviews and news (a regular Sunday feature here).

Sunday (only 2 hours :( )
I started fiddling with my links, consolidating two closely related categories (as part of Beth Fish's mini challenge)

I wrote a post for this coming Timeslip Tuesday.

And I left comments, as per the ongoing Comment Challenge.

Not as much done as I had hoped, but it was fun taking part!

Historical Fiction meets Fantasy in this year's winner of the Scott O'Dell Award

In Matt Phalen's graphic novel for middle grade readers, The Storm in the Barn, the Storm is real. It is a magical creature of terrifying power, an angry being that has been gathering its strength by withholding the rain from the parched lands around it. A young boy, bullied by his peers and dismissed as worthless by his father, becomes a true hero when he confronts the Storm and forces it to bring rain to the Dust Bowl. It's a great fantasy.

The Storm in the Barn (Candlewick Press, 2009) has just won the 2010 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, that honors books for children or young adults (published and set in the Americas). It's the only winning book, since the first award was given in 1984, that's a graphic novel, and the first that's a fantasy. As Betsy notes at Fuse #8, this opens up interesting questions- "How much fantasy is allowed in a given book? How much history should be present?" she asks.

So I have quickly scrolled through the long list of books in my mind that combine history and fantasy (lots of time travel books, quite a few magic in the past books, lots of alternate history books that I don't count because they aren't real history). I've decided that it is fairly easy to tell if the history is there to provide backdrop and setting (a lovely example of this sort of book is Bewitching Season, by Marissa Doyle (my review), or if the fantasy is there to provide the reader with a way to engage with the history, one way of making "history" into "story." Many time travel stories, like the one I reviewed most recently--A Different Day, a Different Destiny, by Annette Laing (my review), do this.

I think it's pretty clear that The Storm in the Barn fits into my later category quite nicely. I would love to see books exemplifying this type of history/fantasy mix, where the history is privileged, winning future Scott O'Dell awards!

My own all-time favorite examples of solid historical fiction that is also a fantasy are Mary Stewart's books about Merlin, a series that begins with The Crystal Cave.

Viz the graphic novel side of things--here's Roger Sutton's take (and he was a judge) on whether a graphic novel should be eligible for a historical fiction prize.

New releases of fantasy and science fiction for children and teenagers-the beginning of January, 2010

Here are the new releases of fantasy and science fiction for children and teenagers from the beginning of January. Lots of good stuff!

For nine to twelve year olds:

AMAZING GREEK MYTHS OF WONDER AND BLUNDERS by Mike Townsend. "From Hercules’ snake assassin slippers to Arachne’s wicked weaver rap songs, these are the mythic monsters and Hellenic heroes that have captured Western culture for centuries—but a whole lot more fun. Each story showcases the wondrous and blunderful antics of gods and mortals in bright graphics that rival the super-heroic action of The Lightning Thief, burst with the knock-your socks- off humor of Jeff Kinney, and still remain unerringly faithful to the original myth."

CALAMITY JACK by Shannon & Dean Hale. "Jack likes to think of himself as a criminal mastermind…with an unfortunate amount of bad luck. A schemer, plotter, planner, trickster, swindler...maybe even thief? One fine day Jack picks a target a little more giant than the usual, and one little bean turns into a great big building-destroying beanstalk. With help from Rapunzel (and her trusty braids), a pixie from Jack’s past, and a man with inventions from the future, they just might out-swindle the evil giants and put his beloved city back in the hands of good people ....while catapulting themselves and readers into another fantastical adventure."

COPPER by Kazu Kibuishi. "Copper is curious, Fred is fearful. And together boy and dog are off on a series of adventures through marvelous worlds, powered by Copper's limitless enthusiasm and imagination. Each Copper and Fred story in this graphic novel collection is a complete vignette, filled with richly detailed settings and told with a wry sense of humor. These two enormously likable characters build ships and planes to travel to surprising destinations and have a knack for getting into all sorts of odd situations. Copper's good cheer always smoothes the way---and Fred can usually be won over if there's food involved."

DEAD GUY SPY: NATHAN ABERCROMBIE, ACCIDENTAL ZOMBIE by David Lubar
"Nathan Abercrombie is getting used to his rotten life as a half-dead zombie. The good thing is he doesn’t feel any pain. The bad thing is his body can’t heal, so he has to be really careful not to break anything. But that’s hard to do when his wrestling-obsessed gym teacher, Mr. Lomux, matches him up with Rodney the bully, who’s looking for any excuse to break his bones. Then one day, Nathan is approached by the secret organization B.U.M.—aka the Bureau of Useful Misadventures—which offers him a cure in exchange for his help. Nathan jumps at the chance to become the world’s first zombie spy, but soon discovers that B.U.M. isn’t quite what it seems. Can Nathan trust them?"

ERAK'S RANSOM: RANGER'S APPRENTICE by John Flanagan. "What does it mean to earn the Silver Oakleaf? So few men have done so. For Will, a mere boy, that symbol of honor has long felt out of reach. Now, in the wake of Araluen’s uneasy truce with the raiding Skandians comes word that the Skandian leader has been captured by a dangerous desert tribe. The Rangers are sent to free him. But the desert is like nothing these warriors have seen before. Strangers in a strange land, they are brutalized by sandstorms, beaten by the unrelenting heat, tricked by one tribe that plays by its own rules, and surprisingly befriended by another. Like a desert mirage, nothing is as it seems. Yet one thing is constant: the bravery of the Rangers."

THE FIRE STONE: REIGN OF THE ELEMENTS by Riley Carney "...a group of teenagers, led by fifteen-year-old Matt, attempt to save their world. Matt knows how to shovel hay, dig trenches, and dodge his father’s whip, but when three terrifying creatures attack Matt, and he is rescued by a wizard, he kidnaps a baby alorath, and is befriended by elves, Matt’s life transforms overnight from dreary to astonishing. When he unwittingly joins a quest to find the Fire Stone, one of the elusive Stones of the Elements which have the power to destroy the world, Matt is thrust into a string of perilous adventures. He soon discovers that magic does exist and that he has extraordinary powers that can change his destiny and determine the fate of Mundaria."

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?"

MISSILE MOUSE by Jake Parker. "Missile Mouse, secret agent for the Galactic Security Agency, is a risk taker and a rule breaker, which is why he's in hot water at GSA headquarters. Then RIP, the Rogue Imperium of Planets, kidnaps a scientist who knows about the Star Crusher, a doomsday machine capable of destroying the entire universe.Time to let loose the mouse! Missile Mouse battles giant space slugs, corrupt agents, killer bugs, and a pair of shark-headed thugs to save the day (and the scientist!). And when he's sucked into the exploding Star Crusher, he becomes pure energy . . . energy that will consume him unless Missile Mouse can release it and destroy RIP's spaceship fleet in time."

PANDORA GETS HEART: MYTHIC MISS-ADVENTURES by Carolyn Hennesy
"Pandora and her friends Alcie, Iole, and Homer are practically evil-hunting experts. Jealousy, Vanity, and Laziness are all safely in the box and they already know Lust is lurking on Mount Pelion, so this fourth task should be super easy.Just one teeny tiny problem: the evil is hiding at a wedding that took place 1,300 years ago. Luckily, the messenger god, Hermes steps in to help Pandy and her friends travel back in time—with just one rule: don’t change anything. At the wedding, they recognize most of the gods and goddesses, but nobody recognizes them. (Duh, they haven’t been born yet.) So they can search for the evil without drawing attention to themselves. But then Lust appears in the middle of a fateful argument between three of the most powerful goddesses. There’s no way Pandora can capture the evil without making a big scene. And worse, if she takes it at the wrong moment, she won’t just change the course of history—she’ll be history. Yup, this quest is totally under control . . . gulp!"

PAST FORWARD: TIME RUNNERS by Justin Richards. 'The U.S. in 2021 is not a pleasant place—after the death of President Carlton in 2016, civilization has broken down. Several states have ceded, and the people fear for their lives. There are gun battles on the city streets and barely enough food to go around. Jamie and Anna are with a group of children at a scientific facility on the outskirts of Washington, D.C.—a compound guarded by the army, with rioters clamoring to get inside this safe-haven. But Jamie and Anna don't care about that—they're here because someone at the facility is developing time travel, and that shouldn't happen for centuries yet. With rioters breaking in from outside, and a terrifying monster on the loose inside, our heroes meet the businessman who's funding the research: Darkling Midnight. Can Jamie and Anna stop the monster, escape the rioters, and discover what Midnight's up to? How is it all tied up with the death of the President? And why are the children here—unless they are part of the time experiments themselves?"

PRINCESS ELLIE AND THE ENCHANTED FAWN: THE TIARA CLUB by Vivian French. "A little fawn has lost its way in Hollyberry Wood. Can the Pearl Palace Princesses help Witch Windlespin find his mother? Princess Ellie has an idea, but nasty Princess Diamonde has one too."

PRINCESS SARAH AND THE SILVER SWAN: THE TIARA CLUBby Vivian French."It’s the end of term at Pearl Palace. The magical silver swan must fly down to the lake before Princess Sarah can win her sash. But will the horrid twins spoil the day?"

Young Adult:

BAD BLOOD: A BLOOD COVEN VAMPIRE NOVEL by Mari Mancusi. "Sunny McDonald is in the ultimate forbidden relationship. Her boyfriend Magnus is a vampire, and the leader of the Blood Coven. And when the Coven decides that Magnus needs a mate to be his co-ruler, Sunny's humanity puts her out of the running. The Coven's chosen candidate is Jane Johnson, a magna cum laude graduate of Oxford University who just happens to look like a vampiric supermodel. Sunny is suspicious of a Rhodes Scholar who can't answer the most basic poli-sci questions, but Magnus brushes it off as petty jealousy. Still, when the Blood Coven goes to Las Vegas for a vampire convention, Sunny and her twin sister Rayne secretly tag along. And Sunny's not going home before she learns the truth about Jane. Because not everything stays in Vegas-especially bad blood."

BLEEDING VIOLET by Dia Reeves. "Hanna simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna's tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to Portero, Texas in search of a new home. But Portero is a stranger town than Hanna expects. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she's far from normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe."

CAPTIVATE by Carrie Jones. "Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town. A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his."

CHASING BROOKLYN by Lisa Schroeder. "Brooklyn can't sleep. Her boyfriend, Lucca, died only a year ago, and now her friend Gabe has just died of an overdose. Every time she closes her eyes, Gabe's ghost is there waiting for her. She has no idea what he wants or why it isn't Lucca visiting her dreams. Nico can't stop. He's always running, trying to escape the pain of losing his brother, Lucca. But when Lucca's ghost begins leaving messages, telling Nico to help Brooklyn, emotions come crashing to the surface. As the nightmares escalate and the messages become relentless, Nico reaches out to Brooklyn. But neither of them can admit that they're being haunted. Until they learn to let each other in, not one soul will be able to rest."

THE DIVINITY PROJECT: MONSTER REPUBLIC by Ben Horton. "An explosion in a nuclear power plant. Kids patched up with scavenged body parts and bionic implants. A growing army of superhuman soldiers programmed for destruction. 'No', whispered Cameron to the monster in the glass. And he watched it shaking its hideous head. 'That's not me. You're not me'.

DRAGONS OF DARKNESS by Antonia Michaelis. "The author-translator team behind the internationally acclaimed Tiger Moon reunites for this lush, exotic tale of fantasy and adventure—and dragons galore. In this thrilling modern-day fable, two boys from very different backgrounds are thrown together by magic, mayhem, and a common foe. Jumar, an invisible prince, wants to free his native Nepal from invaders. Christopher, a shy German boy, wants to find his kidnapped brother. Together they embark on a journey through the wilderness of Nepal—a journey that proves to be a dangerous rite of passage. Fighting the beautiful but deadly dragons that beset the country, the two boys learn that in order to change the world, they must first change themselves."

FIRESPELL: A NOVEL OF THE DARK ELITE by Chloe Neill. "Lily's parents have sent her to a fancy boarding school in Chicago filled with the ultra-rich. If that wasn't bad enough, she's hearing and seeing bizarre things on St. Sophie's creepy campus. Her roommate, Scout, keeps her sane, but keeps disappearing at night. When one day Lily finds Scout running from real-life monsters, she learns the hard way that Scout is involved in a splinter group of rebel teens. They protect Chicago from demons, vamps, and dark magic users. It's too bad Lily doesn't have powers of her own to help. At least, none that she's discovered yet..."

REMOTE CONTROL by Jack Heath. "Agent Six of Hearts, 16-year-old superhuman, is on a mission. His brother Kyntak has been kidnapped. A strange and sinister new figure is rising in power. Six is suspected of being a double agent. The Deck has been put into lockdown by the Queen of Spades. A mysterious girl has appeared who acts as Six's guardian angel. Who can he trust? As the clock ticks steadily against Kyntak's life, Six of Hearts is on the run: from his past, from his fellow agents at the Deck, even from his own DNA...."

STEPHENIE MEYER: THE UNAUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY OF THE CREATOR OF THE TWILIGHT SAGA by Marc Shapiro

THIRST NO. 2: PHANTOM, EVIL THIRST, AND CREATURES OF FOREVER by Christopher Pike. "What Alisa has desired for five thousand years has finally come true: She is once again human. But now she is defenseless, vulnerable, and, for the first time in centuries, emotional. As she attempts to reconcile her actions as a vampire with her new connection to humanity, she begins to understand the weight of life and-death decisions. Can Alisa resolve her past and build a new identity, or is she doomed to repeat her fatal mistakes?"

A Different Day, A Different Destiny by Annette Laing for Timeslip Tuesday

It has been more than a month since my last Timeslip Tuesday post...yoicks. But I have several good ones lined up, so I have high hopes that it will become a regular feature again.

In view of the recent blogosphere discussion about kids of color in the books written today, I am rather pleased that the book that I had already planned to review today has, as one of the three main characters, an African-American boy from the 21st century who is a normal, everyday kid. Normal, that is, apart from the fact that he travels through time.

This week's time travel book is A Different Day, A Different Destiny, book 2 of the Snipesville Chronicles by Annette Laing (2009, Confusion Press, middle grade, 269pp). In the first book of the series (Don't Know Where, Don't Know When), Hannah and Alex Dias, and their friend Brandon Clark travelled back through time and space to WW II Britain (and Brandon went back even farther, to WW I...). Now the three children have been whisked up again in the time travelling machinations of the strange professor who took control of their lives last time. They are about to find out what 1851 was really like.

For Hannah, who finds herself toiling in a Scottish textile factory, it is brutal drudgery. For Alex, who finds himself the clerk of a slave-owning Southerner, life is more comfortable materially, but not at all so mentally. For Brandon, the experience is even stranger--as a black boy in Victorian England, he is something of a curiosity. He leaves his first employment in a northern coal mine to find work as an undertaker's boy (adding interest to funerals), and from there he becomes a servant to a titled lady, who brings him out to preach the evils of slavery to raise money for the Abolitionist movement in the United States.

Although the paths of the three children seem to have taken them far from each other (in rather complicated story-lines), they are fated to meet again. When they do, the three kids must change the course of history. It's a small change, but important nonetheless...

Annette Laing is herself a professor of history, and the 1851 she brings to her readers is beautifully researched and meticulously crafted. As far as "time travel as education" goes, her Snipesville Chronicles are impeccable. My only complaint is that this book is perhaps a tad too ambitious in the history side of things. My own mind was dizzied by the three points of view--hurrying from Georgia plantation to coal mine to textile factory and onward, each place with its own cast of local characters and dense background of history and culture. I had a sense of the book as more "vignettes of modern children in the past" then as an engrossing fictional narrative.

But when the paths of the three kids all bent toward the Crystal Palace in London (around page 200) the story truly began to work for me as a story--they ceased being characters in isolation, and became much more alive in my mind. And from then on, it was both fascinating and pleasurable to watch all the disparate threads of story become woven into a coherent whole (although, because there are lots and lots of these threads, and Laing is fairly thorough in her explanations, this part might not be to the taste of every reader. The one thing that is never explained is the Professor herself--what and why she's doing with time remains a mystery).

In short, I found it top-notch historical fiction on the history side of things, but not quite as engrossing as the first book as far as the characters' own stories went (bearing in mind that I like that one a lot--here's my review; it was my first official Timeslip Tuesday book, way back in June 2008...). I trust that there will be a third book--at least, I hope there will be!

(disclosure: I received my copy from the author)

The Ask and the Answer wins the Costa Award

The Ask and the Answer, sequel to The Knife of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness, has just won the Costa Children's Book Award. (Since this is a UK award, the picture is of the UK edition).




Here is the shortlist, chosen by appointed judges (generally a trio of that include an author, a bookseller, and a journalist):

Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd
Troubadour by Mary Hoffman
The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness
Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera

I haven't read any of them....I've had a copy of The Ask and the Answer for ages and ages, but the Knife of Never Letting Go upset me so much that I haven't yet found the strength to read its sequel....

Putting my money where my mouth is (and my mouth where my money is)

I have lots and lots of reviews to write, but two very special mugs came in the mail for me today, and I wanted to quickly post about them:

They were generously donated by artist Erin Swift to an on-line auction that helped kick start Tu Publishing, and I was the lucky high bidder! Thank you, Erin!

And thanks in advance to the folks at Tu Publishing, for promising us multi-cultural science fiction and fantasy books for children and young adults.

From their website: "We want to publish exciting, adventurous books that children of all backgrounds will be able to either see themselves in or find a window to another world—or both, because what fantasy book isn’t a window to another world?"

Yes please!

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

Welcome to this week's gathering of blog posts about middle-grade (ages 9-12) fantasy and science fiction books! I skipped last week, so there are a couple here from back then...Please let me know if I missed your post!

The most exciting Middle Grade Science Fiction and Fantasy news is the Shortlist for the Cybils Awards. These seven books are all truly excellent (although I helped pick them, and so am a tad biased). Which do you like best? (more frivolously, which cover do you like best?)








Yesterday I went through the 98 books nominated to look for kids of color--here's what I found.

Here are the various reviews of mg sff books:

Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony, at Wandeca Reads.

A Whole Nother Story, at The Book Aunt

The Box of Delights, by John Masefield from the Guardian's book blog (This sequel to The Midnight Folk is one to keep in mind for next Christmas!).

Clover Twig and the Magical Cottage, by Kaye Umanskya, at Eva's Book Addiction.

The Ever Breath, by Julianna Baggott, at Eva's Book Addiction, at Steph Su Reads, and at The HappyNappyBookseller.

The Farwalker's Quest, by Joni Sensel, at Fuse #8.

The Green Bronze Mirror, by Lynne Ellison, at A Few More Pages.

Magical Ms. Plum, by Bonnie Becker, at Fuse#8.

Raider's Ransome, at Carrie's YA Bookshelf, Katie's Book Blog, Fuse #8, and at The Book Aunt.

Sillksinger (Dreamdark, book 2), by Laini Taylor, at Fuse #8.


Troll's Eye View: A Book of Villainous Tales, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, at Charlotte's Library.

When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead, at Green Bean Teen Queen.

At Boys Rule, Boys Read you can find snippet reviews of some middle grade fantasy books here and here.

At Fantasy Literature, Rebecca is amassing reviews of Joan Aiken's books--her most recent being a look at The Cuckoo Tree.

And although fairy tale picture books aren't technically middle-grade/9-12 year-old books, sometimes they are just the right thing to offer a mg child, so here's a post about several of these from Jennifer at the Jean Little Library.

Miscellaneous:

The Lateiner Gang offers a peon to middle-grade fantasy author James Rollins (Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx, the second of these, comes out this April).

At Green Bean Teen Queen, there's an interview with Derek Landry (of Skullduggery fame)

I compiled a list of the dragon books of 2009 here.

Finally, here's a post for all those who love The Magic Pudding (an early classic of Australian fantasy literature for children), as well as all of us who have never even heard of it. Here is an illustration of the Pudding:

scary.

Please feel free to send me links for next week at any time!