Entice, by Carrie Jones

Entice, by Carrie Jones (Bloomsbury, 2010, YA, 272 pages)

(warning--contains spoilers for the first two books--Need and Captivate)

The third book in the story of Zara, an ordinary (ish) girl who agreed to be turned into a pixie queen to save her boyfriend Nick from Valhalla.

Being a new pixie queen is stressful for Zara (understatement). There's the little fact that rouge pixies are praying on teenagers in her town, which causes her friends and family to be more than somewhat dismayed that Zara is now a pixie herself. It dismays Zara too, as she wrestles with her new identity--can she still be a Good person, now that she is one of Them? There's the fact that Astley, the pixie king, needs her help keeping his people strong, so that the rouge bunch can be thwarted. There's her panic about Nick--can she save him in time, or will the sacrifice of her humanity be in vain?

Throw in a bullet wound, a really nasty ex-pixie queen, a were-tiger grandma who hates pixies, some very dangerous dead-ends on the road to Valhalla...and you have an exciting adventure that beautifully combines character-driven story-telling with almost non-stop action!

Jones' signature style of sweet humor is here (although more understated than in previous books), as is her ability to make supporting characters into people one cares about, but the focus is most definitely on Zara, and her conflicted state of mind. She's coming to care more about Astley every day, she's worried that Nick will hate her now she's a pixie, and there's the little matter of defeating the bad guys terrorizing the kids in her town. It's a lot to handle, but Zara grows stronger with every chapter....and I found myself caring more and more about her ultimate destiny--will it be Nick or Astley? (I'm not so worried about defeating the bad guys--one can reasonably assume that, with a kick-ass heroine like Zara, this will happen).

In short, Entice is riveting read, combining danger and romance (and I say this as one who is not, in general, a fan of paranormal romance). I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next!

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

The Coming of the Dragon, by Rebecca Barnhouse

The Coming of the Dragon, by Rebecca Barnhouse (2010, Random House, middle grade/ya, 301 pages)

Anyone who wants lovely historical fiction with a dragon added need look no further than this one!

After defeating Grendel and his mother, Beowulf got to enjoy a long stretch of peace as king of the Geats. Peace of a sort, that is--a festering feud with a neighboring people keeps things somewhat on edge, but at least the dragon rumored to live up in the mountains still sleeps. But when an ill-wishing man from far away steals a golden treasure from the dragon's hoard, it flies out, wrecking havoc and bringing death with its fiery breath.

Young Rune was the first to see it, and while he ran to warn the king, the dragon destroyed the only home he had ever known, and killed the old woman who had raised him. Rune has no other family--he was found as an infant in a boat washed ashore years, and has no idea who he might truly be. He dreams, though, of one day being a warrior in Beowulf's great hall, winning glory enough to impress the lovely Wynn.

But the dragon's coming changes that. Now Rune's one goal is to defeat the dragon....a dragon who might well prove more than a match for even a great hero like Beowulf.

Barnhouse does a delightful job bringing this last chapter of the saga of Beowulf to life, and I was completely satisfied with the historical accuracy of her story. I spent several years studying things Anglo-Saxon, but never, to my shame, have read Beowulf all the way through...so my satisfaction is not as watertight as it might be! However, it is almost unheard of for me not to find nits to pick in most historical fiction, and it was so nice not to find any here. I was reminded of Rosemary Sutcliff, my favorite writer of historical fiction,who taught me most of what I know about the Romans.

Rune, a teenage boy struggling to find his place in life, struggling to be brave in the face of the un-faceable, is a believable hero who is put in an impossible place and rises to the challenge. He's not one of your cocky, self-assured heroes who will clearly come out on top; rather, he's one of the self-doubting ones, who finds in himself more than he ever imagined. His character development comes not just from central problem of the dragon, but is also bound up in the larger, more complex questions of the mystery of his origins, and the future that awaits him.

There is magic, and the gods are at work, but these fantastical elements are subtle, and integrated into the fabric of the story in a way that strengthens the central plot, rather than distracting the reader. And finally, the great cast of supporting characters includes some strong-minded girls, although, in as much as this is Rune's rather dragon-centric story, they don't get as much page time as the boys do! My only area of vague dissatisfaction was the ending, which seemed a bit forced and rushed.

However, despite that one reservation, I think this is one of those rare books that I enjoyed just as much now as I would have when I was the age of the intended audience, which is to say lots.

Other reviews: Manga Maniac Cafe and Library Lounge Lizard

Books to give a five-year old boy

A co-worker asked me last week for book recommendations for her five-year old grandson (I love it when that happens!). Here's what I suggested--what would you add?










Lego Star Wars: the Visual Dictionary. Keeps them happy for hours, and builds their cultural literacy.

The Scrambled States of America, by Laurie Keller. Cute, funny, and educational. Can't be beat.

The Great Pie Robbery and Other Mysteries, by Richard Scarry. My boys love this one, even now that they are older. I would have recommended Busy, Busy, World (which they love even more), but it seems to be out of print...

Stinky, by Eleanor Davis. My favorite Toon book (a series of 'graphic novels' for those just learning to read).

Dragonbreath, by Ursula Vernon. Because this is an utterly charming book. It will make a nice read aloud now, and a great easy reader next year.

George Washington's Socks, by Elvira Woodruff, for Timeslip Tuesday

George Washington's Socks, by Elvira Woodruff (Scholastic, 1991, younger middle grade, 176 pages in pb edition)

Browsing in my local bookstore a while ago, my eye was caught by George Washington's Spy (November, 2010)-it appeared to be a time travel book, and I am always on the look out for those. Indeed it was, but I found that it is a sequel to a much earlier book, G.W.'s Socks, which I then found and read, and which I now offer as this week's Timeslip Tuesday book.

It seemed to the four boys like a great idea to form a club and camp out next to the woods. Matt was the instigator--inspired by a book, Adventures in History, he wanted a history adventure club of his own. But when his little sister Katie has finagled her way into the camp out, and camping "next to" the woods really means being in a back yard, adventure is thin on the ground. So the five kids decide to walk down the nearby lake...a lake where people have mysteriously disappeared in the past. There they find a wooden rowboat, that exerts an irresistible fascination... The next thing they know, they are being carried down the half frozen Delaware River, caught up in the Revolutionary War.

Matt is separated from the rest of the group, and finds himself marching along with George Washington's forces. The horrors of that cold winter journey toward Trenton become all to clear to him, as he walks along the snowy trail made bloody by the feet of those ahead of him. And there is worse to come. Before they make it home, the children will learn first hand the brutality of war, and that good and bad individuals can be found on either side.

Fine points, and worked fairly deftly into the story. But still, I found the whole ensemble a tad didactic-every new encounter brings a message, which was the author's intent. From the author's note: "Being a pacifist, she wrote George Washington's Socks for her son Noah, who is very fond of G.I. Joe." The characters never quite became alive enough, in my mind, to take control of the book away from the Message. However, it's a message I wholeheartedly agree with. And since there's enough adventure here to keep the reader's interest, and since it does provide a good introduction to what life in George Washington's army might have been like, I do recommend this to its intended audience.

But I do have one reservation. One of the adventures was a meeting with two Indian boys, or, actually, with two stereotypes of Indian boys (Bows and arrows? check. Face paint? check. Ability to move gracefully/without a sound/etc? check. Almost non-existent English? check. Maybe if this book had been set 150 years earlier I would have been more tolerant, but by 1776 the chances of encountering two such boys/stereotypes in New Jersey would be pretty slim).

Timeslip-wise, this one of those stories in which the magic of time travel doesn't helpfully deal with issues of clothes and modern vocabulary. Woodruff deals believably with these points--the people encountered in the past are, in general, to preoccupied to spend too much time wondering about them.

Even though George Washington's Socks didn't work all that well for me, I'll be looking for the next book, George Washington's Spy--Woodruff has had 17 years of writing experience since then, and so I am hopeful that the good that was in this book--the vibrant recreation of events in the past--will be part of a more generally satisfying package! (And I also am hopeful that little Katie, who was an unmitigated brat, will be less so in the new book....)

Steampunk Goodness, and Dinosaur Superheros!

Colleen at Chasing Ray is spearheading a week devoted to Steampunk books! Keep checking in at her place for links to posts, and do feel free to write a post or two of your own--all are welcome to take part! (I'll be doing so myself later in the week...d.v.)

And is this not cool--dinosaurs reimagined by David Resto as classic superheros (or possibly superheros reimagined as classic dinosaurs). Here is my favorite, Wolveraptor:

You can see the whole ensemble here at io9.

The Ring of Solomon, by Jonathan Stroud

The Ring of Solomon, by Jonathan Stroud (Hyperion, 2010, to heck with putting in an age bracket like I usually do, because both my 10 year old boy and my mother would enjoy this one, 416 pages)

Under the rule of Solomon, Jerusalem prospers. The power of Solomon's ring allows him to command legions of powerful spirits, and to keep under control (more or less) the magicians who serve him. These magicians in turn draw their power from their ability to raise demons, and command them. One of the middle-range demons thus raised is an old timer named Bartimaeus--the cocky type, constantly thumbing his nose (and other ruder things) at authority, happy to boast about his great deeds of yore, back when Mesopotamia was still going strong.

But all is not well for Bartimaeus. He's under the control of the very nastiest of Solomon's magicians, a most unpleasantly sadistic man who is hiding a myriad of dark secrets. Worse awaits-- Bartimaeus is about to face a truly horrendously impossible task...tricky even for a clever demon like himself, the sort of assignment that means almost certain destruction. And it's all the fault of a knife-wielding, demon-summoning, teenaged girl. A girl hell bent on carrying out her mission, even if it means death--a mission to kill Solomon and take his ring.

Asmira was honored when the Queen of Sheba sent her out on this impossible mission. She was determined to do her best, as behoved a member of the Hereditary Guard, firmly believing the fate of her country depended on her. But now that she has reached the doors of King's Solomon's palace, her only recourse is to depend on the wiles of Bartimaeus...and who can trust a demon, enslaved by magic and desperate to find freedom?

Oh my gosh I enjoyed this one so very much. Not, so much, the first hundred or so pages, which were mostly Bartimaeus annoying various beings and getting into trouble, because I found Bartimaeus is hard to like when he is just one demon among many. But once Bartimaeus and Asmira get together, the sparks begin to fly! With her to provide a foil for him, Bartimaeus pushes the boundaries of standard cold-hearted demon-ness, and Stroud does a beautifully teasingly tantalizing and oh so engrossing job of making Bartimaeus sympathetic (while still demonic). And he was just the companion Asmira needed to push her out of her box of blind duty and into independent thinking. From kick-ass knife thrower without much personality, she progresses to strong young woman one can really root for.

Bartimaeus made his first appearance in an eponymous trilogy of books that begins with The Amulet of Samarkand. I didn't mention at the beginning of this post that I'd met him in those books before, because this book stands alone just fine. It takes place millennia before the events of the trilogy; there's no need at all to have even heard of them to enjoy this one.

I'd recommend The Ring of Solomon in particular to those who enjoy Sarah Rees Brennon's demonic books (The Demon's Lexicon et seq.). There's the obvious common ground of demonic magic, and the fact that she too is exploring the tricky ground of making someone alien sympathetic, but she and Stroud also share a nice sharpness of wit that makes for very entertaining reading!

Note on age: The books in the Bartimaeus trilogy are pretty firmly YA; The Ring of Solomon, on the other hand, makes a great middle grade read (which is where Amazon has it)--lots of mayhem and demonic death, but in a middle grade-ish sort of way. That being said, it's also a great YA and adult read.

My one small quibble: right at the beginning, on page 11, Bartimaeus uses honky tonk piano playing as a metaphor. Since at this point we are still at 950 B.C.E., and since I don't think demons time travel, I was kicked out of the story. But I bravely kept reading...and was richly rewarded.

Added bonus: Asmira is a first rate heroine of color, dark of hair and skin.

Here's another review from Liz at A Chair, a Fireplace, and a Teacozy.

The Sunday's middle-grade fantasy and science fiction round-up!

Every week I worry about not having enough links to make a satisfactory round-up. Every week, I am proved wrong! I hope you enjoy these; please let me know if I missed yours!

The Reviews:

The Charlatan's Boy, by Jonathan Rogers, at Whispers of (a new) Dawn, which she also talks about here. This book was just on tour, I find, with too many links to post--you can find them all here at Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy.

The Call, by Michael Grant, at Ms. Yingling Reads.

The Clockwork Three, by Matthew Kirby, at Fuse #8

The Clone Codes, by The McKissacks, at Coffee for the Brain.

Come Fall, by A.C.E. Bauer, at Reading Vacation.

The Dead Boys, by Royce Buckingham, at Charlotte's Library

Fever Crumb, by Philip Reeve, at One Librarian's Book Reviews.

Gargoylz Ride to the Rescue, by Burchett & Vogler, at Nayu's Reading Corner.

The Goddess Girls series, by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams, at Biblio File.

Ghost of Heroes Past, by Charles Reid, at Charlotte's Library.

Hero, by Mike Lupica, at Susan Field.

The Invisible Order: Rise of the Darklings, by Paul Crilley, at Coffee for the Brain.

Lob, by Linda Newbury, at Nayu's Reading Corner

Ninth Ward, by Jewell Parker Rhodes, at Coffee for the Brain and at Literate Lives.

No Passengers Beyond this Point, by Gennifer Choldenko, at Bermudaonions Weblog

The Pharaoh's Secret, by Marissa Moss, at Guy's Lit Wire

Ravenna, by Stacey Curnow, at Fuse #8.

The Search for WondLa, by Tony DiTerlizzi, at Charlotte's Library.

Swordbird, by Nancy Yi Fan, at Pragmatic Mom.

The Tilting House, by Tom Llewellyn, at Coffee for the Brain.

When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead, at The Book Smugglers.

The Wish Stealers, by Tracy Trivas, at Charlotte's Library.

Wolven, by Di Toft, at Coffee For the Brain.

Mind of Mr. X is celebrating Brandon Mull (Fablehaven) Month

And some quick sff suggestions for middle grade boys can be found here at Rose Green's live journal.

The Interviews:

Kathi Appelt (Keeper) at Shelf Elf
Rebecca Barnhouse (The Coming of the Dragon) at The Enchanted Inkpot.
Bryan Chick (The Secret Zoo) at Manga Maniac Cafe.
Adam Gidwitz (A Tale Dark and Grimm) at Fuse #8
Stephan Messer (Windblowne) at Project Mayhem.

The Everything Else:

Juliet Marillier is this week's Fairytale Reflections guest at Seven Miles of Steel Thistles, and for more fairy tale fun, visit Favorite Fairy Tales of People Past, at SurLaLune.

The Animorphs are being given new life! This doesn't mean all that much to me personally, since when the series began in 1996 I was doing a lot more pool playing than reading juvenile sci fi/fantasy, but I'm looking forward to trying them on my Young.

Five sci-fi children's books (which don't actually exist)--my favorite is shown at right.

And this isn't middle grade, but I'm mentioning it because I want to be eligible for the Grand Prize--Beth Revis, author of the upcoming Across the Universe, is having a giveaway of awesome proportions, with 100 prizes!

I think that's all--but please let me know if I missed something!

(people are starting to steal my round-ups in their entirety for their own posting pleasure--if you are reading this somewhere else, it's been lifted from me without my permission).

Megan Whalen Turner over at The Book Smugglers

Readers of my blog know what a huge Megan Whalen Turner fan I am, so I was pleased as punch to see that she is the current guest poster over at The Book Smugglers, offering her favorite books of last year.

And I was also pleased to see that one of them is The Hotel Under the Sand, one of the most hauntingly memorable books I read in 2009! (my review).

The Wish Stealers, by Tracy Trivas

The Wish Stealers, by Tracy Trivas (Aladdin, 2010, middle grade, 288 pages)

Griffin is a compulsive wisher--every eyelash, ladybug, and even dandelion puff inspires her. Her wishes are happy ones--that the new baby on its way turn out to be a little sister, that she might become a great bass guitarist, that her new school might smell like fresh chocolate chip cookies. But there are darker wishes, and darker wish-ers, in the world...

On a visit to the local antique shop, Griffin is accosted by a hideous old woman, who compels her to accept a priceless, shiny Indian Head penny, along with a box of polishing cloth. To Griffin's dismay, the box also contains stolen wishes--eleven perfect pennies, each labeled with a wish made years ago. And there's a letter in the box from the strange old woman, bearing horrible news--the old woman was a Wish Stealer, and she's chosen Griffin as her heir. From now on, Griffin's own wishes will go horrible wrong, unless she can somehow return the eleven stolen wishes...

So to her ordinary middle school concerns (a boy she might or might not like, a mean girl, her grandma, who is old and not well, the new baby on its way) Griffin must add the biggest challenge of her life--to somehow restore wishes to strangers who might not even be alive...

This is one of those real-world fantasies, where the magical element drives the plot, but is firmly rooted in the everyday. Griffin's ability to make evil wishes come true is fantastical, and adds a generous dose of suspense and mystery, keeping the pages turning nicely. The crazy, and scary, witches from Macbeth, ostensibly in town to promote a performance of the play, are especially zesty, although I wish they'd had a bit more page time and been more fully explained. An added bonus is the a strong message of the book--it promotes both positive thinking and action.

In short, it's a fun story, good for those who eschew overwhelmingly magical stories, but who enjoy their middle grade fiction spiced up with a bit of fantasy pizazz.

(Review copy received from the publisher for Cybils consideration)

The Dead Boys, by Royce Buckingham

The Dead Boys, by Royce Buckingham (Putnam, 2010, middle grade, 208 pages)

Teddy is less than thrilled about moving to a small town in the desert of eastern Washington, where his mother has gotten a job as a nuclear scientist. There's a month before school starts, the heat is horrible, and Teddy is being forced by his mother to leave the air-conditioned comfort of home (such as it is) to Make Friends.

The massive sycamore tree across the street, however, is more than a little pleased to have a new boy in town. And neighborhood dead boys are eager to make a new friend too.

Because this isn't any tree--it's a monster created by radioactive waste, that feeds on the life force of its victims--12 year old boys. Boys just like Teddy. The tree takes just enough to feed itself, while keeping the boys trapped in a hideous half-life. But every decade, it craves new, fresh, young blood. Like Teddy's.

This is one of the most riveting books I've read all year. Teddy's encounters with the dead boys, and the unravelling of the mysteries surrounding them, makes for great, horror-full, reading (without being so nightmarish as to bother my tender sensibilities). Buckingham's gradual build up to the final confrontation is deft and unrelenting, and the sufferings endured by the other boys are chilling. But there's more than just horror here- Teddy is a very appealing hero, who makes choices based on friendship and loyalty.

Yeah, you have to suspend your disbelief tree-wise, but if you can accept an Evil, Blood-Sucking Tree of Death, you'll enjoy this one lots! In short, The Dead Boys is a book I want to hand to every (strong-minded) middle grade boy I know, because I bet it will grip them just as much, if not more, than it did me!

Here's how my reading went. Started book at 3 pm. Read straight through. Finished at 3:40, feeling very satisfied with both book and self. Despite fast reading, pictures from the book are crystal clear in my mind, but fascinating, rather than troubling. Mainly because the Tree is so over the top (but in a way that Works!).

(Is a radioactive evil tree, a bit of time travel, and some half-dead characters sci fi or fantasy? I dunno, so I've put both labels on it).

Here's a great interview with Buckingham at Through the Tollbooth, where he talks about writing scary books for boys.

Misc. Things of Happy Interest

A post of various merry things!

First, Thank you so much, Michelle (That's What She Read) for the lovely Book Blogger Holiday Swap gift! When we opened the box and saw the wrapped presents inside, one boy strongly felt I should wait till Christmas to open them...but before he could finish that thought the other boy and I were already enjoying the fun of unwrapping! And so a rather cold and fretful (too much to do whine whine) evening was made merry by a package containing two books I am dying to read--The Hour Glass Door and Second Hand Charm, and a lovely set of note cards! Happiness.

Second, The Winter Blog Blast Tour is underway--the full schedule can be seen here, at Chasing Ray. Today's lineup:

Andrea Seigel at Shaken & Stirred
Adele Griffin at Bildungsroman
Susan Campbell Bartoletti at Chasing Ray
Charles Benoit at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Sarah MacLean at Writing & Ruminating
Allen Zadoff at Hip Writer Mama

Some awards shortlists have been announced:

Here are the books in the Favourite Stories (link takes you to book summaries) of the Blue Peter Awards (UK)
Dead Man's Cove (A Laura Marlin Mystery) by Lauren St John
A Web of Air (Mortal Engines) by Philip Reeve
Tall Story by Candy Gourlay

(Trash, by Andy Mulligan, was on this list when it was first announced yesterday, but then removed because of being "unsuitable" for young reader).

The Morris Awards Awards, recognizing YA debuts (and again the link takes you to summaries), are as follows:

Hush, by Eishes Chayil
Guardian of the Dead, by Karen Healey
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, by Lish McBride
Crossing the Tracks, by Barbara Stuber
The Freak Observer, by Blythe Woolston

Why isn't there an equivilent award for middle grade debuts????

I've signed up for two more challenges this coming year--both are for sub-genres of reading that I'd planned to do anyway. The first is the Time Travel Challenge, hosted by Alyce (At Home With Books), and the second is the POC Reading Challenge, hosted by Pam (Bookalicio.us), Katy (A Few More Pages), and Ari (Reading In Color). I hope to get my multicultural sci/fi fantasy list up to a hundred book in 2011--48 more to go!

And getting back to festive-ness, check out this magazine page wreath, from Rhode Island's own Rag and Bone Bindery (their open studio sale is this Saturday):


And then visit the December Lights Project, where you can read, for free, short stories by great writers (up now, Karen Healey and Sarah Prineas!).

Ghost of Heroes Past, by Charles Reid, for Timeslip Tuesday

Before I begin the review of this week's book, I just want to share that Alyce at At Home With Books has kicked of a Time Travel Reading Challenge! I guess my goal is to read 52 time travel books in the coming year, since that's how many Tuesdays there will be....Alyce has a nice list of time travel books in her announcement post, and, just in case any readers of this blog don't know, I have a full list of my review of time travel books here, sorted by time period and age range. And now, today's Timeslip Tuesday book:

Ghost of Heroes Past, by Charles Reid ( Ronsdale Press, 2010, middle grade, 170 pages)

Johnny Anders is an ordinary Canadian boy, of the lonely, daydreaming kind. But his life becomes utterly extraordinary when the ghost of a soldier begins visiting him at night. This ghost takes Johnny back into the past, showing him scenes from World Wars I and II in which Canadian men and women were present. The moving acts of heroism he witnesses include those of Bill Chong, risking his life to carry military intelligence through the havoc of south Asia in WW II, a nurse, Joan Bamford Flecher, who refuses to believe that the impossible task of bringing hundreds of wounded civilians to safety is impossible, and numerous other brave men and women, some of whom never made it home. These night-time excursions have a profound effect on Johnny, encouraging him to recognize that there might be a reason why he's been chosen by the ghost--he, too, has the gift to make stories from history become real, through his writing.

In the present, his self-confidence, minute to start with, is bolstered by his growing friendship with a new girl in town. Casey has self-confidence to spare--so much so that she dresses in gungy clothes, wanting to be judged for her character, not by her appearance. She has an interest in the two world wars herself--her great grandfather fought in both. And when Johnny begins to share his experience with her, it turns out that her great grandfather is one of the heroes whose story Johnny has been observing. She is an eager audience for his stories, who encourages him to explore his own talents as a historian...and she becomes more than just a friend.

I myself am fascinated by the two world wars, and Reid does a beautiful job telling his stories in gripping fashion. I was riveted. His presentation of the wars is balanced--he makes a stab at explaining why the Japanese did some of the horrible things they did, instead of just dismissing them as Bad, and he never glorifies or sugar-coats the realities of war. I do wonder, though, why the ghost who visits Johnny is fixed on the two world wars--this is never explained. (The ghost himself isn't exactly explained either, but I am comfortable letting that slide--it's fantasy, after all).

The other story, of Casey back in real life, requires much more suspension of disbelief--I don't think that anyone that confident really exists in any middle school. But it sure would be great if they did, and I enjoyed the growing friendship between the two, even though it also required great suspension of disbelief that Casey would really fall for Johnny...she somehow is attracted to something more than just the stories he tells, and I was never quite convinced that I saw what she did in him!

Time travel-wise, this is firmly in the didactic camp--Johnny, and the reader, are Being Taught Lessons, and Johnny remains a passive observer throughout. For those like me, who enjoy learning through fiction, this works well. And I think the book has enough excitement and mystery to hold the interest of its intended audience of young readers who enjoy historical fiction, although those who don't enjoy historical fiction for the sake of the history might find it a bit disjointed.

In the acknowledgements, Reid states that "the stories of military actions are as recorded, either by military archives, or as told by the actual participants in interviews with the author." I wish he'd made this more obvious, by including more information about this aspect of the book in an afterword. I only thought to look at the acknowledgements just now, and finding that the author seems to have actually been in touch with Bill Chong, for instance, adds, for me, a layer of interest that I think could have been developed in more detail, with pointers on how to find more information. I went poking about online, and found, for instance, this site on Canadian Chinese Veterans, where there's a picture of Bill Chong's employment letter (shown at right).

Note on age appropriateness: there is some pretty hard core horrible-ness of war described here. People die, and I think it might disturb younger readers. The growing relationship between the two kids also kicks this up a bit toward the older range of middle grade (11 to 12 year olds), even though they do no more than exchange a chaste kiss.

(a rather less favorable review of the book can be found at Quill and Quire, the Canadian book review magazine--and they do raise some valid points. But whatever the reason, Ghost of Heroes Past worked for me!)

Review copy gratefully received from the publisher for Cybils consideration.

The Search for WondLa, by Tony DiTerlizzi

The Search for WondLa, by Tony DiTerlizzi (Simon and Schuster, 2010, middle grade, 496 pages)

Eva Nine has lived all her 12 years underground, alone except for her robotic care-giver, Muthr.* With the help of holograms, she studies outdoor survival skills, but has never left the self-contained world she lives in; even her wondering about the world is constrained by the limited reality she's known all her life. One small scrap of a picture, showing a girl, a grown-up, and a robot, with letters spelling out WondLa, is the cornerstone of her dreams...

But one day her underground sanctuary is blown to bits by an intruder, and Eva finds herself on her own, on the surface. And so she decides that she will look for WondLa. She is not alone for long-strange life forms, that her hand held computer can't identify, abound on the surface of this planet. Some are friendly---a non-human person named Rovender, and a behemothy creature whose thoughts she can share. But one in particular is actively hostile--the hunter who destroyed Eva's home, and who is determined to capture her, for reasons she cannot guess at.

Eva journeys through her strange world, lost at times in the wonders and the mysteries of real, vibrant life. And the two threads of her story--the exploration of the strange and the fantastic, and the clues to the mysteries falling into place--work together with the interesting cast of characters to create a satisfying story, one that held my attention and interest very nicely.

Well, maybe satisfying isn't quite the right world. The further one reads on into the book, the clearer it becomes that this is just an introduction to a much, much bigger story than one girl's adventures in an alien wonderland. The mystery of who is pursuing Eva is solved, and reveled to be an insignificant compared to the greater mystery of who Eva is. And just as we reach the end of the book, we get, not answers, but The Really Big Questions....so not satisfying, exactly, but, like I said, a very entertaining story and I am very anxious indeed to read book 2!

Science fiction for the 9-10 year old is thin on the ground, and most of it seems to consist of wacky aliens visiting modern earth. This, on the contrary, is a very rare indeed example of the alien-world-explored sub genre of sci fi for kids (the only other one I know of is The Green Book, aka Shine, by Jill Paton Walsh). It's one of my own favorite sub-genres, with its exploration of fauna and flora, the meetings of alien cultures, the (optional, but gratefully received) conflicts between technology and unfiltered experiences. And DiTerlizzi does a nice job with it, keeping things complicated without drowning the story in detail (he's helped in this regard by the many intricate drawings he includes). While the plot might not seem that original to the veteran sci fi reader, I think it is an excellent one to offer one's child, for whom the wonder of it all will be fresh and new (although possibly reminiscent of Star Wars).

But I don't think this is, necessarily, "a new fairy tale for the twenty-first century," as the back of the book would have us believe. Although the book clearly strives for the numinous, hair-raising on the back of the neck-ness of a truly powerful "fairy tale," it didn't deliver at a deep emotional level. For me at least, it stayed at the level of pleasant entertainment.

Short answer: an excellent choice for a present for a child (maybe one who's read Harry Potter and not yet started The Edge Chronicles**), and a fun book to read oneself.

(The book is linked to an interactive website. To fully enjoy it, you need a webcam. A blurb about the website is one of the first things the reader comes too...and I can't help but think it's kind of unfair to kids who don't have Internet access and webcams at home...This was a problem I had with Patrick Carmen's Skeleton Creek, where it was essential that the reader go on line. Here it's not necessary to the enjoyment of the story, but still it seems unfair...or am I just being a Luddite? The thought of interrupting my reading to visit the computer seems unpleasant to me. But maybe I would feel differently if I had a webcam at home, and could try out the augmented reality experience being offered...At The Digital Reader you can watch a video of it in action, and see for yourself).

* just goes to show what sort of reader of fictional names I am that it took 150 pages or so for the muthr = mother shoe to drop. I would still be unaware of Diagon Alley if my husband hadn't pointed it out to me....Clever readers might now want to speculate about WondLa...

**I'm currently reading the most recent book of the Edge Chronicles, by Paul Stewart Chris Riddell--The Immortals. Similar in feel--human child exploring strange land full of "alien" beings, but for slightly older readers, I think).

Review copy gratefully received from the publishers for Cybils consideration.

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

Another week, another round-up! Let me know if I missed your post.

The Reviews:

Alien Storm, by A.G. Taylor, at Nayu's Reading Corner.

Archvillain, by Barry Lyga, at Coffee for the Brain.

Behemoth, by Scott Westerfeld, at Biblophilia and at Coffee for the Brain.

The Crossroads, by Chris Grabenstein, at Books & Other Thoughts

The Dead Boys, by Royce Buckingham, at La Femme Readers

Facing Fire, by kc dyer, at Charlotte's Library

The Familiars, by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson, at The Fiction Enthusiast

The Interdimensional Dumpster, by Ray Connor, at Coffee for the Brain.

The Lost Hero, by Rick Riordan, at Charlotte's Library.

Lucy and the Green Man (ak Lob in the UK), by Linda Newbery at Kids Lit

Ninth Ward, by Jewell Parker Rhodes, at Reading in Color.

Oracles of Delphi Keep, by Victoria Laurie, at Elizabeth Swigar's Book Blog.

A Practical Guide to Dragon Magic, by Susan J. Morris, at Manga Maniac Cafe.

The Rise of the Darklings (Invisible Order Book 1) by Paul Crilley, at Kids Lit.

Savvy, by Ingrid Law, at Middle Grade Ninja

The Secret Lives of Princesses, by Philippe Lechermeier, at Charlotte's Library

The Sixty-eight Rooms, by Marianne Malone, at A Patchwork of Books.

The Smokey Corridor, by Chris Grabenstein, at Back to Books

The Song of Whales, by Uri Orlev, at Coffee for the Brain.

Taronga, by Victor Kelleher, at Cane Toad Warrior.

Thornspell, by Helen Lowe, at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.

Toby and the Secrets of the Tree, by Timothee de Fombelle, at 100 Scope Notes.

Kate Coombs (aka Book Aunt) has a three for one post "Tricksters, Thieves, and Other Thuggery," and Ms. Yingling Reads has short reviews of a variety of middle grade Cybils nominees this week.

Authors and Interviews:

Henry Neff talks about his fantasy tirlogy, The Tapestry, at Grasping for the Wind.

Ingrid Law (Savvy and Scumble) at Middle Grade Ninja.
Barry Deutsch (Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword) at The Enchanted Inkpot.
Salman Rushdie (Luka and the Fire of Life) at The Book Haven.

Everything Else:

Anyone who wants to read more Steampunk should Not Miss this great list at School Library Journal.

Kate Coombs talks about fairytale reimagings at The Enchanted Inkpot, and this week's guest at Katherine Langrish's Fairytale Reflections series is John Dickinson.

I don't much mention giveaways, but some, like this one at The Enchanted Inkpot, are of such exceptional interest to fans of mg sff that I just have to.

And finally, in the just because category, here is a gallery of Steampunk Superheros (found via io9):
My favorite is "Stupendous Miss" (bottom left, below, click to embiggen). The set will be available for purchase once it stops being sold out.

The Lost Hero, by Rick Riordan

The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus, Book 1), by Rick Riordan (Hyperion, middle grade, 576 pages)

Jason, Piper, and Leo were on a Wilderness School field trip to the Grand Canyon when the storm spirits attacked. Not what they had expected to happen during their time at a camp for "at-risk" kids...and nor did they expect, in the aftermath of the attack, that they would be whisked off to a very different camp--Camp Halfblood, where their godly parents (if all were to go according to plan) would claim them as their own. But since Jason can't remember a thing before the bus trip, expectations, for him at least, are pretty meaningless...

Soon Jason, Piper, and Leo find themselves embroiled in an eons old conflict between the gods and a sinister, mysterious power that is slowly awakening--a power that wants nothing more than to overthrow all the Olympian gods and usher in a new era of chaos. Each of the three kids must claim their heritage and become heroes....if they live long enough.

In this continuation of the world introduced in the Percy Jackson stories, Riordan introduces a trio of engaging characters, each of whom has a past full of secrets, some darker than others. The action is, as one expects from Riordan, brisk and monster-full, with death lurking at every turn, the plot full of details and devices, and the story compelling--it's a good read.

There is no reason to read this one before the Percy Jackson series, and it would probably be extremely confusing to do so. But reading it after all the excitement of The Lightning Thief et seq., it's hard not to feel that it's a bit flat. The premise that made those books so magical (kids of the Greek gods at war with immortal enemies) is by now well-known to the reader, and although Riordan put a lot of effort into making his three new protagonists interesting characters, and introducing interesting new monsters and other sundry mythological accouterments, and was not unsuccessful, the effort kind of showed. It just wasn't as naturally joyous as the first series (in my opinion). But, that being said, I can't wait to read book two--this first book sets the stage for what promises to be an immensely exciting story to come!

For those interested in books with non-white kids--check out the US cover up above: front and center, doing the hard work of mechanical dragon steering, is Leo, who's Hispanic. Behind him is Piper, whose father is Cherokee. The white boy, Jason, is in third place, and looks a bit out of it. He is the central character (as reflected by the UK cover at right), but Piper and Leo have large enough shares of the narrative limelight to make them main characters as well.

(review copy gratefully received from the publisher for Cybils consideration)

The books my boys are getting for Christmas!

I'm about to put in my final book order for books, and thought I'd share what my boys are going to be getting this Christmas:

For my 7 year old:










Two Astrosaurs books: The Star Pirates, and Revenge of the Fang, by Steve Cole (the publisher sent us Cybils mg sff panelists review copies of the most recent edition to the series, and my boy loved it! my review)

The Coloring Book, by Herve Tullet (he likes to draw)

Mouseguard: Legends of the Guard Vol. 1 (he likes brave mice)

Gon Color Spectacular (in Gon, the ferocious, taciturn, fiercely loyal and incredibly determined (in a fierce way) dinosaur that time forgot (or something), my son has found a sole mate/hero).

For my 10 year old:










Built to Last, by David Macauley (he's loved D.M. since he was two or so...and I've loved D.M. since about 1977, so there you go...)

Worst-Case Survival Handbook: Weird Junior Edition, by David Borgenicht (no explanation needed)

The Prey and the Ghost, and Daughter of the Wind, by Roger Leloup -- vols. three and four of the Yoko Tsuno graphic novel series--he loves the first two vols., which I haven't read, and which I really should...(here's a review of the fourth one)

Kubla Kahn: The Emperor of Everything, by Kathleen Krull (another I haven't read, but which sounds great--as in this review)

I'm not getting him any chapter fiction, because he is such a picky reader--for every book he reads, at least five are rejected. And there's no series to which he is addicted at present, sigh.

What he would probably enjoy very much, but which I'm not getting him--- this series of nightmare plague books, reviewed by Amanda. They just don't say "Merry Christmas" to me, but boy, does he love plagues. I gave some almost serious consideration to getting him the deluxe "diseased tissue" sampler of slides, now he has his microscope set up, but I think I'll go with the more cheerful single-celled life set instead.

And finally, the books my husband knows he is getting:

The Burglarproof Bathplug, by Oliver Postgate (creator of many fine children's television shows, back in the 20th century U.K.)

and

What Matters? Economics for a Renewed Commonwealth, by Wendell Berry

He is getting other books, but he reads my blog...and I want them to be Surprises.

If I had to pick on of these to get my self (even though I know, it's not about Me), it would be The Burglarproof Bathtub--Postgate is both wise and entertaining.

The Secret Lives of Princesses, by Philippe Lechermeier, illustrated by Rebecca Dautremer

The Secret Lives of Princesses, by Philippe Lechermeier, illustrated by Rebecca Dautremer (originally published in France, English edition Sterling Books, 2010).

On the simplest level, this is a guidebook to many strange and odd princesses, those who were never pinned down in the "classic" fairytales, and made to wear pink (although some choose to do so anyway!). Many of these princesses have peculiar habits and tastes, and live non-traditional lives--there's Princess Somnia, who sleeps her life away in a beautifully comfy looking bed, Princess Oblivia, who has no memory at all, the Princess of the Sands --"Daughter of the Queen of Saba, this princess lives in a castle of sand whose location depends on direction of the winds' (page 51), and many, many more. In true Guidebook fashion, the gallery of princesses includes informational asides on princessly accouterments-- veils and cradles, gifts and confidantes--all the elements and accessories that one associates with "princesses."

But moving beyond this straightforward-ness, this is a book that celebrates the imagination. Each princess is introduced, we read the brief synopsis, verging on free verse, that tells of her otherness, and the book moves on to the next, but each princess seems to have more story behind her...story that the reader can explore in her own daydreams. And the art that accompanies the text reinforces the sense of stories beyond the text. Some of the pictures disturbed me, others I found alien, some I found fascinatingly lovely. The style, as you can see from the cover, isn't the unicorny medievally style that some of us (naming no names) equate with princesses--in the imaginings of Dautremer, the reader is taken to stranger, more surreal worlds.

Which almost certainly means I wouldn't have liked it as a child, at least on first reading. I wanted my princesses tidily tucked into unicorn tapestries....but maybe, returning to it, as I would have done (I never had enough books) I would have let my own imaginary princesses leave the castles of Europe...I think it would have been salubrious as all get out for my walled-garden imagination.

From the Princess of the Sands (my favorite, shown at right):

She bathes in oases,
knows the name of every stone and star,
and wears a veil as protection from the storms.
She grows desert roses.

Speaking of Europe--it is a lovely thing to see the Snow Queen's great-granddaughter imagined as dark of hair and skin, petting her polar bear companion. And indeed, there are many non-European girls depicted here, earning the book a reading in color label.

At Through The Looking Glass, you can read an interview with Derry Wilkens of Sterling Books, describing how the English edition of this book came about. The translation was very challenging--among other issues, many of the princesses' names are puns, which of course don't translate, so most of them had to be re-named!

At the book's website there is a quiz that let's you find out what sort of Princess you yourself are. I am a Whimsical Princess, which pleases me.

(review copy received from the publisher, for Cybils consideration)

New releases of science fiction and fantasy for children and teenagers--the (somewhat skimpy) first half of Dec. 2010 edition

Here are the new release of sci fi/fantasy for kids and teens from the first half of December; a short list, and a tricky one from my point of view because too many of the last few precious moments of my youth were spent looking for blurbs, and a picture, that I never found. Sigh.

Middle Grade

ALCATRAZ VERSUS THE SHATTERED LENS by Brandon Sanderson "Alcatraz Smedry is on a mission to save the day! In his final adventure in the series by bestselling adult fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson, Alcatraz has a lot to prove and, as always, little time in which to do it!"



ANOTHER WHOLE NOTHER STORY by Dr. Cuthbert Soup. ""The plan was simple. Ethan Cheeseman, along with his three smart, polite, and relatively odor-free children, would travel back in time to end an ancient family curse and save their mother. Now that the LVR (a super-secret time machine) is in working order, it should be easy peasy. Except they didn't account for one basic rule of science: Murphy's Law, where everything that possibly could go wrong, does. So the Cheeseman family finds themselves on another madcap adventure, this time through stormy seas and haunted castles. And though their narrator, Dr. Soup, has a ton of unsolicited advice to offer young readers, he doesn't have much to say to help the Cheesemans. Just this one thing: Good luck!"



ARTEMIS THE BRAVE: GODDESS GIRLS by Jean Holub & Suzanne Williams





THE DOG'S DINNER: GUNK ALIENS by Jonny Moon "What could be worse than fighting snot-stealing aliens? Here's a hint: it lurks in the cafeteria. The gang face their toughest challenge yet, as they go after a terrifying flying alien. In an epic confrontation, Jack's inventing skills will be tested to the limit, one of his new friends will fall, and all of his courage will be needed when he takes on the worst ordeal of all . . . eating a school meal."

REAL MERMAIDS DON'T WEAR TOE RINGS by Helene Boudreau. ""Freak of nature takes on a whole new meaning...If she hadn't been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail? Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever. Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown? Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke? This summer is about to get a lot more interesting..."

THE RISE AND FALL OF MOUNT MAJESTIC by Jennifer Trafton. "Ten-year-old Persimmony Smudge leads (much to her chagrin) a very dull life on the Island at the Center of Everything . . . until the night she overhears a life-changing secret. It seems that Mount Majestic, the rising and falling mountain in the center of the island, is not a mountain at all--it's the belly of a sleeping giant, moving as the giant breathes. Now Persimmony and her new friend Worvil the Worrier have to convince all the island's other quarreling inhabitants--including the silly Rumblebumps, the impeccably mannered Leafeaters, and the stubborn young king--that a giant is sleeping in their midst, and must not be woken."

THE SEWERS CRISIS: GUNK ALIENS by Jonny Moon. "They don't want our oil. They don't want our water. They don't want our brussels sprouts (actually, neither do we). They just want our snot.

Jack and his friends have only one alien left to capture. The best is always saved for last, though, so none of them should be surprised that this particular alien only loves one thing . . . poo! But once they've made a sickening descent into the sewers, the world should be finally safe. Shouldn't it?"

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



Young Adult

ENTICE: NEED by Carrie Jones. "Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever. But that's not quite how things have worked out. For starters, well, Nick is dead. Supposedly, he's been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. But it's taking time, and meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But how to get to Valhalla? And even if Zara and her friends discover the way, there's that other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn't turned into just any pixie. . . She's Astley's queen."

THE GIFT: WITCH & WIZARD by James Patterson & Ned Rust. "When Whit & Wisty were imprisoned by the wicked forces of the totalitarian regime known as the New Order, they were barely able to escape with their lives. Now part of a hidden community of teens like themselves, Whit and Wisty have established themselves as leaders of the Resistance, willing to sacrifice anything to save kids kidnapped and brutally imprisoned by the New Order.

But the One has other plans in store for them: He needs Wisty, for she is "The One Who Has the Gift." While trying to figure out what that means, Whit and Wisty's suspenseful adventures through Overworld and Shadowland lead to a jaw-dropping climax and conclusion: the highly-anticipated fulfillment of the heart-pounding opening prologue of book one... The Execution of the Allgoods."

LAST SACRIFICE: VAMPIRE ACADEMY by Richelle Mead "The astonishing final novel in Richelle Mead's epic series!

Murder. Love. Jealousy. And the ultimate sacrifice. Now, with Rose on trial for her life and Lissa first in line for the Royal Throne, nothing will ever be the same between them."

THE SWORD OF ARMAGEDDON: THE NEW KID by Temple Mathews. "Things have never been darker for sixteen-year-old Will Hunter. He's lost the girl he loves, been poisoned and abandoned by the new ally he thought he could trust, and has only hours to track down a cure before the toxin coursing through his veins ends his life. He's in no shape to stop the Dark Lord from finding and using the Sword of Armageddon -- but if he can't, he's not the only one who will die.

In the fight against the Dark Lord and his demon minions, the third book in the New Kid series takes Will and friends from a mysterious island in Puget Sound to the top of the Seattle Space Needle, and ends in a battle that proves that, while to err may be demonic, forgiveness is the true path to victory"

THE REVENGE OF LORD ODA: BLOOD NINJA by Nick Lake "The slashing sequel to Blood Ninja!"