New releases of YA science fiction and fantasy--the beginning of April, 2011 edition

This is the YA installment of the new release of mg and YA sci fi/fantasy from the first half of April...here are the mg books. My information comes, as always, from Teens Read Too, and the blurbs are via Amazon/Goodreads/the publishers etc.

This is the sort of new releases list that inspires madness--there are so many books on here that I want to read that my little mind is blown. Faerie Winter is one I'm especially looking forward too--Bones of Faerie left me wanting more. And Akata Witch sounds awesome....and, for the first time, I pre-ordered a book just because of the author who blurbed it--Megan Whalen Turner liked The Returning, which was good enough for me. And then there's Huntress, and Red Glove, and Flip, etc etc.

(I'm sorry there aren't cover pictures, but I can't be bothered- it's a nice day, my sister's visiting, and I'm re-reading A Sudden Wild Magic, by Diana Wynne Jones. Likewise, life is too short to argue with blogger about formatting...).

101 WAYS TO BECOME A SUPERHERO...OR AN EVIL GENIUS by Richard Horne & Helen Szirtes "Ever wanted to fly like Superman?* Drive a cool car like
Batman? Smash things like the Hulk? Well, 101 Things to Do to Become a
Superhero is the book for you. Inside is everything you need to
transform yourself from mere mortal into exciting, dynamic, total
superhero material. Make things, learn amazing tricks, and be inspired
by genius ideas in order to complete the transition to object of
worship and admiration. Develop your stealth and telepathy! Identify
your nemesis! Choose your outfit! Or maybe the side of evil is more
your thing? Select a sidekick! Get a villainous chair! Either way,
your days as a mere mortal are over. . . .

*Note: Book will not actually teach you to fly."

THE ABUSED WEREWOLF RESCUE GROUP by Catherine Jinks When Tobias
"Richard Vandevelde wakes up in a hospital with no memory of the night
before, his horrified mother tells him that he was found unconscious.
At Featherdale Wildlife Park. In a dingo pen. He assumes that his two
best friends are somehow responsible, until the mysterious Reuben
turns up, claiming that Toby has a rare and dangerous “condition.”
Next thing he knows, Toby finds himself involved with a strange bunch
of sickly insomniacs who seem convinced that he needs their help. It’s
not until he’s kidnapped and imprisoned that he starts to believe
them—and to understand what being a paranormal monster really means."

AKATA WITCH by Nnedi Okorafor "Twelve-year-old Sunny lives in Nigeria,
but she was born American. Her features are African, but she's albino.
She's a terrific athlete, but can't go out into the sun to play
soccer. There seems to be no place where she fits. And then she
discovers something amazing-she is a "free agent," with latent magical
power. Soon she's part of a quartet of magic students, studying the
visible and invisible, learning to change reality. But will it be
enough to help them when they are asked to catch a career criminal who
knows magic too?"

CINDERELLA, NINJA WARRIOR: TWISTED TALES by Maureen McGowan "In this fast-paced story full of adventure and romance, Cinderella is more than just a servant girl waiting for her prince—she's a tough, fearless girl who is capable of taking charge of a dangerous situation. Seeking to escape the clutches of her evil stepmother, Cinderella perfects her ninja skills and magic talents in secret, waiting for the day when she can break free and live happily ever after. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Cinderella and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read!"

CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS: THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS by Cassandra Clare "Who will be tempted by darkness? Who will fall in love, and who will find their relationship torn apart? And who will betray everything they ever believed in?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge.

In the heart-pounding fourth installment of the Mortal Instruments series, the stakes are higher than ever."

CREEPING TERROR: THE SCHOOL OF NIGHT by Justin Richards "There is an unseen world most people can’t begin to imagine . . . . . . Where the most ordinary things can turn against you. The village of Templeton was evacuated during World War 2. Now even the ghosts are leaving –because something terrible stayed behind. Ben and his new friends at the School of Night must find out what’s going on. But they are soon trapped in the village, where even the trees and plants turn against them. Could you survive against all the odds? Could you solve the ancient mystery and free the village from a curse that threatens the whole world? If you could, then maybe you have what it takes to join The School of Night."

CRYSTAL BONES: THE FAELIN CHRONICLES by C. Aubrey Hall "A ya fantasy trilogy about a twin boy and girl, the children of a Fae mother and a human father, who discover a new destiny when their parents are murdered."

DREAMLINE by Nicole Luiken "Lissa is a dream come true. Literally. She has the power to cross the dreamline into the world of dreams even while awake.

Years ago Lissa decided she could either have friends or secrets, but not both. Now there’s a new boy in town who sees past Lissa’s social outcast label, but is he someone Lissa can trust, or a spy for the evil wulfdraigles?"

ENCLAVE by Ann Aguirre "WELCOME TO THE APOCALYPSE In Deuce's world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed 'brat' has trained into one of three groups-Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear--to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She's worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing's going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce's troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn't like following orders. At first she thinks he's crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don't always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she's never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce's perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy... but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she's ever known."

FAERIE WINTER by Janni Lee Simner "Liza is a summoner. She can draw
life to herself, even from beyond the grave. And because magic works
both ways, she can drive life away. Months ago, she used her powers to
banish her dangerous father and to rescue her mother, lost in dreams,
from the ruined land of Faerie.

Born in the wake of the war between humanity and Faerie, Liza lived in
a world where green things never slept, where trees sought to root in
living flesh and bone. But now the forests have fallen silent. Even
the evergreens' branches are bare. Winter crops won't grow, and the
threat of starvation looms. And deep in the forest a dark, malevolent
will is at work. To face it, Liza will have to find within herself
something more powerful than magic alone."

FLIP by Martyn Bedford "One December night, 14-year-old Alex goes to bed. He wakes up to find himself in the wrong bedroom, in an unfamiliar house, in a different part of the country, and it's the middle of June. Six months have disappeared overnight. The family at the breakfast table are total strangers. And when he looks in the mirror, another boy's face stares back at him. A boy named Flip. Unless Alex finds out what's happened and how to get back to his own life, he may be trapped forever inside a body that belongs to someone else.

THE GATHERING: DARKNESS RISING by Kelley Armstrong "Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.

It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy—her paw-print birthmark."

GEEK FANTASY NOVEL by E. Archer "What happens when a science geek and magic collide? Be careful what you wish for. Really. Because wishes are bad. Very bad. They can get you trapped in fantasy worlds full of killer bunny rabbits, evil aunts, and bothersome bacteria, for example. Or at least that's Ralph's experience. He's been asked to spend the summer with his strange British relatives at their old manor house in order to set up their Wi-Fi network. But there's much more to it than that, of course. It's just that nobody told Ralph. He's a gamer, sure. But this game is much stranger--and funnier--than anything to be found on his xbox. He is a geek. This is his story."

THE GHOUL NEXT DOOR: MONSTER HIGH by Lisi Harrison
"Cleopatra de Nile
- New pet snake
- Has Deuce--the hottest guy in school--all warapped up
- Herve Leger bandage dress, strappy gold platforms
Cleo was the queen bee of the RADs, the normies, and everyone in between at Merston High. But now it's "Frankie this" and "Melody that" . . . these new girls sure know how to get her lashes in a tangle. When Cleo lands a golden Teen Vogue photo op for her friends, everything seems to be back on track . . . until they bail to be in some film . . . Frankie and Melody's film! Can't a royal get some loyal?

Frankie Stein Frankie lost her head over Brett once and vows never to do it again. Not that she has a choice: Bekka is clinging to her guy like plastic wrap. But when Brett comes up with a plan that could help the RADs live free, sparks fly, and Bekka will stop at nothing to put out the flames . . . even if it means destroying the entire monster community.

Melody Carver The clock is tick-tick-ticking. Melody has a serious deadline to save her boyfriend, Jackson, from being exposed by the vengeance-seeking Bekka. But Cleo is making it royally difficult for the normie while threatening her acceptance into the RADs' exclusive group . . . a group that Melody suspects she has more in common with than she ever thought."

THE GIRL WHO WAS ON FIRE: YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS ON SUZANNE COLLINS' HUNGER GAMES TRILOGY edited by Leah Wilson "Praised by writers from Stephen King to Stephenie Meyer, Suzanne Collins’ New York Times bestselling Hunger Games trilogy is dark, captivating, and deeply thought-provoking. Part straight-up survivalist adventure, part rich allegory, and part political thriller, the series has become a new YA favorite.

The Girl Who Was On Fire offers even more to think about for teen readers already engrossed by the Hunger Games. From the trilogy's darker themes of violence and social control to reality television, fashion, and weaponry, the collection's exploration of the Hunger Games by other YA writers reveals exactly how rich, and how perilous, protagonist Katniss’ world really is.

The Girl Who Was On Fire covers all three books in the Hunger Games trilogy."

HUNTRESS by Malinda Lo "Nature is out of balance in the human world. The sun hasn't shone in years, and crops are failing. Worse yet, strange and hostile creatures have begun to appear. The people's survival hangs in the balance.

To solve the crisis, the oracle stones are cast, and Kaede and Taisin, two seventeen-year-old girls, are picked to go on a dangerous and unheard-of journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen. Taisin is a sage, thrumming with magic, and Kaede is of the earth, without a speck of the otherworldly. And yet the two girls' destinies are drawn together during the mission. As members of their party succumb to unearthly attacks and fairy tricks, the two come to rely on each other and even begin to fall in love. But the Kingdom needs only one huntress to save it, and what it takes could tear Kaede and Taisin apart forever."

INSIGHT by Diana Greenwood "Some secrets won't let you go. Elvira Witsil lives about as far away from civilization as you can get, in a remote corner of Wisconsin where nothing much ever happens. In a house crowded with her mother, her cantankerous grandmother, and her little sister, Jessie, Elvira feels forgotten and alone. Their house also contains numerous secrets, and Elvira's family holds their secrets closely. Secrets about the father that Jessie never knew, and that Elvira can't forget. Secrets about that day five years ago. And the one secret that Elvira can't quite understand: that Jessie sees things no one else can see. These secrets will lead Elvira and her family on a journey far away from home---on a journey toward redemption and healing---if she can just bring herself to believe."

LIFE ON MARS: TALES FROM THE NEW FRONTIER edited by Jonathan Strahan "Mars! The Red Planet! For generations, people have wondered what it
would be like to travel to and live there. That curiosity has inspired
some of the most durable science fiction, including Ray Bradbury's The
Martian Chronicles and the work of Isaac Asimov. Now the award-winning
anthologist Jonathan Strahan has brought together thirteen original
stories to explore the possibilities. After reading Life on Mars,
readers will never look at the fourth planet from the sun the same way
again."

MEMENTO NORA by Angie Smibert "A teen struggles to hold onto her memories-and her identity-in a world that wants everyone to forget-and keep on shopping. Three dynamic teens come together to creat a comic book of their memories."

MY UNFAIR GODMOTHER, by Janette Rallison "Tansy Miller has always felt that her divorced father has never had enough time for her. But mistakenly getting caught on the wrong side of the law wasn't exactly how she wanted to get his attention. Enter Chrysanthemum "Chrissy" Everstar, Tansy's fairy in shining, er, high heels. Chrissy is only a fair godmother, of course, so Tansy's three wishes don't exactly go according to plan. And if bringing Robin Hood to the twenty-first century isn't bad enough for Tansy, being transported back to the Middle Ages to deal with Rumpelstiltskin certainly is. She'll need the help of her blended family, her wits, and especially the cute police chief 's son to stop the gold-spinning story from spinning wildly out of control. Janette Rallison pulls out all the stops in this fresh, fun-filled follow-up to the popular My Fair Godmother."

PLAGUE: A GONE NOVEL by Michael Grant "This is a blood-pumping, white-knuckle sci-fi thriller of epic proportions. The FAYZ goes from bad to worse...The darkness has been foiled once again and the resurrected Drake has been contained. But the streets of Perdido Beach are far from safe, with a growing army of mutants fighting against the humans for power in the town. In a small room of a house near the edge of town, Little Pete lies ill on a bed. In his fevered dreams, he continues his battle with the hidden evil that seeks to use his power to bring about anarchy and destruction."

RAGE by Jackie Morse Kessler "Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different. That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control. A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world."

RED GLOVE: THE CURSE WORKERS by Holly "Black Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.

That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.

When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone—least of all, himself?

Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose."

THE RETURNING by Christine Hinwood "An engrossing epic tale with a cast of characters that will hijack your heart.

Cam Attling, having lost an arm, is the only one from his town of Kayforl to return after twelve years of war. All his fellow soldiers were slain, and suspicion surrounds him. When his betrothal to Graceful Fenister is called off and his role in the community questioned, Cam leaves to find the lord who maimed him but spared his life, seeking answers and a new place in the world.

But this is not just Cam's story, it's about all those whose fates entwine with his. Set in a medieval world that is entirely the author's creation, this is an ingenious, exquisite story about what happens after the battle. When sisters, sons, friends, parents, and lovers are left to deal with the subtle aftermaths and unimagined
repercussions of war."

RISE OF THE CORPSES: THE UNDERTAKERS by Ty Drago "On a sunny Wednesday morning in October, a day that would mark the end of one life and the beginning of another, I found out my grouchy next door neighbor was the walking dead. When you turn around expecting to see something familiar, and instead see something else altogether, it takes a little while for your brain to catch up with your eyes. I call it the 'Holy Crap Factor.'" Forced to flee his home and family, twelve-year-old Will Ritter falls in with the Undertakers-a rag-tag army of teenage resistance fighters who've banded together to battle the Corpses."

SAVANNAH GREY by Cliff McNish "Savannah Grey needs to keep moving. She doesn't know why, but she can't let herself get tied down by too many people. It's almost like she's being chased by something. And now something strange is happening with her neck--with her throat. Savannah Grey never thought she'd meet someone like Reece--a guy who seems to understand her. He even knows about her neck. The same thing is happening to him. It's as if their voices are becoming weapons, warming up for some kind of attack. Savannah Grey has no idea what might be chasing her or why her voice suddenly feels like the most powerful weapon on the planet, but she's about to find out. Nature is preparing for battle with the universe's ultimate monster. The time to fight is almost here. The weapon is Savannah Grey."

SLEEPING BEAUTY, VAMPIRE SLAYER: TWISTED TALES by Maureen McGowan "In this thrilling story full of adventure and romance, Sleeping Beauty is more than just a lonely princess waiting for her prince—she's a brave, tenacious girl who never backs down from a challenge. With vampire-slaying talents that she practices in secret, Sleeping Beauty puts her courage to the test in the dark of night, fighting evil as she searches for a way to break the spell that has cut her off from her family. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Sleeping Beauty and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read!"

TEETH: VAMPIRE TALES by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling "Fascinated by vampires?

Then feast on nineteen tantalizing, bite-sized tales exploring the intersections between the living, dead, and undead.

The vampires in these stories range from romantic to chilling to gleeful—and touch on nearly every emotion in between. The one thing they have in common is their desire for blood. . . "

A TEMPLAR'S GIFTS: THE BOOK OF TORMOD by Kat Black "The second book in Kat Black's historical fantasy trilogy full of intrigue, mystery, and adventure!

Something's wrong with Tormod MacLeod. Ever since returning home his visions have become more intense and disorienting, making him increasingly ill and constantly on the verge of collapse. But then he meets Aine, a fiery, no-nonsense Scottish lass who has powers of her own and a special supernatural connection with Tormod--when they're actually getting along. Together they must find the healer who can save Tormod's life, all the while dodging King Philippe le Bel's ruthless soldiers, who will stop at nothing to find Tormod and information about the secret he keeps."

THROUGH HER EYES by Jennifer Archer "The last place Tansy Piper wants
to be is stuck in Cedar Canyon, Texas, in the middle of nowhere, with
a bunch of small-town kids. But when her mother decides to move to the
desolate West Texas town, Tansy has no choice but to go along. Once
there, Tansy is immediately drawn to the turret of their rickety old
house, a place she soon learns has a disturbing history. But it's the
strange artifacts she finds in the cellar—a pocket watch, a journal of
poetry, and a tiny crystal—that have the most chilling impact on her.
Tansy soon finds that through the lens of her camera, she can become
part of a surreal black-and-white world where her life is intertwined
with that of mysterious, troubled Henry, who lived in the same house
and died decades earlier. It seems their lives are linked by fate and
the artifacts she found, but as Tansy begins spending more and more
time in the past, her present world starts to fade away. Tansy must
untangle herself from Henry's dangerous reality—before she loses touch
with her own life forever."

TIME OF TRIAL: THE LAWS OF MAGIC by Michael Pryor "It may look like a simple wire device, but the Beccaria Cage could be the cure for Aubrey's condition: a way to reunite his body and soul. But can Aubrey solve its mysteries while Dr. Tremaine's warmongering machinations gather pace? After magical confrontations, near-death experiences, and the appearance of new allies and new enemies, Aubrey decides that there is only one thing to do: carry the fight to the enemy. Thanks to a fortuitously timed symposium, Aubrey, George, and Caroline accompany Lady Rose and Prince Albert to Holmland—into the heart of hostile territory—only to find the city of Fisherberg infested with ghosts, brigands, and shadowy figures with agendas of their own. While trying to prevent a war, could Aubrey Fitzwilliam inadvertently trigger one?"

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: THE OFFICIAL ILLUSTRATED GUIDE by Stephenie Meyer "This must-have hardcover edition--the only official guide--is the definitive encyclopedic reference to the Twilight Saga and provides readers with everything they need to further explore the unforgettable world Stephenie Meyer created in Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner. This comprehensive handbook—essential for every Twilight Saga fan—is full-color throughout with nearly 100 gorgeous illustrations and photographs and with exclusive new material, character profiles, genealogical charts, maps, extensive cross-references, and much more."

VAMPIRE FILES: HEARTTHROBS AND BLOODSUCKERS by Amy Rickman "For fans of boys with bite, this compendium is just the thing. Readers who are head over heels for Edward Cullen from Twilight, hungry for Bill Compton from True Blood, or torn between Stefan and Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries will find this collection to be a scream, packed with the inside info to satisfy every vampire desire. This is the chance to get up close and personal with Robert Pattinson, Kellan Lutz, Stephen Moyer, and more, and learn about their lives and loves, how they rose to fame as vampires, and their theories on why the dark side is so irresistible."

New releases of middle-grade science fiction and fantasy--the beginning of April 2011

I've split up the new releases of the beginning of April into the middle-grade books, posted today, and the YA books, posted tomorrow. There were too many of them for one post!

Lots to look forward to, including several time travel books (A Year Without Autumn sounds great; that's a UK release that I might have to use the Book Depository for) and there are new Theodosia and Nathanial Fludd books! Yay! Sky Pony wins, I think, for prettiest cover...and I can't wait to read The Emerald Atlas and Kat, Incorrigible! Which are you looking forward too?

THE ADVENTURES OF A LITTLE RAG DOLL by Sun Youjun "The endearing story of Little Butou, a rag doll made as a New Years present, and his myriad adventures with and without Ping Ping, the child to whom he belongs."



ALIEN ENVOY: ALIEN AGENT by Pamela F. Service "Alien Agent Zack Gaither has spent his whole life on planet Earth. His assignment: to protect humans from the knowledge of life on other planets. Finally, the time is right, and Zack has the chance to help Earth join the Galactic Union. The only problem? A small army of alien thugs is set on keeping Earth out of the picture. And they're planning to take Zach out in the process. Fortunately, Zack's got a few old friends on his side. Together, they're headed on an adventure that will take Zack off of Earth and across the galaxy. What will the future hold for this Alien Agent?"


ALICE IN TIME by Penelope Bush "Things are at a crisis point for fourteen-year-old Alice. Her mum is ruining her life, her dad is getting remarried, and Sasha, the most popular girl in school, hates her guts. . . Then a bizarre accident happens, and Alice finds herself re-living her life as a seven-year-old through teenage eyes - and discovering some awkward truths. But can she use her new knowledge to change her own future?"


ATHENA THE BRIAN: GODDESS GIRLS by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams "Athena has always been above average. She's never quite fit in at Triton Junior High, but who would've guessed that Athena is actually a goddess? Principal Zeus's daughter, to be exact. When she's summoned to Mount Olympus Academy, Athena thinks she might actually fit in for the first time in her life. But in some ways, school on Mount Olympus is not that different from down on Earth, and Athena is going to have to deal with the baddest mean girl in history -- Medusa!"

THE BOOK OF BONES: A KIT SALTER ADVENTURE by Natasha Narayan "Kit Salter and her friends Rachel, Waldo, and Isaac tumble into another adventure when their coach is hijacked on the wilds of Dartmoor. Their arch enemies, the Baker Brothers, are behind the kidnapping. They force the children into a perilous voyage to China in search of a secret martial arts manual. From bustling Shanghai, their journey takes them to the hidden heart of Imperial China—Peking's Forbidden City. En route they battle opium smugglers, pirates, and kung-fu fighters, before a climatic encounter with the mysterious Wooden Men—giant killers armed with lethal powers and a dastardly will of their own. As the twisting, thrilling narrative reaches its climax, will Kit and her friends be able to survive the danger and mysteries of China and win back their freedom?"

THE DRAGON OF CRIPPLE CREEK by Troy Howell "Show us the gold, Kat! Show us the gold!" Katlin Graham's passion for gold and adventure has steered her family into the rowdy, historical town of Cripple Creek, Colorado. True to her curiosity streak, she strays from the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine tour to explore a closed-off tunnel, and after an accidental fall, discovers a breathtaking secret: Deep below the mine lives a dragon--the last dragon on earth. Ye is his name, and he inhabits a glittering wonderland, surrounded by heaps of gold. Seeing the gold as the solution to her family's financial woes, Kat steals a nugget as big as her fist, right under Ye's watchful eye. Kindly befriending Kat, Ye tells her the astounding truth about gold, and reveals a mysterious cure that prevents dragons from dying. As the ailing Ye shows her the way out, Kat realizes it's up to her to decide his fate. Back in the sunlit world, where the search for the missing girl has created a public stir, Kat's nugget rolls out for all to see. Now a media-frenzy begins, until the town is swarming with gold seekers. Alarmed by this stampede of greed and by her own thievery, Kat brings her brother, Dillon, into her plan to return Ye's gold to him, and to warn him of the dangers that threaten his life and treasure. Can they outwit the gold-crazed crowds? Will Ye live, or will he die?"

THE EMERALD ATLAS by John Stephens "Kate, Michael, and Emma have been in one orphanage after another for the last ten years, passed along like lost baggage. Yet these unwanted children are more remarkable than they could possibly imagine. Ripped from their parents as babies, they are being protected from a horrible evil of devastating power, an evil they know nothing about. Until now. Before long, Kate, Michael, and Emma are on a journey to dangerous and secret corners of the world...a journey of allies and enemies, of magic and mayhem. And—if an ancient prophesy is correct—what they do can change history, and it is up to them to set things right."

GOBLIN AT THE BEACH by Victor Kelleher "From the ski slopes of the Snowy Mountains to the rainforests of Far North Queensland—and everywhere in between—Gibblewort the goblin has blundered, crawled, and winged his way through Australia's vast landscape. So surely a relaxing day at the beach will be safe? Not if "fun in the sun" includes frying your feet on hot sand, accidentally chugging down sun cream, and hitching a ride on an angry shark. Can Gibblewort beat the heat and finally get back home to rainy old Ireland?"


GHOST MESSAGES by Jacqueline Guest "In pursuit of stolen treasure in 1865 Ireland, thirteen-year-old Ailish winds up trapped on the Great Eastern as it sails! The largest ship ever built, the Great Eastern's mission is to lay the fi rst undersea telegraph cable across the Atlantic Ocean. On the journey, Ailish gets help from a young boy, Davy, who seems to live belowdecks. She makes friends with an Irish sailor and tries to track down the hiding place of her father's treasure. The crew must battle the seas and the mishaps of their cable-laying mission, some of which would appear to be sabotage. Through many adventures, Davy is her constant companion. But why won't he ever come topside? Can Ailish use her wits, her determination and
her friendships to survive the trip, let alone save the day?"

JACK FLINT AND THE REDTHORN SWORD by Joe Donnelly "Jack Flint is 13.
He's never known his mother and has—literally—lost his father. On a stormy Halloween he steps from his humdrum world of school, chores, and getting by, into a maelstrom. Scaling the dark-walled coppice known as Cromwath Blackwood, he and his best friend, Kerry Malone, find a mysterious circle of 13 standing stones—stones that almost seem to be breathing, pulling the boys to a place of myth and mayhem, the legendary world of Temair. Here Celtic myth comes to life as Jack, Kerry, and Corriwen Redthorn, the orphaned daughter of a Temair Chief, face the terrifying cunning of goddess of death Morrigan, along with her servants—the Scree, and the cruel, black-feathered Roaks. As they embark upon their fast paced and furious quest, Jack realizes they are not just saving their own lives, but finding clues that might lead him to his father."

KAT, INCORRIGIBLE by Stephanie Burgis "Twelve-year-old Kat Stephenson may be the despair of her social-climbing Step-Mama, but she was born to be a magical Guardian and protector of Society--if she can ever find true acceptance in the secret Order that expelled her own mother. She’s ready to turn the hidebound Order of the Guardians inside-out, whether the older members like it or not. And in a society where magic is the greatest scandal of all, Kat is determined to use all her powers to help her three older siblings--saintly Elissa, practicing-witch Angeline, and hopelessly foolish Charles--find their own true loves, even if she has to turn highwayman, battle wild magic, and confront real ghosts along the way!"

POWER PLAY: KINGDOM KEEPERS by Ridley Pearson "For the five teens who modeled as Disney Hologram Imaging hosts, life is beginning to settle down when an intriguing video arrives to Philby's computer at school. It's a call for action: the Overtakers, a group of Disney villains, seem to be plotting to attempt a rescue of two of their leaders, both of whom the Disney Imagineers have hidden away somewhere following a violent encounter in Epcot. A staged attack by new Overtakers at Downtown Disney, startles the group.

One of their own, Charlene, is acting strange of late. Has she tired of her role as a Kingdom Keeper or is there something more sinister at play? When caught sneaking into Epcot as her DHI, acting strictly against the group's rules, Finn and Philby take action. Has the "impossible" occurred? Have the Overtakers created their own holograms? Have they found a way to "jump" from the Virtual Maintenance Network onto the Internet, and if so, what does that mean for the safety of the parks, and the spread and reach of the Overtakers? Are they recruiting an army from outside the parks?

A dark cloud in the Kingdom Keeper era is unfolding, and with dissention in their own ranks, it's unclear if there's any chance of escape."


NIXA THE DEATH BRINGER: BEAST QUEST, AMULET OF AVANTIA by Adam Blade "Fight the Beasts. Fear the magic!
Taladon the Swift has returned! But to Tom's horror, his father is a ghost. To save Taladon, Tom must battle the Ghost Beasts and collect the pieces of the shattered Amulet of Avantia. First is Nixa the Death Bringer. Will her deadly disguises lure Tom to his death?"



THE RUNAWAY SPELL: B MAGICAL by Lexi Connor "B's magical adventures will cast a S-P-E-L-L on middle-grade readers in this funny, fast-paced series!

When B tries to help her friend George improve his soccer game, she accidentally turns him into a part-boy, part-zebra! Can she make his tail and ears V-A-N-I-S-H before the big game?"

SIGN OF THE MOON: WARRIORS, OMEN OF THE STARS by Erin Hunter "The dark forces that have driven a rift between the four warrior Clans are growing stronger. Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovepaw now know that unless they can unravel the true meaning behind the prophecy that binds them, the warrior code could be destroyed forever. While Lionblaze remains focused on protecting ThunderClan from anotherdeadly battle, Jayfeather receives a desperate plea for help from the Tribe of Rushing Water. He must travel to the mountains in search of answers that link the Clans to the Tribe in ways no cat could have imagined. But with the summons comes an ominous warning that suggests the power of the stars may not be enough to save the Clans."

SKY PONY by Elaine Breault Hammond "Twelve-year-old Katie resents her beloved parents when they decide to move their family to the Yukon for Dad's new job. But when they take in six-year-old Siggi as a foster child, Katie is REALLY mad. She escapes from her unhappiness quite by chance when she realizes her pony, an Icelandic horse called Peggy, can fly—through time as well as space. By accident she takes Siggi to nineteenth-century England, where the two are adopted into a loving family. But when Peggy and Siggi are kidnapped and forced to work in an underground mine, Katie must rescue them or risk losing them forever. Through the danger and the triumph, and the connections she makes through time travel, Katie comes to understand the meaning of family."

THEODOSIA AND THE LAST PHARAOH by R. L. LaFevers "In this fourth book in the series, Theodosia sets off to Egypt to return the Emerald Tablet—embedded with the knowledge of some of the ancient world’s most guarded secrets. Accompanied by her cat, Isis (smuggled along in a basket), Theo plans to return the artifact, then explore the mysteries surrounding her own birth and oh, yes— help her mother dig up treasures on her archeological expedition. But nothing ever works out as planned, especially when a precious treasure appears suddenly, and then just as suddenlydisappears. . . When the Serpents of Chaos get involved, Theo finds she’s digging up a lot more than she expected!"

THE TIME-TRAVELING FASHIONISTA by Bianca Turetsky "What if a beautiful vintage dress could take you back in time?

Louise Lambert has always dreamed of movie starlets and exquisite gowns and longs for the day when she can fill the closet of her normal suburban home with stylish treasures. But when she receives a mysterious invitation to a vintage fashion sale in the mail, her once painfully average life is magically transformed into a time-travel adventure.

Suddenly onboard a luxurious cruise ship a hundred years ago, Louise relishes the glamorous life of this opulent era and slips into a life of secrets, drama, and decadence. . . ."


THE UNICORN'S TALE: NATHANIEL FLUDD, BEASTOLOGIST by R. L. LaFevers "Is there no rest for the travel worn and weary? Not if you’re Nathaniel Fludd, the world’s youngest beastologist-in-training! All Nate really wants is to track down his missing parents, but when a unicorn falls mysteriously ill, Nate’s Aunt Phil makes it clear where a beastologist’s duty lies: to the beasts.

And if taking care of the world’s beasts isn’t difficult enough, Nate and Aunt Phil must also keep them safe from the villainous Obediah Fludd, who intends to do them harm. With all this taking up every last bit of his energy and time, will Nate ever find the parents he is so absolutely convinced are alive?"

WHEN APPLES GREW NOSES AND WHITE HORSES FLEW: TALES OF TI-JEAN by Jan Andrews "In these three imaginative stories, Jan Andrews introduces us to Quebec’s traditional folktale hero, Ti-Jean. He’s an endearing
character who is both wise and foolish, and though he does find himself in hard situations (often of his own making), in the end, he somehow manages to do what needs to be done. In “Ti-Jean and the Princess of Tomboso” he eventually outwits a greedy princess; in “Ti-Jean the Marble Player” he gets the best of a pint-sized scoundrel; and in “How Ti-Jean Became a Fiddler” he turns the tables
on a too-clever-for-her-own-good seigneur’s daughter, and finds truelove in the process."

A YEAR WITHOUT AUTUMN, by Liz Kessler. "If you could see into the future - would you look? Jenni Green doesn't have a choice. On her way to visit her best friend, Autumn, Jenni suddenly finds she's been transported exactly one year forward in time. Now she discovers that in the year that's gone by, tragedy has struck and her friendship with Autumn will never be the same again. But what caused the tragedy? How did Jenni skip a year? And can she find her way back to the past to try to change what lies ahead? With humour - and her customary light touch - the author of the EMILY WINDSNAP books plays a fascinating game with time, and explores the changes that take place in friendships and families in the aftermath of a disaster."

Rage, by Jackie Morse Kessler

I enjoyed Hunger, Jackie Morse Kessler's 2010 story of an anorexic girl who becomes the titular horseman of the Apocalypse, immensely (my review). It was both gripping and amusing. So the second book, Rage (Graphia, 2011, 228 pages), was one of my most anticipated reads of this spring.

Sadly, although I found Rage an un-put-downable page-turner, it didn't convince and entrance me in the same way Hunger did.

Rage tells of a girl named Missy, who turns to her razor blade when life seems to much to bear--in cutting, she finds comfort. Then Death shows up at her door, and offers her a sword in place of her razor, and the wounds of violence to cauterize. Missy has been offered the role of War.

Her anger and pain impel her to mount her blood ride stead, and ride out over the world, leaving violence in her wake. And unless Missy can master her own feelings, and take control of her new power, the world faces a blood-bath of epic proportions....

Starting, perhaps, with her peers.

"You have something to say?" Jenna demanded.

Missy heard the girl's scorn, felt her anger. Tasted her fear. That made Missy grin wider. Jenna only thought she was afraid. She didn't know what terror was, not really.

Missy could teach her.

She could teach her so very much.

KILL THEM ALL!

Just before she could call her Sword and massacre her team-mates, she heard a cold voice whisper: Control.

Clinging to that word--both a command for humanity and a plea for sanity--Missy walked away." (page 106)

It's a gripping story, but I had two issues with it. I never understood why Missy cut herself--her life wasn't that bad. And I felt that she was lacking the true, fierce, terrible anger that would make her a good candidate for War. Her social situation becomes utterly awful, and she has good reason to be angry, but it still wasn't enough to convince me. I appreciate that Kessler takes a seriously look at the issue of self-harm, and doesn't trivialize it, and she does make a nice connection between Missy gaining control over her addiction to cutting and gaining control of her new role. But it didn't quite work for me.

Still, I love Kessler's Death (my favorite character in the series!), and her combination of lightness of narrative touch with serious teenage issues is commendable. And I'm so I'm looking forward to the next two books of the series--Loss (Pestilence) and Breath (Death).

Note on age: there's explicit sex, violence, and the unflinchingly described self-harm.

Other thoughts at Burning.x.Impossibly.x.Bright, A Novel Source, Tez Says, and stories from my bookshelf

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

Meet Monster, by Ellen Blance and Ann Cook

Meet Monster: Six Stories About the World's Friendliest Monster, by Ellen Blance and Ann Cook, illustrated by Quentin Blake.

Back in 1973, Blance and Cook teamed up with ordinary kids to create the six stories about a kindly, friendly monster--stories prefect for the young reader just finding their reading feet. Marshall Cavendish has just brought it out again for a new generation to enjoy.

"A monster comes to this city to live.

Monster is not ugly like other monsters. He's very tall, and his head is skinny."

And monster needs a house to live in, so he looks and looks till he finds one that's just right. Some are not right.

"This house is dark all over. Not many things happen in this house.

He can't live here."

(isn't that rather brilliant?)

But he finds a tall, thin house that's perfect for a tall, thin monster.

And monster needs to make his house tidy, and he needs a friend, and it's always nice to meet another monster....

Quentin Blake's illustrations bring Monster to charming life in true Blake style. And the end result is an easy chapter book that seems to me just utterly spot on for a kid learning how to read.

Knowing that this was a reissue of an earlier book, I read with gimlet eyes, looking for things that might seem odd to a reader in 2011. The only thing I noticed was that the authors use "fine" quite a bit, as in "it will look really fine." "Fine" seems to be falling by the wayside these days....nice, I guess, rules supreme!

At any event, if Marshall Cavendish had released this just three years earlier, I would have bought it in a shot for my little one! It is just fine (actually, what with Blake's illustrations, it's considerably more than fine--I'd go so far as to say very nice indeed).

(I'd especially recommend this one to the five year old (or thereabouts) who's moving to the big city. It makes the big city seem like a place in which one might be able to live....although I still have my doubts).

disclaimer: book received (just yesterday! It was the first one I read from the big box I got--I was drawn to it) from the publisher.

Sequel to Finnikin of the Rock-- Froi of the Exiles, by Melina Marchetta, for Waiting on Wednesday

Exciting news! Last weekend, Melina Marchetta posted the following on her blog--a synopsis of a sequel to Finnikin of the Rock, coming out in Australia this fall:

"Three years after Lumatere is united, Froi has adopted the ways of his new homeland, dividing his days between rebuilding the kingdom and training with the Queen’s Guard. Until a mysterious man arrives with a promise that he can grant a young assassin access into the palace of Lumatere’s enemy: to kill the King of Charyn.

But once inside the secretive kingdom of stone, Froi is forced to protect the half mad Princess Quintana and her unborn child who will be the first babe born to Charyn in eighteen years. And in breaking his bond to his beloved Queen Isaboe and Finnikin, Froi may just be the one to bring peace between two kingdoms and find out the truth to his past."

Finnikin (my review) was too harsh a book for me to love it, but I did respect it lots, and so I might well be availing myself of the Book Depository (free shipping worldwide) for this one.

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.

The Time-Traveling Fashionista, by Bianca Turetsky, for Timeslip Tuesday

I'm envious of those who write their blog posts well in advance; every Tuesday I seem to be right down to the wire with my Timeslip book of the week. Fortunatly, this week's book was a fun, fast read, so I was able to finish it in time....and so, I offer

The Time-Traveling Fashionista, by Bianca Turetsky (Little Brown, 2011, middle grade, 272 pages)

Louise marches to her own drum when it comes to clothes--not for her the racks of the new and never worn. She's drawn to the vintage, and is fascinated by the name brands and designs of the past. So when a fancy invitation comes in the mail, inviting her to a vintage fashion show, she's thrilled to have a chance to do just the sort of shopping she loves, and maybe pick out a dress for the middle school dance while she's there.

And indeed, there is a dress waiting for her, a beautiful pink one. But when she puts it on, she's not in Connecticut anymore. Instead, she's on board a luxurious ocean liner, on of the White Star line, a hundred years in the past. And she's not her plain old 12 year-old, braces-wearing self anymore; she's a glamorous young film star, with enough beautiful dresses to make glad the heart of any fashionista.

At first, Louise relishes the her new life, despite the unpleasant fact of corsets...there's even an attractive young man interested in her, which makes nice change from middle school! Thanks to a fainting spell, she can pretend to have lost her memory, and happily her maid, Anna, is willing to help her move through her new life.

"The White Star Line" seems to offer all Louise could want...except for one small detail--she's on the Titanic. Which, of course, is about to hit an ice berg and sink.

Louise tries to warn the captain...but no one takes her seriously. Unless she can find a way to reverse her journey through time, she'll never get home again....

In general, it's a nicely simple, yet not unsatisfying story. The Titanic plot line was dealt with somewhat lightly--the horror is not front and center, but there's enough tension to make it interesting. I would have liked more actually sinking than the twenty pages that was all we got, but you can't have everything. On the plus side, Louise's reactions felt pretty spot on; again, not overwrought, but convincingly appalled.

What I really loved was how Louise had set herself to the serious study of fashion; it isn't just a passing fad, but a real part of who she is, and I appreciated her interest and expertise. The finished version of the book has thirty full-color fashion illustrations--they were only hinted at in the ARC I read, but they were more than enough to make me determined to take a look at the finished book as soon as I come across it! Just the descriptions of all the beautiful dresses were swoonworthy--with art, I bet this will be a book that will enchant any vintage-fashion-loving middle school girl.

Other reviews at Confessions of a Book Addict and TheHappyNappyBookseller

Note on age: Louise is in seventh grade, and the book only lightly touches on the YA subjects of love and teenage angst. So although it's marketed as YA, I say it's a great one for a girl of ten or eleven, and I think a teenager picking this up might find the story too slight to hold their interest.

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

Shaun Tan has won the Astrid Lindgren Award!

Breaking news--Shaun Tan has won this year's Astrid Lindgren Award!

From the Award's website: "The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is presented every year. The award total is SEK 5 million, making it the biggest international children's and young adult literature award in the world. The award total indicates that reading by children and young adults is extremely important. The total is also intended to inspire those involved in this field."

Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster

Danny Dragonbreath, and his iguana pal, Wendell, have been through many hair-raising adventures together. They have their system down pat--"Danny was fearless, and Wendell was terrified, and it worked out between them" (page 163).

But in Lair of the Bat Monster, the fourth installment of Ursula Venron's Dragonbreath saga (Dial 2011, 202 pages), Wendell has to be the hero, and crawl into the titular lair to save his friend! Because Danny has been adopted, or captured, depending on how you look at it, by a mama Camazotz, the most giant of mythical bats...and only Wendell can crawl through the rocks to reach him.

This is perhaps the most comprehensible of all the Dragonbreath stories--sure, it's utterly fantastical, but it makes sense. And it's also, I think, the most overtly education--one learns quite a bit about bats (the real ones). This time out, Danny and Wendell have headed down to Mexico, where Danny's cousin (a feathered serpent dragon named Steve) is a bat researcher.

Comprehensible and educational are both things I like, and the humor that I've come to expect from this series is here too. But as usual, what really appeals to me are Vernon's lovely drawings. I utterly adore the expressions with which she endows her characters--they make me happy.

A great one for the 8 to 10 year old looking for some fun!

Other thoughts at TheHappyNappyBookseller

The Guardian's obituary for Diana Wynne Jones

The Guardian has published its obituary for Diana Wynne Jones--here's the link.

And here are Neil Gaiman's words about her.

This Sunday's middle grade fantasy and science fiction roundup

Welcome to another week's worth of carefully (more or less) gathered blog posts pertaining to middle grade science fiction and fantasy! If you like these round-ups, do please consider mentioning them on your own blog--I'd love more people stopping by to enjoy all the great reviews etc.!

If I missed your post, let me know...and anyone, including authors and publishers and publicists, is welcome to send me links to blog posts at any time during the week--charlotteslibrary at blogspot dot com. Thanks.

The Reviews:

Artemis the Brave (Goddess Girls) by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams, at Biblio File

Behemoth, by Scott Westerfeld, at Fantasy Literature

Beyonds, by Brandon Mull, at The Literary Wife

Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine, at Anita Silvey's Children's Book-a-day Almanac

Fantasy: An Artist's Realm, by Ben Boos, at Charlotte's Library

Fourth Grade Fairy, by Eileen Cook, at Manga Maniac Cafe

Lair of the Bat Monster (Dragon Breath) by Ursula Vernon, at The HappyNappyBookseller

Luka and the Fire of Life, by Salman Rushdie, at Tia's Book Musings

The Magic Thief, by Sarah Prineas, at Random Musings of a Bibliophile

The Magnificent 12: The Call, by Michael Grant, at Book Review Blog for Caroline Hooton

Priscilla the Great, by Sybil Nelson, at Reading Tween

The Red Pyramid (audiobook), by Rick Riordan, at The O.W.L.

The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic, by Jennifer Trafton, at Charlotte's Library

Skeleton Man, by Joseph Bruchac, at Charlotte's Library

Small Persons With Wings, by Ellen Booraem, at Stella Matutina

Spellbinder, by Helen Stringer, at Books & Other Thoughts

A Tale Dark and Grimm, by Adam Gidwitz, at Book Nut

Time Cat, by Lloyd Alexander, at BellaOnBook's Blog

The Time Travelling Fashionista, by Bianca Turetsky at TheHappyNappyBookseller and Confessions of a Book Addict

Under the Green Hill, by Laura L. Sullivan, at Middle Grade Ninja

Authors talking:

Laura L. Sullivan (Under the Green Hill) at Middle Grade Ninja
Katherine Langrish's blog tour for West of the Moon continues, more info. here at her blog
Kate Milford (The Boneshaker) at Novel Journey

Other Things of Interest:

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is getting a sequel. I was pleasantly surprised when I actually got around to reading the book (actually listening to it....); it wasn't that bad. But still, I wasn't desperate for more. However, since the writer of the sequel is going to be I writer I admire lots, Frank Cottrell Boyce (Cosmic), I am cautiously optimistic.

And in a similar vein, Jacqueline Wilson is going to be updating Five Children and It, by E. Nesbit (1902) for modern children. Why, I ask. Why.

Over at the SLJ Battle of the Books, Team MG SFF is holding its own--A Tale Dark and Grimm and Keeper both won their last matches.

The Magician's Nephew will be the next Narnia movie....I was hoping for The Silver Chair...

Booklist has assembled their top 10 graphic novels for kids, with fantasy nicely represented.

The shortlists for 2010 Aurealis Awards (Australian spec fic) have been announced; here are the children's books:

Grimsdon, Deborah Abela, Random House
Ranger's Apprentice #9: Halt's Peril, John Flanagan, Random House
The Vulture of Sommerset, Stephen M Giles, Pan Macmillan
The Keepers, Lian Tanner, Allen & Unwin
Haggis MacGregor and the Night of the Skull, Jen Storer & Gug Gordon, Aussie Nibbles (Penguin)

This is more a general interest item than a mg sff specific one, but if you have a few minutes, do visit the 2011 White Raven list! It's a list compiled each by the International Children's Library in Germany, and it is fascinating glimpse of what's being published around the world. I found this over at Mitali's Fire Escape--her book, Bamboo People, is one of the 8 that represents the US, and she is in most excellent company (you can see the list at her blog)!

And finally, there is the sad news of the passing of Diana Wynne Jones. I love her books dearly; they live right next to my bed.

There are two new books coming--Earwig and the Witch
(Greenwillow, Summer 2011), and a collection of DWJ's articles, lectures, and talks from David Fickling Books next year.

Still, I would have been happy if she had kept on writing forever.

Fantasy: An Artist's Realm, by Ben Boos

Last week, I requested a book from Candlewick, and was tickled pink when they included in the package a second book-- Fantasy: An Artist's Realm, by Ben Boos (2010). It's a beautiful book, but one I find very hard to "review" dispassionately.

Back in the day, when I was 12 or so (and for a few years after, until my friends abandoned me for Boys), I played Dungeons and Dragons. The most important part of it, for me at least, was the world building--I still have pages and pages and pages of my D. and D. inspired drawings (happily, the drawing aspect continued through high school--I still had my faithful little sister to play with me).

Typically, my fantasy world building descended into farce. There was no river without its dead sheep floating downstream (easy to draw--4 lines, close together, sticking out of the water), and an odd cult of Rabbit Worship (with dark and sinister elements!) developed. And although I can draw, rather nicely, someone dressed in a carrot suit, hopping toward the Great Rabbit, my grasp of the human form is shaky, and many of my people are curiously armed (anatomically, not weapons-wise. The advantage of drawing people in carrot suits is that they have no visible arms).

This is the background that I brought to my perusal of what is one of the handsomest books of fantasy world building I've ever seen. Fantasy: An Artist's Realm is a gorgeously and generously illustrated guide to a very D. and D.-ish fantasy realm, with familiar character types (paladins, mages, clerics, thieves etc), and non-human beings (like elves). In it are tons of small and detailed pictures, of weapons and potions and other assorted magical accoutrements, as well as full-color double-page spreads of action scenes and maps and landscapes....

Here's what Ben Boos drew more of than me: weapons (lots of weapons). Here's what I drew more of: unicorns and girls in pretty dresses. There are no unicorns (unless I missed them?) in this book, and only one pretty dress. That being said, Boos has a number of girls doing action-y things, which is pleasing.

This is a book that my ten-year-old pored over with rapt attention, the sort of book that calls out to be given to the young D. and D. player, the sort of book that has that luxurious feeling of Gift. I myself found it rather engrossing, in much the same way as the Gnomes book from my own youth--both have lots of little drawings of things, with accompanying facts and clarifications, and I like that sort of thing.

I think, though, that I prefer Ben Boos' first book--Swords: an Artist's Devotion. It is stunningly single-minded, and wonderfully quirky in its obsessiveness (and the swords are more than a bit lovely). Fantasy is a beautiful book, but doesn't have that same originality to it, and so it isn't quite as outstanding.

I've been trying to imagine what would have happened if this book had been given to me back then. Would it have inspired me to draw better? To consider perspective to be more than an optional curiosity? To actually look at the things I was drawing (something many artists seem to find helpful)? Or would my enthusiasm have been quenched?

Maybe this summer I should pick up my pencil again, enlisting my boys as companions. At the very least, I can teach them to draw dead sheep floating downstream.

Goodbye, Diana Wynne Jones

Diana Wynne Jones isn't with us any more--she died last night, and the world is poorer for it.

Her books have given me so much to enjoy and savor that I will be forever grateful to her.

(stares at screen and cries)

added: here's a link to the compilation of DWJ quotes on Goodreads. I'm glad the giant marrow is here--nobody has every included a giant marrow in a fantasy book more successfully than DWJ.

The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic, by Jennifer Trafton

There is, in my mind, a certain sub-genre of middle grade fantasy that offers a particular type of story--whimsical, light-hearted, adventures with the sort of almost-but-not-quite over-the-top imaginary garnishes that one could imagine a kid coming up with herself in her own writing (which is not a criticism). Books like Drizzle, by Kathleen Van Cleeve, The Magical Misadventures of Prunella Bogthistle, by Deva Fagan, and Green, by Laura Peyton Roberts, to name a few that I think have that sort of flavor (does this make sense?)

Here's a new one of that ilk--The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic, by Jennifer Trafton, illustrated by Brett Helquist (Dial 2011, mg, 339). It tells of a girl named Persimmony Smudge, who dreams of Greatness--but how, she wonders, can she find it on the small island where she lives? It's true that this island is the center of everything (and all the land there is, as far as she knows), and it is true that it a magical place--Mount Majestic, the center of the island, gently rises and falls (literally--in an up and down way) every day. And it is not without dangers. There are the poisonous tortoises, the restless mangroves, and the mysterious Leafeaters living hidden lives, and the young despotic boy who's king of the island forces many of its inhabitants to slave in his pepper mill. But none of this really gives a girl scope for doing great things....

Until one day Parsimmony happens to break a pot. And because of that, she hears two Leafeaters talking in the forest about the gold buried beneath the mountain...and that, in turn, leads her to the terrifying discovery that there is a giant under the mountain! One who might well be woken by diggers looking for gold...

And so Parsimmony is launched on an adventure that includes peril! magic pots! a very special starfish! and more! Including, of course, the chance to save the whole island and win glory for the despised name of Smudge.

It is indeed, as Ingrid Law puts it in the blurb on the cover, a magical, buoyant, and lively. Kate, in her review at Book Aunt, contributes more apt adjectives--gleeful, playful, giddy, whimsical, rambunctious! And it is indeed all these things. Not desperately rich or dense or imbued with heart-wrenching Meaning, but succeeding very nicely at being an imaginative and fun read for kids who enjoy the fantastical (almost but not quite) ridiculous.

It's best suited, I think, for the younger end of middle grade (4th and 5th graders who haven't yet become cynical and jaded), and is also one I think would make an especially good book to read aloud to an eight year old girl (or something like one), not just because "Parsimmony" is fun to say. The chapters are shortish, with points of view bouncing around between characters (making it easy to find stopping points), but there's a continuum of energy that I imagine would make the young reader keep asking for more.

That being said, older people (ie me) might not be entirely convinced by the world building and the characters, but it's easy to imagine its intended audience enjoying it lots.

Other thoughts at Nothing Witty Never Pretty, Kiss the Book, Mrs. Hill's Book Blog, and the Book Aunt review linked to above.

Skeleton Man, by Joseph Bruchac

Looking for a middle-grade horror story that takes a terrifying Native American tale and sets it, with great effect, in the present? Probably you weren't, exactly, because you didn't (like me until recently) know that such a book existed. But it does--it is Skeleton Man, by Joseph Bruchac (HarperCollins, 2003, 128 pages), and it is a real page-turner and nail-biter of squirming scariness!

Molly's parents have told her stories from her Mohawk ancestors all her life. Some funny, some inspiring, and some downright creepy. The story of the Skeleton Man is one of the later. It tells of a lazy man, always hungry, who burns his finger one day...and the charred flesh tastes so delicious when he puts his finger in his mouth that he eats himself down to the bone. And then he waits for his family to come home...he's still hungry for more.

Molly, safely wrapped in her parents' love, knows it's just a story. But one day when she wakes up, and finds her parents haven't come home, and a skeletally thin man shows up, claiming to be her uncle. Handed over to him, Molly begins a life of fear and desperation--she knows something is horribly wrong, but no-one believes her. And her "uncle" keeps trying to fatten her up....

Dreams come to help her, dreams that show her a way out and inspire her to try to escape. But when all her worst fears about the Skeleton Man come true, it will take all the courage her dreams have given her for Molly to escape.

Fastly, furiously, suspensfully good! This is the first book by Joseph Bruchac I've read, and the first in which he took a story from his own Abenaki heritage and recast it in the present, and it works beautifully. The Native American elements of the story give a resonance to Molly's experience that lifts this up above straight horror, Molly's a great "brave girl heroine," and Bruchac's writing never disappointed me (right after I post this, I'll be busily adding more of his books to my tbr list--does anyone have any recommendations?).

It's short, and a very fast read, making it not quite enough to completely satisfy the adult reader (ie me), but making it perfect for the 10 year old (on up) who isn't easily disturbed (I think the scariest part is not so much Skeleton Man qua Skeleton Man, but the fact that Molly's parents are gone, presumed dead, and she's trapped in a nightmare that no grown-up can save her from. So not recommended to children that have separation anxiety!).

eek--I just found out that there is a sequel, The Return of Skeleton Man! Poor Molly....

The Book of Tomorrow, by Cecelia Ahern, for Timeslip Tuesday

The worst of my library booksale behind me, I can now get back to blogging! Yay!

So this being Tuesday, I have, as usual, a timeslip book...one for grown-ups (although I think it has tons of YA cross-over appeal). It's The Book of Tomorrow, by Cecelia Ahern (Harper Collins, 2011, 320 pages)

Just shy of her seventeenth birthday, Tamara's life of wealth and privilege collapses when her father kills himself, and she's the one who finds him. All his money is gone, and Tamara and her mother, who's deeply depressed, must leave their repossessed mansion outside Dublin to stay with her aunt and uncle in the country. Her uncle is the caretaker of a ruined castle, her aunt an insanely perfectionist housekeeper, and life in this little piece of rural Ireland could not be more different Tamara's hedonist, material past.

Angry, rebellious, and worried about her mother's retreat into an unspeaking stupor, Tamara is appalled at her new circumstances. But then the travelling book mobile (driven by a very cute boy) arrives, and with it a blank diary. Tamara claims it, and toys with actually writing in it....but never gets the chance. Because when she opens it, she finds her entry from the next day, already written.

Knowing what's gone right (and badly wrong) for her future self, Tamara begins to explore the world in which she finds herself--a place where there are painfully dark secrets, hidden for years, waiting for her to find them.

I found this a fascinating read, not just for the timeslippy premise of reading the diary entries one is going to write tomorrow (which is a brilliant premise, that added tons to the book). Tamara is an unreliable narrator, in as much as her emotions are horribly roiled. She presents herself to the world as unlikeable (one of her habits is alienating others so as not to risk becoming attached), and she's does indeed come across as obnoxious and foul-mouthed. But, rather miraculously, as Ahern unfolds Tamara's experiences, she makes her someone to care about. She was never entirely likable--I wavered between being annoyed with her, feeling sorry for her, and finding her entertaining--but never once did I consider not finishing her story.

But what really hooked me was the wealth of detail. Tamara's new existence comes alive with lovely descriptions of the ruined castle, the beekeeping neighborhood nun whose not averse to curling up with a romance novel, her aunt's disturbingly over-zealous cooking, and the two cute boys (yes, there's a second cute boy on the scene, even though they are all miles from anywhere--nice for Tamara). It's all very suspenseful, but the sun shines a lot and there are lightness in the narration (like the squirrel portrait painting episode) that kept me entertained as well as anxiously intrigued.

However, I did not like the end, which I felt was rushed. I was reading along nicely, letting the suspense of the mystery build up, and patiently waiting for Clues (which I was probably missing), when Bam, everything fell into place (and rather implausible it was, I though). It's possible, of course, that I was just turning the pages too fast in my feverish interest, and maybe it actually was more subtle than I'm giving it credit for--that's the downside of being a fast reader. But still, I felt let down, and not terribly satisfied.

Ant the time-slippish diary is never explained--it is clearly magical, and does indeed foretell the future, but there's no reason for it linked back into the story. So it ended up feeling untidy to me, and not as Magical as it could have been. Oh well.

(age-wise--Tamara uses bad language, gets drunk, and has sex. In short, nothing that would surprise an older teenaged reader)

This Sunday's round-up of middle grade fantasy and sci fi posting from around the blogs

Here's this week's middle grade sci fi/fantasy round-up; it seems a bit on the skimpy side, and I'm afraid I might have overlooked things (it was a hectic week) so do let me know if I missed your mg sff post!

Bless This Mouse, by Lois Lowry, at A Patchwork of Books

Blue Fire, by Janice Hardy, at Let the Words Flow

The Bone Magician, by F.E. Higgins, at Beyond Books

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword, by Barry Deutsch, at Book Nut

Kat, Incorrigible, by Stephanie Burgis, at aleeza reads and writes

The Last Polar Bears, and the next books in the series by Harry Horse, at books4yourkids

Max Quick--The Pocket and the Pendent, by Mark Jeffrey, at watchYAreading?

Searching for Dragons, by Patricia Wrede, at Random Musings of a Bibliophile

The Trouble With Chickens, by Doreen Cronin, at Bookends

Zita the Space Girl, by Ben Hatke, at Bookends

Authors at large:

Stephanie Burgis (Kat, Incorrigible) at Steph Su Reads (with bonus giveaway)

At A Year of Reading, you will find a video of Gennifer Choldenko (No Passengers Beyond this Point) discussing this book and her writing (and you'll also find some quick looks at other middle grade books).

And Gennifer Choldenko is also interviewed at Shelf Elf.

Brian Chick (The Secret Zoo series) talks about school visits at Under the Green Willow

Kelly Barnhouse (The Mostly True Story of Jack) is interviewed at nancyfulda

Other good stuff:

The folks over at the Enchanted Inkpot are talking small this week, looking at fantasy books where the scale of the characters is miniature.

These round-ups are very fantasy heavy, so it's nice to have a bit of sci fi news- the first book in PJ Haarsman's Softwire series, Virus on Orbis, is available free in ebook form until April 30th, 2011. Exciting adventures out in space, with lots of aliens and other sci fi goodness!

Over at School Library Journal's Battle of the Books, the mg fantasy showdown match took place, with Keeper up against Hereville.

And here's a really cool thing: you know the "X-wing" fighters from Star Wars? Well, here's the whole alphabet of fighters, created from lego. The "M-wing" at right looks pretty serviceable; others, not so much. Thanks to Geek Dad for the link.