The Space Child's Mother Goose, for Poetry Friday

When I was eleven, I met the word "postulate" for the first time. It was in the following poem:


"Probable-Possible, my black hen,
She lays eggs in the Relative When.
She doesn't lay eggs in the Positive Now
Because she's unable to Postulate how."

This poem is the first in a slim volume entitled The Space Child's Mother Goose, by Frederick Winsor, illustrated by Marian Parry. It was published way back in 1956, but is still holding great appeal to the science geek-esque eleven year old of today. I know this for a fact, because I have been reading it with my own such child for three nights in a row. Not only are the poems (those we understand, which is by no means all of them...) fun, but it is illustrated in charming bizarrity with black and white illustrations filled with vaguely mathematical details, and peopled by space personages who have beaks (or possibly just very triangular profiles).

"There was an old woman with notions quite new,
She never told children the things they should do,
She hoisted the covers up over her head
When people explained where her theories led."

Here's the poem that most delights my boy-- a riff on The House that Jack Built.

It begins "This is the theory that Jack built."

And progressively we reach:

"This is the Button to Start the Machine
To make with the Cybernetics and Stuff
To cover Chaotic Confusion and Bluff
That hung on the Turn of a Plausible Phrase
And thickened the Erudite Verbal Haze
Cloaking Constant K
That saved the Summary
Based on the Mummery
Hiding the Flaw
That lay in the Theory Jack built."

And then along comes a Space Child "with Brow Serene"--- and Jack's Theory goes up in smoke!

My son has it memorized, and I am trying to convince him that the next time he has to take a standardized writing test, he should put in "erudite verbal haze." That, and the "turn of a plausible phrase" are our favorite lines.

So educational--some of us had to look up "sophistry" and "cybernetics" so that we could be sure we were explaining things properly (we knew in a general way, but not solidly enough to be sure). And some of us had no idea at all what, for instance, Jato was (although others of us, not me, did).

I'm not entirely convinced, though, by the quality of the verse....this is one of those cases where I find myself "improving" the poetry as I read it. Don't you think, for instance, that the last line of the Old Woman Who Lived in the Shoe one above needs a "had" in the last line? And isn't "possible probable" more fun to say than "probable possible?" Oh well, you can't have everything in this imperfect world.

Side note: my mother once went on a birding trip with two famous astrophysicists; she was shocked they'd never heard of this, and ordered them a copy the moment she got home. She no longer has her own copy....for reasons best left, um, unsaid...though I'm pretty sure I would have asked first...I think.

Although first editions are scarce and costly, the reprinted edition of The Space Child's Mother Goose is available here at Think Geek for only 13.95

The Poetry Friday Round-Up is at The Opposite of Indifference today!

Waiting on Wednesday--Mermaid House, by Gwendoline Courtney

Gwendoline Courtney (1911-1996) is a favorite author of mine--some her books are go-to comfort reads, featuring close-knit siblings who engage in a variety of nicely detailed domestic tasks and house hold projects and finding old furniture in the attic and polishing it. Sally's Family is the classic example, and I read it every year or so (instead of cleaning my own house and polishing my own furniture). I think I like it because it all gets finished in the end (unlike my own house). Other of her books, in which there is no whitewashing of walls, appeal less to me.

But regardless, it was a great pleasure to learn that Mermaid House, a new book by Courtney is going to be published in the near future by Girls Gone By Publishers, who have been busily bringing back into print a number of excellent (and some less so) British School Girl stories (Chalet School, anyone? I think I came to that series too late in life, and have never cared for it. But other books, like Evelyn Finds Herself, by Josephine Elder, are most excellent).

"It is not very often that one finds an almost unpublished novel by an author one loves, but such is the case with Mermaid House by Gwendoline Courtney. It was never published in book form, but only in The Salisbury Journal, over 48 instalments from 9th January 1953.
The Greystone children are apprehensive about the prospect of spending a summer with their mother’s aunt, the formidable and aptly named Miss Pendragon, who lives in Tremorvyn Cove, Cornwall. However, almost from the moment of their arrival mysteries abound, and as the story unfolds, the Greystones are left with many questions but no answers about what is happening on Tremorvyn Point, and why. Then they team up with Agnes Morvyn and Ned Pengelly, and between them they unravel this exciting story with its surprising conclusion.
We discovered this story a couple of years ago, and decided to publish it this year - the Centenary of Gwendoline Courtney’s birth. It is Gwendoline Courtney at her best."

I dunno if I am going to agree with them or not--there doesn't sound like there's much house cleaning...but still, on my Christmas wish list it goes!

The books that he got for his birthday

So my oldest turned eleven yesterday (the next time he'll reach mirror symmetry he'll be 88)...and here are the books he got for his birthday:


Algebra and Geometry (Basher Books) We think Basher's books are great; my eight year old (with my consent) has been sneaking peaks at this one when his brother wasn't around since it arrived in the house.

Ghostopolis, by Doug Tennapel, which has the added bonus of being one of the books on his summer reading list.

M.C. Escher: 24 Master Prints

Athena: Grey Eyed Goddess

Marco Polo: History's Great Adventurer


Fiction is too hit or miss to make good presents for him...would that he was in love with a nice series, like The Ranger's Apprentice. But no. The books he enjoys are Utterly Random.

Here are his favorites of this past year:

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin.

The Big Big Book of Tashi, by Anna Feinberg

Highway Cats, by Janet Taylor Lisle

Which just goes to show that there is no one size fits all for the picky boy reader.

Beswitched, by Kate Saunders

Beswitched, by Kate Saunders (Marion Lloyd Books, 2010, middle grade, 288 pages), is a Must Read for anyone who, like me, loves British boarding school stories and time travel, in as much as it combines the two in an utterly delightful fashion.

Young Flora, a modern English girl, is determined to be unhappy at the boarding school to which she's being sent while her parents are abroad. But when she falls asleep on the train, and finds that she's off to boarding school in 1935 (!!!!) her horror is even greater. Her three new room-mates brought her back into the past through an experiment with magic, and now she stuck in a world of nasty baths, worse food, and an educational regime far removed from the relaxed, student-directed learning she'd been promised at her new school.

But Flora manages, with the help of her new friends, to become an Asset to the School, and to save someone's life from going badly wrong....

So much fun! It is just enjoyable as all get out to see a 1935 boarding school through modern eyes, especially since Kate Saunders did such a brilliant job bringing it to life! Lots of description, lots of fully three-dimensional characters, and some nasty Latin verbs...with the threat of WW II adding a darker note (faintly, but it's there). Not a book in which Lots Happens, being more character driven, although I did appreciate the classical boarding school trope of the School Girl in Peril making its appearance!*

Flora's struggles with an alien time and its alien culture are convincing, making this my favorite sort of time travel story--one in which the time travel is the main plot element, but one in which it's the effects of the time travel on the main character and those around her that are the central point.

In short, I thought it was great!

Beswitched has been out in the UK for a while, and is coming to the US this December from Delacorte.

*Viz school girls in peril-- I actually won a prize for a haiku on this theme (10 pounds!!!), which I shall share with you now:

Hanging from the cliff,
I wonder when a school girl
Will come rescue me.

In my mailbox--welcoming the ARCs from Tu's first season!

I've never done an "in my mailbox" post before, but the package that arrived in the mail today was rather special.

Back in the fall of 2009, Stacy Whitman had a bold and brave idea--to launch a new publishing venture, dedicated "to publishing fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and historical fiction for children and young adults inspired by many cultures from around the world….” Tu Press garnered so much support and generated so much enthusiasm that Lee and Low took it under their publishing house wing as an imprint, and now, at last, the result is here! Literally here, as in under my roof in ARC form:














Galaxy Games: The Challengers by Greg R. Fishbone
In this hilarious middle-grade romp through space, 11-year-old Ty Sato gets a chance to compete in the biggest sporting event in the universe.

Wolf Mark by Joseph Bruchac
When Lucas King's black-ops father is kidnapped, a dangerous family secret could be his only chance to save him: a skin that will let him walk as a wolf. Spies and skinwalkers come together in this edge-of-your-seat YA thriller based on Abenaki legend.

Tankborn by Karen Sandler
A riveting YA science fiction dystopia about Kayla and Mishalla, genetically engineered slaves on the planet Loka, whose developing friendships with higher-status boys lead them to question the strict caste system of their world.

You can find out more about them at the Tu Kids Books page at Lee and Low!

Congratulations, Stacy, and Lee and Low, and the authors!

And for those of you who want to read about how to make a cultural diverse book the best that it can be, head over to Writing with a Broken Tusk, where Uma Krishnaswami chats with Stacy. Says Uma "I was pleased to be invited to consult with editor Stacy Whitman on their forthcoming dystopic fantasy title, Tankborn. The experience got me thinking about the use of cultural consultants as a way to bridge gaps between outsider authors (culturally speaking) and insider readers, so I asked Stacy for her thoughts." Fascinating!

This Sunday's round-up of middle grade sff

After a vigorous morning of weeding, it's gotten too hot to be outside anymore....so instead here I am pulling together this week's round-up of middle grade (for readers 9-12 ish years old, plus or minus 35, so as to allow me to fit) fantasy and science fiction....

This week was filled with poignant reminiscences about Harry Potter, and I must confess, I am deeply jealous of those who started reading the first book when they were children. My generation got Flowers in the Attic. Yay for us. My boys get Diary of a Wimpy Kid (being just five or so years too late for Percy Jackson; I don't think the Kane Chronicles will ever be as cultish, and speaking of which, here's Kate over at Book Aunt comparing the two series).

But maybe there is a series just beginning, with its midnight release parties yet to come, that my boys can be part of (cause really, it's all about my children. Although I wouldn't mind, exactly, having a reason to go to a midnight release myself).

On with the round-up.

The Reviews:

Between Two Ends, by David Ward, at The Musings of a Book Addict

Darke, by Angie Sage, at Charlotte's Library

Emily Windsnap and the Siren's Secret, by Liz Kessler, at A Backwards Story

Empire of Ruins (the Hunchback Assignments) by Arthur Slade, at Once Upon a Bookshelf

The End of Time (Books of Umber III), by P. W. Catanese at I Read to Relax

Fly By Night, by Frances Hardinge, at Random Musings of a Bibliophile

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland on a Ship of Her Own Making, by Catherynne M. Valente, at things mean a lot and The Written World (they read it together)

Mistress of the Storm, by M.L. Welsh, at My Favorite Books

The Mostly True Story of Jack, by Kelly Barnhill, at Book Aunt

No Passengers Beyond This Point, by Gennifer Choldenko, at Becky's Book Reviews

The Old Willis Place, by Mary Downing Hahn, at Books & other thoughts

Peter and the Starcathers, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, at susanthelibrarian

Sidekicks, by Dan Santant, at A Year of Reading

The Story of the Amulet, by E. Nesbit, at Becky's Book Reviews

Takeshita Demons: The Filth Licker, by Christy Burne, at My Favorite Books

A Tale of Two Castles, by Gail Carson Levine, at Books 4 Learning

The Trap (the Magnificent 12 Book 2), by Michael Grant, at The O.W.L.

The Undrowned Child, by Michelle Lovric, at Karissa's Reading Review

Wildwood, by Colin Meloy, at Wandering Librarians

Zita the Space Girl, by Ben Hatke, at Great Kid Books

Authors and Interviews:

Matthew Cody (Powerless) and Aaron Starmer (The Only Ones) at Mother Reader

Liz Kessler (Emily Windsnap) at A Backwards Story

Christy Burne (Takeshita Demons) at My Favorite Books

Kelly Barnhill (The Mostly True Story of Jack) at SFWA

Other good things:

The shortlist for the Kelpies Prize (previously unpublished children's books set in contemporary Scotland) has been announced-- all three look great. Read their blurbs at Mr Ripleys Enchanted Books.

At books4yourkids you can take a peak at Candlewick's series of Storyword: Create-a-Story Kits- StoryWorld: Fairy Magic has just been released.

Luka and the Fire of Life was a Did Not Finish for me, more, I think, because I was in the wrong mood for its episodic journey through fairyland type story. Via Educating Alice, I learned of a competition among animation students at London’s Kingston University to come up with a concept for a film from the book...Here's my favorite:

New releases of sci fi and fantasy for kids and teens-the middle to the end of July, 2011 edition

Here are the new releases of science fiction and fantasy from the middle to the end of July...my pick out of all of these is Spellbond, the second of the Books of Elsewhere--I loved Jacquline West's first book lots!

As usual, my information comes from Teens Read Too, with blurbs lifted from Amazon/Goodreads.

MIDDLE GRADE:

THE ADVENTURES OF ROOPSTER ROUX by Ryan Burton & Erik Thompson Finals are tough, but they're even tougher when your best friend and sister have been mind controlled by the most sinister villain in the city! And that's exactly the situation Roopster Roux finds himself in his latest escapade. He'll have to use all his wits, book smarts, and his trusty Roux Ripper to overcome his greatest and most dangerous adventure yet!

FAIRY SCHOOL DROPOUT: OVER THE RAINBOW by Meredith Badger In a city only for fairies, Rainbowville has brilliantly colored trees, glittering skyscrapers that look like crystal, and fairies skateboarding in midair. It is decidedly NOT the sort of place that Ellie likes. But when Ellie’s Grandmother Knottleweed-Eversprightly finds out that she is a Fairy School dropout, she picks her up from human school and enrolls her in Rainbowville’s Fairy Boarding School. Fairy School has never been easy for Ellie. She can’t get the hang of synchronized flying, and always messes up her spelling tests. And boarding school is even more strict. Ellie doesn’t think she’ll ever be able to keep up. But does she want to stop being a fairy? Or will the Fairy School dropout become a proper fairy after all?

THE FLIGHT OF DRAGONS: THE FOURTH TALE FROM THE FIVE KINGDOMS by Vivian French

How long does a dragon’s egg take to hatch? Find out as this hilariously macabre series continues.

In this deadly funny fourth Tale from the Five Kingdoms, it’s Gracie Gillypot’s birthday, and Prince Marcus plans to show her a flight of dragons as a special gift. But when greedy, chocolate-hungry twins awaken the banished Old Malignant One, evil magic and Total Oblivion threaten the Five Kingdoms. Gracie must find a powerful, long-forgotten dragon’s egg before the Old Malignant One does in order to save the day. With the help of a wayward troll, two chatty bats, and the ancient crones, can Gracie foil his rotten plans? And can she overcome a spoiled princess, a malicious crow, and loads of chocolate cake to do so?

THE FULL MOON: THE FAERIES' PROMISE by Kathleen Duey In simultaneous hardcover and paperback editions, the final book in a four-book chapter book series, a companion to The Unicorn's Secret. The faeries have returned to their beloved meadow near the village of Ash Grove. Winter is coming and they are working hard to prepare for the storms—and to stay hidden. Alida saved the villagers' crops from Lord Dunraven's greed, but now the people of Ash Grove know that the faeries have returned. Will they tell Lord Dunraven’s guards? The faeries live in fear of being discovered and Alida wants desperately to find a way to make her family safer. Then a frightening accident in the woods outside Ash Grove brings even more danger, and an opportunity for Alida to forge a friendship that could change the faeries' lives forever. The risk is terrible—Alida can only follow her heart.

HERA, THE GODDESS AND HER GLORY: OLYMPIANS by George O'Connor The story of Hera, Queen of the Gods, and the heroes who won her favor. Volume 3 of Olympians, Hera: The Goddess and Her Glory, introduces readers to the Queen of the Gods and Goddesses in the Pantheon. This volume tells the tales of the many heroes who sought and won Hera’s patronage, most notably Hercules. In Olympians, O’Connor draws from primary documents to reconstruct and retell classic Greek myths. But these stories aren’t sedate, scholarly works. They’re action-packed, fast-paced, high-drama adventures with monsters, romance, and not a few huge explosions.

MAGICAL MISCHIEF by Anna Dale What if magic took over everything in its path? This is the fate of the old Hardbattle Bookshop. Magic has settled in every corner and brought chaos to Mr. Hardbattle's life, driving away all of his customers. Then one day, just when Mr. Hardbattle's had enough, a young boy named Arthur stumbles in. And soon Mr. Hardbattle, Arthur, and the lovable Miss Quint are banding together to reclaim the shop. A new home for magic must be found . . .

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DUST BUNNIES: STONE RABBIT by Erik Craddock After months and months of neglecting his chores, all of the dirt in Stone Rabbit's house has come to life—and it is turning all of the citizens of Happy Glades into evil living dust bunnies! Will our hero be able to clean up his town? Or will he be swept away by the fiendish filth?

Night of the Living Dust Bunnies is the sixth book in a full-color series of riotous, rip-roaring graphic novels that chronicles the zany of adventures of a quick-tempered and quick-witted young rabbit. Its fast pace and outrageously-high visual content will appeal to thrill-seeking young readers everywhere!

THE SECRET SPIRAL by Gillian Neimark It’s just another boring Wednesday in May for ten-year-old Flor Bernoulli of Brooklyn, New York. As soon as school is out she hurries to the popular Sky High Pie Shop down the block, owned by the wonderfully mysterious Dr. Pi. But when she gets there, her life changes forever. Dr. Pi reveals he is actually an ancient wizard, in charge of a very special cosmic fire that keeps nature in balance. Without him, every single thing that has the shape of a spiral—from seashells to galaxies to the inside of your ear—will cease to exist. Flor wonders if Dr. Pi has lost his mind, but then two tall blond strangers from another planet show up, hoping to steal Dr. Pi’s fire for themselves. The adventure of a lifetime has begun. As she travels in time and travels in space, Flor learns that only she has the magic to help Dr. Pi protect the fire, save the spiral, and keep the world spinning just as it should.

SPELLBOUND: THE BOOKS OF ELSEWHERE by Jacqueline West With no way into the house's magical paintings, and its three guardian cats reluctant to help, Olive's friend Morton is still trapped inside Elsewhere. So when Rutherford, the new oddball kid next door, mentions a grimoire - a spellbook - Olive feels a breathless tug of excitement. If she can find the McMartins' spellbook, maybe she can help Morton escape Elsewhere for good. Unless, that is, the book finds Olive first.

The house isn't the only one keeping secrets anymore. Mystery, magic, corruption, and betrayal abound (plus just enough laughs to take the edge off). You'll never guess what happens next in this thrilling, chilling second volume in the critically acclaimed series.

THE WIZARD OF DARK STREET by Shawn Thomas Odyssey Oona Crate was born to be the Wizard’s apprentice, but she has another destiny in mind.

Despite possessing the rare gift of natural magic, Oona wants to be a detective. Eager for a case to prove herself, she wants to show her uncle—the Wizard of Dark Street—that logic is as powerful as magic. But when someone attacks the Wizard, Oona must delve even deeper into the world of magic to discover who wanted her uncle dead.

Full of magic, odd characters, evil henchmen, and a street where nothing is normal, The Wizard of Dark Street will have you guessing until the very end.

YOUNG ADULT

BEAUTIFUL BEINGS by Kailin Gow An ethereal exclusive boarding school with unearthly beautiful students...Lux, a rebel girl, who has been seeing demons and angels since she was two...Asher, the bad boy on a motorcycle who sketches angels...Brax Kingsley who instantly captures Lux's eyes when she moves into the neighborhood...And the Hatchett twins whose parents were murdered, leaving them a ridiculous fortune...All brought together...all part of the puzzle behind the Beautiful Beings.

DRAGON'S OATH: A HOUSE OF NIGHT NOVELLA by P.C. & Kristin Cast The first in an enthralling new mini-series of novellas from the #1 bestselling authors of the House of Night, Dragon’s Oath tells the story behind the House of Night’s formidable fencing instructor – the love that will transform him, and the promise that will haunt him

In early 19th century England, long before he’s a professor at the Tulsa House of Night, Bryan Lankford is a troublesome yet talented human teen who thinks he can get away with anything… until his father, a wealthy nobleman, has finally had enough, and banishes him to America. When Bryan is Marked on the docks and given the choice between the London House of Night and the dragon-prowed ship to America, he chooses the Dragon – and a brand new fate.

Becoming a Fledgling may be exciting, but it opens a door to a dangerous world.... In 1830’s St. Louis, the Gateway to the West, Dragon Lankford becomes a Sword Master, and soon realizes there are both frightening challenges and beautiful perks. Like Anastasia, the captivating young Professor of Spells and Rituals at the Tower Grove House of Night, who really should have nothing to do with a fledgling…

But when a dark power threatens, Dragon is caught in its focus. Though his uncanny fighting skills make him a powerful fledgling, is he strong enough to ward off evil, while protecting Anastasia as well? Will his choices save her—or destroy them all?

FOREVER: WOLVES OF MERCY FALLS by Maggie Stiefvater then.

When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from a curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.

now.

That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.

forever.

Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment - a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.

THE HIDDEN CORONET: RELIC MASTER by Catherine Fisher The third installment in the Relic Master quartet!

The coronet, a potent ancient relic, might be the only way to defeat the power that is destroying Anara. But it has been lost for centuries, and only legend tells of its whereabouts. Will Galen and Raffi be able to find it before the Watch does?

MAYHEM: A MYSTYX NOVEL by Artist Arthur A lot can change in a few months. Jake Palmer is living proof of that. In a short time, the once–shy loner has discovered his incredible supernatural abilities and forged a tight bond with his fellow Mystyx. What's more—he's fallen for his best friend, Krystal. And fallen hard.

Still, some things remain the same—like the jocks who keep bullying him. Even though they have no idea how powerful Jake has become. And while he tries to follow Krystal's advice, he may not be able to keep his cool much longer. But there are bigger problems ahead, because the darkness that's been hovering nearby is about to descend on the town of Lincoln, Connecticut. And when it does, the Mystyx will learn who to trust, who to fear and just how much is at stake…

RETURN TO DAEMON HALL: EVIL ROOTS by Andrew Nance A year has passed since that fateful night in Daemon Hall’s house of horrors. Bestselling macabre author Ian Tremblin decides to hold another writer’s contest but this time in the safety of his own home. Tremblin is excited to share with contestants a very old book he has recently acquired that once belonged to Rudolph Daemon, the millionaire builder of Daemon Hall who later went mad and killed his family. But the book, like the mansion, is powerfully evil and soon transports the group to the burned out shell of the haunted mansion. Flesh eaters, voodoo, a proficient sociopath, and the root of the house’s malevolence are all part of the mix. Who will get out alive?

RIPPLE by Mandy Hubbard Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she's ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

THE ROBOT by Paul E. Watson Science-loving Gabe and girl-crazy Dover are best friends. In fact, they're practically each other's only friends. So when Gabe's parents leave town for the weekend, he lets Dover convince him to break into his father's basement laboratory-even though he knows it's off-limits under penalty of lifelong grounding. Once inside, the boys make a shocking discovery, one that will turn a boring weekend into a hilarious madcap adventure: a smoking hot robot!

While Gabe and Dover argue over "Trina," the robot flees the lab. The chase is on! Before the day is over, she'll expose a traitorous plot, catapult two geeky freshmen to high school fame, and try to assassinate Dr. Phil!

SIREN'S STORM by Lisa Papademetriou Nothing has been the same for Will ever since what happened last summer. One day, on an ordinary sailing trip with his brother, there is a strange accident. When Will wakes up, he learns his brother has disappeared, presumed drowned. Worst of all, Will can't remember what happened—his family finds him unconscious, with no memory of the accident.

Now Will and his best friend and neighbor, Gretchen, are starting a new summer. Gretchen seems troubled—her sleepwalking habit is getting worse, and she keeps waking up closer and closer to the water. Will is drawn to Asia, the exotic new girl in town. Nobody knows where she's from—all Will knows is that her beauty and her mesmerizing voice have a powerful effect on people.

Then there is another mysterious drowning, and Will and Gretchen begin to wonder: Is Asia just another beautiful, wealthy summer resident? Or is she something entirely more sinister . . . and inhuman?

STARSTRUCK by Cyn Balog Gwendolyn "Dough" X doesn't think she has much going for her—she carries a few extra pounds, her family struggles with their small bakery in a town full of millionaires, and the other kids at her New Jersey high school don't seem to know that she exists. Thank the stars for her longtime boyfriend, Philip P. Wishman—or "Wish." He moved away to California three years ago, when they were 13, but then professed his love for her via e-mail, and he's been her long-distance BF ever since.
At the beginning of her junior year, though, Wish e-mails that he's moving back to Jersey. Great, right? Well, except that Dough has gained about 70 pounds since the last time Wish saw her, while Wish—according to his Facebook photos—has morphed into a blonde god. Convinced that she'll be headed for Dumpsville the minute Wish lays eyes on her, Dough delays their meeting as long as she possibly can. But when she sees Wish at school, something amazing happens. He looks at Dough like she's just as gorgeous as he is. But Wish is acting a little weird, obsessed with the sun and freaked out by rain. And the creepy new guy working at the bakery, Christian, is convinced that there's more to Wish's good looks than just healthy eating and lots of sun. He tells Dough that a mark on Wish's neck marks him as a member of the Luminati—an ancient cult of astrologers who can manipulate the stars to improve their lives. Is Wish and Dough's love meant to be—or are they star-crossed?

SUPERNATURALLY: PARANORMALCY by Kiersten White Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be... kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

TOUCH OF FROST: A MYTHOS ACADEMY NOVEL by Jennifer Estep Gwen Frost is an outsider at Mythos Academy, a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword. Gwen is an outsider both to the students of the Academy and the rest of the world. But when her gift of psychometry - the ability to know an object's history just by touching it reveals dark undercurrents and danger afoot, she has no choice but to get involved.

UNDERCURRENT: A SIREN NOVEL by Tricia Rayburn The sirens are back, but Vanessa may be the biggest threat of all. . . .

Nothing has been normal since Vanessa Sands learned that her sister was murdered by sirens—femme fatales of the watery depths—and that everything she believed about her family was a lie.

Her boyfriend Simon’s been the only person Vanessa feels she can really trust. But now there are some secrets she can’t tell even him. And when Vanessa finds herself in the sights of Parker, Hawthorne Prep’s resident charmer, she needs someone to confide in more than ever. Doubting her relationship with Simon, unsure of Parker’s intentions—and of her own—and terrified by what she’s learned about herself, Vanessa has never felt so alone.

But personal problems must be put aside, because the Winter Harbor sirens are back for revenge. Now, Vanessa must face her past and accept that she is just like her enemies—every bit as alluring, every bit as dangerous.

The eagerly anticipated second novel of the Siren trilogy, Undercurrent is a seductive paranormal romance that will leave you breathless.

VOICE OF THE UNDEAD: ALEX VAN HELSING by Jason Henderson Now that Alex is in the know about the deadly vampires that live--and hunt--clustered around his boarding school, everything is different. Putting his talents to use, Alex is training with the Polidorium to become a vampire hunter, just like his Van Helsing ancestors. Sure, he's only fourteen, but c'mon, this runs in his blood.Meanwhile, Alex's arch-nemesis Elle, a vampire whose youthful appearance and blond hair disguise a vengeful rage, is out to get him before a powerful leader called "Ultravox" arrives on the scene. Ultravox specializes in assassinations, but who is he targeting? Dodging Elle's attacks, Alex is on a mission to uncover Ultravox's deadly plan before his friends and his school become collateral damage. There's no time to report back; innocent lives hang in the balance, and it's up to Alex to act now--or else.

WILDCAT FIREFLIES: A MERIDIAN NOVEL by Amber Kizer Meridian Sozu is a Fenestra—the half-human, half-angel link between the living and the dead. She has the dark responsibility of helping souls transition safely into the afterlife. If people die without the help of a Fenestra, their souls are left vulnerable to be stolen by the Aternocti, a dark band of forces who disrupt the balance of good and evil in the world and cause chaos.
Having recently lost her beloved Auntie—the woman who showed her what it meant to be a Fenestra—Meridian has hit the road with Tens, her love and sworn protector, in hopes of finding another Fenestra. Their search leads them to Indiana, where Juliet, a responsible and loving teenager, works tirelessly in the nursing home where she and several other foster kids are housed. Surrounded by death, Juliet struggles to make a loving home for the younger kids, and to protect them from the violent whims of their foster mother. But she is struggling against forces she can't understand . . . and even as she feels a pull toward the dying, their sickness seems to infect her, weighing her down. . . .
Will Meri and Tens find Juliet in time to save her from a life of misery and illness? And will Meri and Tens' own romance weather the storms of new discoveries?

WILDEFIRE by Karsten Knight Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

WOLFSBANE: A NIGHTSHADE NOVEL by Andrea Cremer

This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended-Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer-one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack-and the man-she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

The Greedy Sparrow, retold by Lucine Kasbarian

I don't review picture books all that often, but sometimes a. I don't have the time or inclination to read/write about longer books and b. nice picture books come in the mail.

So today I offer The Greedy Sparrow: an Armenian Tale, retold by Lucine Kasbarian, and illustrated by Maria Zaikina (Marshall Cavendish, 2011, 32 pages). It tells of a sparrow, who got a thorn in his foot. A baker pulls it out, but is taken aback when the sparrow returns a little while later, asking for its thorn back...the thorn has been burned, so the sparrow demands (and gets) bread in exchange. And from there the sparrow follows the same pattern of tricksy manipulation to move from bread to sheep, a sheep that ends up being slaughtered at wedding feast.

So the sparrow asks for the bride, and gets her! But it's not until the sparrow ends up with a minstrel's lute that he's happy...for a very brief while....

I knew this story already from Alan Garner's telling of it in his story collection, Bag of Moonshine, in which the sparrow is considerably more obnoxious! In this re-telling, it's the pictures almost more than the words that convey the pushy determination of the bird--Zaikina's sparrow is fierce and focused, and I loved it very much! I loved her sheep too, especially the expression on its face as the sparrow flies off with it in his claws (shown on the cover)! And the illustrations in themselves have lovey stained-glassy look them--with heavy outlines and rich colors.

Kasbarian, herself Armenian, learned this story as a child, and sets it firmly in an Armenian setting, which I appreciated. For instance, "the sparrow and the bride traveled the mountains and valleys of the Caucasus." Garner's sparrow is very English, and very amusing, but I enjoyed meeting the sparrow on his home ground!

And for those who worry about the bride--even though her new husband makes no effort to keep her from the sparrow, she manages to escape on her own!

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

Waiting on Wednesday--The Glass Swallow, by Julia Golding

Over at Cheryl Rainfield's blog recently (waves to Cheryl) I found this review that filled me with passionate book desire, and then the Goodreads blurb heightened the intensity of my longing. The book is The Glass Swallow, by Julia Golding.

From Cheryl's review: "In The Glass Swallow, Rain designs stained glass windows in secret; in her land, it is forbidden for women to do so."

me: Yay! Craft fantasy! I love craft fantasy!

Cheryl: "Rain is left to fend for herself in a strange land that devalues people who work in the trades, especially those with birds and animals."

me: Yay! Girl fending for herself story! I love those.

Cheryl: "Rain works her way into the hearts of others, finds true love, and once the kingdom collapses, is key in recreating it to become a better, happier land."

me: love! happiness! Can't go wrong there.

Goodreads blurb: "When he witnesses Rain's capture by a gang of bandits, both his fate and his heart becomes tied to hers. They escape the outlaws, but Peri and his family of falconers are untouchables who are scorned by all...."

me: falconers! yay!

The Glass Swallow comes out from Marshall Cavendish in October 2011....I'm thinking that even though I rarely ask publishers for books (being diffident, and having too many to read already), I might just have to do so for this one.

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

Charlie and Kiwi: an Evolutionary Adventure, for Timeslip Tuesday

Looking for a great book to use to help your young child understand the driving force behind evolution? Try Charlie and Kiwi: an Evolutionary Adventure (Atheneum, June, 2011, 48 pages). Peter H. Reynolds, Fablevision, and the New York Hall of Science teamed up to create a picture book that does a brilliant job clearly explaining the principle of survival of the fittest, with the science set in an engaging narrative of a time-travel adventure.

Young Charlie picks the kiwi as the subject of his bird report in school, bringing in his own newly acquired stuffed kiwi as an example. But the other children are doubtful--"Izzat a bird? Where's the wings?" asks one. And Charlie, when asked why the kiwi is so very different from other birds, draws a blank.

Fortunately, his stuffed kiwi is ready to help out, taking Charlie back in time (the box Kiwi came in magically becomes a time travel machine) to meet his many times great grandfather. Together Charles Darwin, Kiwi, and Charlie go on an evolutionary adventure, to observe first hand the ancestral proto-kiwis of New Zealand. And then they head back even further in time, to see for themselves how birds evolved from dinosaurs.

My kids and I thought this was a great book--we were charmed by the stuffed kiwi, and thought the explanation of natural selection/survival of the fittest was interesting and clearly explained. It might be a bit wordy for some picture book affectionados, but for kids with an interest in science and nature, I recommend it highly.

Here's Grandpa Charles beginning his explanation of natural selection:

"Long ago, maybe kiwis were more like regular birds.
Maybe they had wings and flew.
But say one family was a little bit different.
Say some stayed on the ground a little more and smelled bugs
a little better. They'd be safer, and catch more dinner...."

I love the idea of using a time-travel story in an educational way--I vaguely feel that lots of books say "let's go back in time," but one like this, that uses a fictional narrative, with engaging characters and touches of humor, is very rare indeed. (It's the first time I've ever applied my fantasy label and my non-fiction label simultaneously!)

(and it's awfully nice that Charlie is a kid of color)

Darke, by Angie Sage

I came a bit late to the Septimus Heap party--the series was already up to book five (Syren) by the time I read the first book (Magyk). But it was a pleasure playing catch up, and the good thing about coming to a series late, of course, is that you don't have to wait too long between books. That being said, I felt like I waited plenty for the sixth book, Darke (released this June, mg, 656 pages)--I was looking forward to it lots!

I won't try to summarize what happens to Septimus and co. in Darke--if you haven't read the series, it will make no sense, and if you have, but haven't read Darke, you'd probably rather just read the book yourself! So instead I shall offer General Thoughts.

These books are epic at the small-scale level of personalities and happenstances, but with enough larger-scale world building to make the small stuff matter. A lot Happens in these books. Darke, for example, takes place over the course of just a few (difficult) days, but still one gets the sense that 656 pages was barely enough for Sage. The reader get an immensely detailed account of countless threads of plot. And on top of that, she has a large cast of characters, both major and minor, and all of them, from the Princess Jenna to young, mostly irrelevant Maizie Smalls, from the dragon Spit Fyre (who plays a pivotal role) to four orphaned ratlets (who don't), are given time in the spotlight.

All of this detail was of interest to me too, but I think this lush profusion of characters and their concomitant minutiae might be a bit much for some readers--it doesn't always move the plot at hand forward. I myself am a fast reader, and over the past five books I've come to care about these people, so it was fine with me.*

That being said, Darke does have a strong, nay even exciting, plot, that moves forward inexorably toward the nail-biting end! I liked it lots.

*viz character vs plot-- my own imaginary world building consisted mainly of drawing every inhabitant of a pseudo-Medieval town, and writing their back story. None of them ever did much of a plot-like nature; few of them even get to do anything in their portraits....So I'm very sympathetic to Sage's panoply of personages!

This Sunday's round up of fantasy and science fiction for kids!

It is a beautiful day here in southern New England, made all the more beautiful by the fact that I no longer have to worry about my son's birthday party (phew). He got $50 worth of bookstore gift certificates, and I am hoping he will see fit to buy his mama a book by way of a thank you...or at least cookie in the cafe.

But anyway. Here are the links to posts about "middle grade" fantasy and science fiction from yet another week of assiduous blog reading! Please let me know if I missed yours, please feel free to let your own blog readers know I do this every Sunday, and happy reading!

The Reviews:

Bad Island, by Doug TenNapel, at A Year of Reading

Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu, at The Brian Lair

Down the Mysterly River, by Bill Willingham, at Wandering Librarians

Dr. Proctor's Fart Powder, by Jo Nesbo, at My Favorite Books

Elliot and the Goblin War, by Jennifer Nielsen, at Manga Maniac Cafe

The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens, at A Chair, A Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy

Entwinned, by Heather Dixon, at Imagination in Focus

Escape from Zorbadak, by Brad Gallagher, at Book Journey

Fy Trap, by Frances Hardinge, at Book Aunt

Juniper Berry, by M. P. Kozlowsky, at Page in Training

Linnets and Valerians, by Elizabeth Goudge, at Tor (this is one of top ten favorite books, and Els, who wrote the review, was my housemate in college, so do go read this one!)

Peter Nimble and His Amazing Eyes, by Jonathan Auxier, at Fuse #8

Reckless, by Cornelia Funke, at Just Booking Around

The Roar, by Emma Clayton, at Bookyurt

Sidekicks, by Dan Santat, at Waking Brian Cells

Society of Dread, by Glenn Dakin, at Bookworming in the 21st Century (giveaway!)

The Spiderwick Chronicles, by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, at Wondrous Reads

Theodosia and the Last Pharaoh, by R.L. LaFevers, at Wicked Awesome Books

The Throne of Fire, by Rick Riordan, at Challenging the Bookworm

West of the Moon, by Katherine Langrish, at things mean a lot

The Wizard of Dark Street, by Shawn Thomas Odyssey at Charlotte's Library

Young Fredle, by Cynthia Voigt, at Geo Librarian

Zoramazoo, by Robert Paul Weston, at Pass the Chiclets

Authors and Interviews:

Glenn Dakin (the Candleman Series) at Bookworming in the 21st Century

Other Good Stuff:

Anastasia at Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog looks back on R.L. Stine

At Thick and Thin Things, you'll find a lovely long list of chapter books for doll lovers

Diana Wynne Jones' son, Colin Borrow, talks about his mother and her writing here on BBC Radio 3

and don't forget to swing by An Awfully Big Blog Adventure, where UK authors have organized an incredible extravaganza of an online festival!

ARCs as party favors, and other misc. things

So today is my boy's birthday party (I hate summer birthdays. It's so hard to get guests). Planning far in advance as is my usual wont (ha ha), I decided the night before last to give ARCs as party favors. So much better than plastic junkies and candy. A frenzy of reading ensued, 2 ARCs were read (would that I had started sooner)...and now this morning I must quickly write draft reviews of (too few) of my stash from Book Expo America. I'll be curious to see if there are multiple requests for The Medusa Plot --the first book of a follow-up series to the 39 Clues (review to come toward the end of August).

One of the guests is a girl after my own heart--a girl who's been walking into school with her nose in a book ever since first grade. She's the only girl coming, and I told her that she was welcome to just sit around and read during the party....

Moving on to other misc. things--

Today and tomorrow there's an on-line book festival at An Awfully Big Blog Adventure. There's already a Great Wealth of posts and giveaways up, with much more to come....

And then there's Kidlitcon. Held in Seattle this year....the other side of the country from me. I do so want to go--of all the bookish gatherings I've ever been to, Kidlitcon is the bestest. It is so wonderful to meet other grownups who share one's love for children's books! And it's pretty great to talk to other people who are interested in blogging too! Unlike ALA or BEA, where there are many distractions, it's these conversations that make Kidlitcon amazing.

Scott Westerfeld will be the key note speaker, by the way....

I dunno if I'll make it this year (it's so very far away....) but I haven't given up hope. All the pertinent info. can be found here

The Wizard of Dark Street, by Shawn Thomas Odyssey

The Wizard of Dark Street (Egmont, July 26, 2011, 352 pages, middle grade), by Shawn Thomas Odyssey, has the following appealing elements, combined very nicely indeed to make a fun, beautifully middle-grade read:

--an orphan girl named Oona with an innate talent for magic, a gift that led to a terrible tragedy a few years ago
--a fascinating place, Dark Street, poised between a gate leading to our world at one end (which opens for just one minute ever night) and a gate to the fairy realm, locked after a fierce war some years before
--a mystery that could threaten the very existence not just of Dark Street, but our world as well, and cast our orphaned heroine out into the streets
--and (bonus features) a talking raven, a charming first crush, a captured fairy general forced to become a de facto butler, and some beautiful dresses.

Twelve-year old Oona would rather be a detective than a wizard, so when her uncle is (maybe) murdered by an enchanted dagger, she's determined to crack the case. But she's pretty sure that the villain behind it all is the same one who had her father murdered years ago...and in order to save uncle, Dark Street, and her own home (the beautifully imagined Pendulum House on which Dark Street depends), her penchant for logic and deduction might need help from the magical gifts she rejected after an enchantment went horribly wrong.

It's fun, it's fast, it has a pleasantly diverse cast of characters and a vividly imagined fantastical setting. I can't speak to the quality of the mystery, qua mystery--I'm not the sort of reader that thinks critically while reading, picking up clues and looking for inconsistencies; instead, reading a book like this, I am happy to be swept along, wide-eyed and slack-jawed....But regardless of that, I thought the concept of the heroine wanting to be a detective rather than a wizard was a nice twist, and Oona is a thoroughly engaging young heroine.

This is a lovely one to give to a ten or eleven year old girl in particular. I didn't find it to have a huge ton of emotional whumph, but it's a nice tight package of charming entertainment!

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

The White Horse Trick, by Kate Thompson

The White Horse Trick, by Kate Thompson (Greenwillow, 2010, YA, 416 pages)

It's the end of the world as we know it--global warming has brought meteorological havoc to Ireland, where the lucky are those who are barely eking out miserable livings. Except, of course, for the self-styled commander, who amassed a mountain of commodities before things turned ugly, along with an army to guard them.

But alongside the disaster that is our world is another world--the land of the ever young, where the sun still shines and music is played and time stands still. This is the world where, in the first two books of the series, a changling girl named Jenny found her true home, and where, after many years have passed, her human brother hopes to make a refuge for everything, and everyone, he can save.

It's a dystopia with fairies--a cruel world lightened with a touch of comic relief, and by some good people doing the best they can. Alongside that there's the tension of not knowing if they will succeed, or if humanity, with all its faults, but with its moments of splendor, can be saved....

And for those who've read the first two books, The New Policeman and The Last of the High Kings, there's the great pleasure of finding out what's happened to old friends, with the concomitant anxiety for their well being, as things are not going well at all... You don't, however, need to have read the first two books to appreciate this one.

I enjoyed it immensely--the genre blending of fantasy and dystopia made for a fresh and fascinating story. I was swept along by Thompson's vivid storytelling, horrified by her vision of a disastrous future (I have no objection at all to strong pro-environment messages!), eager to find out what was going to happen, entertained by her version of T'ír na n'Óg and its inhabitants, and up till page 375, I thought this was a great book.

But sadly, I was let down by the end.* I was ready to weep and rejoice, but the emotional tension fizzled to a stop, and the characters, instead of being ratcheted up in intensity, drifted into placeholders in a strange and, I thought, unnecessary coda. So although I'd still recommend this, it didn't become a book I personally took to my heart.

note on age: although listed as YA, this could comfortably be read by the upper middle grade kid (which is to say, there's no sex).

*note on the ending (spoiler alert):


Although I myself didn't like the ending (not because it offended my religious sensibilities, such as they are, but because it seemed a gratuitous trick), the Booklist reviewer called it a "delightful twist that turns the tale into a riff on the biblical creation story."

Waiting on Wednesday--Bigger than a Bread Box

I had vaguely known Laurel Snyder (whose previous books, Penny Dreadful and Any Which Wall I've enjoyed lots) had a new book on its way this fall. When I read at Random Acts of Reading that this book, Bigger than a Bread Box, was chosen group as the groups fall ’11 Rep Pick title, I was reminded afresh of how eager I was to read it!

"A magical breadbox that delivers whatever you wish for—as long as it fits inside? It's too good to be true! Twelve-year-old Rebecca is struggling with her parents' separation, as well as a sudden move to her Gran's house in another state. For a while, the magic bread box, discovered in the attic, makes life away from home a little easier. Then suddenly it starts to make things much, much more difficult, and Rebecca is forced to decide not just where, but who she really wants to be. Laurel Snyder's most thought-provoking book yet. "

Coming September 27...

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

Blood Secret, by Kathryn Lasky, for Timeslip Tuesday

Blood Secret, by Kathryn Lasky (Harper Teen, 2006, YA, 304 pages)

Jerry spent her childhood following her carefree mother from one music festival to the next...lying alone at night while her mother "visited" other campers. But when she was eight, her mother failed to come back to her, and she was found wandering alone on the edge of the campground. But Jerry couldn't give the police any useful information--she had stopped talking.

Forward a few years. Jerry is now 14, and a relative has been tracked down--an old aunt in New Mexico. Constanza has lived alone for years, a peaceful life supporting herself through her baking business. In the peace of her aunt's home, Jerry begins to speak again....and she discovers, alongside her own voice, the hidden voices of her ancestors when she opens the old trunk stashed away in the basement.

The things she finds--the ancient piece of bloodstained lace, the old letters, the battered doll--take her back as a witness to the persecution of centuries of her family. For Jerry's family were Spanish Jews, forced to hide their religion, and convert to Christianity or die during centuries of brutal cruelty. As Jerry lives fragments of their lives, she sees them tortured, exiled, and killed, yet still holding on to what they can of Judaism despite it all.

By the end of the book, her aunt Constanza is taking part in the timeslip as well, and the story ends with Constanza and Jerry reclaiming their Jewish heritage--the secrets of the past out in the light of day once more.

Jerry's experiences of the past do not involve her as a character at all--they are straight historical fiction, taking the reader from the massacre of 1391 to the repression of Judaism in the Spanish Mexico in the colonial era. These chapters are gripping, and an excellent introduction to an aspect of history not often covered in children's books. The characters are compelling, the details absorbing, and the stories harrowing. However, I didn't particularly care for the section that was told from the perspective of an indigenous Mesoamerican woman, married to a secret Jew--I didn't find Lasky's voice for this woman convincing.

The parallel between Jerry finding her own voice again, and the recovery of the lost stories of her family, is clear, but the focus of the book shifts increasingly to the past, and the modern part of the story becomes completely overshadowed. The ending drives this home--I found it hard to accept that Constanza, an old woman and devout Catholic, could suddenly embrace her long-lost Jewish heritage without batting an eye. I would have appreciated more subtlety here, more of the modern characters in the present working through what they have discovered, instead of being swept up so fully by their magical experiences that they behave in what seemed to me an over-simplified way.

Still, it's a fascinating story, and I'm all in favor of learning about history through well-written fiction, so I'm happy to have read it.