New releases of science fiction and fantasy for kids and teens--the end of September, 2011 edition

Here are the new releases of fantasy and science fiction for kids and teens, from the last third of September, 2011! It is a bumper crop, with tons of books I want to read. However, the first one I am going to actually go out and buy is Squish: Brave New Pond, unselfishly (as is my wont) putting my eight year old's reading pleasure ahead of my own!

I always get a bit nervous on behalf of new releases this time of year. Nominations for the Cybils open one week from today, and any book published by October 15 is eligible! One of these books could go on to be a winner--if it gets read and nominated....And in fact one main reason why I started this whole new release business in the first place was to offer an easy way for folks to go back through the year, to remind themselves of books they loved, and nominate them (see note on unselfishness above).

As always, my information comes from Teens Read Too, and the blurbs come from Amazon.

THE MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS


BIGGER THAN A BREAD BOX by Laurel Snyder "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."



BREADCRUMBS by Anne Ursu

"A stunning modern-day fairy tale from acclaimed author Anne Ursu.

Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. But that was before he stopped talking to her and disappeared into a forest with a mysterious woman made of ice. Now it's up to Hazel to go in after him. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbs is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind."

CITY OF LIES: THE KEEPERS by Lian Tanner "Goldie Roth is a trained thief and a skilled liar. Along with her friend Toadspit, she's supposed to be one of the Keepers of the mysterious Museum of Dunt. But although she desperately wants to be a Keeper, she will not leave her sick parents to do so.

But when Toadspit's sister Bonnie is stolen, he and Goldie are forced to follow the child-stealers to the neighboring city of Spoke. Along the way, Toadspit too is captured, and Goldie is caught up in the Festival of Lies, where every word she says means something else and no one can be trusted. There, Goldie discovers some dangerous secrets—secrets that the child-stealers will kill to protect. She will need all her skills as a thief and a liar if she is to survive and save her friends."

CITY OF WIND: CENTURY by P.D. Baccalario "In the third installment of the Century Quartet, Italian author P. D. Baccalario continues the mystery that will take four cities and four extraordinary kids to solve.

PARIS, JUNE 20
When new information turns up about the Star of Stone, the object they found in New York, Mistral, Elettra, Harvey, and Sheng meet again in Paris. Harvey brings the stone to show to his dad's archaeologist friend. And it turns out that the friend knows much more about the kids' quest than they could have imagined. She gives them a clock that once belonged to Napoléon, and she tells them that if they can figure out how it works, it will lead them to another object of power. The clock sends the kids all over Paris, through old churches and forgotten museum exhibits, in search of an artifact linked to the Egyptian goddess Isis. But a woman with a penchant for venomous snakes and carnivorous plants—and her vast network of spies—is watching their every move. . . ."

THE CREATURE FROM MY CLOSET: WONKENSTEIN by Obert Skye "Twelve-year-old underachiever Rob has better things to do than read. His parents give him lots of books but most of them just end up in the messy pile of junk he keeps locked in his closet that once doubled as a makeshift science laboratory. One day, Rob hears weird sounds coming from behind his closet door and discovers a funny little creature that seems to be a cross between two characters from books he’s tried to ignore. He names him Wonkenstein.

Keeping track of “Wonk” is hard work. But with help from friends and a little off-the-wall magic, Rob and Wonkenstein’s crazy adventures set the stage for great laughs . . . and Rob might even read some good books along the way."

THE DEATH OF YORIK MORTWELL by Stephen Messer "Inspired by the artwork of Edward Gorey, Windblowne author Stephen Messer delivers a mock-Gothic tale about poor Yorick (alas!), son of the Gamekeeper at venerable Ravenby Manor, who meets an untimely demise—in chapter one! Worry not, dear reader, for Yorick returns in ghostly form, intent on revenge. In the course of his hauntings, however, ghostly Yorick discovers that all manner of otherworldy creatures inhabit the manor grounds, and that he has a part to play in saving not only his still-living orphan sister but also the manor and everyone in it.

For every young reader who enjoyed the dour dalliance of A Series of Unfortunate Events, here is Stephen Messer's playful homage to the poor orphans of Charles Dickens, the bleak poetry of Edgar Allen Poe, and the exaggerated characters of Roald Dahl."

THE FINGERTIPS OF DUNCAN DORFMAN by Meg Wolitzer "At first glance, Duncan Dorfman, April Blunt, and Nate Saviano don't seem to have much in common. Duncan is trying to look after his single mom and adjust to life in a new town while managing his newfound Scrabble superpower - he can feel words and pictures beneath his fingers and tell what they are without looking. April is pining for a mystery boy she met years ago and striving to be seen as more than a nerd in her family of jocks. And homeschooled Nate is struggling to meet his father's high expectations for success.

When these three unique kids are brought together at the national Youth Scrabble Tournament, each with a very different drive to win, their paths cross and stories intertwine . . . and the journey is made extraordinary with a perfect touch of magic. Readers will fly through the pages, anxious to discover who will take home the grand prize, but there's much more at stake than winning and losing."

THE FIRE KING: THE INVISIBLE ORDER by Paul Crilley "With humans threatened by otherworldly creatures, orphans Emily and William Snow, and their friends—the pickpocket Spring-Heeled Jack and the wisecracking Corrigan—find themselves two hundred years in the past, trapped in the London of 1666. Desperately in need of help, they go in search of Sir Christopher Wren, who was head of the Invisible Order, an organization dedicated to fighting this threat. But Wren’s never even heard of the Order and has no interest in their story.

Stranded, the four cannot agree on their next step. But they’ll have to decide quickly, because their enemies are on the move and the Fire King is ready to attack and burn London to the ground.

Set against the Great Fire of London, The Invisible Order, Book Two: The Fire King picks up right where Rise of the Darklings left off, weaving adventure, history, and legend into a thrilling, heart-stopping story. "

THE FLINT HEART by Katherine & John Paterson "An ambitious Stone Age man demands a talisman that will harden his heart, allowing him to take control of his tribe. Against his better judgment, the tribe’s magic man creates the Flint Heart, but the cruelty of it causes the destruction of the tribe. Thousands of years later, the talisman reemerges to corrupt a kindly farmer, an innocent fairy creature, and a familial badger. Can Charles and his sister Unity, who have consulted with fairies such as the mysterious Zagabog, wisest creature in the universe, find a way to rescue humans, fairies, and animals alike from the dark influence of the Flint Heart? This humorous, hearty, utterly delightful fairy tale is the sort for an entire family to savor together or an adventurous youngster to devour. "

GOLIATH: LEVIATHAN by Scott Westerfeld "Alek and Deryn are on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek’s throne as prince of Austria, and finally fall in love. The first two objectives are complicated by the fact that their ship, the Leviathan, continues to detour farther away from the heart of the war (and crown). And the love thing would be a lot easier if Alek knew Deryn was a girl. (She has to pose as a boy in order to serve in the British Air Service.) And if they weren’t technically enemies.

The tension thickens as the Leviathan steams toward New York City with a homicidal lunatic on board: secrets suddenly unravel, characters reappear, and nothing is at it seems in this thunderous conclusion to Scott Westerfeld’s brilliant trilogy."

THE LAST MUSKETEER by Stuart Gibbs "Greg Rich has just been catapulted back through time. One moment, his parents were selling their family heirlooms to Michel Dinicouer, a mysterious and suspicious curator at the Louvre in Paris -- and the next thing Greg knows, he's in France in 1615. His parents have come along, too, only they've been captured by the King's Guard and thrown into La Mort, the world's most dangerous prison. Now, Greg has to rescue them... but how?

By uniting the Three Musketeers. Greg soon discovers that the three great warriors from Alexander Dumas's classic novel actually exist -- only they're teenagers as well and haven't met yet. Even stranger, Greg might just turn out to be the fourth Musketeer, D'Artagnan. Together, the Musketeers need to pull off an impossible, death-defying rescue -- and unravel the devious plot of Dinicouer as well."

LIGHTS ON THE NILE by Donna Jo Napoli "Kepi is a young girl in ancient Egypt, content to stay home with her family, helping her father, who was wounded in the construction of a pyramid for the cruel pharaoh Khufu. But that was before she and her pet baboon, Babu, were kidnapped and held captive on a boat bound for the capital city, Ineb Hedj. And when Kepi and Babu are separated, she knows she has only one choice: to make her way to the capital on her own, rescue Babu, and find a way to appeal to the pharaoh. Khufu is rich and powerful, but Kepi has her own powers, deep inside her—ones she herself doesn’t even know about yet.

Donna Jo Napoli, acclaimed author of Zel and Beast, revisits the fabled origin of fairies in this strikingly orig-inal and affecting novel of friendship."

PROBLEMS IN PLYMOUTH: THE IMAGINATION STATION by Marianne Hering & Marshal Younger "The Imagination Station Adventures continue! Patrick and Beth’s next adventure leads them to Plymouth Plantation in 1621. There they meet William Bradford, Miles Standish, and Chief Massasoit, who are trying to establish peace between the Pilgrims and the Indians. Things are anything but peaceful, however, when a musket is stolen and the Pilgrims conclude the Indians are planning war. Only Patrick and Beth know who the real thief is—the traitor Hugh—and it’s up to the cousins to find him and stop him from causing trouble. When the cousins hear a gunshot during the first Thanksgiving feast, their worst fears are realized. They rush to the Mayflower and try to set right history, even as Hugh desperately tries to change it. "

RIDDLES AND DANGER: THE SECRET ZOO by Bryan Chick "Noah, Megan, Richie, and Ella are the Action Scouts; friends whose tree house overlooks the Clarksville City Zoo. When they discover a magical world hidden within the zoo, they are swept away on an adventure in which penguins can fly, a mysterious figure lurks in the shadows, and the scouts are enlisted to help Mr. Darby, who is in charge of the Secret Zoo.

But will the scouts be able to fight against the dangerous sasquatches who have escaped the zoo and threaten their town? There’s only one way to find out if the four friends training as Crossers can help save the Secret Zoo."

RISE OF THE WOLF: WEREWORLD by Curtis Jobling "A swashbuckling new series for Ranger's Apprentice fans!

Imagine a world ruled by Werelords - men and women who can shift at will into bears, lions, and serpents. When Drew suddenly discovers he's not only a werewolf but the long-lost heir to the murdered Wolf King's throne, he must use his wits and newfound powers to survive in a land suddenly full of enemies. Drew's the only one who can unite the kingdom in a massive uprising against its tyrant ruler, Leopold the Lion. But the king is hot on Drew's tail and won't rest until he's got the rebel Wolf's head."

ROGUE: H.I.V.E. by Mark Walden The leaders of the world’s villainous forces are being picked off one by one in a series of mysterious attacks, and when Dr. Nero finds out it is Otto who’s behind them, he has no choice but to issue a “capture or kill” order. Raven and Wing are desperate to save their friend and soon find themselves in a danger-filled race against time to track Otto down before other assassins get to him. Their pursuit takes them to a secret facility hidden deep within the Amazon rain forest, where they face a deadly mysterious operative.

Meanwhile, back at the Higher Institute of Villainous Education, the school’s own automated defense systems turn against the pupils and staff of H.I.V.E.—and there is no one there to stop them…"

SITA'S RAMAYANA by Samhita Arni "The Ramayana is an epic poem by the Hindu sage Valmiki, written in ancient Sanskrit sometime after 300 BC. It is an allegorical story that contains important Hindu teachings, and it has had great influence on Indian life and culture over the centuries. Children are often encouraged to emulate the virtues of the two main characters — Rama and Sita. The Ramayana is frequently performed as theater or dance, and two Indian festivals — Dussehra and Divali — celebrate events in the story.

This version of The Ramayana is told from the perspective of Sita, the queen. After she, her husband Rama and his brother are exiled from their kingdom, Sita is captured by the proud and arrogant king Ravana and imprisoned in a garden across the ocean. Ravana never stops trying to convince Sita to be his wife, but she steadfastly refuses his advances. Eventually Rama comes to her rescue with the help of the monkey Hanuman and his army. But Rama feels he can’t trust Sita again. He forces Sita to undergo an ordeal by fire to prove herself to be true and pure. She is shocked and in grief and anger does so. She emerges unscathed and they return home to their kingdom as king and queen. However, suspicion haunts their relationship, and Sita once more finds herself in the forest, but this time she is pregnant. She has twins and continues to live in the forest with them.

The story is exciting and dramatic, with many turns of plot. Magic animals, snakes, divine gods, demons, sorcerers and a vast cast of characters all play a part in the fierce battles fought to win Sita back. And in the process the story explores ideas of right vs. wrong, compassion, loyalty, trust, honor and the terrible price of war."

SPHDZ BOOK #3 by Jon Scieszka "There may be close to 3.14 million SPHDZ, but there is still a lot to be done. Michael K., Venus, TJ, and the SPHDZ are working hard to keep kids signing up to be Spaceheadz. But Agent Umber of the AAA (Anti Alien Agency) is relentless, and the unseen leader of Spaceheadz is not who anyone expected! The third book in the out-of-this-world series is full of twists and turns—and a bigger mystery is about to be revealed!

Michael K. and the gang only have 100 SPHDZ left to sign up. But something is about to go horribly wrong that will change EVERYTHING forever.

What if the 3.14 million and one brainwaves aren’t for saving the world at all? What if Agent Umber finally catches up with the SPHDZ? What if the AAA Chief has a new plan? What if Fluffy can speak...baby? New twists and new turns await readers. And Michael K. might not know whom he can trust anymore!"

SQUISH: BRAVE NEW POND by Jennifer L. & Matthew Holm "He's baa-ack! It's a brand new school year for everyone's favorite AMOEBA! Will Squish finally get to sit with the cool kids at lunch? Will Pod stop the giant asteroid from destroying the world? Will the LEECHES be the end of Super Amoeba? And what makes cafeteria nachos so delicious anyway? Find out the answers to these questions and more in Squish's second electrifying, action-packed adventure—Squish: Brave New Pond."

STARFIELDS by Carolyn Marsden "An ancient calendar comes to an end in 2012— and many predict the world will end with it. Can one Mayan girl make a difference?

Rosalba is a nine-year-old Mayan girl living in rural Mexico. Like her mother and grandmother, she weaves stories of her people onto blouses, ensuring that the age-old traditions continue. But new influences are entering her life. A ladina girl from the city, visiting with her scientist father, passes on the astonishing news that the Mayan calendar predicts the end of the world in 2012. Rosalba knows nothing about that, but her village is faced with a bulldozer tearing through the forest, dying wildlife, and cornfields in danger. Rosalba’s new friend tells her she must do something to help, but what? As she ponders, she dreams of an ancient Mayan boy, eyes bound in a shamanistic ritual, who hints at a way she can make her voice heard. Interweaving a contemporary story with a mythical dream narrative, Carolyn Marsden spins a gripping tale of friendship, cultural identity, and urgent environmental themes."

THE SUMMER OF PERMANENT WANTS by Jamieson Findlay "Emmeline is an 11-year-old who contends with a special problem: after a long sickness she can no longer speak. Her illness left her unable to give words to her thoughts, and she can only use the occasional snatches of sign language. Closed off from her friends and the world of kids her age, Emmeline is excited to spend a couple of months with her bohemian grandmother and her newest project: starting a floating bookshop that will sail from port to port all summer long. From the books and people they encounter aboard Permanent Wants, Emmeline travels to places, real and imaginary, that astonish and bedazzle her in turns. From the discovery of a map of a now unheard-of land, to a town whose citizens are no longer able to make music, to the revelation of an island filled with serpents and snakes, Emmeline's adventures show her wonders that help her unlock her own self."



YOU HAVE TO STOP THIS by Pseudonymous Bosch "I always feared this day would come. A secret is meant to stay secret, after all. And now we've come to this: the fifth and final (I swear!) book in my saga of secrets.

A class trip to the local natural history museum turns dangerous, or perhaps deadly--and I don't mean in the bored-to-death way--when Cass accidentally breaks a finger off a priceless mummy. Forced to atone for this "crime" of vandalism, Cass and her friends Max-Ernest and Yo-Yoji go to work for the mummy exhibit's curator, only to be blamed when tragedy strikes. To clear their names--and, they hope, to discover the Secret--the trio must travel deep into a land of majestic pyramids, dusty tombs, mysterious hieroglyphs, and the walking dead. Egypt? Or somewhere much stranger . . .

In the midst of it all, the Secret still lurks. You're our there, reading and talking about it, and now my life--and chocolate supply--is in the greatest danger yet. So please, with a cherry on top, I'm begging you: you have to stop this!"

THE YOUNG ADULT BOOKS

ABSOLUTE MIDNIGHT: ABARAT by Clive Barker
ALIEN BLOODBATH: CHRONICLES OF THE FIRST INVASION by Michael Simmons
A BEAUTIFUL DARK by Jocelyn Davies
BLOOD: THE MERCIAN TRILOGY by K.J. Wignall
COLD KISS by Amy Garvey
COSMIC STORM: A GALLAHAD BOOK by Dom Testa
DARK OF THE MOON by Tracy Barrett
DAUGHTER OF SMOKE & BONE by Laini Taylor
DAY OF THE PREDATOR: TIME RIDERS by Alex Scarrow
ENTHRALLED: PARANORMAL DIVERSIONS by Melissa Marr & Kelley Armstrong
THE FAERIE RING by Kiki Hamilton
FIRST KILL: THE SLAYER CHRONICLES by Heather Brewer
THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson
IF I DIE: SOUL SCREAMERS by Rachel Vincent
THE JULIET SPELL by Douglas Rees
LOST IN TIME: BLUE BLOODS by Melissa de la Cruz
THE MEPHISTO COVENANT by Trinity Faegen
MISTER CREECHER by Chris Priestley
A MONSTER CALLS: INSPIRED BY AN IDEA FROM SIOBHAN DOWD by Patrick Ness
MY BEATING TEENAGE HEART by C.K. Kelly Martin
THE NAME OF THE STAR: SHADES OF LONDON by Maureen Johnson
SACRIFICE: CRAVE by Laura J. Burns & Melinda Metz
SHIFTING by Bethany Wiggins
SLAYERS by C.J. Hill
STEAMPUNK: POE illustrated by Zdenko Basic & Manuel Sumberac
THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin
UNFORGETTABLE by Loretta Ellsworth
VAMPIRE KISSES: GRAVEYARD GAMES VOL. 1 by Ellen Schreiber
THE VISION by Jen Nadol
WHERE THERE'S A WOLF, THERE'S A WAY: MONSTER HIGH by Lisi Harrison
Z: ZOMBIE STORIES by Various Authors

A question about reviewing books for Time Slip Tuesday, when saying there's time travel is a spoiler

I didn't get the review up today I wanted to. Sigh. The pile grows. But I do have a question for all you readers of Timeslip Tuesday. When I review a book for Timeslip Tuesday, it's obviously a time travel story. But sometimes to make that clear from the beginning is to spoil the book--a case in point is When You Reach Me, which I assume enough people have read by now so that spoilers don't matter so much. No one should go into that knowing that time travel is the answer to the mystery, which is one reason I didn't review it ages ago.

At Book Expo America, I was given an ARC of a book by its author, and I just read and enjoyed it lots. I want to review it this week, but to review it under the Timeslip Tuesday banner would be a de facto spoiler. I'm thinking I'll have to cunningly review it on another day, and sneak it into my Time Travel list later...but I hate to waste a nice Tuesday book. I don't have so many time travel books in the queue that I can comfortably afford to let one slide. And I think knowing that there was time travel involved (I would, of course, be very cagey with details) would actually make the book more appealing to a lot of you.

What do you all think?

Wolf Mark, by Joseph Bruchac

Wolf Mark, by Joseph Bruchac (Tu Books, Sept 15, 2011, YA, 392 pages)

Here's one for those who want their paranormal mixed with science fiction (of the set-on-earth laboratory variety), in a story both character-driven and action-packed!

Luke's parents made sure he knew what he needed to know to survive--how to fight, how to think, and how to escape. He grew up accepting that his Dad's work in special, top-secret, missions around the world meant that his family would never live peacefully in a suburb with a nice picket fence.

But he never thought things would become as grim as they have after his mother's death. Luke's dad is seeking a drug and alcohol fueled escape from reality, and the two of them are living in a tin can mobile home on the edge of a middle of nowhere southwest town (that just happens to be home to an international hush hush biochemical corporation). Luke just tries to get by, keep his head down so that no-one will find out just how different he is (which is considerable). He's hoping to maybe, someday, ask Meena, the Pakistani girl he likes more than a little, to come for a ride on his motorcycle, as well as hoping to avoid the sinister attentions of a group of sunglass-wearing, pale-skinned Russians, with pronounced canines, who have arrived at his high-school...

Luke's plan to lay low doesn't stand a chance. When his dad is kidnapped, things get very strange, and very scary. In the course of escaping from his father's enemies (motorcycle chase action, and the thugs don't stand a chance), he finds out that there are lots of things his dad never told him (a mysterious old house full of secrets plays a big role here--always a plus in my point of view). The biggest of these secrets is that Luke is a skin-walker--able, like his Native American ancestors, to take the form of a wolf....

Which proves wildly helpful when taking on an evil corporation that plans to take over the world with its twisted genetic manipulations.

Wolf Mark moves from the slow-paced everyday of life in high school to an action-packed crescendo of good guys vs bad guys. The first part of the book tells of Luke's life as a high-school student...there are disquieting elements, and it's clear that Luke is something far out of the ordinary, though he tries to keep a low profile. But once Luke's father is kidnapped, ordinary goes right out the window, and mayhem, danger, evil plots and extraordinary secrets take over!

Those who read my blog regularly can guess I liked the first part of the book best--the detailed character-driven set-up. Luke's discovery that he is a skin-walker, and his exploration of that part of his heritage, was also most intriguing. Since the book is told in the first person, the reader gets a very nice sense of Luke's motivations and reactions.

On the other hand, the incredibly action-packed end was both too incredible and too action-packed for my taste, and I found a few plot points just a bit too much to swallow.

That being said--those who like thrillers of great thrilling-ness, with the technological and the paranormal operating side by side, will probably like the second half even more than the first. It all hangs together (albeit by the skin of its teeth toward the end), it's tremendously gripping, and the twists Bruchac brings to his story are a fresh and fascinating take on werewolves and vampires (Native American shape-shifting plus old-world legends! How cool is that!).

It's definitely a good one to offer a teenaged boy who's a "reluctant" reader, which is something that Bruchac was thinking about when he wrote it, as shown in this quote from a recent interview with him at Boys and Literacy: "... I love fantasy and horror and always wanted to add something to that genre from an American Indian perspective. And I am very interested in writing stories for the reluctant reader, especially young men who often feel little connection to books at that stage in their lives--even though I believe they need good stories even more in their teenage years."

Other readers say:

"It's just an awesome thrill ride with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. A great book for readers who like action, spy thrillers and are a bit burned out on paranormal. YES paranormal! NO melancholy, love triangles, or wallowy ick." (Biblio File)

"If you’re a fan of action-adventure stories, the darker edge of paranormal, believe there is an element of truth behind every conspiracy theory, and enjoy first-person stories told in an original voice, then I’d recommend reading this one." (Dark Side of the Covers)

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

Waiting on Wednesday--Ashfall, by Mike Mullin

One of my favorite books as a child was Hill's End, by Ivan Southall. Kids in peril after a natural disaster, struggling to survive with no grown-ups around--lovely stuff. And over the years, I've enjoyed similar books lots. But nowadays, it seems to me that there are just Too Many Zombies around, cluttering up nice survival stories, and I just don't like zombie books. There are exceptions, of course, like Trapped, but still.

So I am looking forward very much to Ashfall, by Mike Mullin (Tanglewood Press, YA, 476 pages)--a zombie free natural disaster story! Technically its release date is September 27, but it seems to be available on Amazon now....

Here's the blurb:

"Many visitors to Yellowstone National Park don't realize that the boiling hot springs and spraying geysers are caused by an underlying supervolcano. It has erupted three times in the last 2.1 million years, and it will erupt again, changing the Earth forever.

Fifteen-year-old Alex is home alone when the supervolcano erupts. His town collapses into a nightmare of darkness, ash, and violence, forcing him to flee. He begins a harrowing trek in search of his parents and sister, who were visiting relatives 140 miles away.Along the way, Alex struggles through a landscape transformed by more than a foot of ash. The disaster brings out the best and worst in people desperate for food, clean water, and shelter. When an escaped convict injures Alex, he searches for a sheltered place where he can wait--to heal or to die. Instead, he finds Darla. Together, they fight to achieve a nearly impossible goal: surviving the supervolcano.

With nonstop action, a little romance, and realistic science, debut author Mike Mullin tells a mesmerizing story. Readers will turn Ashfall's pages breathlessly, and continue to ponder Alex and Darla's fate long after they close the book."

I'm prepped--a favorite dvd in our house is Super Volcano, a documentary about this very volcano! And even though I've never actually sat down and watched it myself (what is the point of non-fiction dvds if not to occupy the young while one does other things?) I've absorbed lots of it....

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

not a review-- Resenting the Hero, by Moira J. Moore

This cover stinks in so many ways. Pretend I haven't shown it to you. I have a vague feeling that I saw this book in the store when it first came out, and felt ill.

But I am open to overcoming cover sickness, with persuasion. And so here I am, writing a quick post to say that Angie, of Angieville, was right to recommend Resenting the Hero (2006) and, presumably, its sequels (although I haven't read them yet. I will be). Lovely character driven fantasy, where the interplay between male main character and female main character is front and center, and both are extraordinarily interesting people, and the clashes of their personalities and suspicious not knowing what to make of each other -ness sweep the reader along in a fascinating world with a very different and most intriguing kind of magic!

The plot did kind of fall apart for me toward the end, because I think that some people should have been acting more than just a tad differently than they were, under the circumstances. But I didn't much care, because Taro and Lee were rocking my world in the lovely escapist way that a working mother with a decrepit house sometimes needs more than anything else....(or the stressed teenager--I would have loved this back then too!).

I just went back and re-read Angie's review of the first book. It is surprisingly ungushing--positive, but not glowing. However, by the time she gets to the sixth book (reviewed earlier this month), her enthusiasm is apparent to the meanest intelligence!

It's so nice to have five lovely books waiting for me to enjoy them. Thanks Angie!

Come Back, Lucy, aka Mirror of Danger, by Pamela Sykes

Come Back, Lucy by Pamela Sykes (1977), published in the US as Mirror of Danger, is one I've been meaning to review for ages--it has an extremely loyal following of readers who were haunted by it, and was made into a television show that seems to have been equally popular.

Lucy has lived a very quiet childhood brought up by her extremely old-fashioned aunt--playing spillikins and croquet, educated at home, and generally out-of-step with modern (1970s) children. When her aunt dies, Lucy is sent off to relatives she has never met (an uncle and aunt with three children of their own) and finds herself in a completely alien environment. The house is noisy--full of popular music, and television, and arguing. It is old on the inside, but in the process of being modernized (personal shudder) inside. And Lucy has nothing whatsoever in common with her cousins, and doesn't even have a room of her own. She doesn't want to be there one single bit.

And her cousins don't know what to make of Lucy either--she makes no attempt to even try to see any good in them, and it's hard to be friendly with someone who clearly doesn't want to be friends.

Lucy, in her loneliness, goes up to the attic alone--a place where the past of the old house has been left undisturbed. And there she meets Alice, who brings her back in time to the 19th century to play. At first, Alice seems like the perfect friend. But every time Lucy goes back to the past, Alice shows more and more of her true character. Alice always gets what she wants, no matter if she has to lie or cheat to do so. And now Alice wants Lucy to stay with her forever....

It's a lovey psychological drama, as Lucy's perceptions, and those of the reader, change over the course of the book. Alice becomes increasingly unlikeable, and downright terrifying at the end, and her modern family grows increasingly more sympathetic. I simultaneously sympathized deeply with Lucy, while wanting, now and then, to shake her just tad. And I sympathized with her new family too, but really wanted to shake the parents, especially toward the beginning of the book! (Honestly, when you bring a grief-stricken child into your home, you should make some effort to cut down on outside obligations and pay particular attention to her, finding out what she likes and what would make her feel safe and at home. Humph.)

It's more ghost story in feel than it is time travel--although Lucy goes back in time to visit Alice, with some small issues of clothing discussed, Alice seems to be actually haunting Lucy (and to a lesser extent, others in the family). It's the relationship between the two girls, rather than going back to the past, that's central, so if you are looking for a trip to Victorian England, you might be disappointed.

But at any event, it's a spooky, character-driven page turner that sticks in the mind, and I can totally believe that if, like so many commenters on Goodreads, I had read it as a child, it would have knocked my socks off.

Especially recommended for reading at during the Christmas season, when the book takes place--it's shows a nice contrast between a proper old-fashioned Victorian-style Christmas and a bright modern 1970s one. (Poor Lucy's horror when she saw her new family's decorating style resonated with me!)

Thanks to the wonders of YouTube, you can watch the 1970s tv show based on this book in the comfort of your own home--here's the first episode.

(Thanks, Anamaria, for lending this one to me!)

Giveaway! AMULET Book Four: The Last Council, by Kazu Kibuishi

It's a pleasure to host a giveaway for two copies of the fourth book in the Amulet series, by Kazu Kibuishi. My son and I were tremendously excited to get our own paws on The Last Council, and it's awfully nice to be able to share the excitement!

For those who don't know these books--they are graphic novels, that tell of the strange happenings that befall a girl named Emily, starting with the kidnapping of her mother by a terrifying, other-worldly monster....

You definitely want to start with the first one for things to make sense, because it all gets very bizarre very quickly. (I had to read the first book several times before I could follow it).

But for those who are up-to-date, here's the publisher's blurb:

"Emily and her friends think they’ll find the help they need in Cielis, but something isn’t right. Streets that were once busy are deserted, and the townspeople who are left live in fear. Emily is soon escorted to the Academy, where she’s expected to compete for a spot on the Guardian Council, a group of the most powerful Stonekeepers. But as the number of competitors gets smaller and smaller, an awful secret is slowly uncovered – a secret that, if left buried, means the certain destruction of everything Emily fights for."

There is some utterly gorgeous art work, the story is engrossing, and (speaking as a mother of a boy) I am always pleased as all get out to watch my son devouring a book with strong female lead.

Watch the Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/DL7QSBT9GNQ

Visit the Websites: http://www.boltcity.com/amulet and http://www.scholastic.com/amulet

To enter to win one of two copies of The Last Council, just leave a comment by next midnight next Monday, the 26th, EST! (US only)

And the winners are Karen and Heidi!

Dark of the Moon, by Tracy Barrett

Dark of the Moon, by Tracy Barrett (Harcourt Children's Books, YA, September 20, 2011), is a re-telling of the story of Ariadne and Theseus. I put Ariadne first on purpose, because she is the center of this telling of the traditional hero-centric story in which Theseus comes to Crete, slays the Minotaur after Ariadne helps him, takes Ariadne away with him, and then ditches her on the island of Naxos.

Barrett's Krete is a place where the goddess of the moon takes human form. Ariadne's mother is the current embodiment of the goddess, a priestess venerated above all others. Minos, generally imagined to be the ruler of Krete, is, in this imagining, simply the brother of the high priestess, whose power comes from her. Ariadne grows up knowing that she herself will some day become the goddess on earth, and so her brother Asterion should likewise become Minos one day.

But Asterion, whose mind is that of a small child, is kept confined below the palace, so that he will not hurt himself and others. Many view him as a monster--he seems to them more a wild animal than a person--but Ariadne still loves him.

Then Theseus arrives in Ariadne's world. And it shatters.

The strength of Barrett's story is in its careful and convincing world-building. The culture of goddess worship on Krete is explained in enough depth to be believable, but Barrett doesn't overburden the reader with too much extraneous detail. Nothing happens that cannot be rationally explained, but still there is a sense of fantastical mystery to the whole story--Ariadne would not be the person she is, and act the way she does, without her belief in the reality of her goddess.

It was fascinating to watch Ariadne navigate the difficult position in which she finds herself, as cultures clash with the arrival of Theseus and her world tumbles around her. She is a believable character, and stays very nicely within the mindset of her own cultural beliefs--the use of the first person makes the train of her thoughts clear. Not at all a modern teenage girl transposed to a foreign setting, but with the universal feelings of any girl facing grief and the collapse of her world (like we all face that, not, but you know what I mean, I hope), with the awareness of the opposite sex fulling entering her mind for the first time.

I wonder what the modern teen reader will make of this--if she will be able to accept Ariadne and her choices, or if she will feel distant from Ariadne, and be frustrated that more is not made of the teen romance angle.

Some of the story is told from the point of view of Theseus, who is introduced just before he discoverers his father is the king of Athens. I was disappointed in Barrett's Theseus--we are told by Theseus' stepfather that Theseus is somehow greater than all the other boys of the village, but I was never convinced by his actions that he was any more than a regular 16-year-old boy, nothing special and not particularly interesting. I didn't mind that in and of itself, because in this story, Ariadne's story, Theseus is not required at all to be a "hero," but I felt the page time devoted to his side of things suffered in consequence.

I'd recommend this one to those who enjoy introspective books--lots happens, but it is the characters thoughts about what is happening, and the decisions they make in consequence, that drives the story! Those looking for zesty romantic fun with the Greek Gods should look elsewhere. This is, however, an obvious choice for those interested in serious reimaginings of how myths began.

And just a quick note on readership age. This is not a book for younger kids. The religion of this Krete is based on the idea that a king is chosen every year, spends three days with the Goddess on earth, and then is killed. The fate of Asterion is dark and sad.

(Review copy received from the publisher)

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

Good morning! Here's what I found this week around the blogs that's of interest to us fans of middle grade (ages 9-12) fantasy and science fiction! Please let me know if I missed your post.

(would you all like more pictures of book covers? or do you care not at all? One reason I don't put them up is that I have a vague feeling that if I show some covers but not others, the ones I don't show will be sad...but I could get over this).

The Reviews:

All in Good Time, by Edward Ormondroyd, at Charlotte's Library

The Apothecary, by Maile Meloy, at Wandering Librarians

Bigger than a Breadbox, by Laurel Snyder, at Geo Librarian

Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu, at Abby the Librarian

The Centaur's Daughter, by Ellen Jensen Abbott, at Charlotte's Library (another one of those labeled YA, but just fine for older mg kids)

Down the Mysterly River, by Bill Willingham, at Tor

The Dragon of Cripple Creek, by Troy Howell, at Rangatira's Ruminations

Fablehaven, by Brandon Mull, at Susan Dennard

The Fingertips of Dustin Dorfman, by Meg Wolitzer, at Charlotte's Library

The Giver series, by Lois Lowry, at Reading Vacation

Gossamer, by Lois Lowry, at Reading Vacation

Half Upon a Time, by James Riley, at Shannon Whitney Messenger

The Inquisitor's Apprentice, by Chris Moriarty, at Book Aunt

Liesl & Po, by Lauren Oliver, at Book Aunt

The Magician's Elephant, by Kate DiCamillo, at The Accidental Novelist

Mistress of the Storm, by M.L. Welsh, at Book Aunt

Rip Tide, by Kat Falls, at Bibliophile

Secrets at Sea, by Richard Peck, at My Brain on Books

A Tale of Two Castles, by Gail Carson Levine, at The Mod Podge Bookshelf

Time Running Out, by Panama Oxridge, at Mr Ripleys Enchanted Books

Toby Alone, by Timothee de Fombelle, at Library Chicken

The Unwanteds, by Lisa McMann, at The O.W.L. and For the Love of Reading

Villain School: Good Curses Evil, by Stephanie S. Sanders, at Charlotte's Library

Warriors: Into the Wild, by Erin Hunter, at Fantasy Literature

Whales on Stilts, by M.T. Anderson, at The Christian Fantasy Review

Wisdom's Kiss, by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, at Stacked and Stella Matutina

A World Without Heros, by Brandon Mull, at Challenging the Bookworm

Z. Raptor, by Steve Coles, at Ms. Yingling Reads


Authors and Interviews:

Greg van Eekhout (The Boy at the End of the World) at Writing on the Sidewalk

Stephanie Burgis (Kat, Incorrigible) at Sarvenaz Tash


Other Good Stuff:

Heavy Medal, the mock Newbery blog, is up and running again --with lots to say about middle grade fantasy books in contention (and other books too, but these things happen). So far this year, I'm don't have a mg sff book in mind for the win (do you?)...but that could change at any moment!

At Oz and Ends, you can find a fascinating reflection on Political Authority in Children's Fantasy.

There's an on-line auction of children's book art underway to support free speech, organized by the American Booksellers Association for Free Expression.

A call for papers has just gone out for a 2012 conference in Ottawa on Children's Literature and Imaginative Geography.

And finally, aren't these posters, from artist Caroline Hadilaksono, lovely? Thanks, Madigan, for the link! I would take the third trip, myself.

New releases of science fiction and fantasy for kids and teens--the middle of September, 2011 edition

Here are the new releases of science fiction and fantasy for kids and teens from the middle of Sepbember. As I mentioned in my last post of new releases, I've been finding these posts are taking up too much time, and I had decided to no longer include the young adult books. But since I can't help but notice them as I go through the list, finding the mg sff, I've decided to at least list them....

My information comes from Teens Read Too; the blurbs are taken from Amazon.

The Middle Grade Books (for ages 9-12)

THE AVIARY by Kathleen O'Dell Twelve-year-old Clara Dooley has spent her whole life in the Glendoveer mansion, where her mother is a servant to the kind and elderly matron of the house. Clara has never known another home. In fact, she's confined to the grand estate due to a mysterious heart condition. But it's a comfortable life, and if it weren't for the creepy squawking birds in the aviary out back, a completely peaceful one too.

But once old Mrs. Glendoveer passes away, Clara comes to learn many dark secrets about the family. The Glendoveers suffered a horrific tragedy: their children were kidnapped, then drowned. And their father George Glendoveer, a famous magician and illusionist, stood accused until his death. As Clara digs deeper and deeper into the terrifying events, the five birds in the aviary seem to be trying to tell her something. And Clara comes to wonder: what is their true identity? Clara sets out to solve a decades-old murder mystery—and in doing so, unlocks a secret in her own life, too. Kathleen O'Dell deftly weaves magic, secret identities, evil villians, unlikely heroes, and the wonder of friendship into a mystery adventure with all the charm of an old fashioned classic.


CHANTEL'S QUEST FOR THE SILVER LEAF by Oliver Neubert The Forest People are the key to finding the Silver Leaf, but they vanished many moon crossings ago without a trace. The Forest in the East seems impenetrable and Pizzaro, the wicked leader of the Shadow Walkers, is determined to prevent the powerful relic of the East from falling into the hands of Chantel, the Princess of Freedom. As Chantel’s companions are faced with family problems from their pasts, Chantel struggles to navigate the shadowy realm below the forest canopy in search of the Forest People and the mysterious Silver Leaf.

DANIEL X: GAME OVER by James Patterson & Ned Rust When Daniel X discovers that a duo of evil extraterrestrials is plotting to control kids around the world through videogames, he's determined to take them both out of commission. This pair of wicked game masters wants to destroy the human race by turning brainwashed videogamers into an unstoppable army of doom! They're also running an endangered species hunting club on the side, and their next target is none other than Daniel. He'll have no choice but to turn to the aliens' rebellious son who needs help to stand up to his malicious parents. But can Daniel trust the progeny of this treacherous twosome? Or will it be "Game Over" for the alien hunter?

DOWN THE MYSTERLY RIVER by Bill Willingham Down the Mysterly River is the children’s book debut of Bill Willingham, the creator of the #1 New York Times bestselling graphic novel series Fables. Complete with illustrations by Fables artist Mark Buckingham, it is a spirited, highly original tale of adventure, suspense, and everlasting friendship.

Max “the Wolf” is a top notch Boy Scout, an expert at orienteering and a master of being prepared. So it is a little odd that he suddenly finds himself, with no recollection of his immediate past, lost in an unfamiliar wood. Even odder still, he encounters a badger named Banderbrock, a black bear named Walden, and McTavish the Monster (who might also be an old barn cat)—all of whom talk—and who are as clueless as Max.

Before long, Max and his friends are on the run from a relentless group of hunters and their deadly hounds. Armed with powerful blue swords and known as the Blue Cutters, these hunters capture and change the very essence of their prey. For what purpose, Max can’t guess. But unless he can solve the mystery of the strange forested world he’s landed in, Max may find himself and his friends changed beyond recognition, lost in a lost world…

DREAMLAND: A RILEY BLOOM BOOK by Alyson Noel Riley’s finding that the afterlife can be a lonely place when all you do is focus on work. So she goes to the place where dreams happen, hoping to find a way to contact her sister, Ever. She meets the director, who tells her about the two ways to send dreams. As a Dream Jumper, a person can jump into a dreamer’s dream, share a message, and participate. As a Dreamweaver, an entire dream can be created in a studio and sent to the dreamer. But Dreamweaving was outlawed decades ago, and the studio was boarded up. Thinking it’s her only way to reach out to her sister, Riley goes in search of the old studio. There she finds a ghost boy, who’s been creating and sending nightmares to people for years. In order to stop him and reach out to Ever, Riley is going to have to confront and overcome her own fears.

THE IRON GIANT by Ted Hughes When a towering giant made of iron appears out of nowhere, young Hogarth sees him not as a monster, but a friend. The townspeople are terrified of the giant and devise a plan to bring him down. But Hogarth believes in his friend, and rescues him when no one else will. Together, they teach the people of the village and beyond to conquer their fears, for beneath the giant's rough armor there beats a mighty heart.

The late Ted Hughes, former poet laureate of England, wrote this modern fairy tale in 1968 (which went on to inspire the popular 1999 Warner Brothers animated feature). This illustrated edition, featuring the complete text, special effects such as foldouts and die-cuts, and striking full-color artwork on every page, offers the perfect family read-aloud.

MONSTROUS BOOK OF MONSTERS by Libby Hamilton Do you dare to delve into the freakishly funny Monstrous Book of Monsters, where nothing is as it seems?

Written by Dr. Thomas Jelly and packed with nauseating novelties and foul facts, this book will teach you how to avoid monsters, show you how to spot them in the news or on the street, and give you a peek inside their dangerous (and smelly) world. At the end, we learn that Dr. Jelly has fallen foul of the infamous book monster, and the readers themselves will be lucky to escape the same fate!

MERLIN - THE BOOK OF MAGIC: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE MERLIN SAGA by T. A. Barron In this extraordinary guide to T. A. Barron's award-winning and New York Times bestselling Merlin saga, readers will discover the mysteries of Merlin's worlds as never before. The guide includes full-color art, seven maps, and information about the creatures, places, and magic in Merlin's worlds.

Glowing with beautiful art and surprising details, this is a treasure trove of adventure and delight - as well as a collector's item for Merlin fans of all ages.

THE ONLY ONES by Aaron Starmer "Call it coincidence, call it fate. This is the place you come. There's nowhere else. There's no one else. This is the entire world."

These words welcome Martin Maple to the village of Xibalba. Like the other children who've journeyed there, he faces an awful truth. He was forgotten.

When families and friends all disappeared one afternoon, these were the only ones left behind. There's Darla, who drives a monster truck, Felix, who uses string and wood to rebuild the Internet, Lane, who crafts elaborate contraptions, and nearly forty others, each equally brilliant and peculiar.

Inspired by the prophesies of a mysterious boy who talks to animals, Martin believes he can reunite them with their loved ones. But believing and knowing are two different things, as he soon discovers with the push of a button, flip of a switch, turn of a dial . . .

ROLAND WRIGHT: AT THE JOUST by Tony Davis Roland Wright has been a page at Twofold Castle for just a month and already he has impressed the King's bravest knights. Now Roland is off to his first tournament, where knights from near and far take part in a full day of jousting. He's only meant to be watching. But when the fearsome Little Douglas, a young page from another castle, throws down a challenge, things get serious. All too quickly, Roland is thrust into the action. It's all he can do to just stay on his feet. . . .

THE TANGLEWOOD TERROR by Kurtis Scaletta When 13-year-old Eric Parrish comes across glowing mushrooms in the woods behind his house, he's sure there's a scientific explanation. But when they start encroaching on the town—covering the football field and popping up from beneath the floorboards—Eric knows something's seriously wrong. Not that much else is going right: his parents are fighting, his little brother Brian is a little pill, and he's had a falling-out with his football team—over a pig.

Then a runaway girl from a nearby boarding school warns Eric that the fungus could portend the town's doom and leave it in rubble—just like the village that inexplicably disappeared in the exact same spot over 200 years ago. Eric, Brian, and Mandy set out to solve a very old mystery and save the town of Tanglewood.

THE TIME TUNNEL: A STORY FOR ALL AGES by Donald Walters While exploring in Rumania, two boys discover a ruined laboratory with a mysterious tunnel. Entering, their bodies shrink. They emerge into a beautiful countryside and meet Hansel, whose father invented the time-tunnel. Hansel shows the boys how to encase themselves in time-light spheres. The trio journeys through time, visiting the Middle Ages, ancient Greece and Egypt, and forward into a surprising future. Along the way the boys gain valuable lessons about history and human behavior.

The Young Adult Books

AFTER OBSESSION by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel
AWAY: THE LINE by Teri Hall
DARK PASSAGE by M.J. Putney
DRINK, SLAY, LOVE by Sarah Beth Durst
EMPIRE OF RUINS: THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS by Arthur Slade
FATEFUL by Claudia Gray
FIRST DESCENT by Pam Withers
FROST by Marianna Baer
GLOW by Amy Kathleen Ryan
HALF-BLOOD: A COVENANT NOVEL by Jennifer L. Armentrout
HUNTED: THE SHADOWING by Adam Slater
THE ISLE OF BLOOD: THE MONSTRUMOLOGIST by Rick Yancey
MODELLAND by Tyra Banks
SEARCH FOR THE DOMINION GLASS: GHOSTS OF ROCKVILLE by Justin Heimberg
SO SILVER BRIGHT: THEATRE ILLUMINATA by Lisa Mantchev
SPELLBOUND by Blake Charlton
TANKBORN by Karen Sandler
WISDOM'S KISS by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
WOLF MARK by Joseph Bruchac

Villain School: Good Curses Evil, by Stephanie S. Sanders

Villain School: Good Curses Evil, by Stephanie S. Sanders (Bloomsbury, 2011, 240 pages)

Even fairy tale villains sometimes end up with children...and, naturally, expect their children to follow in their villainous footsteps. But some kids struggle to find their inner evil...and those chidren find themselves sent to the School for Wayward Villains. Young Rune Drexler hasn't exactly been good, but since his dad is the headmaster, he's a Wayward Villain student like everyone else, slowly working his way up in the ranks of evildoing, with many stops in detention.

But now his chance to show himself true villain has come! He's been assigned an Evil Plot! In one week, Rune and his friends, Big Bad Wolf Jr., and Countess Jezebel Dracula must find a henchman, steal a baby, kidnap a princess, and overthrow a kingdom.

Rather a lot to accomplish...especially when a rival gang of students is on a Plot of their own. Only one set of students will succeed, but things miraculously start falling into place for Rune and his companions. There's just one problem--far from hatching schemes of great evilness, Rune and co. are starting to look more and more like heroes!

The Quest occupies the bulk of the book, and proceeds nicely in entertaining fashion--encounters, dangers, rescues, and the like. Nothing surprising for the experienced reader, but an amusing and exiting quest experience, none the less, that should engross the young (and, even though I'm old and jaded and cynical, I rather enjoyed it myself!). Although the main character is a boy, there are two strong girl characters--one of whom, the princess, ends up having to rescue her would-be kidnappers.

I'd especially recommend this to the the eight or nine year old who's developing an appreciation for poking fun at established literary conventions--the sort that wants to be in the joke. It's fun to see old fairy tales friends, and plot elements, from a new perspective.

If you children have been reading the Sisters Grimm series, they are probably beyond this one. It's more similar in feel to Vivian French's Tales from the Five Kingdom series; fans of those books should enjoy this one too.

[I have left this around for my own eight year old to pick up. I think he will like it lots. He's read the description on the back of it a number of times already...and says he finds it funny....so why won't he just stop reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid et seq. for the umpteenth time and sit down and read this one for crying out loud???? Sometimes my children make me want to bang my head against the wall.]

Disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

The Centaur's Daughter, by Ellen Jensen Abbott

I read Ellen Jensen Abbott's first book, Watersmeet (2009, my review), at one of my son's first swimming lessons (nicely appropriate). And I finished its sequel, The Centaur's Daughter (Marshall Cavendish, September 28, 2011, upper middle grade/YA) yesterday at his fencing lesson (he knows how to swim now). Archery would have been more appropriate--many arrows are fired in the course of this book--but fencing would come in handy too....

Abisina thought Watersmeet, a place where all manner of folk (humans, dwarves, fauns, and centaurs) lived together in peace, would be her home forever. After a traumatic childhood as an outcast, despised for her dark skin and black hair by the cruel followers of Vran (blond and blue-eyed) who ruled the towns of the south, she had found refuge there, and helped her father win the war against a supernatural enemy who sought to crush Watersmeet.

But wining a war doesn't mean that peace follows. Hoards of monstrous beings--uberwolves, hags, and minotaurs--are besetting the folk of both north and south. The lands of the Vranians are in chaos, and the flood of refugees to Watersmeet (many still hostile to the diverse folk who live there) threatens to overwhelm it.

Abisina's father died in the war. She wants to do what she can to ensure that his vision of tolerance and peace is not lost, but the challenge seems insurmountable. With all the courage she can muster, she returns to the Vranian lands, with her closest companions--only two of whom are human. The journey is dangerous (the death count of uberwolves grows rapidly) but the real challenge is creating a new society, one in which folk of all kinds can work together.

The challenge is made greater by the fact that Abisina is truly her father's daughter--like him, she is a shapeshifter, who can become a centaur. And centaur's are, with good reason, the most loathed of all the non-human persons...

Me being me, my favorite part of the book was not the exciting fighting monsters aspect (those with a taste for adventure will find much to enjoy!), nor even Abisina's internal confusion about her shapeshifting abilities. What I liked was when Abisina and her companions arrive at the one town where there is hope that a new society can be built, and pitch in with tasks like wall-building and food-gathering....

Abbott's story-telling is direct and to the point. When someone appears trustworthy, they are, and Abisina--full of confusion and uncertainty, but determined withall--is an open book to the reader. In my mind, this makes The Centaur's Daughter an excellent one for the upper middle-school reader--in particular the eleven or twelve year old adventure-loving girls, for whom galloping in centaur form while firing arrows at uberwolves will seem wonderful! Those looking for Romance will find only its first beginnings here, although it seems clear there's more to come. The importance of tolerance and building trust between diverse peoples and cultures are themes that come through loud and clear, and are a welcome message.

So for the target audience, this series is spot on, although the lack of subtlety limits (but doesn't exclude!), I think, the cross-over appeal to adult readers.

Abisina is explicitly described as having dark skin and black hair, discriminated against/hated/distrusted by the majority of the blond, blue-eyed Vranians as a result. Since this prejudice, and intolerance of the other more generally, is important to both her character arc and to the larger story, I'm adding Watersmeet and The Centaur's Daughter to my list of multicultural sci fi/fantasy above.

And with regard to that--I'm feeling sad and cross that Abisina's hair has gotten lighter on the cover of The Centaur's Daughter. Although it's damp and untidy, and so hard to tell how light it would be if clean and washed, on both covers, it's clear that her hair as shown on the second book isn't black, or even dark. And, although skin color is more subjective, the girl on the covers doesn't look noticeably dark skinned to me....



By happy chance, there's a great new interview with Ellen Jensen Abbott over at The Enchanted Inkpot.

(review copy received from the publisher)