New releases of fantasy and science fiction for kids and teens--the first half of March, 2012 edition

Here are the new releases of science fiction and fantasy for kids and teenagers from the first half of March, 2012--my information comes from Teens Read Too, with blurbs from Amazon. I'm trying to decided if I want to read Froi of the Exiles or not....

(in case anyone wonders, the YA books don't have blurbs because my life is too short to put them in, and they get lots more press at other blogs)

ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE GRADE

THE BATTLE FOR ARGON FALLS: TOMO by Jim Krueger "ONE FINAL BATTLE BRINGS GLORY ... OR DESTRUCTION The war appears lost and Argon Falls is doomed, but Hana's friends still believe in the power of prayer. With their support, her faith is restored and Hana bravely rejoins the fight. But when the forces of good and evil face off once more, the final battle will determine the fate of Argon Falls ... forever."

CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG FLIES AGAIN by Frank Cottrell Boyce "When the Tooting family finds an old engine and fits it to their camper van, they have no idea what kind of adventure lies ahead. The engine used to belong to an extraordinary car . . . and it wants its bodywork back! But as the Tootings hurtle across the world rebuilding the original Chitty, a sinister baddie is on their trail - one who will stop at nothing to get the magnificent car for himself.

Fueled by wry humor , this much-anticipated sequel to the children's classic by Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond - fe aturing a contemporary family and a camper van with a mind of its own - is driven by best-selling, award-winning author Frank Cottrell Boyce and revved up by Joe Berger's black-and-white illustrations."

EXPLORER: THE MYSTERY BOXES by Kazu Kibuishi "Seven clever stories answer one simple question: what’s in the box?

Funny, fantastic, spooky, and suspenseful, each of these unique and beautifully illustrated short graphic works revolves around a central theme: a mysterious box and the marvels—or mayhem—inside. Artists include middle school favorites Kazu Kibuishi, Raina Telgemeier (Smile), and Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy), as well as Jason Caffoe, Stuart Livingston, Johane Matte, Rad Sechrist (all contributors to the groundbreaking comics anthology series Flight), and upcoming artist Emily Carroll.

GOBLIN SECRETS by William Alexander "In the town of Zombay, there is a witch named Graba who has clockwork chicken legs and moves her house around—much like the fairy tale figure of Baba Yaga. Graba takes in stray children, and Rownie is the youngest boy in her household. Rownie’s only real relative is his older brother Rowan, who is an actor. But acting is outlawed in Zombay, and Rowan has disappeared.

Desperate to find him, Rownie joins up with a troupe of goblins who skirt the law to put on plays. But their plays are not only for entertainment, and the masks they use are for more than make-believe. The goblins also want to find Rowan—because Rowan might be the only person who can save the town from being flooded by a mighty river."

GOING OVERBOARD!: KATIE KAZOO, SWITCHEROO by Nancy Krulik "With indoor mini golf, a chance to swim with dolphins, and her best friend, Suzanne, onboard, Katie's cruise vacation sounds like an ocean of fun! But, of course, the magic wind appears - twice in this Super Special - and blows everything off course! Young readers love the black-and-white illustrations that bring this fun chapter book series to life."

THE KEY OF BRAHA: AMOS DARAGON by Bryan Perro "Amos survived his first mission as Mask Wearer, but soon after that, an encounter with a mysterious girl brings his life to an end—and sends him on his way to Braha, the City of the Dead, where souls await judgment. To get there, Amos, now a spirit himself, boards a boat, on which he meets Jerik, a decapitated criminal who must carry his head everywhere. Jerik tells Amos that Braha is overcrowded with spirits; the gods have shut the doors that lead to paradise and to hell. A key is said to unlock the doors—but its whereabouts are unknown. Only someone who dies and comes back to life can find it. Will Amos be that someone? Will his ingenuity and intelligence be enough to restore order in Braha? Or will he unknowingly serve those who are using him for their own gain? Most importantly, even if Amos finds the key, will he ever return to the land of the living?"

MORDRED: THE DRAGONS by Colin Thompson "Arthur has been crowned King and peace and happiness have broken out all over Avalon. Life has never been more peaceful and everyone is living happily ever after—so why are so many people planning rebellion? On one hand, the Dragons are planning an uprising. On the other hand, King Arthur's revolting little cousin Mordred is planning an uprising. And on the other, other hand, Brassica, the deposed fake King Arthur, is also planning an uprising. It's lucky that Merlin, who has more than two hands, has everything under control—or does he?"

MUNCLE TROGG by Janet Foxley "A topsy-turvy fairy tale about a small giant on a big adventure! Let's get ready to grumble!

Mount Grumble is where the giants live. But (contrary to what you might think, maybe because of their name) not every "giant" (see?) is, um...big. In fact, Muncle Trogg is so SMALL that all the other giants make fun of him for being (uh-oh) people-sized. And toss him around like a football! Fed up, Muncle Trogg climbs down Mount Grumble to take a look at the Smallings (that would be humans) he supposedly looks like. What he discovers is...a sulky green dragon and a terribly sensible girl? But when Mount Grumble is put in harm's way, it's up to little Muncle to be the bigger smallest giant, prove that size doesn't matter, and somehow save his home!"


SEEDS OF REBELLION: BEYONDERS by Brandon Mull "After the cliffhanger ending of A World Without Heroes, Jason is back in the world he’s always known—yet for all his efforts to get home, he finds himself itching to return to Lyrian. Jason knows that the shocking truth he learned from Maldor is precious information that all of his friends in Lyrian, including Rachel, need if they have any hope of surviving and defeating the evil emperor.

Meanwhile, Rachel and the others have discovered new enemies—as well as new abilities that could turn the tide of the entire quest. And as soon as Jason succeeds in crossing over to Lyrian, he’s in more danger than ever. Once the group reunites, they strive to convince their most-needed ally to join the war and form a rebellion strong enough to triumph over Maldor. At the center of it all, Jason and Rachel realize what roles they’re meant to play—and the answers are as surprising as they are gripping."

SPY SCHOOL by Stuart Gibbs "Like many kids, Ben Ripley imagines life as a secret agent would be pretty awesome -- so when he learns he's been recruited to the C.I.A.'s top secret Academy of Espionage, it sounds too good to be true. And it is. From the moment he arrives -- and ends up in the middle of an enemy attack -- Ben finds Spy School is going to be far more difficult, dastardly and dangerous than he expected. Even worse, he soon discovers that he hasn't been recruited to become a top agent; instead, he's been brought in as bait to catch a devious double agent. Now, Ben needs a crash course in espionage so that he can catch the mole, prove his worth -- and get the girl. It won't be easy, but it'll be a very fun -- and very funny -- ride."

THEA STILTON AND THE SECRET OF THE OLD CASTLE by Geronimo Stilton "Geronimo's sister Thea Stilton narrates this action-packed adventure!

When the Thea Sisters' good friend Bridget has to return to Scotland to help her family repair their ancient castle, the five mice offer to help their friend in whatever way they can. Little do they know that Bridget will be kidnapped, and they'll have to rush to Scotland to help find her! Along the way, the Thea Sisters encounter Celtic legends, cryptic messages, and hidden treasures on a trip that's full of mysteries and surprises!"

TIME SNATCHERS by Richard Ungar "Caleb's blinders are off. The small group of orphans who were also "adopted" by Uncle used to feel like family, but the competition to be the top time snatcher and the punishment for failure has gotten fierce. Time traveling to steal valuable objects can be a thrill, but with bully Frank trying to steal his snatches, his partner Abbie falling for Frank's slimy charms, and Uncle's plans to kidnap innocent kids to grow his business, Caleb starts thinking about getting out. But Uncle's reach extends to any country in any time period, and runaways get the harshest punishment of all.

Caleb can steal just about anything from the past, but can he steal a family for the future?"

YOUNG ADULT

ANOTHER JEKYLL, ANOTHER HYDE by Daniel & Dina Nayeri
BALTHAZAR: AN EVERNIGHT NOVEL by Claudia Gray
BRAVE NEW LOVE: 13 DYSTOPIAN TALES OF DESIRE edited by Paula Guran
BURIED: A GOTH GIRL MYSTERY by Linda Joy Singleton
THE COMPELLED: THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, STEFAN'S DIARIES by Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec
DEAD IS A BATTLEFIELD by Marlene Perez
THE DESERTER by Peadar O. Guilin
EVERLASTING: KISSED BY AN ANGEL by Elizabeth Chandler
EYE OF THE SWORD: THE ANGELAEON CIRCLE by Karyn Henley
FROI OF THE EXILES: THE LUMATERE CHRONICLES by Melina Marchetta
THE GIRL WHO COULD SILENCE THE WIND by Meg Medina
THE GRAVE ROBBER'S APPRENTICE by Allan Stratton
KATANA by Cole Gibsen
ILLUMINATE: GILDED WINGS by Aimee Agresti
INFAMOUS: CHRONICLES OF NICK by Sherrilyn Kenyon
LUCY: DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA by Kathryn Lasky
PANDEMONIUM by Lauren Oliver
PERCEPTION: A CLARITY NOVEL by Kim Harrington
THE REPOSSESSION by Sam Hawksmoor
THE SAVAGE GRACE: A DARK DIVINE NOVEL by Bree Despain
SOUL BOUND: A BLOOD COVEN VAMPIRE NOVEL by Mari Mancusi
SPELL BOUND: A HEX HALL NOVEL by Rachel Hawkins
STARTERS by Lissa Price
TRAITOR'S REVENGE: CRYPT by Andrew Hammond
VAMPIRE'S KISS: THE WATCHERS by Veronica Wolff
VENOM IN HER VEINS: A FORGOTTEN REALMS NOVEL by Tim Pratt

Scary School, by Derek the Ghost

Scary School, by Derek the Ghost, illustrated by Scott M. Fisher (HarperCollins, 2011, upper elementary/middle grade, 256 pages)

Derek is not your usual school boy narrator, and Scary School, as its name suggests, isn't your typical intitution of learning.

"Last year when I was just eleven years old," [he explains], "I died in science class. On of Mr. Acidbath's experiments went horribly wrong (more about that later), but things like that happen all the time at Scary School, so nobody made a big fuss about it. right after class they simply wheeled out my charred corpse, ad the next class walked in without so much as blink. Scary School is a very strange place." (pp xii-xiii).

But Derek doesn't let death stop his development as a writer. He is determined to document all the very strange and scary things that happen at his school...and so he does, in a primarily episodic way.

There are, for instance, the teachers and staff--a collection of magically monstrous beings who make learning special, if you survive. Like Ms. Fang, an 850-year-old vampire, who only ate 12 kids last year, and Dr. Dragonbreath, whose track record for death is higher than that of any other teacher--it's almost impossible not to break his class rules, and rule-breakers don't walk out of class alive. And the students are a fascinatingly eclectic mix of the fantastic and the ordinary humans. The picture at the right, from the Scary School website, shows the nurse's office....

Derek is a somewhat distant narrator, providing a framing device more than being a complete character in his own right, and to a large extent the book is a series of vignettes, with the chapters focusing on different characters and events. Some narrative continuity is provided by the arrival of a new student- Charles "New Kid" Nukid, and his struggles to make sense of his new environment, and by the headmistresses excitement over the school's chance to host the annual Ghoul Games. If her students do well, her experiment of allowing humans into a scary school will be deemed a success...if they do badly, they die.

Despite all the deaths, it's light-hearted and silly fun, the sort of book that may well make a nine (or so) year old laugh out loud. Any kid who is drawn to the cover will love the book! And though I myself prefer more character-centered narrative, I can see this working very well for slower readers, who won't have to worry about loosing the thread of the story.

Scary School #2--Monsters on the March, comes out this June!

(disclaimer: review copy received from the author)

Waiting on Wednesday--The Spy Princess, by Sherwood Smith

A chance few idle minutes on the computer (not enough to do anything Pointful, like finish the taxes) led me (via Paperback Book Swap) to the happy discovery that Sherwood Smith has a new middle grade book coming out this August! (I really need more birthdays).

The Spy Princess (Viking, 400 pages, August 2)

"When twelve-year-old Lady Lilah decides to disguise herself and sneak out of the palace one night, she has more of an adventure than she expected — for she learns very quickly that the country is on the edge of revolution. When she sneaks back in, she learns something even more surprising: her older brother Peitar is one of the forces behind it all.

The revolution happens before all of his plans are in place, and brings unexpected chaos and violence. Lilah and her friends, leaving their old lives behind, are determined to help however they can. But what can four kids do? Become spies, of course!"

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

Benjamin Franklinstein Lives! by Matthew McElligott and Larrry Tuxbury, for Timeslip Tuesday

Benjamin Franklinstein Lives! by Matthew McElligott and Larrry Tuxbury (Putnam, 2010, younger middle grade, 128 pages).

Young Victor lives an orderly, scientific sort of life--calculating the odds of winning the science fair (volcano models statistically do well, especially if you make it Vesuvius and add screaming townsfolk), and creating a model for his mother on how to find the perfect tenant for the downstairs apartment of their house.

But his mother cares not a whit for Victor's model, and instead rents the apartment out to an eccentric gentleman dressed in 18th century garb who pays in gold---none other than Ben Franklin himself, awoken from suspended animation! After more than 200 years asleep in Victor's basement, Ben is back--and hungry for the electricity he needs to keep going.

Ben is convinced he's been revived for a reason by the Modern Order of Prometheus, the secret society that put him to sleep in the first place, but there is no sign that the order exists anymore. A daring mission to the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia comes up empty, and Ben begins to doubt whether he's been awoken for a reason, or simply, as Victor thinks, it was a freak electrical storm that woke him. But either way, Victor is stuck running interference as Ben copes with the modern world. And even more stressfully, he has to balance Ben's electrical intake--too much, and Ben's a raging monster; too little, and he's a Zombie fixated on finding "food," with disastrous consequences.

Ben proves to be a trooper when it comes to time travel, delighting in all the unfamiliar inventions around him. Of course, being Ben, his delight is sometimes an embarrassing inconvenience, attracting a bit too much attention, but all in all, he does quite well. It's especially interesting to see Ben trying to make sense of what he sees by linking it to 18th century science.

Filled with little diagrams and illustrations, this funny and fast-paced book is a great one to give to the science-minded fourth through sixth grader. But along with the science, it's an interesting study in character. Ben is big hearted, impulsive, and indefatigable---the opposite of Victor. It turns out that Ben is just what Victor needs to give him push out of the safe and familiar.

This one has been sitting around the house for some time--I wasn't sure it would be my cup of tea. Happily, I ended up finding it a pleasant diversion, and now will look for the sequel --Benjamin Franklinstein Meets the Fright Brothers (Sept 2011).

The Way We Fall, by Megan Crewe

The Way We Fall, by Megan Crewe (Hyperion, 2012, YA, 320 pages)

16 year old Kaelyn made a vow that this year she would be different. She would turn her attention away from studying the fauna of her Canadian island home, and try to find a place for herself in the world of her high school (saying "hi" to people is her first step). She would try to come to terms with her lingering grief over the loss of her best friend, Leo, who left to go to school in the US, who broke her heart (though he didn't know it), and to whom she never said goodbye.

But the fresh start that Kaelyn had hoped for never gets a chance to materialize. Instead, her island is hit with a viral epidemic of monstrous proportions. As the list of the dead grows ever faster, the island is quarantined by the government. In a new world of fear, looting, violence, and the inescapable reality of death, cut off entirely from the outside world, Kaelyn must indeed re-invent herself, and become someone strong, and brave, and capable--doing what she can to keep life going for her family, her friends, and for herself.

What struck me most is how ordinary much of the book seems (apart from people dropping like flies). It has to be classified as speculative fiction, because the viral epidemic hasn't happened, but it is so convincingly likely that it doesn't seem speculative at all! And the characters--Kaelyn, her family, the two new friends she makes, are all essentially ordinary people. Her society doesn't suddenly collapse into dystopia, but falls to bits in tiny increments, as "normal" ceases to have any meaning. It is the meeting of this realism, crossed with horror, that made the book grip me so very much.

And it helped that Kaelyn was an interesting person--she's biracial (I think her mother's family is the only black family on the island), and I wouldn't be surprised if she fell somewhere on the Asperger's spectrum. Even though she grows in confidence, and enteries into a really very nice romantic relationship (given the cirumstances), she never gets to triumph in YA loner heroine makes good style (mainly because most of her classmates die, but still). Because the story is told in the form of journal entries to her friend Leo, the reader gets to know her, and care about her, with a depth of focus that made her very real, and very believable.

The Way We Fall ends with a proper ending, but there will be more two more books--and it is rather anxious-making to imagine that the quarantine didn't work, and the virus is making its way across the mainland, destroying Kaelyn's hope that she'll have a chance to rebuild a normal life anytime soon...

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

Here are the middle grade fantasy and sci fi posts I found in my blog reading this week; please let me know if I missed yours!

The Reviews:

The 13th Horseman, by Barry Hutchison, at The Book Zone

Above World, by Jenn Reese, at Library Chicken

Albrek's Tomb, by M.L. Forman, at Geo Librarian

Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress, by Sarwat Chadda, at Fantastic Reads

Athena the Wise, and Aphrodite the Diva (Goddess Girls 5 nd 6), by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams, at Small Review

Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu, at Postcards from La La Land and The View From My Mind

Cold Cereal, by Adam Rex, at Geo Librarian

Crater Lake: Battle for Wizard Island, by Steve Westover, at Book Lovers Paradise

< span="">Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact, by A.J. Hartley, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Don't Expect Magic, by Kathy McCullough, at My Favorite Books

Fangbone! Third Grade Barbarian, by Michael Rex, at The View From My Mind

Goose Chase, by Patrice Kindl, at Madigan Reads

Hades: Lord of the Dead, by George O'Connor, at Back to Books

How to Make a Golem and Terrify People, by Alette J. Willis, at Bunbury in the Stacks

The Humming Room, by Ellen Potter, at A Patchwork of Books, Random Musings of a Bibliophile, and books4yourkids

A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

The Mystery Boxes, by Kazu Kibuishi, at Waking Brain Cells

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, at Bookends and Good Books and Good Wine

The Order of Odd-Fish, by James Kennedy, at The O.W.L.

Princess of the Wild Swans, by Diane Zahler, at GreenBeanTeenQueen

Sabotaged (The Missing Book 3) by Margaret Peterson Haddix, at Bookworm Blather

Ship of Souls, by Zetta Elliott, at The Pirate Tree

So You Want to Be A Wizard, by Diane Duane, at The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia

Space Lizards Stole My Brain, by Mark Griffiths, at Wondrous Reads

Winterling, by Sarah Prineas, at Shannon Messenger

Wonder Show, by Hannah Barnaby, at Beneath the Jacket

2 travel books at time travel times two--The Power of Un, by Nancy Etchemendy, and 15 Minutes, by Steve Young

A foursome, including Princess of the Wild Swans and Cinder, at Book Aunt

Authors and Interviews

Diane Zahler (Princess of the Wild Swans) at GreenBeanTeenQueen

Jennifer Nielsen (The False Prince) at The Compulsive Reader

Ellen Jensen Abbott (The Centaur's Daughter) at From the Mixed Up Files

Sybil Nelson (Priscilla the Great) at The Enchanted Inkpot

Other Good Stuff

This year's African American read-in book is the lovely Ninth Ward, by Jewell Parker Rhodes (fantasy or magical realism--you decide). Stop by 133OV, TheHappyNappyBookseller, and Crazy QuiltEdi for a great discussion!

Tasha at Waking Brain Cells looks at a recent study on the reluctance of modern parents to read fairy tales to their kids.

A fascinating look at the translation of The Order of Odd-Fish, by James Kennedy, into German, at Sonderbooks.

Margo Berendsen breaks down exactly what makes When You Reach Me such a good book.

Voyages Jules Verne has created this marvellous info graphic of Journey to the Center of the Earth:

Tarot Card fiction--The Game of Triumphs, by Laura Powell

As something of a joke gift back in the late seventies, my father gave my mother a tarot deck--the Hoi Polloi 1970s re-envisioning of the classic Rider-Waite images. My little sister and I loved the pictures passionately, finding among them alter-egos, swoon-worth crushes, and pictures that just reeked of Story (that girl in the purple cloak, in particular, has always haunted me).

We had a game we played with them, in which they were split into warring factions of good and evil, which involved a lot of hiding tarot cards down the sides of sofa cushions, under rugs, and behind pieces of furniture. Needless to say, we no longer have a complete deck.*

My first foray into fictional fun with Tarot was The Greater Trumps, by Charles Williams, which I read when far too young. I remember it being very confusing, and the people not being likable.

My second foray, read yesterday and today, is The Game of Triumphs, by Laura Powell (out since 2009 in the UK, published in the US by Knopf, 2011), which I liked infinitly better (contermporary YA is just so much more Me than literary fiction of 1932). I found these characters somewhat more likeable, or at least interesting, and though the plot was confusing, I was able to make enough sense of it to enjoy it lots!

It's the story of Cat, teenage girl in London, who stumbles into a deadly game of fate and magic. The basic premise is that the magic of the tarot cards is real, their power is controlled by those who run the Game, and people die competing for the rewards offered by the major cards. Because Cat found the game by chance, she's not a full participant--merely an outsider who will be harshly penalized if she interferes in the quests of the players.

The Game that Cat sees is a distortion---its magic has been twisted, and, to her horror, Cat realizes that one particularly nasty bit of this twisted-ness was responsibly for destroying her family. With three other young "Chancers," all with their own dark stories of the Game (two boys and a girl), Cat embarks on a quest through the cards to restore the ancient balance.

To a reader like me, with tarot cards images burned into their brain, it was like meeting old friends in a strange, dark city. At first, to both Cat and me, all was confusion. But even though I do like knowing what the heck is going on, it was confusion of a rather intensely magical kind, that interested me and drew me ever deeper into the story (someone not familiar with the Tarot might well be more confused, and off-put).

In an event, I was gripped, and if you are looking for a real world city-based fantasy that doesn't involve elves, fairies, vampires, etc, do try this one! (It's hard for me to know, though, if I would have enjoyed this one so much without the pleasant nostalgia of the tarot cards, and having their pictures so very clear in my mind...)

Though I do wish the other three Chancers had been given more page time in which to become characters for whom I cared, Cat herself was satisfyingly real. Though this book ends with a proper ending, there's a second book (The Master of Misrule), published in 2010 in the UK, and coming out here in the US in June. I am as anticipatory as all get out to see what happens next, now that these four teenagers know each other and the stage is set (both for the next adventure and for romance). Another one for my Book Depository I-want-it-now wishlist!

*Back to my own tarot cards-- vexingly, this particular deck is out of print and collectible, and no other deck will do, because they aren't our people. So if any one sees a set of the Hoi Palloi deck (the back of each card is brown with a gold key) for sale at a reasonable price, let me know! I would like, once more, to look on the face of the Knight of Cups (who I think is still my standard for male beauty, but since his picture isn't on line, I can't confirm this).

ps: I am rather glad to have finally read The Game of Triumphs, because it almost got away from me. I put it on my wish list over a year ago, but in the following form:It took a public plea for help to decipher it, and now, having read and enjoyed it, I'm even more greatful to Trisha for reading my handwriting for me!

And thanks as well to Ms. Yingling Reads, whose review last month reminded me to actually get a hold of it!

An illustrated talk by Alan Garner

I have company at home, of the young nephew type, and their happy friskiness, when combined with that of my own boys, is such that my head has not been clear enough to write anything coherent.

Happily for my blogging peace of mind, my husband found for me this illustrated lecture by Alan Garner on the Legend of Alderly--the place where The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and its sequel, The Moon of Gomrath, are set.

I hope I enjoy it when I find a quiet time to actually watch it!

We took the boys to Alderly when they were young...it is a magical place.

Reminder: African American read-in of Ninth Ward

Just reminding anyone interested that Edi from Crazy Quilts, Doret from TheHappyNappyBookseller and Vasilly from 1330v are currently hosting a read-in of a lovely middle grade magical realism/ghost story--Ninth Ward, by Jewell Parker Rhodes (my review).

Vasilly had some great questions on Monday, Doret's are up today, and Edi's will come on Friday.

(I am reminded, posting this, of my dissatisfaction with the cover. Lanesha, the main character, is a girl of tremendous personality and verve and gumption--not a passive flower floater as shown).

Tempest, by Julie Cross, for Timeslip Tuesday

Tempest, by Julie Cross (2012, St. Martin's, YA, 352 pages) Never has a bus ride gone faster than last night's journey home spent reading this book (I almost missed my stop), and I was sad that once I got home I had to put it down and shoulder the burdens of domestic life (which is why this post is going up late in the day).

The gist of the story: Jackson discovered he could travel back in time one day in French class when he was 18--not back to distant pasts--just thirty minutes or so. But gradually, with the help of a geeky friend (who's scientific mind is having a blast studying Jackson), he's been pushing himself further back, and trying to make sense of what he can and can't do.

Then sense goes right out the window one night in 2009, when Jackson is 19. Armed men burst in on him and his girlfriend, Holly, and she is fatally shot. Instinctively, Jackson jumps back in time...and finds himself in 2007. And unable, for the first time, to jump home again.

Shaken not only by what happened to Holly, but by the difficulties of time travel logistics (his credit cards, which traveled back with him, haven't been issued yet), Jackson struggles to make sense of what's happened to him, and what the heck he's going to do living life as a 17 year old again (going back to high school is not an option). And then there's Holly, who is meeting him for the first time again, and who he still loves...and then there's his twin sister, Courtney, who died of brain cancer a few years ago, and who he has finally traveled back to see again...

But more to the point, there's the issue of the gunmen who attacked Jackson and Holly in 2009. Jackson gradually learns that they are just the tip of the iceberg, and he finds himself caught between two warring factions --time travelers, and those who seek to control them (whose ranks include Jackson's father). The story escalates wildly as Jackson struggles to find out who he can trust, struggles to find out who he is, and struggles to face his grief for his sister, his relationship with his father, and his love for Holly.

Yep, it was a fast bus ride! Tempest delivered both emotionally and suspense-wise, and was an utterly riveting page turner. I appreciated the fact that the tense mystery of the time traveling side of things (who are the good guys? who are the bad ones? What crucial clues are still hidden? Whose going to be shot next?) are neither overshadowed or overwhelm the character based side of things. Jackson's situation back in 2007 with regard to Holly is a unique twist on teenaged love--in Jackson's mind, he and Holly have already slept together, but she is meeting him for the first time.

It is a complex, twisty sort of story, almost too busy and frenetic at times for my simple reading self (I never did know what the heck was happening with the time travelling dudes with guns, and things get increasingly confusing up to the very end), but, since, the reader's perspective stays tightly aligned to Jackson's, his character and perspective served as an anchor. I am not sure whether I actually care all that much about Jackson, though---some aspects of his story, like his grief when his sister died, rang beautifully true, but the whole complicated business of his relationships with past and present Hollys didn't move me as much as I would have liked.

In short, I found it a very gripping read--perfect for the bus. I'm kind of glad, though, to have a break before the sequel. Even though I want to find out what happens next, I need a rest before charging into it.

The cover is, I think, misleading--Holly and Jackson look like angels (especially Holly, whose pose really ges on my nerves. I would never fall like that, nor would I want to), when really they spend most of the book either a. in danger, with guns involved b. very concerned with their relationship (sex happens).

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

Above World, by Jenn Reese

Above World, by Jenn Reese (Candlewick, 2012, mg/YA, 368 pages)

Thirteen-year-old Aluna is about to grow her tail, and become one of the adult Kampii--a people who live hidden in the safety of the ocean, in the City of Shifting Tides. The Kampii depend on ancient technology from the Above World, and when Aluna finds one of her friends, drowned, she realizes that this technology is beginning to fail. But the conservative Elders refuse to venture to the one place where a solution might be found--the Above World enclave where the devices were made.

Aluna, headstrong and defiant of the gender stereotypes of her society (one in which girls are kept safe so that they can make babies), sets out to find this place herself (while she still has her legs). Which her friend Hoku, a tech made boy, she journeys above the water. There she finds a world where, hundreds of years ago, science confronted the problem of overpopulation by tinkering with nature in strange, horrible, but fascinating ways.

Unlikely allies, her skills as a fighter, and her indomitable spirit (plus lots of help on the tech side of things from Hoku) bring Aluna to the place she was looking for. But there she will have to confront the most grotesque creature of all--a being who has taken meddling with humanity to inhuman extremes.

Above World brings interesting twists to the standard story of the strong warrior girl on a quest. The science-fictional elements of genetic manipulation are especially fascinating--the different sub-groups of humanity are modeled after mythological beings, and Reese does an excellent job making with the two groups (the merfolk Kampii and the harpy-like Avians) interesting and compelling. The dark side of this--twisted mechanical/human/animal hybrids abound--is also fascinating, albeit much more grotesquely distasteful! The action scenes, of which there are many, are gripping.

Characterwise, Aluna fills the "brave warrior girl" niche nicely, though, in my mind, at least, she never quite transcends it. So much is happening the requires her to be "brave warrior girl" that she doesn't get much chance to be anything else; there were brief flashes of real personality, but I'd have liked more!. Her friend, Hoku, with his geeky, obsessive interests, appealed to me more.

I appreciated the fact that they stayed just friends (a loyal friend is a good thing!); that being said, the introduction of two other characters, a boy for Aluna, and a girl for Hoku allowed each to have a chance for a bit of romance. I liked Hoku's relationship lots. His new friend is a science-minded Avian girl, and they had the opportunity to bond peacefully over radio technology, and despite neither of them being good with a weapon, they both contributed in vital ways to the successful outcome of the story--yay geeks in love helping to save the day!. I was glad, however, that Aluna's stayed in the first preliminary stage of possibility, because even as it was I thought it unnecessary and a tad forced, given the desperate life or death circumstances of their time together.

Adventure-loving kids will probably enjoy this one lots, and even those who aren't kids may well enjoy the fantastical future world Reese has created. It was a busy string of encounters with fantastical beings and circumstances, leading ever onward to greater dangers, so I'd recommend it in particular to those who like fantastically vivid and unexpected external elements in their stories. It didn't, for me at least, have a ton of emotional power and resonance, but I enjoyed the ride just fine.

Note on age: this is marked to kids ten and up. Younger, or somewhat sensitive readers, might want to pass--some of the sci fi manipulations are hauntingly gruesome (I, for instance, am disturbed by people grafted onto giant crabs). On the flip side, it has enough umph of adventure and sci fi to appeal to younger teen readers.

other reviews: The Intergalactic Academy, Hippies Beauty and Books, and Hooked on Books

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

The Andre Norton Award Shortlist has been announced!

The Nebula Awards short lists have been announced! The Nebulas are awards voted on, and presented by, active members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

Here's the short list of books in the running for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, and isn't it a nice one!

• Akata Witch, Nnedi Okorafor (Viking Juvenile)
• Chime, Franny Billingsley (Dial Books; Bloomsbury)
• Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Laini Taylor (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Hodder & Stoughton)
• Everybody Sees the Ants, A.S. King (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
• The Boy at the End of the World, Greg van Eekhout (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
• The Freedom Maze, Delia Sherman (Big Mouth House)
• The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Rae Carson (Greenwillow Books)
• Ultraviolet, R.J. Anderson (Orchard Books; Carolrhoda Books)

The first Andre Norton Award was given in 2005, to Valiant, by Holly Black. Here's a fasinating post by Sherwood Smith at Tor about Andre Norton, and how the award began.

2012 YA/MG fantasy challenge reminder, plus YA Historical Fiction Challenge

Just wanted to remind you all who read my blog, and presumably read YA/MG fantasy, that there's a nice 2012 YA/MG fantasy challenge hosted by The Book Cellar (I'd love to see more people taking part in this one--I'd love to see more links to click on!)

And I've just signed up for the YA Historical Fiction Challenge (despite the name, middle grade books count too) hosted by YA Bliss--one read so far this year (Scarlet), and hopefully more to come!

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

Another week, another mg sff roundup! Please let me know if I missed your post or the posts of your loved ones. (Even if I read your blog, it's very possible I fumbled the link...apologies in advance!)

The Reviews

Above World, by Jenn Reese, at Intergalactic Academy

The Book of Wonders, by Jasmine Richards, at The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia

Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu, at Hope is the Word and The View From My Mind

The Cheshire Cheese Cat, by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

Crater Lake: Battle For Wizard Island, by Steve Westover, at Why Not? Because I Said So

Dealing With Dragons, by Patricia C. Wrede, at The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia

Domenic, by William Steig, at Becky's Book Reviews

Fangbone! Third Grade Barbarian, by Michael Rex, at Fuse #8, and two posts at Oz and Ends-here, and here.

Gates of Rome (Timeriders Book 5), by Alex Scarrow, at The Book Zone

A Greyhound of a Girl, by Roddy Doyle, at Charlotte's Library

The Humming Room, by Ellen Potter, at Good Books and Good Wine and Book Yurt

Icefall, by Matthew Kirby, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

Invisible Inkling, by Emily Jenkins, at Cracking the Cover

Liesl and Po, by Lauren Oliver, at Reading With My Ears

Magical Mischief, by Anna Dale, at Charlotte's Library

The Magician, by Michael Scott, at A Strong Belief in Wicker

The Museum of Thieves, by Lian Tanner, at Geo Librarian

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, at Five Minutes for Books

The Pocket and the Pendant (Max Quick 1), by Mark Jeffery, at The Book Maven's Haven

Princess of the Wild Swans, by Diane Zahler, at The Book Cellar

Revenge of the Horned Bunnies (Dragonbreath 6) by Ursula Vernon, at Back to Books

The Ruins of Gorlath (Ranger's Apprentice), by John Flanagan, at library_mama

Scary School, by Derek the Ghost, at RJ Does Books!

Seeds of Rebellion (Beyonders Book 2), by Brandon Mull, at Shannon Messenger

Sophia the Flame Sister (Spell Sisters 1), by Amber Castle, at Nayu's Reading Corner

To Catch a Mermaid, by Suzanne Selfors, at GreenBeanTeenQueen

The Unwanteds, by Lisa McMann, at My Precious and The Book Addict

A two for one post at Fantastic Reads--King of Shadows, by Susan Cooper, and Astercote, by Penelope Lively

And a two for one audio book review--N.E.R.D.S. 1 and 2, at The O.W.L.

And finally, a second round Cybils mg sff panelist (Kim of Si, se puede!) looks back at the short list.

Authors and Interviews

Katherine Roberts (The Sword of Light) at Seven Miles of Steel Thistles

Marianne Malone (Stealing Magic) at Random Acts of Reading

Jenn Reese (Above World) at The Enchanted Inkpot

Michelle Lovric (Talina in the Tower) at Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Suzanne Selfors (To Catch a Mermaid) at GreenBeanTeenQueen

Derek the Ghost (Scary School) at Boys and Literacy

Other Good Stuff:

Finally A Monster Calls, one of my favorites of 2011, has won an award--The Red House Children's Book Award, whose winners are chosen by the votes of children in the UK (which just goes to show that the book does have appeal to children, which some may have been unsure of).

The Green Book, by Jill Patten Walsh, is being republished in mid March with a nifty new cover, which makes me very happy--it wasn't exactly hard to find cheap copies of it, but maybe now it will find new readers. If you have a thoughtful and meditative six or seven year old--read them this book! It will knock their socks off.

Here's a nice list of science fiction for girls, at Polenth's Quill

And from the Dept. of Futures that (thankfully) Never Happened, a look at the fashions of the 20th century, as imagined in 1893 (see more pictures at io9):

A Greyhound of a Girl, by Roddy Doyle

If you have never offered your eight(ish) year old child the books comprising Roddy Doyle's Rover Trilogy (the first one being The Giggler Treatment), do so as soon as possible. My own boys adore them, and so this Christmas we bought them Doyle's newest book for kids--A Greyhound of a Girl (Scholastic, 2011, 169 pages). We had to order it from England, as it's not out here in the US till May 1, and it didn't arrive in time. This turned out to be for the best, because it is very different from the Rover books...it's not a book I'd give to an eight year old boy (but definitely one for an 11 year old, or a forty year old, or a sixty year old...etc).

It tells of a twelve year old Irish girl named Mary, who meets her great grandmother one day while walking home from school. Mary doesn't realize at first that this friendly woman, named Tansey, is a. a ghost b. her great grandmother, who died when her own daughter was only three, but it soon becomes clear. Mary's dear gran, Emer (Tansey's daughter), is in the hospital, waiting to die...and Tansey, who has done her best to keep a loving watch over her daughter, wants to go comfort her, and tell her that everything will be grand. But hospitals are not easy places for a ghost to visit alone, so she'll need help from Mary, and her mother, Scarlett, to spring Emer from her bed for quick visit. And then the quick visit turns into a beautiful road trip of trans- generational love, when the four of them make a surreptitious midnight journey to the old farm where Emer was born, and Tansey died (with a stop for ice cream by the seaside).

Although Mary is the central character, Doyle gives us pieces of the lives of the other three women, It is a short book, but long enough for Doyle to make them all real, and funny (this being a family of smart alecks), and lovable...It is a sad story (I had to go find the nearest of my boys, and hug him very hard--he was surprised, but cooperative, once I explained about the poor mama who died), but not heartbreakingly so. It is much, much more about love than it is about loss.

Doyle is absolutely brilliant at dialogue (of which there is lots). Because so much of the book is told in short, snappy conversations, and even the descriptions and reminiscences are told with beautiful simplicity, it's easy to imagine a child loving the book, and identifying strongly with Mary. But it works pretty darn well as a book for grownups too (my husband loves it too).

And Tansey is just about my favorite fictional ghost ever (not that I've ever known any non-fictional ones). She's the sort of ghost that one really would be happy to meet.

(pause while I go through the book, getting caught up in re-reading bits, looking for a quote that will capture the cozy, poignant, brilliance of Tansey. Frustration ensues--I want to start retyping the whole thing. Vaguely satisfactory bit found on pages 88-89, and reprinted in snipped form below with the caveat that it doesn't do anything justice, especially not Tansey)

"Tansey looked at Mary's big eyes looking at her. She could tell. Mary wanted to ask her a question.

"Ask away," said Tansey. "Ask away."

"Well," said Mary. "Like. Why are there ghosts?"

"Do you mean," said Tansey, "why do I exist?"

"That sounds a bit rude, Mary," said Scarlett.

"It's fine," said Tansey. "It's not even a bit rude."

"Oh good!" said Scarlett. "Because I wanted to ask it as well!"

[snip. Tansey talks about being a ghost. Mary's two big brothers come into the kitchen]

"We're talking about death, boys!" said Scarlett.

"Cool," said Dommo.

"These are the famous boys, are they?" said Tansey.

"That's right!" said Scarlett. "Dominic and Kevin! Boys, this is Tansey, your- well- neighbor!"

"Hi."
"Hi."

They were gone, back out, before they'd even made it to the fridge. Mary listened to the noise going back up the stairs.

"Too many women in the room," said Tansey. "They couldn't cope."

"You're probably right!"

"Oh, I am," said Tansey. "I didn't even have to be a ghost. Was my James like those two lads?"

"My mother says he was a scamp!" said Scarlett.

"Oh good," said Tansey."

(Scarlett is well aware, by the way, that she speaks with too many !!!!. Mary points it out to her).

Anyway. It's a lovely book, one that is truly satisfying. You can find further confirmation of this in The Guardian and The Telegraph.