The Brixen Witch, by Stacy DeKeyser

The Brixen Witch, by Stacy DeKeyser (Margaret K. McElderry Books, June 26, 2012, middle grade) is a fresh and fun re-telling of the story of the Pied Piper, told from the point of view of the one boy who was not ensnared by the spell of the music that lured the other village children into a mysterious cave.

Rudi, and all the other villagers of Brixen, have known all their lives that the mountain looming above them is home to a fearful witch of great power. But Rudi is one of the few who has a chance to learn of her power directly. When he brings home a golden coin he found in the high meadow, his grandmother warns him to return it to the witch immediately--or else he will feel her wrath. So the next day he tries to take it back, but it is lost in a rockslide.

All that winter Rudi is haunted by nightmares...and then spring bring brings trouble to the whole village. A plague of rats destroys the peace and prosperity of the village, and the price the mysterious stranger charges to solve the problem is one golden coin (undreamed of wealth to the villagers).

It's clear to Rudi and his grandmother that this stranger is in league with the witch, and that Rudi must find the lost coin. But the deadline passes before he, and the music of the stranger's violin lures all the village children up and away, into the mountain.

To save them, Rudi must confront the Brixen Witch...and he finds that witches are not always what they seem to be....

This is a satisfying re-telling, adding new twists to an old story to make a seemless whole. The magic of the witch is clearly present from the beginning, though the quotidian details of village life, and mundane attempts to kill rats (which I confess was one of my favorite parts of the book--I now know lots more about historic rat hunting, and found it interesting! plus bonus ferrets!), give a solid grounding to the story. The thought-provoking twist at the end, when Rudi meets the witch, lifts the story to the truly magical.

The straight-forward storytelling, and focus on Rudi, an ordinary boy forced to step outside the safe world of childhood, makes this an excellent choice for younger "middle grade" kids, of nine or ten. It's not one for the reader who wants wild and whacky magic with Slayings and Spells and a kid who has great powers (that kid might find this one slow), but more for the kid who likes fantasy stories that one could imagine really happening.

If I were a fourth or fifth grade teacher, doing a unit on fairy tale retellings, this is one I'd most definitely be offering those kids (boys or girls) who aren't drawn to pretty dresses (and who like ferrets, though they don't actually get that much page time)! And I'd be pretty stuck to think of any others--perhaps The Book of Wonders, by Jasmine Richards, and the Sisters Grimm series. (Can you think of any other boy-friendly fairy tale retellings?)

So all in all, a nice read for me as a grown up, and one that I think fills in fine style a pretty empty niche for the target audience.

disclaimer: review copy gratefully received from the author.

The books my husband got for his birthday

I do birthday book posts for my two sons, and, having just watched my husband unwrap his five presents from me, all of which were books, I thought it would be fun to do the same for him! So here's what he got, and why:

The Windup Girl, by Paolo Bacigalupi. He likes intelligent speculative fiction for grown-ups, and I liked Bacigalupi's YA books, so this is a good one for both of us to read.

Ditto The Long Earth, by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter. An added incentive for this one was my husband's interest in WW I.

He just read and loved In the Woods, by Tana French, so I ran out today and got him the second book in the series--The Likeness. I'm not sure I'm ever going to read these myself--they seem a bit dark for me (I don't like books where children get killed), so this was a purely unselfish purchase, and he is reading it even as I type, which is gratifying.

Likewise I won't be curling up with Titus Awakes, the fourth Gormenghast book finished by Mervyn Peake's wife, Maeve Gilmore. I wasn't able to go on past the first book--it was all too miserable.

And his final book was another all for him--an impulse purchase of a version of Alice in Wonderland illustrated by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. Since he likes both Alice and Japan, it seemed a safe bet, and he did seem pleased!

(which one would you like most to get as a present?)

And tomorrow he will get the best gift of all--six rolls of lining paper, because we have decided to Make Our Marriage Stronger (ha ha ha) and wallpaper the dining room ourselves.

Wings of Fire #1: The Dragonet Prophecy, by Tui T. Sutherland

Wings of Fire #1: The Dragonet Prophecy, by Tui T. Sutherland (Scholastic, July 1, 2012, ages 8 and up) , is a winner. If you have a fourth grader who's read these series--Warriors, the Guardians of Ga'hoole, and How To Train Your Dragon--and who is casting around for a new book, this is the book you should give him or her. It is a must-have for the fourth grade library (which I don't think I've ever said about a book before) and I enjoyed it rather a lot myself!

Five dragonets, each from different tribe of dragons, were taken from their homes before they even hatched, and raised in hidden cave, knowing only each other and the cold dragon guardians who watched their every move. They were raised to be the dragonets prophesied to end a terrible and bloody conflict that was tearing apart the seven tribes (Sandwings,Mudwings, Skywings, Seawings,etc.)...but the Talons of Peace, the dragons who are raising them, are afraid that they've failed to meet the terms of the prophecy. Instead of a Skywing, they ended up with a Rainwing--a tribe of dragons sneered at for being lazy and useless.

And so the guardians plan to dispose of Glory, the little Rainwing.

But the five dragonets are a team, and when they hear that Glory might be killed, they plan a daring escape. Each has their own strengths, and their own weaknesses, and none has ever been outside before. Almost immediately, they are captured by the evil Queen of the Skywings, whose greatest joy is to pit dragon against dragon in her arena of death....There the Skywing champion, barely more than a dragonet herself, defeats all comers. But the Dragonets of the Prophecy are different from other dragons--they are not bound by loyalty to their own tribes, but too each other. And that loyalty will save them....

Told from the point of view of Clay, a Mudwing, it's story of friendship, impossible expectations, and a world at war.

I sincerely enjoyed this one! I must confess I was doubtful at first, a bit condescending even, but once the dragonets had escaped from their cave, it was a page-turner! It helped that the various dragons were sufficiently characterized to be interesting, and that the world building of all the different kinds of dragons was fascinating. It helped even more so that the fights to the death in the Skywing arena weren't sugar-coated, but deadly serious, and that the Skywings champion was a surprisingly sympathetic character. It also helped that I, in general, am a fan of plucky orphans with interesting skills raised in miserable circumstances but making good, and as these dragonets are de facto orphans, they fit the bill nicely.

But even beyond those details of story, what pleased even cynical me most was that there were themes here that I was happy to have my son think about--loyalty to friends transcending blind loyalty to tribe, the need to empathize with other points of view, the need to try your best to shape your own destiny, and not be someone's tool, and the senselessness of war.

The sensitive young reader might be troubled by some of the violence--dragons really do kill other dragons. But no beloved characters die, so it's not too upsetting. It's very much in the child mindset, though--the main character, Clay the Mudwing, really wants to find his own mama....

My son has already started passing the ARC I got around to his friends, and you can bet that when the sequel comes out next January, we'll be there at the bookstore. Its kid appeal is greatly enhanced by the guide to all the different types of dragon, with appealing illustrations and nicely organized information.

Note to the author: this is a series that absolutely cries out for a website, with all the information about the different types of dragon expanded, and legends of the different dragon tribes, and little stories about the characters when they were babies, and printable pictures of the dragons etc. I looked for such a website, but didn't find it--please let me know if I missed it!

Here's another review, at SciFi Chick.

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher.

CYBILS CALL FOR JUDGES!

The 2012 call for Cybils judges has gone out! So exciting!

I applied, for (no surprise) Middle Grade Science Fiction and Fantasy! I have done it a few years now (because sometimes people who've done it before are useful), and would be very happy and honored if I were to be chosen again.

And I urge you to apply in mg sff too. YA sff gets more applicants, but their books aren't as fun. And they are longer. And there are more of them. (Which almost makes me want to apply in YA, just for the challenge of it....)

There is a lot of reading (maybe 150 books will be nominated in mg sff, based on past years), but you don't actually HAVE to read them all, and you've probably read quite a few of them already. And there are lots more you want to read anyway...It is also the best way I know of to make blogging friends.

So go for it. And let me know if you have any questions about what it's like!

Waiting on Wednesday--The Cup and the Crown, by Diane Stanley

I was rather thrilled to find that a sequel to The Silver Bowl (my review) is on its way!

The Cup and the Crown, by Diane Stanely, comes out October 2nd, from HarperCollins (ages 8-12). (I find it somewhat interesting that the publisher has notched the reader age downward. The Silver Bowl read younger to me than the publisher's recommendation, which I think at the time was YA. I see looking at Amazon today that it's now given as 10 and up,which I think is just about right. 8 seems a little young...).

"In this thrilling sequel to The Silver Bowl, Molly's quest for a magical loving cup leads her to the mysterious-and dangerous-town of her ancestors.

Night after night, Molly has visions of a beautiful goblet: one of her grandfather's loving cups, which he filled with magic that bound people together. So it hardly surprises Molly when handsome King Alaric asks her to find a loving cup to help him win the heart of the beautiful Princess of Cortova.

As Molly and her friends Winifred and Tobias journey in search of a loving cup, a mysterious raven joins their quest and appears to guide them all the way to the hidden city of Harrowsgode. There Molly discovers secrets about her own family as well as the magic of the loving cup. But Harrowsgode is hidden for a reason, and leaving is more difficult than Molly imagined. Will she be able to escape, let alone bring a loving cup to King Alaric?

The Cup and the Crown returns readers to the captivating world of The Silver Bowl and to the unique and intriguing magic that surrounds Molly."

The working title was "The Raven of Harrowsgode," which a fine title, but I think "The Cup and the Crown" ties it more nicely with "The Silver Bowl."

(The raven on the cover looks a bit like a vulture to me (just saying). I am sending the image to my bird expert mother to see what she thinks...)

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

Project Jackalope, by Emily Ecton

Some time back, when the latest discussion of ARCs and Bloggers and Publishers was going strong, I found myself musing about whether or not my blog was Useful. One of the commenters was Emily Ecton (most recently author of Project Jackalope), who said "your blog was on the list I sent my publisher when they asked where I wanted review copies sent." Now, I never did get copy from the publisher (which is fine; their choice), but I started wondering if authors were told who did get copies in the end, and if this kind blog reading author was sad that I had never reviewed her book. (Do authors get told? I'm curious).

So I got a hold of a copy (having enjoyed her other books), and proceeded to read, and that being said, of course my understandably friendly feelings in no way have swayed what I'm writing. I would never write a positive review of even my own dear children's books if they weren't good books (which they aren't, quite, yet).

So, with no further ado, Project Jackalope (Chronicle Books, March 2012, middle grade).

Here is the blurb from Amazon (which I am using because of Time Constraints): "Jeremy's troubles begin when his eccentric neighbor leaves him an "experiment" for safekeeping—a jackalope! This so-called mythological creature looks like a bunny rabbit, but comes with razor-sharp antlers and is purported to be a ruthless killer. When government agents show up at Jeremy's house seeking the jackalope for their own nefarious purposes, Jeremy must find a way to protect the jackalope, and himself. So he reluctantly joins forces with Agatha, his holier-than-thou genius neighbor. Together, with the jackalope (and his weapons-grade antlers) tucked away in a backpack, they have only one chance to save Jack and still get their science fair projects in on time. With her striking sense of humor, Emily Ecton has created a hilarious and suspenseful adventure, complete with a compelling and unforgettable cast of characters."

Now Project Jackalopeis not my own most favoritist type of book. But I agree strongly with that last sentence of the blurb on Amazon. This is a book that will appeal Very Much Indeed to those young readers who enjoy the kind of madcap and desperate mayhem that ensues when, as is the case here, two kids are running for their lives with a potentially killer jackalope in a Dora the Explorer suitcase, while Sinister Enemies pursue them.

Jeremy and Agatha are both appealing characters, the action is vivid, and the jackalope incredibly intriguing, what with its penchant for hard liquor, melting bunny eyes, and the fact that it could burst out of the suitcase with murderous intent at any minute.

But what I liked best was the science geekiness that underlies the whole book, and surfaces in delightful bursts from time to time. The whole premise is that the creation of hybrid animals is a scientific possibility, and Agatha, friendless, geeky, wearer of a despised squirrel applique sweater, is a middle school kid with the mental where with all to do it (Jeremy's role is compassionate animal loving jackalope saviour). And at the end of the book, when it was revealed that DARPA was a real government agency (!) I was thrilled.

It's funny, but not at all condescending--I got the sense, as one does with, say, the books of Adam Rex, that Emily Ecton was enjoying the writing of it very much indeed. And now, thanks to her blog comment, I shall pass on Project Jackalope to my local library, and finally her book will be in the Rhode Island library system where it should entertain its target audience very nicely indeed.

(Oh. Another library has gotten hold of a copy since I checked last. Oh well, I'm sure there's room for two...that copy is already checked out.)

Lest Darkness Fall, by L. Sprague De Camp

I have on hand two perfectly good 2012 Time Travel stories, one middle grade and one YA, and, given the focus of my blog, I should probably be reviewing one of them today. But instead, I offer an Old Chestnut for grown-ups --Lest Darkness Fall, by L. Sprague De Camp (1939), an impulse check out from the library that is now hideously overdue.

In much the same vein as A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Lest Darkness Fall tells of an American archaeologist from the 20th century who finds himself back in 6th century Rome. Fortunately for Martin Padway's peace of mind, a colleague has just explained all about time travel--how the time traveller will not alter history, but will, instead, create a new alternative. So Padway sets to with a will, creating a version of history where the Dark Ages are averted. Not from altruistic reasons, but simply to make the the past a more pleasant place for a modern person like himself to live in.

Combining new technology with his knowledge of the past, and considerable luck in his dealings with the Natives, Padway sets Gothic Italy on a course for early enlightenment. And it makes for entertaining reading. It's written in a light style, not going to deeply into emotions, or serious contemplation of anything. I enjoyed very much seeing how his interventions changed things, learning about a time and place I had only a cursory knowledge of, and appreciating Padway's reactions to it all.

Except. The author manages to be offensive en passant to Africans, Women, Muslims, and (probably) some Christians. Sheesh. It is a shame, because it really was interesting as all get out. Because of this sense I got that it's a book by a white dude for white dudes untrammelled by consideration for people who aren't white dudes, it's not one I'll re-read. (But I'm not sorry I read it, because when I wasn't being bothered, I did enjoy it).

(A minor problem that I had with the book, that it's original readers would not have had, is that I kept mis-reading Padway as Padme, which flavored my reading in disconcerting way. I do not blame the author for this.)

Claws, by Mike and Rachel Grinti

There are hundreds of YA books that tell of the Girl and the Fey/Angel/Demon/Vampire/Whatever Dude who fall in love. They are written for teenagers, and there is often Smoldering.

Claws, by Mike and Rachel Grinti (Chicken House, Sept. 1, 2012), is not one of those stories. Rather, it's a story for girls who still love their cats more than any boy, girls for whom Smoldering is few years away. Emma, the central character, is the little sister; it is her older sister, Helena, who's gone missing into a world that has been over-run with magical and mythological creatures. And Emma's parents have spent everything to find Helena, and so now they must live in a dingy trailer park, right on the line between human folk and magical.

Emma's new neighbors include a hag and a coatl (a serpent/human cross)...and a black cat who had been using her new room as his own. He's a cat who's lost all his magic...but he can help Emma take advantage of a treasure trove of cat magic that will not only give her the power to transform herself, but to draw a whole pride of magical cats into her quest through a land full of strange and often hostile creatures.

But now that Emma has enough power (perhaps) to save her sister, what will she do if her sister doesn't want to be saved?

Give this one to the eleven or twelve year old girl who loved the Warriors series who is only just starting to look with interest at the YA Paranormal Fantasy scene. It is a sure winner for that girl. It is also quite possible that a boy in similar circs. would be interested, as neither the story or the central characters are boy-unwelcoming. Emma isn't a girly girl, she's not thinking about boys or make up--she's just exploring new powers, meeting strange creatures, and saving her sister. Likewise the cover is nicely gender neutral.  Still I just can't help but feel that "adolescent cat-loving girls who are readers of fantasy" are, in this case, the quintessentially perfect audience.

(And following on from that thought, this isn't one that I personally as an adult reader took my heart. It didn't quite have the subtlety/emotional tension/shear wonder that makes a mg fantasy book appealing to grown-ups).

Bonus for those looking for diversity in mg fiction: Emma's parents are Vietnamese. It is a fact of her life, not an Issue; it's firmly there in the background as part of who she is. (And I just realized that this is the one hundredth multicultural sci fi/fantasy book for my list! Must add more.)

Here's another review at Ms. Yingling Reads

And here's a picture of our own little black kitten, who goes very nicely with the book:

Disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

This Sunday's round-up of middle grade fantasy and science fiction from around the blogs (8/12/2012)

So just in case you are visiting one of these round-ups for the first time--a few years ago I was wishing that it was easier to find reviews of middle grade sci fi and fantasy books--there are lots of blogs where you can reliably find the YA side of things, but not so much for the younger books. So I started doing it myself.

I exercise some discretion in what I include--a post that's too short, or too purly promotional, probably won't make my personal cut. I'm happy to take links to posts at any time during the week (of posts from that week only, of course--not old reviews). My email is charlotteslibrary at gmail dot com. Thanks!

The Reviews

13 Treasures, by Michelle Harrison, at Read in a Single Sitting

The Atlantis Complex (Artemis Fowl, 7), by Eoin Colfer, at Fantasy's Ink

The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had To, by D.C. Pierson, at Original Content

Earthling! by Mark Fearing, at Stacked

The Ghost of Graylock, by Dan Pobloki, at Charlotte's Library

Goblin Secrets, by William Alexander, at Black Gate

Gregor the Overlander, by Suzanne Collins, at Story Carnivores

The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley, at Stella Matutina

Liesl and Po, by Lauren Oliver, at The Accidental Novelist and at Cardigans, Coffee, and Bookmarks

Merits of Mischief: The Bad Apple, by T.R. Burns, at Angelhorn

Monster Matsuri (Takeshita Demons 3), by Cristy Burne, at Charlotte's Library

Oddfellows Orphanage, by Emily Winfield Martin, at Jen Robinson's Book Page

Palace of Stone, by Shannon Hale, at One Librarian's Book Reviews and Emily's Reading Room

The Serpent's Shadow, by Rick Riordan, at Boys Rule Boys Read!

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy, by Nikki Loftin, at YA reads

The Six Crowns series, by Allan Jones and Gary Chalk, at books4yourkids

The Star Shard, by Frederick S. Durbin, at Fantasy Literature

Stig of the Dump, by Clive King, at Charlotte's Library

The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brockett, by John Boyne, at Babbleabout children's books

Tools of Prophecy, by Michael E. Rothman, at Books Are Magic

Troubletwisters, by Garth Nix and Sean Williams, at Bibliophile Support Group

Unearthly Asylum, by PJ Bracegirdle, at Read in a Single Sitting

Authors and Interviews

Suzanne Williams (Heros in Training) at Cynsations

Braden Bell (The Kindling) at A Thousand Wrongs

Derek the Ghost (Scary School) at Nawanda Files

"How we made A Monser Calls" by Patrick Ness and Jim Kay, at The Guardian

Other Good Stuff

K is for Kelpie, by Holly Black, at Scribble City Central

I can't help but feel a tad sorry for McKayla, but still I chuckled--here she is not being impressed with sci fi at Tor.

Monica at Educating Alice caught a Guardian article I'd missed--Jacqueline Wilson is writing a modern-day sequel to Five Children and It, called Four Children and It. Since it will obviously be impossible to preserve the flavour of the Edwardian original (it was published in 1902), I'm thinking I'll try to take it on its own merits as a contemporary fantasy...like I did for The Humming Room.

Publish Post

And finally--The Cybils are coming to life once more. Things aren't going to really get going till next month, but it's still exciting to see the 2012 logo!
For those of you who don't know what the Cybils are--these are awards are given each year by bloggers for the year's best children's and young adult titles in a variety of categories, including middle grade sci fi and fantasy! The shortlists generated each year, by the way, are an awesome resource.

All bloggers can put their name forward to be on one of the panels--and so I am mentioning this now because all of you whose posts show up here on a regular basis would make swell panelists in MG Sci Fi/Fantasy, and I'd urge you to start thinking about it. I've been a first round panelist several times, and loved it. Do feel free to email me if you have any questions about what it's like...

Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman (Random House, July 2012, YA) has been getting nothing but the best reviews among the bloggers I read regularly (at least I assume so--I haven't actually read the reviews (cause of not wanting spoilers), but words like "loved" and "enjoyed" are easy to spot without reading).

So my expectations were high as I entered this alternate-European city, where humans and dragons lived side by side in an uneasy truce, and a girl named Seraphina made music.

Here is how I reacted:

First hundred pages: I am not sure I am liking it all that much. Seraphina is glum. Things are not cheerful. There is no brightness. There seems to be lots of exposition. I am not sure what this story is actually about. However: music = good, lots of interestings saints = good, interesting dragons = very good.

Next fifty (or so pages): fascinating, but am still uncertain. Seraphina still unhappy. Not sure I like her. Unhappy feelings all around. Am anxious. But curious.

Remainder of book: Wow, this is great! Happy (though complex) male main character! Seraphina not so unhappy! She has friends! Interesting world building, political machinations, and mystery--but what's really important is that there is now good reason to hope that Seraphina won't be sad and lonely forever.

Clearly I was Weak Minded and In Need of Comfort Reading last week (some weeks I am stronger, and curl up happily with One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, or some such). But still, the point remains valid. Seraphina (the book) is not giddy, light fun. Seraphina the girl isn't either; she's described as prickly. And this came across to me too, as well as to the other characters--she's hard to like at first, very much preoccupied with her own self, very reluctant to show warmth. But both book (as the perspective of the story become broader, and new characters were introduced) and girl (as she became a more active player in her own life, kind of surprising herself in the process) grew on me, until by the end I was just racing along happily, caught up in just the sort of lovely fiction-rush that I was hoping for.

One last bit of quibble-- the ease which which one major issue became a non-issue was a bit of a cop out. I was expecting more intelligently written complexity from Hartman here...and didn't get it.

Here's a fascinating interview about Seraphina's path to publication at a daydreamer's thoughts, where I saw this alternate cover (edited to add, thanks to commenter Laviania--it's the UK cover)...I think the black and white one is much truer to the feel of the book, and to Seraphina's own character, and much more distinctive! Although I do like the nuance of Seraphina's face becoming the second dragon eye.

And (again edited to add) there's definitly a sequel coming--from Rachel Hartman's blog yesterday "I have a few nearly-empty weeks to work on my sequel revisions." Which is very encouraging, revisions being so much closer to done than writing!

The Ghost of Graylock, by Dan Poblocki

The Ghost of Graylock, by Dan Poblocki (Scholastic, August 1, 2012, ages 10 and up) is a top notch ghost/mystery story for kids.

Twelve year old Neil and his sixteen year old sister Bree have been sent, all unwilling, to stay with their aunts for the summer in upstate New York. Their father has taken off to pursue a dream of acting, and their mother has fallen into deep depression. And so Neil finds himself at loose ends, with nothing to do but worry at his mother's retreat into dark absence.

But this small town of Hedston has a dark secret. Off in the woods lurks Graylock Hall, an old, abandoned insane asylum for children...and there, the stories go, Nurse Janet murdered three of her charges, drowning them in the weed-filled lake. With two local boys, Neil and Bree set off the explore the asylum...where Nurse Janet's ghost supposedly still walks.

And indeed, there is a ghost. One who torments Neil and Bree with nightmares and horrible visitations, one who won't rest until they can figure out just what she wants. And as the haunting grows in intensity, so does the danger Neil and Bree are in...

Graylock is as a creepy an asylum as I've ever encountered in a children's book--not because there are grotesque manifestations of a blatant and yucky kind, but because of the disturbing descriptions of the place itself, with many moments of jump-inducing suspense that fill Poblocki's account of the kids' exploration. It's not subtle, perhaps (fallen dolls, for instance, are described as "lying like corpses at a murder scene" on page 28), but it's vivid as all get out! And when the ghostly haunting really gets going, it becomes a truly edge-of-the-seat read.

It's not just a ghost story, but a family one as well. The supernatural terror is heightened emotionally by Neil's fears for his own mother's sanity, and what the future might hold for his family. And the sibling relationship between Bree and Neil is a solid and mutually supportive one, without which neither of them would have been able to see their ghostly experience through to its shocking end.

For those looking for a solidly middle grade ghost story, this is an excellent bet, For those, like me, who don't go out of their way to seek out spooky stories just for their spookiness, there are characters to care about, complementing the suspense and making a satisfying whole.

(I've also read Dan Poblocki's earlier horror/ghost story for kids, The Nightmarys. That was too much for me, on the horror side of things; this one was just right).

Here's another review at Jen Robinson's Book Page.

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher.

Monster Matsuri (Takeshita Demons 3), by Cristy Burne

Monster Matsuri (Takeshita Demons 3), by Cristy Burne (Frances Lincoln, 2012, middle grade, 203 pages)

When Miku's family moved from Japan to England (as told in Takeshita Demons, the first book of the series), they didn't, exactly, come alone. Rather, they were attacked a panoply of supernatural beings from home, most of whom, in true demonic fashion, were hostile. Miku, armed by the knowledge passed down by her now deceased grandmother, and her new friend, Cait, must perforce become demon hunters...

And in this third book of the series, there are even more demons to outwit and repress. All demonic heck is breaking out in London, and Miku's little brother, Kazu, has been kidnapped. Miku, Cait, and a boy named Alex (along with his own friendly demon, Akaname (a Filth Licker), must follow crytic clues and foil a plot hatched by one of the most powerful demons of them all...

These books reminded me somewhat of the opening of the Percy Jackson series--a relatively normal kid suddenly being attacked by mythological creatures, and forced to draw on their heritage, and their wits, to survive, in a fast pace series of adventures. And, in much the same way as Percy introduced kids to Greek Mythology, this series is a lovely introduction to the demons of Japan!

These books, however, are, I think, aimed at a slightly younger audience than Percy's adventures--the emphasis is on the action, and less on interpersonal relationships. The protagonists are very much still kids. That being said, Miku is a strong and determined young heroine, the dangers are gripping, and the demons are absolutely fascinating, and come to vivid life. I had no idea where the plot was taking me, and enjoyed the journey very much.

This is one to give to the adventure loving nine or ten year old kid who likes being a little scared--some of the demons are more than somewhat frightening (although there's no goryness). It's a UK series, and at this point in time you probably won't be seeing it in US bookstore, but they are available on line.

The first book of the series was the winner the inaugural 'Diverse Voices' award, which recognizes a manuscript that 'celebrates diversity in its widest possible sense'. And from my grown-up perspective, it is really rather cool to read about demons I know almost nothing about!

Cristy Burne is currently running a cool Monster Prize Competition--details here.

disclaimer: review copy received from the author

Stig of the Dump, by Clive King, for Timeslip Tuesday

Stig of the Dump, by Clive King (1963), for Timeslip Tuesday

Eight year old Barney is open about his new friend, Stig--"He's a sort of boy...He just wears rabbit skins and lives in cave." Though his sister and grandmother don't believe in Stig, he is, in fact real, and living in a disused quarry that's rapidly filling up with rubbish. Stig is, indeed, from the Stone Age of Britain, but with considerably ingenuity he turns his hand to the modern rubbish to furnish his home with all mod. cons. (more or less).

In series of episodic adventures, Barney and Stig encounter a group of tough boys, capture an escaped circus leopard, foil would be robbers, disrupt a fox hunt, and cut wood. Each chapter is self contained, making it a good read aloud, and though the stories are not desperately exciting or original, they are told with verve.

What makes the book really fun, though, is Stig's inventiveness. This book should inspire any child who likes to build to have fun with recycled junk. And that modern side of the material world is paired very nicely with the descriptions of Stig's own Stone Age culture.

I wondered, as I read, if we would ever be told definitely that Stig is a time traveller. We don't, exactly, but instead, near the end of the book Barney and his sister become time travellers themselves, visiting Stig and his own people on the edge of the moor as they raise a great cap stone onto two standing stones...This chapter is rather magical, and adds considerably to the sense of wonder in the book as a whole, contrasting, as it does, with Barney's matter of fact acceptance of Stig in the earlier chapters.

Barney is only eight, and sometimes I found his eightness, with its lack of questioning, rather frustrating. But I think that this probably adds to its child reader appeal, and looking over the reviews on Goodreads, this is one that many who read it when they were kids feel great fondness for.

The style might be off-putting to the modern child; it was, after all, published almost fifty years ago. I think the audio book might, however, might make a lovely car trip story, one that might even prompt discussion after the book is done. I can imagine my own boys whiling the miles away (well, at least one or two miles) with imaginative ideas on how discarded objects of modern times might be used by a survivor of the Stone Age.

personal note: I know that kids these days just don't get a chance to get out and explore as much as the pluckier children of bygone days, but I don't think that even back then I'd let my eight year old wander the English countryside alone in all weather, especially if he came home and told me he'd made friends with a strange man in a rubbish dump. This thought kept intruding into the story, in a disruptive kind of way.

This Sunday's round-up of middle grade fantasy and science fiction from around the blogs (8/5/2012)

Here's what I found viz mg sff this week in my blog reading--let me know if I missed yours!

The Reviews:

3 Below, by Patrick Carman, at Literate Lives

13 Secrets, by Michelle Harrison, at Charlotte's Library

The Aviary, by Kathleen O'Dell, at The Book Smugglers

Cyberia, by Chris Lynch, at Maria's Melange

Eye of the Storm, by Kate Messner, at slatebreakers

The Ghost of Graylock, by Dan Pobloki, at Jen Robinson's Book Page

The Girl Games, by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams, at Small Review

The Girl Who Could Fly, by Victoria Forester, at books4yourkids

Gregor the Overlander, by Suzanne Collins, at Fyrefly's Book Blog

How to Train Your Dragon, by Cressida Cowell, at Read in a Single Sitting

Liesl and Po, by Lauren Oliver, at Michelle Mason

The Magic Warble, by Victoria Simcox, at Geo Librarian (giveaway)

The Merman and the Moon Forgotten (Nikolas and Company 1), by Kevin McGill, at Geo Librarian

Nanny Piggins and the Wicked Plan, by R.A. Spratt, at There's a Book

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, at Great Kid Books and Reads for Keeps

Palace of the Damned, by Darren Shan, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Palace of Stone, by Shannon Hale, at Wandering Librarians

The Roar, by Emma Clayton, at Parenthetical

The Rock of Ivanore, by Laurisa White Reyes, at Shannon Messenger

A Tale Dark and Grimm, by Adam Gidwitz, at The Book Smugglers

A Tale of Time City, by Diana Wynne Jones, at The Book Smugglers

Tom Swift, Jr., and His Jetmarine, by Victor Appleton II, at Guys Lit Wire

When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead, at Bookworm Blather

The Wishing Spell, by Chris Colfer, at The Reading Zone

3 by John Flanagan (Ranger's Apprentice and Brotherband Chronicles) at Ms. Yingling Reads

And a foursome of ghosts and fantasy at Book Aunt: The Brixen Witch, by Stacy DeKeyser, The Whispering House, by Rebecca Wade, Small Medium at Large, by Joanne Levy, The Grave Robber's Apprenctice, by Allan Stratton

Authors and Interviews

Adam Sidwell (Evertaster) at A Thousand Wrongs

Jacqueline West (The Books of Elsewhere) at Julie DeGuia

Michael A. Rothman (Heirs of Prophecy) at Paranormal Indulgence (giveaway)

J.E. Taylor (Don't Fear the Reaper) at Books are Magic

Other Good Stuff

The Periodic Table of Typefaces, at Galleycat

News Flash, from Lee and Low: "TU BOOKS, the fantasy, science fiction, and mystery imprint of LEE & LOW BOOKS, award-winning publisher of children’s books, is pleased to announce the first annual NEW VISIONS AWARD. The NEW VISIONS AWARD will be given for a middle grade or young adult fantasy, science fiction, or mystery novel by a writer of color. The Award winner receives a cash grant of $1000 and our standard publication contract, including our basic advance and royalties for a first time author. An Honor Award winner will receive a cash grant of $500."

Laurisa White Reyes blogs about "History as inspiration for fantasy"

And Ellen Renner shares her thoughts on "The Master-Maid: the role of women and girls in fairyland" at Seven Miles of Steel Thistles

And then at Scribble City Central it's "J for Jormundgand" in the fantabulous magical creature alphabet.

A must-read for all bloggers who use pictures in their posts--Roni Loren shares a cautionary tale

Which means that today's image is one in the public record--here's an image of JK Rowlings treehouse extraordinaire from the Edinburgh Council website, via the Daily Mail (where there are more pictures)

Kidlitcon 2012!

Kidlitcon, now in its sixth year, is a wonderful conference. The two times I've been able to go have both left me Happy--happy to have made new friends and seen old ones, happy to be encouraged and rejuvenated viz blogging, and happy to be part of a whole wonderful book world. I'm pretty certain I'm not alone in feeling this way.

Do not necessarily be put off by the "kid" part (you can be put off if you only read grown-up books, of course, but then why would you be reading my blog?). There are a lot of YA book bloggers who are part of the kidlitosphere.

This year it's happening September 28th and 29th in New York. Here's the schedule and cost:

For those who register before September 21st:

• $55 Full Conference, including pre-con, Friday dinner, and Saturday con
• $35 Pre-Conference without dinner
• $0 Saturday Conference
• $55 Pre-Conference with dinner (special guest speaker: Grace Lin)
• $50 Friday dinner (extra diner or only)

My own cunning plan is to bring my first edition of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon for Grace Lin to sign; it's increased value will then go a long way to covering my costs when my grandchildren sell it in fifty years!

But anyway, please do come--it is truly fun. And since it's run by book bloggers for book bloggers, Saturday will be a day of the best kind of children and YA book blogging discussions.

The call for session proposals is currently open as well.

Those small little killers, or, things in books that topple the edifice, or don't you wish you could make a quick call to the editor

I was just reading Shadow and Bone, by Leigh Bardugo, and I enjoyed it in a mild, no need to blog about it way. But all the time I was reading, I was remembering this review at By Singing Light, and in consequence was jarred every time I read "Alina Starkov," which should, if you are doing the Russian thing properly, be Alina Starkova.

And then I was browsing through the Guardian, and read Mal Peet's review of The Terrible Thing that Happened to Barnaby Brocket, by John Boyne, and found this: "Yet, when reading a book, do you not sometimes wish you had been its editor? Had you been, in this case, you might have redacted solecisms such as the presence of foxes in Zambia or a marble sign "pinned" to a wall."

(At which point I had to look up solecisms--here. I don't think it's quite the right word, but I don't know a better one. Also I vaguely feel that there might be some sort of fox equivalent in Zambia).

But in any event, I then was reading a new book, not yet released, in which there were porcupines in Bronze Age Greece. Eek! I said to myself. Aren't porcupines New World? Turns out there's an Old World kind (example from the San Diego Zoo at right), and I feel better now about the book. Which I can now name--Gods and Warriors, by Michelle Paver. And thank goodness for the internet, says I--twenty years ago, and my only recourse would have been calling my mother.

However, nothing will erase the jarring shock that happened in a book I read a while back in which an Antiquarian book collector didn't know what "foxed" meant. How can you really look on the book favorably after that? Yet it is a small mistake, not worth mentioning in one's review...even though it had a very real effect.

Have you ever had this small mistake blotting the otherwise clear pages of a book thing happen to you?

(Edited to add: I am not, as readers of my blog might well have noticed, bothered by spelling mistakes, in large part cause I don't see them. My husband has just pointed out that there were three in this post. Sigh.)

The Shark King, a Toon Book by R. Kikuo Johnson

The Shark King, a Toon Book by R. Kikuo Johnson (April, 2012, 40 pages), is an easy reader graphic novel that's multicultural, intellectually interesting, and emotionally engaging, which is just about the swellest combination of descriptive phrases I can imagine combining (and the pictures are nice too!).

It's the story of Kalei, a girl in long ago Hawaii, who all unwittingly marries the Shark King, a shape-shifting deity. On the night before their child is born, her husband returns to the sea, leaving her to raise the boy alone. But Nanaue is no ordinary child. His inherited enough of his father's shape shifting magic so as to appear monstrous at times (jaws snapping from his back!), and his appetite is insatiable. So much so that the fisher folk of the nearby village grow hungry....and when they realize Nanaue is to blame, they try to hunt him down.

But the father Nanaue longed to meet is waiting for him, and so all ends well. Except that poor Kalei is left alone, which I found sad (in as much as I automatically relate, quite naturally, to the mother. I would be very sad if my boys dove off into the sea and I never saw them again, and the handful of shells Kalei gets as a memento would not be much comfort. Young readers doubtless won't have this particular issue).

The story is simple enough so that the young reader can read it independently, and enjoy it as an adventure story, but complex enough, with it's themes of finding one's true self, parent/child relationships, and being different, that the young mind will be fed on a deeper level. As a bonus feature, there's a little guide at the end on how to read comics with kids.

I'd have loved another bonus feature giving more information about the original myth, but that's my only complaint.



disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

13 Secrets, by Michelle Harrison

13 Secrets, by Michelle Harrison (Little, Brown, June 2012, middle grade/YA) , is the third book of a series, and therefore a tad hard to review--for those who haven't read the earlier books, one wants to convey a general idea of the series; for those who have, one wants to discuss how well the current book rounds thing off. I shall do my best to do both.

But first, from the town records of Whitehaven, in the Lake District, a List of Deaths taken from the Parish of Lamplugh from Janry ye 1, 1658 to Janye ye 1, 1663 (via The Gaurdian)

* Took cold sleeping at church: 11
* Frighted to death by Fairies: 4
* Died of a fright in a Exercise of ye traind bands: 1
* Mrs Lamplugh's cordial water: 2
* Bewitched: 7

I am starting off with this because the world in which Red, the central character of 13 Secrets, and her family and friends live is one in which causes 2 and 5 are alive and well. Red might want to live a peaceful life in the home of Tanya's grandmother, the trauma of her past behind her. But this peaceful, rural bit of England isn't actually peaceful--the fairies are, as it were, restless. Including one who wants revenge on Red very badly indeed.

And not only is Red in mortal danger herself, but the ragtag, gifted, crazy, and fey people with whom she worked in the past (a changling rescue group) still need her. Even more so when one by one, strange fates befall them, until of the original thirteen, only a few are left.

The suspense grows, and though the action takes place in our own world, the magic of the fairy realm is close at hand. The result is a story fraught with ominous tension, as Red and her allies, including Tanya and Fabian (who, after taking the lead in book one, are now secondary to Red's more complex character), struggle to defend the manor house and those sheltering within it from a fate much worse than Mrs Lamplugh's cordial water (sorry; couldn't resist that).

(The next paragraph has several run on descriptions of various genres. I apologize in advance.)

But seriously, for those who like scary fantasy suspense with lots of mystery and considerable death (though mostly it's just finding dead bodies), of a non-urban fantasy paranormal romance kind, suitable for younger readers (eleven on up), this series is what I'd recommend. When you start the first book, 13 Treasures, you think you're getting a girl with magical fairy friendships in a house with lots of wholesome secrets type story (which the cover also suggests). You aren't. In some parts, this series almost verges on horror (with bits more likely to stick disturbingly in the mind than standard middle grade fantasy violence, so be warned).

So some of us were a bit disappointed, and had to swallow hard to appreciate the series for what it is--something where magic can take forms that are dark, and dank, and sharp, and people do twisty things. Harrison writes with a keen eye for detail, and her descriptions are vivid; she pulls her magic off very well indeed.

But I do have one minor, but niggling, issue with the series. The titular 13 Treasures of book 1 are a metaphorical part of this third book, but never come into their own as a pointful part of the whole story. Everything could have happened without them, and that was disappointing. (Please let me know if I am totally wrong here--it happens).

Final self-centered conclusion: Not a series for me, in particular
Final altruistic conclusion: One I think would make an excellent choice for the reader of youthful horror who also is a fantasy fan, or the reader who doesn't like rainbow fairies, but who does like dark secrets.

Disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

I haz kitten!

Sadly, though, I have no pictures that do little Pippin justice. I will try harder....He is such a good kitten, amiably putting up with the attentions of six children 12 and under:and the attentions of my sisters (that's my older sister):

with beautiful calm. He would make an excellent Therapy Kitten.

But will he mouse successfully? The incumbent cat, though a pleasant companion, is the worst mouser I have ever known in my life. Little Pip Pip isn't old enough to even walk without baby kitten toddling (he can still be held in one hand), so it's hard to tell how good his pouncing skills are. (Sorry for using a noun as a verb there. I hate it when people "medal" at the Olympics...)

Hawksbill Station, by Robert Silverberg, for Timeslipe Tuesday

My dear sisters and their children have left, and the house is still and empty...and I can't find the book I was meaning to write about today. I don't think one of them would have taken it...

But in any event, I had a back-up--Hawksbill Station, by Robert Silverberg (a novel, published in 1968, that superseded a 1967 short story; UK title The Anvil of Time). I've chosen the cover image that won the "least likely to make me want to read the book award." It was a wide open field.

But fortunatly I didn't have to read that particular edition; I read it in the anthology of three Robert Silverberg novels/novellas, compiled in Times Three (Subterranean, 2011). Much more appealling, although it wasn't the cover that lead me to reading it. I've been thinking that in order to be a truly knowledgeable person viz time travel books, I should read some of the sci fi stuff written back in the 1950s and 1960s for grown-ups. And here I am, with Hawksbill Station.

Silverberg imagined a revolution that had thrown down the Constitution of the US in the 1980s, with a counter-revolution springing up to oppose the new dictatorship. The government has come up with an ingenious solution to the problem of prisoner storage that allows them to pat themselves on the back for not executing people. Instead of being killed, prisoners are sent back in time. Far, far back to the pre-Cambrian era.

In this temporal prison, at a time when there is no other life on land beside the prisoners, a band of political dissidents (all male) tries to stay sane. Time travel only works one way, so there is no hope for any other future. The leader of the prisoners, a man named Barrett, tries to keep things functional, while around him the aging population falls apart.

And then a new arrival, a young man who doesn't fit the profile of political dissident, appears, and everything changes.

The story alternates between Barrett in exile, and Barrett's past as a revolutionary. The pre-Cambrian part is interesting social anthropology, interesting character studies, interesting concept, and, all in all, thought provoking. Silverberg's descriptions of Barret's struggle to survive and stay sane in this beautifully described, horribly alien environment appealed much more to me than the kind of unoriginal and somewhat sexist account of him as a young, and not that sympathetic, organizer of volunteers for the cause.

If it had all been in the pre-Cambrian period, I would have thought it great stuff (I think). But having to read words like this: "The Revolution tended to attract the sort of girl who couldn't wait to get her clothes off, so that she could prove that her breasts and thighs and buttocks made up for the deficiencies of her face" (page 123), I just couldn't feel that fond of the story as a whole. And I wasn't convinced that the story of Barrett in the "present" (which I found kind of boring--nothing much happens, if you don't count the naked girls) added anything to the character arc culminating in his final role as the leader of Hawksbill Station.

So the uneven balance between the two frames of reference didn't work for me, and the sexist bits repelled me, but I shall keep reading the sci fi classics anyway (two more to read in this particular book before it goes to its final bookshelf home, which is an incentive).

Horton Halfpott or The fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor or The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset

July is the cruelest month for blogging. One (ie me) has so many things keeping reading and writing at bay-- things like major home improvements, house guests, a garden running amok, and a new kitten (pictures to come), and then there's the fact that the pile of books to be read had to be dispersed, and so I have an uncomfortable feeling that my sense of Being on Top of my tbr pile is False.

But regardless, I soldier on, and so I offer today a few brief thoughts on a book I was very happy to get at Book Expo America, even though it came out last year, because I hadn't read it yet and wanted to.

Horton Halfpott or The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor or The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset, by Tom Angleberger (Amulet Books, 2011)

In an English manor where the servants are treated like scum by M'Lady Luggertuck and her knavish lump of a son, young Horton Halfpott toils in the scullery, scrubbing pots. But fortune will soon smile on young Horton, even though it might seem to Horton like more a grimace. When M'Lady Luggertuck loosens her corset for the first time in memory, the loosening spreads...and chaos strikes Smugwick Manor.

Who is the vile perpetrator of the mysterious thefts (including, most terribly of all, the theft of the precious Lump)? Who will win the affections of the rich heiress visiting an adjacent family? Will Horton win through despite the odds stacked against him?

It's fun and slapsticky and entertaining as all get out, with a very nicely judged balance between all the various shenanigans and the maintenance of Horton as a character one can truly care about. A good one for kids (or older readers) who value silliness, appreciate a humorously intrusive narrator, and enjoy an over the top mystery. I'm calling it fantasy, because even though it is one of those books in which nothing actually magical happens, there's not much in the book that really would happen in real life.

And there my power of critical thinking leaves me. And lo, I hear the voices of my children and their cousins, home from the lake...and these precious minutes of me getting home from work before them come to an end.

But it's a good book.

This Sunday's round-up of middle grade fantasy and science fiction from around the blogs (7/30/2012)

Here are the results of my internet grazing (picture of grazing sci fi sheep at right found at Light Reading).

Please let me know if I missed your mg sff post!

The Reviews

Alex and the Ironic Gentleman, by Adrienne Kress, at Once Upon a Bookshelf

The Amulet Series, by Kazu Kibuishi, at Fantasy Literature

Artemis Fowl and the Last Guardian, at The Book Zone

The Emporer of Nihon-Ja, by John Flanagan, at Karissa's Reading Review

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, by Catherynne M. Valente, at Great Imaginations

Heaven Eyes, by David Almond, at Books Beside My Bed

Hilda and the Midnight Giant, by Luke Pearson, at Jean Little Library

Magyk, by Angie Sage, at Adventures of a Book Wyrm

The Moon Coin, by Richard Due, at Sharon the Librarian

The Mysterious Howling, by Maryrose Wood, at Jen Robinson's Book Page

N.E.R.D.S., by Michael Buckley, at books4yourkids

On the Blue Comet, by Rosemary Wells, at Time Travel Times Two

Ordinary Magic, by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway, at Slatebreakers

The Second Spy, by Jacqueline West, at Cracking the Cover

Shadow Spell, by Caro King, at Charlotte's Library

Sidekicks, by Jack D. Ferraiolo, at books4yourkids

Small Medium at Large, by Joanne Levy, at Readatouille

The Son of Neptune, by Rick Riordan, at Fyrefly's Book Blog

The Unseen Guest, by Maryrose Wood, at Welcome to My Tweendom

What Came From the Stars, by Gary Schmidt, at My Brain On Books

Authors and Illustrators

Elizabeth Bellows (Alexander Drake's Extraordinary Pursuit) at A Thousand Wrongs

Jacqueline West (The Second Spy) at Cracking the Cover

More Good Stuff

Kidlitcon is my favorite of all conferences. It's a gathering of childrens and YA book bloggers, just us all sitting around and talking kids books. And this year it will be held in New York City, September 28-29, 2012. Do come! I haven't seen registration info yet, but the call for submisisons for panels is up, here at Fuse #8 (Betsy is organizing the conference this year).

Here are all the chapter illustrations from Harry Potter--it's interesting to see things getting darker! (via reddit)

Shadow Spell, by Caro King

When I read Seven Sorcerers, by Caro King, last year (my review), my only complaint was that the book ended. It had great world building, great characters, and was engrossing as all get out. Then it stopped. So I was very happy to plunge into Shadow Spell, its sequel (Aladdin, May 1, 2012, upper mg).

And I was not disappointed (which is a lovely thing). Everything I liked about the first book was here too.

I won't go into details about the plot, since that would be spoilery for the first book, and I don't think enough people have read that one for me to feel comfortable doing that! In a nutshell, it's about a girl (Nin) who goes to a magical land and defeats an evil enemy. This might not sound that Original, but it actually is twisty enough, and full of enough imaginative details, that King pulls it off. It also includes my favorite fictional gargoyle of all time.

Shadow Spell is something of a mystery--Nin has to figure out a twist from the past in order to bring about the defeat of the bad guy. And the way the defeat takes place is very satisfying indeed. There's luck involved, and lots of perseverance needed, and then in the end it's not a Magical Showdown of good triumphant. Much more interesting than that.

There's some pretty gross violence, that might disturb younger readers (or their parents; I myself, being weak, could have done without one or two little descriptions of yuckiness). But to heck with the kids--I really truly recommend these two books to grown-ups who read middle grade fantasy for their own reading pleasure. I don't think Seven Sorcerers got anywhere near the buzz it deserved, and I think that is a shame.

These were first published in the UK--here's the Amazon UK link for the first book, so you can read all the glowing reviews and see that I'm not alone in loving these! And that's the UK cover for Shadow Spell on the right, which I think is prettier than the US version...and matches the cover of Seven Sorcerers, whose cover didn't get changed in the US.

The Sherwood Ring, by Elizabeth Marie Pope, for Timeslip Tuesday

The Sherwood Ring, by Elizabeth Marie Pope (1958), is one I wavered about ever putting in the "time slip" category, because "ghost story" fits it just as well. But the particular ghosts in this story aren't exactly haunting the old house in upstate New York, in apparitionly way. They are more like family members, dropping in from the past to visit with newcomers, with whom they converse like ordinary people, and, like good time travellers, they aren't their dead selves (ie, they appear as their younger selves). And since they are in fact family members, with strong attachments to the place, and some natural interest in their kinfolk, why not think of them as sliping forward in time? So I did.

The kinfolk in question is newly orphaned Peggy Grahame, come to live with her uncle Enos, whose a recluse obsessed with the family history. So territorial is he, intellectually, that he forbids Pat, a young British scholar (also interested in the doings of the Grahame family in years gone by) to ever darken his doors. Since Peggy and Pat had become friends on their journey to New York, and since there is absolutely no one else for Peggy to be friends with, this is a blow to her.

Fortunately, there are other someones--a cast of characters from the Revolutionary War era, who visit Peggy and tell her their stories.

Now, when I realized this is what was happening, I was very doubtful. The stories that Peggy is told are separate narratives, and at first I thought I was going to be presented with a pastiche of "stories from history," thinly tied to Peggy's own story (which I was very interested in--orphan, old house, romance, all that). I didn't want to be taken away from it.

But then, when I realized that the visitors were all actors in a very romantic, very exciting drama, and when one of them in particular started reminding me very much of the Scarlet Pimpernel, I was hooked by their interconnected story of torn loyalties, espionage, daring deeds, and other Revolutionary War reindeer games. In short, it turned out to be a great read--really fun historical fiction, with romance of that nice grin-making kind (as opposed to introspective-angsty type of romance, if you know what I mean?) in both past and present.

Note on age--I would have loved this when I was nine or so, and enjoyed it last month. So there you go. I am not surprised, though, that I didn't read it when I was young; it has had bad luck with covers (two others shown below), and American History didn't appeal to snooty little Anglophile me. My loss.

RIP Margaret Mahy

Another sad loss--Margaret Mahy is gone. I've only ever reviewed one of her books (Madigan's Fantasia), but I've read and enjoyed many others.

Gee. I hope this is the end of sad news for a long time.