Christopher Healy
2012 Walden Pond Press
When the pampered and perpetually protected Prince Frederick fails to keep Cinderella's interest after the ball is over, Cinderella takes off on a new adventure, leaving him behind. Can Frederic, who has never been outside the castle in his life, find the guts to go after her? And keep going after her, in spite of witches, giants, dragons, and three other princes with princess problems of their own?
This book reads like an animated film, and it's easy to visualize it that way with the help of all the whimsical illustrations. The story is chock full of fun and quirky characters, like vegetarian trolls and really grumpy dwarfs... I mean dwarves (they're sensitive about the spelling). A good read-aloud, laugh-aloud the whole family can enjoy.
My only worry is that Fox Animation has the movie option right now. Why not some studio with a more impressive track record? Come on, this one is totally worth it.
Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
The Wee Free Men
Terry Pratchett
Harper Trophy, 2004
Nine-year-old Tiffany doesn't care a fig for her baby brother. She resents the fact that he usurped her place as youngest child, resents having to watch over him all the time. So when she notices a strange creature lurking in the stream near her home, she doesn't hesitate to use her baby brother to lure the monster out so she can give it a good whack with a frying pan (before it gets anywhere near baby brother, of course).
Tiffany's bravado impresses a band of small, blue-skinned rouges that go by the name of Nac Mac Feegles, otherwise known as the Wee Free Men. When Tiffany's baby brother goes missing a few days later, they tip her off that he's been stolen by the queen of a nightmare fairyland that's invading Tiffany's world.
Armed with her frying pan and accompanied by a mob of tiny rebels, Tiffany marches into fairyland. It isn't so much that she cares about her baby brother. It's that the queen stole something from her, and Tiffany means to get it back. But in order to do so, she has to discover another weapon--the magic inside herself.
This book is Terry Pratchett at his best. Lively humor from the antics of the Feegles, cunning word play, delicious satire, deep beauty, and ancient wisdom all play together to create this delightful coming-of-age story about a young witch-in-training named Tiffany. Recommended for ages nine and up.
Harper Trophy, 2004
Nine-year-old Tiffany doesn't care a fig for her baby brother. She resents the fact that he usurped her place as youngest child, resents having to watch over him all the time. So when she notices a strange creature lurking in the stream near her home, she doesn't hesitate to use her baby brother to lure the monster out so she can give it a good whack with a frying pan (before it gets anywhere near baby brother, of course).
Tiffany's bravado impresses a band of small, blue-skinned rouges that go by the name of Nac Mac Feegles, otherwise known as the Wee Free Men. When Tiffany's baby brother goes missing a few days later, they tip her off that he's been stolen by the queen of a nightmare fairyland that's invading Tiffany's world.
Armed with her frying pan and accompanied by a mob of tiny rebels, Tiffany marches into fairyland. It isn't so much that she cares about her baby brother. It's that the queen stole something from her, and Tiffany means to get it back. But in order to do so, she has to discover another weapon--the magic inside herself.
This book is Terry Pratchett at his best. Lively humor from the antics of the Feegles, cunning word play, delicious satire, deep beauty, and ancient wisdom all play together to create this delightful coming-of-age story about a young witch-in-training named Tiffany. Recommended for ages nine and up.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Troll Fell
Katherine Langrish
HarperCollins 2004
This is the kind of book I like best.
Peer has no time to grieve over his father's sudden death. His cruel uncle shows up at the funeral, claims Peer and all his father's property, and drags the boy back to the dismal mill which he shares with Peer's other uncle, his equally nasty twin. Half-starved and forced to do all the work around the place, it doesn't seem it can get any worse for poor Peer.
Then Peer learns his uncles have plans for him. They've bargained with the Troll King to provide a human slave as a wedding present for an important royal match. Peer has to find a way to escape before the midwinter wedding, but where can he go that his uncles won't find him?
Katherine Langrish spins a delicious tale, with trolls and wicked uncles you love to hate, and a clever and kind-hearted hero you love to cheer on. Lush prose paints the Scandinavian setting in perfect detail, with lively descriptions that are a joy to read. The story rolls faster and faster to the climax, with one disaster piling on top of another, until I was just aching for the characters and couldn't see how they could possibly get out. And then it got even worse!
Fans of the folktale will adore this adventure in the lands of the far north. Recommended for ages ten and up.
HarperCollins 2004
This is the kind of book I like best.
Peer has no time to grieve over his father's sudden death. His cruel uncle shows up at the funeral, claims Peer and all his father's property, and drags the boy back to the dismal mill which he shares with Peer's other uncle, his equally nasty twin. Half-starved and forced to do all the work around the place, it doesn't seem it can get any worse for poor Peer.
Then Peer learns his uncles have plans for him. They've bargained with the Troll King to provide a human slave as a wedding present for an important royal match. Peer has to find a way to escape before the midwinter wedding, but where can he go that his uncles won't find him?
Katherine Langrish spins a delicious tale, with trolls and wicked uncles you love to hate, and a clever and kind-hearted hero you love to cheer on. Lush prose paints the Scandinavian setting in perfect detail, with lively descriptions that are a joy to read. The story rolls faster and faster to the climax, with one disaster piling on top of another, until I was just aching for the characters and couldn't see how they could possibly get out. And then it got even worse!
Fans of the folktale will adore this adventure in the lands of the far north. Recommended for ages ten and up.
Monday, March 15, 2010
The Graveyard Book
Neil Gaiman
HarperCollins Children's Books 2008
An orphan boy, adopted by ghosts on the night he was to be murdered, grows up in secret in an ancient graveyard. The ghosts name him Nobody, and give him the power to move in their world. The ghosts keep him hidden as long as they can, but in the end, Bod must confront the man who murdered his parents and wants to kill him too.
There's plenty of darkness in this story, but also plenty of light. I loved the ghosts, people from all centuries, who banded together to keep Bod safe from the murderer. Bod's adventures---being kidnapped by ghouls, braving the haunted barrow deep under the graveyard, and even attending the local public school---all prepare him for the final showdown with the man who has wanted him dead all his life.
Neil Gaiman shows off his mastery of language, of character, and of storytelling in this very engaging read. I loved how the intriguing world unfolded slowly, with dropped hints at the powers Bod has grown up with and so takes for granted.
A clever, spooky read for ages twelve and up.
HarperCollins Children's Books 2008
An orphan boy, adopted by ghosts on the night he was to be murdered, grows up in secret in an ancient graveyard. The ghosts name him Nobody, and give him the power to move in their world. The ghosts keep him hidden as long as they can, but in the end, Bod must confront the man who murdered his parents and wants to kill him too.
There's plenty of darkness in this story, but also plenty of light. I loved the ghosts, people from all centuries, who banded together to keep Bod safe from the murderer. Bod's adventures---being kidnapped by ghouls, braving the haunted barrow deep under the graveyard, and even attending the local public school---all prepare him for the final showdown with the man who has wanted him dead all his life.
Neil Gaiman shows off his mastery of language, of character, and of storytelling in this very engaging read. I loved how the intriguing world unfolded slowly, with dropped hints at the powers Bod has grown up with and so takes for granted.
A clever, spooky read for ages twelve and up.
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Little Secret
Kate Saunders
Feiwel and Friends 2006
Something about those Brits---they sure can spin a fantastic tale! Kate Saunders is no exception. Her story has all the mystery, oddity, humor, and charm I've come to expect from that camp.
Staffa, the new girl at Jane's school, may talk funny, sit and drink coffee at recess, and dress like a grandmother, but kind-hearted Jane sticks up for her anyways. Jane isn't exactly thrilled when Staffa immediately claims her as a best friend, at least not at first. It turns out that Staffa's mother is disgustingly rich, and Jane soon finds herself showered with presents and invited to posh afternoon teas. To top it all off, Jane is eventually invited to spend a few weeks of summer holiday at Staffa's country home, a real castle in northern England.
It's a fairy-tale come true for Jane. And I mean that very literally. And not one of those nice little Disney fairy tales either.
I loved this book from the beginning, knowing there's something odd about Staffa and her mother, and being drawn along by not knowing quite what it was. Kate Saunders handles Jane's reactions and decisions so well, I believed every bit of it. I had the chilling conviction that in Jane's shoes I would have put my foot right in the very same trap. A very fun read for ages ten and up.
Feiwel and Friends 2006
Something about those Brits---they sure can spin a fantastic tale! Kate Saunders is no exception. Her story has all the mystery, oddity, humor, and charm I've come to expect from that camp.
Staffa, the new girl at Jane's school, may talk funny, sit and drink coffee at recess, and dress like a grandmother, but kind-hearted Jane sticks up for her anyways. Jane isn't exactly thrilled when Staffa immediately claims her as a best friend, at least not at first. It turns out that Staffa's mother is disgustingly rich, and Jane soon finds herself showered with presents and invited to posh afternoon teas. To top it all off, Jane is eventually invited to spend a few weeks of summer holiday at Staffa's country home, a real castle in northern England.
It's a fairy-tale come true for Jane. And I mean that very literally. And not one of those nice little Disney fairy tales either.
I loved this book from the beginning, knowing there's something odd about Staffa and her mother, and being drawn along by not knowing quite what it was. Kate Saunders handles Jane's reactions and decisions so well, I believed every bit of it. I had the chilling conviction that in Jane's shoes I would have put my foot right in the very same trap. A very fun read for ages ten and up.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
Grace Lin
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 2009
Yes, there is justice in this world. How do I know? Grace Lin's Where the Mountain Meets the Moon won a Newbery Honor.
Minli lives with her mother and father in the shadow of fruitless mountain. Their home is small, their clothes are plain, and they can hardly grow enough rice for themselves. But Minli loves listening to her father tell stories at the end of each day, stories that eventually inspire her to leave home and seek to change her family's fortune.
It's a dangerous road, but Minli meets each obstacle with a clever mind and a kind heart. She gains friends, wisdom, and answers as she traverses a web of stories woven together into one exquisite tale. This book is a perfect little gem, a great read-aloud for children, and a treasure-trove of insight for young and old alike on the nature of true happiness. Rich color illustrations by the author in Chinese folk-art style illuminate the pages. Sweet as ripe peaches, precious as a pearl, this joyful book is for anyone old enough to read or be read to.
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 2009
Yes, there is justice in this world. How do I know? Grace Lin's Where the Mountain Meets the Moon won a Newbery Honor.
Minli lives with her mother and father in the shadow of fruitless mountain. Their home is small, their clothes are plain, and they can hardly grow enough rice for themselves. But Minli loves listening to her father tell stories at the end of each day, stories that eventually inspire her to leave home and seek to change her family's fortune.
It's a dangerous road, but Minli meets each obstacle with a clever mind and a kind heart. She gains friends, wisdom, and answers as she traverses a web of stories woven together into one exquisite tale. This book is a perfect little gem, a great read-aloud for children, and a treasure-trove of insight for young and old alike on the nature of true happiness. Rich color illustrations by the author in Chinese folk-art style illuminate the pages. Sweet as ripe peaches, precious as a pearl, this joyful book is for anyone old enough to read or be read to.
Monday, February 15, 2010
The Dragon of Trelian
Michelle Knudsen
Candlewick Press 2009
An awkward mage's apprentice, a young princess with a secret, two enemy kingdoms making peace with a royal wedding, evil forces that will do anything to start the war anew...
...and a dragon.
You may have seen all these story elements before, but you've never seen them put together quite like this. Michelle Knudsen's first novel brings to life a fresh world of magic and danger. I thoroughly enjoyed this engaging and very fun read. The suspense at times was absolutely unbearable---I was squealing and stomping my feet, having to force myself to read line by line instead of skipping down the page to make sure everything turns out all right.
I hope Michelle Knudsen writes more novels. I want to read them all.
Candlewick Press 2009
An awkward mage's apprentice, a young princess with a secret, two enemy kingdoms making peace with a royal wedding, evil forces that will do anything to start the war anew...
...and a dragon.
You may have seen all these story elements before, but you've never seen them put together quite like this. Michelle Knudsen's first novel brings to life a fresh world of magic and danger. I thoroughly enjoyed this engaging and very fun read. The suspense at times was absolutely unbearable---I was squealing and stomping my feet, having to force myself to read line by line instead of skipping down the page to make sure everything turns out all right.
I hope Michelle Knudsen writes more novels. I want to read them all.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow
Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury, 2008
On the promise that her impoverished family will be blessed with riches, a young girl goes to live for a year in an enchanted palace with a mysterious white bear. Just as she begins to unravel the dark secrets of the curse on her host, her curiosity and fear drive her to betray the man she has come to love. To redeem him, she must journey beyond the edge of the world and face the Troll Princess herself.
East o'the Sun, West o'the Moon, always one of my favorite folk-tales, finds new life in this charming adaptation. I loved how Jessica Day George followed the traditional storyline so faithfully, but added an intriguing new twist of her own. She floods the pages with details about Scandinavian culture and language. A good, solid performance, and a recommended read for ages 10 and up.
Bloomsbury, 2008
On the promise that her impoverished family will be blessed with riches, a young girl goes to live for a year in an enchanted palace with a mysterious white bear. Just as she begins to unravel the dark secrets of the curse on her host, her curiosity and fear drive her to betray the man she has come to love. To redeem him, she must journey beyond the edge of the world and face the Troll Princess herself.
East o'the Sun, West o'the Moon, always one of my favorite folk-tales, finds new life in this charming adaptation. I loved how Jessica Day George followed the traditional storyline so faithfully, but added an intriguing new twist of her own. She floods the pages with details about Scandinavian culture and language. A good, solid performance, and a recommended read for ages 10 and up.
Friday, September 25, 2009
The Anybodies
by N.E. Bode
HarperCollins 2004
I wish I had written this book.
Once a week, I volunteer at a school library. They don't know I'm a writer. I haven't told them yet. When I go, I feel like I'm doing secret agent undercover work, spying out what kind of books the kids are reading, finding out what kind of books the publishers are publishing. So last week, as I was slicing alphabetical labels off the shelves with a razor blade (the labels were from an old, outdated shelving system, were all wrong, and were driving me crazy whenever I tried to re-shelve the books), the spine of The Anybodies caught my eye.
I can't say what about it attracted my attention. The title was hidden by a big sticker with the letters PB (for paperback) and then FIC (for fiction) and then BOD for Bode. Maybe it was the charming, powder-blue color peeking out from around the sticker. Anyways, I took the book off the shelf, opened it up and read the dedication:
"THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED to you. Yes, you. Don't be so shocked. Haven't you always secretly thought that you deserved a book dedicated to you and you only?"
I smirked. I grinned. I stood up and asked the school librarian, "Excuse me, but are parents allowed to check out books too?"
The truth is, The Anybodies was written just for me, and for every other person who loves to read. This is a book for readers, and since most books are read by readers, I'd say it hits the market right on target. It is one of those books that just had to be written by somebody, and so it is only fitting that it should have been written by N.E. Bode. It's funny. Hilarious. I laughed out loud several times, once even punching my fist in the air in triumph. The book is also adventurous and heartwarming, for that's what readers want, isn't it? And there are plenty of other goodies, like children accidentally swapped at birth, retired circus performers, fairies that pop out of books, giant peaches, mysterious diaries written in code, a bitter love-triangle, grouchy henchmen, and a perfectly ordinary squirrel.
I'd recommend this book to any child (or adult) who has read everything on the shelf and is hungry for a little something different.
HarperCollins 2004
I wish I had written this book.
Once a week, I volunteer at a school library. They don't know I'm a writer. I haven't told them yet. When I go, I feel like I'm doing secret agent undercover work, spying out what kind of books the kids are reading, finding out what kind of books the publishers are publishing. So last week, as I was slicing alphabetical labels off the shelves with a razor blade (the labels were from an old, outdated shelving system, were all wrong, and were driving me crazy whenever I tried to re-shelve the books), the spine of The Anybodies caught my eye.
I can't say what about it attracted my attention. The title was hidden by a big sticker with the letters PB (for paperback) and then FIC (for fiction) and then BOD for Bode. Maybe it was the charming, powder-blue color peeking out from around the sticker. Anyways, I took the book off the shelf, opened it up and read the dedication:
"THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED to you. Yes, you. Don't be so shocked. Haven't you always secretly thought that you deserved a book dedicated to you and you only?"
I smirked. I grinned. I stood up and asked the school librarian, "Excuse me, but are parents allowed to check out books too?"
The truth is, The Anybodies was written just for me, and for every other person who loves to read. This is a book for readers, and since most books are read by readers, I'd say it hits the market right on target. It is one of those books that just had to be written by somebody, and so it is only fitting that it should have been written by N.E. Bode. It's funny. Hilarious. I laughed out loud several times, once even punching my fist in the air in triumph. The book is also adventurous and heartwarming, for that's what readers want, isn't it? And there are plenty of other goodies, like children accidentally swapped at birth, retired circus performers, fairies that pop out of books, giant peaches, mysterious diaries written in code, a bitter love-triangle, grouchy henchmen, and a perfectly ordinary squirrel.
I'd recommend this book to any child (or adult) who has read everything on the shelf and is hungry for a little something different.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Black and Blue Magic
Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Aladdin, 1972
Awkward, accident-prone Harry Houdini Marco has a long, boring San Francisco summer to look forward to. He can't go on vacation because his mother has to stay and take care of the boarding house, and there's no money to send him to camp with his friends. Then, one day, Harry notices a strange little man who loses his suitcase on the bus. When Harry returns the suitcase the grateful man gives him a magic potion, a potion that gives Harry his own pair of giant, white-feathered wings!
It sounds like the ultimate wish fulfillment for a nearly twelve-year-old boy, but Harry gets bruises just trying to walk around. What's going to happen when he can fly?
This is my very favorite book by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. She's got a way of describing people that makes them pop right off the page. This hilarious book has a bitter-sweet ending in which Harry discovers that what he's gained from his summer of flying will last long after the potion runs out.
Aladdin, 1972
Awkward, accident-prone Harry Houdini Marco has a long, boring San Francisco summer to look forward to. He can't go on vacation because his mother has to stay and take care of the boarding house, and there's no money to send him to camp with his friends. Then, one day, Harry notices a strange little man who loses his suitcase on the bus. When Harry returns the suitcase the grateful man gives him a magic potion, a potion that gives Harry his own pair of giant, white-feathered wings!
It sounds like the ultimate wish fulfillment for a nearly twelve-year-old boy, but Harry gets bruises just trying to walk around. What's going to happen when he can fly?
This is my very favorite book by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. She's got a way of describing people that makes them pop right off the page. This hilarious book has a bitter-sweet ending in which Harry discovers that what he's gained from his summer of flying will last long after the potion runs out.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The Game
Diana Wynne Jones
Penguin, 2007
I am ashamed to admit that this is my fiftieth review on this blog, and only my first review of a Diana Wynne Jones book!
Time to set things right.
Haley has never met her cousins before. Her strict and fussy grandmother has always kept her away from the rest of her unruly family. But Haley has crept off to the forbidden mythosphere before, a place woven of colorful story threads, threads with ends that trail through the ordinary world. She's delighted to find that her cousins know about the mythosphere too, and joins them in their secret game, a sort of scavenger hunt where the players collect glass slippers, dragon scales, and golden apples.
There's more than mythical baubles out in the mythosphere. Haley finds clues to the location of her missing parents, her true identity, and the reason her Uncle Jolyon banned the family from the mythosphere in the first place.
Uncle isn't going to be happy.
This book is Diana Wynne Jones at her best--full of wild, world-hopping magic, bubbling with jolly chaos, bristling with danger, and grounded in honest emotion. A little piece of perfection, "The Game" blends real mythology and real life in fantastic ways. For readers twelve and up.
Penguin, 2007
I am ashamed to admit that this is my fiftieth review on this blog, and only my first review of a Diana Wynne Jones book!
Time to set things right.
Haley has never met her cousins before. Her strict and fussy grandmother has always kept her away from the rest of her unruly family. But Haley has crept off to the forbidden mythosphere before, a place woven of colorful story threads, threads with ends that trail through the ordinary world. She's delighted to find that her cousins know about the mythosphere too, and joins them in their secret game, a sort of scavenger hunt where the players collect glass slippers, dragon scales, and golden apples.
There's more than mythical baubles out in the mythosphere. Haley finds clues to the location of her missing parents, her true identity, and the reason her Uncle Jolyon banned the family from the mythosphere in the first place.
Uncle isn't going to be happy.
This book is Diana Wynne Jones at her best--full of wild, world-hopping magic, bubbling with jolly chaos, bristling with danger, and grounded in honest emotion. A little piece of perfection, "The Game" blends real mythology and real life in fantastic ways. For readers twelve and up.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Keturah and Lord Death
Martine Leavitt
Front Street, 2006
Sixteen-year-old Keturah Reeve has one simple dream - a true love of her own, a cottage of her own, and a sweet wee babe of her very own. But one day she wanders into the woods and is lost. When Death comes for her as a cold and comely young lord, she pleads for her life with a tale like the ones she tells around the village fire. Intrigued by her story, Death grants her another day in which she must find her true love or be taken.
So begins this lyrical fable, a story of life and death, hope and transformation. I marvel that so much wisdom and beauty can be packed in two hundred pages. Keturah's shabby village throbs with life, full of characters that seem to have been plucked from a fairy tale but then given real-life hearts and souls. The prose is exquisite - Keturah has the eye of a poet and the voice of a storyteller. Her quest to find an everlasting love takes so many turns it kept me guessing right up until the end. After closing the book I felt like I'd woken from a dream that meant more than I was ready to understand.
Highly recommended for readers age twelve and up.
Front Street, 2006
Sixteen-year-old Keturah Reeve has one simple dream - a true love of her own, a cottage of her own, and a sweet wee babe of her very own. But one day she wanders into the woods and is lost. When Death comes for her as a cold and comely young lord, she pleads for her life with a tale like the ones she tells around the village fire. Intrigued by her story, Death grants her another day in which she must find her true love or be taken.
So begins this lyrical fable, a story of life and death, hope and transformation. I marvel that so much wisdom and beauty can be packed in two hundred pages. Keturah's shabby village throbs with life, full of characters that seem to have been plucked from a fairy tale but then given real-life hearts and souls. The prose is exquisite - Keturah has the eye of a poet and the voice of a storyteller. Her quest to find an everlasting love takes so many turns it kept me guessing right up until the end. After closing the book I felt like I'd woken from a dream that meant more than I was ready to understand.
Highly recommended for readers age twelve and up.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Fablehaven 4: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary
Brandon Mull
Shadow Mountain, 2009
This book begins horribly. For the characters, that is. As the reader, I adored it. Seth and Kendra Sorensen may have been looking forward to a quiet Christmas vacation, but the Society of the Evening Star is on the move. Caught up in a race to claim the key to a magical object that will help the Society open the demon prison Zyzyx and unleash unstoppable magical destruction on the peaceful, utterly oblivious modern world, Seth and Kendra must travel to the treacherous dragon sanctuary Wyrmroost. Hopefully they'll survive long enough to make it home for New Year's.
Zyzyx - Wyrmroost - aren't these great names? When I learned to type using the Dvorak keyboard, which is supposed to be ultra-efficient for speedy typing, I found that the letters fantasy writers like to use in made-up names were in hard-to-reach spots. I had a character named Jyvwin, and picking out the letters for his name were a real pain. I thought I should come up with a new keyboard which was ultra efficient for fantasy writers. The home row was YWZXJLVKR. Needless to say, it never caught on.
But I digress. In this fourth book of the Fablehaven series, Brandon Mull delivers a story full of inventive magical creatures, amazing settings, heart-wrenching plot twists, intrigue, betrayal, clever traps, even cleverer escapes, friendship, family, and Yatzee. I enjoyed seeing Seth come into his own, discovering talents that match and compliment his sister Kendra's. The dragons were marvelous - all different, all amazing. Time was, I wouldn't pick up a book unless there was a dragon in it. If this book had been published back when I was thirteen, it would have been a dream come true.
But I still think Grandma was better off as a chicken.
Shadow Mountain, 2009
This book begins horribly. For the characters, that is. As the reader, I adored it. Seth and Kendra Sorensen may have been looking forward to a quiet Christmas vacation, but the Society of the Evening Star is on the move. Caught up in a race to claim the key to a magical object that will help the Society open the demon prison Zyzyx and unleash unstoppable magical destruction on the peaceful, utterly oblivious modern world, Seth and Kendra must travel to the treacherous dragon sanctuary Wyrmroost. Hopefully they'll survive long enough to make it home for New Year's.
Zyzyx - Wyrmroost - aren't these great names? When I learned to type using the Dvorak keyboard, which is supposed to be ultra-efficient for speedy typing, I found that the letters fantasy writers like to use in made-up names were in hard-to-reach spots. I had a character named Jyvwin, and picking out the letters for his name were a real pain. I thought I should come up with a new keyboard which was ultra efficient for fantasy writers. The home row was YWZXJLVKR. Needless to say, it never caught on.
But I digress. In this fourth book of the Fablehaven series, Brandon Mull delivers a story full of inventive magical creatures, amazing settings, heart-wrenching plot twists, intrigue, betrayal, clever traps, even cleverer escapes, friendship, family, and Yatzee. I enjoyed seeing Seth come into his own, discovering talents that match and compliment his sister Kendra's. The dragons were marvelous - all different, all amazing. Time was, I wouldn't pick up a book unless there was a dragon in it. If this book had been published back when I was thirteen, it would have been a dream come true.
But I still think Grandma was better off as a chicken.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Coraline
Neil Gaiman
HarperCollins, 2002
Coraline begins like a modern day version of The Phantom Tollbooth --- bored child with nothing to do steps through a magical portal into another world. In Phantom Tollbooth, the other world is silly, witty, and mostly harmless. In Coraline, the other world is inventively surreal and deliciously creepy. Coraline faces dangers that Milo never dreamed of in a game of hide-and-seek where the stakes are even higher than life-and-death.
This is the first book by Neil Gaiman that I have ever read. I simply must read more. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
HarperCollins, 2002
Coraline begins like a modern day version of The Phantom Tollbooth --- bored child with nothing to do steps through a magical portal into another world. In Phantom Tollbooth, the other world is silly, witty, and mostly harmless. In Coraline, the other world is inventively surreal and deliciously creepy. Coraline faces dangers that Milo never dreamed of in a game of hide-and-seek where the stakes are even higher than life-and-death.
This is the first book by Neil Gaiman that I have ever read. I simply must read more. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
Friday, February 20, 2009
The Mermaid Summer
Mollie Hunter
Harper & Row, 1988
A hundred years ago, so this story begins. In it, Mollie Hunter draws a Scottish fishing village as only one who has known one can do, making the characters seem as real as your own neighbors. She understands their fears and struggles, how the sea is both their provider and their terror. Superstitious they are, so says Mollie Hunter, the most superstitious folk you'll find. All except old Eric Anderson, who doesn't believe in mermaids.
The mermaid is not amused.
Mollie Hunter's mermaid is a frightening creature, strong and dangerous. It will take all the wit and courage that Eric's two grandchildren can muster in order to keep the mermaid from taking her vengeance on the whole village. At 120 pages this book is a quick read, but the poignant story will stay with you long after the cover is closed. Recommended for ages 10 and up.
Harper & Row, 1988
A hundred years ago, so this story begins. In it, Mollie Hunter draws a Scottish fishing village as only one who has known one can do, making the characters seem as real as your own neighbors. She understands their fears and struggles, how the sea is both their provider and their terror. Superstitious they are, so says Mollie Hunter, the most superstitious folk you'll find. All except old Eric Anderson, who doesn't believe in mermaids.
The mermaid is not amused.
Mollie Hunter's mermaid is a frightening creature, strong and dangerous. It will take all the wit and courage that Eric's two grandchildren can muster in order to keep the mermaid from taking her vengeance on the whole village. At 120 pages this book is a quick read, but the poignant story will stay with you long after the cover is closed. Recommended for ages 10 and up.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Tom's Midnight Garden
Phillipa Pearce
Oxford University Press, 1958
Two bored and lonely children live in the same big, old house-- Tom is missing out on summer vacation while he recovers from measles, and Hattie is an orphan living with her wealthy and unpleasant Aunt. Tom and Hattie might be able to cheer each other up a bit if they became friends. The only problem is that they were born nearly a century apart, so they can never meet.
Or can they?
This absorbing story of mystery, time-travel, and friendship is widely considered to be one of the great children's fantasy books of all time. Perfect for ages ten and up.
Oxford University Press, 1958
Two bored and lonely children live in the same big, old house-- Tom is missing out on summer vacation while he recovers from measles, and Hattie is an orphan living with her wealthy and unpleasant Aunt. Tom and Hattie might be able to cheer each other up a bit if they became friends. The only problem is that they were born nearly a century apart, so they can never meet.
Or can they?
This absorbing story of mystery, time-travel, and friendship is widely considered to be one of the great children's fantasy books of all time. Perfect for ages ten and up.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The Boggart
Susan Cooper
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1993
When Jessup and Maggie get a telegram saying their dad has inherited an ancient castle in Scotland they think they're going to be rich. Excitement dampens when they learn the old ancestral home is a crumbling wreck. There's no money to fix it up, and they can't move to Scotland, and so it seems the only option is to sell the property.
Sad to part with their tarnished treasure, the family decides to have some of the furniture shipped to their home in Toronto, just so they can have something of their inheritance to keep. But once the furniture arrives, things began to happen - strange things. Mysterious things. Dangerous things. Perhaps the old castle wasn't empty after all.
This imaginative tale shows off Susan Cooper's greatest gifts - her ability to blend folklore magic with real life, her strong sense of family relationships, her heartfelt characters, and her keen storytelling. Recommended for ages 10 and up.
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1993
When Jessup and Maggie get a telegram saying their dad has inherited an ancient castle in Scotland they think they're going to be rich. Excitement dampens when they learn the old ancestral home is a crumbling wreck. There's no money to fix it up, and they can't move to Scotland, and so it seems the only option is to sell the property.
Sad to part with their tarnished treasure, the family decides to have some of the furniture shipped to their home in Toronto, just so they can have something of their inheritance to keep. But once the furniture arrives, things began to happen - strange things. Mysterious things. Dangerous things. Perhaps the old castle wasn't empty after all.
This imaginative tale shows off Susan Cooper's greatest gifts - her ability to blend folklore magic with real life, her strong sense of family relationships, her heartfelt characters, and her keen storytelling. Recommended for ages 10 and up.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Silver on the Tree
Susan Cooper
Margaret K. McElderry Books 1977
In this final novel of the Dark is Rising Sequence, all the principle characters from previous books come together with all the prophetic rhymes and magical objects they've collected throughout the series. A journey through time, space, history and legend brings them to a final spectacular confrontation with the Dark. Exactly the sort of fantasy adventure my thirteen-year-old self craved.
Yes, I loved this book, but the very end made me angry. To tell you why would be a spoiler, so I'll refrain. I will say that after I read this series I had a fun time wondering if anyone I knew was an Old One - a member of the secret magical society charged with protecting the world from evil. I thought my eighth grade English teacher could have been, but the cafeteria cash register lady was probably from the Dark.
Margaret K. McElderry Books 1977
In this final novel of the Dark is Rising Sequence, all the principle characters from previous books come together with all the prophetic rhymes and magical objects they've collected throughout the series. A journey through time, space, history and legend brings them to a final spectacular confrontation with the Dark. Exactly the sort of fantasy adventure my thirteen-year-old self craved.
Yes, I loved this book, but the very end made me angry. To tell you why would be a spoiler, so I'll refrain. I will say that after I read this series I had a fun time wondering if anyone I knew was an Old One - a member of the secret magical society charged with protecting the world from evil. I thought my eighth grade English teacher could have been, but the cafeteria cash register lady was probably from the Dark.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The Grey King
Susan Cooper
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1975
Fantasy is sadly underrepresented in the Newbery awards. Susan Cooper's The Grey King defied that trend. Why did this one win the Newbery and not any of the others in the series? They all have the same lyrical prose, the same deep foundation in the legends of the British Isles, the same sweeping conflict between good and evil. My personal opinion is that the ALA has an unusual affinity for moody stories about outcast orphan boys and their all too mortal dogs (see Alcatraz Vs. The Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson).
In this story, Will Stanton of previous books is joined by his new found friend Bran Davies in a quest to find a legendary golden harp and wake a band of sleeping warriors that will help turn back the rising tide of the Dark. One of my favorite parts of the book is the Welsh pronunciation lesson that Bran gives to Will - I still turn to it when I want a quick reference for how to say a word with double d's or lots of y's in it.
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1975
Fantasy is sadly underrepresented in the Newbery awards. Susan Cooper's The Grey King defied that trend. Why did this one win the Newbery and not any of the others in the series? They all have the same lyrical prose, the same deep foundation in the legends of the British Isles, the same sweeping conflict between good and evil. My personal opinion is that the ALA has an unusual affinity for moody stories about outcast orphan boys and their all too mortal dogs (see Alcatraz Vs. The Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson).
In this story, Will Stanton of previous books is joined by his new found friend Bran Davies in a quest to find a legendary golden harp and wake a band of sleeping warriors that will help turn back the rising tide of the Dark. One of my favorite parts of the book is the Welsh pronunciation lesson that Bran gives to Will - I still turn to it when I want a quick reference for how to say a word with double d's or lots of y's in it.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Greenwitch
Susan Cooper
McElderry, 1974
Many people have a book that they read over and over again as a child. This one was mine. It begins with the Drew children indignant that the grail, the artifact they discovered in Over Sea and Under Stone, has been snatched from the museum, presumably by the powers of the Dark. They return to Tresswick to try and solve the mystery, and encounter none other than Will Stanton, who is there on the same errand. Having the characters from the first two books of the series meet up lends the story the delightful excitement of getting some of your good friends that don't know each other together for the first time.
My favorite part, though, was the Greenwitch. A creature of the wild magic drawn from an ancient spring rite, the Greenwitch holds beneath the sea the secret key to the grail. Without this key, the grail is useless to either Dark or Light. Who will risk drawing her forth and unleashing her untameable powers? Who can persuade her to give up her precious treasure?
Oh, you'll never guess! You'll just have to read it.
McElderry, 1974
Many people have a book that they read over and over again as a child. This one was mine. It begins with the Drew children indignant that the grail, the artifact they discovered in Over Sea and Under Stone, has been snatched from the museum, presumably by the powers of the Dark. They return to Tresswick to try and solve the mystery, and encounter none other than Will Stanton, who is there on the same errand. Having the characters from the first two books of the series meet up lends the story the delightful excitement of getting some of your good friends that don't know each other together for the first time.
My favorite part, though, was the Greenwitch. A creature of the wild magic drawn from an ancient spring rite, the Greenwitch holds beneath the sea the secret key to the grail. Without this key, the grail is useless to either Dark or Light. Who will risk drawing her forth and unleashing her untameable powers? Who can persuade her to give up her precious treasure?
Oh, you'll never guess! You'll just have to read it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)