ANTON AND CECIL: CATS AT SEA by Lisa Martin and Valerie Martin

I read this book to my six-year-old daughter over the course of three days, and we were both riveted. Anton and Cecil are cats, brothers who live in the lighthouse with their mother, Sonya. All the cats near the docks know to be cautious lest they be pressed into service aboard a ship, but young Gretchen is taken, throwing the cats into shock and horror. Cecil is an adventurous cat who loves to join the fisherman on short jaunts, but Anton prefers to stay near home. When Anton is pressed into service aboard the Mary Ann, his brother tries to follow, only to fall into the ocean. Desperate to find his brother, Cecil stows aboard the next big ship to come along, not realizing how very large the ocean is. Each brother has his own adventure, ranging from pirates and monster island birds to close encounters with a whale and friendship with a lizard. All along, a cat-like eye in the sky seems to draw them to each other, with the old cat saying, "Where the eye meets the eye, the lost shall be found," echoing throughout the book. Forces beyond the cats' control seem to be bringing them back together, but will Anton and Cecil find each other on the wide sea?

The determination of the brothers to find each other despite the odds is, of course, a lovely illustration of loyalty and familial bonds. Anton, though the meeker of the two cats, rises to the occasion and proves himself brave and resourceful. Both brothers make unlikely friendships and find help in unexpected places. The adventures they have are staggering; pirates, a ghost ship, mermaids, dolphins, an island market, a strange island with bizarre animal inhabitants, and the brothers shine through it all, exemplifying loyalty and courage through the most dire circumstances.

The paranormal has a role here, too, with the strange moon appearing as a cat's eye, seeming to bring the brothers nearer each other. What, after all, are the odds that two cats would be brought together over the vastness of the ocean without some outside force helping them along? Anton and Cecil are intrigued by the idea of a great cat in the sky helping them along, but they do their best to make a reunion possible using all available earthly means as well.

This is a delightful read-aloud to a younger child, although it's billed as a book for the 8-12 set. I'm sure the adventures and sympathetic characters are more than enough to hold interest in that age group. Nautical terms are explained or their meaning clear in context. Harrowing situations add excitement, but are resolved in a reassuring manner. We read this 256-page book over three days, with my daughter eagerly asking if we could read more ANTON AND CECIL.

ANTON AND CECIL: CATS AT SEA is a rollicking adventure and tender family story with the feel of a classic. Publicity draws comparisons to THE WIND AND THE WILLOWS, and I don't think that is an exaggeration. Memorable animal characters, positive messages, and riveting adventures make this a good bet for Christmas gifts for 2013. Available October 8, 2013.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.

MANIFEST by Beth Dolgner

Alice Meriwether is a genteel young lady with a keen interest in the New Science that her mother barely tolerates. In Fairburn, Georgia, after all, steam-powered gadgets are not an acceptable pastime for a woman. When Alice becomes engaged, her mother forbids her from even reading about New Science. When she is unable to resist her deep, abiding passion for knowledge, her engagement falls apart and her mother sends her to Atlanta to become a governess. There she meets the uncle of the children she tends to, Roland, and discovers that he is a real New Scientist. Eventually she becomes his assistant, traveling with him to demonstrate an invention she helped to perfect.

This is a fun steampunk reimagining of Atlanta, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Alice attends an exposition, which gives Dolgner a chance to describe many curious machines, such as a clockwork housekeeper and a coffee/tea dispenser. The "science" behind Roland's Ghost Machine is so ingeniously described that I almost started to believe it was possible.

If you view this book as a steampunk exposition, it's a great success, but conflict is very limited. The initial disapproval of her parents and fiance is brushed aside, and potential conflicts (such as a visit from her sister, who could spill to her parents about Alice's further adventures in New Science) fizzle out. Once she leaves Fairburn, there is no serious attempt by anyone to keep her from her involvement and potential objections to her working closely with Roland are minimal. If not for the thoroughly entertaining world Dolgner has built, it would have been all too easy to set the book aside midchapter and let it gather dust. The chronicle of Alice's rise as a New Scientist is far more interesting than any broken engagement or parental disapproval, so I was not bothered by the lack of suspense.

Steampunk fans will find plenty of entertainment here, and this book would be suitable for the YA crowd as well.

Source disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from the author.

PROFESSOR GARGOYLE by Charles Gilman

This is Book One in Tales From Lovecraft Middle School, and it is an auspicious beginning! Lovecraft fans will be delighted to have this bridge to ease their children into the world of classic horror. While less complex than Harry Potter, Lovecraft Middle School offers plenty of interest for the middle-grade reader. Robert Arthur will attend Lovecraft Middle School, a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility, while his friends attend a different school, so he's naturally apprehensive. On his first day, the only person he knows there is Glenn Torkells, the bully who has extracted a Dweeb Tax from Robert for years. He does meet a girl named Karina who seems a promising friend, but things become very strange when rats leap from student lockers on the very first day and Robert gets literally lost in the library, winding up in a strange, moth-ball-scented room from another century.

While the Harry Potter books take place over the course of a school year, the first Lovecraft Middle School book spans just three weeks, long enough for Robert and his unlikely sidekicks to learn that things are not as they seem at the school (made from recycled materials - but recycled from WHAT?) and to set up neatly the second installment, THE SLITHER SISTERS. I found this book to be great fun. The lenticular portrait of Professor Goyle that shifts to reveal his horns is inspired (my ARC also included the lenticular portrait from THE SLITHER SISTERS to use as a bookmark, and this one looks just as fun). Robert is likable and relatable, and his curiosity and fear are both warranted. I liked Karina quite a bit, and Glenn turns out to be more complex than Robert had thought.

I would say this is easier reading than Harry Potter, which may make it a good choice for reluctant readers. Fantasy and horror readers will also find much to like in the creepy halls of Lovecraft Middle School. Have a copy of Lovecraft's stories handy for more advanced readers - they'll enjoy the references even more having read some of the original material.

Source disclosure: I received a review copy of this title from the publisher.

The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone

Okay, I'm pretty sure Allison is going to keel over from surprise when she sees that I FINALLY posted something to this blog! I told her I would eventually get around to it. And look, I did. :-)

A mom of a good friend of my oldest daughter contacted me at the beginning of the summer and asked if we might be interested in doing a book club with the girls this summer. I wholeheartedly replied YES! And it turns out her younger daughter (the same age as my younger daughter was participating as well). At first, I was thinking the books we picked would be books our incoming third graders would read themselves. But once she sent the book choices to me, it was apparent the books would be above level and we would read aloud to them. This actually worked to our advantage because the younger girls (incoming first graders) would hear the story as well and could participate easily. The first book we read was ELLA ENCHANTED (I will fully review this book in a separate post). And the second book we read was The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone.

Having the museum background that I have, and having visited the Art Institute of Chicago probably close to 20 times in my life, I suggested this book for the girls to read. Mostly, because I was DYING to read it! I believe the first time I visited the Art Institute I was probably about 12 or so--about the main character's age--and I remember LOVING the Thorne Rooms. And ironically, I don't remember the last time I looked at them when I visited the museum.

In the story, two sixth graders, Ruthie and Jack visit the Art Institute on a field trip and happen to meet a nice museum guard while visiting Gallery 11, the Thorne rooms. The Thorne rooms are 68 rooms created by Mrs. James Ward Thorne between 1932 and 1940. Ruthie is fascinated by the rooms and wishes she could shrink down and visit them personally. Not long after she thinks this, she and Jack find a mysterious key laying on the floor of a corridor while the guard is giving them a tour. She magically shrinks down and is able to enter the rooms! This begins a grand adventure where Ruthie and Jack visit pre-revolutionary France and Topsfield, Massachusetts during the Salem Witch trials. They are able to meet real characters from history on their journey and discover part of the truth behind the key and its magical tie to the Thorne rooms.

This was an absolutely FANTASTIC read for both my first and third graders. They were completely engaged the entire story. They wanted to keep reading to hear more. We got MINIATURE ROOMS: THE THORNE ROOMS OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO by Fannia Weingartner from the library. That way when Ruthie and Jack visited various rooms we could look through the library book and see exactly what they were talking about. Now, I'm sure you can google images of the rooms as well, but there is something about NOT using a computer to see them that appeals to me. 

All the girls in the book club as well as the moms LOVED THE SIXTY-EIGHT ROOMS. It created great discussion about foreshadowing and character development. Also, history, art and museums. I cannot recommend this book highly enough! And although it is very nicely wrapped up in the end, there are several things unanswered. And in this case, it is fabulous that there are more answers to be found because the author turned this into a series! We can't wait to read STEALING MAGIC, the second book in the series.

Anyone who loved the Magic Tree house books and the way they tie in history in fiction will love to read this as an older child. And I guarantee you will be planning a trip to the Art Institute of Chicago to see the rooms in person! We're heading there over Christmas break this year!

Source Disclosure: We purchased this book for our personal library.

It's not you...it's me?

ADVENT by James Treadwell: I love fantasy. I re-read LORD OF THE RINGS every couple of years. I excel at suspension of disbelief and immersing myself in alternate worlds. So I expected to fall in love with ADVENT, the first in a trilogy that weaves together the Faust legend, Greek mythology including the always-fascinating Cassandra, and Celtic folklore, all propelled by a confused teenager who has always conversed with people who aren't there. It may be that in the context of the entire trilogy, ADVENT makes sense, but as a novel in its own right, it was a sprawling (though often beautifully written) mess with frustrating pacing. Perhaps my expectations were too high.

Gavin, the teenaged boy sent to live with his nutty aunt at the mysterious estate of Pendurra, is a likable child, poised to learn more about his gifts in a classic coming-of-age fantasy arc. This part of the story was engaging. Gavin has been told his entire childhood that the people who are most real to him are imaginary, so he has a distrust of adults. When his aunt, always a favorite and the one most interested in and accepting of his strangeness, fails to pick him up at the train station, a batty professor gives him a lift to Pendurra, and she is the first person he has encountered who shares his visions. Their interactions are some of the best moments in the novel. As they approach the mysterious estate, Gavin describes it beautifully:

"Beneath them, a pair of rough stone posts flanked a driveway leading off into wooded blackness. Beside the driveway, a little way beyond the gateposts, was a house. Hester Lightfoot had cut off the engine and was getting out. Still slightly dizzy, Gavin followed. A gusting wind blew about. There was nothing to hinder it. In all directions, the land fell away gently. Gav thought he knew now what it had been like for the first man on the moon, his foot touching down on the rim of another world, suspended in empty space. He saw a word carved in the nearer gatepost: Pendurra."

This is typical of the expansive, evocative language Treadwell uses in descriptions from Gav's point of view, and one of the book's highlights. It is less successful in the sections from the sixteenth century. The "greatest magus in the world" (as he is referred to in practically every mention of him) is bombastic and not terribly interesting. Once I'd ascertained that not much essential was conveyed through his ramblings, I began skimming these parts and was happier for it. Pendurra through Gav's eyes is mysterious, magical, downright creepy. He meets the odd child who lives there, Marina, and learns odd tidbits about the estate: a river where Marina sees a woman, a chapel housing water with healing powers, and Marina herself: oddly innocent and unaware of the outside world.

Besides the annoying ramblings of "the greatest magus in the world" (early on, I began rolling my eyes whenever I read that phrase), the compelling story of Gavin discovering the truth about Pendurra and about himself is interrupted by large chunks of backstory dumped into the narrative and interrupting the action. I can only imagine that the author delighted in his world-building and couldn't bear to keep it from the reader, but glimpses of backstory worked directly into the narrative would have been far less disruptive, repetitive, and redundant. At one point, in the midst of the book's climax, the reader's interest is derailed by page after page of an internal history lesson, much of which could have been inferred with the inclusion of the few actually relevant details in the narrative. More than halfway through the novel, we begin reading passages from the point of view of Horace, a tangential character and friend to Marina, which add absolutely nothing except to distract from the story. The points of view of random people from the neighboring village, a confused priest, and a journalist staying at the inn are thrown in for good measure. But Gavin is really the only fully-formed character. Marina is vague and out of touch with reality (I wanted to smack her when she dithers as Gav is trying to save her life) and we don't learn much about the professor or Marina's father.

The less said about the ending, the better. It's no doubt the perfect set-up for book two, but when the end finally comes (and it's a long time coming - at 65% of the way through the book (according to my Kindle), the climax begins, but the endless exposition and unnecessary point of view switching bogs it down) it is abrupt and feels entirely contrived, with a previously unknown character the sudden focus. I am sure the next book centers on this girl, but I don't see myself sticking around to find out how the trilogy weaves together all these threads. I'm not sure to whom I would recommend this book. Die-hard fantasy fans with a high tolerance for exposition? Ultimately, the promise of the book's beautiful language and compelling coming-of-age story wasn't realized for me, and I was relieved to see the last page.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.

THE SISTERS GRIMM

THE SISTERS GRIMM: THE COUNCIL OF MIRRORS by Michael Buckley concludes the nine-book series featuring sisters Sabrina and Daphne, descendants of one of the Brothers Grimm, who took all the fairy tale characters to America, established a town called Ferryport Landing to house them, and added a magical barrier to keep them safe. When some of the characters decide they want to escape the barrier, war breaks out, and Sabrina and Daphne must act to save their family and all of Ferryport Landing.

I can't give a plot summary of this book without spoiling the eight books that precede it, so let me just say that it's a satisfying ending. All the loose ends are wrapped up, but not in a by-the-numbers checklist sort of way. There are surprises and sacrifices and a prophecy to shake things up. Sabrina and Daphne conduct themselves in accordance with their established character traits, but eight books' worth of character growth is far from thrown out the window. I realize that, as an adult, I don't require epilogues (and might even prefer them left out), but had I read this series as a child, I would have been delighted with Buckley's addenda.

The series begins with book one, THE FAIRY TALE DETECTIVES, in which the orphaned girls are sent to live with the eccentric Granny Relda, and is great fun for fans of fractured fairy tales. Sabrina and Daphne are resourceful female leads and very believable as sisters. Puck adds comic relief through his pranks, which are usually disgusting. The girls grow into their legacy consistently throughout the series, but certainly act their ages (eleven and seven). I highly recommend starting with the first instead of jumping into the series at the end or in the middle.

Source disclosure: I purchased this series.

The Radleys by Matt Haig

MILESTONE ALERT! My last post on here was #600!! 600 posts! That's a lot of book rambling by me and Allison. :-) And we are at 192 subscribers when you combine our Google Reader and Blogger stats. Come on! Get us to 200 subscribers! I think a giveaway might be in the works if we d0 get to 200 subscribers.

Okay with that bit of boasting out of the way, let's get to today's regularly scheduled book review. :-)

Matt Haig's The Radleys is yet another entrant into the literary world of vampires. Let me digress for a moment. Why are vampires so popular these days? Seriously. What is the appeal of these bloodsuckers? Is it because they are supposed to be attractive? I admit, I was not one of those people who got sucked into Twilight. I read the first one and did not read anymore. I have watched the movies though just to see where the story went from there. I have not read any of the Sookie Stackhouse books, nor do I really want to. I have not watched True Blood...in fact, I was never even into Buffy the Vampire Slayer in my younger years. BUT, something about the description of The Radleys appealed to me. I think it was the idea that they were trying NOT to be vampires!

The Radleys lived on an ordinary street in an ordinary village in England. Peter was a doctor, Helen was a stay-at-home mom and an artist, and they had a son named Rowan and a daughter named Clara. They always seemed a little pale and the kids seemed a little strange to their high-school classmates. But other than that, just run-of-the-mill people. HA! They were actually abstaining vampires. Vampires, who didn't want to be vampires anymore! And their kids didn't even know they were vampires. Until Clara decides to become a vegan. The lack of red meat in her diet went against part of the Abstainer's diet and an incident at a party one night turns the family's whole world around. Long ignored family members start appearing and secrets are revealed.

I enjoyed this book for the most part. I think I might have liked it to be a bit more campy and lighthearted. The second half was pretty dark. But overall, Haig made a valiant effort in breaking into the vampire genre. This is a perfect book for a long airplane ride, a beach read, or if you happen to be stuck inside for a snow day with three foot drifts in front of your garage like some people in the Midwest today.

Source disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher after sending a request from Shelf Awareness.

Casting Spells by Barbara Bretton

I first discovered this book by reading a review of it at Wrighty's Reads. Wrighty so thoroughly convinced me I HAD to read this book, I immediately checked the library website and saw they had a copy. I went that morning to check it out!

Casting Spells is a delightful book about Chloe, the owner of Sticks and Strings, a yarn shop in Sugar Maple, Vermont. Though, everyone in town is somehow part of the paranormal world, humans/visitors to town only see "normal" things. They do not see anything out of the ordinary. This is all part of the protective spell that Chloe's mother and the entire female lineage of her family have put on the town. As long as the spell and the Book of Spells is passed down to another direct female family member, the town will keep its secrets and the inhabitants will be safe from the clutches of evil.

All of this seems like it will be put to the test when it appears that Chloe will not gain any magic powers from her family (she's only half-witch, her father was a human). And she has no children to pass the Book of Spells down to. Isadora, a fairy with an evil plan, is after the Book of Spells in order to take control and bring Sugar Maple to another realm. When a visitor to town winds up murdered, the state sends in a cop (Luke MacKenzie) to investigate. Chloe cannot deny the magnetism (and many sparks that fly) between the two and just as she feared she would never have magic, her powers begin to blossom.

Can she really be falling in love with a human? Will she make the same mistakes in life as her mother? Can she figure out what exactly is the Book of Spells and will she be able to save it from the clutches of Isadora? You'll have to read the book to find out!

What grabbed me about this book? Oh gee, I don't know. Could it be that it had to do with not only knitting, but a whole town of witches, vampires, fairies, trolls and more?! Yes! For some reason I really enjoy paranormal books, especially ones about witches. After reading Wrighty's review, I just HAD to read it. Casting Spells is actually billed as a paranormal romance, which normally would send me running in the other direction, but this little town and all its fantastic characters, plus the lack of too much romance (thank god!), make for a fun read. Especially around this time of year. I absolutely LOVED all the knitting references in this book. I was familiar with several of the yarns discussed and all the talk about the knitting projects just fueled my desire to continue reading. I also thoroughly enjoyed the Tips for Knitters found in the back of the book by Barbara Bretton and a couple other authors along with links to their knitting blogs.

The story is told in first person from both Luke and Chloe's viewpoints. Here are a couple of fun quotes:
In one of Luke's chapters:
"I stepped deeper into the store, past a polished maple worktable piled high with pointed sticks and scissors and things that would never make it past airport security. The place smelled of lavender and licorice and a hint of mint. Lots of magazines with sweaters on the cover were stacked in more piles on one side while an equal number of unfinished knitting projects were stacked on the other. I noted a ball of something blue and fluffy and picked it up. I squeezed it and the price tag jumped out and I quickly put it back down again. For one ball of yarn? This was worse than crack. Get addicted to this stuff and you would be living in your minivan." (page 76)

And from Chloe's point of view:
"Who are you?" I demanded and probably not in the friendliest tone of voice. For the record, I don't wake up each morning brimming over with the joy of life. The joy of life pretty much arrives around the same time as my third cup of coffee and the fourth round of my latest sock-in-progress." (page 79)

I have to say if you are a knitter, you may enjoy this book even more than others, just because you will be familiar with the terminology and yarn discussions. But these are not overpowering and I believe anyone can really enjoy this one.

And the great news is, this book is part of a series! Laced With Magic is now on bookshelves so you can rush right out and read that one too. I picked it up at the library this morning. Though, I'm disciplining myself and I have to read two other books I've had waiting around before I can get to it.

Highly recommend this one!
Here's the book trailer:

Fun Fantasy Series

The Secret of Grim Hill by Linda DeMeulemeester: This is the first book in the series, and it introduces Cat Peters, who has just moved with her mother and little sister Sookie to Grim Hill, where she is utterly miserable at Darkmont High. Cat longs to attend expensive Grimoire, where her mother works, but money is too tight. Cat comes across a flier for a soccer game that will result in the awarding of a scholarship to Grimoire, and she focuses all her energy on making the team, then on winning the game. Oddly, her previously harsh teachers ignore her failure to hand in homework, instead cheering her on. Her usually responsible mother splurges on new soccer cleats for Cat and seems obsessed with Cat's winning the game. Cat drags Sookie to her practices, and on the sidelines, Sookie meets a strange Goth girl, Cindy, who warns her that the game is not all it seems. Cat knows that something is a little off, but she so desperately wants the Grimoire scholarship that she tries to ignore her misgivings. She and her friend (sort of) Jasper research the past soccer game mentioned by Cindy and discover that many of the participants went missing. I liked Cat and the supporting characters, and the Celtic mythology was really well-incorporated. The book is a bit on the short side, so the other girls on the team weren't developed as well as I would have liked, but it was a quick, enjoyable read.

In Cat's second adventure, Grim Hill: The Secret Deepens unseasonable cold takes hold of Grim Hill as Sookie becomes obsessed with magic tricks. Cat is embroiled in a gender war with the boys, who claim that boys are inherently better at soccer. With Sookie's magician's assistants all suffering from an odd flu, Cat and Jasper try to find a connection to the fairies (they thought) were locked up tight in Grim Hill. I like that Cat is an excellent soccer player--I'm trying to think of another tween series (at least fantasy) with a girl who is good at sports, and I'm coming up empty. I liked her fevered defense of the girls' athleticism, too. She's a strong, spirited heroine who might make a good addition to a Harry Potter-reading girls' library. She's a good leader, but she works well with Jasper and other characters.

In Grim Hill: The Forgotten Secret, Valentine's Day is coming, and Cat ends up planning a dance. She finds decorations at school from the dance 70 years before, of which memories (and newspaper accounts) are fuzzy. What happened at that dance? And can it have anything to do with Cat's new friend, Lea, and her gardening aunt? Sookie befriends Lea's aunt and starts a garden of her own, even juicing up the "love charms" Cat makes for her boy-crazy friends, causing the charmed boys to act like zombies. Cat and Jasper research Celtic myths once again to find out what's going on in town and how to stop it. The cooperation with their elderly neighbors (who know more than the average Grim Hill adult about the odd fairy happenings) is especially touching in this installment.

The series is well-written, the Celtic fairy lore well-researched and well-incorporated, and Cat is an excellent heroine. My only complaint is that I wish the books were longer, which is a good sign! DeMeulemeester has created a fascinating world populated with believable characters and a strong dose of fantasy. What fun!

Child's Play

39 Clues Book 3: The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis:

The third book in The 39 Clues multimedia series was a little heavy on annoying bad-guy point-of-view (and there are several annoying bad guys), but I was swept up in the action nonetheless. This entry takes Amy and Dan to Japan, where we are treated to some interesting history of the Yakuza and a dollop of alchemy. Perhaps what this series does best is incorporate some learning that might spur reluctant readers to seek out other books on topics they like. Amy and Dan are still struggling with the "Trust No One" rule about the Cahill family, but they are forced into some unlikely alliances. I don't want to give any key plot development away, but I thought one character's point of view should have been excluded--when we learn this person't thoughts, it solves the mystery of which side the person is on. This one was about the same length as Book 2, and my guess is this is the standard, and Book 1 was only longer to set the stage. For an adult, this makes for barely an hour of reading, but it was a fun, action-packed hour. I like Amy and Dan, and their adventures are interesting.

My review of Book 1, Maze of Bones
My review of Book 2, One False Note

Percy Jackson: The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan: This is a pre-Book 5 release, and a cynic would say its only purpose is to generate cash for Disney/Hyperion from readers desperately waiting for Book 5 (May! Yay!). I probably wouldn't have paid $12.95 for it, but bn.com had a good price with the member discount and I needed something else to get to free shipping. I'm glad I did! The three short stories are the meat of the book, and they're excellent adventures. I wouldn't read them if you haven't read the four books in the series, as some information from the books is revealed. The rest is mildly entertaining filler--a map of Camp Half-Blood, a crossword puzzle, a guide to the Greek gods, and a diagram of Annabelle's trunk, but the stories are worth it. "The Stolen Chariot" was released online for free quite some time ago, but now I can get rid of my printout that's sitting on the shelf next to the series books, and the other two stories were new to me. In short, not an essential read, but the stories make it very tempting for a Percy Jackson fan.

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Savvy, by Ingrid Law, was one of the books I received in my big box of Penguin books from Presenting Lenore and it is a winner. Ingrid Law spins a delightful yarn that manages at once to be contemporary and timeless. Her aw-shucks wordplay gives the story the feel of a tall tale, but the characters are easy for contemporary readers to relate to. In Mississippi (Mibs for short) Beaumont's family, the children receive a "savvy" on their thirteenth birthday. Her brother Fish created such a powerful hurricane with his savvy that the family had to move inland while he learned to control ("scumble") it. So it's easy to understand why the Beaumonts are homeschooled once they reach thirteen, but while this is accepted by the characters, it seems a bit lonely. When Mibs's father is hospitalized shortly before her thirteenth birthday, she fervently prays for a savvy that can save him. When a long-dormant pet turtle wakes up that morning, Mibs decides that her savvy must be waking things up and she must get to her father immediately. She hides out in the bus driven by a Bible salesman, but she's not alone. Her brothers and the preacher's kids are along for the ride. Law spins out a lovely journey with this odd crew, and along the way, Mibs learns about her savvy, which turns out to be just what is needed. This is a charming coming-of-age story, a tall tale, and a journey, packaged in irresistible language, and it's hard to put down. Mibs is a delight and her earnest desire to save her father understandably blinds her to the truth and sends her on a reckless (but memorable) journey. I predict that Savvy will become a classic.

Note: Savvy is a 2009 Newbery Honor Book! I will have to check out Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, which won the Newbery Award this year. For the full list of Newbery Award Winners and Newbery Honor books, click here.

Timothy and the Dragon's Gate by Adrienne Kress

If you've read Alex and the Ironic Gentleman, you will want to pick this sequel up immediately. If I had to pick one word to describe Adrienne Kress's novels, it would be quirky. Or maybe whimsical. She's an excellent writer with a fantastic imagination, and her books are genre-crossing fun. In a way, Timothy and the Dragon's Gate was easier to read because I knew to expect the unexpected. Timothy, at age eleven, has been kicked out of every school in town, basically for being too smart for his own good. His dad takes him to work one day, and Timothy lands a surprising internship with the CEO. But the real surprises are yet to come because the mail clerk is a dragon trapped in human form. He needs Timothy's help to reach China, where he can be freed by passing through the dragon's gate before the New Year celebrations are over. Ninjas, killer monks, and mysterious black taxicabs make this a difficult task. Fortunately, Timothy's mother lives on the coast and Timothy's father is called out of town, so they're not around to inhibit his adventures. And what adventures! A fish herder (yes, you read that correctly), a hijacked plane, a pirate ship...these are just the beginning. When Timothy reaches China, the journey is far from over. Timothy, who has always blamed his mother, his father, his teachers, anyone but himself, will have to own up to his mistakes and follow through with something, but the moral lesson doesn't bash the reader over the head.

A fantastic adventure, very hard to put down, and a worthy follow-up to Alex and the Ironic Gentleman.

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

Jen Robinson's review of this book made me want to pick it up. She also said if you liked The Eight, you probably would like this one. Well, not much else she would have to say to get me hooked. :-)

This young adult novel starts off in present day when twins Sophie and Josh (whose parents are off on an archaeological dig--they are staying with an aunt) happen upon a magical fight between book store owner Nick Fleming (aka Nicholas Flamel) and bad guy Dr. John Dee. Dee is trying to steal an antique book from Fleming. The twins intervene and end up getting themselves mixed up in an ageless battle full of mythological creatures, magical powers, auras, and a plethora of other supernatural things. Sophie and Josh find themselves visiting shadowrealms and learning about dangerous creatures. Flamel thinks the twins fulfill an ancient prophecy and he sets about awakening their unknown powers. Unfortunately, Sophie is given power, but the group is interrupted before Josh can attain his. This leads to a bit of sibling rivalry and we are left with the question of whether Josh will turn to the "dark side" or stick with his sister and their newfound guardians.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It is filled with historical references and many of the characters including Nick Fleming/Flamel were real figures, all of which I truly enjoyed. Some parts of it were long and and a bit dull. Even though there was a small battle in this book, it seems to be building toward a greater battle in the future. I'm basing this next comment off the movies and not the books (*gasp* I've never read the Lord of the Rings trilogy); This sort of reminded me a tiny bit of Lord of the Rings. Granted, it is quite different in terms of the specifics of the stories and the characters. And maybe its just the good vs. evil thing and the idea of an epic battle that reminds me of Tolkien's series. I suppose there are many good vs. evil books out there. This was about a 3.75 out of 5 for me. But I will definitely be reading The Magician to find out how the story continues. The Sorceress, the third book in the series comes out May 29, 2009.

Ulysses Moore adventures

Some quick internet research turned up Pierdomenico Baccalario as the author. Apparently, Scholastic is using a gimmick whereby Ulysses Moore, a key but unseen character, is the author of "manuscripts" discovered by Scholastic employee Michael Merryweather (whose emails to the Scholastic bigwigs begin each book). Oops, I'm blaming Scholastic, but I just checked, and the books were first published in Italy by Piemme, and list Ulysses Moore as the author, and Baccalario as the author. At any rate, it's a gimmick, but it's not intrusive, so I'll let it go.

This is an adventure/historical series for ages 8-12, and I thought it was really cute. I'll certainly buy the next one, since Isle of Masks, the fourth, ends on a huge cliffhanger.

Book 1: Door To Time: Twins Jason and Julia move into a mysterious house in Kilmore Cove, a tiny village in Cornwall formerly owned by the almost hermetical Ulysses Moore. Their parents (still alive, odd for the fantasy genre) leave them in the care of the house's caretaker, Nestor, while they finalize the move. The children make a new friend, Rick Banner, who comes to stay with them. The three children find a strange door and, after solving a series of puzzles and clues, they end up traveling back in time.

Book 2: The Long-Lost Map: Julia, Jason, and Rick are in ancient Egypt, but end up separated. Julia helps Nestor defend Argo Manor from Oblivia Newton, the woman who longs to control Argo Manor and its door to time, while Jason and Rick search ancient Egypt for a map of Kilmore Cove.

Book 3: The House of Mirrors: The children compete with Oblivia Newton to find the secret concealed in inventor Peter Dedalus's home.

Book 4: Isle of Masks: The children travel to 18th century Venice to learn the secret of the doors.

This series is really well-written, funny without relying on gross-out humor, splitting the difference between historical and contemporary settings. The puzzles are fun and add interest as the reader tries to solve the mystery along with the children. The children are engaging, squabbling but cooperative. The time frame is very tight: all four books happen over a couple of days. At the end of Book 4, the parents have come back home, so I wonder how Book 5 will work. Parents are such a nuisance to adventuring kids that most authors just kill them off. Books 1 and 3 have the children searching delightfully backwards Kilmore Cove, Cornwall, for clues. A rich supporting cast and ample secrets and mysteries make these fun. Book 2 has the children exploring ancient Egypt, with details and characters that bring the time and place to life. Book 4 takes place mainly in 18th century Venice with evocative sensory descriptions. The series is skewed a bit younger than Harry Potter (at least the later books), and I think any child who's a fan of puzzles, historical books, and/or fantasy will have a blast reading them. I look forward to seeing what's in store next.

The Questory of Root Karbunkus by Kamilla Reid

If you’re going to publish a juvenile fantasy book in this post-Harry Potter world, you invite comparisons. Particularly if your cover features a red and gold bird, three kids wearing cloaks, and a large castle (that we learn is under a powerful curse called...a Krux). Also if your heroine is an orphan raised by mean aunts. Especially if your heroine learns she belongs to another world and returns there along with other clueless kids who now know they have magical abilities. And if, in the dining hall, your heroine notices a shifty, greasy-haired adult who favors the bully in the group (and said bully, born and raised in the magical world, has only nasty things to say about the newcomers who weren’t raised with magic), have you gone too far?

Synopsis: Root Karbunkulus, an orphan from the world of DreAmm, was raised by two "aunts" who treat her as a slave. One day, she hears the ring of a phone no one else can hear. She finds out the truth of her origins and reports to DreAmm where she becomes part of a Quest, a competition to find six magical items. The first item is the Miist of Kalliope, and she is teamed up with Lian (whose father is powerful in DreAmm) and another orphan, Dwyn. Notable competitors include the bully, Kor, and the Pinks, a team led by an annoying girly-girl whose influential mother has always gotten her way. These aren't the only obstacles, of course, as the Quest is very dangerous, but the team is guided by the elderly and eccentric Jorab. Will Root and her team find the Miist so they can go on to star in five more books, each devoted to a different magical item?

This is a difficult book for me to rate. The Harry Potter similarities dominated the reading of first part of the book for me, and there are a couple of glaring flaws (not to mention inept comma usage and other editorial problems that drove me to distraction), but the bottom line is that I want to read Book 2, and not just because I'm a desperate soul in need of a Harry Potter fix. I was fortunate to win this copy from a giveaway at Mama Bear Reads, which is now The Library at the END of the Universe, and I'm very glad that I had the opportunity to read it. Kamilla Reid has a fine imagination and a way with storytelling, when she's not overly conscious of being clever or outdoing Harry Potter. The latter half of the novel was particularly engaging, and I finally forgot that I was reading a post-Potter fantasy. One of her characters, a wisteria vine, was really creative (in fact everything about the scenes with Bumplekins was spot-on), and I loved the Hovermutts with their sweet backstory. Root's meeting with the gentle Mordge was a lovely, touching scene. And the whole bit with the Simp is beyond cool--very inventive and well-executed.

The two glaring flaws: First, Root shows a startling lack of interest in her origins. If you discovered that your aunts weren't your aunts at all, but had found you with a note telling them to take you to an orphanage, and you were returned to the magical land from which you came...wouldn't you be wondering, "Am I really an orphan? If not, where are my parents? If so, what happened to my parents? Why was I sent to live on earth? Why was I called back now?"

Second, they are barely in DreAmm (ugh, that overly clever name drives me nuts--it's pronounced Dray-am, not Dream), and many have not even found their magical abilities, when they are sent on this quest, and we have no idea what the purpose is. Is it a contrived contest, like in Goblet of Fire, or are the items needed for some greater purpose (to save DreAmm from the enemy we finally hear a bit about after page 140 or so)? If it's a contest, why not have training for the newcomers first? What’s the occasion? If it's for a greater purpose, why send children, especially the clueless, magically inept newcomers? I can understand wanting to save background for future books (even Rowling did that, with Dumbledore saying he'd tell Harry about things when he's older), but to not even acknowledge that the reader would have these questions is sloppy.

Overall (finally, I can hear you muttering), I would recommend that fans of Harry Potter and other juvenile fantasy novels give this one a try. I found a lot to like here, and I hope that the issues that were driving me bonkers will be addressed in future books, and that Reid will step out of the Harry Potter shadow and embrace her own ample creativity.

Oh, the joy!

I never win anything in random drawings, scratch-off tickets, or the like. Chance is *not* my friend. Yet I persist. I am glad that my unrealistic optimism hasn't been sapped because I entered to win a copy of PJ Bracegirdle's new novel, The Joy of Spooking: Fiendish Deeds, the first in a proposed trilogy. Presenting Lenore, a lovely book blog, offered three copies, and I actually won one!

The minute I saw the creepy, Tim Burton-reminiscent cover, I desperately wanted to read this book, and reading the first chapter only made it more appealing. Bracegirdle (an unlikely name if I ever heard one) can write very, very well, and he has an imagination that just won't quit. Chapter one opens with an Edgar Allen Poe quote, and it's clear that Bracegirdle is channeling classic horror writers (he references Poe, but Lovecraft also jumps to mind). Joy Wells lives in Spooking, the "hideous hill" surrounded by the newer, suburban, cookie-cutter town of Darlington. The Darlings, as they call themselves, fear Spooking and mock the kids who come down for school at Winsome Elementary. Joy, a devoted horror fan, loves Spooking and has nothing but scorn for the neat, boring lives of the Darling kids who torment her at school. She becomes convinced that her favorite horror writer, E. A. Peugeot, set his stories in and around Spooking, and decides that the Bog Monster in her favorite story must be real. Meanwhile, plans to drain the bog and replace it with a water park are afoot.

The brilliance of this story is in sharp, accurate prose (often infused with delightfully dry wit) and a masterful sense of creepiness (I actually got shivers at the very end). The characters are classic, but complex. Joy's attitude about Spooking is balanced by Bracegirdle's descriptions of the town's decrepitude, and by one Darling child who is shockingly nice to her. Phipps, the villain, is one of the best horror villains in kids' literature. Parallels to Joy's attitude and situation make it apparent that they would have been kindred spirits, but something in Phipps's past changed him, and I can't wait to read about his background in one of the future books. Phipps is a toadying, bitter assistant to the mayor with his own agenda for getting rid of Spooking, and an annoying, Dursley-ish (but smarter) boy cluelessly helps him. Joy tries desperately to save the bog through a variety of means, involving several memorable side characters.

The preservation of the bog brings in an environmental element, but it doesn't dominate the story. The balance between Spooking and Darlington is rich and complicated, and there is more than enough to fuel a trilogy. Joy is a delightful heroine with her stubborn Spooking pride and moments of self-awareness. I highly recommend this book, and I can't wait for Book Two next summer.

Vacation Reading Part Two

The Sisters Grimm: Magic and Other Misdemeanors by Michael Buckley: I've gushed about this series before, and I'm about to do it again. In this, the fifth installment, the Red Queen has raised taxes to an outrageous extent, trying to force out all the human residents of Ferryport. The girls must help raise funds to pay the taxes while investigating their first solo case, a rash of magical thefts plaguing the town. Something I like about the series is its complexity. The Grimms are neither universally loved nor loathed by the town's Everafter residents. It's a complicated situation--the great-great-etc-grandfather both imprisoned them and protected them, so many Everafters are of two minds about the Grimms, with some fervent supporters and the Red Hand fervently opposed. I was glad I had book 6 on hand, because this one ends in a doozy of a cliffhanger.

The Sisters Grimm: Tales From the Hood by Michael Buckley: This is Book 6, and the most recent. I'm very bummed that I have to wait a year for more Sisters Grimm. Darn Buckley and his cliffhangers. In this installment, the Big Bad Wolf is put on trial in a kangaroo court for his past crimes. Granny and the girls (with the help of Puck) try to save him, first by hiring Robin Hood (sue the rich to give to the poor) and his Merry Litigators, then by seeking out a witness who can exonerate the Wolf. The trial has funny moments that are tempered by the desperation of the situation. It actually makes for an interesting examination of what to do when the justice system falls apart and no longer acts to protect citizens. I can't wait for book #7!

My reviews of Sisters Grimm books 3 & 4 (with links to my reviews of 1 &2)

Mr. Knightley's Diary by Amanda Grange: This is fluff reading for the Jane Austen fan, but what fun! Your favorite scenes are still here, but we learn more about Mr. Knightley's feelings as they develop. The "I love Emma, blah blah blah" gets a bit repetitive, but the scenes with Knightley and his brother and friends are quite enjoyable. I wouldn't call it required reading, but if you're a Jane Austen fan looking for a beach read, I think you've found it.

Captain Wentworth's Diary by Amanda Grange: The older I get, the more I like Persuasion. And, interestingly, I am more understanding of Anne's breaking the engagement, and her godmother's interference. Because Wentworth is young, and he spends his prize money as soon as he earns it, without regard to the future. Even if he is in love, he's not the surest prospect, and Austen shows us what happens when a woman marries imprudently for love (Mansfield Park-Fanny's mother). What would have happened to their love if Wentworth had failed to make his fortune? Anyway, enough of that. This was even better than Knightley's Diary, in my opinion, although I would have liked some diary entries from the eight years of separation. I really enjoyed the scenes with Wentworth and his brother, and with his friends. Another good beach read for Austen fans!

My review of Mr. Darcy's Diary

Gilding the Lady by Nicole Byrd: With nothing else at hand, I grabbed a Regency romance from my mom's shelf. I've never actually read one before, but this one sounded like it was My Fair Lady with a murder. I found it surprisingly good, although the My Fair Lady angle (one gentleman bets another that he can turn the heroine into a lady) is sort of dropped. Byrd seemed to be writing tongue-in-cheek, and it was actually rather funny. Compared to racier contemporary romance novels, all the furtive hand-kissing and gazing at ankles was actually refreshing, and the hero and heroine were kind of sweet. This would be another beach read for Jane Austen fans :)

How To Knit a Wild Bikini by Christie Ridgeway: This wasn't exactly what I was expecting, and I admit, I picked it up mostly for the knitting reference. It wasn't great. It takes place in Malibu, where Nikki moves to be personal chef to Jay, who runs a men's magazine and is called Hef, Jr. Nikki bonds with Jay's teenaged niece, Fern, over their respective abusive relationships and heads into the knitting shop to learn. More knitting and fewer "love" scenes would have made it more interesting. I frankly thought the subplot about Nikki pretending to be a lesbian was stupid, and the Fern subplot was dark for a fluff book, not to mention the suicide subplot. This is obviously the start of a series, because there were a lot of relationships that were shallow and poorly developed. I assume they'll be the focus of future books. Nora Roberts and Susan Mallery do the same thing with trilogies, but somehow manage to make their books stand alone better. Look elsewhere for a good beach read.

Cinderella by Barbara Ensor

The full title of this book is: Cinderella (as if you didn't already know the story). I thought this sounded like it might be fun. Maybe a retelling of the story or a modernized version (ala Ella Enchanted or something). I was quite disappointed. It really is just a retelling of the story with nothing much changed. It has several illustrations in black that reminded me of Rorschach tests. The only thing a little different was that Cinderella would write letters to her mother telling her about what was happening, even though, obviously her mother would never see the letters. I guess it was a cathartic thing for her to do.

The last chapter made it a bit unique because Ensor tacked on a "where are they now?" section after the "happily ever after". There is also one page at the very end that describes how the story differs when told in other countries. That was sort of interesting. This book was definitely a disappointment unless you're simply looking for a Cinderella story like you've always heard before. Don't even bother with it.

Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins

I've decided to read a few youth fiction books lately because I feel in the mood for something quick and fun. I read Toys Go Out very quickly. I picked it up at the library because I remembered hearing about it a little over a year ago. It tells the story of the adventures of three toys: Plastic (a rubber ball), Sting Ray (a stuffed animal), and Lumphy (a stuffed buffalo). The age range is quite young on this one: 6-9 years. I'd say that's about right. It is long for a younger child to read on their own and there is only one illustration per chapter. The illustrations are really fun though.

The book starts out with the three animals in a backpack that smells like old swimsuit and they do not know where they are being taken. They worry all the way there about where the little girl could be taking them. It turns out they were worried for nothing and they are reminded about how much the little girl loves them. There are some nice morals in each chapter. The second chapter teaches you shouldn't be afraid to try new things when Lumphy is scared of being washed in the washing machine. He soon finds out he enjoys it and then continually tries to get dirty so he can visit the washing machine again. There is a lot of charm to this book. For example, the animals all think Tuk Tuk, the little girl's bathroom towel is very wise and they visit him to receive advice and wisdom on the big world around them.

I started the book thinking it was a lot of fun and very cute and finished it still thinking so, however I found the last two chapters to be not quite as entertaining or good as the first several. Still worth a read for a young one though! Anyone who is a fan of The Velveteen Rabbit will enjoy this one. It reminded me of that as I was reading it, although I haven't read Velveteen Rabbit since I was a child.

Two out of three ain't bad...

Two good reviews and one not-so-good, all in the juvenile fantasy genre...

The Sisters Grimm: The Problem Child by Michael Buckley: Ah, more Sisters Grimm! At the end of Book 2, Sabrina was on the trail of her parents' kidnapper. Book 3 opens right when Book 2 ended. Puck is injured for much of the book (he cracks me up, so I missed him), the Jabberwocky is rampaging and the sword that can kill him has been destroyed, and Uncle Jake shows up, with a penchant for doing things the easy, magical way. Anyone who made it through season six of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will not be excited about a "magic is addictive" theme, but the nuances here are really well done. Granny Relda says there is always a price for magic, and also that there is value in doing things the hard way (Sabrina's arm healing in a cast is a reminder of her mistake; magically healing it erases that lesson). Uncle Jake laughs off these concerns and continues to point his wand for the littlest thing. The resolution is breathtaking, but leaves plenty to explore in future books. A fun subplot is Mayor Charming running for re-election. An excellent entry in the series.

The Sisters Grimm: Once Upon A Crime by Michael Buckley: For the first time since moving in with Granny Relda, the girls return to New York City to search for Faerie, a community of Everafters. They need to take an injured Puck to his own people for healing. They find a scattered, hostile group of Everafters, led by King Oberon (kind of a jerk) and Queen Titania (erratic and crazy). Oberon is murdered, throwing the community into chaos and roping the Grimms into investigating. Sabrina, who had decided to quit the family business, is shocked to learn that her mother was involved with the Everafters. I thought the Wall Street Pirates and the Fairy Godfathers were hilarious, and I'll have to pick up #5 and #6!

A couple of notes on the Sisters Grimm series: First, I've read complaints that Sabrina is annoying. Well, yeah, but she's also a completely believable pubescent girl, so she doesn't bother me that much. Second, I read a negative review that complained about the portrayal of the orphanage, the foster families, and the social worker assigned to the girls. Okay, this one I can see. In the world of fairy tales, step-parents, orphanages, foster parents--they all get short shrift because kids surviving difficult situations are more heroic, and if they had a nice foster family, they might never have gotten into adventures worth documenting. Sabrina got herself and her sister out of numerous awful situations, which explains her resourcefulness, her mistrust of Granny, then the Everafters, and her strong desire to get her parents back and her life back to normal. I guess I see the negative portrayal here as part of the story, I just wanted to mention the issue. Here's my review of Book One and Book Two.

Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles: The Nixies Song by Holly Black and Tony diTerlizzi: I zipped through The Spiderwick Chronicles ages ago. I loved the beautiful little hardbacks with lovely illustrations, old-fashioned chapter titles, and the premise of kids coming across a book called A Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You and then exploring a world of fairies. There were a couple of sections that still stand out in my mind as such disturbing examples of cruel treatment of animals (the cat, the nursing cow) that I might well excise those pages with a razor blade before letting Lilah read them. Or before I re-read them, for that matter. I also felt they could easily have been a single book, but the beautiful little books have an old-fashioned feel and it didn't bother me that much. I picked up The Nixie's Song at Target, and boy, do I feel I was tricked out of that $10.95. The production values are the same; gorgeous, gorgeous little book. But there is NO story here. It took me less than an hour to read. The book is 162 pages long. 24 of those pages are full-page illustrations, and many more pages have smaller pictures that cut the text by up to 2/3. That would be fine if there were a compelling story told, but there's not. Laurie comes to live with Nick's family when her mom marries Nick's dad. Nick resents losing his room (he has to share his brother's room to give Laurie her own space) and thinks Laurie is weird, which she is. She's like a two-dimensional Luna Lovegood, without any of the nuances of that character. She loves her copy of Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide, and goes out looking for fairies. Nick is just angry, then for no apparent reason, trails after Laurie. They find an injured Nixie, then a rampaging giant. They have to figure out how to stop the giant. I ordinarily love meta-stories and self-referential touches, but a trip to a reading by Holly Black and Tony diTerlizzi just felt like it was taking up space. This book is the first of three, and the whole thing smacked of the publisher or the authors saying, "Hey! Let's see how many books that take 10 minutes to write we can get people to buy by throwing the name "Spiderwick" on them and making them pretty!" One more note to parents is that the language in this seems inappropriate for the 9-12 crowd it targets. One character calls another "lard-a**" and "cr*p" and "a**" are prevalent. Maybe I'm more prudish than I thought, but I found it a bit much, and completely unnecessary.