Forest Born - cover

The fourth in Shannon Hale’s “Books of Bayern” series does not stand-alone as well as I would wish for young readers.  I recognize that a lot of books have gone under the reading bridge for me since “Goose Girl”, “Enna Burning” and “River Secrets”, but I found myself wishing Hale has provided more review, explainations and reintroduction of characters.  For a reader just discovering this series this will not be an issue, but a returning reader will struggle.

Razo’s younger sister Rin is the protagonist in this adventure.  A great deal of the conflict in the novel is Rin’s inner lack of self-esteem and confidence which results in great inner turmoil.  This drives her to leave her beloved family and home in the forest to follow Razo to Bayern for a change of scenery.  Adventure quickly follows. 

Rin slowly discovers that she has dual and dubious gifts of people-speaking and tree-speaking.  I found Rin’s unfolding discovery of her gifts somewhat convoluted and thus thought this the weakest book in this series.  Hale is an accomplished weaver of story, but her clarity of writing could have been better in this offering.  But fans of magic and fantasy and Hale’s previous Bayern titles will enjoy the book regardless.

"Chalice" by Robin McKinley

I am a HUGE, HUGE fan of Robin McKinley’s novels.  It is rare that I re-read books, but every so often I get homesick for Damar and I must read “The Blue Sword” and “The Hero and the Crown” (in that order) yet again.  I’ve read them both four or five times.  My co-worker and I often fantasize about who we would cast in the leading roles if ”The Blue Sword” was made into a film.  I was once assured by McKinley herself via e-mail that she would never sell those rights, however, so I guess we can discontinue our fantasies.  No actor measures up to my image of Corlath or Harry Crew anyway!  Sigh! 

And I especially adored “The Outlaws of Sherwood”.  McKinley is the queen of strong female characters, and “Outlaws” was the perfect example.  (I think I need to read that one again, too.)  It was with great anticipation, then, that I began reading Robin McKinley’s most recent novel “Chalice”.

I was pleased and disappointed at the same time.  The wonderful, fully developed characters and plot were there, along with that wonderful, strong female character.  As usual there was a rich and strong cast of supporting characters.  And the whole bee thing was unique and wonderful. 

In some ways ”Chalice” is a beauty and the beast story, with the down to earth Chalice Mirasol as the beauty and the Master as a beastly partially human Priest of Fire.  Just like the beast, Master transforms back into his human self by the end!

BUT… (and I’ve never had a but with a McKinley novel) … I can’t recommend this book to students because the flow of the narrative is totally convoluted!  It isn’t told in flashbacks and the present.  It is told in circles – like a bee buzzing from here to there and here to there and back.  If McKinley deliberately made the narrative follow the flight of a bee, then she made a mistake. 

We have passed this book around the staff, including the orchestra teacher who pounced on it when she saw it on my desk!  “A new McKinley!”  But all of us agreed this was an extremely hard narrative to follow for us as advanced adult readers.  I could not, in good conscious recommend this one to my students.

Ouch!  I got stung with this one!

The Alchemyst cover

When I first noticed the subtitle of this novel I immediately dismissed this book as a Harry Potter spin-off.  Forced to read it for an assignment, recently, I was surprised to see no nod to J.K. Rowling in the credits anywhere.  After all, Nicholas Flamel is in “The Philosopher’s (Sorcerer’s) Stone”, Book 1.  But in poking around before reading the work, I noticed the author’s note at the end and learned that Nicholas Flamel (and other characters in the book) were real people.  They were somewhat legendary, by nevertheless, several of the main characters actually lived long ago.  And apparently The Philosopher’s Stone was not something Rowling made up, either.  (Hmmm – do I give her more credit or less?)

Also in my preliminary reading I learned that the author Michael Scott is “an authority on mythology and folklore” and is Irish to boot!  So I began reading “The Alchemyst” with interest instead of cynicism. 

I completely enjoyed the many mythological and legendary facets woven into the book.  Like Riordan’s Percy Jackson books which make it almost plausible that the Greek Gods still live above and among us, Scott’s “The Alchemyst” makes the world of myth and legend weave in and around reality.  The way the narrative wove mythological characters into the work also put me in mind of fellow Irishman, Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl books with their nod to mythology and legend.

I loved the explanations for world catastrophes such as the Great London Fire of 1666.  And I loved how Scott set up his twin hero and heroine to be more knowledgeable than the average kids by having their parents as archaeologists. 

Side note:  You DO become at least a bit knowledgeable about your parent’s work…  my husband is a radio announcer for a Greatest Hits station so our girls know more songs from the past than their peers.  AND they know not to blow into or tap a microphone to see if it is on.  (If you must know – just speak into it!)  My girls were lucky… my father was a hog farmer so rather than radio station remotes, when I helped my father I had to handle livestock.  Far less glamorous, I’m afraid.

My initial enthusiasm for the narrative waned a bit by the middle.  I felt the book bogged down a bit, but I kept with it to the end.  I know I’ll have to buy the sequels, of which there are already several, for our school’s collection. 

This novel is for committed readers of fantasy.   It goes without saying that committed readers of fantasy will be the above average readers as there are very few fantasy novels accessible to poor readers!

I recommend you visit Scott’s website for further reading on the series AND on the truth behind the characters.  Wikipedia also provides some interesting reading on Nicholas and his wife Perenelle.

Definitely NOT a Harry Potter spin-off!  I apologize to Michael Scott for my initial uninformed prejudice and, without apology, I recommend you read “The Alchemyst” for yourself.

Chris Wooding is a British author who, according to his website, specializes in adult and YA science fiction and fantasy.  Scholastic has republished this 2006 work in the US and I’m thinking it was added to the collection at my junior high via the Scholastic bookfair this past fall.  Hooray for summer – I’m catching up on those novels!

Storm Thief is an interesting blend of Sci Fi/fantasy set in the dystopian community of Orokos.  I like the author’s description of his own work so much I’ll quote it here to give you a better idea of the plot:

“Storm Thief is another light romp through daisy-filled pastures with… wait, wait, no it’s not. It’s a grim dystopia where our heroes cling to life by their fingernails. It’s about order versus chaos, about the storms of adolescence, about hope and hopelessness. And it’s also about love and dreams and hope and sacrifice, and how even in the darkest places you can find a light.”

A rather difficult read, this one will appeal only to dedicated Sci Fi/fantasy and gifted readers.  Imaginative and different, neverless the plot is cumbersome and somehow not completely satisfying.  Storm Thief seems open to a sequel but I could find no mention of one on Wooding’s website. 

If you find this one in your summer reading stack, unless you are a HUGE fan of Sci Fi/fantasy, put it on the bottom.  There are sure to be more rewarding reads in the pile.  Sci Fi/fantasy lovers – put it on the top!

Another first in a planned series, Children of the Lamp:  The Akhenaten Adventure is an interesting blend of fantasy, magic and history.  P.B. Kerr has chosen a unique main plot – the world of djinn.  Djinn (vulgarly known as a genie) are the third of the higher intelligent beings on earth along with angels (made of light) and humans (made of earth – ie “dust to dust”).  Djinn, of course, are made of fire.  (Major Nelson never discovered THAT on “I Dream of Jeannie”.)  Moreover, there are good djinn and bad djinn abroad in the world.

Main characters John and Philippa are just reaching adolescence, and with it comes a huge surprise.  They are djinn.  (Be careful what you wish for around them!)  Their uncle explains their powers and challenges and helps develop what their parents will not… and the adventure begins.

While this is not top notch literature, this is fun and well-paced.  There is plenty of kid friendly action.  Often bordering on silly (a crabby character named Groanin!), this truly is a book for juveniles.  The Egyptian setting and the background on modern Cairo and Ancient Egypt give the book substance.  What more could a juvenile reader wish for? 

Rebecca Stead has crafted an incredible first novel with First Light.  This completely unique and tightly woven narrative is compelling – I could not put it down!  Two uniquely separate narratives weave through the book; Peter of New York City and Thea of Gracehope.  Never is this novel predictable.  Stead so skillfully incorporates foreshadowing that the reader only recognizes it when the narrative is complete.  I hesitate to discuss it further, for I want you to read this for yourself!

First Light will satisfy readers of science fiction, fantasy, OR adventure.  It also has pure science incorporated – Peter’s parents are scientists studying global warming.  At 328 pages of fairly large font, it is an accessible science fiction offering for older challenged readers.  I will be recommending this one to many, many of my students!

Book One – Septimus Heap : Magyk by Angie Sage unfortunately is not magical reading.  It was a heap of characters and plots, but a magykly wonderful narrative it was not! 

I wanted to like the book as there were a number of good elements – the basic plot line, for example where an ordinary wizarding family finds they’ve raised the princess.  And unlike Paolini’s Eragon which borrowed so heavily from Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, Magyk had many unique features:  the telltale green wizard eyes, the long buried dragon boat, and the Message Rats for example.  And I love the name Septimus for the seventh son of the seventh son! 

But while the basic plot was interesting, the myriad of unresolved subplots and characters was overwhelming.  (Sally Mullins, Morwenna, Simon and Lucy, Linda Lane, etc.)  The narrative would have benefited from much, much, much tighter editing.  Obviously this is only book one, but as a good reader I was often confused.  More often I was just annoyed that a subplot was not played out such as how Sally Mullins escaped her fire.  Some of the magical words seemed to be in a bold print in the paperback edition I read, but there was no supporting glossary. 

Only dedicated readers of fantasy and magic will stick with this narrative.  Or should I say dedicated readers of Phantysy and Magyk.

You can read about the sequels, Flyte, Physik, and Queste at the Septimus Heap website.

Happy New Year 2009!  What a blessing that we live in a society that can afford to write, publish, and purchase books for children and young adults.  I sit here in a warm home, with more food than I need, using a laptop for which I paid cash, and writing about reading.  No Magyk there – just incredible blessings!

• Good school librarians read their collection so they can make valid recommendations.
• Good school librarians work to get to know their students so they can make valid reading recommendations.
• Good school librarians build a trust with their students so students will take their reading recommendations.

In “Poor readers, poor choices” I wrote about guiding students toward good books for them, and about building trust.  It takes time to build that trust.  I serve grades Kindergarten through eighth.  It is a pretty big range and it would be easier as a librarian to serve fewer reading levels, but the silver lining is that I get the opportunity to know my students and to build trust.

So when I ask my students to trust me when I recommend a good book, how can I refuse when they bring ME a title?  “Mrs. Brandt, you HAVE to read this book.”  I just finished such a title.  An avid reader brought me her personal copy of Chosen by Ted Dekker.  I usually don’t read book blurbs… (too many spoilers!)  I just start the book.  I began reading skeptically, since I’d never heard of the author or the series, but I was pleasantly surprised.  It was good YA fantasy, comparable to Ranger’s Apprentice or Robin McKinley’s Damar books, yet it had its own unique elements making it fresh and different (unlike Eragon).

Chosen is Book One in The Lost Books series published by Thomas Nelson Publishers in Nashville, a Christian publishing house.  As I read I kept waiting for the book to become overtly didactic, but it did not.  This book was indistinguishable from YA fantasy published by the mainstream houses.  All good fantasy is actually good versus evil, with distinct moral overtones.  “May the force be with you!”

When I noticed the publisher and asked my student if this was Christian fiction she looked puzzled.  “I don’t think so,” she said.  “It’s just by a guy named Ted Dekker.  I LOVE his books!”  But it is indeed contemporary Christian fiction.  My online research into Ted Dekker revealed that The Lost Books are considered too “dark” in some Christian circles, but as my husband quipped, “Have they ever read the Old Testament?”  (He just finished – the whole OT – so he should know!)

Of course, I noted that the Roush (white bat-like creatures) had leaders named Gabil and Michal.  (Gabriel and Michael?)  The story’s heroes, the Forest Guard, are followers of Elyon.  (”El Elyon” is Hebrew for “God Most High”)  The enemy of Elyon is a formerly beautiful creature named Teelah who rebelled against Elyon.  (Sounds a lot like the biography of Lucifer!)  And black bats called Shataiki serve Teelah (fallen angels? demons?).  But it is the Sunday School teacher in me who noted those things, not the librarian.

I think I’m going to have to borrow the rest of the series from my student… she better have them!  These books (assuming the rest of the series is as good as the first) deserve a place on school library shelves.  If our libraries are truly inclusive, we should include well written contemporary Christian fiction.  C.S. Lewis may be there already… but he shouldn’t be so lonely.

Check this series out for yourself…   and “Elyon be with you”.

British author Michelle Paver has a winning fantasy series in Chronicles of Ancient Darkness .  The series begins with Wolf Brother followed by Spirit Walker, Soul Eater and the recently released The Outcast. 

The first book, Wolf Brother, is on this year’s Rebecca Caudill list.  (The Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award is for Illinois students in grades 4-8.)   As a member of the RCYRBA steering committee and as a K-8 librarian who promotes the award heavily in my three schools, I predict that Wolf Brother, a fast paced and likeable survival story, is going to be a very popular title among this year’s 20 nominees. 

The action in Wolf Brother starts immediately as the main character, Torak, and his father encounter a demon possessed bear.  Torak is quickly (and unwillingly) thrust into a preordained quest to defeat this bear as it begins threatening all the clans.  Torak rescues a wolf pup who becomes his friend and, perhaps, spirit guide.  Bits of the narrative are from Wolf’s perspective as Wolf tries to understand Torak whom he calls Tall Tailless.  Indeed it is Wolf’s views of the world along with the prehistoric tribal setting that makes this series very fresh and unique.  With a fairly uncomplicated plot and characters, this is fantasy light for young readers. 

Paver is smart!  The setting and situations feel like North American Natives in ancient Norway to me… but it is purely from Paver’s imagination.  This series, as pure fantasy, is not subject to criticism by any people or culture group.  Again, smart author!

Because I read so much YA fiction in my profession, it is rare that I read adult novels.  It is also rare, because of my terribly sequential brain, that I will read more than one book at a time; I always read a book and finish before moving on to the next.  But friends convinced me, since I recently completed a graduate degree, that I should reward myself by diverging and reading the adult novel, The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde.  I did enjoy it (although it made me feel like I need to return for a degree in English Literature) and I happily began the second in that series.  However, a couple of nights ago at bedtime, too lazy to retrieve my Fford book from the living room, I broke my “one-book-at-a-time” rule and started reading Paver’s Soul Eater (more conviently located in my bedside to-read stack).  What is it about YA fiction that makes it impossible to put down?  And why don’t adult novels share it? 

Spirit Walker was just as action packed as Wolf Brother.  Torak reminds me of the young Luke Skywalker; both have determination, strength of character, and unexplained (and unexplored) powers along with a destiny that is slowly being revealed through the series.  Fforde is fforgotten as I now must ffinish The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness!  Thursday Next may or may not be next in the to-read stack…

Despite the popularity of Cornelia Funke’s other titles such as The Thief Lord, Dragon Rider, and Inkheart – this is the first of this author’s titles I have read.  And it was delightful.  (The other titles shall remain in my ‘to be read’ stack!) 

Igraine is a wonderful fantasy for young readers.  It contains satisfying adventures and all the magical elements you could wish for – yet it remains uncomplicated.  I challenge those who claim, “I don’t like Fantasy,” to try this title! 

Magical royal parents, a talking cat (when in the mood), and an enchanted castle are all classical elements, but Funke makes it all fresh!  Pimpernel Castle is guarded by gargoyles who make horrible faces at strangers and eat cannon balls and crunch burning arrows when necessary.  Stone lions guard as well; like fierce stone doorbells they roar and bare their teeth for strangers but purr like cats for family.  Giants, dragons, all make their appearances yet the story remains unique with imaginative and original elements such as the Singing Books of Magic. 

One of the strengths of science fiction and fantasy are the clear definitions of good and evil.  Funke introduces very satisfying villains in the persons of Osmund the Greedy and Rowan the Heartless.  Obviously our heroine Igraine is one of the good guys, but her help comes from a very unlikely hero, The Sorrowful Knight of the Mount of Tears (or Sir Urban of Wintergreen).  Goodness and fair play triumph, of course; yet another reason to recommend fantasy to young readers.  Fantasy and science fiction can explore many moral themes without seeming didactic.

Igraine the Brave is a top notch fantasy – fresh and funky!  or should that be Funke-y!