Fablehaven

Title: Fablehaven

Category: Fantasy

Grades: 5-8

Author: Brandon Mull

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Date: 2006

Pages: 351

Summary:

Kendra and Seth have been sent to stay with the grandparents they barely know while their parents are away. Little do they know that their grandfather is the caretaker of the magical sanctuary of Fablehaven, a refuge for all sorts of faeries and mystical creatures, and their grandmother has been placed under a terrible spell and turned into a chicken.  When Seth captures a fairy, the rest of the fae take revenge, destroying their home and taking their grandfather prisoner.  Now Seth and Kendra, with the help of a naiad turned human and their friends at Fablehaven must restore their grandmother and rescue their grandfather before the great demon Bahamut is released from his prison and destroys them all.

Review:

Fablehaven appears to be an attempt to capitalize on and compete with the several successful fantasy novels and renewed interest in the genre that has occurred in the last several years.  While it is a quasi-decent example of the genre, this reviewer found it sorely lacking overall.  The story incorporates a mish-mash of creatures from myth and folklore but the mix of characters seems to give the story the feel of a crazy quilt as opposed to a polished, seamless tale.  The biggest objection however, must be reserved for Seth.  While his curiosity and tendency to not listen is somewhat acceptable at first, his obstinate determination to completely disregard any rules he is given – even after he has experienced severe consequences firsthand – suggest that he is not just disobedient but that he has no care at all for what might happen to him or the members of his family.  Most of the events of the story are caused directly by Seth’s refusal to do what he is told, and his disobedience is not only annoying but difficult to find believable.  Younger girls will enjoy Kendra’s side of the story and her unlikely encounter with the Fairy Queen, and fantasy fans will probably still find merit in the story with its cast of colorful characters and fast-paced action.  Fans of the genre will probably enjoy it, but more sophisticated readers may find some of the characterization and subsequent plot points a stretch.

Chime

Title: Chime
Category: Fantasy
Grades: 9-12
Author: Franny Billingsley
Publisher: Dial Books
Date: 2011
Pages: 361

Summary:

Briony is a witch.  By the age of seventeen, she has injured and killed her stepmother and caused the accident that damaged her twin sister’s mind. Ensnared in self-loathing and the terrible secrets that will surely see her hanged if they are known, Briony lives to care for her sister and try to redeem herself.  Eldric, with his gorgeous clothes, city ways, and golden lion’s mane, confuses her.  He makes her want to cry, but witches don’t cry.  He makes her feel odd inside, but of course witches can’t fall in love.  When the Old Ones reveal to Briony that the draining of the swamp will curse the townspeople, including Rose, to die of the Swamp Cough, Briony makes a terrible bargain and summons the ghosts of the town’s dead children to try to stop the town.  When her secret is revealed, along with another deadly declaration from the grave, even Eldric’s love for her may not be enough to save her from the people’s fear and from the law.

Review:

Chime is a difficult read; there’s really no way around that.  Younger readers will not understand it, and even older teens will probably need to be strong readers in order to tackle it.  The language is dense, and the main character often buried in the morass of her own confused self-loathing, making the story slow down in places and occasionally difficult to understand.  Through the opening sequences, the author creates a character in a situation so distasteful that putting the book down was very tempting.  However, once the reader adapts to the writing style and emerges from the early scenes, it becomes easier to recognize Chime for the masterpiece it truly is. Beautifully wordsmithed, well-researched, with complex and authentic character development, Chime is a powerful, compelling story in which nothing is as it appears.  Billingsley captures the powerful ability of an abused mind to protect itself and survive with amazing authenticity, the depth and slow bloom of the young lovers’ relationship is breathtaking, and the slow reveal of both Rose’s character and the mystery surrounding Briony, if not always a complete surprise, are extremely well played. 

Hate that Cat

Title: Hate that Cat

Category: Realistic, Verse Novel

Grades: 3-7

Author: Sharon Creech

Publisher: Joanna Cotler Books

Date: 2008

Pages: 125

Summary:

Jack is back, a year older and a year more full of insight.  With the same English teacher, Jack again journeys through his school year in verse.  Tired of writing about Sky, Jack searches for other subjects, including the big black cat that attacked him when he was younger, his mixed feelings about having a new kitten, and his deaf mother. 

Review:

Thoroughly as delightful as the original, Hate that Cat will amuse and encourage young readers, particularly fans of Love that Dog.  Creech once again demonstrates her masterful ability to convey a character’s depth and full range of thoughts and emotions through the simple, entirely convincing lines of Jack’s journal.  Readers will both laugh at and sympathize with Jack’s irritation at writing and his comments like, “I can’t do it./Brain frozen,” and “You can’t just alliterate and onomatopoeiate/all over the place/can you?” Creech moves beyond the common experience of losing a beloved pet in this novel and allows Jack to attempt to reconcile his mother’s deafness to his love of sound and poetry, opening the door for younger readers to a more multicultural point of view.  Another must-read from Sharon Creech.

Something to Blog About

Title: Something to Blog About

Category: Realistic

Grades: 6-9

Author: Shana Norris

Publisher: Amulet Books

Date: 2008

Pages: 246

Summary:

Libby Fawcett is failing chemistry.  However, that’s not nearly enough to stop her from agreeing to tutor Seth, her crush since the eighth grade.  With her best friend Keisha, and her cousin Roger (who is busy trying to get Keisha’s attention), Libby has to find a way both to pass and to win Seth’s heart.  Unfortunately, Angel Rivera, prettiest girl in school, who already has a thing for tormenting Libby, likes Seth too.  To make matters worse, Libby’s mom and Angel’s dad have been dating behind their backs for months.  But when Angel finds a way into Libby’s password-protected blog and spills her secrets all over the school, Libby is sure that Angel has won and she will never be able to face school again.

Review:

There are absolutely no surprises in this book.  It ends exactly how we expect, the characters are stereotyped and predictable, and the story is not unique.  Yet with all that said, Something to Blog About is a truly charming example of its genre, a warm and funny tale, and a great read for its intended audience.  Written for younger teens and tweens, this age group will absolutely relate to Libby’s feelings of insecurity, her confusion over the opposite sex, and to the troubles she has with Angel at school.  Norris even manages to shed some light into Angel’s character, and if the ending is a little too good to be true, we still are glad we ended up there.

Entwined

Title: Entwined
Category: Fantasy
Grades: 9-12
Author: Heather Dixon
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Date: 2011
Pages: 472

Summary:

Their mother is dead, and their aloof, critical father wants nothing to do with them.  Stifled by mourning, Azalea and her eleven sisters cannot resist the enchanted world below their palace, the beautiful realm through the secret passage that allows them to dance, talk, and be themselves every night.  Their magic world is guarded by the Keeper, a strange and mysterious man who seems both charming and gracious.  Yet Azalea is suspicious.  As their precious small trinkets go missing, and troubling dreams of her mother haunt her, Azalea becomes convinced that Keeper is not what he seems at all, and that his purpose in keeping them with him each night is far more sinister than they realize.  When Azalea fails to comply, and a terrible magic releases Keeper into the world above, Azalea must turn to her estranged father for help to save her sisters and her father himself before Keeper’s ancient blood oath can destroy them all.

Review:

“Twelve Dancing Princesses” was an enchanting fairy tale, but not one with a lot of length or substance.  In Entwined, Dixon has created a masterful enhancement of this basic tale, fully fleshed with a complex and subtle plot that will keep many different types of readers entertained.  Lush, rich in detail, and beautifully wordsmithed, Entwined is part fantasy, part horror, and all surprise as the plot twists and turns and folds back upon itself, leaving readers uncertain as to what lies past the next page.  Perhaps Dixon’s strongest asset is her incredible characterization; she captures both the odd and terrible effects of grief and power, and combines them with the overriding love of a parent for his children to create fully realized, three-dimensional characters.  Even lesser characters like Lord Teddy, Clover, and Bramble are multifaceted and never stereotyped.  A riveting read, and by far the best retelling of this fairy tale this reviewer has ever encountered.

Smile

Title: Smile
Category: Graphic Novel, Realistic
Grades: 6-10
Author: Raina Telgemeier
Publisher: Graphix
Date: 2010
Pages: 214

Summary:

Lots of children get braces.  But for Raina, braces are only the beginning.  After a bad fall knocks her two front teeth out, Raina must have not only braces, but repeated surgeries and dental work to help her look normal again.  Through the process, Raina struggles to fit in with her peers and cope with the many other hazards of growing up, and learns to be confident in herself and the things she enjoys.

Review:

A winner for young people who struggle with feeling or looking “different,” Smile will surely strike a chord.  The story is told in graphic format, but the illustrations are clear and the story is easy to follow.  Any reader who has ever had braces will sympathize with some of the physical pain Raina describes, and most will readily relate to her experiences with cruel “friends.”  Because the story is autobiographical, some readers may find that it wanders a bit through daily events that are otherwise unrelated to the main plot.  The main character is almost completely defined by her teeth and the process of restoring them to the point that some readers may have difficulty fully connecting with her experience, or become bored by the orthodontia details.  However, for the right reader, this book will be a big hit.  Best audiences will likely include girls, readers who feel isolated or different particularly for physical reasons, and possibly readers who have had extensive dental work or other medical procedures.

Darke

Title: Darke
Category: Fantasy
Grades: 5-10
Author: Angie Sage
Illustrator: Mark Zug
Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books
Date: 2011
Pages: 622

Summary:

The time has come for Septimus’s Darke Week, a frightening portion of apprenticeship in which he must embark on a special quest or project to teach him to balance the darker side of every wizard’s nature, and use Darke Magyk responsibly and carefully.  It comes just in time for Alther Mella has been Banished, and Septimus will journey to the Darke Halls to attempt to bring him back.  Unfortunately, other trouble is brewing; imposter Merrin Meredith has mastered the powers of the Two-Faced Ring and created a Darke Domain that is rapidly overtaking the castle.  If it is not stopped, soon it will devour the Wizard’s Tower and the town as well.  With Jenna, Beetle, and Simon Heap, who is determined to reform, Marcia Overstrand and Septimus must each use all their Magyk and skill to save their loved ones from the Darke.

Review:

Sage continues to be a fresh, innovative, and witty writer with intriguing plot ideas and strong, ongoing character development.  One of her darker installments to the series, Darke is nevertheless another vibrant, fast-paced read, full of the humor and action fans will have grown to love.  As always, Sage’s characters continue to surprise us with their changes of heart, their multifaceted personalities, and their true humanity even within the archetypal roles they often fulfill.  Another success in the Septimus Heap series.

The Diamond of Darkhold

Title: The Diamond of Darkhold
Category: Science Fiction
Grades: 4-8
Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Publisher: Random House
Date: 2008
Pages: 285

Summary:

Doon, Lina and the rest of the people of Ember have been working hard to rebuild their lives and community above in the town of Sparks.  Adjusting and providing for themselves in new ways has proven to be difficult.  When Doon purchases an old book written by the Builders from a roamer, he discovers they left more behind than an escape route – a mysterious piece of technology meant to help the people of Ember succeed in their new life.  But when he and Lina travel back to Ember, they find it has been taken over by a horrible family of savages who have stolen the gift – a gigantic blue diamond – and renamed the city Darkhold.  Captured, Doon must find an escape and figure out a way to retake Ember and her gifts for her own people.

Review:

Returning to the story fans know and love, DuPrau wraps up this series with style. Readers will appreciate having Doon and Lina back again in this final installment, and DuPrau once again creates an interesting story with characters that are multifaceted and complex.  The problems that plagued Yonwood are no longer in evidence – as a side note, while the author attempts to reference Yonwood briefly, the need for that book still does not become apparent.  The end is slightly predictable and has a large helping of “happy ever after” sugar, but is still likely to please younger readers who like their ends tied up neatly.  DuPrau is to be commended for recognizing when her story has been fully told and wrapping it up.  Fans of the series will not be disappointed in this last chapter.

The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1: The Field Guide

Title: The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1: The Field Guide

Category: Fantasy

Grades: 2-5

Author: Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Date: 2003

Pages: 107

Summary:

After the divorce, Jared’s mother moves their family to their great-aunt’s ramshackle, rotting house out in the middle of nowhere.  Though Jared is often in trouble at school since the divorce, he certainly isn’t behind the strange noises in the walls.  He didn’t knot his sister’s hair to her bed or destroy the kitchen.  But someone did.  A secret room, a mysterious verse, a visit to a secret hiding place may help Jared solve the mystery.  Or perhaps the answer is in the strange book, Arthur Spiderwick’s Guide to the Fantastical World around You. But if the guide is true, faeries really do exist all around them… and the trouble is only beginning.

Review:

The Field Guide is better considered the first chapter of the Chronicles that merely happens to be in book form, as all five of the stories create one entire tale.  Jared is a refreshingly imperfect and unlikely hero.  Young readers will appreciate his frustration and anger over the divorce, and will definitely sympathize with his trials, particularly since he often gets in trouble for things he did not do.  Though the book would be enjoyed by quite young children, even down to first and second grade, newer readers may have difficulty with the vocabulary and benefit from reading with an adult or having the book read to them.  The small size and short chapters make the book appealing to younger readers ready to grow as chapter readers, and also for struggling readers.  The pace is quick, the characters varied, and the telling both humorous and believable.  An auspicious beginning to a great series, and a fun read-aloud.

Wishing for Tomorrow: The Sequel to A Little Princess

Title: Wishing for Tomorrow: The Sequel to A Little Princess
Category: Realistic
Grades: 3-6
Author: Hilary McKay
Illustrator: Nick Maland
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Date: 2009
Pages: 273 

Summary:

Nothing is the same since Sara left Miss Minchin’s.  The school was all a-fuss for a while, but now Sara has moved away and Ermengarde is back to the boring, miserable life she led before Sara came.  Lavinia, still horribly snobbish, is wrapped up in studying for college.  Jessie is flirting and sighing over the cute boy who moved in next door, and Lottie is, as ever, up to mischief.  Sure that Sara no longer cares about her, Ermengarde must forge a new life and a new social circle for herself.  But when fire erupts at the Seminary, Ermengarde discovers courage she did not know she possessed.

Review:

Attempting to add to a tale as well-known and loved as A Little Princess is a daunting task, and not to be undertaken lightly.  While McKay characterizes major players like Ermengarde, Lottie and Lavinia well enough, true fans of the original will be irritated by the many small discrepancies between this story and Burnett’s tale.  More problematic, the book lacks any sort of substantial plot – it is indeed the story of what happened to the girls left at school when Sara departed, and the answer seems to be “nothing much.”  The book does contain some funny vignettes, but lacks the substance and realism of the book it aspires to follow.

Syren

Title: Syren
Category: Fantasy
Grades: 4-9
Author: Angie Sage
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Date: 2009
Pages: 610 

Summary:

Now a Senior Apprentice, Septimus returns to the Port to bring Jenna and the rest of their party back to the Castle.  Meanwhile, Aunt Zelda sends Wolf Boy on the quest to make him the new Keeper, one that will take him straight into the clutches of the Port Witch Coven.  When Spit Fyre is terribly injured, Septimus takes refuge on a small island where he runs afoul of the Syren, a vengeful spirit that has taken Possession of Syrah Syara, once the ExtraOrdinary Apprentice herself.  Syrah pleads with Septimus not only to help set her free, but to aid her in stopping the Syren and her cohorts, for together with a giant army of jinn, they are planning to take over the castle.

Review:

Perhaps not quite as strong a tale as Physik and Queste, Syren nonetheless is another unique addition to the Septimus Heap chronicles.  Sage has taken some time to deepen the relationship between Jenna and her father here, and also allowed Septimus to grow and mature.  She is adept at writing multiple storylines and weaving them together over both one book and the series as a whole, and it seems evident that she has a long-term outcome in mind which drives her writing.  The side line with Wolf Boy, along with the main plotline of the Syren and the jinn army were interesting and well-placed.  As with Flyte and even Physik, some small sections seemed slightly dry.  The depth of the story, however, will appeal to fans who are growing older with Septimus, and Syren is still a solid addition to the series that will not disappoint.

Queste

Title: Queste
Category: Fantasy
Grades: 4-9
Author: Angie Sage
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Date: 2008
Pages: 570

Summary:

The vicious Tertius Fume, though only a ghost, still manages to cause mountains of trouble in this new epic by Sage. Forcing the dreaded Draw upon Septimus several years too early, he and his followers trick Septimus into accepting the Queste, an unlucky Draw that no Apprentice has ever before returned from.  Septimus finds himself on the search for Nicko and Snorri, who were lost in the past.  Together with Jenna and Beetle, he must brave the House of Foryx, encounter Hotep-Ra himself, and find Nicko before the House of Foryx can ensnare the trio forever.  Meanwhile, Merrin Meredith has discovered the Darke index, managed to gain control of DomDaniel’s Two-Faced Ring, and is desperately seeking a way to win his position and name back from Septimus Heap.

Review:

Sage continues to demonstrate true inspiration as she once again delivers an unexpected, original storyline with the characters fans know and love so well.  Perhaps topping her prior installment, Queste is a remarkable and unique adventure full of the interesting twists and turns, the humor, and the vibrant color Sage is known for.  Not unlike Rowling, Sage allows her characters to age and grow, and older readers who may not have cared for the younger heroes may have more empathy for Septimus as he enters the angsty teen years.  Sage also sets the stage for more installments in this delightful series.

Physik

Title: Physik
Category: Fantasy
Grades: 4-8
Author: Angie Sage
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Date: 2007
Pages: 525 

Summary:

When Silas unknowingly unleashes the ghost of dreaded queen, Etheldredda, from her prison, she immediately begins plotting to take her kingdom back from Princess Jenna.  Trying to escape her clutches, Jenna unwittingly leads her brother, Septimus, to a magic mirror that drags him five hundred years into the past.  In this ancient world, Septimus becomes apprentice to Marcellus Pye, the ancient (and infamous) Alchemist and Physician. Jenna and her brother Nicko, along with his girlfriend Snorri, pursue Septimus through the glass, but become trapped in the past as well.

Review:

Sage continues to surprise readers with unexpected tales, and Physik certainly takes some unanticipated twists.  Slightly darker than its predecessors, the book has some scary spots, but nothing that should deter young readers. Fans will enjoy encountering their favorite characters again, and meeting some new ones.  Parts of the book dragged slightly, particularly with respect to Queen Etheldredda and her aggravating pet Aie-Aie; further, Silas Heap’s continuing ineptness may annoy older readers.  However, the book was overall, perhaps the best of the series to date, and readers can count on Sage’s trademark humor, pace, and off-the-cuff characterization to keep them glued to the last page.

Flyte

Title: Flyte
Category: Fantasy
Grades: 4-8
Author: Angie Sage
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Date: 2006

Pages: 514

Summary:

Septimus has spent a year absorbed in the duties and education of his apprenticeship, but life as the ExtraOrdinary Wizard’s apprentice is never dull.  Marcia is being tailed by a Darke shadow that she can’t seem to see.  Even worse, Septimus’s oldest brother Simon is convinced that Septimus stole his rightful place and has turned to Darke magic to reclaim what is his.  But when Simon abducts Princess Jenna and no one seems concerned, Septimus knows he must set out after her himself.  Along the way, he is imprinted by a baby dragon, and discovers the secrets of the lost art of Flyte. But with Simon struggling to raise his master DomDaniel from the dead, even that may not be enough.

Review:

Flyte is in many ways, equal to its predecessor.  The best of Sage’s writing continues here with humor, a huge cast of colorful, often larger-than-life characters, and a quick-paced plot full of twists, turns, and adventures.  Sage excels at taking the traditional components and archetypes of fantasy and using them in appealing, original ways.  Like Mercedes Lackey does for adult fantasy, Sage writes stories that in a general way may have been told hundreds of times; she just tells it better than everyone else.  Fans of Magyk will not be disappointed, and new readers will be at the library looking for the one they missed.