New Books: The latest updates in Fantasy series

Fantasy trilogies, quartets and series are very popular right now, as every Harry, Percy and Charlie Bone knows.  (sorry, a little librarian humor there.)  It is sometimes difficult to keep up with all the new series, but since I like fantasy, I try to read at least the first book, and sometimes all of them!  There’s just not enough reading time in a day…

If you do like series, or fantasy, or best yet, a combination of the two, here are some updates from the juvenile collection to share!

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Jacques, Brian.  The Sable Quean.  (Redwall series, #21)
He appears out of thin air and vanishes just as quickly. He is Zwilt the Shade, and he is evil. Yet he is no match for his ruler, Vilaya the Sable Quean. Along with their hordes of vermin, these two have devised a plan to conquer Redwall Abbey. And when the Dibbuns are captured one by one, their plan is revealed.  Will the Redwallers risk the fate of their Abbey and  Mossflower Wood to save their precious young ones from imprisonment? Perhaps Buckler, Blademaster of the Long Patrol, can save the day. He has a score of his own to settle. And fear not, these Dibbuns are not as innocent as they appear. After all, they’re from Redwall.

Wilson, Nathan. The Chestnut King (The 100 Cupboards trilogy, #3)
When Herny York found 99 cupboards hidden behind his bedroom wall, he never dreamed they were doors to entirely new worlds! Unfortunately, Henry’s discovery freed an ancient, undying witch, whose hunger for power would destroy every world connected to the cupboards–and every person whom Henry loves. Henry must seek out the legendary Chestnut King for help. Everything has a price, however, and the Chestnut King’s desire may be as dangerous as the witch herself.  The conclusion to the trilogy.

Mull, Brandon.  Keys to the Demon Prison. (Fablehaven series, #5)
After centuries of plotting, the Sphinx is on the verge of recovering the five artifacts necessary to open the legendary Demon Prison. Facing the potential of a world-ending calamity, all friends of light must unite!  Kendra, Seth, and the Knights of the Dawn will venture far beyond the walls of Fablehaven to strange and exotic magical preserves across the globe, where the end of every quest becomes the beginning of another. In this explosive series finale, allegiances will be confirmed and secrets revealed as the forces of light and darkness collide in a desperate struggle to control the keys to the demon prison.

Dashner, James.  The Hunt for Dark Infinity (The 13th Reality series, #2)
Tick, Paul and Sophia came together to solve a set of clues that led them into other dimensions. They’ve spent the summer waiting for their next call to action.  But when they’re whisked away into another reality,  was it their teacher who did it, or something else? The Realities are crumbling around the edges, and it is up to the trio to save the day.

Llewellyn, Sam.  Lyonesse: Darksolstice. (Lyonesse series, #2)
Not long ago twelve year old Idris Limpet was just an ordinary schoolboy. Now, he is the Rightful King of the Land of Lyonesse. Even kings have their problems, however, and Idris  is an exile – hunted from his country by the evil regent and her wicked son . Moreover, his sister has been carried off as a slave to the distant land of Aegypt. So even before he can fight for his throne and his people, Idris must make the treacherous journey to rescue Morgan.

Gordon, Rodrick.  Freefall. (Tunnels series, #3)
At the end of Deeper, Will and Chester were tumbling through the subterranean Pore with the evil Rebecca twins in hot pursuit,  toting phials of a lethal virus.
Just when the drop seems infinite, the boys hit bottom, and find themselves in a realm of near-zero gravity atop a giant spongy fungus stuffed with artifacts from some lost golden age. But they are not alone. And above ground, black-clad Styx are sprouting like poison mushrooms, dead-set on spreading their plague!

Hunter, Erin. The Last Wilderness (The Seekers series, #4)
Toklo, Kallik, Lusa, and Ujurak have finally reached the the legendary bear paradise they’ve been searching for. In the Last Great Wilderness, one by one the bears begin to remember their true natures. As the bears adjust to this new life, disaster strikes. The friends are forced to venture into the world of the flat-faces to save the life of one of their own. Once there, the end of their journey seems farther away than ever, as a new path spreads out before them.

Hulme, John.  The Lost Train of Thought. (The Seems series, #3)
Fixer Becker Drane never thought things could get so bad: he’s in deep trouble with The Seems for breaking so many rules and it looks like his days as a Fixer may be numbered. So when a train carrying a load of Thought destined for The World disappears, Becker reluctantly agrees to join a crew of fixers to solve the mystery—in The Middle of Nowhere. The mission leads Becker into a scenario more terrifying and dangerous than he could have ever prepared for. Getting the Train of Thought back on track is just a temporary Fix. Becker’s real mission may prove to be saving The World from ending—forever.

Carroll, Michael.  The Reckoning. (Quantum Prophecy series,#3)
Not long ago the world thought its superhumans dead after a great battle wiped out heroes and villains alike. Now, new heroes—and new villains— have miraculously emerged in the form of teenagers. The new heroes find themselves on the cusp of WWIII, caused by their very existence. One hero is torn between right and wrong as he falls under the spell of a former ally turned villain, while another must come to terms with his dark role in the battle. If the planet is to survive, our new heroes will need to prove stronger than even they can imagine.

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If you’d like to see what other new books we have, check out Children’s Fiction BookLetters page…we try to put every new book on it.  They might not stay there long, but they’re there!

::Kelly::

Teens: New Adventure Reads with a Twist

WITH A TWIST OF HORROR

The Monstrumologist by Richard Yancey

monsters….supernatural….horror….fantasy…..diary…..if you liked Cirque Du Freak

In 1888, twelve-year-old Will Henry chronicles his apprenticeship with Dr. Warthrop, a scientist who hunts and studies real-life monsters, as they discover and attempt to destroy a pod of Anthropophagi.

WITH A TWIST OF SCIENCE FICTION

Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking Book 1)

dystopia….mind reading….on the run….suspense

Pursued by power-hungry Prentiss and mad minister Aaron, young Todd and Viola set out across New World searching for answers about his colony’s true past and seeking a way to warn the ship bringing hopeful settlers from Old World.

PastWorld by Ian Beck

amusement parks… murder… futurism…. mystery….. genetic engineering

In 2050, while visiting Pastworld, a Victorian London theme park, teenaged Caleb meets seventeen-year-old Eve, a Pastworld inhabitant who has no knowledge of the modern world, and both become pawns in a murderer’s diabolical plan that reveals disturbing truths about the teenagers’ origins.

WITH A TWIST OF HISTORICAL FANTASY

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

~science fiction…. historical fantasy…..  war stories…. imaginary creatures

In an alternate 1914 Europe, fifteen-year-old Austrian Prince Alek, on the run from the Clanker Powers who are attempting to take over the globe using mechanical machinery, forms an uneasy alliance with Deryn who, disguised as a boy to join the British Air Service, is learning to fly genetically-engineered beasts.

WITH A TWIST OF EVERTHING!

Hunchback Assignments by Arthur G. Slade

spies… murder… mad scientist… historical fantasy… steampunk…. science fiction…. supernatural

In Victorian London, fourteen-year-old Modo, a shape-changing hunchback, becomes a secret agent for the Permanent Association, which strives to protect the world from the evil machinations of the Clockwork Guild.

Teens: If You Like Alex Rider…

you may want to try some of these other fast paced reads.

Cherub Series by Robert Muchamore.

Book 1 is The Recruit. James is recruited into CHERUB, a secret division of MI5 which consists of teenage spies. He completes his training and goes on his first mission.

Traitor Series by Andy McNab

Book 1 is Traitor. A boy who believes his grandfather to be a traitor against England tracks him down and finds out the truth.

Spartan Series by Michael Ford.

Book 1 is Fire of Ares. When slaves rebel in ancient Sparta, twelve-year-old Lysander, guarded by an heirloom amulet, the Fire of Ares, is caught between the Spartan ruling class, with whom he has been training as a warrior since his noble heritage was revealed, and those among whom he was recently laboring as a slave.

Sure Fire by Jack Higgins

Resentful of having to go and live with their estranged father after the death of their mother, twins Rich and Jade soon find they have more complicated problems when their father is kidnapped and their attempts to rescue him involve them in a dangerous international plot.

Ranger’s Apprentice Series by John Flanagan

Book 1 is The Ruins of Gorlan. When Will is rejected by battleschool, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt, and winds up protecting the kingdom from danger.

The Door of No Return by Sarah Mussi

Zac never believed his grandfather’s tales about their enslaved ancestors being descended from an African king, but when his grandfather is murdered and the villains come after Zac, he sets out for Ghana to find King Baktu’s long-lost treasure before the murderers do.

Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson

Book 1 is The Angel Experiment. Group members fight back after the mutant Erasers abduct the youngest member of the genetically mutated group called the “bird kids”.

Thieves Like Us by Stephen Cole

A mysterious benefactor hand-picks a group of teen geniuses to follow a set of clues leading to the secrets of everlasting life, secrets which they must steal and for which they risk being killed.

Streams of Babel by Carol Plum-Ucci

Six teens face a bioterrorist attack on American soil. Four are infected with a mysterious disease and two others, both brilliant computer hackers, assist the United States Intelligence Coalition in tracking the perpetrators.

Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey

Through a series of dangerous and violent misadventures, teenage loser Alfred Kropp rescues King Arthur’s legendary sword Excalibur from the forces of evil.

Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks

Child prodigy Cadel Piggot, an antisocial computer hacker, discovers his true identity when he enrolls as a first-year student at an advanced crime academy.

The Shadow Project by Herbie Brennan

A young English thief stumbles on, and subsequently is recruited for, a super-secret operation that trains teenagers in remote viewing and astral projection techniques in order to engage in spying.

Day of the Assassins: A Jack Christie Novel by Johnny O’Brien

Fifteen-year-old Jack is sent to 1914 Europe as a pawn in the battle between his long-lost father, who has built a time machine, and a secret network of scientists who want to prevent him from trying to use it to change history for the better.

Young Bond Series by Charlie Higson

Book 1 is Silverfin. Prequel to the adventures of James Bond, 007, introduces the young James when he is just starting boarding school in England and is about to become involved in his first adventure.

Steel Trapp by Ridley Pearson

Book 1 is The Challenge. On a two-day train trip to enter his invention in the National Science Competition in Washington, D.C., fourteen-year-old Steven “Steel” Trapp, possessor of a remarkable photographic memory, becomes embroiled in an international plot of kidnapping and bribery that may have links to terrorists.

The Dark Game:  True Spy Stories by Paul B. Janeczko

Describes the contributions and techniques of American spies over the course of the past two centuries, recounting dramatic missions while profiling such historical figures as anti-slavery spy Elizabeth Van Lew and the “Choctaw code talkers.”

Old Favorites: author Eloise Jarvis McGraw

In fifth grade, I was going to be an archaeologist. (British spelling and all.)  It didn’t happen, but that goal led to an abiding curiosity about ancient Egypt, mummies, tombs and pharaohs that’s lasted ever since then. You can probably tell that from our Ancient Egypt section (J 932) and our Mummies section (J 393.303)  In fact, this past Sunday, the Discovery Channel had an afternoon full of documentaries on Hatshepsut, Akhenaten, Tutankhamun, Nefertiti, Ptolemy, and Arsinoe.  There I was in front of the television, still mesmerized by the stories of people who lived and died over 2,000 years ago.

Most of my interest in Ancient Egypt can be tracked back to two books; The Golden Goblet and Mara, Daughter of the Nile, both by Eloise Jarvis McGraw.  They made a huge impact on my life (despite the lack of further formal archaeological studies, which could be put down to dislike of flying, camping and dust) and reading choices.  Books about the Pharaohs of Egypt, mysterious mummies, and dashing archaeologists are still at the front of my reading wish list.

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The Golden Goblet is about Ranofer, who wants to be a master goldsmith like his father before him, making beautiful jewelry for the Pharaoh and other nobility of Egypt. The death of his father, however, leaves him under the guardianship of his older half-brother Gebu. At first, Ranofer is too wrapped up in his own sadness and sense of outrage at the selfish behavior of his brother  to realize that Gebu has more wealth than he should. After he learns that Gebu is a thief, stealing from his father’s friends, Ranofer threatens to expose him. Instead, Gebu yanks him from the goldsmith’s shop and apprentices him to a stone cutter, where Ranofer is expected to labor at cutting and moving stones  in an industry where accidents are common, and Ranofer’s  hands and talent could be accidentally crushed in an instant.

Ranofer is too tired to do much except work and survive…until he finds a beautiful golden goblet hidden in his brother’s room. The goblet is inscribed with the name of the Pharaoh Thutmose, who died several years earlier. Suddenly, all of Gebu’s strange behavior makes sense–he’s robbing the tombs of the Pharaohs!

Ranofer knows that it’s his duty to report tomb robbers, but who will believe a lowly stone cutter’s apprentice over a wealthy merchant? He sets out with his new friend Hequet to follow his brother and his comrades to find proof to expose their crimes. What follows is a dangerous deception, where Ranofer’s very life hangs in the balance.  Will he survive?

Only by reading this book can you find out!

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The second book I read about a year later: Mara, Daughter of the Nile.   For slightly older readers, this is a romance as well as a mystery and a story of Ancient Egypt.  Mara is a proud and beautiful slave girl. When she is purchased by a handsome stranger and offered her freedom, she knows there is a catch. What she doesn’t know was that she’s about to become a spy.

Because of her gift with languages, Mara is brought into the palace to be an interpreter between a new royal princess and the Pharoah Hatshepsut’s brother Thutmose III.  Her new position as a spy is to learn what is happening in the palace, in order to restore Thutmose to the throne. Mara is soon playing her own game though, pitting one side against the other in a desperate bid for her own freedom.  Unfortunately for her, her new contact, Sheftu, is honorable and kind…and although they fight like cats and dogs at first, soon Mara starts to fall for him.

Can Mara figure out which side is right, and still manage to salvage a relationship with Sheftu? Just as she thinks things will work out, her duplicity is discovered, and her very life hangs in the balance. Will she survive?

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Eloise Jarvis McGraw was a wonderful writer, bringing her stories to life in many different eras. She was awarded a Newbery Honor Medal three times  in three different decades (1953 for Moccasin Trail, 1962 for The Golden Goblet and 1997 for The Moorchild), one of only a few authors to span such a wide range of years.  Her writing career spanned over fifty years. An impressive feat!

Both The Golden Goblet and Mara, Daughter of the Nile have a wonderful amount of background material and details about life in ancient Egypt–from the food the Egyptians ate to the games they played to the events that influenced their lives.  Both books pull the reader into this dusty and brilliant world, filled with characters larger than life.  I’d highly recommend both books to anyone interested in Egypt, or to anyone who wants to encourage a budding archaeologist.  Who needs Indiana Jones?  (Actually, I do. But really, that’s a whole different media.) These books might even lead the reader into a search for more information on Hatshepsut, Thutmose and other famous Egyptians.

There have been several great books about Egypt and archaeologists since these two books were published. (The Golden Goblet in 1961 and Mara, Daughter of the Nile in 1953.) If you’d like some other Egyptology suggestions, please come in and ask at the Youth Services Desk. It might even be the subject of a future booklist!

::Kelly::

New Non-Fiction for Kids!

Here are a few of our newest non-fiction titles for kids. Different formats, different subjects, different styles—but all great books to read or share at home or at school.  So, in no particular order:

A Young Dancer: The Life of an Ailey Student.  By Valerie Gladstone, photographs by Jose Ivey
Iman is a student at the prestigious Ailey School in New York City. Passionate about dance,  she also enjoys drawing, playing music, and hanging out with her friends. Follow Iman as she warms up at the barre, practices violin, and gets ready for a performance with her fellow students.  This informative picture book provides fascinating insight into the world of dance through the voice of one very talented young performer.  Appropriate for dancers of all ages.

Saving the Baghdad Zoo: A True Story of Hope and Heroes. By Kelly Milner Halls with Major William Sumner.
When U. S. Army Captain William Sumner was asked to check out the state of the Baghdad Zoo not long after the destruction of the city, he found it devastated. Hundreds of animals were missing, and those remaining were in desperate need.  Together with an international team of zoologists, veterinarians, conservationists, and dedicated animal lovers, Captain Sumner worked tirelessly to save the neglected—but tenacious—animals of Baghdad.
Saving the Baghdad Zoo tells the poignant stories of these remarkable animals. Meet the abandoned lions who roamed an empty palace with no food or drink; the camel, Lumpy, who survived transport through sniper fire; the tigers, Riley and Hope, who traveled 7,000 miles from home; and many more.  Appropriate to animal lovers grades four and up; a warning though, some of the stories are tough to read, and while most have happy endings, not all of them do.

Benjamin and the Silver Goblet. By Jacqueline Jules, illustrated by Natascia Ugliano
The story of Joseph and the Coat of Many Colors is fairly well known; a famous musical even set the story to music.  Not as well known, however, is the story of Benjamin, Joseph’s youngest brother. Told through the eyes of young Benjamin, this is the story of betrayal and redemption, of the brothers journey to Egypt, and their encounter with Joseph, once sold as a slave by his older brothers,  now Governor of Egypt. To test his family, he accuses Benjamin of theft.  The story of Joseph’s test, Benjamin’s confusion, and the dramatic reunion of the brothers will capture the imagination of readers of all ages.

Ask Dr. K Fisher about Planet Earth. Written by Claire Llewellyn, illustrated by Kate Sheppard.
Animal agony columnist extraordinaire, Dr. K. Fisher answers questions for and dispenses advice to all sorts of creatures as they write into his nest about their science concerns. In this collection, Dr. K. sympathetically responds on the subject of planet earth—about earthquakes, tides, climate, and all the things the animals observe about their surroundings. Through postcard inquiries, engaging artwork, and plenty of core knowledge, Ask Dr. K. Fisher is a hilarious and innovative approach to learning the Earth’s geography.  Try other books in the series too! Recommended for ages 4 to 10.

Survival at 40 Below. By Debbie S. Miller, illustrations by Jon Van Zyle.
Popular Alaskan author Debbie Miller (who visited Weston schools last year) has a great new addition to her titles with this book!  As temperatures drop and the snow deepens, the animals that make the tundra home must ready themselves for survival. Follow the arctic ground squirrel as it begins the cycle of sleeping, supercooling, and warming that will occur at least a dozen times before spring arrives. See how the wood frog partially freezes itself in hibernation beneath layers of snow, or how the woolly bear caterpillars makes it through the winter months with a special antifreeze substance that prevents ice from forming in their bodies. Then when the temperatures finally rise and the snow begins to melt, these creatures emerge and the pulse of life returns to the arctic.  Recommended for kids grades 2 to 5, or anyone who wants to know more about Alaska and life in the Arctic regions.

Autism and Me: Sibling Stories. By Ouisie Shapiro, photographs by Steven Vote
“If you see a kid with autism on the street, don’t yell at her if she’s doing something wrong.  She can’t help it.  Autism is really challenging,” explains Christian, who tells about life with his sister, Mary Gwen, a beautiful girl who loves to swim. In these moving essays, Christian and many other kids tell what it’s like to live with siblings who have autism.  Sometimes they can’t talk much.  Sometimes they have tantrums.  It can be tough for a family, but there are happy surprises, too. “Autism has helped us to become a better family,” adds Christian.  “It teaches us patience and understanding.” Ouisie Shapiro’s inspiring book shows how children – and all of us – can grow in wisdom, acceptance, and love.  Steven Vote’s warm photos capture the rich emotional life of these amazing families.  Appropriate for ages 8 to 12, or for anyone who knows or goes to school with a child with autism.

And one last title, for parents:

The Web and Parents: Are You Tech Savvy? By Judy Hauser
Don’t know a blog from a Wiki? MySpace from Facebook? An RSS feed from an instant message? The Web and Parents provides a brief introduction to these and other aspects of Web 2.0, including podcasts, forums, graphic generators, photo storage and file-sharing sites, and more. Parents will get a sense of what each tool or resource does, how they themselves might use them—lots of grownups do, really—and the role each plays in current K-12 education and in the lives of school-age children.   For parents who want to raise their comfort level with today’s Web capabilities, for those who want to enhance their children’s Internet usage in and out of school, and for those who want to be prepared for potential dark alleys in the online world, this book is a welcome new resource.

::Kelly::

Teens: Life after death

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin: After fifteen-year-old Liz Hall is hit by a taxi and killed, she finds herself in a place that is both like and unlike Earth, where she must adjust to her new status and figure out how to “live.” Is it possible to grow up while getting younger? Welcome to Elsewhere. Here Liz will age backward from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and returns to Earth. Is it possible that a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward? This moving, often funny book about grief, death, and loss will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.

The Mark by Jen Nadol: While in Kansas living with an aunt she never knew existed and taking a course in philosophy, sixteen-year-old Cass struggles to learn what, if anything, she should do with her ability to see people marked to die within a day’s time.

The Everafter by Amy Huntley: After her death, seventeen-year-old Maddy finds a way to revisit moments in her life by using objects that she lost while she was alive, and by so doing she tries to figure out the complicated emotions, events, and meaning of her existence.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman: While in a coma following an automobile accident that killed her parents and younger brother, seventeen-year-old Mia, a gifted cellist, weights whether to live with her grief or join her family in death.

Numbers by Rachel Ward: Fifteen-year-old Jem knows when she looks at someone the exact date they will die, so she avoids relationships and tries to keep out of the way, but when she meets a boy named Spider and they plan a day out together, they become more involved than either of them had planned.

I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder: Ava can’t see or touch him, unless she’s dreaming. She can’t hear his voice, except for the faint whispers in her mind. Most would think she’s crazy, but she knows he’s here. Jackson. The boy Ava thought she’d spend the rest of her life with. He’s back from the dead, as proof that love truly knows no bounds.

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher: When high school student Clay Jenkins receives a box in the mail containing thirteen cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah, who committed suicide, he spends a bewildering and heartbreaking night crisscrossing their town, listening to Hannah’s voice recounting the events leading up to her death.

Oh, Canada!

Celebrate the Olympics with a book that takes place in the home of our northern neighbors!  If you’d like more suggestions, come by the Library and ask one of our librarians!

Bailey, Linda.  What’s a Daring Detective Like Me Doing in the Doghouse?
Stevie Diamond and her friend Jessie Kulniki combine Stevie’s job walking dogs with their efforts to apprehend the Prankster, who is responsible for a series of not-so-serious crimes around Vancouver.  Try the other books in this series too.

Harlow, Joan.  Star in the Storm
In 1912, fearing for the safety of her beloved Newfoundland dog Sirius because of a new law outlawing non-sheepherding dogs in her Newfoundland village, twelve-year-old Maggie tries to save him by keeping him hidden.

Heneghan, James.  Flood
After his mother and stepfather die in a Vancouver mudslide, eleven-year-old Andy Flynn, having been saved by leprechauns, is taken by his stern aunt to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he meets the charming father he thought was dead, and where he must decide what place to call home.

Houston, James.  Frozen Fire
Determined to find his father who has been lost in a storm, a young boy and his Inuit friend brave wind storms, starvation, wild animals, and wild men during their search in the Canadian Arctic.

Jocelyn, Marthe. Mabel Riley
In 1901, fourteen-year-old Mable Riley dreams of being a writer and having adventures while stuck in Perth County, Ontario, assisting her sister in teaching school and secretly becoming friends with a neighbor who holds scandalous opinions on women’s rights.

Korman, Gordon. Why Did the Underwear Cross the Road?
When Justin Zeckendorf is teamed up with two of the smartest girls in his fourth grade class for a good deed contest, his zany ideas almost cost them their chance to win.

Lanthier, Jennifer. Mystery of the Martello Tower
In their attempts to solve the mystery of their father’s disappearance, Hazel and her brother, Ned, find themselves involved with a trio of Toronto art thieves and uncover some disturbing family secrets.

Lunn, Janet.  Double Spell
Strangely attracted to an antique doll, twelve-year-old twins in Toronto buy the toy and soon find themselves haunted by powerful and tragic memories of ancestral twins who had also been owners of the doll.

Montgomery, L. M. Anne of Green Gables
Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm and proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her. A classic Canadian story!

Mowat, Farley.  Lost in the Barrens
When their canoe is destroyed by the fury of the rapids, Awasin and Jamie must face the Canadian wilderness with no food and no hope of rescue. To survive, they build an igloo, battle a towering grizzly bear, track several wolves, slaughter caribou for food and clothing. Two lost huskies they tame bring companionship–and maybe a way home from their dangerous adventure.

Mowat, Farley.  Owls in the Family
The story of two owls named Wol and Weeps who live with a family in Saskatoon, Canada.

Roberts, Ken.  Thumb and the Bad Guys
In the isolated Canadian fishing village where best friends Thumb and Susan live, mystery abounds. How did an eighteenth-century cannonball wash ashore? Why does the new schoolteacher wear a wig and pancake make-up? And why, when the village’s lone “bad guy” sneaks off into the woods at night, do eerie screaming noises follow?

Roth, Arthur. Two for Survival
Two boys from different backrounds are brought together as they try to reach help after surviving a plane crash in the Canadian mountains.

Service, Pamela.  Phantom Victory
A teenage boy and girl, aided by ancestral ghosts, embark on a treasure hunt to find an heirloom necklace hidden years earlier by a guest at South Bass Island’s historic Victory Hotel.

Slade, Arthur.  Dust
Eleven-year-old Robert is the only one who can help when a mysterious stranger arrives, performing tricks and promising to bring rain, at the same time children begin to disappear from a dust bowl farm town in Saskatchewan in the 1930s.

Smucker, Barbara.  Amish Adventure
When the car he is riding in collides with a horse and buggy, twelve-year-old Ian has to spend the night with an Amish family and finds he prefers the “uncivilized” rural life to the modern society of Toronto.

Wynne-Jones, Tim.  Rex Zero at the End of the World
In the summer of 1962 with everyone nervous about a possible nuclear war, ten-nearly-eleven-year-old Rex, having just moved to Ottawa from Vancouver with his parents and five siblings, faces his own personal challenges as he discovers new friends and a new understanding of the world around him.

Old Favorites: The Snow Ghosts

In honor of yesterday’s storm (which postponed this blog entry) today’s Old Favorite is The Snow Ghosts, by Beryl Netherclift. (Hardcover title: The Snowstorm).

When I was a kid, the best part of every month at school was the day we got our Scholastic book orders.  I was a huge reader, and my mother would give me a dollar and let me pick anything I wanted.  A dollar would usually would buy two books, and sometimes I could order four or five, depending on what I could find left over from my allowance or by raiding my piggy bank.  The books all had intriguing codes like TX 2421 or TK 1277, and the paperback titles were always different from the hardcovers. Why that was, I don’t know. But it was fun to look at the two different titles and try to figure out what difference the title change could make. (Yeah, yeah…I was a book geek even then.)  The book came out in 1967, but I ordered it a few years later, when I was in Mrs. Pyle’s fifth grade class.  I still have my copy of it on my bookshelf at home; it’s kind of beat up and yellowed, but still readable!

Anyway, The Snow Ghosts (original title: The Snowstorm) is the story of three siblings; twins Kit and Caroline, and their younger brother Richard. Their father is ill and has to go to a warm climate for three months, and naturally their mother is going with him. The kids are shipped off to stay with their great-aunt Amethyst Faraday at Farthingales.  They’ve never met Aunt Amethyst, nor have they even heard of the familial estate of Farthingales, which is in Devonshire on the edge of the moors, but they’re willing to take their springer spaniel Chunky and go. It might be boring, but they’ll be helping their father get well.

Aunt Amethyst and Fauntleroy, her massive golden lab, meet them at the train station. The kids first view of Farthingales comes after a long ride through abandoned countryside; it’s an old house with steep gables and tall chimney stacks standing mysteriously against the sky.

Caroline, Kit and Richard fall in love with the old house. As they explore it, they find room after room filled with fireplaces, beautiful paneling, and things like harps, chandeliers and grand pianos. One of the most amazing things they find is a beautiful antique crystal paperweight with a an old house that looks just like  Farthingales inside. Once shaken, a snowstorm rises and covers the house…and that’s when they meet Michael, a boy their own age, who says he lives in the house too.

Aunt Amethyst is keeping a secret from the children; the house is in danger of being taken from her because she can’t pay for its upkeep. She mourns that if only she could find the treasure reputed to be hidden somewhere in the house, she could afford to save the estate. Caroline convinces Kit and Richard to help her look for it. As they search for secret panels and hidden rooms, Michael occasionally shows up to help…but he brings with him a sense of danger. Is someone following him? Does Michael really live in the house? (Aunt Amethyst has never heard of him.)  Is there really something strange going on when they shake the old snowglobe?

When the kids are  cut off from help by a blizzard and Aunt Amethyst disappears, will they manage to figure out the mystery of the house before it’s too late?   The kids are definitely not bored as they try to figure out what is going on in their ancestral estate.

I started collecting snowglobes because of this book.  Maybe (I thought back then) if I could find the right one, shaking it could help me solve a mystery or see a ghost too! Sadly, that never happened, but I still have my collection to remind me of this book, one of the favorites of my childhood.   If you’re a reader who enjoys mysteries, ghost stories, or time slip kind of books, you’d enjoy this book.   I think kids today in third, fourth or fifth grade would enjoy it too.   If you’re visiting the moors near Devonshire in the winter, it’s definitely a must read! Sadly, it’s long out of print, but we do have a battered old hardcover, and a paperback rescued from the donation box to share, if you’re interested in finding out more about Caroline, Richard, Kit, Michael and Farthingale’s treasures.

::Kelly::

If you liked . . . Percy Jackson and the Olympians!

In honor of the release of the new movie, The Lightning Thief, here’s a few books that are similar to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series premise–that the Greek gods and goddesses exist in the modern world.

Collins, Ross.  Medusa Jones
So she has snakes for hair and her best friend is half horse. Is that any reason for the popular kids to be SO mean? Medusa Jones is sure the school camping trip is going to be a nightmare. But a rock fall puts the popular kids in peril, and Medusa’s the only one who can help. Will she be a hero — or is her monster side finally going to come out?  Easy Fiction.

Deming, Sarah.  Iris, Messenger
Dreamer Iris Greenwold doesn’t care much for the real world. It’s generally pretty disappointing. But then Iris mysteriously receives a copy of Bulfinch’s Mythology and discovers that the entire pantheon of gods are living in the greater Philadelphia area. Poseidon’s running a clam shack, Aphrodite’s doing makeovers, Apollo’s playing tenor sax. Suddenly the day-to-day life Iris found so humdrum is rich with new meaning and excitement, and all her dreams are not quite what they seemed.  Middle Grade.

Druitt, Tobias.  Corydon and the Island of Monsters
Corydon, a young boy with one goat leg, meets the Gorgon Medusa when he is captured by men running a traveling freak show. He quickly realizes that the Medusa and the other “monsters” he meets aren’t evil, and together they escape to an island where they live happily…until Perseus, the cowardly son of Zeus, convinces an army of heroes that all monsters should be killed. It isn’t long before Corydon finds himself leading the monsters against the gods. Who will win?  Middle Grade.

Friesner, Esther.  Temping Fate
Ilana is relieved to get a summer job, but she wonders if she’s made the right choice when she meets the unusual sisters who will be her supervisors. Tabby, Dimity, and Georgette refer casually to work that they’ve been doing for the past several centuries, brandish extremely sharp scissors, and seem to know every detail of Ilana’s life. Soon Ilana discovers that everyone employed by the Divine Temp agency works for either the Greek gods or the heroes. Learning that she isn’t the only one with a bizarre job gives her the impetus she needs to persevere through a summer filled with unusual experiences. Teen.

Jones, Diana Wynne.  The Game
Sent from her grandparents’ London home in disgrace, Hayley arrives in Ireland to stay with her aunts and cousins in their rambling castle home. The girl immediately joins the thrilling game her cousins play, in which they venture into the mythosphere—a mysterious realm where they perform various tasks drawn from the worlds of fairytale, myth and legend. When Hayley discovers the truth about her own unearthly nature, will she also gets the chance to rescue her long-lost parents from their dreadful fates? Middle Grade.

Turner, Megan Whelan.  The Thief
Because of his great skill at thievery (and too much bragging about it) Gen lands in the King’s prison in shackles. But when the King’s Magus needs the best thief in the land to help him steal an ancient treasure, he gets Gen. To the Magus, Gen is simply a tool. But Gen is a survivor and a trickster–and he has ideas of his own. A tantalizing, suspenseful, exceptionally clever novel, that even more fun a second time around.  Middle Grade/Teen

Ursu, Anne.  The Shadow Thieves (The Chronus Chronicles)
Philonecron, born in the Underworld, is determined to overthrow Hades and is building an army from children’s stolen shadows. On Earth, Charlotte and her cousin Zee seem to be making people sick. The cousins come to understand they are at the center of a nefarious underworldly plot, and they must protect themselves, foil Philonecron, and reunite the children with their shadows. A fun and funny tale of youthful heroism.  Middle Grade

Yep, Laurence.  City of Fire
Scirye sets out to avenge her sister’s death and recover a precious treasure. Scirye and her companions pursue the thieves to Houlani, a new Hawaiian island being created by magic. There, they befriend Pele, the volatile and mercurial goddess of volcanoes. But even with Pele on their side, they may not be able to stop Mr. Roland from gaining what he seeks: the Five Lost Treasures of Emperor Yu.  Middle Grade

If you like these selections, we have a six-page list (with 30 more titles) of similar books available at the Library!

::Kelly::

Old Favorites: Adventurous Boys!

This week, we take a look at a quartet of old favorites for boys.

Adventure! Whether it’s a slightly befuddled boy with a pet skunk in the midwest, a quick-thinking entrepreneur traveling across the country, a mischievous Vermont farm boy or a gang full of independent thinkers in Massachusetts, the boys in these stories know how to find trouble…and get out of it.

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Homer Price, by Robert McCloskey. 1943
Ah, Homer Price. The boy with the pet skunk and a bunch of crazy neighbors and relatives. Whether Homer is using his wits (and his skunk) to capture robbers, looking after his uncle’s lunch room or helping judge the biggest ball of string in the county, he’s in the middle of everything.

My favorite story to read aloud is in this volume–The Doughnuts. Homer agrees to start a batch of doughnuts in his uncle’s newfangled automatic labor-saving machine. Things don’t go quite as planned though, from the wealthy woman who comes in and makes gallons of batter to the broken switch on the machine, and soon doughnuts are coming out of the machine “just as regular as a clock can tick”. As Homer piles them on tables, on the counter, on stools, and every bit of space available, the wealthy lady returns with the news that a valuable bracelet is missing.

Centerburg Tales is the sequel to Homer Price. Homer gets into just as much trouble, and manages to find his way out again…most of the time.

*  * *

Soup, by Robert Newton Peck. 1974
Based on the real-life adventures of the author and his best friend growing up in the 20s, Soup was required reading in Vermont when I was young.  Soup (only his mother called him Luther Wesley Vinson) and Rob managed to get into more trouble with each other than the rest of the kids in their one-room schoolhouse did together.  From flinging apples on a stick at the church bell tower (and hitting a stained-glass window instead) to tying a bully to a tree to barrel races downhill, you can always count on Soup and Rob to make things exciting!

The boys in this book are best friends, with all the ups and downs that go along with it. Most of the time it’s Soup pulling Rob into a situation, and Rob getting caught. I used to ask my father  (who also grew up in rural Vermont, only a couple decades later) if he’d done any of the things Soup and Rob did with his friends…and he had.  It made me treasure these books even more.

The adventures of Soup and Rob continue through several other books–Soup and Me, Soup for President, Soup on Wheels, Soup Ahoy, and more! If you want to follow a pair of trouble-making boys, these books are the place to go!

* * *

Henry Reed’s Journey, by Keith Robertson. 1963.  Illustrated by Robert McCloskey
Henry Reed lives overseas with his parents during the school year, but every summer he’s sent to stay with his aunt and uncle and his beagle, Agony, in New Jersey.  A budding entrepreneur, Henry comes up with schemes to make money every summer, from incorporating himself to a baby-sitting business to putting on a show. But in Henry Reed’s Journey, Henry meets his relatives on the west coast, and drives cross-country with them. On the way, he and his friend Midge manage to start a gold-rush, participate in a rodeo, join a Hopi tribe, and cause a panic at the Grand Canyon, all the while pursuing their goal to get some fireworks.

Henry’s journal entries tell the story, and they are very funny…mostly because Henry doesn’t see the chaos he and Midge are causing as they innocently go about their business…most of the time leaving a trail confusion and panic behind them.  But according to Henry, he’s just trying to find out what life is like in America.

If you like this story, there are others about Henry and his money-making skills. Henry Reed, Inc. is the first book; Henry Reed’s Baby-Sitting Service and Henry Reed’s Big Show round out his original adventures.

* * *

The Mad Scientists’ Club by Bertrand R. Brinley. 1961. Illustrated by Charles Geer
The Mad Scientists’ Club are seven boys–Dinky Poore, Henry Mulligan, Freddy Muldoon, Jeff Crocker, Homer Snodgrass, Mortimer Dalrymple and Zeke Boniface–who hang out together in their clubhouse and come up with complicated plans to make life more interesting. From creating a sea monster in the lake to hatching dinosaur eggs to firing one of the club members from a civil war cannon…things don’t work out quite as planned, but you have to admit, being around the Mad Scientists is never boring!

Written by a scientist who was responsible for some pretty significant input into today’s technology, this book and the sequels–The New Adventures of the Mad Scientists’ Club and The Big Kerplop! are full of inventive thinkers thinking up inventive ways to get into big trouble.

* * *

And there you have it. Boys in trouble in the past that boys today should still enjoy.  Try one today with your son!   These books would probably best be enjoyed by boys in fourth and fifth grade, or to read aloud to second or third graders.  Definitely try the Doughnut chapter from Homer Price!

::Kelly::