The Last Colony by Eoin Colfer

The Artemis Fowl series has always been superbly written and brilliantly conceived, with an astonishing array of humor, techno-gadgets, mind-bending plots, daredevil escapes and rescues…frankly, they have a tendency to leave one dizzy — but enchanted. And The Last Colony is better than the previous installments. Read the rest.

The Ice Dragon by George R.R. Martin

The Ice Dragon is a lovely story and exactly what you would expect from George R.R. Martin after toning down one of his short stories or novellas for younger readers. Read the rest.

Redwall by Brian Jacques

If you like creatures, critters, and cuteness, Redwall is the series for you! At the same time, if you like action, adventure, heroism, and bad guys who you can love to hate, Redwall is also the series for you!… Redwall is a great series for young and old alike. Not much romance, as I would hate to imagine mice kissing, but it is chock full of adventure, excitement, and page-turning action that will turn you into a true Brian Jacques fan for life! Read the rest.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

I have literally just finished Jeanne DuPrau’s The City of Ember and I am still trembling with anticipation and literally KICKING myself for not buying the entire Ember series at once. It is 1 AM and I might just have to go out to an all-night store and buy myself the next book —I want to see what is going to happen THAT badly!.. Read the rest.

Skellig by David Almond

… It is a rare book that can tell what seems to be such a simple story in such a clear, yet intoxicating way. Told in first-person narrative by Michael, David Almond effortlessly creates the point of view of a young boy in a gritty, realistic world. The language and behavior in particular is wonderful — you can really see real people speaking and acting in the ways that he describes, and the interaction with Skellig is so natural that you have no trouble believing Michael’s words. Read the rest.

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

… if you’re going to set your book in England and have as a main character a young boy learning the art of wizardry, you’ve guaranteed yourself a comparison to Harry Potter. With The Amulet of Samarkand, Jonathan Stroud can proudly say, “bring him on — wands at 15 paces!” With so much pallid fantasy out there, The Amulet of Samarkand is a breath of fresh air, told in a witty, original voice within a well-constructed plot and structure focused on two complex characters. Read the rest.

Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander

…In many ways, this fourth book in Lloyd Alexander‘s The Chronicles of Prydain is the odd one out. It is the only story that does not pit our characters against the forces of supernatural evil (well, except in one small instance). It is the only installment in which Princess Elionwy is completely absent. It is the only story that has no clear destination in its quest narrative. Even the title is a little different, lacking the usual “The” before the noun.  Read the rest.

The Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander

Lloyd Alexander‘s five-part The Chronicles of Prydain is essential reading for anyone, regardless of age, gender or reading preferences. Although they are classed as both fantasy and children’s literature, these books can be enjoyed by everyone, not just for its fantastical elements and the broad good vs. evil conflict, but for their gentle humour, loveable characters and vindication of humanity over, not just fantasy-evil, but the more base qualities of greed, ignorance, spite and pride. Read the rest.

The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander

Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain series, loosely based on Welsh myths, is a classic work of fantasy that no one should miss. If you think you won’t get anything out of it because it’s “young adult,” think again. If anything, a mature reader probably gets more enjoyment out of it…. he series is not only recommended, but is pretty well required, regardless of age. Read the rest.

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

… if you haven’t read this original text of Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, then you really don’t know the story at all. The Disney movie, the stage productions (especially those that aren’t based on Barrie’s own script), or one of the myriad of abridged picture books, simply don’t count. And don’t even get me started on Steven Spielberg’s Hook. These adaptations don’t even begin to scratch the surface of one of the deepest, most intriguing, and darkest children’s books ever to be written… Read the rest.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

… The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is positively jam-packed full of beheadings, monsters, witches, deaths and other terrors, all focused on a character that embodies the quintessential childhood fear: that of being lost and unable to return home… there are plenty of things of Baum’s creation that the movie left out… Read the rest.

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

… I was almost finished with the book before I realized I was enjoying it… I shut the book feeling very satisfied, a bit like I’d just eaten a good meal. I might have started out hating it, but by the end I’d fallen in love with all of it, even those questioning bits that annoyed me so much. Call me crazy, but I can’t help but think that that just might be part of the point… Read the rest.

Tentacles by Roland Smith

… The plot of Tentacles might be straight-forward but it’s a real blast. Towards the end it gets really tense and exciting, keeping me turning pages right up to the somewhat cliff-hanger ending. My husband (who is reading and enjoying it very much as well) and I plan to pick up a copy of Cryptid Hunters soon. Perhaps that’ll hold us over until the next Cryptid Hunters book. And hopefully it won’t be too long a wait! Read the rest.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Ignore the YA label slapped on this one if that gives you pause. Though that won’t be hard to do because The Graveyard Book opens with a hand in the darkness holding a knife wet with the blood of almost an entire family: father, mother, and older child. The knife lacks only the blood of the toddler son to finish its job. Luckily for the reader (and the boy) he escapes into a nearby cemetery where a mothering ghost convinces the cemetery community to protect him. Another reason to ignore the YA label, or better yet, to revel in it, is that Neil Gaiman’s YA-listed material is stronger than his adult work… Read the rest.

Treasure of Green Knowe by Lucy Boston

… As a sequel to Children of Green Knowe, this second part (also published as Chimneys of Green Knowe) is undoubtedly superior to its predecessor. Though I missed Toby, Alexander and Linnet, their part in the first story was as whimsical spirits — Susan and Jacob have a definite story assigned to them, and interact with Tolly in a more important way, stirring events into being on both sides of the centuries. Lucy Boston creates a sophisticated commentary on prejudice that still rings true today … Truly, the GREEN KNOWE stories are among the lost masterpieces of children’s literature. Do everyone in your family a favor and read them — the house, the characters, the situations, and the sublime use of language that Lucy Boston uses is unforgettable. Read the rest.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass

… In a story that is so random there is plenty of room for all sorts of crazy theories as to exactly what everything means. Does Alice have a deep subtext, filled with hidden meaning and messages? Is it Freudian? Elaborate satire? Does it reflect the deep internal frustrations, anxieties and wish-fulfillment of a slightly-disturbed mathematician obsessed with little girls? Or is it simply a series of weird and wonderful events dreamed up for the enjoyment of children? The fact that nobody is really sure what to make of this story is probably the reason why it’s still published, read and discussed today… Read the rest.

Silksinger by Laini Taylor

… Silksinger starts with a bang. Apparently Laini Taylor is determined to shave a few years off my life, as the opening chapter grabs the reader by the throat and runs (or flies, as might be more appropriate)… I continue to be impressed by Taylor’s world-building skills… Silksinger has few slow moments and a lot to recommend it. Though the series is labeled for an age group of 9-12, it’s perfectly satisfying fare for adults as well. So if your son or daughter has these sitting on their shelves, go steal — er, I mean, borrow them… Read the rest.

The Grey King by Susan Cooper

… The Grey King, the fourth book in The Dark is Rising sequence is generally considered the best in the series, and is the winner of the Newbery Medal… here for the first time, Cooper adds little touches of grey to the matter, or at least makes you look at the opposites in a different way… deals with darker and more human issues than previously… Cooper’s language is beautiful, her research thorough, her themes profound and her meanings deep and thoughtful. There is so much hidden depth (sometimes held within a single sentence that is easy to miss) that it’s impossible to list them all…  Do yourself a favor and read these books! Read the rest.

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

Despite multiple awards and a talent that is up there with the best of the fantasy authors, Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series is often overlooked by readers in general. A five-part series, it deals with the battle between good and evil as waged by the Old Ones, several contemporary children, a range of mystical objects, and figures from history and legend. It sounds like pretty generic stuff, but Cooper’s gift lies in the telling of the story, and manages to take these well-trod aspects of the fantasy genre and turn them into something truly memorable… Read the rest.

Greenwitch by Susan Cooper

… An essential part of the collection, Greenwitch is a great inclusion, wrapping up plot points from the previous two books and setting the stage for the next two. In many ways, this is Jane’s story, making the book unique considering she is the only female of note in the entire series — though she’s hardly a strong, independent female of the 21st century, her simple wish is really quite touching and harks back to the days when females didn’t have to swing a sword or do kick-boxing in order to make a real difference… Read the rest.

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black

… Holly Black has managed to craft a fast-paced, intriguing and sometimes unsettling narrative centered on the realm of Faerie… Black returns to the original folktales and legends and portrays her faerie creatures as dangerous, untrustworthy, suspicious beings — though ones still capable of great beauty, mystery and (sometimes) kindness… Black draws upon real folklore and faerie lore within the context of the story — such as wearing clothes inside out, placating a house-brownie, the value of a hollowed stone, the dangers of faerie food, and other little touches that resonance with accuracy. In this, DiTerlizzi accompanies Black’s portrayal magnificently, and there’s really no limit to how much I could rave about his quirky, intricate, beautiful illustrations. From the smirks and grins of the kids themselves, to the architectural muddle of the Spiderwick Estate, to the way in which the contemporary world is effortlessly integrated with the world of the faeries, DiTerlizzi never fails to match the text perfectly.

The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain

After the five-part Chronicles of Prydain came to a close, fans of the series requested more stories from Lloyd Alexander, and he obliged with this anthology… the stories are better described as fairy tales that just happen to include familiar faces from the original The Chronicles of Prydain. Of course, this in no way detracts from my enjoyment of The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain… his wonderful storytelling ensures that the simple pleasures of life are always triumphant over not just evil, but more human foibles. Reflecting on the simple wonders of nature, the preciousness of tools over jewels, and the comfort of hearth and home, Alexander manages to insert an innate truthfulness and wisdom into his tales that never comes across as preachy. This is an essential companion book to The Chronicles of Prydain, and can be read before, after, or during your reading of the original five books without fear of spoilers. Read the rest.

The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy M. Boston

Reading this book was a strange experience for me, as even though I had never read it before in my life, it evoked a strange sense of familiarity that only the very best books, movies and music are able to achieve. Usually these are reserved for the ones that are experienced in childhood and carried through into adulthood, but every now and then one arrives that touch one on so deep a level that one feels they’ve always known them… For anyone who likes dreamy, meandering stories but has no idea where to find them, look no further than The Children of Green Knowe. There’s enough charm and mystery for any child or adult who long for such a place to live in, and Mrs Oldknow’s stories-within-the-story, Tolly’s wonderment at his home, and the many strange events that happen make this a hidden gem in children’s literature. Read the rest.

An Enemy at Green Knowe by Lucy M. Boston

The fifth book in Lucy Boston’s Green Knowe series finally brings together our two main protagonists… It is the first GREEN KNOWE book to instigate a good against evil theme, and for that reason is sure to be a favourite among most readers since all the other books make more meandering and whimsical reading. In fact, one should be warned that this installment can get a little scary at times, and even gruesome… Boston claims that she wrote these books for her own amusement, and that has never been more apparent than in An Enemy at Green Knowe … Read the rest.

The Stones of Green Knowe by Lucy M. Boston

The Stones of Green Knowe completes Boston’s series, and aptly takes us right back to the beginning of Green Knowe…  After six books in the series, I was very sad to see its end, as with all great literature, I had grown quite attached to Green Knowe and its inhabitants. It was a touch of genius to have the final book take place at ‘the beginning’ as it were… The Stones of Green Knowe is the perfect ending to a stunning series of somewhat unknown books, leaving us with the major theme of the books: the ongoing battle to protect that which is natural and beautiful. I found it extremely fitting that the book ended with one last enigma concerning the fate of the Stones, and what appears to be the end of the time-traveling, for the last sentence of this last book took my breath away in its sadness and potency. Read the rest.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

… The reason I was so taken by this lovely debut novel is because of the ‘surroundings’ to the plot. Rowling’s world of Hogwarts and her fantastic little twists to our familiar world are simply superb. From chocolate frogs that can actually jump to portraits from which the subjects sometimes leave — every little detail of the world is delightful!… Rowling also writes with great humour and an appreciation for the minds of children, and an understanding of what would appeal to them… Read the rest.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

… Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is where J.K. Rowling tightens up her act. The plot is excellently written with not too many of the loopholes that characterised the first two books… The book is sleek and not too long. I enjoy reading the Harry Potter books, but the later books definitely suffer from being longer than a few hundred pages. Here Rowling is forced to be efficient with her story, and it is all the more effective for it… this is a richly entertaining and imaginative story, in which the main characters really develop. I appreciated the strong plotline. I couldn’t wait to read the next one! Read the rest.

The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander

The Black Cauldron is the second in Lloyd Alexander’s five-part Chronicles of Prydain, and possibly the most well known. When discussing these books with other people, you’ll usually get a blank look if you say “the Prydain books” or The Book of Three, but if you mention The Black Cauldron, you’ll probably get a vague sense of recognition. It is a Newbery Honor book and was made into a Disney film, and as such is the most popular of all five books… another wonderful story, with all the mystery, suspense, adventure, and intrigue that builds on the previous book and sets us up for the next one. All of the main characters are beautifully endearing… Alexander laces wonderful humor throughout his story, as well as subtle morals that are worthy of thought… Read the rest.

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

In the sea of young adult fiction out there, Gregor the Overlander makes for one of the more pleasant anchorages… Being a young adult novel, the story moves along swiftly, without a lot of detailed description of either setting or society, but if the world is only sketched out, it is done so fully enough so that the reader never feels at a loss and is done so interestingly enough that the reader often wants to learn much more than is revealed. The same holds true for many of the characters… Read the rest.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

… The (barely) three page prologue of Jeanne DuPrau‘s The City of Ember sets a splendid dramatic tension for the story. We know that something is afoot, that there is more to Ember than Ember… We see the development of this through the eyes of two twelve year olds, both very different children. Doon has a temper and is rather sullen, and Lina is a bundle of hope and joy. But their depth goes beyond that. These are three-dimensional characters — a rarity in children’s books. Also rare is the sturdy, clear writing. It never felt rushed, always felt poised… I found myself, more than once, wanting to walk the streets of Ember… Read the rest.

The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau

Although The People of Sparks is a very different book than The City of Ember, it is a perfect sequel, and not disappointing in the least. While The City of Ember may have been more inventive, in terms of an underground city that was on its last leg, this is infinitely more profound. It’s still inventive, though… It’s a heartwarming and beautiful story. I look forward to her next book with immense anticipation… Read the rest.

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

The Neverending Story is probably best known to the general public through Wolfgang Peterson’s movie… Since it’s likely that you’ve seen the movie but not read the book, I highly recommend that you track down the original story — the movie stands on its own, but the book takes Bastian on a deeper and more dangerous journey into Fantastica and the inner regions of the soul, both adding detail into the movie’s progression, and continuing into a larger and more fascinating adventure… It is nothing less than a tragedy that money-hungry producers were allowed to exploit Ende’s book into the appallingly bad sequels and series, and I do my best to pretend that they don’t exist… Read the rest.

Eulalia by Brian Jacques

… I have always been a lover of Brian Jacques’s Redwall series, and Eulalia was no exception. I love Jacques’s work because, even though the reader visits the same places over and over again in all of his books, his world becomes familiar and comforting but never boring and predictable. His characters are always easy to love and wonderful to hate… Eulalia was another great addition to Brian Jacques’ high-quality Redwall epic. If you’re thinking about picking up the series for your child, do so! You won’t regret it! Read the rest.

The Willow Tree’s Daughter by Pamela Freeman

It is a very sad fact that this book is so overlooked, as it is a rare gem that everybody should try to get hold of, filled with amazing characters, strange creatures and stereotypes that get twisted on their heads!… each chapter tells the tale of an adventure that befalls Betony and her friends and each one is original, imaginative and unconnected to the rest — it reads like a series of short stories, and you can read them out of order. If you read this to children they’ll no doubt find a favourite chapter they’ll want you to read out over and over again… I very highly recommend this little gem, and the other Floramonde books — you won’t be sorry you picked up this delightful series of tales! Read the rest.

Inkspell by Cornelia Funke

…. With Inkspell, Funke has finally meshed concept and execution together perfectly, creating her best piece of work so far… Inkspell could have been simply a wonderful fantasy tale but Funke offers up plentiful exploration of relationships, of coming-of-age, of responsibility/obligation, and of course, given the premise of the series, of the power of words/language/creativity. Inkspell is, I think, her most mature and most impressive work… Read the rest.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

Retold fairytales, in which the characters and plots of traditional stories are explored in more depth, or told from an unexpected point-of-view, are a dime a dozen these days. But one stands out from the rest, and that is Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted, which takes the story of Cinderella and not only provides impetus for many of the nonsensical elements of the original tale, but builds a rich imaginary world around it and makes the titular character one of the best heroines to ever appear in YA novel… Read the rest.

The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

The Magician’s Nephew was the sixth book that C.S. Lewis wrote in the Chronicles of Narnia, although chronologically it is placed first in the series, as a prequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. This leads to many debates on when and where it is supposed to be read — but really, it doesn’t make much of a difference considering that all seven of the books are complete stories within themselves… The Magician’s Nephew is an excellent addition to the Chronicles, and has within it all the magic, mystery and meaning that one expects from the Narnia books… Read the rest.

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

… As of late, The Chronicles of Narnia have been under some critical scrutiny, accused of sexism, racism and heavy religious propaganda. Yikes! That’s heavy stuff for a children’s book!… Read into the content any way you want, since the way in which the story is told is beautifully done. Lewis was the master of unforgettable imagery… the land of Narnia doesn’t come anywhere near the detail and workmanship of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, and yet has a charm and beauty all of its own. Lewis’s vivid detail and wonderful invention of a land and its inhabitants are followed through in the sequels, and in my humble opinion it is one of the most beautifully-realised subworlds ever created. Just read it. Read the rest.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

The third book in The Chronicles of Narnia (or the fifth if you’re reading them in chronological order), is a rather unusual book within the context of the series, considering the good-against-evil theme that permeates the other six books in the series is largely absent here. Of course there are dangers and trials, as well as personal conflict that need to be resolved, but because there is no central villain nor any fundamental evil that needs to be defeated, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is more thoughtful, more carefully paced, more obviously spiritual and more episodic than any of the other books… For many, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the best book in the series… Read the rest.

The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis

… The Silver Chair is the only Narnia story that has a clear narrative structure from the get-go; the search for the lost prince. It is only a few chapters before the trio of travelers are on their way, with a clear sense of their purpose and direction — quite different from the other books in which it can take most of the book for the child protagonists to get a sense of their goals and purposes. This has the clear advantage of speeding up the narrative, and The Silver Chair races along at a steady pace. For the first time we get to explore the lands that lie north of Narnia… With a stirring adventure, heart-pounding dangers and a villain that is second only to the famous White Witch, Lewis presents an entertaining and re-readable adventure story. Read the rest.

Thornspell by Helen Lowe

…Thornspell manages to keep the basic plot-points of the original “Sleeping Beauty” fairytale intact whilst wrapping them in an entirely new perspective… there are plenty of twists, secrets and disguises to keep the reader guessing… Thornspell is a fairytale, but it’s also the “true” story behind the fairytale, and so there is the sense that this is the definitive version of how the original events played out, events which will inevitably change as time goes by into the story that we know today. Read the rest.

The Magician Trilogy by Jenny Nimmo

The Magician Trilogy books by Jenny Nimmo are some of the best children’s fantasy novels out there… Set in the mountains of Wales, the books chronicle the experiences of Gwyn Griffith, a young boy magician dealing with the gift and burden of inheriting magical powers from his legendary ancestors… can best be compared with Susan Cooper and Lloyd Alexander, both of whom instigated the use of Welsh legends as the basis for their books (The Dark is Rising sequence and The Chronicle of Prydain). The Magician Trilogy is sadly not as popular as either of these books, but they are well worth the effort of finding. Delicately written, and with touching illustrations by Joanna Carey, these books should be on every child’s bookshelf... Read the rest.

Mister Monday by Garth Nix

… an amazing adventure through a world chock-full of danger, intrigue, invention and surprises. The House is one of the most colorful places you could ever wish to visit, complete with everything from elevators to dinosaurs to coal cellars. Nix delights in playing with words and concepts… Throughout, Arthur is a sympathetic, understandable protagonist, who reacts to his adventures in a way that you’d expect a young boy to do, but with extraordinary resilience and courage, as does his young sidekick Suzy Turquoise Blue. All other characters are vivid and interesting, both good and bad, and immensely memorable. Also, Nix sprinkles little hints and clues to the next books throughout the text, so read carefully!… Read the rest.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

They say that the book is often better than the movie and that statement definitely applies to Bridge to Terabithia. The movie gets only 2 stars, but the book is worthy of 5 stars. While the movie had very good actors and great special effects, somewhere along the way it lost the soul of the book. No other piece of fantasy writing has so clarified for me the exquisite pain and joy of being a child. Of being terrified of one’s powerlessness, while at the same time being elated at discovering friendship and the use of one’s imagination… Read the rest.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

The Golden Compass is the first book of Philip Pullman‘s extraordinary, controversial, thought-provoking, fascinating, infuriating, allegorical trilogy His Dark Materials. Followed by The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, the books have a huge range of ideas and meanings; from exploring the bond between the body and soul, to denouncing modern religious practices, to retelling Milton’s Paradise Lost from a completely different point of view. Throughout, the story is compelling and beautifully told, the source of endless debates and discussions, and a narrative with such an extreme and unique message that (even if you don’t agree with it) you have to admire the sheer gall that Pullman has in delivering it within a book aimed for children. Read the rest.

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman

The Subtle Knife is an amazing piece of literature; often more suited for adult readers than for the children/young adults that it’s geared toward, and with a message that — though controversial — is immensely thought provoking and worth pondering. Strangely enough, this second book is actually my favourite installment in the series; odd since middle books are often those that flounder… The Subtle Knife is a book you can read several times, finding deeper meaning and added detail every time. As always, the criticism Pullman poses against organized religion (in particular, the Catholic Church) is controversial, but I found it easy enough to enjoy the book without totally agreeing to its message. This gets a bit more difficult in The Amber Spyglass… Read the rest.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

… The Lightning Thief is some of the most fun I’ve had reading in quite some time. Oh, you could draw the occasional Harry Potter parallel if you wanted, but honestly I found The Lightning Thief far too fresh, funny, and genuinely witty to do it that disservice. Aside from the humor and fun, my favorite aspect was the chemistry between Percy and his main female opposite, Annabeth. A lot of authors would think, oh, they’re twelve-year-olds, they don’t need to have chemistry — which is a huge mistake. Their interaction has all the hallmarks of early unresolved tension of the very best sort… Read the rest.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

… It’s hard to express in words the sheer power of the emotions expressed in this and every other Harry Potter book. If you were one of those people who saw, from the beginning, that these were not books to be so lightly dismissed as children’s books, then you were right. Very rarely does a writer capture the joys and agonies of life in the way that Rowling does. From book one the Harry Potter series has been a stunning example of how cruelty, selfishness, and greed can tear lives completely asunder — and how love and friendship — and time — can mend some of those wounds. Half-Blood Prince takes this to a new level… Read the rest.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

I don’t want to spoil the plot, as there are many twists lurking within this book, so I’ll just say this: This is the best one yet… Here, J.K. Rowling presents a Book 6 that is as tight as Book 3, has as much romance and character development as Book 4, involves a tragedy as profound as that of book 5 (or maybe more so, as I’m not convinced that the character who died in book 5 is really dead), and is sprinkled throughout by moments as funny as the best ones from books 1 and 2. She has set up so much interesting stuff, I have no idea how she’s going to fit it all into one final book. Overall: Whoa… Read the rest.

The Crystal Mountain by Ruth Sanderson

If it were up to me, I’d make sure every single children’s bookshelf had at least one of Ruth Sanderson’s wonderful books. Her stories are simple, sweet, and yet thought-provoking, and her illustrations are clear, uncluttered and utterly beautiful. The Crystal Mountain is no exception, and is definitely up there as one of her best works… The Crystal Mountain is a must for fairytale lovers, a wonderful addition to a children’s library and delight for those who love beautiful picture books. Read the rest.

A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan

Darren Shan wasn’t kidding when he told us that A Living Nightmare was going to be a story that didn’t follow typical conventions. It was a wonderfully told story, with action that pushed the story forward from chapter to chapter. He used the device of short chapters, sometimes when they weren’t necessary, to fuel that action… This was a terrific story. A Living Nightmare is the second book I’ve read where I’ve begun in bed and stayed awake until finishing it (about an hour and a half). I’m really looking forward to reading more, and was glad to see that there is much more enjoyment ahead. Read the rest.

The Vampire’s Assistant by Darren Shan

Many sequels pale in comparison to the original, as they tend to lose steam. Not so with The Vampire’s Assistant. If anything, this had more steam than the original. What’s very impressive with The Cirque du Freak trilogy is the wonderful pacing. The books are nearly impossible to put down, because at the end of every chapter there’s a hook to draw you into the next chapter. As a result, I tend to read these books in one sitting. Perhaps even more impressive is the risks that Darren Shan takes… Read the rest.

Tunnels of Blood by Darren Shan

Once again, Darren Shan presents a unique and compelling story that surprises us, introduces us to new characters, and gives Darren — gasp! — a girlfriend… I won’t discuss what actually happens, but I’ll say this: you might think you know at least part of what’s going on, but when you get the full explanation, you’ll realize that you really didn’t have a clue. The only thing that I find slightly annoying about Cirque Du Freak is that Mr. Crepsley — a very well respected vampire — seems to make quite a few mistakes. Without these mistakes (withholding information, for one), there would be no story. I’d like to see that change. Read the rest.

Trials of Death by Darren Shan

… Authors need to hurt their characters, and this author put Darren through the wringer. These challenges slayed Darren to the bone — burned him, scarred him, and at one point would have killed him if not for an intervention from an unlikely source. Because of this, Darren is shamed, and the entire Vampire community is up in arms over what to do. Anyone who does not complete the Trials of Death, or has someone intervene on their behalf is dishonored, and the fate is death. As usual, the book is full of twists and turns, was delightful to read, and had a terrific, terrific cliffhanger. Also, there was a stunning turn of events that I’m sure left most readers with their jaw on the floor. Read the rest.

The Vampire Prince by Darren Shan

The Vampire Prince was an absolutely spectacular book, and as with the rest of the series, as soon as I finished it I wanted to read the next book immediately… the author is in excellent form as he introduces new and entertaining characters, and his plots and twists (even though by now we’ve come to expect them) still surprise us. Also, Darren kills in this book — and the tenderness with which the author handles Darren’s emotions is exceptional. For an author who has been chocking gore at us (though not gratuitously) for the past five books, this takes us back to the very first book which I still think is the best book in the series because of the conflicting emotions and stunning turn of events… Read the rest.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Hobbit is just good clean fun, delightful for children and adults. If you’ve read LOTR and wondered how Bilbo got the ring, here’s the story. I enjoyed Tolkien’s omniscient narrator style in this book — somewhat like Thackeray’s Vanity Fair, and more recently Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell — which I suppose he adopted because he was writing for children. I think it’s charming. I highly recommend the audiobook, read by Rob Inglis. He’s a Royal Shakespeare company actor and the best audiobook reader I’ve ever heard (and I’ve heard a lot of them). He has a different voice for each dwarf, and he does a great Gollum, too. He actually sings the songs (nice voice!) and he even belches up ponies… Read the rest.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

… Coraline is a terrific little heroine. Curious and brave, but appropriately cautious, she sets out to discover what’s in the vacant flat. And though what’s there seems rather wonderful at first, Coraline soon realizes that it’s actually rather horrible. Not in a bloody gory kind of way, but in a spooky, spine-tingling, why-the-heck-is-this-so-scary kind of way. Neil Gaiman understands creepy… The eeriness is accented with excellently terrifying drawings by Dave McKean (who did the Sandman covers). Coraline is excellent fantasy for sensitive but brave children who like to squirm. I read it to my daughters, and I’m sure I squirmed just as much as they did… Read the rest.

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

Lloyd Alexander’s fantastic five-part Chronicles of Prydain begins with The Book of Three, which is required reading for anyone who considers themselves a fantasy fan and/or a lover of children’s literature — or in fact anyone who loves a darn good book. And you can’t stop there — make sure you have on hand the following volumes: The Black Cauldron, The Castle of Llyr, Taran Wanderer and The High King. Three of them have won or been nominated for the Newbery Award, and are loved by readers all over the world; they belong on the shelf next to The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia in terms of how beloved they have become… If you have never ventured into Prydain before, then be prepared to read a series of truly excellent books that you’ll treasure forever. It goes without saying that The Chronicles of Prydain have my very highest recommendation. Read the rest.

Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones

Diana Wynne Jones‘s novels, Charmed Life is possibly her most famous, and her most read. It is the first published of her Chrestomanci novels, and it stars many of her most famous characters with her requisite twisting plot and quirky sense of humour. Set in a parallel world ripe with magic, wizards and magical creatures, DWJ’s Chrestomanci quartet were clearly inspirational to J.K. Rowling in her creation of Hogwarts and her wizarding world — a lot of comparisons can be made between the two. Ultimately Harry Potter is the deeper and more intricate series, but DWJ’s novels are stand-alone, can be read out of order, and are rich in detail and cleverness… Read the rest.

Instructions by Neil Gaiman

As one might expect from Neil Gaiman, Instructions is an unusual little book, and despite technically being a picture book, isn’t necessarily something you would give to a child. Not that the content is objectionable — just a tad incomprehensible to anyone who isn’t well versed in the rules and patterns of fairytales. With that in mind, a child might be the perfect audience! I think what I’m trying to say is that Instructions is a story for those who love stories, and the more familiar you are with the tales upon which it’s based, the better you will enjoy it… Charles Vess provides the illustrations… creating a visually simplistic but vivid world of the fairytale, in which imps crawl in the branches of treetops, princesses call from tower windows and glass slippers lie abandoned by the roadside… Reading much like a poem, with its own tempo and rhythm, this is a picture book that demands more than one read… Read the rest.

Hercules by Geraldine McCaughrean

…In her beautiful, fluid prose, McCaughrean hits the perfect balance in presenting the darker aspects of the myths without being either too gratuitous or too prissy… Most young people are familiar with Hercules through either the Kevin Sorbo series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, or Disney’s animated film, in which the famous hero appears as a good-hearted, sensitive man who devotes his life to good deeds simply for the sake of it… The legendary Hercules was loud, boorish, brutish and rather dense; all the clever ideas that helped him defeat his foes were invariably whispered in Hercules’ ears by helpful gods. McCaughrean walks the line between these two extremes. Although this Hercules is certainly not as saintly as his TV/movie counterparts, he is still a relatively gentle and simple soul who captures the reader’s sympathy… Out of McCaughrean’s four retellings of Greek myths, Hercules is probably the best. Remaining faithful to the myth, whilst writing with her own distinctive voice, softening some of the harsher aspects whilst never pandering to the lowest common denominator, McCaughrean presents a thoughtful, well-told, bittersweet look at one of the world’s most famous heroes. Read the rest.

The High King by Lloyd Alexander

The High King is the fifth and last book in the truly wonderful Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander, preceded by The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, The Castle of Llyr, and Taran Wanderer, all of which are necessary reading if you want to fully understand and enjoy this last installment. The High King, however, has the added distinction of being the winner of the Newbery award, as well as being a good deal thicker than the previous books…Very few series endings leave you with a sense of completion as satisfying as this. The High King has my highest recommendation as a truly worthwhile and rewarding read, a perfect five stars. Read the rest.

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

… Although The Titan’s Curse remains my favorite installment (so far), Battle of the Labyrinth has the most cohesive plot. In previous books the story-lines can be a bit haywire, with our protagonists running about with no clear idea of what they’re doing or why, but here the goals are decided upon swiftly and the setbacks faced with maturity. Our heroes are growing in more ways than one, and for the first time a touch of tension exists between Percy and Annabeth that has nothing to do with their external circumstances. Other little subplots and mysteries are continued (such as Nico de Angelo’s misplaced anger at Percy for the death of his sister) or introduced (a new teacher known as Mr. Quintus seems to have an unclear agenda at the camp), and resolved in satisfactory ways. The Labyrinth is a great imaginative effort, a large semi-conscious organism that is ever-changing and evolving, filled to the brim with monsters, traps, secrets and danger. Percy and his friends certainly find more than they expect down there, and Rick Riordan has great fun satirizing certain aspects of contemporary culture, updating the old Greek myths in clever ways… I’m always amazed by the sheer amount of material that Riordan manages to pack into any one Percy Jackson book without things getting slow… Read the rest.

The Clockwork Three by Matthew Kirby

Amid the several highly anticipated children’s and YA works this year by big names such as Suzanne Collins and Rick Riordan, one can be forgiven for missing the entry onto the stage of Matthew Kirby’s first novel, The Clockwork Three. Forgiven, but no longer excused, for among all those much more hyped releases (though they are often justifiably hyped), this stands out as among the best. There. Now you know. You should get it… The writing throughout The Clockwork Three is tight and sharp, vivid and evocative… There are some simply beautiful lines and the writing is so tight and the pacing so well-handled… There’s no scene I’d remove, and it isn’t often I say that. The Clockwork Three is a book with soul and heart, conveyed by crisp and at times poetic language. Highly recommended. Read the rest.

Instructions by Neil Gaiman

I am a sucker for illustrated children’s books. I get quite attached to specific editions and consider it a tragedy when some of my favorite tales are reillustrated. It’s the cinematic equivalent of colorizing Casablanca. Imagine my joy to discover that Neil Gaiman, who I love, had paired up with Charles Vess on children’s books. The two geniuses came together to create Instructions, a short tale for a reader of any age who wants to safely traverse enchanted lands… I would recommend Instructions for anyone who loves fairy and folk tales. The more you have read, the more you will get out of this book, which makes me feel perfectly justified in keeping it on my bookshelf as an adult. Read the rest.

Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess have paired up again to produce the breathtaking Blueberry Girl, a fantastical blessing poem or lullaby that Gaiman wrote for his two daughters. Invoking “Ladies of light and ladies of darkness and ladies of never-you-mind,” Gaiman prays for blessings to be bestowed on his blueberry girl. Reminiscent of fairy godmothers — Gaiman’s prayer for protection and spindles makes that allusion even stronger — the author lists off his wishes for his daughters to be bestowed by the ladies who take different forms throughout the story in Vess’s enchanting drawings. There is no hint of the creepy or spooky characters that haunt so many of Gaiman’s books. This is just the pure love of a father for his children. The illustrations depict a wide range of girls from various ethnic groups (though I did not see any overtly Asian-looking girls) so many little girls reading this book are likely to find someone she can identify with. I would recommend it for any parent of a daughter, or anyone involved in nurturing girls. I have a lot of new baby nieces, so this book will be a frequent gift from their favorite auntie.

Darkwing by Kenneth Oppel

My nine-year-old son recently read Darkwing, an older book by Kenneth Oppel, and has been after me to read it myself because he thought I’d enjoy it and because he wanted to share the experience and talk about it. I’m glad he kept on me, because Darkwing was one of the best middle grade books I’ve read this past year. My son clearly thought so as well, since he had me read it aloud to him (including a two-hours-straight stretch) from the halfway point on, even though he’d just read it a few weeks earlier. That’s perhaps the best recommendation I can give. Before Darkwing Oppel had already penned a contemporary fantasy series with bats as characters: Sunwing, Silverwing, and Firewing. One could call Darkwing a prequel, but it’s got to be the earliest prequel I’ve ever seen: it’s set way back in the Paleocene epoch, just as the dinosaurs are dying out. This prehistoric setting is a great choice. Read the rest.

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

… Anne Ursu’s Breadcrumbs is a retelling of the fairy tale “The Snow Queen,” and it’s fantastic. Ursu perfectly captures what it’s like to be a child of about eleven, just on the cusp of puberty but not there yet. You’re old enough to know that believing in magic is considered childish, but you don’t want to live in a world without it… This is a beautifully written book — and intelligently written, too. Kids will enjoy this, especially kids who are introspective and bookish like Hazel herself, but I think it may actually be even more enjoyable for adults. This isn’t so much a book for children as it is a book about childhood, meaningful for readers of all ages… I recommend Breadcrumbs to anyone who is a geeky kid… and anyone who has ever been a geeky kid. Read the rest.

Icefall by Matthew Kirby

…One might imagine that Kirby’s second novel, Icefall, would have a difficult time matching the quality of his first novel, The Clockwork Three. Darned if he didn’t just do it though. Before I’d even finished it, Icefall was already on my list of top ten children’s novels for 2011 and by the time I was done, as I suspected might happen, it made its way to my top ten fantasy novels in general. And fair warning to all those books coming out in the last few months: it’s going to be hard to knock Icefall out of either list… my nine-year-old son loved it, devouring it in a single sitting. I’ll just point out, however, that I did the same (age 49) as did my wife (age 46). In other words, don’t let its targeted age group deter you from picking it up; Icefall is easily better than 95 percent of the fantasy novels I’ve read this year, in any age category… In two books, Matthew Kirby has, in my mind, cemented himself as one of the best fantasy writers going today. Read the rest.

The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop

The Castle in the Attic is a warm story about a boy, an old toy castle, and a much-loved housekeeper. William does not want his babysitter, Mrs. Phillips, to leave him and return to England. William swears he will do anything to keep her with him (absolutely anything). But when she gives him her old miniature stone castle and its lone knight, William fears there will be no way to keep her around. Until the knight comes to life.

The story of William and the Silver Knight is nothing if not heartwarming. William is a very kind boy and loves his housekeeper very much. She has been there his whole life, and he does not want to let her go. In the castle in his attic, he meets the Silver Knight: not a metallic toy but a very real (very tiny) knight. The spell that was cast on him had been broken, and the Silver Knight (Sir Simon) wants to go back to his world and reclaim his kingdom. Read more »

The Singer of All Songs by Kate Constable

…Kate Constable’s The Singer of All Songs is a gripping book with an interesting plot, a pleasant pace, a healthy amount of action, and a touch of humor. The characters are well made and each is deep and complex, lovable, yet infuriating at times. The world of Tremaris is described superbly — I could almost smell the fragrance of the jungle, and hear the waves in the sea.  Read the rest.

Curse of the Spider King by Wayne Thomas Batson

… Over all, Curse of the Spider King is a very suspenseful story. Once you’re past the slow bits at the start, it really gets into motion and the puzzle pieces fit together in a surprise finish, leaving the reader eager for the next installation of The Berinfell Prophecies. Read the rest.

Slathbog’s Gold by M.L. Forman

… I truly enjoyed Slathbog’s Gold. I thought it was a fun adventure with likable characters and a fantastic goal at the end. It really was a fun book, and I can’t wait to read the next installment. Some reviewers have accused M.L. Forman of all but plagiarizing The Hobbit and Slathbog’s Gold does have certain Tolkienesque characteristics, but I really don’t find this distracting from the overall story. I believe Forman accomplished his goal: to write an exciting and magical YA book, and that is just what Slathbog’s Gold turned out to be. Read the rest.

Watership Down by Richard Adams

The other reviewers mocked me when I said I was going to review Watership Down. ‘I hope you like rabbits!’, they sniggered. Well, Watership Down does have rabbits as the main characters, but it is so much more than a story about bunnies. That would be like saying The Hobbit was about hobbits. Both stories encompasses so many greater themes — adventure, friendship and loyalty, courage in the face of adversity, leadership, the value of home and security, and on it goes (like the road). Read the rest.

The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen by Lloyd Alexander

If I ever have kids, I’m going to make sure that their bookshelves are stocked full of Lloyd Alexander’s books. Most famous for his award-winning The Prydain Chronicles, Alexander has carved out a little niche for himself in children’s literature by taking his often-used (but never stale) technique of adapting a particular culture’s mythology and shaping it to include his own brand of wisdom, poignancy and humour. For … The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen, the story is given a Chinese setting. Read the rest.

Blackbringer

… Laini Taylor has crafted something nice here. She’s got some great characters, first of all. I admit, I didn’t connect very well with the main character, Magpie, at first. She seems a bit like the typical “tough girl” appearing in fantasy these days (you know, the one who is the utter polar opposite of the “doormat”), at the beginning. But Taylor uses her story not only to develop Magpie, but to unfold and reveal her deeper layers… Overall, I enjoyed the heck out of Blackbringer and am really looking forward to Silksinger… Read the rest.

House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones

Had I realized that House of Many Ways was another sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle it would’ve ended up in my hands even quicker than it did. Nevertheless, it found its way there happily enough, allowing me another visit into my favorite of Diana Wynne Jones’ wonderful worlds… Read the rest.

The Boneshaker by Kate Milford

Fans of Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes will find lots of echoes in Kate Milford’s debut novel The Boneshaker. It’s a connection that is impossible to avoid, what with the small-town young protagonist facing off against a mysterious carnival filled with creepy workers and an even creepier head showman. But this is no rip-off of Bradbury; nor is it simply a pleasant homage. From the same basic plot trappings Milford has woven her own highly original and enjoyable tale, one that builds slowly and patiently into a wonderfully compelling and satisfying conclusion… Read the rest.

The 13th Reality by James Dashner

The 13th Reality, the first volume of The Journey of Curious Letters by James Dashner, was a complete delight… Tick (short for Atticus) is your ultimate unlikely hero. He has a birthmark on his neck that he hates so much that he wears a scarf year-round. The school bullies call it the “barf scarf” and when we meet him, he is in the midst of being bullied. That very day, he receives the first in a series of curious letters, each with have a clue (or two). What are they clues for? Well, if he solves the riddles in time, they will “reveal on a certain day, at a certain time, at a certain place, something extraordinary will happen.”…  a fun book and I can definitely recommend it for children of any age… Read the rest.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was extremely gripping and exciting, with a great deal of plot progression. Here, Harry is dealing with the aftermath of the return of Lord Voldemort, and coping with the fact that he is kept very much in the dark about what is happening… Harry’s fifth year at Hogwarts is dark, dark, DARK! … A lot of characters really develop through this book and it is fantastic to read more in-depth plotlines for Ron, Fred and George, Ginny and Snape amongst others… Two new characters really steal the show though… Read the rest.

Rise of the Darklings by Paul Crilley

… Rise of the Darklings is a middle grade/YA book — the plot is not so complex as to go over the heads of younger readers, but is not so simple that older readers would find it boring or want to put it down after a few chapters. Paul Crilley’s writing style is similar to JK Rowling’s… Rise of the Darklings is exceptionally entertaining — a perfect solution for Harry Potter fans who are missing the series and haven’t found anything to replace it. This is a great family series that kids and adults can enjoy together. I will definitely be picking up Paul Crilley’s next Invisible Order book! Read the rest.

The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones

… A fascinating, intricate, quirky book that takes place over several years and draws on several genres (only Diana Wynne Jones can go from English boarding school to Arabian Nights to elfish and Biblical lore), The Lives of Christopher Chant could possibly be my favourite in the Chrestomanci quartet. Once again, the author proves she is an expert at human behaviour, a fan of cats and someone who’s not afraid to tackle large and important issues in children’s books. She’s also wonderful at portraying the lack of self-awareness in people… The characters are wonderful as usual, from Christopher himself whom you watch grow as the novel progresses, to the spunky Goddess, to the terrifying cat Throgmorton and the amiable, elusive Uncle Ralph. Things are never quite what they appear in these novels, and it is as fun to explore the “Anywheres” along with Christopher. The Lives of Christopher Chant is a great read, and a wonderful place to begin the journeys into the rest of the Chrestomanci books. Read the rest.

The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud

Fans of Jonathan Stroud’s fantastic Bartimaeus Trilogy, which began with The Amulet of Samarkand and ended with Ptolemy’s Gate, will be happy to know that the title character — the wise-cracking fourth-level djinn who has long-standing issues with authority — is back and funny as ever in The Ring of Solomon… it’s that singular, sarcastic, boasting, footnoting, narcissistic voice that carries you along. Whether he’s namedropping, regaling the reader with his exploits, or even offering up cooking advice, it’s a voice you can’t help but get sucked in by. I laughed out loud on several occasions, read lines and passages to my wife on others, and simply reveled in the voice the rest of the time. Stroud tempers the sarcasm with a true warmth in the tone… With The Ring of Solomon, Stroud has stripped down the characters and streamlined the plot, making this more YA than the trilogy and letting Bartimaeus’ voice shine on every page. It doesn’t have the depth or complexity of the earlier books, but is no less enjoyable for that… Read the rest.

No Flying in the House by Betty Brock

… No Flying in the House by Betty Brock is an engaging tale of a young girl trying to find her way in the world with only a little dog for guidance. Torn between her love for Gloria, and her discovery that she is a fairy, Annabel tries to discover the truth behind her parents’ disappearance. The subject material is mostly lighthearted, but the evil Belinda adds a note of sinister tension to the story without being too scary for younger readers. The relationship between Annabel and Gloria is charming, and the story teaches an important lesson about love and sacrifice, without being overly preachy or heavy-handed. This adorable book, written for those in the 9-12 year old age group, is as magical now as when I read it as a young girl… Read the rest.

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green

… for those with a particular interest in Arthurian legend, and eager to get their hands on every bit of literature surrounding him, then Roger Lancelyn Green’s classic is essential. As a member of one of the famous Inklings of Oxford University (a group that included J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis), Green was keen to organize the myriad Arthur-related stories and combine them into a structured whole, all in a novel that would be accessible to children. As such, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is notable not simply due to the coherency that Green lends to what had previously been a diverse array of legends, but that for the first time they were specifically geared toward children… The Puffin Classic edition includes biographical information on the author, a character guide, a study guide for teachers with suggested activities based on the book, and an introduction by David Almond. Read the rest.

The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

…Revenge of the Witch, the first episode of a children’s fantasy series called The Last Apprentice in the US and The Wardstone Chronicles in the UK, is fast-paced, exciting, and absolutely terrifying. I liked it immediately when I started listening to it on audio (Harper Audio), especially with Christopher Evan Welch’s wonderful narration, so I picked up a copy for my 12-year-old son at the library. But that was before I got to the really scary part. Now I’m not so sure that my son can handle Revenge of the Witch — it’s that frightening. This is a book for kids who like to be afraid… Children who can handle the fright (and teens and adults, too) will definitely want to continue with Curse of the Bane. Read the rest.

The Squire’s Tale by Gerald Morris

The Squire’s Tale is what I love to see out of kids’ fantasy. It’s charming, it’s well-told, it’s entertaining for a number of age groups, and even as it simplifies and plays with the mythology it uses, it remains lovingly respectful of the original texts… This firm grounding in the tradition gives his work a feel of casual authenticity. Yet Morris is also careful never to let his own clear interest in the original legends get the better of his efforts to write his own story. He alters characters and events freely, while still maintaining some whisper of the original’s feel. I can’t praise him enough for that achievement… for anyone who (like me) is an Arthur fan, this is a must-read… I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun with a children’s retelling. It really is a goofy, funny, well-meaning little story, and I’d give it to a young reader (or even a few older ones) in a heartbeat. Read the rest.

Bone and Jewel Creatures by Elizabeth Bear

Elizabeth Bear appeared on the scene in 2004 as if she were Athena, sprung fully formed from Zeus’s forehead to be a major player in the science fiction and fantasy genres… Now Bear has a new nomination, this time for the World Fantasy Award for Bone and Jewel Creatures. I discovered only after I finished reading it that Bone and Jewel Creatures was marketed as a story for young readers from nine to twelve years old. I was surprised; this novella strikes me as a very sophisticated, adult tale with plenty of allusions and implications that would go right over the heads of all but the most well-read of children. It does not seem childlike in any way. Bone and Jewel Creatures is a sort of fairy tale, though; a story of magic and wizards and necromancers… Set aside an hour or two to spend with this book. It may be a trifle compared to Bear’s more challenging trilogies or novels, but it is a lovely trifle — a jewel. Read the rest.

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

… I listened to the audio version of Princess Academy with my 12-year-old son and my 9-year-old daughter. We all agreed that Princess Academy deserves its Newbery Honor, for it is absolutely charming. I’m enough of a feminist that I was suspicious of a book about becoming a princess, but I had misjudged this book by its title. Princess Academy is not the book I was expecting. Instead, it is a refreshing story about children living in a rural culture where there is much beauty, love, and wholesomeness… though the girls are in a “Princess Academy,” the idea of becoming a pampered princess (or even just a bride)  is not portrayed as the goal for these girls. Instead, the value of education, useful skills, analytical thinking, and a love of home and community is emphasized. Read the rest.

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu, is a lovely yet sharply and at times painfully realistic coming-of-age tale, made all the more enjoyable for its many winks and nods to well-known works of children’s fantasy such as THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, THE WIZARD OF OZ, and most prevalently the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen. It’s a fairy tale in the true old-fashioned sense rather than the more recent Disney versions — one full of wonder but also an equal amount, if not more, of danger and sorrow, and it ends not with “and they lived happily ever after” but “and they lived…”…Breadcrumbs is a book for young readers, and I think it will appeal to a broad range of that age group, from the younger set of 9 or 10 to the upper teens. But it will as well appeal to those who have never forgotten the highs and lows of that in-between age and those of us who grew up on those great works of children’s fantasy will find lots of places were we’ll nod and smile as if at an old friend caught in passing. Read the rest.

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

The Last Olympian is Rick Riordan’s conclusion to the well-received Percy Jackson series which involves the attempt by Kronos, the titan displaced ages ago by Zeus and the other Olympians, to rally his fellow titans, as well as assorted monsters, demigods, and disgruntled minor gods, to take down the Olympians and their allies, especially the Olympians’ children—the demigods of Camp Half-Blood led by Percy Jackson (son of Poseidon), Annabeth (daughter of Athena), and Grover (a satyr)…  Read the rest.

Foundling by D.M. Cornish

Contrary to its daunting size, Foundling is a fun story about a boy with a girl’s name… Rossamund is an older child at the orphanage, as he has not yet been chosen to go out into the world and work for whoever chooses him. When he is finally called upon, he is a little downhearted to hear that he is to be a lamplighter. A lamplighter, as the name implies, lights the lamps that run down either side of the busy streets to keep monsters at bay. Rossamund does not think this is a very exciting occupation, and he certainly doesn’t expect the getting there to be the real adventure.  Read the rest.

The Wyrm King by Holly Black

…  as always, The Wyrm King is a treat, packed full of maps, supplementary material, and Tony DiTerlizzi’s gorgeous illustrations. Some aspects of the plot are a bit wonky … yet The Wyrm King is ultimately a satisfying conclusion to an innovative series that harks back to the darker side of fairytales. I hope Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi have more to come. Read the rest.

The Golem’s Eye by Jonathan Stroud

The Golem’s Eye is a solidly enjoyable if slightly disappointing follow-up to The Amulet of Samarkand, which admittedly set itself a very high standard. The book returns to the same setting and characters first introduced in Samarkand, while expanding upon the first novel with a few new characters, one new setting (Prague) and a somewhat more complicated plot. Read the rest.

Superior Saturday by Garth Nix

The longest week of Arthur Penhaligon’s life is drawing to a close in this, the penultimate installment in Garth Nix‘s The Keys to the Kingdom seven book series. Although he has managed to win five Keys from the immortal Trustees that rule over the House (the epicentre of the universe) and free five parts of the Will (the embodiment of the legislation left behind by the mysterious Architect) he still has the two most dangerous challenges left to defeat: the powerful Superior Saturday and the enigmatic Lord Sunday.  Read the rest.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken

… I can’t imagine a single child that wouldn’t find this story appealing. With enough wolves, riches, villains, plotting and child independence to keep them satisfied for a long time, this book is sure to become a favourite, as are the others in the series. Bonnie and Sylvia are wonderful young protagonists, with Bonnie as the confident, ever-optimistic young tomboy, and Sylvia as the more timid, but never annoying, young lady. If you’re concerned that boys may not be interested in female protagonists, Simon the young goose-boy should please them… Read the rest.

Black Hearts in Battersea by Joan Aiken

…  The Wolves Saga is a little known, but fantastic series, and I’m sure the previously-mentioned authors (Diana Wynne Jones and Philip Pullman) owe a lot to Joan Aiken‘s methods of alternative-history, as she is the first “modern” writer to the best of my knowledge to instigate such a device. Her characters are great fun (though Bonnie and Sylvia of Wolves of Willoughby Chase were sadly missed) and her stories filled with non-stop excitement and discovery. Read the rest.

Nightbirds on Nantucket by Joan Aiken

… Nightbirds in Nantucket was not quite up to the standards of The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and Black Hearts in Battersea, … However, Joan Aiken‘s imagination is amazing, whether she be creating the icy whaling ship sailing through the Arctic Sea, or the warm sunny moorlands of Nantucket with its white-washed cottages. Her melodramatic plot twists and devices are always humorous and adventuresome … Read the rest.

The Cuckoo Tree by Joan Aiken

…  In many ways The Cuckoo Tree is quite different from the previous books in The Wolves Chronicles … and certain parts were a little darker than usual, with the use of witchcraft and attempted murder … But for me anyway, these deeper levels only make the books more fascinating, and I hope the trend continues in further books in the series. Read the rest.

The Iron Ring by Lloyd Alexander

The trademark feature of Lloyd Alexander‘s storytelling is to choose a cultural background and weave his own story into the already existing mythology; his most famous example of this is of course The Chronicles of Prydain, in which his own story and characters were melded with the myths and legends of Wales (as found in The Mabinogian). The Iron Ring gets a similar treatment, as worked into the story are elements of The Mahabharata and The Ramayana, India’s great national epics.  Read the rest.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

During almost the entire length of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hermione Granger carried with her an old book titled The Tales of Beedle the Bard that was bequeathed to her by Professor Dumbledore in his will. It was not until much later that the full significance of the book, (particularly the final story) became clear in helping Harry achieve his quest of defeating Lord Voldemort… Rowling went on to actually write the complete collection of fairytales… Read the rest.

The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

Kate DiCamillo’s new work, The Magician’s Elephant, takes a little bit of warming up to early on, but the simple and sometimes poetic prose combined with the fairy tale/fable-like atmosphere and style starts to win the reader over, first charming them, then moving them. By the end, which comes quickly since it’s more novella than novel, both the prose and emotional impact have deepened and intensified, making this a novella well worth reading oneself and to one’s children. Read the rest.

The Cabinet of Wonders by Marie Rutkoski

… Start with several appealing and richly drawn characters; add an inventive mix of history, folk tales, and the author’s own plotting; toss in an original blend of various magics and technologies, sprinkle a few grim moments about and several more whimsical ones; add one villain who both charms and chills, and a possible ally who mostly just chills; and top it all off with an intelligent mechanical spider and what you get is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Read the rest.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

“There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.” With those words, Neil Gaiman plunges the reader into a shadowy tale. The Graveyard Book opens with Jack, a member of a secret association that has been tasked with killing the entire Owens family, stalking through the Owens house, knife in hand, seeking the last member of the family. But Nobody Owens, a toddler, has a fondness for climbing out of his crib and going exploring…  Read the rest.

Tam Lin by Susan Cooper

Anyone who is familiar with the ballad Tam Lin knows it’s a story that is very much for grown-ups, or at least teenagers. Susan Cooper does a very good job here of adapting the old story so that it’s suitable for any age. It requires changing a few plot elements, but the essential spirit of the story remains the same… Cooper wonderfully depicts the feisty Margaret, and successfully adapts the story into something perfect for a little girl’s shelf of fairy tale books… Read the rest.

Lord Sunday by Garth Nix

In the concluding installment of Garth Nix’s The Keys to the Kingdom, Arthur Penhaglion has to organize an assault on the Incomparable Gardens, home to Lord Sunday, who controls the last part of the Architect’s Will. But Arthur isn’t the only one trying to liberate the last magical fragment… On the whole, Lord Sunday is a satisfying conclusion to a series which is full of interesting characters and moral dilemmas. Arthur has to make some difficult choices in this tale, and some of his choices are bad. Watching the consequences play out, without the traditional happy ending, makes for an emotionally satisfying tale for young  readers. Read the rest.

The Nixie’s Song by Holly Black

After the five-part The Spiderwick Chronicles ended with a promise that there would be more to follow in the Spiderwick world, it was only a matter of time before there was another installment in the series. Now we pick up in the first book of a proposed trilogy that features a new set of children (two step-siblings) and a different location (the mangrove swamps of Florida as opposed to the old world charm of New England), but with plenty of new faerie lore incorporated into the story. As always, writer and illustrator manage to capture the essence of old faerie-lore, in which the creatures are both beautiful and dangerous, with a set of obscure rules surrounding them that need to be followed if one wishes to keep safe… Read the rest.

A Giant Problem by Holly Black

… On the whole, A Giant Problem is a good book, and a nice addition to the trilogy. As usual, the book is full of maps, newspaper clippings, cameos from previous characters, and Tony DiTerlizzi’s wonderful illustrations that have made these books so special right from the beginning. But whereas the original five-part story was all about discovery, letting us explore the world of Faerie along with Jared, Simon and Mallory, Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles is more story-focused — which is not necessarily a good thing considering that Holly Black‘s writing can often be a bit choppy or contrived… Read the rest.

The River at Green Knowe by Lucy M. Boston

As the third book in Lucy Boston’s Green Knowe series, readers who are moving through the books chronologically may be a bit surprised at the extreme change of formula in the story that dictated the two previous books. There is no Tolly or Grandmother Oldknow and their discoveries of past inhabitants of the house, but rather two elderly women who rent the house and send away for a niece and two children from “the Society for the Promotion of Summer Holidays for Displaced Children.” Thus The River at Green Knowe is definitely moving in a different direction from the previous books… Read the rest.

A Stranger at Green Knowe by Lucy M. Boston

A Stranger at Green Knowe is often considered the best of the Green Knowe books because of the sensitive and detailed way in which the gorilla’s circumstances are brought to life (there’s no sappy Disney Mighty Joe Young here!). Her descriptions on his way of life, his powerful disposition and the tragedy of his being are nothing less than sublime. Like she did with the blind Susan and West Indian Jacob of Treasure of Green Knowe, Boston shows a wisdom before her time. However, some people may miss Tolly and the magical elements of the mansion, as this book is focused solely on the real life mystery of the gorillas… Read the rest.

Ferren and the White Doctor by Richard Harland

This Heaven and Earth trilogy is original, exciting, interesting reading, but I still feel that with a little more work it could have gone from good to excellent and been placed among the likes of Philip Pullman‘s His Dark Materials. Like those books, these deal with conflict between the forces of Heaven and the beings on Earth, but are set in this world, many years into the future… The best comparison of these books I can give is the Mortal Engines books by Philip Reeve. It has the same simple structure, clear writing, and inventive post-apocalypse way of life… Read the rest.

A Wizard of Mars

A Wizard of Mars is the ninth book in Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series and continues in the same strong vein as the others. At this point, there isn’t much to review in that if you’ve read the eighth book in a series, it’s pretty safe to assume you’re going to be picking up the ninth. But in a nutshell, if you do, you’ll be rewarded with the same quality you’ve become accustomed to and many of the same strengths. And if you haven’t read the previous eight and are checking out this review simply because it’s one of the most recent ones up, then stop reading (possible spoilers) and go pick up book one; it’s well worth the time you’ll invest as its one of the best fantasy wizard-based series going (and yes, that includes that other young wizard one). You should also know that the series only improves as it goes on… Read the rest.

So You Want to be a Wizard by Diane Duane

So You Want to be a Wizard came along well before the current trend of young fantasy so one shouldn’t dismiss it as “yet another Harry Potter follower.”… So You Want to be a Wizard moves along at a quick pace, the characters themselves are likeable and realistic and better yet, develop as the story goes along and as the series goes along as well, deepening into their maturing roles as wizards and as young adults. Despite the magical storylines, there is a nice down-to-earth feel about the books, a matter-of-fact atmosphere that makes suspension of disbelief quite easy with regard to the magic. This first book is a good book on its own, but the series improves as it goes along for the most part and a reader who sticks with it is rewarded with more full explanations and better, deeper characters… Read the rest.

The Wizard’s Dilemma by Diane Duane

The Wizard’s Dilemma is a darker, more personal book than the previous ones… These characters have deepened over the series and that depth comes into full play in this book. Along with the illness plot (which is never played for melodrama), Nita and Kit are going through a period of awkward estrangement as each tries to feel their way through their partnership while they and their personal worlds are changing. Despite the magical background, the characters’ reactions, their emotional interplay, their dialogue, all ring strongly true to reality. The ending is movingly effective, as is the book as a whole. This whole series is quite strong and this is one of the better books in the series… Read the rest.

A Wizard Alone by Diane Duane

A Wizard Alone is yet another Young Wizards book that maintains the high level set by the first few in the series… As is typical of this series, the book covers a gamut of subject, tone, style, and philosophy. Autism is presented in clear (if somewhat speculative) fashion, as is Nita’s depression. There are many moments of humor to lighten the mood, mostly in this case involving Kit’s attempts to reconcile his family’s TV, DVD player, and remote control. And there are thoughtful moments of quiet philosophy. And as usual, the characters act in realistic fashion, despite the sci fi/fantasy genre. The only real flaw is that some of the story is telegraphed pretty early, but the story itself is so readable, the images so interesting, the characters so familiar that one doesn’t mind much some predictability. Strongly recommended as is the series as a whole. Read the rest.

Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo by Obert Skye

Leven Thumps has some major problems. Its main character, Leven, is too shallowly drawn and far too passive throughout the novel — more acted upon than acting. The book is overlong by about 50-70 pages with some repetitive parts. Its villain isn’t sharply drawn enough and not quite villainous enough. There seems to be a disappointing pattern of equating moderate mundane villainy with being overweight or homely. And far too often Skye tells the reader what is happening rather than showing it. Despite those many flaws, however, some of them substantial, Gateway remains a highly enjoyable read due to the author’s wonderful sense of originality and whimsy… Read the rest.

Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins

The Prophecy of Bane continues the strengths displayed in Suzanne Collins‘ first book in the series, Gregor the Overlander. The book moves along quickly and smoothly with few if any slow spots; the major characters, if not minutely detailed, have enough personality and reality to hold one’s interest and concern; and the setting, which as in the first is probably the weakest element in terms of vividness, is at least interesting enough in general terms so that its lack of detail is not much of a flaw… Read the rest.

Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods by Suzanne Collins

The third book in the Gregor series picks up shortly after the last one ends and quickly tosses the reader into familiar territory. Once again, Gregor takes up a task underground in order to save a family member… The strengths of book three are the same as the earlier books. The story moves along smoothly at a quick pace with almost no lagging moments. The main characters continue to grow in complexity, maturing with age and experience as well as revealing previously concealed aspects of personality and experience… Read the rest.

The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

Will, the hero of The Ruins of Gorlan, could probably have been taken in entirety from any number of authors who have written this sort of children’s/YA stuff, but for me it was like I was 13 years old and reading Magician by Raymond E. Feist. That is high praise because I read that book over and over until the cover literally fell off and the binding no longer held the pages together… Read the rest.

Dream-Of-Jade: The Emperor’s Cat by Lloyd Alexander

Lloyd Alexander‘s love and respect for felines is obvious… Dream-of-Jade: the Emperor’s Cat continues in the tradition of having a cat protagonist who is clever and cunning, witty and wise, and who uses her considerable intelligence to help out the hapless human-folk around her… As always, Alexander‘s trademark humour, common sense and words of wisdom are pronounced throughout the story, and yet are never too overbearing. He is one of the few children’s authors to seamlessly meld such life-lessons into a text without one feeling as though they’ve been hit over the head with a moral-of-the-story… Read the rest.

Windrider by Pamela Freeman

…In Windrider, the magnificent dragon comes once more to the kingdom of Floramonde, to once again offer Betony the choice of rulership or of freedom in the high country. Realizing her ties to her family and friends, Betony declines, but then her father meets the fatal gaze of the dragon’s eye… To look directly into the eye of the dragon has an odd effect on a human being — they become a part of the Wild Magic, forgetting their name, stealing away their hearts, and having only a desire to be free from human restraints. Such is what happens to King Max, and it is now up to Betony to go in search of Windrider to release her father and save her mother, for without the life-giving love of Max, and with her tree destroyed, Salixia can find no reason to live, and begins to waste away… Read the rest.

The Centre of Magic by Pamela Freeman

… I will always be thankful I picked up The Willow Tree’s Daughter at the library, as it swiftly became a favourite of mine with its clear, inventive stories, comic moments, and its ability to make astonishingly profound comments for what is considered ‘children’s books’. This trend continued into Windrider, but unfortunately, though I still enjoyed it, I did not quite think The Centre of Magic lived up to the first two books… However, the Floramonde books are a rare treasure… I loved their whimsy and the deep meanings to be found under the simplicity. Please, please, do yourself a favor and track these books down… Read the rest.

Victor’s Challenge by Pamela Freeman

… the real reason I like Pamela Freeman’s children’s books is that despite the comedic edge, there is a definite fairytale quality to them. This is not just in the use of the typical fairytale devices (young love, magical creatures, threefold trials) but the sense of purity in them that cuts right to the heart of what makes a worthy human being… There is a sweetness and sincerity to these books that isn’t at all saccharine, but for the few minutes you’re reading them, you can certainly believe in a place where love conquers all, kindness is rewarded, and nobody’s really that bad deep down… Read the rest.

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

…Dragon Rider is clearly aimed at a younger audience… Vocabulary and sentence structure are not as rich or sophisticated, scenes move along more quickly, characters are a bit shallowly developed. On the other hand, Funke actually seems more comfortable writing for this age. Her more recent books, Inkheart more so than Thief Lord, fell somewhat short of their potential, neither completely successful in achieving a sense of darker sophistication. If the goal is somewhat less lofty in Dragon Rider, it is better achieved. While there are no real surprises here and few truly powerful moments, the story carries its readers along smoothly, quickly, and entertainingly… Read the rest.

The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis

In many ways The Horse and his Boy is the odd one out in the context of the Narnia series — unlike the other books, this one is set completely in the fantasy world rather than describing the movements of children from this world into that… The Horse and his Boy is a great adventure story, and although Shasta’s true identity may make some eyes roll, the journey that he must make in order to get there is immensely rewarding. It is definitely the different book in the series, (many who don’t like the others find this one to be the best, and visa versa) and the one that you could perhaps get away with not reading without loosing the overall structure and meaning of the entire series. However, despite all this The Horse and his Boy is the book that I personally have read the most in the series… Read the rest.

Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

Prince Caspian is the direct sequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. This novel was published second, but technically comes chronologically fourth in the Narnia series… The story of Caspian is a somewhat patchy one as the viewpoints are continually switching and changing… However, Lewis juggles all these narratives delicately… More so than any other of the books, with the exception of The Last Battle, Prince Caspian is tinged with heavy doses of melancholy and loss. For the children to return so long after their reign in the Golden Age, to a world that regards them as little more than a fairytale brings home C. S. Lewis’s themes of loss and the inexorable passage of time… Read the rest.

The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis

… All of the books in The Chronicles of Narnia series contain Biblical allusions, but The Last Battle is easily the most allegorical considering it is best described as Narnia’s Armageddon… It’s a pretty hefty topic for a children’s novel, and both the story and style of the book is weightier than any previous book in the series, with plenty of death, violence and tragedy. This creates an interesting paradox overall, considering The Last Battle is the most spiritual, the most controversial, the most disheartening and ultimately the most upbeat book in the series. The Last Battle is also Lewis at his most philosophical, as he explores metaphysics, the boundaries of belief, the relationship between the real and the unreal, the existence of life after death and the nature of God Himself… Read the rest.

The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit

… Edith Nesbit is one of the masters of children’s literature, and is therefore virtually unknown. Published nearly one hundred years ago, E. Nesbit was a Bohemian liberal and philanthropist with a wicked sense of humour and a respect for children that shines in her thoughtful, realistic portrayal of them in her novels. Though some of the language is a bit dated (yet for me, phrases like “jolly good!” and “what a brick!” are part of the charm), the main appeal found within her books is the humour and wit with which the children behave and react to the magical events… Nesbit is one of the finest children’s authors out there. If you haven’t already, then give her a go as she’s published plenty of great books. The Enchanted Castle is a great place to start. Read the rest.

The Wind Singer by William Nicholson

The Wind Singer is a children’s novel and so comes with all the pluses and minuses of that genre. The pace is quick with little room or time for digression or a lot of descriptive detail. The upside is that the book never once bogs down and keeps pulling the reader along. The downside, though how much of a downside will mostly depend on age and expectations, is that characterization suffers a bit and there are a few places where it would have been nice to have gotten a more full picture (both visually and in terms of plot context/background)… most readers will be quite eager to continue the story. Read the rest.

Mister Monday by Garth Nix

… Mister Monday, the first book in The Keys of the Kingdom, a series of seven books by Garth Nix, sets off into an entertaining, almost surreal romp into a parallel dimension. There powers are divided into seven realms, each presided over by a specific day. In this book we meet Mister Monday and his henchmen Dawn, Noon, and Dusk. While the conceit of time could grow old very quickly, making the book feel forced, Nix keeps it fresh and exciting… any kid who has worked his way through Harry Potter will enjoy this fun tale of adventure, absurdity, and intrigue. Recommended for anyone who enjoys fantasy targeted to the younger set, but which is still interesting enough for an adult. Read the rest.

Drowned Wednesday by Garth Nix

… Once more Nix fills his books with allusions to myths, legends and other famous stories — here in particular he shows his regard for Herman Melville’s Moby Dick… Unfortunately, Drowned Wednesday was not as enjoyable as the last two books — a sense of invention and magic was missing this time around, though there is still plenty to explore. The Border Seas were simply not as interesting to me as the previous settings… but I can only be critical in comparison with other Nix books, since Drowned Wednesday is still much better than many other children’s fantasy out there, and I’m eagerly awaiting Sir Tuesday… Read the rest.

Lyra’s Oxford by Philip Pullman

… another glimpse into the parallel Oxford that Pullman so vividly created and explored in The Golden Compass… The story is short and sweet, with several familiar names and faces popping up, and concerning the theme of “meaning” that Pullman explores throughout the book. But primarily, Pullman seems happy in extending and exploring his marvelous Oxford — describing the streets, the architecture, the feel of the place, and I had no complaints in this regard. Pullman’s Oxford is one of the most detailed and interesting created worlds in literature… Read the rest.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

Rick Riordan’s five-book series takes the world of Greek mythology, complete with gods, monsters, titans, Mt. Olympus, heroes, etc. and weaves it into the modern world under the premise that as the gods are manifestations of Western culture and move as the culture moves… the Percy Jackson series is generally of high quality and nearly always enjoyable. The main characters are all likable and believable, the books are tightly-plotted and move along quickly and in exciting fashion. The gods are presented as individuals with sharp personalities. Riordan writes with a light, humorous hand throughout but sprinkles in enough moving or more serious moments so that the books aren’t all light and froth. The characters change and grow from book to book… There are lots of good lessons in there and for the most part Riordan avoids presenting them as Lessons to be Learned, allowing them to simply reside naturally in the plot. And his latter books are, I’d say, even stronger than the early ones, so the reader can look forward to heightened tension, higher stakes, and stronger quality as the series goes on. Read the rest.

Kid vs. Squid by Greg van Eekhout

Kid vs. Squid, by Greg van Eekhout, is definitely a children’s fantasy. It comes in at a slim sub-200 pages (with pretty good-sized print) and doesn’t take much time with detailed description, rich character development, or intricate plotting. That isn’t a complaint; it’s just to say that Kid vs. Squid knows who its audience is, and while it won’t dumb things down or talk down to its readers, it also won’t stretch them. Keeping to relatively humble standards of that sort, it succeeds pretty solidly… Kid vs. Squid (a great title by the way) will be enjoyed by younger readers… Read the rest.

Physik by Angie Sage

I gave this book’s predecessors rather lukewarm reviews, finding them a little too simplistic and reliant on the success of Harry Potter, with rather weak villains and too many periphery characters to keep track of. However, all that changes with the third installment in the series, which has a sophisticated plot with an intriguing resolution, a truly unnerving villain and a very real sense of danger and suspense… Read the rest.

Vampire Mountain by Darren Shan

…Vampire Mountain was full of action, the chapters still ended with hooks that drove you to the next page, and had a terrific cliffhanger. There was also a rather unbelievable scene involving polls and bars and a very, very talented warrior. I had a hard time buying that scene, and it’s one of the reasons I felt that this was the weakest book in the series. I’m still giving it four stars, so obviously I thought it was a very good book… Read the rest.

Allies of the Night: More surprises by Darren Shan

… When I read on the inside flap that Darren was going back to school, I groaned. I thought to myself: the author is really running out of ideas here, and is reaching. But I found that I was wrong. Darren being in school set up a string of intriguing events — some of them horrific — and one very interesting surprise. The surprise was that one his teachers was none other than… Debbie, the girl he dated the last time he and Mr. Crepsley visited his town some twenty-five years ago… Read the rest.

A Walk in Wolf Wood by Mary Stewart

Mary Stewart is best known for her Merlin-themed books (including The Crystal Cave), which are geared toward slightly older readers, but A Walk in Wolf Wood, (along with The Little Broomstick and Ludo and the Star Horse) are wonderful books to make accessible to younger readers. Told in clear, descriptive prose, with plenty of adventure and mystery, plus a few nuggets of wisdom, Stewart’s novels are a great addition to any child’s library… of particular interest is the way Stewart incorporates legitimate information about the medieval period into the text, as well as paragraphs of unsurpassed wisdom…. this is a top-notch novel for young readers. Read the rest.

Stormchaser by Paul Stewart

Stormchaser is the second book of the Edge series and it is a vast improvement over book one… Whereas Beyond the Deepwoods suffered from being overly episodic, plunging Twig into one-unrelated confrontation after another, Stormchaser is much more focused and has a much better sense of narrative… There is a lot of death in this one, some of it quite grisly, though it is never lingered on, having more the feel of an uncensored Brothers Grimm tale rather than a modern-day slasher flick. Overall, while Stormchaser still suffers from a few of the first book’s flaws, mainly some shallow characterization and some formulaic coming-of-age “growth” events, it is a major improvement on the first and bodes well for the rest of the series. Read the rest.

Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer

… Magic Below Stairs is a fun, light book for grade school readers. At 199 small pages of large text, an adult could easily read this in a few hours. Frederick and the plucky serving maid Bess are sweetly drawn, though not complex characters. This is my main criticism of Magic Below Stairs, the overall lack of complexity. While Frederick does deal with some deep issues of grief, abandonment, and loneliness, none of the characters really show any emotional or character development. The plot is amusing, and the depiction of the curse is gritty and made my skin crawl, but this is overall a light read that will delight young readers and amuse older ones… While it doesn’t have the emotional heft or complexity to earn a place on my permanent shelf, this is definitely worth reading by anyone who loves Regency-era fantasy, or BBC comedies about the lives of servants. Read the rest.

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

Rick Riordan’s The Lost Hero picks up shortly after his Percy Jackson & The Olympians series ended and continues onward in the same universe with both new and familiar characters…  Good or bad, there is a lot that is familiar here. As in the earlier series, Riordan’s relies on small details to bring the gods to life. This is not a richly detailed world as one finds in Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings; Riordan’s books have always been much more about pace and action. But when he does slow a bit to bring the world more fully before us, we get some great moments… Riordan’s trademark humor is here, as is his facile ability to present a realistic adolescent point of view… Mostly The Lost Hero feels like a book about teens by someone who actually knows teens, rather than by an author who has an “idea” of adolescence in his or her mind (or worse, memory)… it’s hard to imagine young readers not jumping aboard and crying out for “more, more” at the end of this just as they did at the end of The Lightning Thief… Read the rest.

Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus by R.L. LaFevers

I wish the THEODOSIA THROCKMORTON series had existed when I was a kid. I went through one heck of an Egyptology phase, and I don’t suppose I’ve ever left my brainy-heroine phase. My parents, though, should probably thank their lucky stars R.L. LaFevers hadn’t written these books yet. I can just imagine the mess I’d have made, trying to whip up ancient Egyptian potions in the backyard… I recommend the THEODOSIA books to any middle-grader with an Egypt fascination. Girls will be particularly fond of the series due to its engaging female lead, but boys who like Egypt (or sinister villains or stinky hexes) will find plenty to enjoy here as well… Read the rest.

Silver on the Tree by Susan Cooper

Silver on the Tree is the fifth and final book in The Dark is Rising series, and if you have never picked up the previous installments, then don’t start here — you won’t have a clue what’s going on. If, however, you have read Over Sea, Under Stone, The Dark is Rising, Greenwitch and The Grey King, then here is the big finale you’ve been waiting for. Finally, all our main characters are reunited for the first and last time — Merriman Lyon, Will Stanton, Bran Davis, the Drew children, the Rowlands and the rest of the Old Ones who have come together for the final battle against the malevolent powers of the Dark… Cooper’s work is immensely subtle and there is too much to be discovered for me to give it all away… read carefully and frequently if you want to get the most out of this particular book, as well of the rest of the installments in this award-winning, immensely rewarding series. Read the rest.

Bearskin by Howard Pyle

Howard Pyle is best known as the writer of The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, a book that’s widely considered to be the definitive compilation of the Robin Hood ballads into a cohesive whole. Though that’s his most famous work, he also wrote two anthologies of fairytales: Pepper & Salt and The Wonder Clock. This adaptation of Bearskin is from the latter collection, and Pyle’s love of fairytales and legends is apparent, for it reads like a composite tale of several other familiar stories… All in all, this is a rather strange story, with even stranger illustrations (with regard to style), but together Pyle’s lyrical prose and Hyman’s whimsical pictures somehow make it work. Read the rest.

King of Shadows by Susan Cooper

… Susan Cooper is the award-winning fantasy author of The Dark is Rising sequence, which remains her best work. Though King of Shadows is a pleasant read, it doesn’t really stand out as an essential inclusion of the time-slip or fantasy genre. The presentation of the Elizabethan era is done very well, and I couldn’t spot any inconsistencies or historical faults (not that I’m an expert on the subject). Furthermore, Cooper uses real historical characters and situations in both the past and present, predominately the real figure of Nat Field of 1599 and the reconstruction of the Globe Theatre by Sam Wanamaker in 1999. And of course Queen Elizabeth and William Shakespeare, who are vividly brought to vivid, realistic life. All this combines to make King of Shadows a learning experience as well as an enjoyable read. Young readers will also come away with a clear sense of the plot and humor of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. An interesting premise, a clever twist and a bittersweet ending, King of Shadows is well worth the read. Read the rest.

Perseus by Geraldine McCaughrean

There are probably much shorter retellings of this hero-story, and there are probably quite a few longer ones — but if you wish to avoid the simplicity of a picture book and the long-windedness of an epic, then I don’t think you’d find any reason to complain about Geraldine McCaughrean‘s version of the Perseus myth. In fact, I would go so far as to say that its fidelity to the well-known myth and the lyrical prose in which it is told make it the quintessential retelling of the ancient story (perhaps a premature claim considering I’m far from having read them all, but this would surely be up there in the top five!)… I read Perseus in one sitting, and felt that although it was a story well-known to me, I had experienced it in a new, refreshing light. For any young person just beginning to get interested in the world of myth, this would be the book to get… Read the rest.

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Truth be told, I wasn’t hugely impressed with the first Percy Jackson book, The Lightning Thief. It was entertaining, yes, but somewhat convoluted, derivative and predictable. Well, with Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters, I take it all back. With a more rewarding plot, stronger characterization, and smoother pacing, the second book in the five-part series is an improvement in every respect… The plot is better structured and not as needlessly complex, and merging of Greek mythology and urban life is more successful, and the characters are more familiar (and therefore more likeable) this time around. I hope the trend continues for The Titan’s Curse. Read the rest.

Theseus by Geraldine McCaughrean

Out of all the heroes in the Greek mythology canon, Theseus always struck me as the most pitiable. Though he started out promisingly enough, a string of bad decisions and unlucky circumstances left him the most broken of all the heroes in Greek mythology. In her retelling of his story, Geraldine McCaughrean pinpoints the reason for all this misery, Theseus’s fatal pride, and maps the trail of ruined lives and broken hearts that Theseus leaves behind him before his sins finally catch up with him…There’s plenty going on here, and it’s all told in McCaughrean’s lovely prose… Although certain omissions prevent me from calling this the definitive version of the Theseus myth, this is another fascinating retelling of an ancient myth, in which the humanity of the hero is just as important as the legendary feats they perform. Read the rest.

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan, starts readers off on a new series intermingling ancient mythology, today’s world, and snappy young teens. In this case, though, the mythology is Egyptian, not Greek as in his Percy Jackson series (or Roman, as in the newest addition to that series) and the young teens aren’t the sons and daughters of gods but are instead possessed by them (if that doesn’t seem like much of a difference, it’s because it really isn’t as the story plays out). This may seem overly familiar, but “why mess with a good thing?” is probably Riordan’s thinking, and my guess is his fans’ as well. And truth be told, there’s a lot to like in Riordan’s writing, especially for a young audience. The books are fast-paced (admittedly sometimes too much so); the dialogue mostly smacks of real pre-teen and teen-speak, rather than that painfully obvious how an out-of-touch adults “thinks” teens speak; the characters are accessible and likable (even some of the “bad” guys); they tend to be funny (though this one’s humor is a bit forced at times); the lessons are solid; and hey, kids might actually learn something (but don’t tell them that)… Read the rest.

The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan

… The Titan’s Curse begins a little shakily, with yet another rescue mission providing the impetus of the plot, the urgency of which is sapped as our heroes simply hang out in Camp Half-Blood, playing capture the flag while they wait for each other to come up with a decent plan to save Annabeth, but once things get cracking the story races along at its usual breakneck pace. As Percy is haunted by dreams, his own power, monsters, and his difficult-to-get-along-with teammates, Riordan manages to gather together a lot of disparate threads and weave them together in an exciting road-trip adventure. Most rewarding is the way in which Percy, Thalia, Zoe, Bianca and Grover learn to work as a team, relying on each other’s strengths and covering for each other’s weaknesses… As always, it’s the humor that’s the real selling point of the book… everything is all set for the stakes to be raised even higher in The Battle of the Labyrinth. Read the rest.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

… this first installment of Percy Jackson’s books is surprisingly complex. Basically, Percy has a lot of stuff to do and there’s no time to waste! From his home life to his camp life to his journey across America, things barely slow down in a plot that contains everything but the kitchen sink. Riordan’s most innovative feature is his “updating” of Greek mythology into a contemporary setting, and it is the readers who know their rudimentary legends that will derive the most enjoyment out of seeing familiar characters pop up in their modern forms. Percy himself is a nice enough kid, struggling with his differences but keeping a hopeful outlook whenever things seem to be at their worst. Told in first-person narrative, it’s Percy’s own voice that guides us through the story, and he remains chatty and natural throughout. Grover makes for a great sidekick/best friend, with a back-story and personal problems of his own, and though Annabeth initially comes across as the typical feisty “I ain’t no damsel in distress” love interest, she also comes into her own as the book progresses. But at times the trio can be unforgivably stupid… If anything, the plot is perhaps a little too busy, with the protagonists racing at breakneck speed from one dangerous situation to the next, several plot coupons floating in and out of the story, and the themes of parental abandonment, responsibility, teenage delinquency, and the power of friendship piling up. And was anyone else a little disappointed that after all the fuss over Zeus’s lightening bolt, it never actually got used? … Still, this was an immensely satisfying read, and a sympathetic hero, a race against time, a fusing of past and present, the mystery of a missing parent, action and adventure, and plenty of material leftover for the sequels, means that The Sea of Monsters is definitely on my reading list. Read the rest.

Where Have the Unicorns Gone? by Jane Yolen and Ruth Sanderson

… Jane Yolen and Ruth Sanderson attempt to answer the question of Where Have The Unicorns Gone? The most popular story of where these creatures went to is found within the children’s song, which tells how the unicorns were too proud to enter Noah’s Ark and subsequently died. Legend tells that they went on to become the horned narwhal of the Arctic Seas. Yolen and Sanderson keep the motif of the sea, but bring in a more contemporary theme of pollution and environmental destruction… It is a simple, but evocative story set in rhyme and illustrated by the wonderful Sanderson… dreamy, poetic, and bittersweet. Read the rest.

The Hotel Under the Sand by Kage Baker

…Nominated for the 2009 Andre Norton Award for Young Science Fiction and Fantasy, The Hotel Under the Sand is the kind of book that you resolve to send to your nieces and nephews even before you have finished the first page. Any book that starts, “Cleverness and bravery are absolutely necessary for good adventures,” is a book you know those budding book lovers in your family are going to enjoy, and maybe even the non-readers who are usually busy playing sports instead… The Hotel Under the Sand is an instant classic. Read it to your nine-year-old, or let your 12-year-old read it to you. Or if you’re a grown-up, like me, just sit back and enjoy it. One is never too grown up for this sort of book. Read the rest.

Troll’s Eye View: A Book of Villainous Tales edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

Fairy tales were my first love when I was a child. My mother introduced me to the joys of stories with The Golden Book of Fairy Tales long before I learned how to read. My early reading included the first three volumes of The Junior Classics and Andrew Lang’s colorful fairy tale books. When Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling started editing anthologies of new takes on the old tales for adults with Snow White, Blood Red, I was delighted. And when Datlow and Windling started editing a series of original fiction for young adults based on fairy tales, I couldn’t resist them. Troll’s Eye View is one of four in a series of books for ages 10 and up, which also includes A Wolf at the Door, Swan Sister and The Beastly Bride…. This collection is one to read with your child; you can take turns reading stories out loud to one another, together figure out what classic tale is being retold, and bond over your mutual love for fairy tales in whatever form they take. Read the rest.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

… Based on the Grimm fairytale “The Goose Girl,” this book is the first in a series of companion novels by Shannon Hale (The Bayern Books). Whether you’re familiar with the fairytale or not, you’ll be pretty sure how the story ends — it’s unlikely to surprise you. But perhaps what will surprise you is how exciting the story is anyway. It’s fast-paced, beautifully written, emotional, and satisfying. Even though I was often frustrated with Ani’s forbearance and lack of confidence, I was enchanted by her story anyway. According to Amazon, The Goose Girl is marketed to children ages 9-12, but there is enough violence and murder (and even scary things that happen to animals) that I think it’s better suited for the YA crowd. I listened to, and enjoyed, the Full Cast Audio production and recommend this version. The Goose Girl is a sweet and irresistible story for teens, adults, and the bravest little girls and boys. Read the rest.

The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman has paired up with illustrator Gris Grimly to create The Dangerous Alphabet. This is not an alphabet book for young readers, unless you like staying up with them all night as they stare at shadows in the corner. Rather, Gaiman wrote a ghostly piratical poem in 26 lines, each starting with a letter of the alphabet, and then gave it to Gris Grimly to illustrate. Grimly’s style is dark and grim — with a name like Gris Grimly, what do you expect? — what I can only describe as a post-apocalyptic Edward Gorey drawing left out in the rain. As much as I love art, I’m not an expert, but I think the illustrations are a combination of pen and ink with watercolor washes, and they show two little children running for their lives as they get sucked into a horrible world in the city sewers. (It’s rumored Gaiman refuses to go underground anymore.) This gothic poem should be reserved for older children and adults, but it’s grim drawings and sparse tale will bring you back over and over again to discover the truly amazing detail two incredibly talented authors have managed to pack into 29 pages. I have an overly active imagination, so I tend not to look at art as detailed in morbidity as this, so it is quite likely that those who are less sensitive to their imagination taking hold of them will probably enjoy this more than I did.

The Door Within by Wayne Thomas Batson

… Aidan Thomas discovers and reads some scrolls that transport him to The Realm, where he trains rigorously to become an elite warrior of King Eliam and join the fight for the hearts and minds of the people of Mithgarde… Wayne Thomas Baston avoids any blatant literal reference to God or Jesus or Judas or other standard Christian characters, but the parallels are unmistakable. The mission of King Eliam and the Glimpses mirrors the Christian call to be in the world (those who need to be reconciled to God) but not of it (that which is hostile to God), like resisting temptations that can lead to suffering and sacrifice… Narnia this is not, but definitely a better-than-average attempt to weld young adult fantasy with a bit of theological mettle. The Door Within is a well-done Christian allegory, comparable to The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander. Read the rest.

Icefire by Chris d’Lacey

Icefire, Chris d’Lacey’s second book in the Last Dragon Chronicles, begins the shift toward older, darker, more complicated storytelling. Dragons play a much larger role in Icefire, as one might expect, and we start to get a sense of the clay dragons as distinct personalities. They still seem to lean a bit young to me in terms of readership, though one in particular faces some more mature, sophisticated moral choices… Icefire is a quick read, but d’Lacey has done a nice job of complicating plot, deepening characters, expanding story, heightening tension, and raising the stakes. It doesn’t have the whimsical charm of The Fire Within, but it balances that loss in a variety of ways, making it a strong second book and one aimed at slightly older readers than the first book — probably up to age 12 or 13. Read the rest.

The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

Some books marketed as children’s books strike me as fables for adults instead. The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo is one of these. Clearly children will enjoy the story for itself, but it would be a shame if adults passed up the chance to read this charming book about following one’s dreams…. a tale of determination, love and magic. The poetic text is accompanied by the beautiful illustrations of Yoko Tanaka, who works in shades of grey and a level of detail that makes them worth gazing upon for much longer than it takes to read a page of text. Read the rest.

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver

… Michelle Paver’s Wolf Brother, the first in a series of children’s novels called The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, is a serious and gripping story. The writing is lovely and full of beautiful imagery, especially in the sections written from the wolf cub’s perspective. The story is original, suspenseful, and a little bit frightening. It promotes love, loyalty, and courage. Wolf Brother is a perfect read for children in the targeted age range of 9-12. Torak, Wolf, and Renn are easy to love and the ancient wilderness setting is fascinating and offers lots of opportunities for learning about forest survival techniques… Read the rest.

The Jewel of the Kalderash by Marie Rutkoski

The Jewel of the Kalderash is the third and final book in the children’s historical fantasy series The Kronos Chronicles by Marie Rutkoski. The first, The Cabinet of Wonders, was excellent (I gave it a strong 4 in my review) and while the second book, The Celestial Globe, wasn’t quite as good, that was mostly due to Cabinet being so strong. The Jewel of the Kalderash, like its predecessor, doesn’t quite reach the quality of The Cabinet of Wonders, but it is quite good — certainly better than much of what I see — and makes for a wholly satisfactory close to the trilogy… One of the major strengths of the trilogy has always been the characterization and this is true of The Jewel of the Kalderash as well. Petra has always been a strong, engaging character and that continues here… Read the rest.

The Dragon of Doom by Bruce Coville

When Moongobble the magician moves to town, Edward is eager to become his new apprentice. It turns out, though, that Moongobble isn’t much of a magician after all — every time he tries a spell, he ends up turning something into cheese. In fact, he’s about to lose his authority to practice magic if he can’t prove himself proficient by completing three difficult tasks… This short children’s novel provided my girls and me with an hour’s worth of delightful entertainment. We listened to the charming version produced by Full Cast Audio. As we listened to The Dragon of Doom, we laughed together often because Bruce Coville’s sense of humor is appealing to both children and adults. Read the rest.

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Howl’s Moving Castle is a book that is very easy to love. Diana Wynne Jones is a consistently entertaining author, and her prose seldom fails to be enticing and comfortable as settling into a favorite armchair, even when opening one of her books for the first time… Jones not only writes well but creates genuinely likeable characters along the way, as well as some very amusing scenes. The dialogue is smart and skillful and it manages fairly well to be the sort of children’s book that adults can easily enjoy. On top of all that, this just feels like a good-natured little book, funny and sweet and comfortable. It has its issues, and it’s probably nothing that will change most readers’ worlds, but it has the kind of easy, unpretentious charm that can let someone feel at home from the first chapter. There’s something to be said for that. Read the rest.

Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King by William Joyce and Laura Geringer

Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King is an early installment in THE GUARDIANS OF CHILDHOOD, a planned series of books incorporating and re-tooling (or re-mythologizing) those familiar icons of childhood: Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, etc. A long picture book, The Man in the Moon, begins the series and is the story of Tsar Lunar, who eventually becomes the Man in the Moon and sets himself as guardian of Earth’s children, seeking to protect them and their dreams from the villain Pitch who wields nightmares and an army of Fearlings.

The Battle of the Nightmare King, co-written by William Joyce and Laura Geringer, is the first novel in the series and as the title makes clear, is the story of Santa Claus. Though this is no Santa Claus we’ve seen before. Read more »

The Mastermind Plot by Angie Frazier

… The Mastermind Plot is the second in Angie Frazier’s SUZANNA SNOW mystery series for middle-grade readers, set just after the turn of the 20th century and starring a resourceful young female detective. The case this time involves a series of arson fires that may be a cover-up for something else. The mystery is twisty and suspenseful. This book is a little darker than The Midnight Tunnel; the stakes are higher in terms of potential bodily harm to characters, and long-hidden secrets about Zanna’s own family come to light… The characters in The Mastermind Plot are vividly drawn… The Mastermind Plot is a fun book. I read it in one sitting and would recommend it to young readers who like mysteries. Read the rest.

Changeling by Delia Sherman

…. Delia Sherman‘s Changeling is a simple and cozy little story chock full of humor and sticky situations. It’s is a fun-filled wild ride of a story from beginning to end. It’s not complex, but it still manages to surprise. Changeling is a cute book — entertaining to the very end, but not much more than that…  Read the rest.