MORE 'MIDDLE-GRADE-FANTASY' POSTS
The False Prince By Jennifer A. Nielsen Scholastic $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-545-28413-4 Ages 10 and up. On shelves April 1st Notes Jotted Down While Reading This Book: Note #1: “Really fantastic first page. Authors take note.” Note #2: “I’m only four pages in and already I like what I see.” Let it be known that as […]
The Apothecary By Maile Meloy Illustrated by Ian Schoenherr G.P. Putnam’s Sons (an imprint of Penguin) $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-399-25627-1 Ages 10 and up On shelves now I can be a very smug librarian sometimes. It can get me into trouble. Take my reaction to the cover of Maile Meloy’s The Apothecary, for instance. Here we […]
Dragon Castle By Joseph Bruchac Dial Books (an imprint of Penguin) $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-8037-33767-3 Ages 10-14 On shelves now. “When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the […]
A Monster Calls By Patrick Ness Inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd Illustrated by Jim Kay Candlewick Press $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-7636-5559-4 Ages 11 and up On shelves now I don’t mind metaphors as much as I might. I think that generally I’m supposed to hate them when they show up in children’s literature. I […]
With the final Harry Potter movie in theaters making more money than the very nation has in its coffers (or so my lackadaisical understanding of politics leads me to believe) there have been a whole slew of articles about Harry. These include articles on the kids in the movie, on what Rowling’s up to now, […]
This year we’ve seen a fair number of adapted fairytales, cautionary tales, talking animals, etc. In short, lots of lovely fantasy to sort through. I can’t say I’ve read everything. For example, I’ve yet to read that book that declares itself to be “The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter” (that would be The Unwanteds by […]
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes By Jonathan Auxier Amulet Books (an imprint of Abrams) $16.95 ISBN: 978-1-4197-0025-5 Ages 9-12 On shelves August 1st. What is the most telling difference between those works of children’s literature written long ago and those written today? Pose this question to a room full of children’s librarians and I […]
Breadcrumbs By Anne Ursu Illustrated by Erin McGuire Walden Pond Press (an imprint of Harper Collins) $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-06-201505-1 Ages 9-12 On shelves September 27, 2011 Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen is, let’s admit it, the world’s greatest puberty metaphor. A boy and girl are friends. Something happens and he grows cold […]
The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales By Chris Van Allsburg and more Houghton Mifflin Harcourt $24.99 ISBN: 978-0547548104 Ages 9-12 On shelves October 25, 2011 Chris Van Allsburg has always been the Rod Serling of the children’s literary world. Of that there can be no question. With no other author, […]
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making By Catherynne M. Valente Illustrations by Ana Juan Feiwel and Friends (an imprint of Macmillan) $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-312-64961-6 On shelves now. Well devil if I know what to do with it. Never complain that you are bored, ladies and gentlemen. Say such a […]