Middle Grade Pick: Britfield & the Lost Crown

Britfield & the Lost Crown
by C.R. Stewart
Devonfield Publishing
2019
386 pages
ISBN: 9781732961210

First in a planned seven book series, Britfield & the Lost Crown reads likes a fairy tale. Tom, an orphan, enlists the help of fellow orphans to escape the evil orphanage with his best friend Sarah. Before he leaves, his good friend Patrick  steals a folder from the office and Tom learns a secret about his past and parentage. His parents are alive! Now he has even more questions and no answers.

The pair escape a determined and dogged detective who makes it his business to catch runaway orphans and elude police capture as the navigate by a hot air balloon which just happened to be sitting unattended in a field along their way. Somehow, two kids with no knowledge of ballooning learn to fly the balloon all over England. The story rollicks along London and many famous landmarks.

The kids meet several people who help them unlock Tom's secret and set up the next book in the series. Tame enough for younger middle grade and easy to read, Britfield's page count may terrorize reluctant readers. In that case, perhaps an audiobook or full class read would work better.

This books seems set in the past and pre-Internet, pre-cells phone bygone eras, yet some dialog between the characters is slang of today. One in particular: a character asks, "Too much information?" which if TMI in text and recent (last decade). Dialog in particular is this book's weakness. As a career middle grade (middle school) librarian, the dialog is all wrong.

Recommended younger middle grade. Middle school readers may find the story too predicable.

Grade 5- 6. Grade 7 and up may want a more YA experience.

YA Pick: Heartless

Heartless
by Marissa Meyer
Feiwel and Friends
2017
449 pages
ISBN: 9781250044655

Heartless is a richly imagined, breathtakingly told story prequel of the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland. Evocative of Carroll's mad romp and "Wicked," Heartless delivers this story to this generation of readers. All the principal characters appear: the Cheshire Cat, Cath (who becomes the Queen of Hearts), the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and with Meyer's deft ability to tell a tale, live again in this book.

Catherine  wants to open a bakery and sell the best tarts and pastries in all of Hearts, but her mother has other ideas. No high born woman should work in business. The king has his eye on Cath as a wife, but Cath meets and falls under the spell of Jest, a new court jester. There's magic and monsters in this kingdom and enough trouble to keep the young couple apart.

There is no happy ending in this book. We all know Cath turns into the Queen of Hearts, so we are prepared for her wicked behavior. It's interesting to see a villain as a young and innocent teen before life and love wreaks their heart and mind.

For fans of Meyer's The Lunar Chronicles, this is a must read. This is not simply a retelling of Alice in Wonderland; it's a prequel  which means Meyer can imagine anything for young Catherine.

Recommended grade 7-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I purchased this book for my library.

Fantasy Pick: Dividing Eden (Guest Reviewer Erin Sanchez)

Dividing Eden
by Joelle Charbonneau
HarperTeen
2017
336 pages
ISBN: 97800032453846

Guest review by Erin Sanchez, library media specialist at Helen Ball Elementary School in El Paso, Texas. Follow Erin on Twitter @librarian_HBES

Twins Carys and Andreus have always been close, so much so that Princess Carys hides her brother's secret, tarnishing her own reputation and watching as her brother gains his way into the hearts of their people. Older brother Prince Micah is to inherit the throne of their father, but when their father, the king, and the crown prince are assassinated, the Queen is next to ascend tot he throne.

The Queen is mad with grief and it is left to the Council of Elders to make the drastic decision of trusting Imogene, a seer, who reveals an option for crowning the successor. Carys and Andreus will compete for the throne of Eden.

The kingdom of Eden is on a dark path. Andreus betrays his twin as tragedy and secrets unfold. A hidden curse comes to the surface. Many things are possible as the first book ends. Readers will have to wait until book two to discover Eden's secrets.

Dividing Eden is the first of two books in this YA fantasy duology.

Recommended grade 8 and up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation nor did guest reviewer Erin Sanchez.

Young Reader Pick: Bloom

Bloom
by Doreen Cronin
Illustrations by David Small
A Caitlyn Dlouhy Book
(Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
2016
32 pages
ISBN:9781442406209


"A mud fairy, an extraordinary girl, and a castle in peril." (from the front cover)

Bloom is not your ordinary fairy. Gone is the fairy dust, the twinkling wings, the sparkling wand. Bloom has heavy feet and leaves mud wherever she goes. The king and queen are appalled. Their kingdom is made of glass; they don't want all that mud dirtying things up. Bloom can make flowers bloom where weeds used to grow and she can make glass out of sand. All this magic isn't enough to gain the favor of the royals. They tell Bloom that she must leave. Off she goes to the forest where she makes flowers grow everywhere.

After a few years, the kingdom is in disrepair. The king and queen don't know what to do! The king ventures into the forest to ask for Bloom's help. When he declines, he sends the queen hoping for better luck. The queen also turns away Bloom's "dirty" answer to their problem. They decide to send a young servant girl who is a "nobody" hoping she will get the secret to saving their kingdom.

Genevieve finds Bloom and asks for her magic. Bloom gives her a shovel and tells her, " I will show you the magic that can save your kingdom." Genevieve is amazed! She can make bricks! She can get dirty and build things! She is worried that the king and queen will never believe her because she's just a commoner, "an ordinary girl." Bloom's answer is the mantra that all girls should hear, "Tell them there is no such thing as an ordinary girl..."With her newfound sense of power and self-esteem, Genevieve returns to her kingdom and saves it!

I LOVE the message! I love the HEART! This is a must read for every single girl on the planet (no matter what age)! Even the boys! Doreen Cronin, you have done it again! Thank you for your genius, insight, and heart. You have created a truly marvelous picture book that readers will treasure.

Illustrations by David Small and smart placement of font size and lettering carry the story across each spread. When we see Genevieve return to her kingdom, she shatters the palace door and bits and shards fly across the page.

What a treasure! What a gem of a story! Well done, you two!

So highly recommended that everyone should own this book! It's message is that great! This is a wonderful book for new readers and its mantra of, "There is no such thing as an ordinary girl," should be over the hallowed halls of every place of learning and over every crib.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Fairy Tale Pick: The Wild Swans

The Wild Swans
by Jackie Morris
color illustrations
Janetta Otter-Barry Books
2015
173 pages
ISBN: 9781847805362

Simply a stunning children's book! Beautifully imagined illustrations will captivate and are ethereal, lovely, and delicate.

Eliza is a happy young princess whose doting father and loving mother keep her safe in their care and the warmth of their love envelops her. Her eleven older brothers are strong, handsome and brave and love her dearly. Everything is sunshine and roses until her mother dies. Suddenly the castle is quiet and cold, foreboding even. Her father grieves and leaves daily to hunt with his men in the forest.

One day, Eliza's father comes home with a strange catch. Her father has a new bride and Eliza's brothers are not to come home. Eliza misses her brothers almost as much as she misses her dead mother. This new "mother" is not loving and caring. The new queen discovers her husband's sons and turns them all into swans. Eliza sees her brothers take flight and leave one by one. Now she has no one save her mother's favorite giant dog. The dog and Eliza bond, both having lost the lady their so dearly loved. The evil stepmother (now queen) casts Eliza out and poor, doomed Eliza wanders the woods until she finds a Fairy Queen who tells her how to save her brothers and break the spell.

Eliza must endure years of toil and loneliness in order to save her brothers and reunite her family with her father. This retelling of a story by Hans Christian Andersen is inspiring and breathtaking. A crowning achievement for author/illustrator Jackie Morris!

Look for a FREE giveaway on of this book on my blog within the next few days. You could win a free copy!

Highly, highly recommended for any fairy tale fan. A must for all fairy tale collections.

Suitable grade 4-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Whimsical Pick: Dragons at Crumbling Castle

Dragons at Crumbling Castle
by Terry Pratchett
Clarion
2015 (first U.S. edition)
337 pages
ISBN: 9780544466593

Whimsical and amazing, Dragons at Crumbling Castle is a collection of fourteen short stories showcasing the mad wit of Sir Terry Pratchett at his fantastical best. Witches, wizards, dragons, princesses, kingdoms, plots and magic are afoot throughout.

Pratchett finds the magical  in the oddest, tiniest places: a dust mote or a carpet, for example.  Readers will be swept (pun intended) along for a fanciful ride. Frollicking with knights, dancing with princesses and brimming with possibilities this is one collection of stories that will be well-digested and loved by readers everywhere.

This collection of never before stories will resonate with fairy tale readers and gain a new following with young readers who have not discovered Pratchett's magic.

Highly, highly recommended for readers grade 4-up. Younger readers may not catch some subtle political and social nuances, but they are sure to enjoy the story anyway.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Middle Grades Pick: Rose and the Lost Princess

Rose and the Lost Princess
by Holly Webb
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
2014
272 pages
ISBN: 9781402285844



Magical, mysterious, glorious, gutsy, and mesmerizing, readers will love the magical plot and masterful storytelling. Rose is a character who is quirky and winsome; an orphan with moxie and spirit who will steal your heart!

From the captivating cover to the poetic and pitch perfect prose, Rose and the Lost Princess is a gem. Rose is a maid in the magical home of Aloysius Fountain, a master magician. He has agreed to tutor her in the magical arts along with housemate Freddie. Gus the cat is a constant curmudgeonly companion and Rose loves his sassy, purrfect (pun intended) demeanor. The other servants are either afraid of Rose thinking she might be some sort of witch or they are jealous of her new status in the household. Rose considers running away but is talked out of it by Mr. Fountain.

Winter comes early to London and with a vengeance; gossips believe it unnatural, perhaps even an evil spell. They begin blaming magicians and Parliament considers locking up all magical folk.  The King is worried about the safety of his daughter, the princess. His guards can't seem to keep her safe, so the King asks Mr. Fountain for Rose's services. Rose will pose as the princess's personal maid but secretly be a spy for the king and a magical bodyguard for the princess.  Princess Jane plays along at first, but tells Rose that she knows she knows that Rose is not just a normal maid.

There is magic afoot, but it's not of Rose's doing and the Princess is in real danger. Will Mr. Fountain and Freddie be able to uncover the dark forces? Can they recover the lost princess? Will Rose be found out as the imposter that she is? Can magic save the kingdom after all?

Readers who love a magical mystery will love Rose and the Lost Princess.

Highly, highly recommended grade 4-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Fierce and Feisty Pick: Defy

Defy
by Sara B. Larson
Scholastic
2014
323 pages

Released January 7, 2014

What others are saying:

Booklist: Defy has "...grand adventure, romance, and thrilling political intrigue." (from the author's blog)

"A wonderful tale of adventure, romance, and embracing your true self. Alexa is a heroine readers will love to follow!" --Marie Lu, author of the Legend series

"(Defy) has everything you'd want : intrigue, awesomely real characters, suspense, and a captivating plot. All in a world that comes to life in your mind. Highly recommended." --James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner series.

What I say:

There may never be another female YA protagonist  as passionate, feisty, and fierce, but also fabulously flawed, frightened, and fragile as Alexa (Alex). After young Alexa witnesses the brutal murders of her parents by the Blevonese army aided by an evil sorcerer, Alexa is forced to cut her hair and take on the persona of a young boy (Alex). Alex and her twin brother Marcel join the king's army and because of her tenacity and fierce warrior spirit and commanding  swordsmanship, she advances to the elite king's guard. Years pass, and Alex becomes comfortable pretending to be a boy, so comfortable, in fact, she sometimes wonders what being a girl feels like.

An enemy attack on the palace makes the king nervous. He orders the royal guard to watch over his son Prince Damian at all times. Alex is tasked with the chore of sleeping outside of Damian's chambers. The prince is spoiled, arrogant, and haughty, but, oh, so handsome. Alex begins to feel something she has never experienced before, and she is careful not to let her feelings show--she is a "male" fighter and the prince's private protector. She fears what may happen to her if she lets her "guard" down (pun intended).

When Alex, fellow guard Rylan and the prince are kidnapped by a sorcerer, they are taken deep into jungle as prisoners of the country of Blevon. Alex is surprised to find out that both Prince Damian and Rylan know she is actually a girl; however, she keeps up her disguise in front of the rival army.

Damian holds the secret to his father's kingdom, the plan  to ending the bloody war, the power to defeat evil sorcerers and the key to Alexa's heart.   Alexa is torn between her sudden, passionate fire for Damian and her sisterly love for Rylan. Can she afford to break Rylan's heart and fall headlong in love with the future king? Can she trust Damian--who keeps secrets from her? Does she believe his word? Can Damian's plan actually work? Can mere humans defeat an army of black sorcerers?

Teen readers will be swept away by the mesmerizing romantic tale. Alex/Alexa is compelling and intriguing; Damian is smoldering and sexy. Rylan, too, is swoon-worthy. Defy may be the next YA novel to movie--anyone in Hollywood listening?

Highly, highly recommended for every reader but will resonate with those who love romance, adventure, action and fantasy and a fierce female warrior. The author spends most of her time on plot and character development instead of world building, but that being said, I didn't miss knowing every minute detail of Alexa's world.

Suitable for grade 7-up with this caution: in the beginning of the book, Alex has to take girls to the breeding house where girls of their kingdom are prisoners forced to breed for the kingdom. It's not pretty. Some kissing.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Dragon Pick: The Last Dragonslayer

This is the cover of the UK edition

This is the US edition. I'm not sure why they changed the cover...

The Last Dragonslayer
by Jasper Fforde
Harcourt Children’s Books
2012
304 pages


Clever, cute, quirky and quaint, The Last Dragonslayer has everything: masterful storytelling, snarky dialog, a teen heroine who is equal parts brave knight, fearless leader, and mistress of sarcasm, magical beings, a Quarkbeast who is lovable if not huggable, a beat up 1958 VW, a missing wizard and a dying dragon.

The Great Zambini has been missing quite awhile, so Jennifer Strange, his apprenticed foundling, has taken over the reins of Kazam, an employment agency and old folks home for aging magicians, seers, and movers. Magic has been dwindling and there’s almost no call for it anymore, but Jennifer manages to keep the place running by sending magicians to unclog pipes and using magic carpets to deliver pizza. Then, something begins to happen. There’s a new electricity in the air and the magicians are feeling their powers surge. Some begin to experience visions that the last dragon will meet his end. Some whisper that Big Magic is on the horizon.

Jennifer has to deal with all the outrageous personalities of the live-in magicians and train her new foundling Tiger Prawns. Not only that, she’s destined for far greater things.

Quick witted dialog and puns run amok. For example, when Jennifer introduces her new assistant to some elderly sisters,
“”Tiger, these are the sisters Karamazov—Deirdre and Deirdre.’
‘Why do they have the same name?’ he whispered.
“An unimaginative father.’”

Never have I loved a dragon more! Maltcassion is an old dragon, still regal, and waiting for Jennifer Strange. He knows all about the world, magic, humankind and Big Magic, but he needs Jennifer’s help to ensure the “status quo.” After “meeting” Maltcassion, I want to know him personally—he’s that wonderful! And don’t get me started on Quarkbeast! He’s a living doll—just make sure you have plenty of dog food and metal for him to chew on!
Jennifer has her work cut out for her: she has to slay a dragon that she admires, avoid being thrown into the King’s dungeon, thwart a civil war, stop greedy land-hungry citizens from grabbing the Dragonlands, find the Great Zambini, save Kazam and the residents who live there, train an assistant, and figure out her destiny—and she only has until Sunday!

The first page will draw even the must reluctant readers in: “Once, I was famous. My face appeared on T-shirts, badges, commemorative mugs and posters. I made front page news…The Daily Clam called me ‘the year’s most influential teenager.’ Two people tired to kill me… (I)had fifty-eight offers of marriage, and was outlawed by King Snodd IV…in less than one week. My name is Jennifer Strange.”

Highly, highly recommended grades 6-up. No language. No sex.


FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Adventure Pick: The Orphan King

The Orphan King
Merlin’s Immortals, Book 1
By Sigmund Brouwer
Waterbrook Press
2012
220 pages

Thomas grows up serving the monks in the monastery, but he knows he’s destined for still greater things. When his “parent” Sarah dies, she has him promise that he will seek his destiny and save the kingdom. She has taught him to read and write and he knows several languages—far more than one would suspect of a lowly peasant. Who is this boy with great knowledge and unparalleled bravery?

Thomas saves a knight from the gallows, and the knight owes him his loyalty. He also saves a pickpocket and his companion. The three of them join Thomas on his quest to reach Magnus, a mighty castle held by witches more powerful than even the king. Thomas dares to enter its walls and take command. There are those in power who live in the shadows and have secrets that even Thomas cannot expose.

As he ventures forward, Thomas never knows who his friends are and who will betray him. Many want his power, and others seek to destroy anything that will threaten their lives. Who are the Druids and what is it that they seek? What is the evil that has fallen over the land?

A shadowy figure seems to control Thomas’s fate. A mysterious man who appears in disguises seems to hold the key that Thomas is seeking. When will Thomas know his fate? How will he know how to expose the conspiracy if he doesn’t know what he’s looking for?

Recommended for any history buff and any lover of English history and King Arthur legends and knights of the round table stories.

Grades 7-up. No language. Some bawdiness—It’s medieval England, my goodness!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)