Middle Grade Pick: The Dark Lord Clementine

The Dark Lord Clementine
by Sarah Jean Horwitz
Algonquin Young Readers
2019
329 pages
ISBN: 9781616208943

Middle grade readers: get ready to be delighted, enthralled and enrapt in the immersive world of master storyteller Sarah Jean Horwitz!

Clementine Morcerous is the only child and sole heir to Castle Brack. When her father falls ill to a cunning spell cast by the Whittle Witch (the Witch of the Wood), it's up to Clementine to figure out how to help him and keep their castle and lands running. Father's magic is running out, the scarecrows aren't working in the land, the castle witch runs away with their grocery money, and everything is turning topsy turvy. Things are getting worse on an hourly basis, and unless Clementine moves fast, they could lose everything.

Clementine must find the Whittle Witch and figure out how to undo her magic, fix her father, get the magic back into the castle on pretend to be just as dark and menacing as the Dark Lord himself without ever letting any of the town's people know the Dark Lord is ailing. Everyone knows what happens if the Dark Lord appears weak: the people will wreak havoc and take over the castle. Clementine can't let that happen.

She turns to a magical book: the Witchionary! which has "...cataloged and chronicled" details of the Dark Lord's most dreaded enemies: witches. With her sidekicks a talking sheep, a young boy from town and help from a stranger, Clementine searches to find her place in the world and answers to her father's predicament.

Captivating and mesmerizing, full of wit and snark, and whimsical beings including witches who are indentured servants and a satyr who trades goods for spells, the Lady of the Lake (from Arthurian legend) who is indeed beautiful. But as beautiful as she is, she is an equally horrible singer with a bad memory, and worse yet she keeps mixing her metaphors which is laugh out loud funny.  She's so ditsy,  she'll throw swords at anyone who passes her whether it be a knight or not (hence the swords all over the book cover).

The Dark Lord Clementine will be up for Book of the Year and awarded many state awards.  You heard it here first! It is a rare middle grade find and a soaring triumph that kids will be delighted to read. Clementine is one tough female with equal parts intelligence, humor, and bravery. No matter how dire her predicament, she summons the strength to move forward and do what is right.

Highly, highly recommended as a MUST READ. If you have middle grade kids or know some, buy this book now! A must for all middle grade collections.

Grade 4 and up.

Mythology Pick: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard

See the trailer here

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer
Book 1
by Rick Riordan
Disney Hyperion
2015
497 pages
ISBN: 9781484760383

Rick Riordan has managed to return to his YA/middle grade roots: a likable, funny, irrepressible hero who makes a lot of mistakes but has friends in his corner who help him fight. This was the  kind of magic that is found in The Lightning Thief and now it's back!

Magnus Chase has been homeless since his mother's murder. He's in hiding on the streets of Boston, afraid of the cops and afraid of his Uncle Randolph. His mother's last words were for Magnus to run and hide and never to trust his uncle. So far, Magnus has kept things on the down low. When he realizes people are looking for him, and not just the cops, but someone or something much, much worse, he sneaks into his uncle's mansion for clues.

Magnus discovers strange family secrets including the oddball fact that he is the son of a Norse god. Uncle Randolph "helps" Magnus search for and retrieve an ancient family sword which Magnus uses to defeat a fire warrior, but also ends his own life.  That's only the beginning of the story. In Norse mythology, true heroes after life in  paradise, called Valhalla, and our hero Magnus finds himself with a one way ticket to Hotel Valhalla.

Soon, Magnus finds himself on a quest across the realms where he meets up with a motley crew (that's fun to say and fun to write!) of characters who will help him stay "alive."

The fun and laughter is back!  Riordan's books always use humor but The Sword of Summer is spot on. Chapter titles are hilarious in and of themselves:  for example: "The Man With the Metal Bra," "My Room Does not Suck," "Come to the Dark Side. We Have Pop Tarts," "We Have a Pre-decapitation Party, with Egg Rolls," "I Psychoanalyze a Goat," and "We Are Subjected to the PowerPoint of Doom." (I'm pretty sure everyone has seen that PowerPoint, right?) Magnus is snarky and smart if a bit inept as a demigod. When awaiting his fate, Magnus thinks, "I didn't want to be an extreme case. I wanted to be an easy case: Hey, good job. You're a hero. Have a cookie." Later, Thomas Jefferson asks Magnus, "Why do you think Boston is called the Hub of the Universe?" and Magnus answers, "Wishful thinking?" Comic gold!

Magnus must go on a quest to save the world with his band of sidekicks. Book 1 sets up for Book 2 easily. Expect Loki to cause more trouble-you know Loki alwalys causes trouble.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book as a  gift. I did not received moneary 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)