Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson

Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson

Realistic Fiction

age - 11-13

grade 6-8

300 pages, hardcover

c. 2016

         Ms. Bixby’s Last Day is the kind of book that can make you both laugh and cry, sometimes almost at the same time. It is the story of an extraordinary 6^th grade teacher, described by her students as “one of the good ones," and her relationship with three of her students. These three students, Topher, Brand and Steve, are quite different from each other yet they are close friends. The story is told from each of their perspectives in alternating chapters. In this way you begin to understand what Ms. Bixby means to each of them and what they mean to each other.

            Near the end of the school year Ms. Bixby announces to her class that she will not be able to finish out the school year. She is sick with pancreatic cancer. However, a final class party will be planned for her last day. Unfortunately, she is unable to come back for it. Topher, Steve, and especially Brand are devastated by this news and come up with a daring plan to give her an unforgettable day, complete with all the special things she shared with the class that she would like to have if she knew when her last day on earth would be. This was a writing prompt for the class. Her list included a special and expensive white-chocolate raspberry supreme cheesecake, French fries from McDonald’s, wine, a picnic on a grassy hill with friends and music from Tchaikovsky or Beethoven. Topher also decides they need a copy of The Hobbit so Ms. Bixby can finish reading the book to them.

            The way the three boys manage to acquire almost all these things is like 

 watching a slapstick comedy routine along with several heartbreaking moments. There are the descriptions of the cheesecake after it has spent the day in Steve’s backpack, “now looks like a giant, heaping turd of white and red Play-Doh mixed together. I’m guessing the heat and the running caused it to soften and then be repeatedly smashed into the sides of the box, taking a beating with every step. It’s a deformed monster of a dessert now. The hunchback of cheesecakes.” There are chase scenes, the stand off in the alley with the man who ran off with their money and tense moments between the friends. In the end, however, they band together and support each other and arrive at the hospital to complete their mission.

            How and why Ms. Bixby is so special to each of the boys is slowly revealed. She happened to see Brand one snowy day struggling with bags of groceries to bring home to his disabled father so there would be food in the house. She became his weekly ride to the grocery store. Topher noticed her one afternoon after school retrieving his artwork out of the trash because she appreciated his talent, something his over busy parents failed to notice. Ms. Bixby stands up for Steve during a conference with his over achievement-oriented father. She encourages Steve to be himself, enjoys his nerdiness and celebrates his achievements.

            This is a book about friendship and loyalty, about learning to identify one’s strengths and appreciate the different strengths of others. It is also about the love and gratitude shown to an incredibly special teacher. This book is, in my opinion, “one of the good ones.”

            A few final thoughts. I think the portrayal of the three boys was done exceptionally well. They are well developed with all their strengths and weakness in a realistic way. They can be generous and self -sacrificing and can do incredibly stupid and sometimes dangerous things, typical of middle school students. For this reason, as well as the fact that Topher reveals the Tooth Fairy is a fake, I would not recommend this book for younger students.

           

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen

 

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Historical Fiction, Adventure

Age – 10-13

Grade – 5-8

336 pages, hardcover

c. 2015

           A Night Divided, set in Berlin in 1961, is the story of then 8 year- old Gerta and her family waking up to find a barbed wired wall dividing their city. Her father and older brother Dominic are on the other side of the wall and cannot come back. Most of the story occurs four years later when Gerta, now 12, notices her father on the viewing platform of the wall making motions from an old song he used to sing to her involving digging. She concludes that he is asking her and her brother Fritz to tunnel under the wall.

            Attempting to escape Soviet controlled East Germany is extremely dangerous. Her best friend’s brother had tried to escape in the trunk of a car but was found and killed at the border. Now the whole family was under suspicion and being closely watched. Gerta’s mother has not the courage to do this and even her brother Fritz thinks her idea is crazy. However, Gerta is more like her father, who was involved in the resistance, and is determined to try. Eventually her brother joins her in this nearly impossible effort.  

            Nielsen does an excellent job of portraying the fear and resignation of many of the East Germans. Anyone could be a spy and trusting the wrong person could have disastrous results. Gerta and Fritz realize after a while that their apartment is bugged. Because of their father’s past political activity their family is being watched. To make matters worse it is almost time for Fritz to report for mandatory military duty. Tension continues to build throughout the story and since Gerta is the narrator the reader is drawn right into the action.

            This is a story about courage, perseverance, and the will to survive but it also a story of strong family dynamics. Even when they disagree about things, they are fiercely loyal to one another. Their mother is very against any attempt to try and escape to the west but when she realizes what Gerta and Fritz have accomplished she joins wholeheartedly in the effort. When Gerta or Fritz are exhausted, discouraged, or fearful the other one is there to support, encourage or do some of their work. Their love for one another is evident throughout the story and so is their desire to help their friends. In the end their hope, courage, and determination inspire others. In detailing a lesser known period of history, A Night Divided is also a story of true friendship, kindness, generosity, sacrifice, and regrets

The Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander

 

 

The Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander

Fantasy, Adventure

ages - 9-12

grades -4-7

206 pages, paperback

c. 1966

              The Castle of Llyr is a change of pace from the dramatic tension that ended The Black Cauldron. It deals with Princess Eilonwy’s background, introduces some new characters, and continues to show Taran’s growing maturity and self-awareness.  

            The story begins as Eilonwy is reluctantly preparing to travel to the Island of Mona to be trained as a proper princess by the king and queen there. Unbeknown to Eilonwy they also expect her to marry their son, prince Rhun. Taran is unhappy about her departure as he begins to realize how much he cares for her. Shortly after her arrival she is kidnapped with the help of the evil Chief Steward Magg and delivered into the hands of the evil enchantress Achren. Eilonwy is from the ancient and powerful house of Llyr whose women were powerful sorceresses. Achren hopes to use her powers to restore herself to a position of power.

            Much of the book describes the attempts of Taran, Gurgi, Fflewddur, Gwydion, and Prince Rhun to rescue Eilonwy. Prince Rhun is an interesting combination of a cheerful, good natured person and clumsy and naïve bungler who is often the cause of more problems. Taran’s relationship with him is further complicated by the fact that he is jealous of his potential relationship with Eilonwy and has promised his father, the king, to look after him and bring him back safely.  During their adventures the companions, except Gwydion, are trapped in a hut by a gigantic cat, Llyan, who has a great liking for Fflewddur’s harp playing and in a cave occupied by a depressed giant named Glew. When they finally reach Eilonwy they discover she is under an enchantment and does not recognize any of them.

            Though there is plenty of adventure I feel the real focus of the book is the growth of the characters Rhun, Taran and Eilonwy. Through his adventures, failures, and successes Rhun grows in self awareness and in the end is capable of great love and self - sacrifice. As Taran sees this he can put aside his jealousy and impatience with Rhun and accept him as a friend and companion. Perhaps the greatest change occurs in Eilonwy. At the start of the story she is the same strong willed, opinionated girl who likes getting her own way. At the end she is still strong willed but is using her will to save herself, her friends, and all Prydain at great personal cost. Again, without being didactic, Lloyd Alexander shows the superiority of humble self-sacrifice over the quest for power and glory.

           

 

            

The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander

The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander

Adventure, Fantasy

Grades 4-7

Ages 9-12

229 pages, paperback

c. 1965

        The Black Cauldron is a Newbery Honor Book and the second book in the Chronicles of Prydain series. This is a darker, more serious book than The Book of Three but there is also much humor which keeps it for being too heavy. This time Taran and his companions are facing a greater evil and the stakes are higher. It is decided that the Black Cauldron, which Arawn uses to create his deathless warriors, must be destroyed. To accomplish this the band, along with Gwydion and other strong warriors, must travel deep into Arawn's domain. Once there they discover someone else has already taken the Cauldron. Then begins the long quest to find the Cauldron and destroy it.

          All the main characters from the first book return and several new characters are added. Adaron, the son of the Chief Bard, is a noble young man full of wisdom and can see things in dreams. Prince Ellidry, the youngest son of his family and thus without much of an inheritance, is arrogant and prideful. There is constant tension between him and Taran for most of the book. King Morgant and King Smoit are renowned warriors, but where Smoit is good-natured Morgant is vain and tends to keep his own counsel.

As the company retreats, they are chased by Arawn’s guards as well as the dreaded Huntsmen of Annuvin, ruthless warriors who grow stronger when one of their company is killed. They escape but are separated from the rest of the warriors.  Eventually they learn that the Cauldron has been taken by three mysterious women and is now hidden in the dangerous Marshes of Morva. The choice to seek the Cauldron themselves is a difficult one and it is surprising that Adaon, who was put in charge of the band, defers to Taran who decides to go forward. On their way to the marshes Adaon asks Taran to take care of his few precious possessions should harm befall him. The most precious is a brooch he wears that helps him see things clearly and gives him wisdom in dreams. When Adaon saves Taran’s life from the Huntsmen and is mortally wounded and Taran wears the brooch he realizes just how precious it is. With his new wisdom Taran can lead the band safely through the dangerous marshes but is forced to make the difficult decision to give the brooch to the three enchantresses in return for the Cauldron. He then learns the only way to destroy the Cauldron, which was the intention from the start, is for a living person to willingly enter it to die. Devastated by this news they decide to bring the Cauldron back to Caer Dallben and hope the old enchanter Dallben has some wisdom about what to do with it.

The task of carrying the Cauldron is nearly impossible and requires Taran to give up all hope of being a hero as he must promise to Ellidyr, whose help and strength is needed when the Cauldron gets stuck in the mud, to say that it was Ellidyr who found the Cauldron. Ellidyr had earlier abandoned the group to seek the Cauldron himself. Another significant betrayal occurs as they near the end of their journey, illustrating the power of the Cauldron to tempt good men to evil in their quest for power.  Just as good men can turn to evil so an evil man can repent and from an unexpected source comes a willing victim to enter the Cauldron and destroy it.

There is much action in this story but what really drives the story is the characters and the difficult choices they must make. Alexander presents issues of friendship, loyalty, honor, and self-sacrifice in compelling but not didactic ways. He raises questions of what is heroic, good leadership and how to judge those who turn from good to evil and evil to good. Taran began the quest for the Cauldron with his new sword, given by Dallben, full of excitement and hope for glory. He returns much sobered and wiser from the adventure. He comments to Gwydion, “I had longed to enter the world of men. Now I see it filled with sorrow, with cruelty and treachery, with those who would destroy all around them.” Gwydion also reminds him “but there are equal parts of love and joy. Think of Adaron and believe this. Think , too, of your companions. Out of friendship for you, they would have given up all they valued; indeed all they possessed.”

 

 

Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

Adventure, Fantasy

grade 4-7

ages 9-12

190 pages, paperback

c. 1964

            The Book of Three is the first book in the five- book series called The Chronicles of Prydain. It is a classic epic fantasy adventure for younger readers and can be enjoyed by older readers as well. It is inspired by Welsh mythology but is not a retelling of the Welsh myths. I think one of its best elements are the characters and especially how the main character, Taran, develops throughout the series. I also find the theme of the true cost involved in the battle against evil to be both inspiring and a more realistic view than what is often shown in the superhero world.

            The Book of Three introduces the main characters that will continue through the series and establishes the main conflict between the forces of good and evil that are fighting for control of the imaginary land of Prydain. All the major characters are well developed and shown with their virtues and weaknesses, often in a comical way. Taran, who is given the title of Assistant Pig-Keeper, because he longs to be important and heroic, is stubborn, impatient, prideful, and sometimes rude. He also tends to blame others for his mistakes. By the end of his adventure he has grown in kindness, learned some leadership skills, and takes responsibility for his own mistakes, and sometimes those of others as well. He also develops a more accurate picture of what a hero really is.  Eilonwy is a strong-willed, opinionated, talkative, and somewhat scatterbrained princess. She is also an enchantress. During their journey she too grows in her ability to be kinder, generous, and self-sacrificing. Gurgi is a curious character, part man and part beast. In the beginning he is cowardly, whinny, and mostly interested in getting fed. As Taran learns to treat him with kindness and respect he becomes a loyal, brave, and selfless member of the company. Fflewddur Fflam is a king bored with his duties, and a would-be bard given to excessive exaggerations about his bravery and accomplishments. He also becomes a truly brave, loyal, and selfless companion.

            There are also other characters taken from the Welsh legends. Gwydion, the noble warrior, and prince of Prydain's House of Don, Arawn, the dread lord of Annuvin, the land of the dead, the Horned King, war leader of Arawn, Hen Wen, the oracular pig under Taran’s care and Dallben, the old enchanter who has taken care of Taran since infancy. Gwyn the Hunter and his hounds also have some bases in Welsh Mythology. Their presence normally signifies death.

            Taran’s adventures begin when Hen Wen becomes frightened and runs off into the forest. Taran immediately runs after her though he has been forbidden to enter the forest. He quickly becomes lost, encounters and is wounded by the Horned King then found and helped by Gwydion. Taran is initially disappointed by Gwydion modest appearance but gradually comes to realize “it is not the trappings that make the prince, nor the sword that makes the warrior.” Gwydion needs to find Hen Wen to discover what she knows of the Horned King and since it is too dangerous to send Taran home himself it is decided that they will both seek Hen Wen. They are captured and separated. Taran meets the Princess Eilonwy, who helps him escape from the dungeon, the bard Fflewddur Fflam, and Gurgi, half man half beast. Believing that Gwydion is dead they decide to travel to Caer Dathyl to warn the Sons of Don that the Horned King and his army of Cauldron Born, deathless warriors, are coming to attack them.

            Taran and his companions face many dangers as they continue their perilous journey trying to avoid running into the Horned King and his warriors. Along the way Taran makes some bad and some good decisions. In the end the companions, by working together, do reach their destination. Through Taran eyes we see that that to be a great hero one does not need to be the greatest swordsman or most powerful magician. It is our choices that make us heroes and our friends and companions who make us great, and these lessons are told with a generous dose of humor. I highly recommend this book and the entire series.

           

Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

Fantasy, Adventure

grade 6-8

ages 11-13

320 pages, hardcover

c.2020

       

            Race to the Sun is similar in tone to Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson Series in which mythological characters and contemporary culture are combined. Nizhoni Begay is a 7^th grade Navajo girl with a burning desire to be famous and popular. Unfortunately, the only way she has been noticed lately is for her mistakes, such as missing the basketball being thrown to her at a critical time in the game and having it hit her in the face. The distraction was caused by her newly awaken power of recognizing monsters in human form. Mr. Charles, the businessman in the stands, and potentially her dad’s new boss, is a monster. He is extremely interested in Nizhoni and her slightly younger brother Mac. He has plans to use Mac’s power over water to help his oil and gas company in fracking and to kill Nizhoni, who is a monster-slayer, so he can release all the monsters who have been imprisoned in the past. Nizhoni slowly becomes aware of Mr. Charles plans, especially when her stuffed horned toad, Mr. Yazzie, comes alive and begins to tell her more about her ancestry. Mr. Yazzie tells Nazhoni that she and her brother Mac are the Hero Twins of Navajo legend and it is their destiny to fight these monsters. This will require them to travel to the sacred land of the Navajo and find four sacred objects that must then be presented to Spider Woman. She, in turn, will help them journey to the home of the Sun. They will ask the Sun for the weapons they will need to fight the monsters. They will also have to pass four trials on their way to the Sun. Nazhoni’s best friend, Davery, accompanies them on the quest.

            Race to the Sun is an exciting, fast moving story. It is narrated by Nizhoni which allows you to see her transformation from an insecure, self-centered girl with anger management issues to a brave, self-sacrificing girl who has a healthy appreciation of both her strengths and weaknesses. The book also deals with the importance of family and cultural identity, forgiveness, friendship, and the hard work and sacrifices necessary to be a real hero. Nizhoni learns to face and conquer her fears during the trials and learns the importance of working together with others during the great battle with the monsters. She also learns the truth about her mother’s departure when she was an infant and that forgiveness can heal many old wounds. Elements of Navajo culture, such as respect for elders and appreciation of the natural world are also illustrated. References to the four sacred mountains and their guardians as well as the mention of other holy people could inspire further research into Navajo mythology.

     Race to the Sun is part of the Rick Riordan Presents series of books that seeks to find authors of minority cultures that can tell stories reflecting their cultures. Race to the Sun is an action, adventure fantasy that uses Navajo mythology as its backdrop. However, as I looked at reviews of the book, I discovered that some traditional Navajo people did not like the book. Their objections included some distortions of the traditional myths and some trivializing of the sacred figures in the myths. A further discussion of this can be found at https://americanindiansinchildrenslit. Roanhorse is a Native American but not a Navajo. However, she is married to a Navajo and wrote this book for her daughter. In the Author’s Notes she states that she wanted to share the beauty of the Navajo culture with both Navajo and non -Navajo kids and to show heroes that Navajo kids could relate to. She also identifies herself as a fantasy writer, not a cultural expert.

The Last Humanby Lee Bacon

The Last Human by Lee Bacon

Science Fiction, Adventure

ages - 9-12

grade 4-7

269 pages, hardcover

c. 2019

       The Last Human is about a robot civilization thirty years after the last humans have been exterminated. Therefore, robot XR_935 is so surprised when he encounters 12-year-old Emma, a human. The story is told from his point of view. He has been programmed to believe that all humans were dangerous, wasteful and the cause of many of the problems on earth due to their greed and violence. However, Emma is not at all like that. This causes XR_935 and his two coworkers, SkD_988 and Ceeron_902, to consider helping Emma reach the red dot on her map. Doing so goes against all that they know to be true and puts them in danger as well.

            This is an engaging, often humorous story, as the robots and Emma seek to understand each other. XR_935 has been designed with a complete data base of history and the information to do his job, which is solar installation. Ceeron_902 also works on solar installation but was designed to be super strong and do heavy lifting. SkD_988 works on solar installation as well but is a small robot who can move very quickly and communicates through emojis.

Besides being an adventure story, The Last Human is ultimately a story about friendship, technology, and the need to sometimes challenge the status quo, no matter the consequences. It raises many thought provoking questions about the nature of humanity, the danger of partial truths and the control of information in society, and what happens when one generalizes about a group of people. This is all done in a delightful, humorous way. Ceeron_902 has a great interest in human jokes and idioms which drives literal minded XR_935 crazy. In the beginning when Emma asks XR_935 if the other robots are his friends, he finds the concept incomprehensible, they are coworkers. By the end of the story there is no questions they are all, including Emma, real friends.

Remarkables by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Remarkables by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Realistic Fiction, Some Fantasy Elements

age- 10-12

grade - 5-8

292 pages, hardcover

c. 2019

There are many “remarkable” elements in this book. One element that is often missing in current literature is the positive portrayal of an intact family that have a real faith in God. Haddix isn’t preachy and realistically shows the struggles of different family members but the overall tone is positive and hopeful. She deals with some serious topics, such as bullying, and the impact drug addiction can have on all family members.

            The story begins when 11-year-old Marin and her family move from Illinois to Pennsylvania due to her mother’s new job as a professor of nursing. Her dad, a physical education teacher, is still looking for work and for now is the primary caregiver of their new baby, Owen. Marin has some unresolved issues with two girls back home, one of whom used to be her best friend. Still angry at the way they bullied her, she is also uncomfortable at the way she acted toward them at their last meeting. All this is making her anxious about her ability to make new friends when she starts middle school in the fall.  

            While exploring the area around her house she notices a group of teenagers who seem very happy. Suddenly they all disappear. In her attempts to solve this mystery she meets Charlie, who lives next door with his grandmother and two younger brothers. Charlie is living with his grandmother because both his parents are drug addicts, resulting from a tragic accident that his father was involved in. Charlie also sees these teenagers who he calls “The Remarkables.” Charlie has been studying them for a while and he believes they are time travelers. He is also convinced that one of them is his father before the terrible accident occurred that he feels responsible for. Together Marin and Charlie try to figure out if they can change the past and prevent Charlie’s father from turning to drugs to escape his guilt feelings. As they consider different options, they also begin to realize that changing the past could change some of the good things that have happened as a result of the accident.

            Once again Haddix present some thought - provoking ideas about how to deal with the past, present and future. Marin realizes that she and Charlie can’t change the past but then she comments, “Isn’t it better to think about working toward a good future than trying to change the past? … Because the present and the future are the only things you can do anything about . … You can have a good future because the past is over. All you can do is learn from it.” Thus, Charlie comes to realize he is not doomed to follow the mistakes of his father, that he can have a future full of hope. Marin finds the courage to reconcile with her old friends. The effect of that realization and hope is truly remarkable.

Stuffed by Liz Braswell

Stuffed by Liz Braswell

Realistic Fiction, Some Fantasy Elements

age- 9-11

grades 4-6

244 pages, hardcover

c. 2019

From the very first day the sun rose over the world there have been shadows,

For where there is Light, there is always Darkness.

Humans and their friends always play in the Light of the sun.

But there are monsters who lurk in the Darkness waiting to grab them.

What follows is one tale in the eternal war against the Dark.

It is the story of a small boy, and his even smaller guardian.

So, by the grace of the Velveteen, our story begins.

            Do you believe stuffed animals are only for very little kids or sissies? Clark and his friends know better. So, begins Stuffed. Clark is almost 11 and his Mother and the bullies at school think he is too old to be still playing with stuffed animals. Every night Clark strategically positions his army of stuffed animals around his bed. Sometimes in the morning they seemed to have moved and some of them look as if they have been in a fight. Even more alarming, after a package arrives from his grandmother containing things from his Dad’s childhood, there seems to be more darkness in the house, especially in his parent’s room. His Dad is getting weaker and weaker and it looks like there are little fang marks around his neck. Clark is convinced that an evil monster is attacking his Dad and when he meets D. A., a boy his age who also plays with stuffed animals, his thoughts are confirmed. D. A. knows even more about stuffies and monsters than Clark. He explains the MPF, Monster Protection Factor, of each of Clark’s animals according to the point values given for each attack feature, fangs, horns, claws, teeth, size, etc. Being handmade and loved adds extra points.

            Things take a dramatic turn for the worse for his Dad when Clark’s Mother makes him go to a sleep-away camp and, while away, places all his stuffed animals in a big garbage bag in the basement. Fortunately, while at camp Clark meets more kids who understand how the battle between stuffies and monsters work. He comes home prepared to save his Dad. Without his army of stuffies he is greatly handicapped. However, his grandmother presented him with a small, handmade sock animal as he was leaving for camp named Foon. The last and final battle will take place between the powerful, shadowy monster called a King Derker and the recently made Foon.

              This is truly a fun read and the author includes detailed directions and pictures of how to make your own stuffies. The last part of the book is told from Foon’s perspective. He may be small and newly made but his heart and courage are big. A classic tale of the ongoing fight between good and evil and the importance of friendship, loyalty and courage. Highly recommended.

           

Mark of the Plague by Kevin Sands

Mark of the Plague by Kevin Sands

Historical Fiction, Mystery, Adventure

Age - 11-14

Grade - 6-9

529 pages, hardcover

c. 2016

     The opening line of The Mark of the Plague, the second book in The Blackthorn Mystery Series is Tom saying to Christopher, his best friend, “This is a bad idea.” It is a comment Tom often makes and many times he is correct. Christopher is proudly showing Tom his latest invention, Blackthorn’s Smoke-Your-Home, designed to prevent the plague and bring Christopher some much needed income. It does succeed in filling the shop with a thick, sweet-smelling haze but it also left a big black scorch mark on the wall and set Harry, the stuffed hedgehog, on fire.

            Christopher is still mourning the death of his master, Benedict Blackthorn, and the plague has hit London very hard. A strange prophet, who wears a bird’s head mask, has come to London with the ability to predict who will die from the plague. An unknown apothecary has also come who claims to have a cure for the plague. Christopher is given a letter from his master by a friend. The letter reveals that Master Benedict has left him a treasure but to find it he must follow many cryptic clues. The letter say, in part, “Somewhere in our house is a prize, hidden for you. Treasure. Understanding your nature, you probably haven’t found it yet….You won’t find it until you realize something incredibly important. Our home is yours. Use everything you have been given. Recognize exactly what this is…Solve this one last riddle, and you’ll not only find your treasure, you’ll learn one last thing - and that is the most important thing I’ll ever want you to know.” The riddle is, “The young bird finds its treasure when it settles in its place, hidden, deep, beneath its feet; don’t let it go to waste.” Christopher spends most of the book trying to solve the riddle and it is his faithful friend Tom who eventually helps him to do it.

            Sands based this story on actual events and included the Bills of Mortality, which listed the number of people who had died each week. The Great Plague of London would ultimately kill one in five of the city’s residents. The humorous dialogue between characters, especially between Christopher and Tom, makes a nice balance from the dark events described in the book. Interesting new characters are introduced, both good and evil. One of these characters, Sally, continues to be a major character in the following two books. As with the previous book there is much action, narrow escapes and many plot twists. I highly recommend this book.

The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands

The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands

Historical Fiction, Adventure

Age 11-14

Grade 6-9

371 pages, hardcover

c. 2015

          Picture the opening scene of The Blackstone Key. Christopher Rowe, apprentice apothecary to Master Benedict Blackstone, and his best friend Tom decide to build cannon in the shop while the master is out. It is illegal for an apprentice to make gun powder but Christopher has just decoded this recipe of his master. Things don’t go as expected and upon returning to the shop Master Blackthorn is looking at his large stuffed black bear which has been shot in the crotch, his straw guts spilling out.

      Although the book starts out with a humorous tone the story quickly turns serious. Apothecaeies are being murdered after being tortured. There is a secret cult that is looking for a recipe that will give them unearthly power and after Master Benedict is murdered Christopher realizes his own life is in danger. It is unclear who the real enemies are. Christopher must rely on his ability to decode mysterious puzzles his master has left him and the undying loyalty of his friend Tom to stay alive long enough to uncover who is behind the brutal murders.

            Set in London in the 1650’s this is a book of rich historical detail and well developed characters. Christopher is fearless when it comes to trying anything. This makes him a good apothecary and also gets him into a lot of trouble. But his courage and daring also helps him track down the people who killed his beloved master. When faced with a decision of great consequence his moral code helps him make a good choice. Master Blackthorn is a kind, generous master, unlike most others of the time. He is a lover of knowledge and truth and has a burning desire to help and heal others. Tom shows an amazing loyalty to his friend Christopher and reminds me of Sam’s relationship to Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. There is much action, adventure, mystery, science, history and humor. The codes and puzzles that Christopher must solve involve astronomy, botany and especially chemistry. It is possible for the reader to solve these puzzles as the narrative provides the codes to uncover the mystery before you turn the page.

                There is a fair amount of violence in the descriptions of the murders and assaults that take place but they are appropriate for the time period. The actual murders happen off scene. There is also much sound wisdom offered in the book. One of the first lessons Master Blackthorn teaches Christopher is that some of the ingredients they use in small doses can heal and in larger doses can kill. He says, “It is never the tool that decides. It's the hands-and the heart-of the one who wields it.” Lord Ashcombe, the King’s Warden, remarks to 

Christopher about the way he tricked the leader of the cult, “You used his nature against him.”

            While I still like The Ascendancy Series very much, see blog posts May 5, July 4, Aug 1,  The Blackstone Mystery Series is now my favorite book series. There are three additional books in the series. Watch for future blogs.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Fantasy, Magic, Witches, Friendship, Courage, Newbery Medal

Age 11-14

Grade 6-9

400 pages

c. 2016

Each year the people of the Protectorate leave the youngest baby born in the forest to appease the wicked witch who lives there. This has happened for so long that the people have become resigned to it. However as the story opens this year’s young mother is willing to fight to keep her baby. In the end she loses the fight and becomes quite distraught.

            The truth is there is a wicked witch around but she is not in the forest. Xan, who lives in the forest, is a witch but she is gentle and kind and has been rescuing these babies for many years. She brings them to families on the other side of the forest. She feeds the babies starlight as they travel, but this time she accidently feeds the baby girl moonlight which fills her with extraordinary magic. Xan has been strangely attracted to the baby and now that she had been filled with magic Xan decided she needed to keep her. She named her Luna.

            Luna’s magic is truly extraordinary so Xan decides to lock it up inside her until she reaches the age of 13. Unfortunately Xan is not around when that happens but many other things are converging to make a very dangerous situation.

            This is an extremely well written book with many unusual and well developed characters. Xan lives with a wise Swamp Monster named Glerk and a tiny Dragon named Fyrian who believes he is quite large. The characters from the Protectorate are also well drawn, some noble and good and some quite evil and wicked, but even the most wicked ones are shown to have some redeeming qualities, at least at one time in their history. There are interesting plot twist and much to think about in the different themes presented in the book. There are some potentially disquieting moments that deal with grief and death but not in a morbid or hopeless way and there is much humor sprinkled through the book as well.

            An especially interesting character is Sister Ignatia.

 Spoiler Alert: She is head of the sisterhood that spends their time learning many things but she is also the wicked witch who feeds off the sorrows of other people. She is the one who originated the story of a wicked witch in the forest who demanded the sacrifice of a newborn baby each year. She was not always this way. After losing her mother, father, sisters and brothers, her village and all her friends, all she had left was her sorrow and memories of sorrow. To cope she allowed her heart to turn hard and she became the “Sorrow Eater.” The book describes it this way, “there in the space where the Sorrow Eater’s heart should have been, was a tiny sphere, hard, shiny and cold. Over the years she had walled off her heart, again and again, making it smooth and bright and unfeeling.” …..”It was so hard and heavy and dense that it bent the light around it. It sucked everything inside, sorrow sucking sorrow. She turned hungry for it (sorrow). And the more she fed on it, the more she needed it.” Eventually she learned to turn her sorrow into magic. To keep her magic she continually needed to feed on other people’s sorrow. That is why she wanted to have a baby sacrificed each year. The people in the community lived under a fog of sorrow.

I don’t think the author intended this but it made me think about how some extremely pro-choice women may be dealing with their own pain from past abortions.

Winterhouse by Ben Guterson

                                                 

          Winterhouse by Ben Guterson

                                Mystery, Fantasy, Word Puzzles, Friendship  

     Age - 9-12

         Grade - 4-7 

       365 pages

     c. 2018    

      

Elizabeth Somers is an 11 year old orphan living with her nasty aunt and uncle in a depressing town called Drere. Shortly before Christmas she finds herself locked out of the house with a note telling her to spend the holidays at an unusual hotel called Winterhouse. Once there she meets many unusual characters, some who seem quite nice but a bit mysterious, like the owner of the hotel Norbridge Falls, and some quite creepy, like the booksellers Mr. and Mrs. Hiems. She also meets Freddy, a boy her age, who like herself enjoys books, word puzzles, and exploring the many things Winterhouse has to offer.

While exploring the vast library Elizabeth comes across a strange book that she quickly discovers is magical. She also learns about the history of Winterhouse and the strange relatives’ of Norbridge Falls. She gets drawn into increasingly dangerous situations while at the same time realizing she has some connection to Winterhouse itself.

I found a lot to like in this book. The writing is excellent, bringing to life both the characters and the hotel and surroundings. The friendship that develops between Elizabeth and Freddy is refreshing in the way they respect and appreciate both the interests they have in common and the ways they are different. Even when they have a very serious disagreement they manage to sort things out. There are numerous word puzzles throughout the book and each chapter begins with a word ladder puzzle. There are also whimsical black and white drawings throughout the book.

Winterhouse is a very special place that seeks to promote the good with the hope that those who come there will experience it and hopefully bring some of it back when they return home. An inscription on the base of the bust of the founder reads:

“Some people say this world of ours is just a tumbling stone

No soul, no guide, no heart within, mere atoms all alone

But I believe there’s more to things than simply meets the eye

There’s good and bad – and so I say

Make sure the good survives."

The choice of choosing good or evil is a key element in the book.

There will eventually be three books in the series. The second book is The Secrets of Winterhouse. I plan to review it as well as the other books I have listed below. 

Similar puzzle type books that I have enjoyed are The Westing Game,The Mysterious Benedict Society Series, Chasing Vermeer, Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Series and The Century Quartet Series