Hoffman, Mary. City of secrets (Stravaganza).
Bloomsbury (St. Martins), 2008, 382p, $17.99, 978-1-59990-202-9.
In this newest addition to the Stravaganza series, Matt is another student at Barnsbury Comp who becomes a stravaganti after the discovery of his personal talisman. Matt is severely dyslexic, very insecure, and desperately trying to figure out his future. For his birthday, he has received yet another unwanted book token from his great-aunt that draws him into an antique store by a powerful impulse. There, he discovers an old book of spells and friends Georgia and Nick. When he sleeps that night with the book in his hand, he is transported to the Talian city Padavia, home of the great university. He has become a time traveler between alternate universes. In Padavia, he is no longer dyslexic but able to read and write fluently. He becomes a printer’s helper in Dr. Constantin’s Scriptorium and helps publish illegal books on both anatomy and magic. He discovers that Luciano, a fellow student who has died in his world but lives on in Talia, as well as Georgia and Nick, are also stravagantes. Together with other friends from the Talian cities of Bellaza, Giglia, and Remora, they must defeat the Church’s new laws against magic; prevent the deaths by burning of the Goddess worshipping Manoush, and save Luciano from the revenge of the di Chimici. All is done with panache and style.
This sprightly written and exciting time travel adventure is utterly fascinating. It offers both fantasy and suspenseful historical fiction in a well-paced plot and with engaging characters. With a Byzantine plot very redolent of Renaissance Italy and the de Medicis, the author weaves many strands into a marvelous whole, with the locations are beautifully rendered, and the characters are very three-dimensional. The story is told through the intertwined voices of the main characters, alternating between them. They all come from a different time and place in society and have different points of view. The author mixes adventure, political intrigues, mystery, a sixteenth century background, and a little romance into this very well done book.
This is a must purchase for any library who numbers fantasy readers among its users. They will be waiting impatiently for the next volume. SO
Monday, January 19, 2009
Jewish pirates of the Caribbean. by Edward Kritzler
Kritzler, Edward. Jewish pirates of the Caribbean.
Doubleday(Random), 2008, 324p, $26.00, 978-0-385-51398-2.
After the Spanish expulsion of its Jews in 1492, many converted, many died, and many left to cross the borders of Spain or onboard the small fleets of Columbus and those of later explorers. Some fled to the New World and became pirates who preyed on Spanish shipping, wreaking vengeance, acquiring treasure and riches, cementing alliances with other countries, and providing some protection for the Jewish population still in hiding.
In 1492, Ferdinand and Isabella expelled all of the Jews who had been living in Spain for centuries. Many converted, many died, and many left to cross the borders of Spain or onboard the small fleets of Columbus and those of later explorers. In the almost 200 years between the expulsion and the authorization of the first Jewish settlement in New Amsterdam, a large part of this Jewish community perished under the persecution of the Inquisition. Even many who had fled to the New World as conversos were hunted down but not all of these people went peaceably. A small contingent of Jews living in Arab North Africa as well as those who later settled in Jamaica expanded their horizons by becoming pirates and privateers who preyed on Spanish shipping, wreaking vengeance, acquiring treasure and riches, cementing alliances with other countries, and providing some protection for the Jewish population still in hiding. It was not until the middle of the seventeenth century that the Dutch allowed real freedom of religion and Charles II allowed the Jews to return to England.
In this deeply detailed and fascinating account of the time period, the author brings to light little known facts and information about the time period and the active role that Jews played in the New World as well as the Old. Well documented and highlighted by a wealth of primary source material, this book is sure to hold the reader’s attention. While the author concentrates on Caribbean piracy, he also provides solid data on the historical role of Jews throughout Western Europe. The book contains a map of the Caribbean and ends with a chronology, copious attributions and source notes, chapter notes, and a detailed index. SO
Doubleday(Random), 2008, 324p, $26.00, 978-0-385-51398-2.
After the Spanish expulsion of its Jews in 1492, many converted, many died, and many left to cross the borders of Spain or onboard the small fleets of Columbus and those of later explorers. Some fled to the New World and became pirates who preyed on Spanish shipping, wreaking vengeance, acquiring treasure and riches, cementing alliances with other countries, and providing some protection for the Jewish population still in hiding.
In 1492, Ferdinand and Isabella expelled all of the Jews who had been living in Spain for centuries. Many converted, many died, and many left to cross the borders of Spain or onboard the small fleets of Columbus and those of later explorers. In the almost 200 years between the expulsion and the authorization of the first Jewish settlement in New Amsterdam, a large part of this Jewish community perished under the persecution of the Inquisition. Even many who had fled to the New World as conversos were hunted down but not all of these people went peaceably. A small contingent of Jews living in Arab North Africa as well as those who later settled in Jamaica expanded their horizons by becoming pirates and privateers who preyed on Spanish shipping, wreaking vengeance, acquiring treasure and riches, cementing alliances with other countries, and providing some protection for the Jewish population still in hiding. It was not until the middle of the seventeenth century that the Dutch allowed real freedom of religion and Charles II allowed the Jews to return to England.
In this deeply detailed and fascinating account of the time period, the author brings to light little known facts and information about the time period and the active role that Jews played in the New World as well as the Old. Well documented and highlighted by a wealth of primary source material, this book is sure to hold the reader’s attention. While the author concentrates on Caribbean piracy, he also provides solid data on the historical role of Jews throughout Western Europe. The book contains a map of the Caribbean and ends with a chronology, copious attributions and source notes, chapter notes, and a detailed index. SO
42 Miles by Tracie Zimmer
Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn. 42 miles.
Clarion (Houghton Mifflin), 2008, 73p, $16.00, 978-0-618-61867-5.
42 miles are worlds apart as JoEllen tries to reconcile her city life with her mother and life on the farm with her father. At times, it seems as if she is two different people, as she struggles to find her own identity in this free-verse novel.
“School days in the city with Mom / weekends on the farm with Dad.” 42 miles are worlds apart as JoEllen tries to reconcile her city life with her mother and life on the farm with her father. Ellen, to her mom, jokes with her friends, plays the sax, lives for fashion and old movies, and works at a second-hand shop. Joey, to her dad, rides horses with her cousin, creates outrageous recipes with her dad, mucks out the stables and listens to bluegrass music. At times, it seems as if she is two different people, as she struggles to find her own identity in this free-verse novel.
Enjoyable and well written, illustrated with black and white collages that look like scrapbook entries, this book will be an enjoyable, and quick, read for older middle school students.
Recommended for middle school collections and YA departments at public libraries. This should be an enjoyable, coming-of-age novel in verse for girls from 6th through 8th grades. PN
Clarion (Houghton Mifflin), 2008, 73p, $16.00, 978-0-618-61867-5.
42 miles are worlds apart as JoEllen tries to reconcile her city life with her mother and life on the farm with her father. At times, it seems as if she is two different people, as she struggles to find her own identity in this free-verse novel.
“School days in the city with Mom / weekends on the farm with Dad.” 42 miles are worlds apart as JoEllen tries to reconcile her city life with her mother and life on the farm with her father. Ellen, to her mom, jokes with her friends, plays the sax, lives for fashion and old movies, and works at a second-hand shop. Joey, to her dad, rides horses with her cousin, creates outrageous recipes with her dad, mucks out the stables and listens to bluegrass music. At times, it seems as if she is two different people, as she struggles to find her own identity in this free-verse novel.
Enjoyable and well written, illustrated with black and white collages that look like scrapbook entries, this book will be an enjoyable, and quick, read for older middle school students.
Recommended for middle school collections and YA departments at public libraries. This should be an enjoyable, coming-of-age novel in verse for girls from 6th through 8th grades. PN
The invasion of Sandy Bay. by Anita Sanchez
Sanchez, Anita. The invasion of Sandy Bay.
Calkins Creek (Boyd's Mill), 2008, 147p, $16.95, 978-1-59078-560-7.
In 1814, as the War of 1812 rages, twelve-year-old Lemuel Brooks tries to save the sleepy fishing village of Sandy Bay, Massachusetts, where he, himself, is an outsider, from bumbling British invaders.
The War of 1812 caused economic hardship for the inhabitants of Sandy Bay, Mass. However, because the men of the town were “mariners”, or fishermen, they had a special exemption from military service. Nonetheless, a British privateer who fired a cannon at the town in 1813 caused the citizens of Sandy Bay to muster a militia for their defense. But the militia was no match for the British frigate Nymph, who paid a visit to the seaside town in 1814. Lemuel Brooks, a young boy learning the fishing trade, is captured by the British, along with Bill Tar, an elderly fisherman while they are out to sea. The British force Lemuel and Bill to pilot the Nymph through the shoals and into a hidden cove, at which point Lemuel and Bill escape to raise the alarm. The British invasion destroys the fort and the church steeple, but ends in a draw: nine marines are captured when their cannon backfires and the British capture nine of the local militia. The captured British marines are jailed in the tavern owned by Lemuel’s mother, and it is from this vantage point that Lemuel witnesses a most unusual, and illegal and traitorous prisoner exchange, accomplished with subterfuge right under the nose of the officious Colonel Appleton from Gloucester. When Appleton becomes suspicious, Lemuel, who first saw the British as the enemy, now sees them as ordinary people like the citizens of Sandy Bay, does his part to create a diversion to aid in the prisoner exchange. The writing is engaging; the characters are secondary to the plot, which is based on historical events. The author details the events in the Afterword and she provides additional background information that fleshes out the action and the characters in the book. This lively, entertaining story of a young boy is framed against a little known period in American history and provides a detailed account of the lives of citizens who didn’t get a notation in Social Studies texts.
Recommended for libraries needing historical fiction with the War of 1812 setting. RZ
Calkins Creek (Boyd's Mill), 2008, 147p, $16.95, 978-1-59078-560-7.
In 1814, as the War of 1812 rages, twelve-year-old Lemuel Brooks tries to save the sleepy fishing village of Sandy Bay, Massachusetts, where he, himself, is an outsider, from bumbling British invaders.
The War of 1812 caused economic hardship for the inhabitants of Sandy Bay, Mass. However, because the men of the town were “mariners”, or fishermen, they had a special exemption from military service. Nonetheless, a British privateer who fired a cannon at the town in 1813 caused the citizens of Sandy Bay to muster a militia for their defense. But the militia was no match for the British frigate Nymph, who paid a visit to the seaside town in 1814. Lemuel Brooks, a young boy learning the fishing trade, is captured by the British, along with Bill Tar, an elderly fisherman while they are out to sea. The British force Lemuel and Bill to pilot the Nymph through the shoals and into a hidden cove, at which point Lemuel and Bill escape to raise the alarm. The British invasion destroys the fort and the church steeple, but ends in a draw: nine marines are captured when their cannon backfires and the British capture nine of the local militia. The captured British marines are jailed in the tavern owned by Lemuel’s mother, and it is from this vantage point that Lemuel witnesses a most unusual, and illegal and traitorous prisoner exchange, accomplished with subterfuge right under the nose of the officious Colonel Appleton from Gloucester. When Appleton becomes suspicious, Lemuel, who first saw the British as the enemy, now sees them as ordinary people like the citizens of Sandy Bay, does his part to create a diversion to aid in the prisoner exchange. The writing is engaging; the characters are secondary to the plot, which is based on historical events. The author details the events in the Afterword and she provides additional background information that fleshes out the action and the characters in the book. This lively, entertaining story of a young boy is framed against a little known period in American history and provides a detailed account of the lives of citizens who didn’t get a notation in Social Studies texts.
Recommended for libraries needing historical fiction with the War of 1812 setting. RZ
Doomed Queens. by Kris Waldherr
Waldherr, Kris. Doomed Queens.
Broadway Books (Random), 2008, 176p, $14.95, 978-0-7679-2899-1.
Discusses the unfortunate deaths of fifty different queens throughout history and examines what they had in common that led to their untimely demise.
Technically, Princess Di was not a queen, but she was royal by marriage and by all accounts, the marriage was doomed from the start. And of course, her life ended tragically. Diana is not alone; other royal women as far back 835 BC shared her fate. In a light, entertaining narrative, readers learn about royal women who met an untimely end through poisoning, starvation, beheading and assassination, to name a few. The queenly profiles are divided chronologically by chapter, from the Biblical to the semi-modern, with a quirky end of chapter multiple choice quiz at the end of each chapter. Each profile is short but succinct, ranging from one to three pages, and highlights the well-known doomed queens (the wives of Henry VII and Marie Antoinette) to the lesser known (Caroline of Brunswick and Urraca of Castille) to the multicultural (Oghul Ghaimish and Empress Xu Pingjun). A cautionary moral is associated with each queen. For example: “Don’t marry a man in love with another man.” Had Roxanne, the wife of Alexander the Great, realized this, she may have saved herself much heartache as well as death by poisoning. Pencil sketches and sidebar information accompanies most profiles. Includes a timeline, Table of Contents and an Index.
Recommended as brain candy - a fun read. RZ
Broadway Books (Random), 2008, 176p, $14.95, 978-0-7679-2899-1.
Discusses the unfortunate deaths of fifty different queens throughout history and examines what they had in common that led to their untimely demise.
Technically, Princess Di was not a queen, but she was royal by marriage and by all accounts, the marriage was doomed from the start. And of course, her life ended tragically. Diana is not alone; other royal women as far back 835 BC shared her fate. In a light, entertaining narrative, readers learn about royal women who met an untimely end through poisoning, starvation, beheading and assassination, to name a few. The queenly profiles are divided chronologically by chapter, from the Biblical to the semi-modern, with a quirky end of chapter multiple choice quiz at the end of each chapter. Each profile is short but succinct, ranging from one to three pages, and highlights the well-known doomed queens (the wives of Henry VII and Marie Antoinette) to the lesser known (Caroline of Brunswick and Urraca of Castille) to the multicultural (Oghul Ghaimish and Empress Xu Pingjun). A cautionary moral is associated with each queen. For example: “Don’t marry a man in love with another man.” Had Roxanne, the wife of Alexander the Great, realized this, she may have saved herself much heartache as well as death by poisoning. Pencil sketches and sidebar information accompanies most profiles. Includes a timeline, Table of Contents and an Index.
Recommended as brain candy - a fun read. RZ
The Patron Saint of Butterflies. By Cecilia Galante
Galante, Cecilia. The Patron Saint of Butterflies.
Bloomsbury (St. Martins), 2008, 292p, $16.99, 978-1-59990-249-4.
When her grandmother takes fourteen-year-old Agnes, her younger brother, and best friend Honey and escapes Mount Blessing, a Connecticut religious commune, Agnes clings to the faith she loves while Honey looks toward a future free of control, cruelty, and preferential treatment.
Honey and Agnes, both twelve years old, live in the religious commune of Mount Blessing. Her mother who left the commune abandoned honey as an infant. The commune is under the control of Emmanuel, an authoritarian leader with a penchant for corporal punishment who requires total obedience from his followers. Honey and Agnes have been close friends from birth but their paths begin to diverge, putting their friendship in jeopardy. Agnes is intent on becoming a saint and practices acts of mortification in order to be perfect and holy, as Emmanuel demands; Honey, a frequent visitor to the Regulation Room for retraining, sees Mount Blessing as a cult from which she longs to escape. Honey’s opportunity for freedom comes when Agnes’s grandmother, Nana Pete, arrives unexpectedly for a visit and discovers that the children are being physically abused. She unsuccessfully tries to reason with her son, who is Agnes’s father. Nana Pete’s concern for Agnes, her younger brother Benny and Honey, causes her to kidnap the children. Nana Pete and the children head south and during the road trip Honey fights for the Agnes that she knew while Agnes resists turning away from the path Emmanuel expects of her. When Nana Pete dies of a heart attack, Agnes seizes the opportunity to phone her father, asking him to bring her and Benny back to the commune but she realizes too late the mistake she has made. At the same time, she realizes that “the God [she] wants to stand up for is not the one Emmanuel represents” and for the first time, she courageously thinks for herself. Narrated by Honey and Agnes in alternating chapters, readers will gain insight into how a cult exerts control over its members. Even the font type, which varies according to the chapter. Is representative of the girls’ personalities and emotions. The characters in this tightly written story are well developed and have depth and the plot will hold the attention of readers until the last chapter.
Recommended for library collections with religious themes. RZ
Bloomsbury (St. Martins), 2008, 292p, $16.99, 978-1-59990-249-4.
When her grandmother takes fourteen-year-old Agnes, her younger brother, and best friend Honey and escapes Mount Blessing, a Connecticut religious commune, Agnes clings to the faith she loves while Honey looks toward a future free of control, cruelty, and preferential treatment.
Honey and Agnes, both twelve years old, live in the religious commune of Mount Blessing. Her mother who left the commune abandoned honey as an infant. The commune is under the control of Emmanuel, an authoritarian leader with a penchant for corporal punishment who requires total obedience from his followers. Honey and Agnes have been close friends from birth but their paths begin to diverge, putting their friendship in jeopardy. Agnes is intent on becoming a saint and practices acts of mortification in order to be perfect and holy, as Emmanuel demands; Honey, a frequent visitor to the Regulation Room for retraining, sees Mount Blessing as a cult from which she longs to escape. Honey’s opportunity for freedom comes when Agnes’s grandmother, Nana Pete, arrives unexpectedly for a visit and discovers that the children are being physically abused. She unsuccessfully tries to reason with her son, who is Agnes’s father. Nana Pete’s concern for Agnes, her younger brother Benny and Honey, causes her to kidnap the children. Nana Pete and the children head south and during the road trip Honey fights for the Agnes that she knew while Agnes resists turning away from the path Emmanuel expects of her. When Nana Pete dies of a heart attack, Agnes seizes the opportunity to phone her father, asking him to bring her and Benny back to the commune but she realizes too late the mistake she has made. At the same time, she realizes that “the God [she] wants to stand up for is not the one Emmanuel represents” and for the first time, she courageously thinks for herself. Narrated by Honey and Agnes in alternating chapters, readers will gain insight into how a cult exerts control over its members. Even the font type, which varies according to the chapter. Is representative of the girls’ personalities and emotions. The characters in this tightly written story are well developed and have depth and the plot will hold the attention of readers until the last chapter.
Recommended for library collections with religious themes. RZ
The dreadful revenge of Ernest Gallen. by James Lincoln Collier
Collier, James Lincoln. The dreadful revenge of Ernest Gallen.
Bloomsbury (St. Martins), 2008, 232p, $16.99, 978-1-59990-220-3.
A ghost comes to the rural town of Magnolia, intent on revenge and he wants young Gene Richards to help him achieve his goal, but Gene has other ideas.
The Dreadful Revenge of Ernest Gallen will haunt believers of ghost stories until the last page. Gene Richards, a young boy who lives with his mother and grandfather during the Great Depression. His life revolves around baseball and hanging out with his best friend Sonny Hawkins. Little do Gene and Sonny, and their friend Samantha know, but the sleepy rural town of Magnolia is hiding a secret, a secret that will soon be exposed thanks to an unknown, threatening voice that begins to haunt Gene. The voice belongs to an unnamed man and hints at untold power over Gene. The voice comes and goes and very quickly shows Gene that it can make him do anything that the voice wants him to do. The haunt eventually reveals to Gene that he wants him to kill his grandfather, a thought which horrifies Gene and which he does his best to resist. The voice also harasses other members of the community, causing deaths and accidents, all the while dropping hints to Gene that sets Gene, Sonny and Sam on an investigation to uncover a secret that involves the ghost and members of their families as well as an injustice that was never acknowledged. With Sonny’s help, Gene breaks free of the haunt’s power, but not without a great sacrifice for Gene. This first person narrative includes well-developed characters, a fast paced plot and an eerie, uneasy atmosphere that will propel readers to accompany Gene and his friends as they unravel the mysterious secret that has been unspoken for many years. Middle readers who are looking for a haunting ghost story will be mesmerized by the possibility of visitations from the other side. RZ
Bloomsbury (St. Martins), 2008, 232p, $16.99, 978-1-59990-220-3.
A ghost comes to the rural town of Magnolia, intent on revenge and he wants young Gene Richards to help him achieve his goal, but Gene has other ideas.
The Dreadful Revenge of Ernest Gallen will haunt believers of ghost stories until the last page. Gene Richards, a young boy who lives with his mother and grandfather during the Great Depression. His life revolves around baseball and hanging out with his best friend Sonny Hawkins. Little do Gene and Sonny, and their friend Samantha know, but the sleepy rural town of Magnolia is hiding a secret, a secret that will soon be exposed thanks to an unknown, threatening voice that begins to haunt Gene. The voice belongs to an unnamed man and hints at untold power over Gene. The voice comes and goes and very quickly shows Gene that it can make him do anything that the voice wants him to do. The haunt eventually reveals to Gene that he wants him to kill his grandfather, a thought which horrifies Gene and which he does his best to resist. The voice also harasses other members of the community, causing deaths and accidents, all the while dropping hints to Gene that sets Gene, Sonny and Sam on an investigation to uncover a secret that involves the ghost and members of their families as well as an injustice that was never acknowledged. With Sonny’s help, Gene breaks free of the haunt’s power, but not without a great sacrifice for Gene. This first person narrative includes well-developed characters, a fast paced plot and an eerie, uneasy atmosphere that will propel readers to accompany Gene and his friends as they unravel the mysterious secret that has been unspoken for many years. Middle readers who are looking for a haunting ghost story will be mesmerized by the possibility of visitations from the other side. RZ
Quofum. by Alan Dean Foster
Foster, Alan Dean. Quofum.
Ballantine (Random), 2008, 285p, $25.00, 978-0345-49605-8.
A scientific team is sent to Quorfum, a planet that sometimes isn’t where it should be in the galaxy. It is a thriller where scientifically ordered scientist have to deal with a world that is not logical, ordered, or rational. Unusual residents and odd occurrences are the norm for everyday activities.
The author has written a novel that will hold the interests of science fiction and adventure readers. It moves rapidly from one event to another constantly keeping the readers in suspense. It is also setting up further adventures for our scientists.
The wide variety of aliens shows a great imagination and humor. I thoroughly enjoyed the Stick-jellies to the fuzzies, to the hardshells, to the spikers with their unusual burrowing abilities. Each day the scientists discovered and catalogued never before seen flora and fauna with very unusual abilities. Several of these unusual inhabitants of this strange world were aggressive enough for the team to erect an electrified perimeter screen.
Scientists being what they are constantly try to find new and unusual things. This striving for the unknown led the scientist to an unbelievable discovery underground in a labyrinth of an energized warren of tubes.
All readers will enjoy this thriller and stay on the edge of their seats until the end. At which time they will be looking for the next book in the series to be printed. LM
Ballantine (Random), 2008, 285p, $25.00, 978-0345-49605-8.
A scientific team is sent to Quorfum, a planet that sometimes isn’t where it should be in the galaxy. It is a thriller where scientifically ordered scientist have to deal with a world that is not logical, ordered, or rational. Unusual residents and odd occurrences are the norm for everyday activities.
The author has written a novel that will hold the interests of science fiction and adventure readers. It moves rapidly from one event to another constantly keeping the readers in suspense. It is also setting up further adventures for our scientists.
The wide variety of aliens shows a great imagination and humor. I thoroughly enjoyed the Stick-jellies to the fuzzies, to the hardshells, to the spikers with their unusual burrowing abilities. Each day the scientists discovered and catalogued never before seen flora and fauna with very unusual abilities. Several of these unusual inhabitants of this strange world were aggressive enough for the team to erect an electrified perimeter screen.
Scientists being what they are constantly try to find new and unusual things. This striving for the unknown led the scientist to an unbelievable discovery underground in a labyrinth of an energized warren of tubes.
All readers will enjoy this thriller and stay on the edge of their seats until the end. At which time they will be looking for the next book in the series to be printed. LM
30 Garfield years of laughs and lasagna. by Jim Davis
Davis, Jim. 30 Garfield years of laughs and lasagna.
Ballantine (Random), 2008, 287p, $29.95, 978-0-345-50379-4.
In this collector’s edition, Jim Davis presents his best work, divided into 3 decades. Garfield has never been funnier as he faces life’s pressures with his usual sarcasm and wit.
The reader will recognize this book instantly by its cover. One sees a fat, orange and black cat with trademark white eyes and yellow whiskers. Garfield is blunt, lazy and sarcastic. What more is there? Jim Davis interrupts every few pages with a story or anecdote or sketches to explain his successes and failures. In each cartoon, the reader will make a connection. It may not be personal, but everybody definitely knows somebody who acts, thinks or eats like Garfield. Garfield generally wins, except when he eats Jon’s sweat sock, thinking that it’s a crescent roll, or when he eats a stack of cookies, only to realize that the last cookie is a coaster. One will only marvel that Jon and Odie have survived 30 years with Garfield! The book is divided into three parts representing each of the three decades since Garfield’s initial appearance, and each decade is prefaced with an introduction by Jim Davis himself. Small Garfield icons mark each page number for a colorful, well-organized, wonderful collection. In 1996, Garfield became worldwide when Jim David launched his website, Garfield.com. In addition, Garfield himself has kept up with the times, becoming an Internet user in order to get an early morning cup of coffee. There is even a foundation, which promotes literacy in the name of Garfield, the Professor Garfield Foundation! Garfield has evolved over the years and that is why he is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Davis explains that he wanted to create a realistic, non-talking cat, and that’s why Garfield always communicates through his thoughts. America bought it, and it has survived! Davis ends the book with his 30 favorites, explaining the inspiration for each one. This collection is, as Garfield says, “A big, fat hairy deal.” MS
Ballantine (Random), 2008, 287p, $29.95, 978-0-345-50379-4.
In this collector’s edition, Jim Davis presents his best work, divided into 3 decades. Garfield has never been funnier as he faces life’s pressures with his usual sarcasm and wit.
The reader will recognize this book instantly by its cover. One sees a fat, orange and black cat with trademark white eyes and yellow whiskers. Garfield is blunt, lazy and sarcastic. What more is there? Jim Davis interrupts every few pages with a story or anecdote or sketches to explain his successes and failures. In each cartoon, the reader will make a connection. It may not be personal, but everybody definitely knows somebody who acts, thinks or eats like Garfield. Garfield generally wins, except when he eats Jon’s sweat sock, thinking that it’s a crescent roll, or when he eats a stack of cookies, only to realize that the last cookie is a coaster. One will only marvel that Jon and Odie have survived 30 years with Garfield! The book is divided into three parts representing each of the three decades since Garfield’s initial appearance, and each decade is prefaced with an introduction by Jim Davis himself. Small Garfield icons mark each page number for a colorful, well-organized, wonderful collection. In 1996, Garfield became worldwide when Jim David launched his website, Garfield.com. In addition, Garfield himself has kept up with the times, becoming an Internet user in order to get an early morning cup of coffee. There is even a foundation, which promotes literacy in the name of Garfield, the Professor Garfield Foundation! Garfield has evolved over the years and that is why he is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Davis explains that he wanted to create a realistic, non-talking cat, and that’s why Garfield always communicates through his thoughts. America bought it, and it has survived! Davis ends the book with his 30 favorites, explaining the inspiration for each one. This collection is, as Garfield says, “A big, fat hairy deal.” MS
The gypsy morph (Genesis of Shannara). by Terry Brooks
Brooks, Terry. The gypsy morph (Genesis of Shannara).
Ballantine (Random), 2008, 402p, $27.00, 978-0-345-48414-7
This final volume in the Genesis of Shannara series does not disappoint. It brings together Knights of the Word, Logan Tom and Angel Perez, with the Elves of Cintra and the Gypsy Morph of the title, a boy born of wild magic named Hawk. They have the daunting task of saving mankind from the forces of evil, represented by the demons and half-men who represent the Void. The action is break-neck, perils abound, the characters a well drawn. The threads from all the previous books are so deftly woven that the fantasy world is real and palpable. This is Brooks at his finest, weaving the mythology of Shannara and the gritty modernism of the Word and Void into a beautiful and complex tapestry.
Highly recommended for high school and public library fantasy collections. This ending provides a beginning, and will make fans and readers want to start the Shannara story all over again. PN
Ballantine (Random), 2008, 402p, $27.00, 978-0-345-48414-7
This final volume in the Genesis of Shannara series does not disappoint. It brings together Knights of the Word, Logan Tom and Angel Perez, with the Elves of Cintra and the Gypsy Morph of the title, a boy born of wild magic named Hawk. They have the daunting task of saving mankind from the forces of evil, represented by the demons and half-men who represent the Void. The action is break-neck, perils abound, the characters a well drawn. The threads from all the previous books are so deftly woven that the fantasy world is real and palpable. This is Brooks at his finest, weaving the mythology of Shannara and the gritty modernism of the Word and Void into a beautiful and complex tapestry.
Highly recommended for high school and public library fantasy collections. This ending provides a beginning, and will make fans and readers want to start the Shannara story all over again. PN
Acacia by David Durham
Durham, David. Acacia.
Anchor (Random), 2008, 755p, $7.99, 978-0-385-72252-0
Four children are scattered to the corners of the earth in an attempt to keep them from harm after their father, the King, is killed by rival clans. The chancellor, a treacherous man who undercut his king, does follow the one wish of his king - to keep his children safe. Each child has a different existence, one becomes a female warrior, one lives on the water, the youngest is sheltered by a friend of the family and one lives as a captive of her father’s killer. Legend says the Giver will provide sacred information to whoever can read his book, a book kept secret by the children’s father. After nine years, the chancellor has a hand in reuniting the four siblings. A major battle ensues with ferocious beasts, magic spells and the older brother is killed. The remaining two siblings go to their older sister who is now Queen of Acacia having brought about the death of her lover and King. An uneasy trust exists between the sisters as the Queen reveals her true intent for the future of Acacia. Undoubtedly, the rivalry of the sisters will become the focus of the second in the planned trilogy. Outstanding descriptions of trees, flowers, and landscape as well as buildings and character’s personalities pull the reader into this lengthy yet taut struggle for power and superiority.
For fantasy lovers, this book will entrance and for epic war lovers, this book contains all the excitement and passion needed to keep the reader’s attention through the 700+ pages. Excellent descriptions of landscape and personalities. Grades 8 through adult. LMN
Anchor (Random), 2008, 755p, $7.99, 978-0-385-72252-0
Four children are scattered to the corners of the earth in an attempt to keep them from harm after their father, the King, is killed by rival clans. The chancellor, a treacherous man who undercut his king, does follow the one wish of his king - to keep his children safe. Each child has a different existence, one becomes a female warrior, one lives on the water, the youngest is sheltered by a friend of the family and one lives as a captive of her father’s killer. Legend says the Giver will provide sacred information to whoever can read his book, a book kept secret by the children’s father. After nine years, the chancellor has a hand in reuniting the four siblings. A major battle ensues with ferocious beasts, magic spells and the older brother is killed. The remaining two siblings go to their older sister who is now Queen of Acacia having brought about the death of her lover and King. An uneasy trust exists between the sisters as the Queen reveals her true intent for the future of Acacia. Undoubtedly, the rivalry of the sisters will become the focus of the second in the planned trilogy. Outstanding descriptions of trees, flowers, and landscape as well as buildings and character’s personalities pull the reader into this lengthy yet taut struggle for power and superiority.
For fantasy lovers, this book will entrance and for epic war lovers, this book contains all the excitement and passion needed to keep the reader’s attention through the 700+ pages. Excellent descriptions of landscape and personalities. Grades 8 through adult. LMN
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