Senzai, N.H. Shooting Kabul

Senzai, N.H. Shooting Kabul
Simon & Schuster/Little Brown 2010 272p 16.99
978-1-4424-0194-5 elm/ms Realistic Fiction VG
Afghan family faces challenges as the Taliban takes over in Afghanistan. While trying to escape, they lose daughter Mariam in the turmoil but must leave anyway, to face life in the post 9/11 San Francisco area. Guiltridden, Fadi faces trying to survive in school and to find a way to save Mariam. Books like Shooting Kabul can be powerful tools to show children what is happening in other cultures. N. H. Senzai uses her pen to help us understand a different perspective, that of the typical Afghan family who faces great change, both in Afghanistan after the Taliban takes over and in the U. S., after 9/11. We can only imagine the despair when Fadi loses his sister Mariam during his family’s daring escape from Afghanistan. Fearing death at the hands of the Taliban, Habib takes his wife, Fadi and remaining sister Noor and escapes to San Francisco. Habib is certain that Mariam will be found at one of the many refugee camps someday soon. Fadi doesn’t only face tremendous guilt, but also must survive at his new school where Muslim’s, especially Afghanis and Iraqis, are bullied after 9/11. A parallel story evolves, showing how Fadi enters a photography contest to try to win first prize, a trip to India. Naturally, Fadi expects to win because he wills it so, certain that he can find Mariam on his own by winning the trip! Another conflict that Fadi faces is revenge. Should he follow his heart and turn the other cheek, or join his newfound friends, other bullied children, in seeking revenge on school bullies Felix and Ike. In the end, the group of misfits, under Fadi’s leadership, turns the other cheek and does not seek revenge. Senzai’s explanations of the situation in Afghanistan, the need for our country to find Al Quaeda following 9/11 and the prejudices that surfaced across the United States are clarified for younger readers. The plot is fast-moving and interesting. Facing our fears about terrorism parallels the fears that a bullied child must face when confronted by a bully, and this theme shines as Senzai weaves the conflicts of her tale together. This book is best for upper elementary school and middle school libraries. Its strength lies in its clarity in explaining the difficulties faced by Muslims who live in our country. Squaresky, Martha

Aw, Tash. Map of the Invisible World

Aw, Tash Map of the Invisible World
Spiegel&Grav see Random 2009 317p 25.00
978-0-385-52796-5 hs/adult E
This award winning author’s second novel is set in Indonesia. Intrigue, suspense and interpersonal relationships build the story of sixteen year old Adam who is caught in the political turmoil of postcolonial Indonesia and family upheaval . This award winning author’s second novel is set in Indonesia. Intrigue, suspense and interpersonal relationships build the story of sixteen year old Adam who is caught in the political turmoil of postcolonial Indonesia and revolves upon the upheaval it presents in his life. Adam had been abandoned by his mother as a child. His brother was adopted by another family and his voice is part of the story, too. Adam is being raised by Karl, a man of Dutch descent. When Sukarno, the leader of Indonesia, wants to rid the country of any remnants of its colonial past,Karl is arrested and taken away. Adam tries to find Karl and goes to the city of Jakarta with little to go on. He has some letters and photos. One contact, an American woman, Margaret, who has had a past with Karl, enters the picture. The characters are fully delineated and the plot moves along at a pace that will keep the reader turning pages to find out what will happen next. Lives are changed by politics, betrayal, and love in this title with a surprising ending. Both poignant and thrilling, this book will be of interest to mature readers in high school and above. It could have been a Tristate Book of Note, but it has a 2009 copyright date and now we are reading for the 2010/2011 list. Recommended for high school libraries and above. Weinraub, Tina

Berry, Julie The Amaranth Enchantment

Berry, Julie The Amaranth Enchantment
Bloomsbury see St. Martins 2009 306p 16.99 978-1-59990-334-7 ms/hs

In this unusual adaptation of a Cinderella tale, Lucinda must combat the vagaries of fate to regain her place in life. The author mixes adventure, political intrigues, a magical background, and a little romance into this very well done book.In this unusual adaptation of a Cinderella tale, Lucinda lost her wealthy parents in an accident when she was five and was forced to work in the jewelry shop of her uncle and his miserly wife. One day, all sorts of mysterious events occur. She is behind the showcase when a beautiful woman, Beryl, comes into the shop to have an enormous gem reset and leaves the magical gem with Lucinda. Shortly thereafter, the Crown Prince comes to buy a gift for his betrothed and, finally, a young pickpocket cajoles her into protecting him and rewards her by making off with the jewel. Upon the death of her uncle, she is thrown out into the street, picks up a most unusual and protective goat that seems to think that it is a dog, and makes her way to her old home to discover Beryl in residence. Beryl takes her under her protection and Lucinda’s life brightens until evil rears its ugly head once again.
This engaging fantasy is not a simple retelling of a fairy tale but a sprightly written and exciting adventure. It offers both magical and suspenseful action in a well-paced plot and with engaging characters. The story is rich and interesting, the locations are beautifully rendered, and the characters are very three-dimensional. They come from different places in society and have different points of view but seamlessly join together to help each other. The author mixes adventure, political intrigues, a magical background, and a little romance into this very well done book. SO

George, Jessica. Dragon Spear.

George, Jessica. Dragon Spear.
Bloomsbury see St. Martins 2009 248p 16.99 978-1-59990-369-9 ms

In this sequel to Dragon Slippers and Dragon Flight; seamstress extraordinaire Creel, and her fianceé Prince Luka are bound for a visit to their dragon friends in the Far Isles where Luka's father has exiled the dragons. While there, Velika, the pregnant dragon queen, is kidnapped by a rival group of dragons and Creel and Luka must put their wedding plans aside as they help the king, Shardas, find his mate. In this sequel to Dragon Slippers and Dragon Flight, seamstress extraordinaire Creel and her fianceé Prince Luka are bound for a visit to their dragon friends in the Far Isles where Luka's father has exiled the dragons. While there, Velika, the pregnant dragon queen, is kidnapped by a rival group of dragons and Creel and Luka must put their wedding plans aside as they help the dragon king, Shardas, find his mate.
Filled with exciting adventures and a plucky pair of young people who have no hesitation about throwing themselves into danger to protect their friends, this engaging fantasy is a sprightly written and exciting adventure. It offers both fantasy and suspenseful action in a well-paced plot and with engaging characters. The story is rich and interesting, the locations are beautifully rendered, and the characters are very three-dimensional. The author mixes humor, adventure, political intrigues, magic, and romance into this very well done book. An introduction to the characters and previous plots would have helped new readers adjust but they are sure to go back and read the earlier volumes. SO

The Amaranth Enchantment.

Berry, Julie. The Amaranth Enchantment.
Bloomsbury see St. Martins 2009 306p 16.99 978-1-59990-334-7 ms/hs

In this unusual adaptation of a Cinderella tale, Lucinda must combat the vagaries of fate to regain her place in life. The author mixes adventure, political intrigues, a magical background, and a little romance into this very well-done book.
In this unusual adaptation of a Cinderella tale, Lucinda lost her wealthy parents in an accident when she was five and was forced to work in the jewelry shop of her uncle and his miserly wife. One day, all sorts of mysterious events occur. She is behind the showcase when a beautiful woman, Beryl, comes into the shop to have an enormous gem reset and leaves the magical gem with Lucinda. Shortly thereafter, the Crown Prince comes to buy a gift for his betrothed and, finally, a young pickpocket cajoles her into protecting him and rewards her by making off with the jewel. Upon the death of her uncle, she is thrown out into the street, picks up a most unusual and protective goat that seems to think that it is a dog, and makes her way to her old home to discover Beryl in residence. Beryl takes her under her protection and Lucinda's life brightens until evil rears its ugly head once again.
This engaging fantasy is not a simple retelling of a fairy tale but a sprightly written and exciting adventure. It offers both magical and suspenseful action in a well-paced plot and with engaging characters. The story is rich and interesting, the locations are beautifully rendered, and the characters are very three-dimensional. They come from different places in society and have different points of view but seamlessly join together to help each other. The author mixes adventure, political intrigues, a magical background, and a little romance into this very well-done book. SO

City of secrets (Stravaganza). by Mary Hoffman

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