Cryptid Hunters- Roland Smith

Hola, intrepid reader(s), it's been waaay to long since I've dropped some literary knowledge on your tender brains, and for that, please accept my most humble and sincere apologies.

Sir Readalot's life has been a bit hectic over the last couple of months, but I feel like I'm getting back into the swing of things. I also have a sneaking suspicion that we will soon be visited by a whole new batch of special guest bloggers, so stay tuned for that...

For my triumphant return, I chose Cryptid Hunters, by Roland Smith. Those of you who know me in real life know my love of cryptozoology knows no bounds,

from the back cover:

"cryptozoology- noun. The study of animals such as the Sasquatch, the Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster, the Chupacabra and others, whose existence has not yet been proved scientifically. There are thought to be more than 200 cryptids in existence today.

so I would have read this book based on the title alone- but as it happens, I read Smith's Sasquatch several years ago, and found it to be well written and engaging.

Anyway, The Cryptid Hunters tells the story of Grace and Marty, two twin siblings who attend an exclusive boarding school in Switzerland while their parents travel around the world as documentary wildlife photographers. Marty is brave, athletic, nearly fearless, and a budding comic book artist. Grace is the smart one, but she's is hesitant, shy, and scared of nearly everything. She is also plagued by a recurring nightmare whose details she can never remember upon waking.

Early on in the book, news of a horrible helicopter crash reaches the twins, and they are sent to live with their Uncle Wolfe, a relative they have never met, or even known existed. He lives on a private island off the coast of Washington state. As it turns out, Wolfe is a Cryptozoologist, a scientist specializing in the study of previously undiscovered animals such as the Loch Ness Monster and Sasquatch. The twins arrive just as Wolfe recieves word (from the beautiful and only slightly cliched Anthropologist Dr. Laurel Lee) about a siting of Mokele-Mbembe [Mo-Kee-Lee-Em-Bem-Bee], a dinosaur-like cryptid that lives in the Congolese rain forest.

Both Dr. Wolfe and the twins have an unrevealed history with Mokele-Mbembe, and as the story unfolds, the reader is presented with more and more of the back story. Along the way, we also meet Dr. Noah Blackwood, Wolfe's nemesis, and the kind of evil, vastly powerful and wealthy villain that stories like this need. Blackwood runs a series of "Arks" around the world where he displays rare and endangered animal specimens. He is less than scrupulous when it comes to the laws protecting these animals, and has a series of poachers, mercenaries, and henchmen to procure them for him by any means necessary. He has less than pure intentions for the Mokele-Mbembe, and also has a hidden history with both Wolfe and the twins.

Soon enough, the twins are lost in the middle of the Congo while Wolfe and Lee rush to rescue them. Along the way, Grace and Marty must outwit poachers and hunters, survive the hazards of the rainforest, and find the nest of the Mokele-Mbembe before Blackwood and his minions can. Wolfe and Lee are rushing to rescue them, but until then, Grace and Marty must rely only on their instincts, and the help of a Bonobo named Bo, a raven named Vid, and a pocket poodle named P.D.

Will they reach the Mokele-Mbembe in time? What is the mysterious tie between the family and the Mokele-Mbembe? For the answer to these and other questions, you'll have to read The Cryptid Hunters to find out.

In Grace and Marty, Smith has created two likable, if not entirely original (just once, I'd like the girl to be the athletic one, and the boy to be the smart one. I'm sure there are plenty of sibling tandems like that in the world of children's literature, so please remind me of those pairings in the comments.) protagonists. I loved the subject matter and the pro-conservation message of the story's heroes, but I wanted a bit more from it overall. The sequel, Tentacles, is about the search for the giant squid, so of course I'll read it, but based on The Cryptid Hunters alone, I doubt I'd be seeking out additional entries to the series.

The 39 Clues Book 2: One False Note- Gordon Korman

I found the first 39 Clues book, The Maze of Bones, to be a pleasant surprise by the end of its opening chapters, and decided to pursue the series further with book 2, One False Note. This book, written by Gordon Korman, picks up immediately after Rick Riordan's Maze of Bones left off. (Apparently each volume of this series will be penned by a different author.)

Dan and Amy Cahill, grandchildren of the recently deceased Grace Cahill, are embroiled in a worldwide scavenger hunt for the "39 Clues." They are competing against other members of the enormous extended Cahill clan, a family that has included some of the most powerful people throughout history. The ultimate prize is not stated, but it is intimated that it includes wealth and power beyond imagining, the power to shape and change the entire world. Suffice to say, all of the competitors are incredibly motivated, cunning, and ruthless. Intrigue, alliances, and double crosses abound.

Mild Maze of Bones plot spoilers are contained in the subsequent paragraph.

Book 1 highlights their relationship with Benjamin Franklin and has Dan and Amy traveling from Boston, to Franklin's old stomping grounds in Philadelphia, to Paris, where Franklin was treated like an 18th century rock star by the adoring French. By the end of Book 1, Dan and Amy have found the first clue and are headed off to Vienna, Austria to investigate the life of yet another one of their famous, distant cousins, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

One False Note opens with Dan, Amy, their au pair (never call her a babysitter within the range of Dan's hearing) Nellie Gomez, and their finicky cat Saladin are on the train from Paris to Vienna. They are trying to stay ahead of their many competitors: The psychotic, quasimilitary family the Holts, former KGB spy Irina Spasky, Natalie and Ian Kabra, rich, brilliant and deadly, Jonah Wizard, teenage hiphop star, actor, and all around megacelebrity, and Allistair Oh, who is down on his luck after making a fortune inventing the microwave burrito.

The Cahills, arrive in Vienna (after a harrowing runin with the Holts on the train) only to find Jonah Wizard, under the auspices of an European press junket for his new TV show, Who Wants to Be a Gangsta?, a step ahead of them. After a thrilling heist in Vienna, they are soon on their way to Salzburg, Mozart's childhood home. Soon after that they are on their way to Venice, one of the stops on Mozart's 1770 European tour.

In Venice they stumble upon the stronghold of the Janus Branch of the Cahills. Notable Janus Cahills throughout history in addition to Mozart have included Walt Disney, Beethoven, Mark Twain, Elvis, Charlie Chaplin, Dr. Seuss, and Snoop Dog. They are the branch of artists, musicians, authors, and other creative people. Jonah Wizard, actor and musician, is a Janus, and it is revealed that his mother is a very high ranking official within their organization. Book 1 introduced us to the Lucian stronghold in Paris. They were the great political and military leaders throughout history. Presumably, later volumes will introduce us to the two other Cahill branches: Tomas, and Eskartina. When you register at the website, you can take a short quiz and determine what branch you belong to. I'm an Eskartina.

After fleeing the Janus compound (suffice to say their infiltration of it does not go unnoticed or appreciated) with vital information from Mozart's sister's diary, Dan and Amy lead a merry boat chase through the canals of Venice before trying to find the next clue. Somehow, they escape the Janus', only to run afoul of Ian and Natalie Kabras. Will Dan and Amy be able to outsmart the two of them in order to find the second clue? I'm sure you have a pretty good idea about the answer, but you'll need to read on to find the answer.

Overall, I found the book to be sufficiently thrilling in its own right (the search for the second clue), but it did little to advance the overall mystery of the series. I guess if there is going to be a book for each clue, then the authors can afford to let the reader in on the bigger secrets veeeeeeery gradually, but it can be a bit frustrating. Who or what are the Madrigals? What's the deal with the Man in Black? Can Mr. McIntyre be trusted? All of these questions are raised in the book, but frustratingly little is revealed. I guess if you really want to know, you'll need to read book 3, The Sword Thief. Although I did not enjoy this book as much as The Maze of Bones, I guess I'm going to have to stick with the series. At least until they find the Eskartina stronghold. What do you think gentle reader(s)? Is the series worth pursuing? Can anyone be expected to commit to 39 books in a series? Let me know in your comments.

The Battle of the Labyrinth- Rick Riordan

The Battle of the Labyrinth is the fourth book in Rick Riordan's five volume "Percy and the Olympians" series. For those of you unfamiliar with the underlying premise: here's a quick recap: everything from Greek mythology is real. Gods, monsters, demons, and heroes exist both beyond and along the realms of mortal comprehension (Riordan describes them as being obscured by a magical mist). Among these mythological beings there exist "half-bloods," children born of one mortal and one immortal parent. Hercules (son of Zeus and a mortal mother is one famous example) and they are trained for various heroic quests at the appropriately-named "Camp Half Blood."

The series follows the adventures of Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon and a mortal mother as he struggles to learn his place in the worlds of the everyday and the mythological. Over time, Mount Olympus has followed the center of western civilization and currently resides on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building. In fact, one of the most enjoyable things about the series is seeing how Riordan is able to update various mythological elements for the modern world, and how he is able to explain their presence.

As it turns out, Kronos (leader of the Titans, the original group of Greek gods and father to Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. Zeus eventually lead an uprising against his father and the other Titans, and cast him forever into the pit of Tartarus.) is reforming and hoping to wage war on the Olympian gods. He is pure evil and driven by his urge for revenge. The mythological world is fast being divided among the two (Titan and Olympian) camps. Percy and his fellow campers (Annabeth, a daughter of Athena, Grover, a satyr, among others) must go an varying quests in order to foil Kronos's plans.

Book 4, The Battle of the Labyrinth, involves Kronos' plot to invade Camp Half Blood by circumventing the magical defenses by sneaking in through the mythical labyrinth of Crete. That's right, that maze, created by Deadelus, home of the Minotaur, still exists and has been evolving and growing in the centuries since its inception centuries ago. It is filled with monsters, dead ends, traps, riddles, and other obstacles designed to kill, bewilder, or entrap all who enter it. There are entrances and exits all over the world, including one within the borders of Camp Half Blood.

The forces of Kronos are lead by Luke Castellan, a half-blood son of Hermes, who has betrayed the Olympians (he hates his father) for the Titan's cause. Percy, Annabeth, Grover and his half-brother Tyson, (a kindly, clever cyclops) must enter the Labyrinth themselves in order to find the workshop of Daedalus. They must reach him before Luke and his forces do, or else the route through the labyrinth and the key to the invasion of Camp Half Blood will be revealed.

Along the way they must deal with Kampe, a monster from the first Titan-Olympian war, the forges of Hephaestus (located beneath Mt. Saint Helens), Janus (the two faced god of doorways, beginnings and endings), the fields of Geryon, the disappearance of Pan, hellhounds, and a burgeoning love triangle in between Percy, Annabeth, and a mortal girl named Rachel who is capable of seeing through the mists and is instrumental to the successful navigation of the labyrinth.

The eventual battle itself is somewhat anticlimactic, once it finally occurs, but that is a minor quibble in this thrilling volume of one of my favorite ongoing series.

Book 5, The Last Olympian, is out now and concludes Percy's saga. I might have to break my paperbacks-only rule and pick up a copy to see how the story ends. Will Kronos finally triumph? If he is defeated (and let's face it, he probably will be), then what will be the cost? Who will survive the final confrontation between the Titans and the Olympians.

"Percy and the Olympians" official site.

The Battle for Skandia- John Flanagan

I know, I know, I started this blog railing against the plague of series books ravaging children's literature in the wake of Harry Potter's success, but if you'll remember I described the "Ranger's Apprentice" series as "a pleasant exception to this dismaying trend." I am enjoying this series immensely, and after reading and thoroughly liking The Burning Bridge (Book 2), and The Icebound Land (Book 3), I turn my attention now to Book 4, The Battle for Skandia.

To recap: The Rangers are a light calvary/ scouting force crucial to the security of the Kingdom of Arulen. They are analogous to our Special Forces today, highly trained in both conventional and unconventional warfare, master tacticians, lightly armed, and incredibly mobile. The series follows the adventures of Will, and his apprenticeship under Master Ranger Halt.

SOME SPOILERS FOLLOW. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ ANY OF THE SERIES AND DO NOT WANT THE PLOTS OF THE FIRST THREE BOOKS REVEALED, THEN YOU SHOULD STOP READING NOW.

In books 1 and 2, they work together to foil the plots of renegade warlord Morgarath. Book 3 details what happens to Will and his friend Evanlyn when they are kidnapped by the northern Skandians (clearly analogs for our Vikings, right down to the apocryphal horned helmets) and the efforts of Halt and Will's friend Horace (an apprentice knight) to rescue them.

The Battle For Skandia opens with the rescue of Will and Evanlyn by Halt and Horace. However, the former have already escaped from slavery (see the events of The Icebound Land), and the latter liberate them, not from the Skandians, but from the Temujai.

Skandia, it seems, is in the process of being invaded by a race of people from "the eastern steppes" known as the Temujai. They are lead by a "Shan" and are dedicated to one thing only: conquest. They are formidable warriors, excellent horsemen, and deadly archers. Halt has had a history with them in their younger days, and even he is afraid of their military might. Given his depiction as a fearless and peerless tactician, the reader really gets a sense of menace from Halt's attitudes toward the Temujai. They are clearly inspired by Mongol hordes from history.

In fact, this is one of my favorite things about the series, it indulges in my history nerd what if fantasies. As I've mentioned, the Skandians are clearly Vikings, the Temujai are Mongols, the Arulens (Halt, Will, Horace and Evanlyn) are European knights, although Flanagan clearly betrays his commonwealth biases with Arulen (an island kingdom) being England while Gallica (France) and Tuetlandt (Germany) being described as comically inept.

Arulen and surrounding environs. Look closely: See anything else that looks familiar?

In The Battle for Skandia we have an excellent Vikings vs. Mongols battle with a little bit of the English longbow thrown in for good measure. The Skandians and the escaped Arulens must put their differences aside in a classic "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" scenario. Flannagan has created a relentless and implacable foe for Will and his comrades to face in this thrilling volume.

I'm looking forward to their continued adventures, and if you feel like you can't wait, all titles through Volume 8 have them have been published already in Flanagan's native Australia. You can try to search for them here.

Ranger's Apprentice Website

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey- Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Society was one of my inaugural posts on this site, so it comes as no surprise that I would be eager to review its sequel, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey.

The Perilous Journey picks up about a year after the first book ends. All the members of the society are enjoying considerably better circumstances (Reynie has been adopted by Mrs. Permual and her mother, Constance has been adopted by Mr. Benedict himself, Sticky has been happily reunited with his parents, and Kate is living on a farm outside of Stonetown with her secret agent father, Milligan.), but they haven't seen each other in nearly a year, and are, despite the traumas of their initial adventure together, bored.

A reunion is planned at Kate and Milligan's farm, and Mr. Benedict has arranged a world wide, all expenses paid scavenger hunt as a reward for the society and all of their hard work.

He and his imaginatively nicknamed assistant, Number Two, will travel ahead of the society, leaving the next clue for the kids at varying exotic European locales. Unfortunately, Benedict's nefarious and scheming twin brother, Leodopthra Curtain, rears his ugly head and kidnaps Benedict and Number Two. Now, instead of a luxurious European tour full of fun and challenging clues, the Society is faced with matters of life and death. They must solve each clue in order to find and rescue their beloved benefactor.

What follows is a thrilling, labyrinthine journey from Stonetown, to Lisbon, to Holland, to a mysterious, uncharted island in the North Sea. One very interesting theme that interweaves the entire story has to do with human nature. Are people basically good or basically evil? Mr. Benedict's efforts to get Reynie to trust people and see the good within them reminds me a lot of Dumbledore's espousing of the power of love in the Harry Potter books.

What is Curtain up to? Why has he kidnapped his brother? Will the Society be able to save him in time? Read on to find out.

There will be a third book, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma, due to be published in October 2009. Look for details and other fun facts and information, puzzles and codes at the Curiosity Chronicle, the official website for these books. Very well done and worth your browsing time.

Stormbreaker- Anthony Horowitz

Today's extra special guest blog comes to us courtesy of Hot Water. He/she is reviewing the James Bond Junioresque adventures of Alex Rider in the popular series by Anthony Horowitz. Synchronize your watches and make sure you've got your pen laser securely hidden before reading on...

Sir Readsalot

Stormbreaker written by Anthony Horowitz is an exciting book. It is the beginning of a series called “Alex Rider.” Stormbreaker’s main character is a fourteen-year-old boy named Alex Rider.

In the story, Alex suddenly finds his Uncle, Ian Rider (who never liked the title Uncle), dead in a car accident. Alex doesn’t think that his Uncle dead in a “car accident” after he sees a gun hidden behind the jacket of the funeral car limo driver.

Alex’s curiosity over-takes his senses and before he knows it, Alex finds himself at the junkyard where his uncle’s car went after he died. Seeing bullets in the windshield confirms his suspicions.

Suddenly, after a series of events, Alex finds himself working for the M16, Britain’s intelligence agency. The M16 thinks the same as Alex and they send Alex on a dangerous mission to try to save the world. Read Stormbreaker to see what happens to Alex.

The 39 Clues: Book 1 The Maze of Bones- Rick Riordan

OK, I've had the link to the website posted since the earliest days of this blog waaaaay back in the late summer of 2008, so I guess it's finally time I tackled the multi-platform, epic in the making, Internet tie ins galore, collectible trading cards included Juggernaut that is The 39 Clues.

Volume I (Apparently each volume will be written by a different author), Th Maze of Bones, was written by Rick Riordan whose work on the "Percy and the Olympians" series (The Lightning Thief, Sea of Monsters, etc...) I admire, so I decided to crack it open in search of the answer to that all-important question, "But is the book any good?"

The answer? A surprising yes. You all know how I feel about most series, and this one seemed more soulless and prepackaged than most, but by the end of The Maze of Bones, I had decided to read further, something I certainly can't say for all Volume I s I encounter.

Well, it starts out with the line "Five minutes before she died, Grace Cahill changed her will." OK, I'm in. Death, last minute will alterations, world-wide ramifications, those are definitely ingredients that can be baked in to a compelling yarn.

The afore-mentioned Ms. Cahill is changing her will to offer a Westing Game style scavenger hunt to her considerable number of heirs. The main two are Amy and Dan Cahill, and they also seem to be the only ones actually named Cahill. At the reading of the will Amy, Dan an many other heirs (of all ages, genders, and nationalities) are informed that they may either accept one million dollars, or participate in a hunt for 39 clues around the world. The team that finds the final clues will become the most powerful and influential Cahill ever.

Apparently all famous figures throughout history were Cahills of one sort or another: Thomas Jefferson, Pablo Picasso, Mozart, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Napoleon, etc... To further complicate matters, the Cahills have been split into four feuding and competing factions- The Janus, Ekaterinas, Tomas, and Lucian. All of the current heirs competing for the clues are from these different divisions. The branches of Grace Cahill as well as Amy and Dan are not mentioned in the first volume.

Once Amy and Dan agree to accept the challenge (Of course they've been orphaned as small children, so they are being raised by a dowdy and overbearing aunt.) they are immediately plunged into life-threatening danger. Without revealing too much, they barely escape the reading of the will with their lives, and are soon on their way to Paris on the trail of Benjamin Franklin, who was apparently a member of the Lucian branch.

Intrigue, explosions, codes, hidden messages, catacombs, double crosses, triple crosses, and and other high adventure follows shortly thereafter. Dan and Amy have to use their wits (Amy is very bookish while Dan provides a keen number sense and a head for codes and patterns) to stay in front of their murderous competitors, both their own distant relatives, and some other shadowy figures whose presences are never fully explained in The Maze of Bones.

Overall, the tension and excitement are maintained throughout. Since this is a preconceived series, Volume I wrapped up in a relatively tidy fashion. Volume II sees Dan, Amy, and the rest of the Cahills on the way to Vienna in search of a clue concerning Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.


After finishing the book, the first thing I did was head to 39Clues.com in order to register myself. After picking a username (SirReadsalot of course), I was prompted with a series of questions in order to determine what family branch I would be. I wasn't sure why I would need to do this, but I certainly did not want to deny myself even the tiniest bit of the 39 Clues experience.

After answering a series of questions as truthfully as possible ("Remember, we can TELL if you are lying" I was warned at one point), I was the presented with the following message:

Excellent!

You’ve been identified as a member of the Ekaterina branch. We’re sure it’s a relief to understand why you’re so much smarter than everyone you know. You’re related to the most brilliant scientists and inventors in history – Albert Einstein, for instance. The other branches don’t stand a chance!

OK, so I'm an "Ekaterina," whatever that means. I wonder if that is a good thing? Moving on...

It remains to be seen whether or not the website and trading cards will either add to, or take away from the reading experience, but I'll let you all know after I take in Volume II: One False Note, by Gordon Korman.

H.I.V.E.- Mark Walden

I was ready to dislike H.I.V.E., the debut novel from former video game programmer Mark Walden, from the start. It seemed a little too emblematic of everything I dislike about children's literature today: formulaic and designed solely to generate revenue through inevitable sequels indistinguishable from the first. Take a little Artemis Fowl, add a dash of the Mysterious Benedict Society, marinate with the everything is not what it seems school setting from Harry Potter, and viola! you have yourself a best seller. Over the course of the story, I was won over slightly, but I still had some reservations.

H.I.V.E., the Higher Institute for Villainous Education, is a training academy for evil geniuses. It accepts only the best and the brightest, and of course only those with the most potential for mayhem and criminal enterprise. It is situated on a remote volcano compound at an undisclosed location somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

The novel centers around Otto Malpense (really? Malpense? Literally "Bad Thoughts.") an orphan from London. Otto's known he was exceptional from an early age, and now, at the tender age of 13, he runs the orphanage where he lives by slightly bribing/blackmailing the director. Otto immediately sets about improving the dilapidated nature of the orphanage, but it's not out of any sense of responsibility and obligation. It's mainly so he can continue to do/exploit/manipulate whatever or whoever he wants whenever he wants. In fact, it's my main beef with the book. Despite his actions later in the book, Otto remains largely unlikable (brilliant and charismatic yes, but still largely unlikable.) Nevertheless, it's easy to see what H.I.V.E. sees in him.

The story begins with Otto regaining consciousness on a helicopter en route to the school. With him is Wng Fanchu as somewhat stereotypical Asian martial arts expert. They quickly ascertain what has happened (they were shot with stun guns and essentially kidnapped) and shortly thereafter they arrive at the school. There they meet the school's director, the nefarious Dr. Nero.

As the perspectives shift we also meet Raven, a beautiful assassin who rocks twin katanas AND an invisibility suit, as well as Professor Pike, a mad scientist type, Colonel Francisco, the instructor of tactical maneuvers, and stealth/reconnaissance instructor who inhabits the body of a cat due to a botched experiment, and H.I.V.E. Mind, a melancholy and surprisingly pliable artificial intelligence who runs H.I.V.E.'s day to day protocols. The reader also briefly meets the mysterious Number One (who has a particularly keen interest in Otto) who even Dr. Nero fears. Otto and Wing also meet other students: Shelby an American cat burglar extraordinaire, Shelby a Scottish computer and technology expert, Nigel Darkdoom, a legacy student hoping to live up to his late father's formidable legacy, and Franz, the German son of a candy magnate/Criminal Mastermind. Franz reminds me of the hilariously rotund German exchange student Uter on The Simpsons.

The students are forced to attend classes like Villainy Studies, Tactical Education, Practical Technology, Biotechnology, and Stealth and Evasion. Otto, used to having his own way and doing whatever he likes whenever he likes, immediately decides to work on an escape plan. Once again, he wants to escape, not because he is philosophically opposed to a school designed to train him in evil, but because he resents its intrusion upon his autonomy. Soon he convinces some of the other students to go along with him.

The rest of the story follows the escape attempt and, believe it or not, a giant mutant carnivorous plant. The action scenes are plentiful, but overall H.I.V.E. serves only as a gateway to its sequel The Overlord Protocol. There is very little resolution in the initial story. Instead of a self-contained narrative, the reader is left hanging and unsatisfied. What is Number 1's interest in Otto? How is Dr. Nero connected to Wing? What will happen to the students of H.I.V.E.? If you really do care, you can read The Overlord Protocol to find out, but I don't think I'll be joining you there.

H.I.V.E. website

The Wanderer- Sharon Creech

Today's blog comes courtesy of Ephos Sapphire, to date the only person to leave the meaning of the name of this blog in comments. Batten down the hatches because the weather's about to get nasty...

-Sir Readsalot

The Wanderer, by Sharon Creech, is an intriguing book. It is a book about a girl named Sophie. She sails across the ocean with her cousins on their ship-The Wanderer-to her grandfather who she calls Bompie. She is an adventurous and tough girl who does everything to help her ship. They go through many storms, especially a very bad one where The Wanderer is thrashed around and everyone is severely hurt. She realizes she is an orphan after telling Bompie and her cousins about her life. You never know what really happens to her parents, but there is a brief hint about it.
This story is all about the hazards of riding a ship. It is a perfect story for children. This book is so interesting you can’t put it down! It’s adventure, and could absolutely happen!

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles- Julie Andrews Edwards

Today's extra special guest blogger is Emerald Roogsberg! Get ready for some knowledge...

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, by Julie Andrews Edwards is an amazing book. It is about three kids, Ben, Tom, and Lindy Potter, who met a man and go on a quest. They want to find the last of an intelligent species, the whangdoodles. (The word whangdoodle, can be found in a really big dictionary). On their quest to Whangdoodleland, Prock, the Prime Minister, tries to stop them. They meet the Splintercat, who brings Lindy and keeps her captive, the Whiffle Bird who always warns the kids, and other wacky characters. The end is awesome and rewarding.

The quest, the training to go to Whangdoodle land, the trouble they get into, and the crazy creatures are so amazing that you won’t want to stop reading! This classic book is adventurous, fascinating, mysterious, and fun at the same time. The book is unusual, and it is unlike any other book you’ve ever read!

The Illyrian Adventure- Lloyd Alexander

The work of Lloyd Alexander, particularly his Prydain Chronicles, contains some of the very earliest books I can remember being crazy about. I think he remains just as relevant today as he did when I was younger. Suffice to say, I consider myself to be a fan.

So, imagine my surprise when, while browsing the shelves at the glorious Myopic Books, I stumbled on to an Alexander book I'd never seen or heard of. Vesper Holly, a blazing torch grasped in her hand, stares wryly out out you as a city burns behind her? Did she set the fire? Is she running away from it? I couldn't tell, but I was suddenly overcome with the need to find out, for I (despite what you may have heard as sound advice to the contrary) do not hesitate to judge a book by its cover.

My curiosity piqued, I turned to the first page. I was hooked immediately, and I'm going to let Alexander do the talking for me. The following is the opening paragraph in its entirety:
Miss Vesper Holly has the digestive talents of a goat and the mind of a chess master. She is familiar with half a dozen different languages and can swear fluently in all of them. She understands the use of a slide rule but prefers doing calculations in her head. She does not hesitate to risk life and limb- mine as well as her own. No doubt she has other qualities yet undiscovered. I hope not.

Needless to say, that's all I needed to read.

The book is narrated by Vesper's uncle Brinton Garret, who she insists on calling Brinnie, and is set in 1876 . The story opens in Philadelphia as Brinnie and his wife travel to meet Vesper. Her father (an old friend and colleague of Brinnie's) has recently passed away, and he named Brinnie as Vesper's legal guardian in his room.

Soon thereafter, Vesper has strong-armed poor Brinnie into an expedition to the fictional country of Illyria (which may have some basis in fact upon a tiny bit of further research) where they will research one of her late father's last adventures, the existence of a mystical army from the bybgone days of Illyrian history.

Apparently Illyria (located on the Adriatic Sea, apparently near where Albania or Montenegro is today) has been torn by internal conflict between the rulingVentans and the native Illyrians who have been oppressed and discriminated against for centuries.

Vesper and Brinnie arrive just as tensions boil over. Despite the support of the kind and generous Ventan king Osman, they are plunged into political intrigues and revolutions and noone is sure who to trust. Danger lurks around every corner, and it is up to Vesper to try and heal the rift caused by centuries of infighting and mistrust.

Can even the mighty Vesper Holly pullt his off? Read and find out. If Indiana Jones was smarter, younger, and a girl, then he would be Vesper Holly. Personally, I can't wait to seek out her further adventures

The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a bit (massive understatement!) of a departure for people interested in her best selling Underland series (Gregor the Overlander et al...). Before I type another word, I have to state that THG is not a book intended for my usual target audience of upper elementary school readers. Unless you're in middle school or beyond, THG is NOT the book for you.

Collins has created a very bleak, distopian future in a barely recognizable North America. The United States and other sovereign nations have imploded upon themselves so long ago that they aren't even remembered. Indeed, citizens in the book have only the vaguest idea that there once existed a land known as "North America." Now, there is one capitol city known as Panem. The capitol is surrounded by 12 subservient client states known as districts.

Sometime in the not too distant past, the districts rebelled against Penam which ruled over them like a feudal lord. Originally, there were 13 districts, but the last was wiped out by the capitol during the failed uprising. Life in the Districts became miserable. Families scrape together subsistence-level farming and hunting while the citizens of Penam live lives of incomprehensible luxury for the citizens of the Districts. In order to further punish the 12 remaining districts, the Hunger Games were established.

The premise of the games is brutally simple. Each year during a ceremony called "The Reaping," one boy and one girl ages 12-18 are chosen from each district. Each eligible child has one name in the lottery for each birthday they have between 12 and 18. (Here, Collins borrows heavily from Shirley Jackson's classic story "The Lottery," but hey if you're going to borrow, borrow from the best.) Once chosen you are removed to the capitol where you will participate in the games in a specially prepared arena. Once in the arena, contestants are given weapons and supplies, and the only rule is that competitors kill each other until only one remains. According to the book, Collins is focusing this book (and its subsequent sequels) on "the effects of war and violence on those coming of age." The violence is brutal, intense, but not gratuitous. The games are broadcast live in every district, and everyone is forced to watch them, just another reminder of Panem's dominance over the defeated Districts.

In an interview with scholastic Collins said, "It's hard to choose one element that inspired The Hunger Games," says Suzanne. "Probably the first seeds were planted when, as an eight-year-old with a mythology obsession, I read the story of Theseus. The myth told how in punishment for past deeds, Athens periodically had to send seven youths and seven maidens to Crete where they were thrown in the Labyrinth and devoured by the monstrous Minotaur. Even as a third grader, I could appreciate the ruthlessness of this message. ‘Mess with us and we'll do something worse than kill you. We'll kill your children.'

The story centers around Katniss Everdeen from the bleak, coal-producing District 12. Through a heartbreaking series of circumstances (I won't spoil it, but it's well done, if not a mite predictable), Katniss ends up volunteering herself for the games. Within a day, she and her fellow District 12 contestant Peeta are being whipped off to the capitol in preparation for the competition.

During these scenes Collins has fun skewering the pampered and ridiculous life of the citizens of Panem, especially when contrasted with the hardscrabble existence of people in the Districts. Presented with abundant food for the first time in their lives, Katniss and Peeta eat to the point of illness. Katniss revels in the luxury, but never forgets a promise she mad to win the games and return home. (It has to do with the circumstances that found her volunteering for the games in the first place.)

The final portion of the book focuses the games themselves. As one would expect, there are some very gruesome scenes here. Collins maintains suspense throughout, an admirable feat, given that we are almost certain of the ultimate outcome as far as who the winner will be. (If you're not sure about what I'm talking about, then I'm not telling...)

Overall, Collins has created a disturbing yet plausible future. These distopian visions are some of my favorite types of stories, and although it comes close at times, it doesn't quite add up to my all-time favorite in the genre, Richard Bachman's The Long Walk. THG is the first book in a proposed trilogy, but I could not find any information on any forthcoming volumes. Recommended, but only for readers middle school and up.

Once Upon a Time in the North- Philip Pullman

Once Upon a Time in the North- Philip Pullman

Astute readers will infer from the title of this blog that I am at least passingly familiar with the world of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. (The first person to correctly identify the reference in the comments wins a prize.) Passingly familiar is, however, a massive understatement. HDM is the series that revitalized my love of children's literature as an adult. It proved to me that the stories could be morally complex and ambiguous, while at the same time remaining true to notions of bravery, heroism, and sacrifice for the greater good. It also proved that stories for children could contain powerful ideas that maybe aren't so easily digested. These books made you THINK! I still remember finishing The Subtle Knife around 9:30 at night, and rushing out to my local bookstore to purchase The Amber Spyglass before it closed. Despite the disappointing (to me at least) movie, I remain a fan.

OUATITN is the second slim volume Pullman has written describing the exploits of characters from the original trilogy following Lyra's Oxford. OUATITN details the exploits of a young Lee Scoresby and his initial encounters with an extraordinary panzerbjorn named Iorek Byrnison. Apparently, before Pullman is finished, there will be a third mini-story featuring the adventures of Will. Perhaps Pullman will then turn his attentions to the long-rumored follow up trilogy to HDM.

The story begins with Lee and his beloved hare deamon Hester in dire straits as his newly-acquired balloon is losing altitude near the arctic island of Novy Odense. Lee makes quite an impression on the local populace (after a barely controlled crash landing.) Being the iconoclastic, fair-minded individual that he is, it doesn't take Lee long to run afoul of the local powers that be.

It seems Novy Odense, despite the best efforts of local government, is controlled by the machinations of the Larsen Manganese mining company. More interested in turning a profit than conducting fair business, the company is currently preventing a captain from loading his rightful cargo and departing the Port before paying extra taxes and fees. The captain cannot afford those prices, and risks losing his entire cargo and livelihood. Anyone who remembers Lee's selfless sacrifice from HDM knows that Lee Scoresby will not abide in the strong lording over the weak.

Lee and Iorek Byrnison team up to help the captain free his cargo. Along the way they run into a crooked mayoral candidate, a terrifyingly merciless gunfighter, and other assorted ne'erdowells. Will their efforts be enough? Can even the might of a panzerbjorn stand against the awesomeness of an early tank prototype? I won't give away the answer, but if you know anything about Iorek, then you can probably guess....

The story is brief, less than 100 pages, but the pace is brisk, and the reader is left wanting more. The volume is beautifully crafted, illustrated with engravings from John Lawrence. It is also interspersed with ephemera from the HDM such as pages from The Elements of Aerial Navigation, a how-to ballooning manual Lee uses, the rules for the board game Peril of the Pole (the actual game itself is also included in the book), and a newspaper article describing incidents from the book from a different perspective from that of the main characters. There are even hints at Lyra's future scattered toward the back, so make sure you read everything!

Overall, I highly recommend it, although there are some scary scenes in the book where violence is frankly discussed. Also, being British, Pullman is more casual toward some of the milder swear words that we are unused to in our American fiction for children. None are used gratuitously, and all fit in with the nature of the characters. In particular, I'm referring to the B word, the D word, the H word, and the A word. If you enjoyed the original HDM trilogy, then you'll love Once UPon a Time in the North.

The Mysterious Benedict Society

The Mysterious Benedict Society- Trenton Lee Stewart

As literature written expressly for children enters its second century of existence, we find that many characters, themes, and plots begin to repeat themselves, and it takes a special author or idea to create something truly unique. In The Mysterious Benedict Society Trenton Lee Stewart proves himself to be just such an author.

Superficially the book is like many (good or bad) stories we've read before: mysterious calamity that adult authority figures are either too powerless to stop, or too clueless to even recognize, that can only be solved by a group of spunky, resilient, outcast, (in this case) orphans.

As TMBS opens, four children are responding to a strange advertisement in the newspaper. The ad asks simply, “ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES?” Reynie Muldoon, the protagonist, finds it strange that the ad is directed to children and not their parents, but as he is an orphan with only his tutor, Ms. Perumal (who is teaching him Tamil by the way), for company, he decides to answer at her urging.

What follows is a series of increasingly bizarre and seemingly impossible tests. As Reynie passes each ones we are introduced to each of the other three children who will eventually form the Mysterious Benedict Society: George "Sticky" Washington, Kate Wetherall, and Constance Contraire. Each of the children are able to pass the tests in their own ways, Reynie by finding a pattern, Sticky by the sheer breadth of his knowledge, Kate through the resources (telescope, pocketknife, rope, flashlight etc...) she carries in a bucket looped to her belt, and Constance through sheer force of will and stubbornness.

After passing the final test, the children are introduced to Mister Benedict, a kindly old man unfortunately prone to bouts of narcoleptic slumber, who informs them that all of the trouble and unrest in the world (incidents are mentioned in the newspaper that Reynie is perusing when he first encounters the ad) are due to the actions of one Ledroptha Curtain and his Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened (L.I.V.E.). Using a machine called the Whisperer, Curtain is sending out subliminal messages that are creating the tension the world is experiencing. He plans to use this machine to (and what evil genius villain wouldn't wan tthis for him or herself?) take over the world.

The children must infiltrate L.I.V.E. and destroy the Whisperer before Curtain's plans reach their fruition. Throughout this sequence Stewart does a fantastic job of maintaining suspense and tension in the reader. Never once does he take the easy or cliched way out of a situation he has put one of his characters in. To reveal too much of the action here is to spoil the plot for the reader so I will reign in my more expository instincts...

Suffice to say, the mission is fraught with peril and very real dangers for the children, and only through the combined use of ALL of their gifts are they able to persevere. The Mysterious Benedict Society is highly recommended for all fans of the mstery and adventure genre, especially those who want some depth to their characters and some complexity to their stories. Also, check out the highly entertaining official website here.

Ranger's Apprentice: Ruins of Gorlann

For my inaugural post I'd like to address a phenomenon in children's literature that has emerged in the wake of the phenomenal publishing success surrounding the trials and tribulations of a certain young wizard: the dearth of inferior or downright derivative fantasy series that have sprung up in its wake like so many night crawlers wriggling helplessly on the sidewalk after a summer downpour. Publishing, like any other big business, loves proven winners. When Harry Potter sold through the roof, then the green light was given to dozens of lesser series (I'm looking at you Inheritance Trilogy, aka "The Lord of the Star Wars"), while at the same time pushing authors with legitimate vision and innovative ideas if their books did not have sequel potential.

The "Ranger's Apprentice" series by John Flanagan is a pleasant exception to this dismaying trend. Thus far, the first three volumes exist in paperback, and the fourth is still only available as a hardcover. Flanagan eventually intends to publish seven books in all. All seven are currently available in his native Australia. Visit the official website here.

Book One, The Ruins of Gorlan, tells the story of the orphan boy Will and other orphans in Redmont Fief, within the kingdom of Arulen. As they approach the "Choosing Day," they will be selected for the job that they will serve in for the rest of their lives. As can be expected from the title of the series, Will is selected for Ranger training. He had had his heart set on Battle School, but he soon learns to embrace his calling. Under the tutelage of the gruff and mysterious Halt, will begins to learn the way of the Ranger: unseen movement, tracking, archery, cartography, and horsemanship.

The Rangers serve as the eyes and ears of the kingdom of Arulen, especially when the evil Lord Morgarath, who had been banished from the kingdom after leading a failed rebellion fifteen years before. Oftentimes, the first books in a series are overburdened with exposition and origin stories, but The Ruins of Gorlan has plenty of action as well. Interspersed between Will's training chapters are the stories of several of the other orphans and their endeavors, as well as the schemes and machinations of Morgarath and his armies of Wargals (an Ork-like creature that resembles a cross between a gorilla and a bear), and the particularly horrifying creatures the Kalkara.

As the plot advances, the Kalkara are loosed on the kingdom, and it is up to Halt and Will to stop them before too much carnage is unleashed. The Ruins of Gorlan is highly recommended for fans of fantasy, and adventure series along the lines of Lloyd Alexander, Ursula K. Leguin, or C.S. Lewis.