Summer Reading

Ingo by Helen Dunmore

Here's a book that I've been meaning to read for years. Each year that I've been a school librarian I've had students say "I must read this book!" So I'm happy to say it made it's way to the top of the summer reading stack, and I was enchanted by the underwater world of Ingo. In fact the descriptions of Ingo and its inhabitants were by far my favourite parts of the story. I enjoyed how the story felt filled with an old mythology, one that I wasn't familiar with (maybe, this is because I didn't grow up next to an ocean), and yet had a present day believability.  Thank you to all of  those students who insisted that I read this one. I got totally caught up in the tantalizingly beautiful and dangerous world of adventure under the sea, where the Mer people live.

Summary:
I wish I was away in Ingo
Far across the biny sea,
Sailing over deepest waters
Where love nor care never trouble me...

By the Cornwall caost where Sapphire lives with her family, it's easy to hear the call of the sea. Too easy.
When the sea called to Sapphy's father, he vanished from her life. When the sea called to her brother, he started disappearing for hours on end. And now the sea is calling to Sapphy, and she feels its pull more strongly than she's ever felt anything in her life.
In a novel full of longing, mystery, and magic, Helen Dunmore takes us to a new world that has the power both to captivate and to destroy. At the waterline, the two worlds of Air and Ingo meet. Sapphy and her brother, Connor, find themselves at the boundary between these worlds, in a place of danger and amazing discoveries.

Summer Reading : Graphic novels

Amulet - book 5 : Prince of the Elves by Kazu Kibuishi

I was lucky enough to read this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) via NetGalley, the release date isn't until September 1. I really like this series, the art work is fabulous and story of the stonekeepers has kept my interest for years now and although I'm not a huge sci-fi / fantasy kind of person I can relate to the characters and enjoy the depiction of this other world, with its flying ships, weird talking creatures and robots.

Here's the summary:
Emily has survived the chaos of the Guardian Academy, but Max Griffin, who is working for the Elf King, has escaped with the mother stone. The Elf King has now forged new amulets, which allow him the ability to invade Cielis and destroy it once and for all. Emily and her friends desperately make preparations to defend Cielis in what will be a brutal war, and they can only hope that it will be enough to defeat the Elf King.

I'm sure Scholastic will be putting together a book trailer and will include that at a date closer to the release or when I'm holding the copy for our library in my hands.

Gods of Manhattan by Scott Mebus

Summary from publisher:
A New Yorker for all of his thirteen years, Rory Henessy has always been happy to hold his little family together. But then a magician's trick opens his eyes to Mannahatta, a spirit city that coexists along side our own Manhattan. A city inhabited by Indian sachems, warrior cockroaches, and children made entirely of papier-mache. A city built by history and legend, and ruled by the immortal Gods of Manhattan, including, Babe Ruth, Alexander Hamilton, and Peter Stuyvesant. If something or someone in the history of New York was important enough, loved enough, feared enough, imagined enough, remembered enough it is reborn in Mannahatta.
Only Rory has the power to see Mannahatta and reveal it to others. But that gift may soon be his end as he is pursued through mazes of past and present, chasing history and the chance to right Mannahatta's greatest wrong.

For fans of Percy Jackson or readers who enjoy action / adventure in a city they've always wanted to visit - in case New York.

Dragon's tooth

Dragon's Tooth by N.D. Wilson

For two years, Cyrus and Antigone Smith have run a saggin roadside motel with their older brother, Daniel. Nothing ever seems to happen. Then a strange old man with bone tattoos arrives, demanding a specific room. Less than twenty-four hours later, the old man is dead. The motel has burned, and Daniel is missing. And Cyrus and Antigone are kneeling in a crowded hall, swearing an oath to an order of explorers who have long served as caretakers of the world's secrets, keepers of powerful relics from lost civilizations, and jailers to unkillable criminals who have terrorized the for millenia.

Book tailer:

Pandemonium

Pandemonium by Chris Wooding and Cassandra Diaz
This is acclaimed author Chris Wooding's first graphic novel - a fun fantasy adventure with a dark twist. Seifer's life is about to becoming a royal pain... as captain of the local skullball team, Seifer Tombchewer is the envy of his peers. He's fast, he's strong and he flies circles around his competition. But Seifer has always dreamed of more - of leaving his tiny remote village for a new life beyond the mountains. He never dreamed it would happen like this.

I really liked this one, it has a great sense of adventure, clever humour and I'll enjoy seeing where the next book in the series will take readers.

Inheritance

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

I know that the true fans of this series devoured their own copy of Inheritance this weekend, but for those of you who are patiently waiting for our library copies I should have them ready to go sometime on Monday. In the meantime here is a teaser.

Not so very long ago, Eragon - Shadeslayer, Dragonrider - was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on thier shoulders.
Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heart breaking loss. And still the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.
The rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaesia? and if so at what cost?

The Secret Kingdom

The Secret Kingdom by Jenny Nimmo

This is a prequel book which provides background to the origins and adventures of Charlie Bone's magical ancestor The Red King. For those of you who don't know Charlie Bone yet, this is a great series filled with magic and adventure (a great read alike to the Harry Potter series.)

Timoken is a prince born in a secret kingdom. At his birth, a forest jinni bestows magical gift upon him: a cloak made by the last moon spider and a potion called Alixir. When the peaceful land is attacked, Timoken and his sister Zobayda, must find a new kingdom to call home. Together with only the magical gifts and a talking camel, the siblings set off.

In this brand new series bestselling author Jenny Nimmo takes readers on an extraordinary quest with one of her most powerful and mysterious characters, the one who started it all for Charlie Bone and the Red King.

Here's the book trailer.

The Emerald Atlas

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

Kate, Michael and Emma have suffered through ten years odious orphanage "care" ; now they have slipped into the care of the eccentric, distrubingly mysterious Dr. Pym. While exploring their new home, the children discover a magical green book. With that discovery, a decade of tedium dissolves into cascades of dangerous time travel adventures and struggles with a beautiful witch and deciededly less attractive zombielike Schreechers.

This is next on my to read stack. Can't wait, have students telling me about it.
In the mean time here's an interview with John Stephens and the book trailer.

Amulet : the last council

Amulet : The Last Council by Kazu Kibuishi

Kazu Kibuishi's bestselling series continues.
Emily and her friends think they'll find the help they need in Cielis, but something isn't right. Streets that were once busy are deserted, and the townspeople who are left living in fear. Emily is escorted to the Academy where she is expected to compete for a spot on the Guardian Council, the most powerful Stonekeepers. But as the number of competitors gets smaller and smaller, a terrible secret is slowly uncovered - a secret that, if left buried, means certain destruction of everything Emily fights for.
Beautiful, inventive artwork captures this other world of the Stonekeepers. It's no wonder it's a popular pick at our library.
Enjoy - here's the trailer.

REad On

Fire World

Fire World by Chris D'Lacey -- The Last Dragon Chronicles Book #6

David and the dragons are back in the latest installment of the Last Dragon Chronicles. After destroying a trace of dark fire, David, Zanna and the Pennykettle dragons vanished. In a brand-new world Co:per:nica, which runs parrallel to that of Crescent Lane, firebirds roam the anicient librarium, a museum for books. But when twelve-year-old David and Rosanna accidently injure one of the firebirds, they are suddenly thrust into a remarkable adventure. The evil iX have taken over one of the firebirds, turning it to the side of darkness, but the birds have a secret: They know about the existence of dragons. And from across the universe, one may come to their aid....

Read On

Geek Fantasy Novel

Geek Fantasy Novel by E. Archer

What happens when a science geek and magic collide?
Be careful what you wish for. Really. Because wishes are bad. Very bad. They can get you trapped in fantasy worlds filled with killer bunny rabbits, evil aunts, and bothersome bacteria for example. Ot at least that's Ralph's experience. He's been asked to spend the summer with his strange British relatives at their old manor house in order to set up their wi-fi network. But, there's much more to it than that, of course. It's just that nobody told Ralph. He's a gamer, sure. But this game, is much stranger -- and funnier-- than anything to be found on his xbox.
He is a geek. This is his story.

Heir Apparent

Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde

This has to be my favourite of the weekend. I got totally caught up in the virtual reality concept of the book. it reminded me a lot of books Epic and The Princess Bride.

Here's the write up from the back cover:

Lose the game, lose your life.

In the virtual reality game Heir Apparent, they are way too many ways to get killed - and Giannine seems to be finding them all. Unless she can - get the magic ring, find the stolen treasure, answer the dwarf's dumb riddles, impress the head-chopping statue, charm the army of ghosts, fend off barbarians, and defeat the man-eating dragon, she'll never win. And if she doesn't win, she will die - for real this time.

This book wasn't just an action-adventure story (like Epic), but also hugely funny (like The Princess Bride). I had a great time reading it, and I'm not that into fantasy.

READ On.

The Chestnut King

The Chestnut King by N.D. Wilson

When Henry York found 99 cupboards hidden behind his bedroom wall, he never dreamed they were doors to entirely new worlds. Exploring them with his cousin Henrietta was all the action and adventure an overprotected boy could imagine. But Henry's discovery also unleashed the undying witch, Nimiane, who's hunger for power could destroy every world connected to the cupboards - and every person whom Henry loves. Now Henry must seeks out the legendary Chestnut King to answer the unanswerable. How do you kill someone who cannot die?

Here's the book trailer.

Hawksmaid

Hawksmaid by Kathryn Lasky

The untold story of Robin Hood and Maid Marian.

Before she was Maid Marian, she was Matty....

Matty has been raised to dance well, embroider exquistely, and marry nobly. But when Matty's mother is murdered before her very eyes and her father, a nobleman, is reduced to poverty, Matty's life changes.

As the daughter of Nottingham's most famous falconer, she finds a new destiny in the hawks her father keeps. She begins to understand their thoughts and even speak their language. The beauiful merlin Marigold becomes Matty's closest winged compainion and her fiercest ally.

It is a treacherous time in England. The sheriff of Nottingham is rising to power, and a true king has been kidnapped. Determined to fight, Matty's friend Fynn becomes Robin Hood. As Maid Marian, Matty joins Fynn and his Merry Men, famously robbing from the rich to give to the poor.

If you're a fan of traditional historical fiction beware, this is a mixed of historical fiction and fantasy. Kathryn Lasky is known for her animal fantasy novels - (guardians of ga'hoole) as well as for her historical fiction novels and here is Hawksmaid she combines a bit of both.

Havoc

Havoc by Chris Wooding

There's no going back. Everyone know the rumors - if you gather the right things and say the right words, you'll be taken to Malice, a world that exists within a terrifying comic book.

Seth managed to escape from Malice, but it meant leaving his best friend Kady, trapped there. And he's not sure whether he should try to take down the Malice comic from his own world or go back with an artifact he thinks can help from within. He is sure that he's desperate to save Kady.

Meanwhile, Kady has her own battles to fight. She's trying to find Havoc, a rebel group of kids who want to fight Tall Jake, Malice's cruel overlord. But she can't help feeling that someone's watching her and that Tall Jake knows what her plans are before she puts them into action.\

Malice is spreading. Tall Jakce is gaining influence on the world outside the comic. Seth and Kady think the if they gather the right objects and find the right people, they'll be able to defeat Tall Jake once and for all. The only question is ... how?

Here's the book trailer:

And here's a short interview with the author.

The Ring of Solomon

The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud --

A Bartimaeus Novel

Bartimaeus, everyones favourite (wise-cracking) djinni, is back in book four of this best selling series. As alluded to in the footnotes throughout the series, Bartimaeus has served hundreds of magicians during his 5010 year career. Now, for the first time, fans will go back in time with the djinni, to Jerusalem and the court of King Solomon in 950's BC. Only in this adventure, it seems the great Bartimaeus has finally met his match. He'll have to contend with an unpleasant master and his sinister servant, and runs into just a "spot" of trouble with King Solomon's magic ring...

Love this series can't wait to have more.

Here's the book trailer.

The Game of Sunken Places

The Game of Sunken Places by M.T. Anderson

Have you ever read a story about a boy and a girl who visit an eccentric releatives mansion for vacation? oh, Of course you have. Well, M.T. Anderson's Game of Sunken Places is one such book. Thirteen-year-old Gregory Buchanan's uncle Max is very strange, as Gregory is quick to tell his friend Brian Thatz whom he enlists to join him in Vermont.
Brian and Gregory's adventure begins when they find an old board game called The Game of Sunken Places. As it turns out the game is a reality, and the boys must participate and win in order to settle the score in an age-old battle of enchanted spirit -nations.

If you're a fan of Jumanji, The Lord of the Rings, Fablehaven or even Harry Potter this might be something you might enjoy next.

The second book in the series is The Suburb Beyond the Stars.
Check out the trailer - it doesn't look like much at first, but wait for it!
Read On.

The Suburb Beyond the Stars from Sang Lee on Vimeo.

Zorgamazoo

Zorgamazoo byRobert Paul Weston

Are you a believer in fanciful things? In pirates and dragons and creatures and kings?

Then sit yourself down in a comforatable seat, with maybe some cocoa and something to eat, and I'll spin you a tale of Katrina Katrell, (a girl full of courage and daring as well), who down in the subway, under the ground, saw something fantastical roaming around ...

What was it she saw? I'd rather not say. (Who's ever heard of a Zorgle anyway?)

But if you are curious, clever and brave, if intreped adventure is something you crave, then open this book and I'll leave it to you to uncover the secret of ZORGAMAZOO.

Join Morty the Zorgle and Katrina on a fantastically illustrated, you'll wanna read every word aloud, sophisticated rhyming adventure for all ages.

If you'd like to hear a chapter read by the author check out this his Zorgamazoo website -

www.zorgamazoo.com

I've had one reader say "it's like reading a really long Dr. Seuss story", so if your a Dr. Seuss fan, or if you liked The Name of This Book Is Secret than you might have found your next book.

Read On

The search for Wondla

The Search For Wondla by Tony DiTerlizzi

Eva Nine had never seen the actual sun before, or walked outdoors. In fact, she had never even seen another living person in all twelve years of her life. That changes when a marauding huntsman destroys her underground home and sends her fleeing for her life. She is desperate to find someone else who is like her, and a single clue gives her hope: a crumbling picture of a girl, a robot, an adult, and the word WONDLA.

The search for Wondla begins a trilogy whose imaginative text and breathtaking illustrations are sure to inspire dreams.

This book has been reminding me of bits and pieces of Star Wars, weird creatures that look like bugs, robots, a girl with Princess Leah hair - and then there are pieces of Lord of the Rings - moving, talking forests. It kind of seemed like I had read this somewhere before. I'm left wishing I could say I loved it, but I kind of just put up with it. The are work was beautiful and very in keeping with the original illustrations of The Wizard of Oz - tone on tone. And if you visit the website Wondla.com you can use the book to make the maps and story come to 3D life (kind of cool). I'm never a huge fan of fantasy, so maybe this is why I wasn't totally hooked by this one. But I hope for some of you, you won't be put off by my review and will try it for yourselves.

Here's the book trailer.

Maximum Ride

Maximum Ride 3 / James Patterson and Narae Lee

This is book three in the graphic novel adaptation of james patterson's Maximum Ride series. Narae Lee is the adaptor and illustrator (awesome job).

Heres the lead up from the previous two books - Max and her "flock" appear at a glance to be normal kids ... that is, if you don't notice the wings.

Instilled with avian DNA in a lab known as the "School", Max and her family escape confinement with the help of scientist Jeb Batchelder, who they believed perished assisting them. When the youngest of the flock, Angel, is abducted by the lab's foot soldiers - shape shifting men and women infused with lupine DNA called Erasers - led by Jeb's son, Ari, Max discovers the Jeb is not only alive, but still working with the school! Rescuing Angel, the flock heads to New York City to find the "Institute" which they believe holds the secrets to their past. While raiding the facility, thought they are again confronted by Jeb and his Erasers. The flock manages to get away, but not before Max accidently kills Ari. Now the flock is off to Washington D.C. following up a lead on their parents, but Max can't escape mysterious voice that's begun whispering inside her head - or Jeb's haunting words that in killing Ari she may have killed her own brother...

In book 3 - after narrowly surviving their encounter with erasers in New York City, the flock is following up a lead on thier pasts in Washington D.C. but what they find waiting for them is...a home? How will the flock adjust to a real school - one that doesn't involve mad scientists and genetic freaks?

Read On.