Here’s a guest book review from author Christina Hamlett. Visit her website for more information about her work, www.authorhamlett.com.

Title: Mistress Masham’s Repose
Author: T.H. White
Publisher: New York Review Children’s Collection (2004)
Reviewer: Christina Hamlett

What a wonderful trek down memory lane! I owned a copy of this book when I was 10 and remember being so riveted by it that when it was time to go to bed I took the book under the covers with me and finished reading it by the light of my Girl Scout flashlight. (Which no doubt accounts for why I have such bad eyesight as an adult!) Since my own copy had been long gone, I was delighted to discover I could buy a replacement on Amazon. Instead of preceding this one with a cup of hot chocolate and finishing the last chapters by flashlight, however, I had a martini and happily stayed up until midnight. Time has not diminished in any way the satisfaction of a tale well told.

The story speaks to timeless themes about the powerlessness of children in the dreary world of rules imposed by adults. Is it any wonder, then, that the spunky heroine, Maria, delights in the colony of Lilliputians she discovers on the grounds of Malplaquet and sees a ready kinship with their dreams, fears and sense of righteous rebellion. Although she is not a perfect child, Maria is possessed of a kind heart that infuses her with bold – and sometimes comedic – determination to save her diminutive friends from harm. T.H. White seamlessly intercuts between the two worlds that Maria inhabits. It wasn’t until many years after I first read this book that I recognized striking parallels to the novel for which White is most famous – The Once and Future King. Maria shares much in common with the bewildered young King Arthur, including the “Merlin” mentorship of a bookish professor and a quest to keep an enchanted and special version of backyard Camelot from being absorbed by external vice and unabashed greed.

Although the book is targeted to lower grades, one would never know it from White’s style and engaging use of language. He would be the type, I think, who could hold lengthy discourses about the state of the world with a rapt gaggle of 10 year olds and they would never once think that he was talking down to them nor trying to impress them with philosophies beyond their vocabularies or frame of reference. Whether you’re discovering this literary treasure for the very first time or revisiting it after a long absence, it doesn’t fail to entertain or inspire.

Thirteen-year-old Zardi is the daughter of the Sultan’s closest adviser. She lives with her family and Rhidan, a ward of the state since he was found on their shores as a babe years ago. Rhidan doesn’t look like anyone else in their country, and he knows nothing about where he is from.

When the cruel Sultan imprisons Zardi’s sister and father she is desperate to find a way to free them and end the Sultan’s iron-fisted rule over her country. If she and Rhidan can find a sailor named Sinbad, who seems to know something about Rhidan’s origin and tells tales of fighting magical creatures, they just may be able to solve Rhidan’s mystery and get rid of the Sultan once and for all.

The Book of Wonders is the first in a new trilogy for young readers by Jasmine Richards. Drawing on Arabian legends of djinnis, Sinbad, Sheherazade, a Cyclops and other magical creatures, Richards weaves a tale of adventure that doesn’t stop from beginning to end.

Zardi is a strong character who refuses to accept the way things are and the strictures for how girls are supposed to act in her time. Together, she and Rhidan encounter one adventure after another as they race to save her family and find out where he comes from. Along the way they have to ponder big issues about deciding who to trust, making amends for wrongdoing, and finding out what it means to be a friend.

While the ending sets up the next adventure the two will tackle, it also is a satisfying conclusion to this story. I recommend it for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 8 to 12.

The author provided me with a copy of this book to review.

I am happy to be part of author Michaela MacColl’s blog tour for her new historical fiction novel, Promise the Night. Read on for my review of this exciting story about the early life of Beryl Markham, the first pilot to fly solo from England to North America. Then don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy for yourself. Just comment before midnight (PST), February 1 and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Promise the Night as well as MacColl’s previous book, Prisoners in the Palace. U.S. and Canadian addresses only please. Here’s my review:

Promise the Night

In the early 1900s a girl named Beryl Clutterbuck was growing up on a ranch in what was then British East Africa. With a mother who had returned to England when she was a baby and a father who had little time to spend on raising her, Beryl grew up wild and as resistant to taming as the land around her. Her best friend was a native boy, Kibii, and she wanted to train to be a Nandi warrior.

Beryl’s fierce sense of daring and adventure never left her, and she later went on to be Beryl Markham, the first pilot to fly solo from England to North America. Promise the Night is a new work of historical fiction by Michaela MacColl that weaves real life incidents from Beryl’s pre-teen years with rich details of African life. The result is a fascinating portrait of a girl who is courageous, independent, unconventional, and not always likeable.

Promise the Night also paints a vivid picture of Africa during those times. White settlers came for the vast tracts of land they could buy for farming, ranching and other pursuits. Inevitably, there were conflicts with black natives who were looked down on for what were considered primitive ways.

Tales of lion hunts, leopard attacks, encounters with baboons and horse races are thrilling to read about, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself alternately cheering for Beryl and appalled by her sometimes bristly nature. Promise the Night brings a part of her childhood to life while also interspersing notes from her solo trip across the Atlantic.

I first learned about Beryl Markham when I read her memoir, West With the Night. While I really like that book a lot, it’s not accessible for younger readers. Promise the Night fills in that gap and introduces younger readers to this remarkable woman. I highly recommend it for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 9 to 13. I also believe boys will like this book equally as well as girls.

P.S. You may also want to check out the discussion guide for this book at MacColl’s website. AYou may also want to read the first chapter of Promise the Night.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review.

In The Darlings Are Forever, Jane, Victoria and Natalya, who have been friends for years, were separated  for the first time in years when they left the school they attended until 8th grade and each went to different high schools.

The Darlings in Love by Melissa Kantor continues the saga of their freshman year, this time looking at how each girl approaches being in a relationship with a boy. Jane is headstrong and confident, and she pursues Simon even though he gives off mixed signals about what he really wants. Natalya is a bit more reserved, and she’s a little unsure of how to approach the wealthy people she’s surrounded by since she got her scholarship to a prestigious private school. Colin is one of those. While they seem so at ease when they are with each other, she’s not sure she can ever fit into his upscale lifestyle. Victoria is not afraid to let Jack know she loves him, but she wonders if they really have enough in common to hold them together.

Together the girls help each other navigate the often-confusing waters of first-time love. How do you interpret the signals you’re getting from a guy about your relationship? Do you give up after the first sign of trouble, or do you try to fix the problem? What happens is a guy tells you he likes you, but he’s dating someone else? What if you find out he likes someone else more than you?

These and other issues are sure to be on the minds of girls who read The Darlings in Love, and Kantor keeps each personality true to itself as she helps her characters figure out the answers to their own questions. Through it all, Jane, Natalya and Victoria have each other to lean on during the rough times and to celebrate with during the good times. I recommend The Darlings in Love for girls aged 11 and up.

The author provided me with a copy of this book to review.

Home for the Holidays is the fifth book in Heather Vogel Frederick’s beloved series, The Mother-Daughter Book Club. By now, the girls of the Concord, Massachusetts book club are almost as well known to readers as the characters in the stories they are tackling this year: all 10 titles in the Betsy-Tacy series written by Maud Hart Lovelace. Even though Lovelace’s books take place in the early 1900s, the very modern girls of the book club are surprised to find that they have a lot in common with her characters, despite the fact that the times they live in have changed so dramatically.

As Becca, Megan, Cassidy, Emma and Jess all look forward to Christmas, they each have to deal with very different issues that center around family, friends and their community. Becca’s dad lost his job, threatening to derail her brother’s entry into college and her mother finishing up her studies in landscaping. Cassidy’s family is considering relocating for her stepfather’s job. Megan is struggling with a long-distance relationship. Emma and Jess work to overcome a misunderstanding that has them questioning their longtime friendship.

Frederick weaves a lot of fun into her story as well. It’s nearing Christmas, and there are scenes where different girls enjoy shopping, ice skating, sledding, cruising the Caribbean and more. Descriptions of Thanksgiving dishes and the New Year’s feast they all share will have you cracking open a cookbook to make your own special treats. Along with quotes from the Betsy-Tacy books and facts about Maud Hart Lovelace and her real friend Tibs, there are lots of other references to situations Betsy and Tacy face that are similar to the ones the Concord girls encounter.

Frederick also has the magic touch of knowing just how to have her characters resolve their conflict. As I have read each of her books in this series, I have found myself wishing I had her pen guiding me in real-life sticky situations. Moms and daughters who have come to love the mother-daughter book club books will surely find even more to love here. I recommend it for ages nine to 14.

Ivy and Eldridge have become fast friends after their adventures in Ivy’s Ever After by Dawn Lairamore. Now they’re trying to enjoy themselves at Drusilla’s wedding when a giant beanstalk with vicious teeth for pods grows into the clouds, taking Drusilla’s pet goat with it.

In Ivy and the Meanstalk, the two set off to rescue Toadstool, only to discover a giantess who is intent on recovering her golden harp, stolen by Jack and whisked away generations ago. Largessa threatens to destroy the kingdom of Ardendale if Ivy and Eldridge don’t return the harp within a week.

This new story takes the princess and her friendly dragon on a journey across the sea to Jacktopia, where a big-headed Jack set himself up as ruler long ago. Every king in the land since then is intent on increasing his kingdom’s wealth and showing off an abundance of gold.

Ivy has her work cut out for her, but she’s got the assistance of Eldridge, Owen, and One-Oh-Three, an overprotected prince who wants to have a little more freedom. They work together to win what Ivy needs and what One-Oh-Three hopes for.

Ivy and the Meanstalk continues the fun from the first book with author Lairamore imagining the aftermath of Jack and Beanstalk. Instead of the hero he portrayed himself as, Jack is revealed as a less-than-ethical character who thought only of himself. Mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 8 to 12 will enjoy reading it as well as discussing some of the issues touched on, including how historical events may be viewed differently by various people affected, the ethics of stealing something to avert a tragedy, and the wisdom of seeking revenge on someone who had made you mad.

The author provided me with a copy of this book for review.

Take an unconventional princess, a shy and timid dragon, an evil prince as would-be rescuer, and a kingdom that sorely needs a dash of hope. Mix in an absent-minded, wayward fairy godmother, a few trolls, and a cute stable boy. Bring all the ingredients together in a tale called Ivy’s Ever After by Dawn Lairamore as a winning recipe for a novel that girls aged 8 to 12 will love.

Ivy’s mother died soon after Ivy was born, and her father has been a wisp of his former self since. No one knows where Ivy’s fairy godmother disappeared to after the tragedy, and Ivy herself has been raised as a free spirit, with few constraints and lacking training as a proper princess.

All that is set to change as Ivy’s 14^th birthday approaches. According to the terms of an ancient pact between humans and dragons, Ivy must go inside a tower guarded by a dragon until a worthy prince rescues her by slaying the dragon. Handsome but arrogant Prince Romil arrives early with the hope of being the one to win Ivy’s hand in marriage and become ruler of her small kingdom.

Ivy feels she must comply until she discovers Romil’s evil plot. Defying all conventions, she strikes up an alliance with her guard dragon, Eldridge, and the two set about rescuing her kingdom.

Ivy’s Ever After provides lots of fairy tale fun that will delight both girls and their moms while still giving them something to talk about. Issues to discuss include finding your strengths even when they go against the expectations of others, looking for innovative solutions to change something that doesn’t seem right, judging people on their actions instead of their appearance, and more.

The author provided me with a copy of this book for review.

Have you ever wished you could do more to contribute to a cause or organization you really believed in? Kevin Salwen and his family took that desire and turned it into something tangible by selling their upscale home, downsizing to a smaller house, and donating half their profit to a charity.

Inspired by daughter Hannah’s frustration with the inequity she saw around her suburban Atlanta neighborhood, the Salwen family’s decision is probably more of a sacrifice than most of us are willing to make. Yet, the premise behind their decision, to identify something they could use less of and give away half of the excess, can be put into action by most anyone.

Kevin and Hannah Salwen tell their story, and hope to inspire others to take action, in their book, The Power of Half. While Kevin writes most of the narrative, Hannah contributes sidebars that call the reader to action, such as the one titled, “Helping Small Kids Start Volunteering.” We also get to see how the rest of the family reacts during the process, including Kevin’s wife Joan, and their son, Hannah’s brother Joseph.

Many mother-daughter book clubs have taken on volunteer projects as a group, and reading The Power of Half could help groups identify something they believe in and decide how they want to contribute. When my adult book club read this book we made a list of organizations where we have volunteered time or contributed money. We discussed the criteria that go into helping us decide which organizations we want to support. We also decided to volunteer together as a group by helping an organization dedicated to providing books to needy children.

Sam doesn’t remember too much from before his dad took him and his little brother away from home for a life on the run. He just knows that it’s important that he not attract attention to himself when he goes out. But when he makes a connection with Emily, he suddenly doesn’t want to be anonymous anymore. Soon Sam and his younger brother Riddle are interacting with other people for the first time in 10 years. Even though they know it won’t be long before their father moves them along again, they want to stay and find out what normal life is like.

From the opening lines of I’ll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan I was hooked on Sam Border’s story. Which is why I found myself wanting to race through this story even though it’s not the kind of book you would expect to be a pageturner.

Sam has learned to cope with his dad’s mental illness and angry outbursts, and he fiercely takes care of Riddle, who has always had health problems. The mom in me ached to see these two boys rescued from their situation.

And Emily’s relationship with Sam is touching. She knows he’s different, but she would never guess the reason why. And when her whole family becomes interested in the two boys, she can’t imagine the consequences that will result for all of them. Indeed, everyone who appears in the book has their lives touched in some way by Sam and Emily, even if they didn’t know how those connections came about.

I highly recommend I’ll Be There for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 12 and up. Issues to discuss include what makes up a family, what attracts and repels us to other people, mental illness, parents kidnapping their children, wilderness survival and more.

Publisher Little, Brown and Company provided me with a copy of this book for review.

Crystal has never really spent much time with her rock star dad, and now that her mother has to live out of state for a few months while training for a new job, she will get her chance. Rage Waters and the Fellas are on tour, and Crystal is both excited and nervous about joining the chaos of their nomadic life. This is the chance she’s waited for to get to know her dad and find out if he really cares for her. Trouble is, threatening notes from a crazed fan may put them both in jeopardy before she finds what she’s looking for.

The Thirteenth Summer by Elizabeth Laing Thompson mixes normal teen concerns with the reality of the life of a famous entertainer. Crystal worries about her braces, body odor, frizzy hair and breakouts, particularly when she’s around Luke, who is the son of another band member. She also finds out that while Rage’s lifestyle comes with perks—fancy hotels, limousine rides and expensive restaurants—it also doesn’t leave much time for Crystal to spend one-on-one with her father. Not surprisingly, several major conflicts come up as the two get to know one another and learn how to talk with each other.

Crystal is 13, which means she’s between wanting to cling to some of her younger traits and wanting to be more grown up. That brings up some interesting issues, particularly as Crystal gets to know Luke better. The mystery of the crazed fan—dubbed psycho girl by band members—adds another twist to the story.

I thought The Thirteenth Summer was a lot of fun to read and it would provide interesting discussion for girls and their moms to talk about family relationships, finding confidence in yourself, and knowing how to communicate about important issues.

The author provided me with a copy of this book.