Book Review: Falcon in the Glass by Susan Fletcher

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Falcon in the Glass cover imageRenzo dreams of becoming the greatest glassblower on Murano, the island near Venice where many beautiful glass pieces are created each day. But since his father’s death he has been forced to prove himself early in the hopes that he can become an apprentice and help support his mother and young sister.

His task is much harder, because he’s not allowed to have anyone help him learn what he needs to know before he is tested. When he happens across a band of children who have a mysterious connection with birds, he forges a relationship that just may help him get what he needs while providing them with food and shelter. To do this, Renzo will have to work against forces that would lock up the children and bring him and his family down with them.

Falcon in the Glass by Susan Fletcher brings the history and beauty of glassblowing in Murano to life along with a tale of children who must be daring and brave to change their circumstances.

Renzo at first sees the bird children as pawns he can use to help him get what he needs to bring security to his family. But as he begins to look at them as individuals, he learns that he can no longer think only of his own comfort. He finds himself taking risks for them because he knows it’s the right thing to do. He also begins to feel a special bond with their leader, Letta.

When Letta and the others are accused of witchcraft, Renzo has to find a way to help his new friends without bringing suspicion upon his own family.

Fletcher is a master at evoking a vivid depiction of a past way of life while also creating a fascinating tale set there. As a twelve-year-old boy, Renzo is grown up beyond his years because he has an enormous amount of responsibility to take care of his family. Yet he hasn’t hardened so much that he can’t see the humanity even in those who set themselves against him.

Falcon in the Glass is a great read for anyone who loves a blending of history and adventure. I recommend it for readers aged 9 to 13.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Templar written by Jordan Mechner, illustrated by LeUyen Pham and Alex Puvilland

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Templar cover imageWhen Jordan Mechner set out to write about the Knights Templar and their lost treasure, he was more interested in the actual history of what happened to the knights than in the current existence of their purported riches. The story of how these knights went from being powerful and respected in the Middle Ages to being accused of heresy and devil worship is full of deceit and corruption.

With his graphic novel, Templar, Mechner has created a sweeping tale that follows the plight of Martin of Troyes, a brave knight who fought in the Holy Land and by chance escaped the initial arrest of everyone in his order. With his band of misfit knights who also escaped arrest and the help of a noblewoman he used to love, Martin sets about finding what the Templars held dear and keeping it from getting into the hands of the powerful people who want all Templars destroyed.

Mechner also worked with illustrators LeUyen Pham and Alex Puvilland on Prince of Persia, and their graphic depictions bring this epic saga to life. A preface and afterword talk about the real history of the Templars and our continuing fascination with them.

It all adds up to a beautiful depiction of a fascinating historical event that can be put out on display or kept on a bookshelf for rereading of the story as well as the illustrations.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Watcher in the Shadows by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

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The Watcher in the Shadows cover imageWhen Irene’s mother is offered a job in a remote Normandy village it seems like the answer to their prayers. Life has been difficult after her father’s brief illness and death at an early age. Irene and her family are even more enraptured by the employer, a former toy maker with a mansion full of his mechanical creations.

Everyone settles happily into their new surroundings, none more so than Irene, who finds a special bond with a local boy named Ismael. But when a dark shadow is unwittingly released from its prison, it threatens to destroy everything they hold dear.

The Watcher in the Shadows by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is fast-paced and mysterious. Like Zafon’s other titles for young adults, The Prince of Mist and The Midnight Palace, the action takes place over a relatively short period of time, but events are the result of long ago decisions made by tortured souls. In this case, Lazarus Jann, the toymaker, has secrets that gradually unfold.

The setting in Paris and Normandy just before World War II adds to the tension as well, because what’s to come for all the characters, particularly the teens, is lurking in the background of the story. Zafon also knows how to take a seemingly innocent location, the coast of Normandy, and show the dark and forbidding elements prowling just beyond the sea spray and idyllic paths through the woods.

Be prepared to enter Zafon’s mystical world when you pick up The Watcher in the Shadows, as you may want to find yourself wanting to read it straight through. But don’t read this one at night unless you’re prepared to sleep with the lights on. It’s deliciously dark. I recommend it for readers aged 14 and up.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Book Review: Written in Stone by Rosanne Parry

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Written in Stone cover imageSet on the Makah Indian Reservation on the remote Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, Written in Stone takes a look at traditional whaling practices of the Makah that continue today, and how the loss of this ceremonial hunt threatened the livelihood of the tribe.

The story is told through the eyes of Pearl, a young Makah whose mother and sister died in the influenza pandemic in the 1920s and whose father died on a whale hunt. When the whales begin to disappear, she worries that no one will be left to tell their stories and keep their traditions alive.

Without the meat, bone, fat and other things the Makah harvested from whales, their very survival is in peril. Pearl’s uncle, aunt, and her grandparents contemplate leaving to seek work in lumber mills, canneries and other places along the Pacific coast. In the end, Pearl draws on her own creativity and ingenuity as well as the wisdom she has learned from her parents and grandparents to stay true to her heritage while forging a path for the future.

Early in her teaching career author Parry lived near the Makah on the Quinalt Indian Reservation. She beautifully captures the wonder of the place while weaving in details of coastal tribal life in the early 1900s as she tells Pearl’s story. At the end, she provides a glossary of terms as well as a bit of history about the Makah.

Mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 9 to 12 reading Written in Stone will be able to discuss the history of the times, how women were limited to certain roles, and how Pearl ultimately found her voice to preserve what was important to her. I highly recommend it.

The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Peace, Baby! by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

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Peace, Baby! cover imageLearning how to deal with conflict can be challenging for kids (and adults too sometimes!), as they learn how to navigate disputes with siblings and other children at school. A new picture book helps them look at situations that may arise in their daily lives and think about how they will respond.

Peace, Baby! is written by Linda Ashman and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, and it shows kids dealing with a variety of common events that may cause conflict. Here’s an example: “One big cookie. Two of you. Marcus want it. What to do? That’s right, break it. Now there’s two! Hey, peace, baby.” Here’s another: “Sofie, racing toward the snack, nudges Nora, pushes Zach. Should they elbow Sofie back? Nah, peace, baby.”

The pastel illustrations are calming, and they show both the conflict and the resolution. While sometimes it may be difficult to figure out how the characters got from one to the other, that’s where conversation between parents and kids come in. You can talk about how you think the children may have found a peaceful situation, and you may be able to discuss things your child could do to help her deal with frustrations that come up in the future.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Giveaway and Sara Pennypacker Talks About Her Clementine Series for Young Readers

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Toay I’m taking part in a blog tour for Sara Pennypacker and her new book in the popular Clementine series, Clementine and the Spring Trip, which I am also giving away one copy of (U.S. and Canadian addresses only please). Read more from Sara, then leave a comment by midnight (PDT), July 3 for a chance to win.

Here’s a little more about her:

Sara Pennypacker (www.sarapennypacker.com) was a painter before becoming a writer, and has two absolutely fabulous children who are now grown. She has written several books, including the Clementine series, all illustrated by Marla Frazee, The Amazing World of Stuart, Sparrow Girl, and Summer of the Gypsy Moths. She grew up in Massachusetts and splits her time between Cape Cod and Florida.

Here she talks about why her books are about an ordinary girl in a normal family.

Sara Pennypacker photo

Hi, and thanks for inviting me – I’ve been poking around the blog all week, and feel right at home here. I only wish it had been around when I was raising my kids—it was mother-daughter reading experiences that led me to become a writer for children in the first place. Like all of you here, I spent a lot of time reading with my guys when they were little. As they aged into independent readers, their book choices differed—my son headed straight for the non-fiction section of the library, but my daughter was the child of my reading heart: she always chose stories. Through her, I fell in love with children’s fiction.

Clementine w/family making dinner line drawing

Illustration copyright Marla Frazee

It feels right to talk about my Clementine series here because while Clementine is the main character, in my view, it’s her very ordinary, beautiful, funny family that’s the star of these books. The smart writer avoids functional parents for their characters; there’s no built in sympathy, as you have for the orphaned or neglected child, and there’s very little tension—that necessary, crackling charge that makes the reader tear through the pages. Clementine is loved, supported, and always protected…you never have to worry about her.

But I was drawn to write about this kind of family for two reasons. First, Clementine is based on my son, who had issues with attention (which, okay fine, he got from me) but she’s confident and happy. The only psychologically true way to create a girl like that was to give her fabulous parents and a great school environment. But more compellingly, as I surveyed the bookshelves, I noted a lack of contemporary stories about kids who were safe and cared for. I’m not disparaging in any way the many books out there that explore damaged kids in dysfunctional settings—they are incredibly moving, necessary, and sometimes life-changing. I merely wondered: if books are supposed to be both windows and mirrors, reflecting and framing the whole range of kids’

Clementine and mother line drawing

Illustration copyright Marla Frazee

experiences, then where were the books for kids like Clementine, or kids who longed for her security?

The more I thought about that, the more attractive the idea became: write a series that celebrates the redeeming grace of the ordinary—kids being kids and grown-ups being grown up, and everyone just doing their best.  The mom in the Clementine books is modeled loosely on the mom I was: although an artist, she’s the practical one of the parents, allowing the father to play the comedian role at times.

Clementine’s dad is more of a fantasy, I think— besides being funny, he’s reliable, strong, he listens, and he’s hopelessly in love with his wife and kids— and so I work hard to keep him real.

Oh, gosh, this all sounds so serious! The Clementine books are funny—I find Clementine’s world-view hilarious, and her parents, friends and teachers all face the challenges Clementine brings with such good humor. Because these are books about whole families, I’m always happiest to learn that families are reading them together. I’d be thrilled to hear about moms and daughters reading the series…

Clementine and dad on the couch line drawing

Illustration copyright Marla Frazee

Follow Sara on her blog tour at these stops:

Thurs, June 20: Media Darlings
Fri, June 21: Sharpread
Mon, June 24: Children’s Book Review
Tues, June 25: Kid Lit Frenzy
Wed, June 26: There’s a Book
Thurs, June 27: As They Grow Up
Fri, June 28 Bookingmama

 

Book Review: The Journals of Petra Volare by Reece Michaelson and Pamela Jaye Smith

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Petra Volare cover image

Calice lives on the island of Crete in Minos’s palace with her mother. She knows she must keep quiet about her true identity, she is Daedalus’s daughter, but she yearns to know more about her father and her brother Icarus.

She renames herself Petra Volare and ventures around the town. As she does she meets people who teach her how to see her life differently: a sailor, a sword maker and a healer woman. Together they help her gain confidence in herself and her abilities so she can learn her true destiny.

The Journals of Petra Volare Scroll 1: From the Shadows is a reimagining of the ancient Greek story of Minos, the Minotaur, Daedalus, Icarus and other figures from the myths. Authors Reece Michaelson and Pamela Jaye Smith have created a character who is an outsider, which means she can tell the tale the way she sees it. She feels she has a role to play in protecting her brother, but she must discover what that is and how she can help. Along the way Petra Volare learns a lot about herself and the people she thought she knew well.

The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Short Seller by Elissa Brent Weissman

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The Short Seller cover imageWhen 12-year-old Lindy comes down with mono she’s too tired to think of doing anything but sleep. Soon she’s feeling better even though she’s still stuck at home for a while. To help her pass the time, her parents give her $100 and access to their brokerage account, so she can experiment with buying and selling stocks.

Lindy is fascinated by the stock market, and before long she’s taught herself a lot of the ins and outs of trading shares. As a bonus, math is fun for her for the first time. But she learns that the stock market can go up and down on a whim, and what looks like gains and losses on paper can have real consequences.

The Short Seller by Elissa Brent Weissman takes a look at investing in more ways that one. Lindy can’t understand why her parents are always restricting what she can buy when it’s obvious they have a lot of money. She’s not allowed to have a cell phone yet, or go to concerts without parents or buy a lot of clothes at the mall. She doesn’t understand why anyone would want to keep money growing in an account over a long period of time when it could be taken out and spent on something fun in the short term.

At the same time she’s learning about trading stocks, Lindy is also dealing with strains on the relationship she has with her two best friends, who have become close while she’s been out sick. Through it all she learns about the true meaning of friendship, solidarity between sisters, and the importance of paying attention to details. Girls between the ages of 9 and 12 should appreciate the issues Lindy faces.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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