One Lighthouse, One Moon, by Anita Lobel (Greenwillow Books, 2000)

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This attractive picture book is one of the reasons I love this job. Occasionally, I’ll run across a treasure I never would have seen otherwise. One Lighthouse, One Moon, is a creative, imaginative book designed to help the younger reader learn the days of the week, the months of the year, numbers from one to ten, and common colors. It’s been divided into three separate “stories”, each one perfect for sharing with a child. In “All Week Long”, the days of the week are presented, one to a page with a gorgeous colored illustration matching up to the worlds. Black shoes on Monday, Red shoes on Tuesday, Blue shoes on Wednesday, and so on. Each pair of shoes is different, but colored appropriate, as is the word representing the color. In no time at all, a child will learn to associate the color and the world with one another, as well as learning the correct order of the days. In “Nini’s Year, we follow the progress of a curious cat, from January to December, two illustrations to a page, each depicting one month and a common association (pumpkins in October, flags in July, flowers in April, and so on). Finally, “One Lighthouse, One Moon” again follows Nini the cat as she demonstrates the concept of numbers. One lighthouse, two boats, three sailors waving to four girls, and through to ten, with the additional one hundred stars and one moon. I can’t conceive of any easier way to convey such basic information in such a lovely fashion. The art is gorgeous, and this book is clearly aimed at ages 4-up without being misleading. For an added bonus, play “spot Nini” in the first story. This is the sort of book I plan to read to my children someday. Simple, fun, and highly enjoyable.

One for Sorrow, Two for Joy, by Clive Woodall (Ace, 2005)

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In One for Sorrow, the realm known as Birddom is in grave peril, threatened by a horde of vicious magpies led by their mad leader, Slyekin, who desires nothing more than to conquer all of Birddom and kill or rule its avian inhabitants. With his evil magpies and their thuggish cousins the crows to carry out his bidding, and his right-hand assassin, Traska, to enforce his will, Slyekin seems assured of victory. But not all is lost: the last of the robins, Kirrick, under the guidance of a wise owl, sets forth on a desperate quest to unite the remaining strongholds of Birddom for one last push against the magpie forces. His allies will come from all places, and he’ll discover he’s not as alone as he feared. But even if he does succeed in his mission, will the cost be too high for him to bear?

In Two for Joy, the second half of this volume, the story continues. Slyekin’s evil reign may be over, but his legacy lives on, and Birddom may yet fall to the darkness. This time, it’ll be up to Kirrick’s mate, Portia, and a brave bullfinch, Mickey, to make a perilous journey to a distant land in order to seek the salvation of their peoples, and Birddom itself. Meanwhile, one of Slyekin’s most infamous followers has returned to finish what he started, not knowing that the consequences of one of his most brutal moments is hunting him, eager for revenge.

One For Sorrow, Two for Joy joins Watership Down, Tailchaser’s Song, and the Redwall series as another epic tale of the animal world, doing for birds what the previous authors have done for rabbits, cats, and mice. It combines the beauty of the natural world with the cold brutality of the circle of life, offering up an interesting tale with some unlikely heroes. The themes are classic: an evil lord and his armies threatening all that is proper, an epic quest to find help, unlikely alliances made in the face of evil, murder, revenge, and so forth. The first half of the book is very much a Tolkienesque fantasy, while the latter half contains aspects of a Greek or Shakespearian tragedy. All in all, it balances out the familiar aspects of the storyline with a high-flying sensibility. While it’s aimed as a story for children, there are some dark moments involving death, mayhem, and brutal attacks (that I’m sure Disney will sanitize if they get around to making the movie of this), so parents do be warned. Overall, One for Sorrow, Two for Joy is an excellent book, familiar without being derivative.

Once Upon A Marigold, by Jean Ferris (Harcourt, 2004)

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Once upon a time, there was a young commoner named Christian, who ran away from home, and was adopted by a kindly, if somewhat eccentric troll named Edric. Together, they lived in Edric’s cave, where Edric plotted to break up the Tooth Fairy’s monopoly, while Christian learned etiquette, manners, Greek myth and much more, and attempted to perfect his various inventions, for which he had a knack. As Christian grew older, he became aware of Princess Marigold, who lived in the nearby castle across the river. One day, he sent a message to her by pigeon, and a secret friendship was born. Then the time came for Christian to go out into the world, so he want to the palace, only to discover a dangerous, wicked plot against the throne, and to risk losing his one love to an arranged marriage. And what happened after that is the stuff of legends.

Once Upon A Marigold bills itself as “part comedy, part love story, part everything-but-the-kitchen-sink,” and it certainly comes close, with mysterious orphans, an evil queen, a cursed princess, a secret plot, hidden identities, dungeons, a giant, a centaur, some pigeons, some wacky inventions, a beautiful kitchen wench, some action, some intrigue, and some Greek myth. It’s sharp and clever and fast-paced, with highly enjoyable characters and a storyline that makes as much sense as any fairy tale, right down to the revelations at dramatic points. Marigold’s sisters (blond triplet princesses, go figure) defy the usual stereotyping by being intelligent, active, brave, and helpful, in strict opposition to the unspoken rule that says any princesses in excess of the featured one should either be evil, stupid, or useless. Marigold herself is likeable and independent, helping to save the day as much as Christian, and the two of them together are adorable and perfect for one another. Once Upon A Marigold is worth checking out, an excellent addition to the growing library of modern fairy tales.

Once Upon A Curse, by E.D. Baker (Bloomsbury, 2004)

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Emma may have become the Green Witch for her land of Greater Greensward, but the position came at a price: her beloved Aunt Grassina has fallen prey to the family curse, which stipulates that after each female in the family line turns sixteen, even touching a flower will rob them of all that is good and positive, turning them into a vicious, selfish, ugly witch. Emma has no intention of seeing this happen to her, so she decides it’s time, once and for all, to break the curse. After all, she’s come into control of her magic after the frog incident, been named a Dragon Friend after embarking upon a quest to save Grassina’s fiancé from life as a woodland creature, and outwitted all manner of dangers already. How hard can this be? With the aid of her bat friend, L’il, and her best friend/potential future husband Eadric, Emma utilizes all of her resources to discover the exact origin of the curse. But it won’t be easy: first she has to take a trip back through time, to unravel family history from centuries ago, without actually changing her own past. Then she’ll have to track down and placate an angry fairy harboring centuries of bitterness. Finally, she’ll have to confront her aunt and grandmother, both victims of the curse, both extremely powerful witches without an ounce of kindness left in them. But can Emma break the curse, or will she be doomed to a life without flowers, and possibly without love?

This is actually the third in a series that began with The Frog Princess and Dragon’s Breath, and it provides a highly satisfying conclusion to Emma and Eadric’s story. Once again, Baker has taken many classic fairy tale elements, and woven them into a highly original, entertaining story, featuring strong characters and an unpredictable plot. Once Upon A Curse is the perfect payoff for anyone who’s followed Emma this far, and I actually found myself hoping we’ll see more of Emma and Eadric in the future. I’m sure their propensity for adventure will bring them back into the spotlight sooner or later.

Olivia Kidney, by Ellen Potter (Puffin, 2004)

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Twelve-year-old Olivia Kidney has just moved into a new apartment, thanks to her father’s job as building superintendent. However, she’s not entirely sure she really wants to be there, especially as she doesn’t know anyone, and is quite lonely. However, when she loses her keys and has to go looking for her father, she discovers that the residents of her new home are far stranger and more interesting than she ever could have imagined. Ghosts, psychics, an apartment made of glass, an indoor rain forest, talking lizards, pirates, missing aviatrixes, all of these and more are to be found in the depths of the building. As Olivia searches for her father, she has a number of experiences, both fascinating and frightening, and discovers that she may not be without friends after all.
Olivia Kidney is a lovely, fun book, mixing fantastical experiences with scary encounters. Imagine if Alice in Wonderland took place in a New York apartment building, and throw in a dash of Series of Unfortunate Events for atmosphere. This is a good book for younger readers, and judging by the preview of the sequel to be found in this one, future books in the Olivia Kidney series will be just as enchanting. Both whimsical and strangely touching, it’s a great start, and Ellen Potter clearly has a knack for capturing just the right tone.

The One-Eyed Giant, In the Land of the Dead, and Sirens and Sea Monsters, by Mary Pope Osborne (Hyperion Books, 2003)

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For those familiar with Homer’s epic saga, there will be very few surprises in these books, the first three in Mary Pope Osbourne’s Tales From The Odyssey series. They retell, in plain English, without much of the fancy poetical trappings, the trials and tribulations of Odysseus as he attempts to make his way home after the Trojan War. The One-Eyed Giant looks into the events leading up to the war, including Odysseus’ reluctant recruitment, and his creation of the now-legendary Trojan Horse which helps to end the war. Then it goes on to cover the beginnings of his long journey home, including visits to the island of the Cyclops, and the home of the wind god, Aeolus. The Land of the Dead continues the story as a determined Odysseus and his demoralized crew continue to face trouble after trouble, including cannibal giants, the sorceress Circe, and the Land of the Dead itself. In Sirens and Sea Monsters, Odysseus and a much diminished group of followers face the deadly song of the Sirens, the twin menaces of Scylla and Charybdis, and the temptations of the Cattle of the Sun. In the end, though, Odysseus alone will survive to carry on.

These are the perfect primers for introducing young readers to the tale of the Odyssey, though they lack much of the magic of the more poetical translations. However, they don’t sugarcoat any of the grisly deaths or horrible monsters that play such a large part of the story, so it’s hard to judge exactly what age group they’re best suited for. I’m of mixed opinions regarding the series thus far: it’s a bit simplistic, but wholly competent and pleasant to read. With a map of the journey, a pronunciation guide, and a brief description of the Greek gods who play such a large role in the Odyssey, these books are a nice introduction for young readers, and hopefully a springboard towards reading the real thing.

New Skies, edited by Patrick Nielsen Hayden (Tor, 2003)

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From Tor comes this reprint anthology, containing seventeen young adult-aimed science fiction stories published within the last two decades. It’s an odd mix, eclectic and almost intellectual in natural, spanning the variety of talent and style. Philip K Dick is here, as are Orson Scott Card, and Kim Stanley Robinson, Greg Bear, Steven Gould, Will Shetterly, Jane Yolen, and Spider Robinson, and more still. For the most part, these are authors you won’t have seen in the Young Adult section of the bookstores; they either don’t write short stories very often, or don’t aim for young adults, or are too unrepentantly science fiction to make the break out of one section and into the more catch-all section of the store aimed at the teen audience. On the other hand, this means that even the most voracious of readers is bound to find stories they’ve overlooked, and authors they’ve never considered before. New Skies may be even “your mileage may vary” more than most anthologies due to the wide variety of writing styles and authorial voices represented, but by that same token, it’s definitely worth looking at. There are, in the grand scheme of things, not enough anthologies aimed at the young adult sf/fantasy reader, so this comes as a welcome offering.

Mister Boots, by Carol Emshwiller (Viking, 2005)

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In the middle of the Depression, out in the California desert, there are plenty of secrets to go around. While exploring the desert around her, ten-year-old Bobby Lassiter stumbles across a wounded man, who goes by the name Mister Boots. Sometimes a horse, sometimes a man, Boots is a true oddity, but Bobby’s family takes him in, nursing him back to health and taking care of him. However, tragedy soon strikes, leaving Bobby and her sister alone … that is, until their wandering stage-magician father shows up out of the blue to take what he can from their meager possessions. A chance incident changes everything, and pretty soon, Bobby, Jocelyn, and Boots join Robert Lassiter on the road, wandering from town to town performing for the masses. Secrets still abound within the loose-knit group, secrets which will ultimately explode into an open confrontation, one which will alter the direction of Bobbie’s life forever.

Mister Boots is a strangely haunting story, a dreamlike excursion through a hazy past where nothing is exactly what it seems. Just as Bobby is a girl who’s often mistaken for a boy (to the point of occasionally doubting her own identity), and Boots is a horse who’s sometimes a man, so is there magic which is capricious and unexplained. It’s an intriguing narrative that builds to a sudden and tragic conclusion, leaving just enough to the imagination. Bobby is a sympathetic viewpoint who guides us through the malleable past, and Mister Boots is properly alien for his nature. All in all, an enjoyable book, worth taking a look at.

Mira, Mirror, by Mette Ivie Harrison (Viking, 2004)

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We all know the story. Once upon a time, blah blah, wicked queen, beautiful maiden, seven dwarfs, poisonous apple, magic mirror, happily ever after. But who ever actually thinks about that poor magic mirror, forced to answer inane questions from its evil owner? Well, now the story can be told. How Mira was once a young woman studying to be a witch, until her fellow apprentice and adopted sister betrayed her, transforming her into an enchanted mirror. How the mirror did her sister’s bidding, transforming her appearance, answering questions, casting spells, and so forth. How one day, her mistress vanished, leaving the mirror in solitude for a full century, with only the barest reserves of magic to keep alive. And how, one day, the mirror found a new mistress, one she could manipulate, and how they set out to change both of their lives. Mira, as the mysterious magic mirror, befriends a young runaway, Ivana, and soon brings her into contact with a merchant and his daughter, Talia. With the judicious application of magic, identities are switched, and Ivana and Talia are both cast onto different paths of their own choosing. It’ll be a time of discovery for all three, as they seek out the things that mean the most to them: love, a safe marriage, a return to humanity. The value of sisterhood will be explored, and the power of love will be tested. But will there be a happily ever after for Mira, Talia, and Ivana? That remains to be seen.

Mira, Mirror is an imaginative interpretation of the events surrounding one of our most beloved fairy tales. Mira’s present-day quest is interspersed with flashbacks to her days both as a human and as a servant of the wicked queen-to-be, so that we gradually get to see how she could both love and be betrayed by the person she trusted the most, leading her to her current set of choices. Her slow journey from heartless mirror to loving person is poignant and believable, especially as she relearns how to trust, and how to value people for more than what they can do for her. Harrison brilliantly recasts a minor prop from the original story as a tragic heroine, and in doing so, adds a whole new dimension to the tale, for a job well done. I’ve seen a lot of retold fairy tales, but Mira, Mirror proves that there’s still plenty of room for new exploration.

Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe, by James M. Ward (Tor, 2005)

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At sixteen, Halcyon Blithe came into his powers relatively late, especially for a family renowned for turning out powerful wizards. However, as the seventh son of a seventh son, he definitely has a lot more magical potential than wizards twice his age. Blessed with the abilities to command air, water, and rope, he’s a natural for the Arcanian navy, and eagerly takes his place as the newest midshipwizard aboard the great dragonship Sanguine, where they’ll turn an inexperienced lad into a proper fighting man, no matter how difficult the challenge. Blithe, whose entire family has served the navy in some form or fashion for generations, feels up for anything, and takes to the high seas like a natural. Little does he know, however, that a deadly storm is brewing, one of his own design, and sooner or later, he’ll have to pay a high price. But before that can happen, he’ll learn how to sail, to fight, to make friends and deal with those who resent his power and his fortune. He’ll be bloodied in battle, and have to deal with a traitor hidden amongst the crew, risk his career to save the ship, and face the very real possibility of death. But such is the lot of a midshipwizard in a world where a small island nation fields living dragonships – naval vessels united with powerful seadragons – against a hungrily-growing empire of shape changers.

Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe was billed as Harry Potter meets Horatio Hornblower, and I am overjoyed to state that there’s a lot more of Horatio than there is Harry. No offense to the good lad from Hogwarts, but there’s little comparison here, with this exciting, salty tale of magic, adventure, and treachery on the open sea. Ward has a strong start to a promising new series here, one that only occasionally drifts off-course. Sure, one can predict some of the major twists, but it’s a solidly entertaining yarn that sets up a world ripe for exploration. I expect future volumes in the series will continue to chronicle Blithe’s rise through the ranks as he meets his destiny, and I’m looking forward to it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.