Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
Rose (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2013) by Holly Webb is book one in a charming series that first came out in the UK and we’re fortunate it made it’s way across the pond.
10-year-old Rose is thrilled to be leaving the orphanage to go earn her own living as a maid–it’s her dream of an ordinary life. But the master is a magician and the house hums with magic. Rose finds she can understand the master’s cat and he can understand her. Next, Rose turns out to be better than the master’s apprentice at magic, even though she doesn’t want to have any magic. But when girls are missing all over, and when one of them happens to be a friend of hers, Rose will do what she has to do.
Check out all the other books on Holly Webb’s site–there are 3 more Rose books and lots of other books. Something else fun on Holly’s site is the pictures of her pets. Go here and click on the picture of the cat in the frame on the mantel.
Oh, and I just found this article about Holly’s top tips for writing stories set in the past.
Tag: mg fantasy
Windblowne
In a world where building and flying kites is what almost everyone does, Oliver is a failure. He can’t make kites or fly them. Every kite he touches is ruined. He’s the laughingstock of his village. To make matters worse his parents haven’t a clue what his life is like. Since the annual kite festival is coming up Oliver decides he must go to his crackpot Great Uncle Gilbert for help. But his father doesn’t even know where the former champion lives.
Author Stephen Messer really made me care for Oliver in Windblowne (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2010). I love the world building in this middle grade fantasy. I love how Oliver has a map in his head of all the oaks, his persistence, how he talks to the kites, his care for others . . . but I better stop telling you what I love in this story or I’ll give too much away!
I was delighted to meet Stephen at the recent SCBWI Carolina’s conference, where I heard about his newest book: The Death of Yorik Mortwell. His third book. Colossus, is coming out from Random House in 2013.
Savvy
A 2009 Newbery honor book…
The first sentence of Savvy (Dial, 2008) by Ingrid Law is a grabber and immediately lets you know you’re in for an interesting ride. “When my brother Fish turned thirteen, we moved to the deepest part of inland because of the hurricane and, of course, the fact that he’d caused it.” The book doesn’t disappoint.
The main character, Mibs, short for Mississippi, is about to turn 13, the birthday when Beaumont kids get their savvy. She’s sure it will be a good one. But that especially becomes important when Poppa is injured in a car accident and won’t wake up.
This is one of those books I know I’ll be rereading! (And I’ve heard she’s writing a sequel and they’re making a movie…woo whoo!)
Read more about the author at her website. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!