“Icefall” by Matthew J. Kirby

TEEN LIBRARIAN'S REVIEW:

In the interest of full disclosure, let me begin by saying that I never would've read Matthew Kirby's Nordic adventure "Icefall" were it not on the discussion list for my Book Fest Sleepers group. I don't do fantasy, which is immediately how I pegged "Icefall," based on its glowing glacier / magic hammer cover. My bad, Scholastic. My bad. "Icefall" is a rousing, action-packed tale of — get this! — historical fiction set in Viking times. This is not a fantasy story. At all. And before you run screaming in the opposite direction, please let me add that historical fiction is not one of my faves, either. But "Icefall" works in a genre-busting, hey, this is just a great story kind of way.

Plain middle sister Solveig, younger brother Harald, and gorgeous older sister Asa are sent by their father, the King, to a frozen fjord for the winter. The King hopes to keep his heir, Harald, and his other children hidden and safe from a rampaging foe, Gunnlaug. A trusted young soldier, Per, accompanies them on the trip, as does long-time slave Ole and household servants (and mother and son) Bera and Raudi. Before the inlet freezes completely, a warship full of berserkers — think giant, fierce warriors in bearskins! — arrives, sent by the King in a last gasp effort to defend his children against Gunnlaug's forces.

As winter surrounds and covers them, Solveig and her siblings adjust to their icy, isolated home. Brokenhearted Asa mostly stays in bed and steals furtive glances at Per, while young Harald bravely tries to buck up and grow into the man everyone demands he become. Solveig becomes a sort of apprentice to Alric, the skald (storyteller) who accompanied the berserkers to the fjord. Alric teaches Solveig the power of mythmaking, and observant, sensitive Solveig — long overlooked by her father for these very traits — displays a natural talent for weaving tales around the evening hearth fire.

When a traitor emerges in the group (the few cows are slaughtered, berserkers are poisoned and killed), the hungry, frightened occupants of this far-removed world begin to turn against each other. I loved how the claustrophobic setting and thickening suspicion heighten the suspense as the story progresses. Very well done! When Gunnlaug's marauders arrive in early spring, the survivors have been weakened by fear and illness, making them easy prey. Solveig then must use every bit of her ingenuity and skill to keep her clan together and find a means of escaping Gunnlaug's clutches.

Along the way, we learn much about ancient Norse belief systems, including death rituals, runes, ravens, and such gods as Odin and Thor, whose hammer figures prominently in the story (and on the book's cover!). We are also treated to the complex, touching relationship that develops between Solveig and Hake, the fearsome leader of the berserkers, in which love, loyalty, and sacrifice are all richly presented. And while the climactic scene is telegraphed long in advance — again, the book cover! — it does nothing to undermine its dramatic heft.

I was truly blown away by how much I enjoyed "Icefall." It's a perfect novel for middle grade readers (boys *and* girls) who are looking for an exciting story full of intrigue, action, and even mythology from a long-ago era. Its icy setting, amazingly dimensional characters, and well-integrated themes of courage and faith only enrich the experience. While the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, enough plot threads are resolved to provide a satisfying conclusion.

PS – I can't leave this review without mentioning author Kirby's technique of inserting snippets from one of Solveig's stories throughout the novel. When we finally realize why Solveig is reciting this particular story to her surviving clan members, her actions resonate more powerfully. It's a wonderful device to introduce portions of each character's history, and, as importantly, to fully capture the emotional bonds Solveig has forged with each of them. Brilliant.

PPS – "Icefall" is out now. READ IT!

 

“The Red Pyramid” by Rick Riordan

TEEN LIBRARIAN'S REVIEW:

It took me awhile — I listened to the audio version until the last 7 chapters of this 500+ page middle grade novel — but I have finally finished Rick Riordan's "The Red Pyramid." Wahoo! I'm delighted to report that "The Red Pyramid," despite its impressive length, is a fun, action-packed history lesson. Fear not! The "lesson" part goes down as smoothly here as in Riordan's bestselling "Percy Jackson" series, taking us readers on an adventure-filled tour of ancient Egypt right in our modern world.

We have dual narrators, middle grade siblings Carter and Sadie Kane. Younger sister Sadie is impulsive, sassy, and very British. Carter is more thoughtful and reserved. The siblings are recording their tale, so they tend to interrupt, correct, or simply scold each other with some frequency. If you're like me, this practice will make you giggle repeatedly.

The story begins with a disaster at London's famous British Museum. We learn through some quick back story that following their mother's death, Carter traveled the world with his Egyptologist dad, Julius, while Sadie remained in England with her grandparents. At the British Museum, Julius breaks the Rosetta Stone, freeing five Egyptian gods and, unfortunately, entombing himself within a golden coffin.

From that explosive start, the book proceeds on a brisk pace, barely letting the reader catch her breath, as one action scene dives into the next. Carter and Sadie go on the run to stop the evil god Set, now freed, from building a red pyramid in Phoenix and destroying the Earth. Of course, they'd also like to rescue their dad, too. But how? Luckily, these two seemingly average children discover that they are descended from the pharaohs, giving them unique magical abilities. Even better, two gods freed at the British Museum, Horus and Isis, siblings of Set, now share inner space with the kids, allowing them to tap into some incredible power. Some of the funniest scenes in the book involve the internal debates Carter and Sadie have with their hosted gods; as you might imagine, thousand year old omnipotent beings can get a bit testy when they're controlled by children!

As they travel the county to battle Set, the kids hone their magical fighting skills, which come in handy when encountering all manner of ancient foes along the way. They also get help from a series of unlikely allies: Iskandar, an old magician with the House of Life; Khufu, a basketball-loving baboon; Bast, a feline goddess formerly known as Sadie's cat Muffin; Zia, a beautiful, dangerous young magician who makes Carter giddy; Amos, the kids' estranged uncle; and several shabti (clay figures used by pharaohs and gods to perform tasks on command) named Doughboy (!) and Philip of Macedonia. Bast, in particular, chaperones the kids the longest, and her role as mentor, fellow troublemaker, and Friskies eater is a hoot.

Riordan masterly weaves TONS of information about Egyptian history, customs, language, and religion into this rollicking, breakneck adventure story. The historical information never slows the tale down, which is a real credit to the author. After all, the kids are battling to save the world; this has to be of primary importance! Of course, Carter and Sadie are always outmatched — who can really be a worthy foe for someone called "Face of Horrors"?! — but they use their ingenuity and burgeoning talents to escape from one tight spot after another. Indeed, the book reads like a series of interconnected stories about fighting evil forces and facing nearly impossible challenges. I can easily envision families sitting together and reading this book aloud.

I fully expected the action, which Riordan delivers in spades. I was pleasantly surprised by the frequent touches of wry humor, which wonderfully soften some of the more frightening scenes and images. What I was completely floored by were the powerful emotional scenes, including one where Sadie delivers a love note from the sky goddess Nut to her beloved earth god husband Geb. And the ending? Without giving anything away, it's a doozy.

As for the characters, I love the kids' authenticity. They are brave, smart, strong, confused, tired, frustrated, resilient — just about what you'd hope for from children thrown into a life and death struggle. They even feel like real siblings, loyal to each other but still able to tease and joke. Boy and girl readers should find much to like in Carter and Sadie.

I am leaving so much out — Sadie crushes on Anubis, a jackal-headed god of the underworld! — but I think you get the idea. Read the "Red Pyramid" for the constant whiz-bang action, the fascinating look into ancient Egypt, the funny asides, the sweet moments between Carter and Sadie … whatever your reason for doing so, just read it. I think you'll adore it as much as I do. I'm so looking forward to the sequel! And be sure to check the Kane Chronicles site for updates and information.

 

“Guardian of the Dead” by Karen Healey

TEEN LIBRARIAN'S REVIEW:

I got an advanced copy of "Guardian of the Dead" in the mail from the good people at Little, Brown Books. Thank you! Aside from being taken by the rad cover, which features a spooky mask, I'm not sure I ever would have picked up this Maori mythology-laden story set in New Zealand. I'm so glad I did, because I think "Guardian of the Dead" is a winner on every level — it's a smart, fast-paced, wholly unique action / fantasy / romance hybrid. It is, literally, like no teen book I've read before.

I don't want to give too much of the plot away — there are plot points to spoil, I tell you! — so, I'll attempt only a broad outline. Ellie Spencer, a no-nonsense girl with an asexual best friend, is our heroine here. She's a teen attending boarding school in the southern part of New Zealand while her parents are on a world tour. Ellie is a plain, large girl. I don't mean obese or even fat; she's just big, both tall and solid. I loved how author Karen Healey described Ellie's embarrassment at taking up so much space in the world. Even better, I loved how Ellie's size eventually made her into a powerful force.

Ellie is smitten with secretive redhead Mark, a classmate in her Classics course. Mark starts randomly appearing everywhere in Ellie's life and, afterward, works some sort of mojo on her that causes confusion and forgetfulness. Meanwhile, Ellie is reluctantly helping best pal Kevin with a play at the local college (she's got a martial arts background and will assist with blocking the action scenes). Ellie immediately dislikes the lead actress, the cold, regal Reka, and not just because Reka easily charms the once uncharmable Kevin with, you guessed it, some sort of mojo. Reka seems to appear and disappear at will, kind of like the elusive Mark, and despite her exotic beauty, she's definitely weird — she sickens at the smell of cooked meat! When Ellie encounters Reka and Mark in a misty woods one evening, everything she knows, including the believability of ancient myths, changes.

There's also a powerful mask that gives Ellie godlike powers; loads of Maori legends about birth, love, and death; an awesome secondary character in the spunky play director Iris; otherworldly allies and foes; a climactic battle; and an interesting, hopeful romance. I never would have thought these elements would mesh so well, but author Healey makes it all flow together beautifully. The legends, the teen attraction, the temptation to use forbidden power, the strange setting … it fits. I especially loved that Ellie isn't one of those spunky, sarcastic, too smart for the room girls who seem to live in every teen novel lately. She's brave, smart, and tough but also self-conscious, angry, and occasionally irrational.

I'm probably not doing this wonderful book justice, but, truly, it's one of the best I've read in a long time. Parts of this book reminded me of Neil Gaiman at his "American Gods" finest, which is high praise indeed! If nothing else, read it to learn more about New Zealand and the rich stories and history of the Maori people. There's some mild language here, so I'd say the audience is upper middle school. "Guardian of the Dead" comes out in April. Look for it then!

 

“The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan

TEEN LIBRARIAN'S REVIEW:

I can't believe it took me so long to read a book you all have known about for ages! I guess the idea of young Olympic gods in modern times made me think "The Lightning Thief" would be heavy or boring. I was so, so wrong. This is a clever, fun, action-packed book that expertly weaves ancient Greek myths throughout its highly entertaining narrative. It's about the farthest thing from boring I can imagine. My bad!

Perseus ("Percy") Jackson is the son of a candy store worker and a cruel poker-playing stepfather, whom he calls "Smelly Gabe." Percy has attention deficit disorder and dyslexia, so he's had a rough time just completing the 6th grade at Yancy Academy, his upstate boarding school for challenged students. Most of his classmates and teachers overlook Percy, and he, too, sees himself as nothing special. Yes, there was the small matter of accidentally vanquishing his sinister math teacher Mrs. Dodds during a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but, afterward, all Percy's classmates seem to have forgotten her very existence. Yet again, Percy fades into the background of Yancy life.

Once the school year ends, Percy heads home, accompanied on the NYC bus by his only Yancy friend, Grover Underwood, a scrawny guy with atrophied leg muscles. Grover makes some cryptic statements about being Percy's protector, but none of that makes sense until later, when Percy and his mom are attacked by a minotaur, a part man / part bull creature. Grover is actually one of Pan's satyrs with cloven hooves (!) sent to keep Percy safe. He must get Percy to Half-Blood Hill, a summer camp sanctuary for kids who are half-god and half-mortal. Turns out, Percy's dad was, in fact, an Olympic god, although at first he's not sure which one. Go figure, right? With training at Half-Blood Hill, Percy should discover more about his history and learn how to protect himself from all the bad guys and monsters who are out to get him.

When Percy finds out the gods are viciously fighting over Zeus's stolen lightning bolt, the Oracle instructs him to embark on a westward quest with Grover and his new half-blood friend Annabeth. The group must find and return the bolt to Zeus, lest the world be plunged into all-out war and chaos. Along their journey, Percy, Grover, and Annabeth have tons of adventures, including encounters with all sorts of ancient gods and monsters. What's great is that these old myths are transformed by modern, often humorous twists. For example, god of war Ares is a grizzly biker, Medusa owns a roadside diner with an impressive sculpture garden, and Procrustes, the bandit who stretched folks on an iron bed, now runs a mattress emporium in LA!

I can't recommend this book highly enough to middle school readers, both boys and girls. Not only is "The Lightning Thief" a terrific avenue into the world of Greek myth, it's also a fast-paced, silly, and ultimately heartfelt book in its own right. Two sequels ("The Sea of Monsters" and "The Titan's Curse") will allow you to follow Percy on more adventures, and there's a fourth book, "The Battle of the Labyrinth," due out in May. Enjoy!

FROM KINNELON LIBRARY TEEN REVIEWERS:

Review #1:

I like this book. It's very interesting, and I like Greek mythology. It also has a lot of action.

Review #2:

It's a mythology book with a twist of reality.

Review #3:

This book has a lot of action. The Greek mythology in the book makes it more exciting. It was a great book!

 

“The Night Tourist” by Katherine Marsh

TEEN LIBRARIAN'S REVIEW:

I guess the easiest way to describe "The Night Tourist" is as a ghost story / Manhattan travelogue. You don't hear that one every day, I'm sure!

Ninth-grader Jack Perdu is the only child of a single father, an archeology professor at Yale. Despite his young age, Jack himself is a Classics scholar who is translating Ovid's "Metamorphoses" from Latin into English. Would you be shocked to learn, then, that Jack is an introspective loner with no friends? Yeah, I thought not.

Jack survives a pretty severe car accident with no apparent damage, although, just to be safe, his father puts him on a train to New York City to see a special doctor. The doctor basically photographs Jack and sends him on his way. Okay, then. While in the office, Jack does manage to snag an antique subway token. Good thing, too, because when Jack follows mysterious prep school student Euri into the bowels of Grand Central Terminal, that pilfered token allows him to cross over into the underworld. See, Euri is actually dead, and has been for some time. Turns out Grand Central is a sort of holding point for trapped souls, those who have died in Manhattan but have not yet moved on to the afterlife. Each night, those souls get transported above ground via fountains throughout the city. The souls (ghosts, spirits, whatever you want to call them) get to spend each night flitting about New York, but they must return to Grand Central each dawn.

So why is Jack — who survived the car accident — stuck in the underworld, too? Good question, and that's basically the central mystery of this appealing and beautifully written novel. Is Jack dead? Can he locate his deceased mother during his three days in the underworld? Will Euri be able to pass over, or, perhaps, somehow become human again? I promise, all these questions are answered, although the ending admittedly left me a bit befuddled. While it's refreshing when a teen novel doesn't wrap up in a neat bow, the resolution felt like a letdown. Eh, see what you think.

This book reminded me somewhat of Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere," which takes place exclusively in "London Below," a sort of parallel world beneath London's streets. I liked that it explored the larger issues of life, death, and forgiveness, while also providing lots of action (flights through the city, guard chases, etc.) and plenty of humorous touches (for example, there is a souls orientation in the New York Public Library). Add in liberal doses of the Classics and a lovely sense of wonder in seeing New York from an utterly new perspective, and you have the makings of a complex, enjoyable, yet gentle novel about love and friendship. While I'd recommend this book for middle school age readers and up, I suspect that there are many adults who would like "The Night Tourist" as well. I hope you'll give it a try.

 

“Nobody’s Princess” by Esther Friesner

SUMMER READING REVIEW!

FROM A KINNELON LIBRARY TEEN REVIEWER:

I liked this book because it was fun and gave a new inside story of Helen of Troy.

 

“The Sea of Monsters” by Rick Riordan

SUMMER READING REVIEWS!

FROM KINNELON LIBRARY TEEN REVIEWERS:

Review #1:

I liked this book because it was adventurous, funny, and mythical. I also liked it because there was friendship and loyalty.

Review #2:

I liked this book because it had gods in it. Also, I liked the character Tyson because he is so strong and he sacrificed his life for his friends, Percy and Anabeth.

 

“The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp” by Rick Yancey

TEEN LIBRARIAN'S REVIEW:

Are you familiar with the legend of King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, and the sacred sword, Excalibur? If you're interested in a modern take on that ancient story, then "The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp" may be the book for you. Alfred, the title character, is a sixteen year-old who has recently lost his mom to cancer. Alfred has bounced around to a few different foster homes, before ultimately ending up in Knoxville, Tennessee at the house of his Uncle Farrell. Alfred, who is neither popular nor a great student, reluctantly agrees to help his uncle steal a sword from Samson Towers, the office building where Farrell is the night security guard. Farrell is to receive $1 million from the very shady Mr. Arthur Myers for "returning" the sword to him. Of course, things go horribly wrong, and all too late Alfred realizes that he has helped a truly evil man acquire a weapon of awesome power. No army or device — no matter how advanced — can stand up to the sword's power.

Alfred then embarks on a mission with Bennacio, an older man who is a keeper of the sword and a descendant of one of the original Knights of the Round Table. On their way from Tennessee to Canada to England, Alfred and Bennacio are chased by all manner of bad guys in an assortment of very cool vehicles, including helicopters, Ferraris, and tricked-out motorcycles. It all builds up to a big showdown in the cave of Merlin between the wretched Arthur Myers (whose real name is Mogart) and the teenage Alfred Kropp.

As mentioned, this story contains many elements from the King Arthur legend, and they're nicely updated for a modern story. The book moves at a very fast pace, with each short chapter packed with dialogue and action. Alfred is a good character to follow, since he's sort of a regular kid who gets caught up in a battle to save the world. While there's a good deal of violence here, it's mostly just mentioned and not described in any detail. There's also a nice theme running through the story about taking responsibility for your decisions (including bad ones, like Alfred stealing the sword) and moving past your mistakes. This book might be a good choice for middle school readers who are fans of the "Alex Rider" series. If you like it, "Alfred Kropp: The Seal of Solomon" is due out in the Spring of 2007. In the meantime, check out the Alfred Kropp website.