Book v. Movie: Earwig and the Witch #MarchMagics

Welcome to a chat about Earwig and the Witch! I read the book on the first day of March Magics and finished it on, well, the first day. (It's just over 110 big print pages and full of illustrations.) When I set it down, I spent the afternoon watching the movie. Here are my thoughts ...

This was DWJ's last completed fiction book, published in June 2011, just after her death in March of that year. It's probably for the youngest audience of all of her books besides a 1992 picture book and a handful of short stories. The US edition (seen above) was illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. It's the story of Earwig, a young girl who was left at an orphanage when she was a baby with nothing but a note that said "GOT THE OTHER TWELVE WITCHES ALL CHASING ME. I'LL BE BACK FOR HER WHEN I'VE SHOOK THEM OFF. IT MAY TAKE YEARS. HER NAME IS EARWIG." The children's home staff, of course, aren't sold on the witch story or the name and they try to call her Erika Wigg. Still the nickname Earwig creeps back in and she grows up with it and with the special talent of making anyone and everyone do just what she wants. Another day comes when foster parents are to arrive and choose kids to take home with them and Earwig expects the usual thing to happen, a bunch of cooing over babies and toddlers and the ignoring of the older kids. This time though, a very weird pair of adults, one who seems to get taller and grow horns as he stands there, actually choose Earwig to go home with them. What happens after this is unpredictable and fun.

The thing I like most about this book is that Earwig is not a bad kid. She gets her way and she does things that she doesn't have permission to do but she is not trying to hurt anyone. And, in the end, she stays happily with the same people who she didn't think cared about her at all. It's a found family story which is different from many DWJ stories that have bad parents. This one has adults that don't want to be parents who kind of grow into the role because of the strong personality of Earwig. Also ... talking cat!

Just in time for the tenth anniversary of the book, we get the Studio Ghibli film version of Earwig. This is the studio's first computer animated film and was directed by Hayao Miyazaki's son, Goro. As far as story goes, this film is almost too faithful to the book. It uses the exact dialog and pacing from DWJ's book and, in my opinion, it's not quite the right pacing for a film. It does start with an added scene of Earwig's mom taking her to the orphanage while being chased and there are two brief additional plot lines but neither really brings anything interesting to the story and seem tacked on. But these were only obvious to me because I had literally just read the book that morning. Most people won't have read the book and will may not have these issues. But the thing that disappointed me most was that the movie has Earwig's mom return at the end. That killed the entire "found family" aspect of the book and it bummed me out a bit.

As a huge Studio Ghibli fan (you may remember my Ghibli watching project in 2010), I missed the magic that Hayao Miyazaki brings to a story. I adore DWJ's Howl's Moving Castle but will admit that Miyazaki's film, with its differences, has more heart than the original tale. His son needs to learn to find and grow the spark that makes a good book into a great film. Also, the animation of Earwig was a little weird with thin old-lady eyebrows and too many angry looks. And the cat had no fur texture which, as we all know, Pixar perfected twenty years ago with Monsters, Inc. It just didn't work for me the way hand-drawn Ghibli films do ... although the workroom was exactly how I imagined it, so dirty and slimy! I also missed the music of Joe Hisaishi, which is one of the threads that tie all Ghibli films together and also adds to the magic.

Side note: this is the promo image for the film and it is not something that happens in the movie. That's kind of weird, right? Anyway, I know a couple of you were going to be able to watch the film so what did you think? Did you read the book first? How do you think it compares to other Studio Ghibli films (if you've watched any of them)? What was your favorite thing about the movie? Least favorite? Please share!

House of Many Ways for #MarchMagics / #DWJMarch

The first book I chose to celebrate Diana Wynne Jones with was HOUSE OF MANY WAYS, the third story in the Howl trilogy and one of her final books (2008). I know that we will be reading HOWL together later this month, but the audiobook hold came in early and there wasn't going to be a chance of anything being spoiled since it's a multi-time reread so I jumped right in! (BTW, the audiobook is performed by the stellar Jenny Sterlin.)

Charmain Baker is a young lady raised by helicopter parents and sheltered from anything exciting or interesting. She is, therefore, something of a useless brat who just sits around reading and eating until, one day, she is sent off to tend a sick relative's house -- a relative who happens to be a wizard and who lives in a house that is much bigger on the inside than the outside. She quickly finds his library, an unexpected companion for her magical adventures, and a world that she never knew she belonged in.

Why do I love this book so much? Mostly because it has my favorite thing ever -- the main character finding out that magic exists and that he/she is actually able to use it! Long before Harry Potter, I fell in love with Annabel of NO FLYING IN THE HOUSE (1970) and dreamed of finding out that there was real magic in the world. Now, Charmain does know magic exists but she has been told repeatedly by her parents that it is shameful to perform and so she never studied it in school. So, when she discovers that not only is magic rather useful (the wizard's house is run by magic) but that she is able to perform it, it's life-changing. And where does Wizard Howl come into the story? You'll have to read the book to find out!

Sidenote: As I was looking for a book cover to use, I came across this art/storyboarding by artist Dina Norlund which is very fun! I only wish that she had kept going and added some imaginings of Sophie, Calcifer, and Twinkle.

Still searching for that magic,
K

New Release: All Summer Long

I was super excited to receive a review copy of Hope Larson's new middle grade graphic novel, All Summer Long. It's the story of Bina and the summer after seventh grade. From her changing friendship with Austin, the boy who has been next door all of her life, to her new opportunity to hang with his older sister, to the things happening within her own family, this is basically a story about how to cope with change. Some things work out well and some things don't in Bina's summer but it all comes together to teach her a bit about growing up.

With super realistic dialogue and simple artwork, this is a book that should speak to young teens for a lot of different reasons. Some will see their friendships with the opposite sex modeled in the one between Bina and Austin. Some will relate to getting that first babysitting job. Others will appreciate that Bina also has a gay older brother that is married and adopting. And lots of kids will relate to finding themselves through popular music.

I'm still building the stack of books to share with my nieces this summer. This will definitely be in it!

Lost in nostalgia,
K

The Broken Lands

I can't even begin to find a way to explain Kate Milford's The Broken Lands to you. It's a prequel to Boneshaker and has a minor character from that book in a medium-sized role. It happens in late-19th century New York City and has card sharps, Chinese fireworks experts, devils, demons, and magic. It's such an amazing and perilous world and I absolutely loved it. There are also real cultural issues and complex war musings. It's another one of those books that has no target age group. It has elements of the fantasy, horror, adventure, and coming-of-age genres and is simply another amazing Milford story.

The coolest news this week was that Bluecrowne, an early Kickstarted story by Milford, has been updated and is being rereleased this October. It's a bridge between the Greenglass House world and the Boneshaker one and I cannot wait for it. I will be more than happy to reread everything this summer before this new adventure comes out.

All about this world,

K

Classics Challenge 2: Treasure Island

Thanks to a mention in my last read as a book that corrupted young readers, I have just finished my second Back to the Classics Challenge read -- Treasure Island (1883) by Robert Louis Stevenson, my pick for "A Children's Classic". Though I had seen film versions over the years (Muppet Treasure Island is one of Z's favorites), I realized that I had never actually read the book. The story was originally released serially under the pseudonym of Captain George North in a publication for boys. It chronicles the adventures of young Jim Hawkins, from his tame life as the son of modest innkeepers to the perilous search for buried treasure.

I was just reading that Stevenson wrote this book quickly because, as it was for children, he felt he didn't have to be so careful about quality. Luckily, his inherent talent as a writer shone through and this became a well-told tale. I was surprised by the violence but more-so by the moral ambiguity of Long John Silver. His ability to quickly see which way the winds were blowing, so to speak, and change sides in a conflict to his benefit seems like a far more dangerous lesson than discovering the many different ways in which men can kill one another. I still don't think this book contributed to the delinquency of Victorian minors though. If anything, the lesson I came away with is that islands with buried treasure on them and the ships that get you there are all full of perils that make the gold barely worth it.

Not feeling adventurous,
K

Pretty, Pretty Alice

I try not to hoard different editions of books but there have been so many different, beautiful editions of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in the past couple of years that I've ended up with more copies than I intended. I hadn't yet had a chance to really explore this Anna Bond-illustrated edition from Puffin so I spent the last couple of days enjoying it from cover to cover.

First of all, I took a peek under the already-lovely dust jacket and found this SPLENDID cover. Even the headband is a sparkly gold that is awesome.

Then I opened the front cover and found these lovely monochromatic endpapers, full of all of the highlights of the story.

Finally, I enjoyed the lovely insides of the book, with lots of bright and beautiful illustrations. They definitely were inspired by the Disney film but, as it is one of my favorite things in the world, I loved it.

All of these images and more are at the Rifle Paper Co. website where Anna Bond is creative director. If you scroll to the bottom, you'll also see her Puffin in Bloom series, including such titles as Little Women and Anne of Green Gables. But I don't need more editions of these books, right? I don't need more ...

With failing resolve,

K

A Stack of Eight

As the holidays approach and I get closer to having houseguests, I keep looking at all of the things that need to be tidied up and my stack of unreviewed books taunts me from the coffee table. Five of these are review copies too (as I've been trying to pare down yet another stack in another room) so I NEED to tell you about them. I don't know if I'll get to full reviews but I want to at least give these all a mention so here goes --

Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore
I actually finished this story (of a man nearing the end of his reincarnation limit) at the beginning of November but could never figure out just what to say about it. There were things I liked about it and a couple of things that I didn't but it had me thinking for weeks about reincarnation and death and many other things. My spreadsheet note says "all over the place but mostly in a good way".

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
This was more of a character development book than a plot book and I enjoyed meandering through it. There was also a feeling of sadness about the whole story. The main character was incredibly damaged and that followed her everywhere.

Supernova by C.A. Higgins
This is the second in a trilogy and it was ridiculously dark and, quite honestly, painful to read but it inspired a lot of thought about rebels and revolutions and the cost of bringing down an empire. I definitely want to finish the trilogy but I'll need a bit of a break before I dive back into the darkness.

Whistling in the Dark by Shirley Hughes
I adored this story of children in Liverpool during the Blitz. Hughes was a young woman during WWII and her experiences definitely come through and give this story depth and authenticity.

Yesternight by Cat Winters
This one was weird. It was atmospheric and bizarre and I'm not sure I liked the ending.

Good Evening, Mrs. Craven by Mollie Panter-Downes
These WWII homefront pieces that were originally published in The New Yorker were almost all from points of view that I had never read/heard before. Some of them were rather depressing, others inspiring. Again, it was educational and entertaining to read a different point of view that usual.

Ocean of Secrets, Vol. 1 by Sophie-chan
This is Sophie-chan's first manga and she says she has been working on the story for years. It is a good twist on the secret-princess story. The second volume comes out in a couple of months and I think this will be a fun one to follow.

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
And this one was a bit hard to get into for some reason. By the end I enjoyed it but I think that there are other better books in the Death series. However, there were also a few things in it that I loved -- like the scenes with the wizards. They were especially funny this time.

Well, now I get to put all of these books away and make room for presents. Yay! If there's one you want to know more about, let me know in the comments and I'll write a real post in the new year.

Tidying up,
K

New Release: Ghosts of Greenglass House

Lately, my new release posts tend to be for review copies because obligation is the only way that I actually get around to reading a book somewhat close to the release date. BUT ... Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford was one that I *had* to buy in hardcover and I could only keep it on my shelf unread for about three weeks -- and, of course, I also had to reread Greenglass House first. It made for the best Thanksgiving break ever!

This story starts exactly a year after the first one ends, on the first day of winter vacation at the inn. Only, this year, there's no snow--only disappointing frost--and also a guest who keeps extending his stay. So, once again, Milo has to cope with a non-standard break that only gets crazier as the days pass. Filled with Nagspeakian history and lore, indoor adventures, and, yes, ghosts, this was another amazing read.

I love Kate Milford's books for so many reasons but I realized a new one this time. She normalizes late risers! Milo and his parents keep late hours because they need to take care of inn guests so they stay up past midnight and then get up at 9 or 10 in the morning and IT'S OKAY. These are people who keep different hours and they aren't lazy or missing out or anything else. They have activities, conversations, and adventures late into the night instead. Thank you, Kate! There were also great discussions about respecting boundaries, more about adoption, and even some lessons on lock-picking. I loved it all.

Finding family in random places,
K

#RIPXII 18: New Release: Race to the Bottom of the Sea

Even though Z is starting to transition out of middle grade books, I still love reading them -- especially when I come across a new gem like Race to the Bottom of the Sea by Lindsay Eagar (released earlier this month by Candlewick Press). The story starts peacefully with eleven-year-old Fidelia Quail out on a boat on the last day of the season, looking to tag sharks, while her parents are down below in a submersible that she designed and built herself. However, it quickly turns dark when a big storm blows in and her parents don't make it back to shore. Fidelia barely has time to grieve before she is kidnapped by pirates because of her ocean expertise and inventing skills and is forced to help them in their search for lost treasure.

So ... wow. I was honestly shocked by how dark and bleak this book got. One specific story line had an inevitable tragic ending with no hope of change offered at all. There was another whose best possible outcome was still incredibly heartbreaking. And this story did not have jovial, cartoony pirates. They were weather-beaten and disciplined and, quite frankly, usually heartless and self-serving. I was surprised by all of this but also impressed that Eagar didn't water the tale down (bad ocean pun). But all of the dark stuff also helped Fidelia's bravery and intelligence shine brighter. She also made me regret not being an active marine scientist. Damn that mal de mer.

Sticking to the shore,
K

New Release: The Wonderling (and RIPXII 3)

Today is the release date of a very unique, heartstring-tugging middle-grade fantasy tale, The Wonderling by Mira Bartók. I usually write my own summary but this one from Candlewick is just perfect --

Welcome to the Home for Wayward and Misbegotten Creatures, an institution run by evil Miss Carbunkle, a cunning villainess who believes her terrified young charges exist only to serve and suffer. Part animal and part human, the groundlings toil in classroom and factory, forbidden to enjoy anything regular children have, most particularly singing and music. For the Wonderling, an innocent-hearted, one-eared, fox-like eleven-year-old with only a number rather than a proper name — a 13 etched on a medallion around his neck — it is the only home he has ever known. But unexpected courage leads him to acquire the loyalty of a young bird groundling named Trinket, who gives the Home’s loneliest inhabitant two incredible gifts: a real name — Arthur, like the good king in the old stories — and a best friend. Using Trinket’s ingenious invention, the pair escape over the wall and embark on an adventure that will take them out into the wider world and ultimately down the path of sweet Arthur’s true destiny.

I got entirely lost in the richness of this story. It was perilous and sweet at the same time and I was never quite sure if things would come right in the end. Arthur was so pure and innocent, Trinket so brave and bold -- each time they were in danger, my heart sat in my throat until they got through. My absolute favorite thing about this story though was that there were characters who were not what you expected them to be. More than one creature that seemed scary or dishonest turned out to be helpful or friendly, a perfect modern lesson to reinforce the old adage "don't judge a book by its cover". (Although, take a look at this cover! Anyone could tell that this book would be wonderful, right?)

Yearning for family and music,
K

New-ish Release: The Winged Girl of Knossos

The Winged Girl of Knossos isn't actually a new book. It was written in 1933 by Erick Berry, pen name for Evangel Allena Champlin Best. It was a Newbery Honor Book but was sadly out of print for many years. Thankfully, Paul Dry Books has reprinted it because I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I finished reading it a couple of weeks ago.

The "winged girl" is Inas, daughter of Daidalos. He is an inventor who longs to soar like the birds and she is an adventurer who does everything from sponge diving to bull jumping. Their home is ancient Crete, under the reign of King Minos. This story brings to life an era that time has turned into myth. Ariadne, the labyrinth and the minotaur, and Theseus are all real and they all have their places in Inas' tale.

Not only did Berry use an impressive vocabulary but she knew the right amount of tension to keep readers of all ages engaged and the historical setting is incredibly accessible. Best of all, the strong, active female character of Inas was truly ahead of her time. I suppose this is why the book received Honors. I keep thinking about the various adventures, the setting, the idea that myths come out of facts. I'm really looking forward to getting this book into our local elementary school so that more kids can enjoy it and be exposed to its ideas.

Digging in the past,
K

A Big Stack of Books - Junior Edition

I have a big stack of books here to review and they're stressing me out so you're going to get quick reviews over the next few days so that I can sit and peacefully enjoy an episode or two of Supernatural (I'm only in the middle of season two!) without staring at the pile.

The Unbreakable Code by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman is the sequel to Book Scavenger and I have to admit that I enjoyed the first book better. This one was a lot darker and rather creepy at times, and not in a good way. It dealt with some of the issues of the first book in a pretty adult way and it overshadowed the fun puzzles and mysteries. I did like the San Francisco info and learned a lot about the islands off the coast. I also loved the references to It's-It Ice Cream Sandwiches because they are the best! I ended up buying myself a box shortly after finishing this.

I can't get enough Kate Milford (there's a sequel to Greenglass House coming out in October, kids!!!) and so, when I needed an escape from political madness, I turned to this book. Kate herself noticed my tweet about excitedly starting this one and apologized like this: "I want to say I love this, but you know you picked the one that involves a gullible populace falling prey to a huckster, right?" At least I was forewarned but Kate overstated the peril because this book is all about smart kids and their willingness to put their lives on the line to save their town. It was inspirational and I ended it with a renewed sense of power and hope.

Finally, I recently read the novelization of My Neighbor Totoro. I was in the mood because Z and I have been going to Studio Ghibli Fest movies each month, My Neighbor Totoro in June and Kiki's Delivery Service this month. Well, this book was cute and just slightly different from the movie so fun to read even if you've watched it a billion times already. Z's been eyeing it too but right now he's in the middle of the big Hitchhiker's Guide omnibus.

Believing and hoping (and eating It's-Its),

K

The Hotel Under the Sand

I am in the middle of Kage Baker's fantastic Company series but was also curious about what else she had written. I found this one that sounded interesting and then stuck it on the old TBR shelf to get dusty. Well, at the end of the latest Readathon, I started getting burned out at the end of the night and the books on my stack didn't seem like the right reads for the moment so I browsed my TBR and the 180 small pages of this one seemed perfect. Then I opened it and the first thing I saw was this --

Wow! I read The Hotel Under the Sand with delight and joy. It's wonderful, wacky and spooky and serious and FUN. It also strikes me as utterly original (which is quite rare). In fact -- although this is something one should always say with some caution -- it wouldn't surprise me if it turned out to be a classic and went on down the ages along with Alice and Oz and the very few others that have become immortal.
-- Diana Wynne Jones, author of Howl's Moving Castle

What could possibly make me more excited about this book? NOTHING.

So, did it live up to DWJ's excessive praise? Short answer, yes. It was possibly one of the sweetest, funnest, most original chapter books I've ever read. There's one of the best ghosts I've ever read about, the coolest magical setting, and a super awesome treasure hunt. I mean, it starts with a girl washing up on an island and she immediately finds herself water and food and makes her own shelter! She's not helpless! It also made my heart so happy with its friendships and found family. I have no idea why this book hasn't found its audience yet but I'm going to work on changing that.

Sharing the secret of this island gem,

K

New-ish Releases: Kid Power Galore

Because I focused so much on my TBR last year, I ended up with a teetering stack of review copies. My goal now is to clear most of them out by the summer. These are three middle grade books that have come out recently.

First up is the delightful The Adventurer's Guide to Successful Escapes by Wade Albert White. It's the story of Anne, an orphan who sets out on an unexpected but apparently fated quest to find out what exactly she is the rightful heir to/of. With a girl of color as the main protagonist (woot!), this story also has a surprising mix of fantasy and science fiction elements that all come together to create a dangerous but exciting world. Two of the three main kiddos are girls and most of the adults (and the dragon) are female as well, which was refreshing. This is the first in a new series but it wraps up nicely enough to be a standalone.

Next is Shadowsmith by Ross MacKenzie, the story of Kirby, a Scottish boy whose mom is in a coma after a freak accident. He soon starts to have a sneaking suspicion that the spiders he keeps seeing are actually watching him and then a girl named Amelia shows up and says that this is exactly what is happening. That's the least of Kirby's problems though because things quickly escalate and he must fight a host of creatures to save his world and his mom. This story was dark and frightening, even for me. It's definitely for older middle school kids who love to be scared. The peril was realistic but so were the relationships between Kirby and his dad and Kirby and Amelia which made it well-worth reading, even if I had to stick to reading it during daylight hours!

Finally, I read Sea Change by Frank Viva. This one is an illustrated short novel about Eliot, a boy who gets sent from his Canadian home out to a fishing village in Nova Scotia to spend the summer with his great uncle. He thinks he is being sent to the worst place imaginable but instead finds that there are many things that make Point Aconi special. Life isn't perfect there but it becomes the place where Eliot grows up and learns about life. Viva himself spent summers in Point Aconi as a boy and his love for the place and its quirky people really comes through. One warning though, there is an abusive father in the story, which could be a hard topic for some young readers.

Adventuring near and far,

K

#RIPXI : 11, Murder is Bad Manners

Published as Murder Most Unladylike in the UK, Murder is Bad Manners is the first in the Wells & Wong Mystery series by Robin Stevens. Stevens has one of those author bios that makes you green with envy as you read it --

Robin Stevens was born in California and grew up in Oxford, England, across the road from the house where Alice of Alice in Wonderland lived. Robin has been making up stories all her life. She spent her teenage years at boarding school, reading a lot of murder mysteries and hoping that she'd get the chance to do some detecting herself. (She didn't.) She studied crime fiction in college and then worked in children's publishing. Robin now lives in London with her pet bearded dragon, Watson.

I'm pretty sure that Stevens stole the life that I was meant to have right after that born in California part. But, the great thing is that this life has made her the perfect author to write a middle grade boarding school mystery series! She goes one step further too and sets in the interwar period where she can explore the complexities of life as a girl/woman in the 1930s. And, as if that isn't enough, she also makes one of the main characters (and the voice of the story) a girl from Hong Kong so that she can explore race and outsiderness. The icing on the cake, so to speak, is definitely her inclusion of classic mystery titles throughout the story. If a kid loves this book and ends up picking up Peril at End House or The Man in the Queue, a new little mystery fan-for-life will be made. I adored all of these various aspects of this story and I look forward to continuing in the series.

The only change I might make is from reading the US to the UK versions. The US version of this first book has a couple of Americanizations (cookies and grades instead of biscuits and forms) that actually pulled me out of the story because they seemed so out of place. It was especially strange because there was a glossary at the back of boarding school and period terms. I don't know why these words couldn't have just been added there to keep the authenticity. Many of the titles are also changed for the US versions and they just aren't as fun. I don't even want to know what they're going to do with Jolly Foul Play. Still, these are very small complaints about a great little story!

Dreaming of my imaginary home in Oxford,
K

#RIPXI: 5, The Left-Handed Fate

About a year and a half ago, I gushed over what an amazing story Greenglass House was (as did Lory, Ana, and Kim in the comments section). Now that I've read my second Kate Milford book, the newly-released The Left-Handed Fate, I have to do it all over again.

Set in the same slightly-askew Nagspeake-ian universe, this is a nautical adventure full of peril, mystery, magic, and more. The story takes place right at the start of the War of 1812, off the east coast of the United States. The Left-Handed Fate is a British privateering ship, currently assisting young natural philosopher Max Ault to continue the work his father began -- namely, to find the pieces of what might be a weapon to end all wars. With the help of the captain's children, Lucy and Liao, and the rest of the Fates, there is a race over sea and land to solve this mystery and escape the mysterious men in black and the dastardly French.

Now, I keep writing sentences here and then erasing them because they are too bland and formulaic and this book is the exact opposite. It's chock-full of battles and races and puzzles and magic. There are tiny romances and slightly larger betrayals and kids who are learning and growing and figuring out their value systems. There's also enough history to get the reader interested in finding out more. I adored it all. I read so fast that my eyes hurt but I also kept slamming the book shut when the intensity rose to an almost unbearable level. I wished it would never end but also couldn't get to the resolution fast enough to calm my pounding pulse. It was definitely all I look for in an RIP read!

As I near the end of my Top 100 Chapter Books project over at The Estella Society (I'm on book #88/100 right now), I've determined that one of the main qualities of a truly great middle-grade story is that it should be a satisfying read for a wide range of ages, including adults. This book, with its light dusting of mild swears and truly adult dilemmas, was entirely satisfying to me while also being a book that I plan to hand right over to the twelve-year-old boy sitting next to me.

Setting sail for adventure,

K

#RIPXI: 2, The Evil Wizard Smallbone

My second read for the RIP XI Challenge was The Evil Wizard Smallbone, a new middle grade fantasy tale from Delia Sherman (out on September 13). It's the story of twelve-year-old Nick, an orphan who lives in an abusive home with his uncle and cousin. He finally runs away in the middle of winter only to collapse on the doorstep of Evil Wizard Books, domain of the Evil Wizard Smallbone. Once Nick is there, he's trapped by the wizard and the wards around the shop and town of Smallbone Cove that keep away the evil French loup-garou, Fidelou -- a wizard-werewolf hybrid. If Nick could only find a way to learn a little magic of his own, he might finally get the safe life he dreams about.

With a setting in rugged, coastal Maine and many unexpected twists and turns and changes of character, this story is quite the adventure. Nick is surly and reckless but also earnest and determined and I very quickly found myself rooting for him. His relatives are truly horrid, almost as bad as either of the wizards, which was reminiscent of Diana Wynne Jones. I greatly enjoyed the magic system in the story, especially the way Sherman dealt with transfiguration. And I'll let you in on a little secret -- the bookshop is magical! By the end, I was reading as quickly as possible, hoping for the best but never quite sure where the tale would go. This tale has as much adventure in it as it does heart.

Searching for the books with magic,
K

My Chapter Book Summer

In an effort to clear my TBR bookcase more quickly, I, of course, picked up a few of the chapter books that I had sitting around.

I mentioned Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer in my RMODB post last month but I wanted to sing its praises one more time.

Charlotte heads off to boarding school and, as she is first in the dormitory, she gets her pick of beds. She decides on the one with the fancy wheels by the window and thus begins an unbelievable adventure. Every other morning, she wakes up forty years in the past, during the First World War, in the body of a girl named Clare.

Once again I am going to lament that my suburban Southern California library didn't have a selection of British children's fiction for me to fall in love with when I was a kid. I don't know what last prompted this complaint but it might have been Tom's Midnight Garden or The Children of Green Knowe. These are all books that would have stretched my imagination and started my Anglophilia early.

There are a lot of similarities between Eva Ibbotson's children's fantasies and they are, coincidentally, the things that make me love them the most -- a strong respect for nature, a distaste for spoiled, thoughtless people, and a belief in secret creatures. The Secret of Platform 13 is a simple story about an abducted fantasy-land prince and the attempt by a motley crew to rescue him from the horrid London home of an early version of the Dursleys.

Ibbotson's books aren't the most complex but they are possibly the most thoughtful. I fall in love with her a little bit more with each sweet tale.

This one wasn't technically on my TBR because it was an ARE but it was sitting unread in my house and so it eventually had to be read, right? The Extincts by Veronica Cossanteli delivers just what it says in the title, a whole bunch of amazing, supposedly extinct or very mythological creatures on a secret farm. George gets a job at Wormestall Farm and also makes a new friend -- Prudence, whose evil stepmother is an evil taxidermist who would love to get her horrid, evil hands onto the special creatures (to murder them and stuff them).

This was a crazy, fun story! The creatures were AMAZING and Prudence's mother was a terrifying villain. And did I mention the creatures? Because now I really want a farm with some lovely aurochs, a unicorn, a couple of dodos, and maybe even an ichthyosaur in the pond. I'll skip the toilet kraken though! (See, now you have to read it to find out about that ...)

Did you read any fun chapter books this summer?

Craving time travel and dodos,

K

#MarchMagics - Recent Reads

I grabbed a few books from the library for March Magics (as you may have seen) and these are the first three that I've finished --

First was Yes, Dear, Diana Wynne Jones' only picture book. It was released in 1992 and the illustrations by Graham Philpot are SOOOO early 1990s. The clothes and hair are laughable and really could have been done better to make this a more timeless book. Also, the grandma absolutely should have looked like Diana, right? I liked the message of this story (that there will always be someone who will believe in the magic with you) but it needs some updating or it's going to be weeded from every library.

Next was a reread of Witch's Business. (a.k.a. Wilkins' Tooth). I first read this in 2010 for Jenny's DWJ Week. This is a fun story and one for a younger audience. It has funny swears ("eyeballs-in-salsa", "slimeballing", "degutted") and a really frightening witch. But it also has kids who are realistic as their alliances change and in how they band together. This is definitely one that holds to Jenny's Law (better on reread).

Guards! Guards! was the next Discworld book I chose to read (my 14th!), moving over to the Guards storyline after already reading partway through the Rincewind, Witches, and Death series. I liked this book more and more as it went on. Captain Vimes definitely grew on me as did Carrot. I liked the different kinds of dragons and, yes, I even liked Lord Vetinari. Ankh-Morpork isn't my favorite setting but I don't think it's anyone's favorite place to live either so it's actually just fine!

What have you been reading? Are you in the middle of any DWJ or Pratchett books right now?

Happily filling my head with magic,
K

#MarchMagics - Favorite Series

Favorite Series was a bit of an easier prompt for me than the last one because there is one series that I've already read many times and plan to read many, many more -- Diana Wynne Jones' Chrestomanci books.

Charmed Life

The Lives of Christopher Chant

Witch Week

The Magicians of Caprona

Conrad's Fate

The Pinhoe Egg

Mixed Magics (short stories)

I've actually written two different posts on this series -- one in 2008 in the first month of my blog and the other in 2014 as part of that year's DWJ March. Charmed Life is a dark story and a tough one to start the series with for some readers but it hooked me on the entire idea of a set of parallel words, some with magic in them, that are all monitored by one man -- the Chrestomanci. He only features briefly in Witch Week and The Magicians of Caprona and so I didn't like them as much at first but after a couple of rereads and a radio play, they really grew on me too. I love Christopher Chant and Millie, Tonino, Conrad, Cat Chant, and even Nan Pilgrim! Right now I'm listening to an audiobook of The Lives of Christopher Chant and I even got Z listening for a while too (and he declared it a rip-off of Harry Potter until I told him that this was written first and then he got on the right side of the issue!). These books offer something new on every reread but I still envy those of you that have them all ahead of you.

Also, as a special treat this year, Goldeen Ogawa has recorded herself reading a scene from The Magicians of Caprona for your listening pleasure. It is super fantastic so go and have a listen. She has a lovely speaking voice!

What is your favorite DWJ or Pratchett series or which series do you want to try?

(If you have a link, leave it in a comment or in the main Linky post)

Heading back for another set of rereads,

K