Title: Tales of a Fifth Grade Knight
Author: Douglas Gibson
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Anticipated publication date:  August 1, 2015
ISBN:  978-1623702557
Genre: Fantasy
Age: 8 up

A weird and wacky, Underground Town of elves and talking animals exists in Douglas Gibson’s   Tales of a Fifth Grade Knight.   Isaac’s school is anything but ordinary.   It used to be a castle but “…the townspeople took one look at this creepy, drafty, damp, heap of rocks with a dungeon and said. “Hey! Let’s turn it into a school.””  When Isaac’s sister Lily disappears from the school’s furnace room, he and his two friends follow her down a tunnel “just big enough for a fifth grader to crawl though.”   They emerge in a magical land where animals grow larger and can talk - a world where humans turn into elves, after they finish weirding.  Weirding is a time when someone might turn into a giant ear, or have a firefly backside.  There is no cure for weirding.  Isaac and his friends must find and leave with Lilly before she begins to change, even though most of the creatures are trying to keep them underground!

This book will be a fun read for elementary children who enjoy a dash of wacky with their fantasy.  While Isaac and his sister have a typical sibling relationship, Gibson’s wild imagination creates uncommon characters in Underground Town that will speak directly to the combination of imagination, humor and wackiness in older elementary readers.  Great for children who have enjoyed Dan Gutman's My Weird School series. 

The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride

Publisher:  Metro Goldwyn Mayer     

Year: 1987

Media: Motion Picture

Rating: PG

Genre:  Adventure

Subjects/Themes:  Pirates, Courage, True Love,

Wesley the farm boy is in love with the beautiful Buttercup.  When he realizes she loves him too, he leaves the farm to make his fortune.  When he returns they will marry.   Unfortunately Buttercup hears that Wesley’s ship has been attacked by the Dread Pirate Roberts, who never takes prisoners.  Believing Wesley dead, a heart-broken Buttercup is engaged to marry Prince Humperdinck.  Just after the engagement Buttercup is kidnapped by Inigo, Vizzini and Fezzik.  A mysterious man in black chases Buttercup and her captors but it is not Prince Humperdink.  It is the Dread Pirate Roberts. 

Review: Remarkably well-written, this film is a classic.    It is “inconceivable” to imagine this film being any better.  The actors are well cast and truly shine under Rob Reiner’s direction.  The film is a hilarious action adventure epic romance.   Where true love really does conquer all.

If you like this Film you may also like: The Princess Bride by William Goldman or the film Ever After (1998).

Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carman

Dark Hills Divide

Author:  Patrick Carman

Narrator: Aasne Vigesaa

Publisher: Brilliance Audio              

Year:  2005

ASIN: B001IV0FBE

Genre: Fiction/Adventure

This book is for Ages:  8-12

AR Points:      10.0

Subjects/Themes:  Magic, Safety

Plot Summary:  12-year-old Alexa is spending the summer with her father in the walled city of Bridewell.  For years she has longed to know what lies outside its walls.   Alexa discovers a secret door that takes her to the forest where she learns of the suffering of the animals since the walls went up and of a dark plot to invade Bridewell.    Can Alexa and her new friends save the city?

Review:   Patrick Carman writes a magical story that starts out a little slowly.  Alexa is smart but she follows directions far too easily while in the forest.  Much of the story is told as a narrative by other characters.  This book could have been more interesting but it is still worth reading.  The woodland creatures that help her are intriguing and funny.   The pool in the novel is well-crafted.   I would read the next book in the series because Dark Hills Divide is an intriguing story and I want to know what happens next.

If you like this book you may also like:  The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis and the other Land of Elyon books.

The Field Guide Book 1 of the Spiderwick Chronicles

The Field Guide Book 1 of the Spiderwick Chronicles

Author:  Tony  Di Terlizzi and Holly Black

Publisher:  Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers  Year:  2003

ISBN:  978-0-689-85936-8

Genre: Fiction/Fantasy

This book is for Ages: 8 up

AR Points:      1.0

Subjects/Themes: Family Life, Fairies

Plot Summary:  After their father leaves the family, the Grace Children Jared, Simon and Mallory and their mother move from New York City to the old Aunt Lucinda’s house.  The old Victorian house is falling apart and there are creatures living in the walls.  Soon the children discover a dumb waiter, a secret room and a curious field guide written by Lucinda’s father. The field guide is all about fairies, brownies boggarts and other magical creatures.  The field guide says they are all real.

Review: Filled with color and black and white illustrations that bring the story to life The Field Guide is a great book.  The characters are intriguing, the family dynamics are believable.  The idea of interacting with fairies is engaging as these creatures are quite mischievous.This is a series that could get you hooked.

If you like this book you may also like:  More books in The Spiderwick Chronicles or the movie Fairy Tale: A True Story, Rated PG (1997). 

Ultra Maniac

Title:   Ultra Maniac Volume 1

Genre: Fiction/Manga

This DVD is for Ages: 8 up

Subjects/Themes: Fantasy Magic

Plot Summary: Nina is a witch in training. She comes to school in our realm because she was having trouble in hers.  She meets Ayu and the two become good friends.  Nina uses her magic to help Ayu whenever she can but since Nina is not a very good witch the outcome is usually not quite what she intends.  This set is funny, adorable, cute and full of laughs.  A great manga set for younger fans who like magic, and manga.  

Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo

Midnight for Charlie Bone

Author:  Jenny Nimmo

Publisher:  Listening Library  Date: March 2004

ISBN:  978-1400086146

Audio Book Narrator: Simon Russell Beale

Genre: Fiction

This book is for Ages: 8 up

AR Points:      10.0

Subjects/Themes: Fantasy Magic

Plot Summary:  11-year-old Charlie Bone lives with his Mom, 2 Grandmothers and Uncle.  One day Charlie realizes that he is endowed.  He can hear the thoughts and conversations of people in photographs.  When Charlie’s photograph of his best friend’s dog gets mixed up with the 11-year-old photo of a man and his baby girl, Charlie begins to investigate what happened to the baby and wonders if the girl may be a student with him at Bloor’s academy.  Charlie soon becomes entangled in a larger plot where endowed children good and evil, struggle for control.
 

Review: Jenny Nimmo’s Charlie Bone is a good story that suffers from comparison to the Harry Potter books.  Bloor’s Academy is like Hogwarts and Charlie’s family is both supportive and sinister.  The nice thing about this book is that Charlie is not an orphan.  He has a mother, grandmother and uncle who support him.  Charlie meets other adults he can rely on in this tale and the unusual powers of the endowed children makes for a good read.

If you like this book you may also like:  Any of the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling. 

The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch 

Author:  Joseph Delaney

Publisher:  Greenwillow Books          

Year:  2006

ISBN:  978-0-06-076620-4

Genre: Fiction/Fantasy

Awards: ALA Best Book for Young Adults; Horn Book Fanfare; Booklist Editors' Choice;

AR Points: 9.0

This book is for Ages: 8 and up

Subjects/Themes: Witches, Ghosts, Supernatural

The Last Apprentice Revenge of the Witch tells the story of 13-year-old Tom the seventh son of a seventh son who is apprenticed to Old Gregory a Spook who has been protecting farms for 60 years.  His new job will be to deal with “ghouls, boggarts and all manner of wicked beasties.”   All of Old Gregory’s other apprentices have failed or worse, died.  Can Tom do what needs to be done?  Is he strong enough to fight even the darkest evil?

Joseph Delany provides a spine tingling and chilling read -- a great book to read around Halloween when you are looking for a reason to keep the lights on.  Patrick Arrasmith’s illustrations are a true enhancement to the book dark and scary with strong lines and dripping blood.  The witches are particularly horrible, the kind that like to eat little children and harvest bones for magic.  I am not a fan of spooky or scary stories.  This one tops the list of books for the very brave.  

If you like this book you may also like more books in The Last Apprentice series also by Joseph Delany.

The Secret World of Arrietty

Image courtesy of Secret World of Arrietty can be found here

Title:   The Secret World of Arrietty

Publisher:  Studio Ghibli (Disney U.S. Release)       Year: 2012

Media: Film    Rating: G

Ages: 6-12

Genre:  Fantasy

Subjects/Themes:  Self Reliance, Growing Up, Hope

Plot Summary:  Arrietty is a 14-year-old miniature girl whose family lives under the floorboards.  Secretly they borrow things small things that won’t be missed from the homeowner and her maid.    If a borrower is ever seen by a human, they have to move away.  Arrietty’s family hasn’t seen any other borrowers in a long time.  She wonders if maybe her family is the last of her kind.   One day when out in the garden, Arrietty is spotted by a young boy named Shawn.  Arrietty knows humans are dangerous, but she is intrigued by this new boy.  Shawn understands what it is like to be scared and alone.  Will getting to know Shawn be dangerous for Arrietty’s family?  

Review: Japanese Studio Ghibli presents a beautiful oasis in children’s animation a respite from the over hyped, over done films that Hollywood has churned out over the past few years.  Like the other films of Studio co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, The Secret World of Arrietty has thoughtful messages about loneliness, trust, perseverance and hope and for our young people.  All this is wrapped in a Japanese garden, where a strong and capable young miniature girl escapes with her life from predators like cats and birds.  Despite her diminutive size Arrietty has the courage to look fearlessly at her future and inspires Shawn to do the same.  This film has beautiful animation.   It is based on the Borrowers a series of novels by Mary Norton.

If you like this book you may also like:  Kiki’s Delivery Service and Spirited Away, also by Studio Ghibli.  The Borrowers by Mary Norton.

A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine

Title:   A Tale of Two Castles

Author:  Gail Carson Levine

Publisher: Harper       Year:  2011

ISBN:  978-0-06-122965-7  

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

This book is for Ages: 10-14

AR Points:     9.0

Subjects/Themes: Dragons/Royalty/Identity

Plot Summary:  12-year-old Elodie is leaving her family to seek a weaving apprenticeship in the Town of Two Castles.  Her parents warn her about dragons, ogres, and white sepulchers.  Elodie arrives in town to find there are no weaving apprenticeships available, unless she can pay for one.  She is not too disappointed because she really wants to be a mansioner- an actress.  But when the head of the acting troupe rejects her because she cannot pay, and her only copper is stolen, Elodie has no place to go.  When the beautiful dragon Menoree offers Elodie food and a warm, safe place to sleep, Elodie accepts.  Even if it means she must act like a servant in the ogre’s castle to help Menoree solve a mystery.

Review:  Gail Carson Levine stays true to her style with this sweet new tale that reminds us not to judge a dragon, ogre, princess or apprentice by how they look.  

If you like this book you may also like:  Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.

Egypt Game, By Zilpha Keatly Snyder

Title:   Egypt Game

Author:  Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Publisher: Antheneum Books for Young Readers    Year: 2009, c 1967, 1995

ISBN:  978-1-4169-9051-2

Genre: Fiction/Realistic

This book is for Ages: 8-12

Awards:  Newbery Honor, ALA Notable Book

AR Points: 7.0          

Subjects/Themes: Egypt/Mystery/Make Believe

Plot Summary:  11-year-old April Hall has just moved from Hollywood to Northern California to live with her grandmother while her mother and singer Dorthea Dawn is on tour.  She meets Melanie and her younger brother, Marshall who live downstairs.  Together they start the Egypt Game, an intricate game with rituals to honor ancient Egyptian gods, in the back lot of the Professor’s A-Z Antique Shop.   Soon they are joined in the game by Elizabeth, Toby and Ken.  When a young girl is murderer from their neighborhood, April and the other children must be on guard.  Lots of people are wondering who the murderer is.  Could it be the Professor?  Soon strange things are happening in the game.  Will the police capture the murderer before another child is killed?

Review:  This book is especially good for sixth graders in California studying ancient Egypt.   April has a hard time trusting the new people in her life.  She desperately wants to believe that her mother is going to bring her back to Hollywood. But she is able to escape those concerns in the Egypt game.  The Egypt game reminds me that imagination, books, movies, television and games are all quick escapes for our daily worries.

If you like this book you may also like: Beyond the Grave by Jude Watson

Goose Chase By Patrice Kindl

Title:   Goose Chase

Author:  Patrice Kindl

Publisher: Scholastic Press    Year: 2002 c2001

ISBN:  0-439-52039-8

Genre: Fiction/Fantasy/Adventure

This book is for Ages: 9-12

AR Points: 8.0          

Subjects/Themes: Orphans, Princesses, Geese,

Plot Summary:  14-year-old Alexandria Aurora Fortunata is an orphaned Goose Girl.  Happily having a tea party with her 12 geese when a hungry old hag comes along, Alexandria gives the old woman all her food, just a bit of bread and a little water.  The hag is a witch who casts a spell on Alexandria.  Alexandria is now more beautiful than the dawn.  She has enchanted golden hair complete with gold dust dandruff and her tears are diamonds.  Soon the townspeople find out.  The Prince and neighboring King both want to marry her they lock her in a tower until she decides who she will wed, but Alexandria just wants to be a goose girl.  Can her geese help her escape so she can go back home?  Alexandria embarks on a magical journey with a spectacular ending.

Review:  I enjoyed this book.  Kindl’s small and delicate stitches create a magical story with elements from Rapunzel and the Six Swans.  Alexandria is clever.   Her geese are quick and try to keep her out of trouble.  Kindl’s imaginative use of ordinary objects reminds me of the magical berries that grew in my own backyard when I was a child.  It was always amazing to see what they could do.  Kindl’s story is full of  originality and style.

If you like this book you may also like:  The Fairy’s Mistake, Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep or Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.  You may also like Dealing with Dragons, by Patricia C. Wrede.

 Text of video:  Welcome everyone.  Today’s video is about Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl  Where “living in a fairy tale isn’t all it’s cracked up to be”.   14-year-old Alexandria Aurora Fortunata is an orphaned Goose Girl.  She is happily having a tea party with her 12 geese.  A hungry old hag comes along so Alexandria gives the old woman all her food, which is just a bit of bread, and a little water.  The hag is really a fairy in disguise who casts an enchantment on Alexandria.  Suddenly Alexandria is more beautiful than the dawn.  She has enchanted golden hair complete with gold dust dandruff,  Alexandria’s tears turn into diamonds.  Soon everyone knows of Alexandria’s enchantment.  The wicked king from the next kingdom, who has a heart like a lump of coal wants to marry her and so does the young, handsome and but boring Prince of her kingdom.  Together they lock her in a tower until she decides which one of them she will marry, but Alexandria just wants to be a goose girl.  With the help of her geese, she manages a high flying escape right into the clutches of an Ogress.  Alexandria embarks on a magical journey full of imagination with a spectacular ending. To find out what happens read goose chase by Patrice Kindl

Dealing With Dragons, by Patricia C. Wrede

Title:    Dealing with Dragons

Author:  Patricia C. Wrede

Publisher: Magic Carpet Books         Year:  2002

ISBN:  0-15-204566-X (pbk.)

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy,

This book is for Ages: 8-14

AR Points: 8.0

Series: Enchanted Forest Chronicles

Subjects/Themes: Fantasy, Stereotypes, Being true to yourself. Parental expectations.

Plot Summary:  Cimorene is a princess.  The problem is she doesn’t want to be a proper princess.  She is interested in more than embroidery and dancing.  She tries to learn, fencing magic, cooking and Latin, but her parents tell her those things are not for a proper princess.  After her parents decide that she must marry Prince Therandil, Cimorene runs away to become a dragon’s princess. She gets the powerful Dragon Kazul to agree to let her stay and do some cooking, cleaning and organizing.  Cimorene’s life with Kazul is full of adventure.  First she must find a way to keep Prince Therandil and the other knights from trying to rescue her.  Then she needs to find and make a potion that will make her fireproof to dragon’s breath so she doesn’t accidentally get burned.  Finally when the wizards start sneaking around the dragon territory, Cimorene must figure out why and how to stop them.

Review:  Dealing with Dragons offers a twist on the traditional fairy tales where the princess is rescued by the handsome prince.  Cimorene is looking for adventure, not marriage.  She is witty and intelligent.  The dragons are not simply fire breathing monsters. It is fun to recognize the references to popular fairy tales that Wrede incorporates into the story.  An interesting and exciting plot and the variety of magical characters will make you want to read all the books in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles.  I wonder if Cimorene will ever decide to get married.

If you like this book you may also like:  Searching for Dragons, Calling on Dragons, Talking to Dragons all by Patricia C. Wrede; The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch and Michael Martchenko.

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Title:  Paranormalcy

Author:  Kiersten White

Publisher: Harper Teen Year: 2010

ISBN:  978-0-06-198584-3

Genre: Fiction/ Fantasy

This book is for grades: 6 and up    

Awards:  YALSA Teen Top Ten

Subjects/Themes: Fantasy, Fairies, Mysteries

AR Points: 10

Plot Summary:  16-year-old Evie can see through the glamour that fairies, vampires and other creatures use to fool humans.  She has been able to for as long as she can remember and has been working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA) since she was eight.  Evie’s best friend is a mermaid and she sort of dated a fairy name Reth.  Now she wants him to leave her alone.  More than anything in the world Evie wants to live a normal life and go to high school.  One day, Evie helps catch an intruder at IPCA who turns out to be a cute 17-year-old boy named Lend.  Lend is trying to solve the mystery about the strange creature that has been killing vampires and other magical creatures.  Solving the problem of the creature becomes a big worry for Evie, especially when she discovers she and the creature are linked by a fairy prophesy.

Review:  Evie is a fantastic, smart, girl with a quirky fashion sense.  She loves pink and her favorite High School TV show Easton Heights.  Evie is definitely someone you would want to have as a friend, cousin or sister.  Lend seems like a normal (almost) teenage guy.  He is not really sure who he is, but he is a great guy. The other characters fairies, vampires, werewolves, mermaids, water sprites and yes humans are all interesting.  White gets rid of the silly romance that usually surrounds vampires in the first chapter.  Paranormalcy has plenty of humor to relieve the tension from the mystery and the suspense will keep you reading all night long. White creates an alternate universe that is believable and refreshing although not without flaws. This is a great book for older ‘tweens to adults.

If you like this book you may also like:  Supernaturally by Kiersten White,