Fairy - Tale Fun

I am going to confess right now that I love fairy tales. I love the fantasy, the "good" that almost always prevails and the fact that we have been collectively retelling these tales for time beyond imagination. For example consider this story. A girl goes to a gathering where the ruler of the land sees her and falls in love with her. He neglects to get her name (dude, seriously?), but by luck finds one of her shoes. This shoe leads him straight to the girl - and they live happily ever after. Do you know the name of this story? We know it as Cinderella - and the first version of the story was recorded by a Roman historian in the first century B.C.! How cool is it that we've been retelling it ever since? Here are some of my favorite re-told fairy tales.


Beauty and the Beast
The basic story is this. A young woman named Beauty lives with her merchant father and family (any combination of sisters, brothers, a mother or no mother). Beauty's merchant father loses his fortune and his business and must move his entire family to a much smaller house far away from 'civilized' lands. After a period of time, Beauty's father hears that there may be a possible reversal of fortune for their family. Believing his family will soon be rich again, he asks what he can buy everyone. Most of the family members ask for material things, but Beauty asks for a rose. When Beauty's father returns to town he finds that all is indeed lost and there will be no reversal of fortune. Heartsick, he heads back to his family, only to become lost. He stumbles upon a house/mansion/castle with magical qualities and passes a night in safety. Upon waking, he sees a rose which he wishes to take home to Beauty. However, when he tries to take it a Beast leaps out and demands either his life or the life of one of his daughters. When the merchant returns to his family, Beauty willingly gives herself up in exchange for her father. Beauty lives with the Beast in his magical palace and comes to care for him (sometimes a nightly proposal of marriage is included, sometimes not). After a period of time, Beauty becomes so homesick (or discovers her father is ill, her family in trouble), she begs to go home. The Beast lets her go but warns her that he will die without her. Beauty does return home and her family convinces (maliciously or out of love) her to stay longer than she told the Beast she would. Beauty returns to the Beast only to find him dying. When Beauty declares her love, the Beast miraculously changes into a handsome prince and they live happily ever after. After all this, we learn that the handsome Prince was changed into a Beast due to a family curse, excessive pride or a nasty personality.
 
Sometimes the Soul: Two Novellas of Sicily by Gioia Timpanelli. I discovered this little known book when I was looking for 'Beauty and the Beast' stories. Timpanelli re-tells two well known stories, both set in her native Sicily. The first is a riff on the story of Scheherazade and the second is a 'Beauty and the Beast' adaptation. The lyrical nature of Timpanelli's writing is beautiful - and the story is too. I don't want to spoil too much, but suffice it to say, there is no magic or physical transformations at the end of the story. Instead it is Beauty's perspective that undergoes a great change.

Heart's Blood by Juliet Marilliner Juliet Marilliner has also written a wonderful series based on another favorite fairy tale 'The Seven Swans'. The author focuses on Irish/Celtic mythology. In this story, Caitrin is on the run from abusive family members - carrying only her scribing materials and hope that she can get far away enough. She stumbles into the cursed lands of crippled Lord Anluan where, against all odds, she finds a place in his home and in his heart.

Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey This book is one of the very first in Lackey's "Elemental Masters" series. This is a series that retells well known fairy tales, except in a historical place and time where there are magicians that can control the four elements (earth, air, fire and water). In the "Fire Rose" a powerful magician of fire and railroad magnate (Jason Cameron) hires female scholar Rosalind "Rose" Hawkins to help him find a cure for a spell gone horribly wrong. It's interesting to read this first entry in the series and then see how the author changes the mythology of this world as the series progresses.  

Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley Robin McKinley is much better known for her first retelling of 'Beauty and the Beast', which was her young adult book "Beauty". "Rose Daughter" was her second retelling of the tale. I love both, simply because they are two such different and unique stories that have the same general fairy tale base. Unlike many other 'Beauty and the Beast' tales, Beauty's two sisters are not unkind. Rather, all three girls pitch in when their fortunes change and find tasks suited to their skills and personalities.

Beastly by Alex Flinn This is one of those books that I firmly recommend to be read in spite of (or as a cure for) the movie. Although I can't claim the book has literary clout, it is still an interesting take on the fairy tale. This book is told entirely from the Beast's perspective, as well as featuring several transcripts of online chats between him and a bunch of other recognizable fairy tale characters. The 'beast' in this story is Kyle Kingsbury, the spoiled and cruel son of a news anchor father. He reigns supreme at an expensive private school, bullying the less popular and loafing his way through classes. When he insults a goth-dressing, 'witchy' classmate, she turns him into a beast (complete with hair and fangs). Kyle then has the requisite year to get a girl to love him, or remain a beast forever.


The Snow Queen
Before our story begins, we are told that an evil sprite (or sometimes the devil himself) made a mirror that reflected all that was good and beautiful as being inferior and bad. This sprite shatters the mirror and the millions of pieces flew around the world, causing mischief wherever they landed. Two young people, Gerda and Kay live in a small village and are the best of friends. As they are playing one day, Kay gets a piece of the magic mirror stuck in his eye and his heart. He becomes cruel and no longer plays with Gerda. As Kay is sledding one day, a beautiful woman dressed all in white takes him away. It is the Snow Queen and she is impressed with his cold heart. Gerda discovers Kay's disappearance and decides to go and look for him. On her way, she meets a woman with a cottage and flower garden, a prince and princess from a faraway land and a robber girl. All of these characters try and keep her with them and then eventually aid her on her quest. Gerda finally comes to the palace of the Snow Queen where she finds Kay, playing with a frozen puzzle. She hugs him and weeps over him - and her tears wash the pieces of mirror from his eye and his heart. The two children return home to find they are all grown-up.

The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge This was one of those discoveries I did not make until I was well into library school. Vinge is best known for her science fiction - this particular work is a fascinating mix of science fiction and fantasy. The current Snow Queen has been ruling the planet of Tiamat for 150 years. Soon the time will come when she must hand over her power in a traditional change to the Summer Queen. However, the Snow Queen does not wish to relinquish her throne is attempting to perpetuate her rule forever. Into this comes the protagonist Moon, one of the summer-tribe, who must wrest control of her unique world and her beloved (Sparks Dawntreader) from the corrupt grasp of the Snow Queen.

The Snow Queen by Mercedes Lackey Lackey is a prolific writer and many of the books she has written are riffs off of or involve well known fairy tales and folklore. Other than her "Elemental Masters" series, she has also written the "Tales of the 500 Kingdoms" series. The '500 Kingdoms' universe is run by something called The Tradition, which ensures that many of the people who inhabit this world will be pushed into acting out well known fairy tales (to understand this better, reading the first book in this series "The Fairy Godmother" is recommended but not essential). These people are guided by magicians, witches and fairy godmothers who help them to their 'happy endings' and completed quests. Aleksia is a godmother who plays the part of the cruel Snow Queen to help spoiled young men reform and ensure her kingdom runs smoothly. However, when a true Snow Queen begins to destroy villages and kill young men, Aleksia must embark on a quest of her own to clear her name and find her own destiny

Winter's Child by Cameron Dokey Dokey writes several stories for the "Once Upon a Time" series which includes (you guessed it) books that retell fairy tales. In this retelling of the Snow Queen, Grace and Kai have more of a friendship than a romantic relationship. After Kai disappears with the exotic (and much more sympathetic) Snow Queen, Grace embarks on a journey to find him and discover her own strengths.

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu This gorgeous tale features neighbors Hazel and Jack, who have been the best of friends ever since they were six. Hazel wishes that her special friendship with Jack won't ever change, but life interferes. Hazel's father leaves and Jack's mother gets sick - so sick that her eyes are almost completely blank. Then comes the snowy day when Jack gets something stuck in his eye and he seems to forget about Hazel completely. Hazel refuses to give up on Jack and when she hears that he has disappeared into the woods with a powerful snow witch, she goes in search of him. As Hazel braves the dangers of the woods, she learns a great deal about herself and about the changing nature of friendships. Although this children's book has fantasy elements, the author writes great truths about friends and growing up.

Jenna's Top 11 of 2011

Everyone loves to make 'best of' lists this time of year - and I am no exception. After much hair pulling and rearranging I have come up with a list of my favorite reads of 2011. I wanted to make sure that I had an equal-ish number across categories and age groups, so this is by no means all of my favorites (I have a disproportionate number of fiction reads that I loved but couldn't include, if I was going to have an interesting list). Without more nostalgic sniffling about time gone by, here's the top 11 of 2011!

Jenna’s Top 11 of 2011

Fiction – Adult

The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai

·         Children’s librarian Lucy is kidnapped by one of her favorite 10-year-old patrons (or is it the other way around?). The two embark on a road trip that helps them both wrestle with the challenges that face them.

Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson

·         Humanity fights to survive hordes of robots bent on world domination. The book is well written, philosophical and interesting despite the take-no-prisoners action feel.

Nonfiction – Adult

Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West by Dorothy Wickenden

·         Two girls from well-to-do families on the East Coast decide to take a teaching job in a tiny settlement out west during the early 1900s.

Fire Season: Field Notes from a Wilderness Lookout by Philip Connors

·         During the summer a journalist travels to New Mexico to take his place as a fire lookout in one of the state’s national parks.

Nonfiction – Children or Teen

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg

·         This book describes in gruesome detail how a bevy of famous historical figures died.

Elephant Talk: The Surprising Science of Elephant Communication by Ann Downer

·         Discusses the different sounds that elephants makes and posits why they make them. Did you know that elephants squeak?

Fiction – Children or Teen

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

·         Seventeen-year-old Karou has always lived a double life. Some of the time she’s an art student in Prague and the rest she runs errands for a fantastical group of creatures. It isn’t until Karou meets a seraphim named Akiva that she begins to unravel the mystery of her past.

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

·         After moving to Nigeria an albino named Sunny discovers her magical heritage. A richly imagined world (and a new method of making magic!) that takes place deep in Africa.

Horton Halfpott, or, The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor, or, The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset by Tom Angleberger

·         A lowly kitchen boy has adventures with cruel masters, romance, bumbling detectives and ferocious land-bound pirates.

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

·         Alternately tells the stories of two children from opposing tribes in Africa. One is a boy fleeing war and the other is a girl who has to make a grueling daily hike simply to get water.

The Secret Box by Barbara Lehman

·         A group of students discover a box hidden under the floorboards with instructions to a mystery location. This is a wordless picture book. 

My Favorite Unknowns

If you read enough books, eventually you'll come across reads that have never, ever graced the New York Times bestseller list. In fact, as you struggle to find a copy, you realize that this book you read may not have ever graced any recognizable list anywhere. This doesn't mean that the book has no value. Rather, dear reader, it means that you have found a diamond in the rough. A story that has spoken to you where it has not spoken to many people before. In short, you've found a choosy book - and it's up to you whether to share it or not. I have found very few books that have not been recognized by someone in my acquaintance, but the following reads have stumped even some of my librarian friends.

Instructions by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Charles Vess
 Rarely do I read a book and then rush home and buy it the first chance I get. However, as soon as I had finished this wonderfully charming picture book, I sprinted home and did exactly that. This poem by Gaiman was first published in A Wolf at the Door but has since been reborn in this short book. The illustrations are also gorgeous - Vess has made them as charming and whimsical as the prose. "Touch the wooden gate in the wall you never saw before" begins the poem. The reader and the quester (or are they the same thing?) are guided through a familiar landscape filled with the scraps of famous fairy-tales, folklore and old stories. I loved the 'advice' that is offered to the reader, on everything from being polite to overcoming obstacles to never, ever losing hope.

The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristin D. Randle
I always have the greatest difficulty describing books that I wholeheartedly adore. This book was the 'Twilight' of my early teenagerdom - I still have my worn copy that I re-read every one and a while. In this book, the main character and narrator (Ginny) has had to face some tough changes. Her beloved older brother has left for college and she and her entire family have moved across the country. As Ginny adjusts to a new school, she finds herself becoming fascinated with a strange boy named Smitty Tibbs. Smitty is beautiful and intelligent but has never interacted with another living soul. In fact, his classmates call him the Alien because he acts so strangely. As Ginny gets drawn into Smitty's life, she has to decide whether she can live with the secrets in Smitty's past. I have always loved Ginny because I identified with her so strongly. Here was a girl who wasn't stunningly beautiful, who didn't have magical help or stumble onto the perfect answer. Instead, Ginny felt more like someone you could actually encounter. She felt normal and very real. The title, by the way, refers to something Ginny says in the first chapter in the book. She says that we all have to remember we're never 'the only alien on the planet'. Even though we may feel like it, we're never alone in our struggles and issues.

The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery
I have always been a romantic soul. Of course, between present day and my early teens my tastes have matured (er...immensely) but I often find myself coming back to this old favorite whenever I require a very gentle romance. Valancy lives a miserable existence as the odd one out in her very unpleasant family. At 29, she's never fallen in love, rebelled or even had many moments of undiluted happiness. All of her enjoyment comes from reading her favorite books and daydreaming about life in a mystical Blue Castle. One day, Valancy is informed via a letter from her doctor that she hasn't long to live. She has a heart condition that will make her heart give out within a year at most. After Valancy reads the letter, she vows that she will live life to the fullest. She begins at once, much to the horror of her snobbish family, and ends up doing all kinds of 'shocking' things like becoming friends with the town scapegraces and cutting her hair (oh horrors). She revels in all the adventure, love and wonder that life has to offer. By the end of the book, Valancy has finally discovered all the joy that she only had in her imaginary Blue Castle. This book is full of gratification, from a very sweet romance, to devilish relish when Valancy finally stands up to her awful family and comes into her own. L.M. Montgomery, by the way, is also the author of the Anne of Green Gables series.

Guys Read

I was going to write a post on my favorite fairy tales. There were a few Princesses, quite a bit of magic and more than a few sparkles. However, right before I finished the post, I read the library newsletter. Staff gets a weekly newsletter that lets us know what is going on across the system. There were not one but two extensive articles that involved reading dudes of all ages. One was an extensive program to get young (middle school) guys reading and the other was a visit from author Christopher Paolini (the guy who wrote Eragon) who chatted with a crowd of hundreds.

Then, at work today, I had an interaction with a young man who was looking for a good science-fiction book. Although I did manage to find one or two, suggestions don't come as quickly (for me anyway) for boys as they do for girls. I don't get nearly enough practice making recommendations for the guys so in this post I'll toss out a few of my favorites. If you're interested in further reading for all cool dudes, check out the Guys Read website for suggestions and news on all things male and reading.

Fiction

Chicken Butt! by Erica S. Perl and illustrated by Henry Cole
I don't know about you, but I've certainly noticed that most boys go through a gross out stage. They enjoy dancing on the line between being a little outrageous and all out disgusting. This particular picture book feeds that type of humor. In addition to the classic question-and-answer that we've all experienced on the playground ("Do you know what?" "Chicken butt!") the author expands into a series of silly rhymes that kids and their parents will find hilarious. The dynamic illustrations only add to the fun. The only word of warning I will add is that this book is compulsively readable...and you may find yourself the "butt" of a certain joke many times over.

Bunnicula by James and Deborah Howe
As the author is sitting by his fireside one dark and stormy night, he hears a scratch on his door. When he opens the door, he sees a very damp and shaggy dog bearing a manuscript. After the animal disappears into the night, the author opens the manuscript to reveal that the dog has written his memoirs and brought them to the author in the hopes of being published. The resulting book is "Bunnicula" and if you like animals and haven't picked it up, you are seriously missing out. Our hero, Harold the dog, lives with his family and fellow animal, Chester the cat. It is a peaceful and quiet life until one evening when his family brings home a strange rabbit. Soon after the rabbit joins the family vegetables start showing up completely drained of their juices. Harold and Chester must work together to solve the mystery of the strange occurrences before any more food meets a grisly end. Readers will especially enjoy the personalities of Harold and Chester, which are pitch perfect for their species (Chester especially captures the catlike "I'm surrounded by morons, utter morons" philosophy). This chapter book is a fantastic read-aloud option.

Whales on Stilts by M.T. Anderson
Lily Gefelty's father works for a real, honest to goodness Mad Scientist. When Lily overhears that the scientist intends to take over the world through particularly nefarious means (Mind controlled whales. On stilts. With laser beam eyes. Oh yeah), Lily and her two best friends decide to foil the villain through any means necessary. Although the tongue in cheek humor may be a bit mature for younger readers, older kids who have loved "Captain Underpants" and "A Series of Unfortunate Events" will adore this humorous take on the common crazy-scientist-taking-over-the-world convention.

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
Were any of you aware that Suzanne Collins wrote another series before her insanely popular "Hunger Games"? Me either. It wasn't until I was casting about for an alternative to Harry Potter that I stumbled upon this gem of a book. Eleven-year-old New Yorker Gregor and his baby sister never dreamed that anything extraordinary existed beneath the floors of their apartment building. It isn't until one day when the siblings fall into an open grate in their laundry room that they discover the underland. The underland is a fantastical world where enormous talking rats, bats and cockroaches live in uneasy peace with humans. When Gregor and his sister enter the picture, the underlanders are on the brink of war. Only an overlander referred to in an ancient prophecy can save underlanders from complete destruction. With a prophesied hero, action packed battles and a satisfying amount of books in the series, "Gregor the Overlander" is a fantastic book to add to your reading lineup


H.I.V.E. (Higher Institute for Villainous Education) by Mark Walden
I have always loved series that buck the mundane and try something entirely new. Author Mark Walden takes the anti-hero to a whole new level when he writes "H.I.V.E.". Thirteen-year-old Otto Malpense has always known that he is far more intelligent than the average boy. After all, at thirteen he not only runs the orphanage where he grew up, but has also embarrassed the Prime Minister of Great Britain on national television - and gotten away with it. Otto can't imagine his life ever changing until he wakes up suddenly on a plane flying over a vast ocean. Otto and the other people on the plane have been kidnapped and forcibly enrolled in the Higher Institute for Villainous Education, where they will all learn to use their skills to become super villains. No one has ever been able to escape the volcanic island where H.I.V.E. is located, but Otto and his new group of friends are determined to try. A note of caution, this series is occasionally difficult to find as it was originally published in Britain. Fortunately, it is being re-issued here in the United States with new covers (and thank goodness - the first book ends on a cliff-hanger).

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve
It is far in the future and life outside of great cities has become almost unsustainable. All cities are fully mechanized, rolling on wheels or walking on legs across the surface of the globe. In order to survive, the largest cities do something called "municipal Darwinsim". Huge cities will chase down smaller cities and towns and consume them like food, stripping the towns of everything that is needed to sustain life. Once upon a time, "prey" was plentiful, but small cities have gradually almost completely disappeared from the landscape. It is in this world that we meet Tom, a lowly apprentice who works for the Guild of Historians in London, which has become the magnificent Traction City. Tom has played hooky from his apprenticeship in order to meet his hero, adventurer Thaddeus Valentine. When Valentine is confronted by known assassin Hester Shaw, Tom steps in front of his hero in a valiant effort to save him. In the process, Tom falls out of the city and becomes stranded in the Out Lands with Hester. In his quest to return to London with Hester, Tom will discover some grim truths that London's leaders have been keeping from the people of the city. This series is a fantastic read-alike for fans of Scott Westerfeld's "Leviathan".

Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hern
In a fantastical version of feudal-era Japan, youth Takeo witnesses the death of his entire village at the hands of a cruel warlord. After his escape, Takeo is adopted by a different warlord – the noble Lord Otori. It is within the household of Lord Otori that Takeo discovers he was born to a special tribe of assassins, all of whom inherit supernatural abilities. Among these gifts is the ability to move in complete silence and to become invisible. As he learns to control his gifts, Takeo must seize his destiny as the man who will overthrow the warlord who slaughtered his family and step into a position of power in his world. This is the first book in a trilogy and is appropriate for older teen readers and adults.

Nonfiction

Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi
 This basic picture book has long been one of my favorites. Remember when I talked about the "gross" factor that so enchants young lads? Well, as you can see from the title alone, this is another book that they may enjoy. However, this book it great as it explains - without excessive humor or disgust - the whys and hows of #2. Gomi's illustrations are beautifully simple - one knows exactly what they are without excruciating detail. If you are looking for a perfect way to explain this particular bodily function without having to resort to uncomfortable humor or difficult vocabulary, give this book a try.

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg
History has, unfortunately, a bad habit of being presented in a way that is guaranteed to bore most people to tears. People and places seem very far away indeed. Bragg has written a book that changes all of the above. This book will appeal to the people who live for those gross moments when things squelch, smoosh and squish. "How They Croaked" gives all the nasty details of the deaths of nineteen famous figures from history. From Marie Curie to George Washington, readers can see some of the downright messy ways these people left this world. In spite of some gorily gruesome passages, the author is able to share some fascinating bits of history and humor in a way that is anything but boring.

Footnotes: Frustrating or Fascinating?

In the public library world, it never rains - it completely inundates and then floods your basement. The last few fictional books I have read have all used the same literary device. Footnotes. After the second book that included footnotes, I went to the internet to reacquaint myself with the fine art of footnoting. I discovered some interesting things [1], including the fact that 'modern literary style guides' recommend limiting use of them, since they are widely thought to be distracting. I myself have mixed feelings about footnotes. In some cases I have enjoyed them, laughing over references the authors have invented or quips the authors make in the margins. Other times I find footnotes to be an annoying distraction from the normal flow of reading. There are authors who do not do footnotes well and then authors who really make them into a unique and fun reading experience. Here are three examples of the latter for your reading enjoyment.

 The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

Nathaniel is a magician’s apprentice that is just beginning his magical education. Before Nathaniel can get too far, an older, more experienced and very nasty magician named Simon Lovelace humiliates him in front of his teachers. Determined to get revenge, Nathaniel summons a djinni named Bartimaeus and sends him to steal a powerful artifact from Lovelace. Chaos ensues as Nathaniel attempts to control the powerful djinni and win back his honor. The real gift in this book is Bartimaeus himself, both to the reader and to Nathaniel. The djinni’s wisecracks and hilarious side comments make him the star of the show. Stroud uses footnotes to record Bartimaeus' asides, making the reader feel as though they are involved in a private conversation with a particularly funny main character. One of my colleagues also highly recommends this book in audio format [2], which she says is amazing for family road trips.

 Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

A plane full of Miss Teen Dream beauty contestants crash lands on a seemingly deserted island. The handful of girls who survive the crash anxiously await rescue. However, away from the cameras, pressures and watchful eyes of society, the girls who have always been defined by how well they perform in pageants finally get to explore who they are. Along the way, the teen beauties find out that the island is not in fact deserted and some of their fellow contestants are not...exactly...who they claim to be. There are explosions, feats of derring-do and (of course) scads of glitter. With the care of a master, Bray has built the world that created a Miss Team Dream contest, including references and explanations in footnotes throughout the story. I cannot even begin to describe how much I adored this book. Perhaps one of my favorite aspects was the 'applications' to the Miss Team Dream contest from the different characters. The reader not only gets to know the main characters better for it, but also realizes the forces (in the form of judges for the contest and the conflicting standards they press onto the characters) the girls are up against. Part comedy, part satire, this book can be enjoyed on a multitude of different levels. Also, if you want to get a look at the wonderful brand of crazy that is Libba Bray, take a look at her interview with herself (yup, a self-administered Q&A) on the Amazon page for this book.

 The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Inconceivable! There's an actual book that inspired the cult classic movie about 'twoo wuv' [3]? There is - and if you enjoyed (or loved) the movie I bet you'll enjoy the book as well. The humor that caused people to love the movie is present in the book in the form of footnotes the author makes as he "abridges" an earlier version by S. Morgenstern [4]. One of my favorite footnotes is the author relating a conversation between himself and his wife as to how much romance to include in a particular part of the book. The wife wants Golding to include details thank you very much and Golding objects and says not only do the readers not need to know how a romantic reunion plays out, the characters deserve a little privacy. You get the picture. Golding uses this literary device throughout the rest of the book to great success. The book provides the readers with the details that were not needed in the movie (how did Buttercup become the most beautiful woman in the world? Read and discover the answer). All of the adventure, romance and great characters are present in this work to be enjoyed at your own speed. Happy reading!


[1] I didn't know that one could use anything other than numbers for footnotes. Turns out you can - and there is even a specific order for them. Typographical devices such as the asterisk (*) or dagger (†) may also be used to point to footnotes; the traditional order of these symbols is *, †, ‡, §, ‖, ¶.
[2] I'm never sure what vocabulary to use here. When I say 'audio format', I am talking about books on CD (or tape), audio books, talking books, etc. Apparently the reader for this book is particularly hilarious.
[3] Twoo wuv = true love. You'll have to forgive me, this is a reference to the movie. The bishop that marries Buttercup and Prince Humperdinck has the most hilarious and unique way of speaking ever.
[4] No such earlier version of the work exists. S. Morgenstern is used as a pseudonym for William Golding.

Book Review - Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Often times I come across books that I like so much, I just have to tell someone right this minute. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor is one such example. During the last year, I have stayed away from young adult paranormal romance. I was tired of the same mythological creatures being paired together in every combination one could imagine (Fairies! Vampires! Werewolves! Witches! Angels! Zombies! Oh my!). I was also tired of the love triangles and the endless examples of wimpy female protagonists. When I met new characters, I want to be able to actually believe in their decisions and emotions, not have an overwhelming desire to march into the middle of the story and shake them until their teeth rattle around in their empty little heads. So, I cut back.

I was at this point when I picked up Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I knew it got great reviews in all the literature, which goes a long way towards convincing me it's worth a read. I was not disappointed. Although the author does use the words 'angel' and 'devil' in the opening lines of her book, the actual beings the author has created are very far removed from the typical Christian mythology. The 'devils', or chimera, in particular are as fantastical as my little fantasy loving heart could wish, evoking visions of the creatures from Pan's Labrinth and the darkest fairy tales. Additionally, the main female protagonist is the perfect blend of capable and vulnerable. True, she gets embroiled in a star-crossed romance, but she's no wilting flower. She fights just as hard for her family and her own future as she does for her man. She also (dare I utter the words) has interests and passions outside of her relationship. Pinch me, I'm dreaming. In short, Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a paranormal romance that I can recommend with enthusiasm. I will also be blogging about the book in December via the King County Library blog, Book Talk. See my draft review below and check this book out!

"'Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love...it did not end well.'

With that cryptic opening line, readers are swept into the Gothic, romantic world of modern day Prague in winter. We meet Karou, a beautiful young art student with blue hair, who draws fantastical creatures that look like something out of a dark fairy tale. She often tells her friends that her hair grows blue naturally and the beings that she draws are real, but of course no one believes her.

Unbeknownst to her friends, Karou is telling the truth. She has lived a double life for as long as she can remember. Some of the time she lives the life of a student with a mysterious past and the rest, she runs errands for her magical adopted family. More specifically, Karou is sent all over the world to collect teeth for her guardian, Brimstone - a creature that is half-man and half-ram. Brimstone buys teeth in exchange for wishes, some small and some very large indeed. Karou loves the creatures, called chimera, who brought her up, but she has always been curious about her past. What made these fantastical beings adopt and care for a human infant? Who and what is Karou?

Karou begins her journey to find the answers when she encounters Akiva. Akiva is a seraphim, a winged creature of fire. Akiva and his followers have been leaving burning hand prints on the magic doors that Karou and her family use to travel the globe. The two forge an instant connection that leaves them wondering if they have ever met before. With Akiva's help, Karou will indeed discover the key to her past, but the answers that she finds may prove to be impossible to bear.

Taylor writes a fantastical, romantic adventure, filled with beautiful descriptions and a whole new take on the mythology of 'angels' and 'devils'. Readers should absolutely check this book out, but be warned, it is the first in a trilogy - we have a bit of wait time until the next book comes out!"

Librarian Vocabulary -- "the item is a product of its time"

I often find myself using this particular bit of librarian lingo. As I spend much of my time interacting with co-workers and other library students (I know you're very surprised) I forget that this is not something that people use in everyday conversation.

I will most often use this phrase when discussing books that were written in the past. Basically what it means is that the item in question will have images, phrases, words or ideas that are considered anything from rude to outright offensive and even perhaps bigoted. In spite of this, the item in question is not without merit. I know the idea that a book may contain both offensive material and an excellent story or other good points may be odd to think about, but consider the following example.

The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé.
Children always clamor to read this series of comics and I don't blame them. The illustrations dynamic and colorful -- and so are the characters. Tintin himself is everything I wanted to be when I grew up. He is many things, among them clever, curious, interesting, talented, adventurous, a reporter, a detective and a friend. Tintin is a more relatable type of Indiana Jones -- adventuring with his ever-present companions Snowy the dog and Captain Haddock rather than lovely women. Tintin and the rest of Hergé's cast of characters solve mysteries in every conceivable locale across the globe. The volume within this series that causes the most controversy is "The Adventures of Tintin in the Congo" and rightly so. The African people that Tintin encounters within this adventure are presented in a manner that is incredibly offensive (see image below for a more descriptive example).

A frame from the comic "Tintin in the Congo"

I would use the phrase "this series is a product of its time" in this case to make sure that patrons knew that this volume was a part of the series and to be aware that it had some offensive material in it. Hergé began writing and illustrating this adventure in the early 1930s. Does that excuse the offensive material? No, but readers need to be aware of how common these views were. Does this series still have merit? Well, as always, it must be a personal decision, but I believe so. And so, for that matter, do Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, who are making an animated movie of one of Tintin's adventures that is coming to theaters in December 2011. Read the comics before you see the movie!