by William Alexander
ages: 9+
First sentence: “Rownie woke when Graba knocked on the ceiling from the other side.”
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Rownie is the youngest “sibling” in Graba’s group of Grubs. Abandoned after his older brother, Rowan, disappeared, he was taken in by Graba, and sent on errands. Rownie’s town is not a happy place: the mayor has banned all theater, except for those put on by those already “changed”, the goblins. Additionally, Graba has a tendency to mind-control her Grubs into doing her will.

So, when Rownie happens upon a theater troop in the park, and they invite him to join them, he does. It turns out that this troop happened to know Rowan, and know that he’s an essential part in keeping back the coming flood.

I’m going to have to stop here; I’m not sure that summarizing this book is going to make much sense. It’s been nominated for a National Book Award this year, and so someone must have thought there was some merit in the story. Admittedly, while reading it, I didn’t dislike it. The structure is very theater-inspired, dividing the chapters into Acts and Scenes. But even more than that, it felt like watching a play. I can see why it was nominated, it’s gorgeously written and definitely the epitome of High Fantasy. But, I’m not sure I really liked it.

I’ve been trying, since I finished it, to figure out why. It wasn’t the story, or the characters, or the writing. In fact, I think this might make a good read-aloud. Perhaps it was that it all felt so… affected. Rather than being smooth and effortless, I felt like Alexander was trying too hard to Make A Fantasy and Tell A Story. And I never really connected to the story he was trying to tell.

But, honestly? It was probably just me.

(Just for the record: because this is a Cybils nominee, I’ve been asked to make sure y’all know this is my opinion only, and not that of the panel.) 

Heroes of Olympus, book 3
by Rick Riordan
ages: 11+
First sentence: “Until she met the exploding statue, Annabeth thought she was prepared for anything.”
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Others in the series: The Lost Hero, The Son of Neptune

Dear Rick,

First: can I call you Rick? I mean, I’ve been a fan since I read the first Percy Jackson book (yeah, I know, I missed the Tres Navarre series until later, but that’s just because I’m not really a mystery sort of person) way back in 2005. I loved everything about it: the characters, the use of Greek mythology, the pacing: it was a great example of what middle grade fantasy can do.

But, Rick. Rick. You’ve lost the Touch.

I don’t know if it’s because you’ve been trying to write two series at once. Or if it’s because with all the demands of being a best-selling author, you’re churning out books too fast. Or if my expectations are just way too high. Whatever the reason: this one, as much as I love Percy, Annabeth and the rest of the clan, is just not a great book.

(As a brief aside, if you want to write a whole book about Leo Valdez, I will read it. Team Leo!)

It’s very much a middle-of-the-series book, as well. Sure, the group from Camp Half-Blood (Annabeth, Piper, Jason, and Leo from the first book) has to head to Camp Jupiter to pick up that group (Percy, Hazel, and Frank) and then end up in Rome in order to stop Gaea.  I get that. But, that’s all there really is to the plot. So, Rick, I ask you this: why did this book need to be 574 pages long?  Yeah, I get it: you want to weave in other myths and minor gods, but meeting Nemisis, Narcissus, Bacchus, Hercules, Chrysaor, plus the giants who are helping Gaea out is just way too many. I know: you’ve always thrown in a lot in your books, but for some reason this time around it just seemed cluttered. You threw out another god, and my reaction was, “Really? Another god?” rather than “Woot! Another god!”

Also: while I adore the cover (and know you have nothing to do with it), it gives the impression that you were going to address the rift between the two camps. That something Big was going to Happen, and that there was going to be a Grand Confrontation. There’s not, though it is implied at points. The whole point of this one, was to get the group from point A to point B, and I felt slighted by that.

Don’t fret, though: I am going to read The House of Hades, Rick. (I know you were worried.) I’m still invested in the series. But, you know: especially now that the Kane Chronicles are done, I hope for a better book. Something more like what you gave me back in the beginning.

Is that too much to ask?

Best,
Melissa (and girls. Their comments? “It’s not his best book.”)

(Just for the record: because this is a Cybils nominee, I’ve been asked to make sure y’all know this is my opinion only, and not that of the panel.) 

by Barbara Marionda
ages: 9+
First sentence: “
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Review copy picked up at KidlitCon.

Lucy was a happy girl, living in a huge house with her parents near the bay, until one fateful night when they were out on a schooner, and her father attempted to rescue a drowning man. The schooner was capsized and both of Lucy’s parents drowned.

Now Lucy has to do everything she can to keep the house — her beloved father’s “ship on shore” — out of the hands of her greedy Uncle Victor. It helps that she’s found a friend and mentor in the mysterious Marni, and that the house does weird things: sparkling mist, enchanted flutes, and expanding bookcases that help Lucy in her mission.

On the one hand, this book works as a straight-up orphan story. It has all the elements: a Greedy Uncle That Wants To Take Away The Thing Orphan Loves Most (though I was never sure just why he wanted to sell the house so badly); pathetic, abandoned children (mother died, father was a drunk); and a savior in a kind woman who takes everyone in.

What threw me, really, was the magic. It felt out of place, like it didn’t really need to be there. I kept getting the feeling that the magic was kind of superfluous, and not really integral to the story. By the end, I kind of understood where Mariconda was going with the both the magic thing and the whole voyage thing, but it was kind of off-putting that I spent most of the book wondering WHY everything was happening. Call me impatient, but I don’t get along well with books that are all questions and no answers.

Now that the set-up is out of the way, and there is actually a voyage happening, however, I probably will want to read the next book in the series.

(Just for the record: because this is a Cybils nominee, I’ve been asked to make sure y’all know this is my opinion only, and not that of the panel.) 

by Lauren Oliver
ages: 8+
First sentence: “One night when Liza went to bed, Patrick was her chubby, stubby, candy-grubbbing and  pancake-loving younger brother, who irritated her and amused her both, and the next morning, when she woke up, he was not.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy picked up at KidlitCon

Who doesn’t love a Good Quest? One where the Heroine sets off on a Noble Errand, overcomes Incredible Odds, and Defeats the Greatest Evil while Learning a Valuable Lesson? (Labyrinth, anyone?)

The Spindlers is everything you want from a Good Quest Novel. Liza doesn’t really hate her younger brother Patrick, but he is, well, a boy, which means he’s irritating, annoying, and a thorn in her side. But he is her brother, and the morning he wakes up… different… she knows that his soul has been captured by the spindlers.

And it’s up to her to get him back.  (Since none of the adults in her life believe her, of course.)

She heads down in the basement, armed only with a broomstick; falls through a tunnel; and lands in the world Below. The best way to describe Below is this: it’s a cross between Roald Dahl and Lewis Carroll. It’s not quite as dark as Dahl, though it is dark, and it’s not quite as absurd as Carroll, through there are absurd moments. But it’s definitely as delightful as both.

I’m not going to fill you in on the details of Liza’s quest, because it’s best if you experience that for yourself along with her. I will tell you this: even though it’s a by-the-numbers quest, Oliver has a knack for writing characters that you grow to love, and building a world that’s at turns fascinating, scary and humorous.

I can just see kids wanting to read this one over and over again. (Shoot: I want to!)

(Just for the record: because this is a Cybils nominee, I’ve been asked to make sure y’all know this is my opinion only, and not that of the panel.)