Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby

Solveig and her royal siblings, Harald and Asa, are stranded. For their protection, the children must survive the bitter winter in a hall hidden far away from the war their father is fighting. But as the freezing months draw out and their supplies run low, mysterious deaths start to occur. Solveig can tell these deaths are no accidents. There are traitors among their small party. But when enemy ships come into the fjord, the true traitors come to light. Solveig and her siblings must escape to keep their royal lineage safe.

Kirby tells the story through the eyes of Solveig. Solveig is neither heir to the throne, like her brother Harald, or a beautiful marriage-age princess, like her sister Asa. Solveig feels alone and lost, but she keeps herself occupied by taking care of everyone’s physical needs. Solveig has a clever, attentive mind as she closely observes her fellow hall dwellers. But Kirby adds an unlikely twist to the plot with more than one traitor with diverging agendas involving the royal family. At its core the story is a medieval Nordic murder mystery. But at its heart, it’s the longings, fears, and observations of a young girl struggling to fit in. Icefall is an engrossing read great for boys and girls ages 10 and up.

Reading Challenge #5: New Books vs. Classics

I have been pondering this reading challenge for a while now. Many parents have asked me what new books I think their young readers would enjoy. Now I get that new books are sometimes more relevant to what our young readers are going through. But, parents, have you looked to the past for some reading inspiration lately?

When I was a teenager, I remember often going to this old book store in Kansas City. My librarian mother went there searching for out-of-print books to add to her elementary school libraries. So while she was going through the children books, I would peruse the antique book section.

Now I went to the antique book section for a reason. I felt I had two reading problems: (1) constantly wanting the next new book and (2) judging a book by its cover. I found a way to resolve this issue by picking books I had never heard about that didn't have any type of cover. From those book store buys, I found some incredible books with amazing stories with titles like The Burnished Blade, The Black Rose,  or Captain from Castile. These books were just as adventurous, suspenseful, and enjoyable as the brand-new read right off the Barnes and Noble shelf, but MUCH cheaper.

So I have a challenge for both parents and new-book addicts out there. Why not look to past books for a great read? You may think you or your young readers have read all the "classics" in children's literature, but most likely you haven't.

Please realize that classics aren't always found in the "classic" section at Barnes and Noble or listed in literature textbooks. Classic books are timeless stories that keep inspiring you to return back to their pages time and again. Classics can be books from over a hundred years ago to just published last year. So don't let the book store chains or textbooks determine what is and isn't a classic. You decide!

As an aid to both parents and readers, here is a list of my favorite classic books that you may recognize or you may have missed. Enjoy!

Dragonfly series by Julia Golding
The Whisper of the Glocken by Carol Kendall
The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbitt
The Beast of Noor by Janet Lee Carey
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Peak by Roland Smith
The Silence of Murder by Dandi Dayley Mackall
The Blue Sword series by Robin McKinley
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
A String in the Harp by Nancy Bond
The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper
Beyonders series by Brandon Mull
Heist Society series by Ally Carter
Peter and the Starcatchers series by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
The Candymakers by Wendy Mass
Green Knowe series by L. M. Boston
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip
Pie by Sarah Weeks
Al Capone Does My Shirts series by Gennifer Choldenko
Beauty by Robin McKinley
Elephant Run by Roland Smith
A Long Way From Chicago series by Richard Peck
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Kidnapped by Robert Lewis Stevenson
Christy by Catherine Marshall
Mrs. Mike series by Benedict and Nancy Freeman
The Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee Stewart
Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key series by Jack Gantos
Crispin series by Avi
The Kestrel series by Lloyd Alexander
Start Little by E. B. White
Hatchet series by Gary Paulsen
Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Banner in the Sky by James Ramsey Ullman
Sarah Bishop by Scott O'Dell
The Alliance by Gerald Lund
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Island of the Blue Dolphins series by Scott O'Dell
Abhorsen series by Garth Nix
Treasure Island by Robert Lewis Stevenson
Holes by Louis Sacher
Goody Hall by Natalie Babbitt
A Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
The Candy Shop Wars series by Brandon Mull
Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander

Time Trapped by Richard Ungar

Caleb loves living with his newly adopted family in 1968, but his past life at Timeless Treasures comes back with a vengeance. At Uncle’s request, Caleb is kidnapped, returned to 2061, and has his memory restored. Uncle brought Caleb back to oversee the training of turning stolen children into time-traveling thieves. But Frank, Caleb and Abbie’s snatching peer, plans to eliminate Uncle and take over the company. To avoid being victims of a violent rebellion, Caleb, Abbie, and the children must make a risky escape through time with both Frank and Uncle at their heels.

Ungar’s sequel is just as riveting as the first book. Having the evil extremes brought out in both Uncle and Frank make this book even more unpredictable and intense. Caleb has no idea what Uncle and Frank will do next, which will also keeps readers on their toes. Besides the page-turning suspense, this series has similar themes to stories like The Traitor’s Gate or The Clockwork Three, except with a science-fiction twist. At times, the time-travel science is confusing or glossed over, but the driving plot and believable characters help pull things together into a satisfying conclusion.

Time Snatchers by Richard Ungar

It’s 2061 and Caleb works for Timeless Treasures, a rare artifacts business run by Uncle. To stock his inventory, Uncle sends children through time to snatch priceless objects from history. Caleb enjoys the work, especially as he works with his close friend Abbie. But Uncle changes the program by making “snatchers” compete against one another. The snatchers who fall behind on filling their artifacts quota are left stranded in the past. When fellow snatcher, Frank, starts ruining Caleb’s snatches things get deadly between Caleb and Uncle.

Ungar’s story is a science-fiction spin of Oliver Twist, with Uncle’s character starting off like Fagin, but ending the story like Bill Sikes. But unlike Oliver Twist, Caleb is an orphan with absolutely no family ties. When Caleb was “adopted” by Uncle, it seemed to Caleb that Uncle actually loved him. But when Caleb sees Uncle’s affection deteriorate because of greed and pride, Caleb aches for familial acceptance. On the surface, Time Snatchers is a fast-paced, intense novel full of humor, excitement, betrayal, and time-travel adventure. At its core, the book is the confession of a boy fighting impossible odds to be a part of a family. The sequel is called Time Trapped. Good for both boys and girls ages 12 and up.

Five Kingdoms: Sky Raiders by Brandon Mull

A trip to a haunted house turns into a nightmare when Cole and his friends are kidnapped by slave-traders and taken to a world called the Outskirts. Once there, Cole comes across shaping—a magical ability used to create objects, buildings, or “living” beings. Cole is sold to a company of raiders and he makes friends with three other slaves: Mira, Jace, and Twitch. Later, Cole learns that Mira is one of five princesses hiding from their father, the High King, supreme dictator over the Five Kingdoms. Cole must decide whether to aid Mira or search for his missing friends.

Five Kingdoms is an absolutely original piece of fiction. Mull seems to have pulled ideas from people’s wildest dreams to create the world and magic of the Outskirts. But unlike dreams, Mull pulls it all into a cohesive package with a driving plot, likeable characters, and riveting storytelling. Readers will cheer on Cole as he finds the hero within himself when he and his new friends face dangers only found in nightmares. A great read for ages 10 and up.

Beyonders: Chasing the Prophecy by Brandon Mull

Jason, Rachel, Galloran, and their delegation proceed with the Oracle’s prophecy: Jason and his party search for Darian the Seer while Rachel, Galloran, and their company reclaim Trensicourt and attack Felrook. As Galloran’s troops wait on Felrook’s impregnable threshold, Rachel gives in to her doubts by agreeing to become Maldor’s apprentice. Rachel hopes to destroy him, but her efforts are in vain.

Chasing the Prophecy is a spectacular ending to a masterfully written trilogy. Besides the heart-stopping action and page-turning adventure, Mull highlights how doubts affect his characters. Jason consistently doubts he’s important to the Oracle’s prophecy, even though he can see the prophecy unfolding during his mission. Rachel, on the other hand, doubts the prophecy’s authenticity but she can see she is essential to saving Lyrian through her Edomic talents. Their doubts are quenched by Darian’s prophecy, because they finally see why they were brought to Lyrian in the first place. A satisfying fantasy read for both teens and adults.

Beyonders: Seeds of Rebellion by Brandon Mull

Jason must return to Lyrian. He prepares supplies—which includes Ferrin’s hand—and jumps into the hippo tank when the opportunity arrives. Once Jason is transported back to Lyrian, he becomes a hunted man. On his way to tell Galloran that the Word is a diversion, Jason enlists Aram, a half-giant, and Ferrin as protectors. Meanwhile, Rachel discovers she has a rare gift for Edomic magic. Jason and Rachel are reunited with Galloran, and a quest to gather forces to oppose Maldor begins.

Mull’s second book in the Beyonders’ trilogy is a nail-biting journey that will leave readers impressed by Mull’s attention to detail and his control of all his characters. At several points in the story, the rebel group includes nine or more people. But Mull seems to effortlessly create well-rounded, deep, and unforgettable characters. Mull’s amount of thought and background to the world of Lyrian mirrors J. R. R. Tolkien’s creation of Middlearth in The Lord of the Rings. Any fan of Tolkien’s series, will definitely enjoy this modern twist of an epic story. Chasing the Prophecy is the final book in the trilogy.

(Full review found on The Children's Book and Play Review: https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/CBPR/article/view/19131/17825)

Beyonders: A World Without Heros by Brandon Mull

Jason Walker is working at the zoo when he hears strange music coming from the hippo tank. Jason accidentally falls into the tank and is swallowed by the hippo. Instead of entering the hippo’s stomach, Jason enters a new world where the people are ruled by Maldor, a tyrannical wizard emperor. While searching for a way home, Jason opens a forbidden book that puts him on a quest to find a magical word that will destroy Maldor. Rachel, a girl from his world, joins Jason on his mission and together they gather each piece of the word.

Mull’s story is full of action, intrigue, deception, and suspense. Both Jason and Rachel are characters that many readers would relate to easily, because of their believable responses to each other and to their predicament. Compared to Mull’s previous work—the Fablehaven series and The Candy Shop War—Mull has created a more mature, intricate piece of literature. Beyonders ranks up with such series as The Dark Is Rising, the Prydain Chronicles, and the Inheritance Cycle in creating a lasting impression on fantasy literature. Beyonders is set up to be a trilogy. The second book is Seeds of Rebellion.

(Full review found on The Children's Book and Play Review: https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/CBPR/article/view/19130/17824)