When I heard Shannon Hale was coming to Lemuria, I hastily unearthed my copy of her Newbery Honor winning Princess Academy from my To Be Read stack…which is always actually several stacks, consisting of hundreds of unread books. Princess Academy had been on my radar for some time, and the book had been patiently waiting for me for well over a year.

My great passion in life is children’s books; however, I’m difficult to please. Even the Newbery seal is no longer a guarantee for me. Though Newbery books are almost always well written, in years of late several of the Medal and Honor winners have seemed to be lovely books written by adults who love kids’ books to impress other adults who love kids’ books–rather than for the kids themselves. My feelings on this are ambiguous and for another blog. However, I admit I always hope when I crack open an unread prize winner that it will be well written enough, exciting enough, interesting enough, the characters real enough, to please adult and child alike. Princess Academy is just such a book.

School Library Journal’s starred review sums it up nicely: “This is not a fluffy, predictable fairy tale…Instead, Hale weaves an intricate, multilayered story about families, relationships, education, and the place we call home.”

Princess Academy is about all of that and more. Hale’s fantasy world subtly challenges our own assumptions about the role girls are expected by society to fulfill. In her fairytale land, as in our own, daughters take their father’s name–but sons take their mother’s. This seemingly insignificant detail is a compass for the close reader, as we are drawn deeper into main character Miri’s experience at Princess Academy–a school expressly established to educate and finish the girls of her simple mountain village so that the kingdom’s prince might choose one of them as a bride.

The competition and cattiness among the young female students reads at times like a literary version of The Bachelor for the middle grade set. (It should be said that I am fascinated by the psychology and sociology of such reality shows, and don’t in any way mean that in a minimizing way.) Hale takes a timely look at the issues of female relationships, how they are affected by the pressure to compete over boys (and everything else), and the deeply rooted prejudices we all hold towards one another. (Read Hale’s thoughts on ‘girl books’ vs. ‘boy books’ in this article in the Salt Lake Tribune.)

The tension between the defensive mountain girls and the snooty “lowlanders” of their kingdom is noteworthy. There are no cardboard good guys and bad guys here–both lowlanders and mountain folk are guilty of making assumptions and seeing what they think they’ll see when they look at one another.

Princess Academy is rich with thought provoking fodder for discussion, without ever being preachy or heavy handed; it would be a fantastic pick for a Mother-Daughter book club. There’s still time to read it before Wednesday, August 29 at 4 PM, when Shannon Hale will be talking with us and signing copies of Palace of Stone, the brand new sequel to Princess Academy. Bring your kids (the boys too!) and join us for what is sure to be a stimulating evening with the brilliant and talented Ms. Hale.

by Mandy

Seraphina is a debut book that has been getting all the buzz. Starred reviews in Kirkus, Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and a whole bunch more here, this book is one that all fantasy fans, adult and kids alike, should not miss. We at Lemuria are LOVING it as well. From it’s amazing cover (which looks even better in person) to its spectacular story (which you must read for yourself), Seraphina by Rachel Hartman definitely gets our vote. Here is Tracy, one of my bright young interns, to give you the scoop:

I’ve read many novels and series about dragons before, but have never seen a take on dragons the way Rachel Hartman, author of Seraphina, describes them. She weaves an intricate story with the character of Seraphina Dombegh, a half dragon, who works in the palace of the kingdom of Goredd as an assistant music mistress. No one except her dragon uncle and human father know what she is, as her mother died in childbirth. She keeps her true identity secret by wearing many layers of clothing and long sleeves all the time to hide her scales which are on her arms and torso. However, her routine changes when a member of the royal family is killed by decapitation, a specific characteristic of a dragon murder. Peace between Goredd and the dragon world has been rocky, and as the anniversary of the treaty of peace draws near, tensions are at an all-time high. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation of the murder and partners with the highly perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. Soon, Seraphina discovers herself deep in a plot to ruin the peace, all the while trying to protect her own secret, whose discovery could result in her death.

Hey, y’all! I’m Mandy, I’m new in town, and you’ll be seeing me in Oz working alongside the effervescent Emily. I recently earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, but until I earn my own shelf space at Lemuria, I’m hoping to earn your trust as a resource for all of you children’s, YA and Not-So-YA YA readers. I’m a recent transplant from California, where I’ve lived for the past six years. I’ve lived in every other region of the US and even spent eighteen months in Spain, but this is my first taste of southern living, and from tasting fried pickles with ranch for the first time to learning how to properly pronounce ‘Biloxi,’ I’ve found the experience thus far to be wholly fascinating.

As I considered what to tackle for my first blog, I kept thinking of the many Canadian YA authors I favor. Sigh. Poor Canadian authors. Unless they are given the honor of a major book prize (see: Tim Wynne-Jones’ Blink and Caution, Erin Bow’s Plain Kate), they are sadly underestimated, underrepresented, and undersold here in the USA. So today I’m turning the spotlight on a personal favorite in my YA library, Canadian Alan Cumyn’s 2011 novel, Tilt.

Tilt is the story of Stan, an awkward teen boy who is dealing with some majorly complex family drama while also seriously falling in love for the first time. I absolutely adore all of the characters in this book, even Stan’s dysfunctional parents. Full of human frailty, even when they make you mad, Cumyn’s fictional people find their way in to your heart.

The beauty of the novel lies in the inherent respect Cumyn has for his teen readers. Wholly realistic, believable, and riveting, the book is also brimming with true literary sensibility that only thousands of hours of revision and editing can produce. Each word is deliberate; the sentences so crisp, subtle and multi-layered that at times I was so overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of it that I had to set it down and turn the language over and around in my mind for awhile.

In a YA market that at times seems saturated with sloppily written and edited Get-The-Next-Hot-Thing-Out-NOW genre novels, it was such a joy to read a novel for real teenagers about a real teenager, written by an author who writes for the love of books and the people who read them rather than the love of hitting the trend and cashing in a seven figure paycheck.

While there is one fairly explicit (and authentically, painfully awkward) sex scene which some may prefer to avoid (so I feel obligated to mention it), it is not gratuitous by any means. I hope you will give Tilt a chance—and let me know how you like it. Stay tuned for more in coming months on my opinions on what is and is not “appropriate” in books for teenagers, which are many and varied. Until then, happy reading!

by Mandy

I haven’t read many post-apocalyptic books, but after reading Partials by Dan Wells I think that I’m much more inclined to. After the government’s most deadly genetic creation, the partials, rebel, a virus called RM is released to the world killing 99.9% of the world’s population. All the remaining survivors are immune to RM and have gathered in one community on Long Island off the coast of New York, which is inhabited by partials. The partials have been leaving them alone, but they still have one major problem: none of their newborn babies are immune to RM and they all die within three days of their birth.

Kira Walker, a 16 year old medic-in-training, becomes determined to be the one who cures RM and will do anything to achieve that goal. She will even go across the Long Island Sound and capture a partial. Kira is determined that the partials hold the key to curing RM because they have human DNA, and yet they are immune to RM as well. Kira must work around a controlling and secretive government and a dangerous rebel group called the Voice who are upset with one law in particular. This law would be the Hope Act, named so because the government and the people believe that this law is their only hope for humanity’s survival. The Hope Act states that every girl must become pregnant as much as possible in order for more babies to be born. There is an age limit attached to the law, but it keeps getting lowered. When Kira learns that her best friend, Madison, has become pregnant Kira becomes even more determined to save Madison’s baby, Arwen Sato, from being killed by RM.

Partials is a wonderful story of survival, determination, and one girl’s determination to change the world and do something unforgettable. Partials is the first book in a series and I can’t wait for the next installment, Fragments, to be released.

Ooh boy howdy…this book is goooood.

Twelve year old Prue McKeel and her little brother Mac are out for their regular Saturday afternoon adventure in Portland.  All is going well until they are at the park and a murder of crows swoop in and kidnap Mac.  Prue, in an attempt to rescue her brother, is able to follow the crows on her bike until they fly into the Impassable Wilderness.  The Impassable Wilderness is just as it sounds, an unexplored forest just outside of Portland.  As far as Prue knows, no one has ever tried to enter the woods but she knows she must try in order to get her baby brother back.

While she is trying to come up with a plan of action while walking home in the dead of night her classmate, Curtis overhears her talking to her self about what she’s going to do.  The next morning on her way into the woods Curtis is taking out the trash and sees Prue again and decides to follow her.  That’s when things get really good.  The Impassable Wilderness or Wildwood (as the inhabitants call it) is full of incredible creatures and many obstacles Prue and Curtis must overcome to find Mac.

The author of Wildwood, Colin Meloy, is the front man for one of my favorite bands, The Decemberists whose albums are stories in themselves.  Colin Meloy was obviously born with the gift of gab.  Carson Ellis who did the illustrations for Wildwood is absolutely amazing at what she does.

Luckily, Wildwood is the first book in a trilogy.  Under Wildwood is the next installment and it comes out in September.  I’m really looking forward to reading more of Prue’s adventures.

by Zita

Ashley, an avid reader and 8th grader at St. Andrew, has reviewed a very timely book for us, as the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking arrives tonight. Fateful by Claudia Gray puts a Doctor Who spin on the Titanic’s only voyage across the Atlantic:

I’ve read several books about werewolves, but this story is different from the rest because of the amazing historical setting. Set in 1912, Fateful is a book filled with intrigue, dark secrets, and a mysterious brotherhood of werewolves all set on the Titanic voyage. Knowing the ship is going to sink, how will werewolves play a part in the adventure laced with paranormal suspense?

For years, eighteen-year-old Tess Davies has been a maid for the wealthy Lisle family in England. She has always dreamed of a better life and her chance to escape comes when they take her aboard the Titanic. She has hated everything about her life in their service and secretly plots to run away when she arrives in New York City. On board, Tess meets and falls instantly in love with Alec, a dashing upper class passenger with a dangerous secret. He saves her life-then warns her to stay away.

Tess is drawn to him so forcefully however, that they fall in love despite the obstacles. Even as a wolf, Alec refuses to hurt Tess, his human self overpowering the animal within. Tess quickly becomes a pawn, however, in the sinister brotherhood led by the evil Mikhail who will stop at nothing to induct Alec into their ranks. Knowing the sinking of the Titanic was inevitable, I was constantly waiting for trouble to erupt.

Fateful is a captivating historical novel about following dreams and surviving tragedy and it is filled with adventure, betrayal, and a spellbinding story of love that conquers all.

Augusta Scattergood is the author of Glory Be, the new middle grade book about a young girl named Glory and her experiences in the summer of 1964  in Hanging Moss, Mississippi. While Hanging Moss is not a real town, the towns in the delta that it is based on are very much real. Augusta, or Gusty as her friend call her, should know: She was there. She remembers the era depicted in The Help, remembers the almost electricity of the time when issues always boiled down to color. I was recently on a conference call with Augusta and many other booksellers, and I got to listen to Augusta and her editor Andrea Pinkney, discuss the book and Augusta’s experiences.

Augusta started writing this book ten years ago when she was a school librarian, and this book was really a labor of love for her. During Freedom Summer, Augusta was living in Cleveland, MS, near Delta State. Her friend’s mom was the town librarian in Sunflower, and that summer was a real turning point for her. She says that much of her fodder for this book comes from her time in the delta that summer.

Many things in the book come from history, but Augusta told us in the conference call that some of the things in the book are very similar to real events from her life. Augusta said she had always heard that Robert Kennedy came to Mississippi. He talked to some of the black churches, and people in the area hardly ever heard about it. This visit always intrigued her and so Augusta wrote Robert Kennedy into the story. He visits Glory’s housekeeper’s church, and it really leaves an impression on Glory.

Another scene in the book takes Glory and her sister to Elvis’s birthplace. Augusta herself was an Elvis freak as a child. She was even an Elvis impersonator, and won a contest in Memphis. On Augusta’s trip to Tupelo to see his birthplace with her mother and sister, they all took an edge of green newspaper. Augusta mentioned in the conference call that her is the only one that survived in a scrapbook!

One of my favorite things that Augusta mentioned about the book during this conference call was a quote from the book: “Books have no color and they don’t care who reads them.” This is one of the things the town librarian says, but I also think that it tells simply what Glory Be is about.

Augusta will at Lemuria TODAY at 4:00 to sign her book, Glory Be. Come on over and hear more about Augusta and her book!