Modern+Fantasy+Annotations

Modern Fantasy Annotations
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** “The Spiderwick Chronicles Book 1: The Field Guide,” by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black.” (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers: 2003). Ages 9-12. **
 * Tessa’s Pick! **

When their Great Aunt Lucinda Spiderwick is residing in an asylum, the Grace kids (twins Jared and Simon and their sister Mallory) move into her creepy old mansion with their mother. Almost immediately weird things start happening, and it begins with something scratching inside the walls and scurrying all over the house. Simon wants to find out what it is because he thinks it’s a squirrel, and he’s the pet lover in the group. Jared tends to be the one who fights because he hasn’t quite adjusted to the idea of dad leaving. Mallory is interested in fencing. Together, they begin their investigation and quickly find a secret room with no doors. The room is filled with books and it also has a threatening note that tells them they should all leave. Of course, the kids are not just going to walk away. The story intensifies as Mallory wakes up with her hair tied in knots to her bed and Simon gets beaten black and blue, but the ultimate mystery becomes the disappearance of the children’s great-uncle Arthur Spiderwick generations before. This book has terrific illustrations and offers insight into many emotions, hopes and fears, and relationships that children can relate too. Tessa’s Pick! ** ** “Airborn,” by Kenneth Oppel. (Harper Collins Publishers: 2004). Grade 6-10. **  Matt Cruse, 15 years old, is a cabin boy on the airship Aurora, the same ship from which his father dropped to his death. As the ship crosses the Pacificus bound for Lionsgate City, Matt sights a battered hot air balloon with an unconscious passenger aboard. The dying passenger’s notebook is filled with drawings of extraordinary winged creatures, half bat, and half panther. The Aurora heads out on a quest once again, this time Kate de Vries, the heir of the dead balloonist aboard as a passenger. She is determined to validate her grandfather’s discovery of these “cloud cats.” She and Matt embark on a wild adventure filled with storms, pirate invasions, and humorous byplay. Opel addresses the issues of social status at the time, with the bond developed between Matt and Kate, the cabin boy and the elite. This book is a must read, with action packed adventure and fantastical creatures, laced with a little bit of romance.

** “Disney’s Winnie the Pooh Easy-To-Read Stories,” by Issabel Gaines. (Disney Press: 2000). Ages 4-8. ** This Winnie the Pooh collection features six Pooh stories in one. This book features the stories, “Tiggers Hate to Lose,” “The Giving Bear,” “Eeyore Finds Friends,” “Pooh’s Surprise Basket,” “Be Quiet, Pooh!” and “Pooh’s Scavenger Hunt. This collection is perfect for students at the beginning stages of reading with the large print and familiar characters. The detailed illustrations also add so much to the characters and story. Each story also sends a message of morals to the reader. My favorite of the stories is “Eeyore Finds Friends.” Gopher reminds Eeyore that it is Twos-day, a day where one friend spends with one friend. Eeyore goes on a search to find a friend to spend the day with, but to his dismay, everyone already has a friend for the day. Eeyore sadly watches Pooh and Piglet through the window, when he decides to give up and be alone. Pooh sees Eeyore and invites him in to spend the day with him and Piglet, and have a fun day instead of a twos-day. I think this story sends a great message to children to always include everybody.
 * Tessa’s Pick! **

Mary's Picks: //**Zathura Written by **// **Chris Van Allsburg. Houghton Mifflin. New York. 2002. Grade Level: K-5.**

Danny and Walter are two brothers who have their share of differences. One day, while their parents were out, a fight brought the boys outside where Danny found a board game against a tree. He brought the game inside and opened the box. There were two game boards, but the board with the flying saucers, rockets, and planets caught Danny’s attention. On the board was a path of colored squares going from Earth to a planet called Zathura, Danny rolled the dice and the game came to life! This is a great story that jumps off from Chris Van Allsburgs classic story Jumanji. I enjoyed how Allsburg connected the two books together; it was a great link between the two stories.

//**Look Out, Jack! The Giant is Back!**// **Written by Tom Birdseye. Illus. by Will Hillenbrand. Holiday House. New York. 2001. Grade Level: 1-4.**

Look Out Jack! The Giant is Back takes us beyond what happened after Jack and his mother lived happily ever after. In the story the giant who fell to his death has a brother who is out for revenge against Jack. He plans to eat Jack on toast, and nothing will stop him! But Jack, who is a smart little boy, prepares a huge feast to feed the giant so he becomes very full that he cannot eat nor catch Jack. This is a silly and clever story that entertains it audience with another perspective to such a classic story.

//**My Pony**// **Written** **by Susan Jeffers. Hyperion Books. New York. 2003. Grade Level: K-3.** My Pony is a sweet story about a young girl who wants a pony more than anything in the world. Whenever her family drives in the country they stop at a farm to pat the horses. She asks her parents many times for a horse, but the answer is always the same, “they cost too much money”. So she dreams of riding her own pony that she calls Silver. Each night as she draws Silver it is as if she comes alive. They fly amongst the tall trees, over streams, between the clouds. Susan Jeffers story is beautifully illustrated. The illustrations are so lifelike that it makes you feel as though you are flying along with Silver and the little girl.

Audrey's Picks: **The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick: 2006).** There’s so much to say about this beautiful book -- I’m afraid I won’t do it justice, but here are a few thoughts… This is a Velveteen Rabbit story with a twist. In the process of being loved, the Velveteen Rabbit becomes real. Edward Tulane, on the other hand, starts out well-loved, but lacks the capacity to love – he’s in fact a very shallow, priggish, self-involved china rabbit. Abilene, the little girl who loves him, would say to him each night, “I love you Edward,” and we are told that “Edward said nothing. He said nothing because, of course, he could not speak.” This is a significant failure – the narrator has no magic to report – the fantasy story has yet to begin. Even Abilene’s grandmother Pellegrina -- the author’s stand-in, the storyteller/God character in the book, who “was responsible for Edward’s existence” and who is the only one to recognize his many shortcomings -- is unable to tell bedtime stories. “Soon there will be a story,” she would say. Edward Tulane’s journey is a personal epic and nothing short of miraculous. His identity is fully transformed through a series of adventures and misadventures and the circumstances of these experiences. It’s the story’s unfolding that creates Edward. Unlike the Velveteen Rabbit who becomes real, Edward Tulane becomes fantasical and able to love (Isn't this a miracle after all?). In the end, in a moment of recognition, he is finally, magically able to say //yes// (without quotes).

It was the local setting of Provincetown, MA, the coming of age story, and the allusions to Melville’s Ishmael that first interested me in this story. Also, it seems to be part of a sub-genre of stories about girls who become creatures of the sea (e.g. The Tail of Emily Winsnap, The Little Mermaid). This story is of an 11-year old girl who loves whales and knows she is special, but wonders why. When she falls over the side of a whale watching boat during a class trip, she discovers she is indeed special; she can become a whale. Isabel is adopted by a pod of humpback whales where she learns that she has been “chosen” as one to move between the whale and human world as a kind of communicator. Through Isabel’s transformation and her unique voyage, we come to learn all about this fascinating undersea life and the specialness of being a whale.
 * Isabel of the Whales by Hester Velmans (Delacorte Press: 2005).**

Mem Pocket is a sweet old lady who lives on a farm with her dog, Daisy, and her small flock of speckled hens. One day she receives a polite letter from “The Gentlemen of Island Taxes”, asking for payment of back taxes on her property, and she can’t possibly pay it. Of course she is terrified and tells her hens she’s going to lose the farm. The hens get together to brood over it. “No, we cannot… Our mothers and their mothers and their mothers before them lived on this farm for as long as the stone buildings have stood.” The oldest and wisest hen of the flock relates a tale of how Dragons long ago gave the hens One Great Mystery – the secret of laying golden eggs, and she describes a set of tasks involving great peril and adventure that must be accomplished by the hen who was hatched at the time of the New Moon. And so it is that the youngest among them, Hanne, comes to be identified as the one to take up the quest described. She must prove herself to be brave and pure and wise. If she does, she will save Mem Pocket's farm. This is an inspirational tale with a familiar narrative structure that gives girls a chance to identify with the classic adventure hero.
 * Hanne’s Quest by Olivier Dunrea (Philomel Books: 2006).**


 * Tarah’s Picks **

//The Boy Who grew Flowers,// by Jen Wojtowicz. Cambridge, MA: Barefoot Books, 2005. In this unusual but enchanting story, we learn of a young boy who sprouts flowers all over his body every month during the full moon. Rink Bowagon comes from a family where each member has their own unique talent. Rink is shy and quiet, but he goes to school every day after his mother cuts the flowers off of his body. One day Angelina, a new girl, arrives at school and Rink likes her right away. Angelina has her own special, secret qualities and she notices Rink right away. When rink finds out that Angelina doesn’t want to go to a school dance because one of her legs is shorter than the other, he makes her a pair of special snakeskin shoes to compensate for the difference and she is finally able to dance. She is thrilled and they become friends and rink reveals to her that he sprouts flowers. Instead of being horrified, Angelina reveals her own secret to him. With beautiful illustrations by Steve Adams, this story encourages acceptance of ourselves and tolerance for other people’s differences. Recommended for grades 1-3.

//Imagine a Day,// by Sarah L. Thomson, illustrated by Rob Gonsalves. New York: Atheneum Books, 2005. Here’s a large-sized book with few words, but endless possibilities. Each short imagining is complemented by a surrealistic painting in which we are invited to study and wonder ‘what if?’ Picket fences turn into skyscrapers and bicycles ride a treetop road in this fascinating book that asks us to imagine a reality different than our own. One of a series by the same team, including //Imagine a Night// and //Imagine a Place.// Appropriate for elementary age, but adults will certainly enjoy it, too.



//Smarter than Squirrels,// by Lucy Nolen, illustrated by Mike Reed. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Books, 2004. Down Dog is a happy-go-lucky dog with a different take on life. She and her best friend Sit share adventures since their masters are neighbors and friends. The dogs’ world is filled with horrible perils, such as a cat named Here Kitty Kitty, and squirrels that are stupid enough to climb trees- dogs would never do that because they would fall out. Down Girl takes good care of her owner, by doing such things as waking him an hour before his alarm so that it won’t scare him and scaring away the paper boy so that he won’t get spanked, since that’s what newspapers are for. Also, Down Girl’s appetite and love of doughnuts get her in trouble numerous times. This hilarious short chapter book will keep young readers well-entertained until the end and the cute black and white drawings add to the fun. One of a series of three books about the dogs’ adventures. Grades 1-3.


 * Megan Smith's Picks:**

// **The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1 The Field Guide.** // **Written by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. (Simon and Schuster: 2003)** This is the first book in a series geared for students age 9-12. The Grace children move into their Aunt Lucinda’s house after their parents get divorced. As Jared is unpacking, he hears what he thinks is a squirrel scratching in the walls. Jared and his siblings break open the wall with a broom and find what looks like a nest. Further exploration reveals a dumbwaiter. Jared goes up the wall in the dumbwaiter, only to find a strange room and a mysterious poem. Strange things begin to happen. Jared’s Mother blames him. He explores the attic and finds a book in a trunk that’s written in the same handwriting as the poem. The book is full of information about fairies. The black and white sketches help the reader visualize the characters and, at times, add humor. My favorite is the picture of Jared’s sister Mallory with her hair tied to the headboard! The main themes are bravery and family loyalty. This is a quick read that leaves you looking forward to reading the next one.

**// The City of Ember. //**** Written by Jeanne DuPrau. (Random House: 2003) ** This is the first in a set of four books appropriate for ages 9 and up. Ember is an underground city. The people in Ember are surrounded by darkness. The little light they have is running out, along with their other supplies. The story starts on Assignment Day. Lina gets assigned the messenger job, and Doon works on the Pipeworks. Lina discovers her baby sister eating what looks like a set of old instructions. She works with Doon to put the pieces together to solve the puzzle. The two use their jobs to help them solve the mystery, and escape the corrupt mayor and his men. Lina and Doon, although clearly adversaries at the beginning, end up working together to find a way to save Ember. They end up finding a new city outside of Ember in the Unknown Regions. The major themes of this book are hope and determination. I liked this book because it was unpredictable and kept me interested right until the end. Truthfully, I didn’t expect to enjoy it but I was pleasantly surprised!

**// Savvy. //**** Written by Ingrid Law. (Dial: 2008) **

Each member of the Beaumont family has a savvy, or supernatural power that strikes when they turn thirteen. The grandpa moves mountains, the mother does everything perfectly, and the sons create hurricanes and electrical storms. Now Mibs is turning thirteen and she can’t wait to find out what her savvy is. Unfortunately, her father is in an accident and everything goes awry. She becomes convinced that her new power will be to save her dad. She is determined to get to him at the hospital. She sneaks onto a bible salesman’s bus with the preacher’s kids and her two brothers, not realizing the bus was heading in the wrong direction. Mibs ends up realizing her savvy was not what she thought. Her brothers have to fight to keep their savvy under control. In the meantime, the police are hot on their tail. I really liked the adventure on the bus. I think this would make a really funny movie. The major themes are friendship and growing up. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

This is the first in a series of five books (so far) involving Torak. Set several thousand years ago, Paver has established a complete primitive society with rules of behavior and a fully functional belief system based on the natural world and World Spirit. There are medicinal plants, tools and utensils in use regularly. Within this backdrop, Torak, a boy "12 summers old" has to survive being orphaned and without a clan. He can, however, talk to Wolf and befriends his would be captor in the first book who becomes his closest friend (along with Wolf). Mages act in a manner similar to a medicine man in a Native American tribe, with one mage per clan. A group of power hungry mages called the soul eaters are the nemeses of society and it is the role of Torak and Wolf to thwart them at every turn. Excellent series for upper elementary into middle school age.
 * Helen's picks**
 * Paver, [[image:WolfBrother.jpg width="70" height="101" align="left"]]Mic****helle. //Chronicles of Ancient Darkness:Wolf Brother//. New York, Harper Collins, 2004**

A haunting and cleverly woven story about where our dreams come from. Our memories and feelings associated with things around us, however limited, are “collected” and bestowed on us. It is written from the perspective of Littlest who is learning how to bestow, an old woman, a troubled boy and his mother. The stuff of dreams and nightmares (inflicted by the horde) is examined and the reader is left wondering but hopeful. Grade 3-6, though older kids might enjoy it too, it is almost poetic written in Lowry’s unique style.
 * Lowry, Lois. //Gossamer//. New York, Houghton Mifflin, 2003**.[[image:gossamer.jpg width="73" height="104" align="right"]]

After a dragon bites the emperor’s son, that son banished the dragons to the farthest region as soon as he is old enough to. So we meet a poor servant girl in the pit with a forlorn dragon. His mate has died and he is growing old in desolate conditions. Ping discovers she can understand the dragon and they embark on a journey to heal Danzi, the dragon. They MUST bring the “dragon stone” along with them. Danzi can speak and can morph into human form for brief periods to elude capture. Over the course of the journey, Ping matures and finds an inner strength that serves her well. Grades 7-9 would probably enjoy this.
 * Wilkinson, Carole. //Dragon Keeper.// New York, Hyperion Books, 2003.**

__The Lightning Thief__ by Rick Riordan, Miramax 2005, grades 5-8
 * Pat's picks:**

Percy Jackson is a kid who lives with his mother and is discouraged with school because of his dyslexia and ADHD. Percy has changed schools a lot and hasn’t had time to make a lot of friends. What he is about to learn is that he is half-human, and half-Greek god. Percy goes to summer camp for demi-gods, and embarks on a quest that forms the best friendships he’s ever had, and changes his self-image.

I didn’t think I was a fan of fantasy at all, but Percy is a very likeable character, and I was hooked from the first page. His low self-esteem is quite typical and immediately believable; he won my sympathy right away. The references to Greek mythology were interesting and did not bog down the story, which was well-crafted and engaging. No wonder this won ALA Notable Book 2005, YASLA Best Book for Young Adults 2005, and Mass. Children’s Book Award 2008. First book in the series by Rick Riordan, followed by: __Sea of Monsters__, __The Titan’s Curse__, __The Battle of the Labyrinth__. __Matilda__ by Roald Dahl, Scholastic 1996, grades 3 to 6 Matilda is an extraordinary girl because she’s very smart, and at age 5 ½ has never been to school. Her parents are neglectful and mean, but when Matilda begs to go to school, they relent. At school, she meets Miss Honey, who recognizes Matilda’s aptitude. The principal of the school, Miss Trunchbull is cruel and doesn’t believe in Matilda’s intelligence. Matilda uses her mental powers to make Miss Trunchbull and her parents afraid, and makes her home life and school life better. Lovely story of good trumps evil. The parents of Matilda, the Wormwoods, and the principal, Miss Trunchbull, are harsh and oppressive in a Dickens-like style and are very easy to dislike. They are keeping Matilda from her true potential, but Matilda won’t let them control her life, which is a fantasy all kids can relate to. I loved the characters, especially the patient and righteous Matilda. __Gossamer__ by Lois Lowry, Yearling 2008, grades 5-8 Dream-givers are going from place to place each night, using their skills to bestow pleasant dreams on humans, and doing their best to keep nightmares away. The experienced dream-givers are teaching the younger ones to bestow dreams properly, without the people knowing. Among the people they visit include a new foster mother and her very angry foster son, who is a challenge to the dream-givers because he has such a troubled life. As he trusts and begins to love his foster mom, the dream-givers are able to give him happy dreams and restful sleep. An amazing concept that made me think constantly about it for days and weeks after. The little fairy dream-givers were very intriguing characters, each with strengths and weaknesses. I especially liked the tenuous relationship between the angry 8-yr-old foster boy and his reluctant foster mom; her love and patience helped the boy overcome the trauma in his life. This realistic depiction of foster care was so touching and positive that I immediately put it on my list to recommend for foster kids.

// The Doll People //. Written by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin. Illustrated by Brian Selznick. Hyperion Books, 2000. Ages 7 - 11 In this modern fantasy dolls are alive! The story centers around a family of dolls living in a century old dollhouse. They are allowed to be “alive” when humans are asleep. If caught being alive by a human, a doll could be put into “doll state,” or worse yet, “permanent doll state.” The traditional dollhouse family seems to be able to live by the rules and other than the mysterious disappearance of Aunt Sarah their lives are very routine. And then a new doll family moves in. They are a modern plastic doll family with little regard for the “rules” of the doll people. Eight-year-old Annabelle and Tiffany become fast friends and conspirators as this exciting tale unfolds. Luckily there are more books in this series, //The Meanest Doll in the World// and //The Runaway Dolls// because //The Doll People// leaves readers wanting to spend more time in their magical world!
 * Laurie’s Favorites!**

The Storm. Written by Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Preston McDaniels. Aladin, 2003. Ages 4 - 8. In this first book of The Lighthouse Family series., we are introduced to Pandora, a cat who has lived through some rough times and now happily maintains a lighthouse. When a storm blows in an unexpected visitor, Pandora’s life is changed forever. This heart-warming story is followed up with three more tales of Pandora and her Lighthouse Family, all characters that readers can’t help but love!
 * Laurie’s Favorites! **

// Simon Bloom, the Gravity Keeper //. Written by Michael Reisman. Puffin, 2009. Ages 9 - 12. This exciting fantasy includes all the elements that children love. There is suspense, magical powers and a battle between good, Simon and his friends, and evil adults. This Massachusetts Book Award nominee begins with the tale of a misfit boy who befriends another misfit and then stumbles upon the secret of controlling gravity. The two boys and a popular girl, who is a former friend of Simon’s, end up facing unimagined danger as they fight to save the world. Their humor and courage make them all characters that the reader routes for. It is a face-paced adventure that will have you wanting more. Luckily Simon Bloom is back in another adventure in the book’s sequel, //Simon Bloom: The Octopus Effect//.
 * Laurie’s Favorites! **

//Toys Go Out: being the adventures of a knowledgeable Stingray, a toughy little Buffalo, and someone called Plastic// by Emily Jenkins. Pictures by Paul O. Zelinsky. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2006. The six related stories in this book join together to tell the adventures of three friends: a stuffed buffalo named Lumphy, a plastic StringRay and “Plastic” a toy ball. They belong to the “Little Girl” and live under her bed. The odd toys make this a charming book which explores the themes of friendship, loyalty and love. Their adventures out into the world and even to the beach provide humorous moments as well as some tense ones as when Plastic believes it has been bitten by a shark, (actually it is a dog retrieving it form the wave.) We believe these little toys have a life of their own, complete with daily activities, other toy friends, quarrels and celebrations. Zelinsky’s black and white full-page illustrations highlight the gentle nature of this book and the love shared between these unusual friends and the little girl. Children in grades 2-4 would appreciate this sweet toy story.
 * Marcia's Picks**

//Andrew Lost: In the Kitchen// by J.C. Greenburg. Illustrated by Debbie Palen. New York: Random House, 2002. (Vol.3 in the series) Ten-year old Andrew, his cousin Judy and their robot Thudd have invented an atom sucker that shrinks objects by sucking out the space in the atoms. The premise of the 18 volume series is that the trio shrinks down to microscopic size and ventures into everyday spaces: the kitchen, the garden, the bathroom, dog. There they see things they have never seen before and always race to get back in time to regain their full size. Allowing the characters inside the most common environments, kitchen pipes, for example, creates new and mysterious worlds. Greenburg includes non-fiction facts along the way, and there is enough gross humor to keep even the most reluctant readers interested. These sci-fi adventures would be perfect for 2-4 graders.

**//The Prince of Fenway Park//** **by Julianna Baggott. New York: Harper Collins, 2009.** When Oscar is sent to live with the father he hardly knows, he feels something is not right. He soon discovers his father is one of the “cursed” who lives in a secret world beneath Fenway Park. The year is 2004 and the Red Sox are so close to the World Series their fans can taste it - but the Curse of the Bambino remains. The creatures inhabiting this underground world include three strange aunties, a weaselman, a Pooka and waves of mice. It is the setting that is magical: a complex underground labyrinth right in the middle of Boston, with crawl spaces, hidden doors and secret hatches into the ballpark. Oscar and his dad sleep on a mat in a dirt crawl space beneath the pitcher’s mound. Oscar is believed to be the “Chosen One” who will break the curse and send the Red Sox on to World Series victory.His quest through Fenway is a fun blend of sports and fantasy for children in grades 3-8.

Tracy's Picks //The Time Hackers// by Gary Paulsen Grade Level 3 – 6 (Feiwel and Friends-Macmillan: 2008 ) The Time Hackers is a science fiction book that explores the concept of time travel. Through computer technology (a “Super Chip”), people have the ability to bring the past forward as holograms. This allowed people to see Shakespeare, or watch the Battle of Bull Run as it happened. Dorso and his friend Frank discover that hackers have the ability to interact with the people from the past, which is a dangerous scenario. It could affect the past which will change the future. It is up to Frank and Dorso, high school students who are the recipients of hologram pranks, to stop them. Fantasy, science fiction and humor combine to make this an excellent read for the older elementary student.

//Magic//, by Angie Sage Grade Level 3 – 6 (HarperCollins: 2005 ( M//agyk//, first book in the //Septimus Heap// series transports the reader to magical place where wizardry and magic are commonplace. Stoves have a mind of their own and clothes will become clean and folded on command from a wizard. The story begins with an Ordinary Wizard, walking home from getting herbs for his newborn son, finding a baby girl out in the snow. The ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia, tells Silas Heap to keep the baby safe, and act like she is their own baby. The Heaps are told by the midwife that their own baby, Septimus, has died. Ultimately, we find out that the baby girl, Jenna, is the Queen’s baby, and that Septimus, also known as “Boy 412” of the Young Army is the Heaps’ son Septimus. They must fight against evil to save themselves and their world. Ghosts, magic, wizardry and the mystical realm make this an engaging modern fantasy book where good triumphs over evil. I like that the ExtraOrdinary Wizard is a woman, and that the Princess is strong. //The Girl Who Could Fly// by Victoria Forester (Feiwel and Friends-Macmillan: 2008) is the story of Piper McCloud, a misfit girl born to older farmers. Jenna’s mother notices that the baby hovers instead of falling when she rolls off the kitchen table. Piper’s parents keep her at home and she never socializes with the other children in the rural, farming community. Piper learns that she can fly, and the townspeople react negatively saying that she is the work of the devil. When Piper is home in bed, she hears a voice whisper to her that he is there to help her. Later, she is swept away by a ‘government agency’ with the promise of a good education, and safe keeping. The ‘academy’ is not what it seems, and neither is the head mistress Dr. Hellion. All of the students have an ability, some are telekinetic, some are super strong, some are super fast. Conrad, an 11 year old, posses the ‘most acute and extraordinary ability ever recorded.” (Forester, 97). He is a genius. But he needs help to escape, and that one person who can help is Piper. Ultimately, we see why Dr. Hellion took those with extraordinary abilities at the academy. She wanted to make them ‘normal’. She can fly, but wishes she couldn’t because she lost her sister in a flying accident. The children all escape, but Dr. Hellion perishes in the process. This story has supernatural abilities, good versus evil, and extraordinary characters in ordinary places. The humor sprinkled throughout this fantasy will capture the attention of readers in 3 – 6 grade.

“The Spiderwick Chronicles: Book 2 The Seeing Stone.” by Holly Black 2003. Siblings Mallory, Jared and Simon have lived on the Spiderwick Estate in a run down old house since their parents divorced. The house has a secret room in which a brownie (a tiny gnome like creature) named Thimbletack lives. When his twin, Simon is kidnapped one day, Jared, Mallory and Thimbletack locate a stone eyepiece which will give them “the sight” or ability to see goblins. They find the eyepiece and take off to rescue Simon all along the way encountering magical creatures. The story is reminiscent of Hans Christian Anderson's magical characters and the magic of hidden lands as in the wardrobe in “The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis. “The Gawgon and the Boy” by Lloyd Alexander 2003. In this semi autobiographical story of growing up in Philadelphia in the late 1920's David s sent to live with his strict old Aunt after he is found too weak to return to school. He plans on spending the time relaxing at home making up fantasy stories and lounging around until his aunt declares “I will tke the boy” He is initially worried and nicknames her the “Gawgon” which is taken from another relative's outrageous accent. Surprising to David he finds out his Aunt loves fantasy’s as much s he does and the duo take off in several time traveling adventures. This book is an enjoyable tale which children will be able to relate to the experience of having something turn out not quite as you though it would. “Araminta Spookie: My Haunted House” as told to Angie Sage 2006. Araminta Spookie lives in a haunted old house with her Aunt Tabby, Uncle Drac and a haunted suit of armor named Sir Horace. In this title in the series Aunt Tabby decides to sell the house. Araminta pairs up with Sir Horace and decides to do everything in her power to prevent the house from selling. She begins by dumping her slimy and green fish bowl water on the first real estate agent who arrives. Araminta discovers the house really is haunted and the spooking works, that is until the Wizzard family shows up. The book is more humorous than spooky. A great title for readers who love ghosts and the like but don’t need all the spooks.
 * Meghan's Picks**:

=//Mia's Picks!//=

The author of this series became fascinated by Merlin, as told in the author’s note, and found that all of his other projects had to wait while he research this mythical (or even perhaps historical) character. This first book is about a time in Merlin’s life that appeared to the author to be an unexplained gap. There was ample written material about Merlin as an infant, and as an adult, which stood as a stark contrast the absence of writings about his later childhood and as a young adult. The story begins with a child that is washed to shore. The child sees a woman wedged in rocks, moaning and miserable. Upon hearing a snarl, he turns to find a wild boar about ready to attack. Realizing that there is no defense readily available, he makes for the hollow of a tree, then stops to go back and rescue the woman. The boy does not know who he is, or who the woman is, but the woman supplies them with names, and a relationship, and the two pass their time living in the village. The boy does not quite believe that this woman is his mother, nor does he believe that the names she has assigned to each are true, but he is unable to pull more information from her. The woman has some odd ways, and the boy starts to show some mystical powers. As villagers, they are outcasts. This book tells the story of a child struggling to control powers he does not understand-the child before he becomes Merlin. This wonderfully written, enchanting book is the beginning book in a series that is worth reading.
 * [[image:merlin.png align="left"]]The Lost Years of Merlin by T.A. Barron**

This is the first book in the Inheritance Trilogy. This story is about a poor farmer, Eragon, who finds a remarkable blue stone while out hunting to find meat to get his hungry family through winter. The stone was found in an area that many of the locals refused to visit due to the mysteries and dangers that are inherent to the area. Eragon senses that perhaps the stone was made from some sort of magic. It turns out that the stone is not a stone at all, but an egg. From the egg hatches a dragon. The story that ensues has many of the elements familiar to this genre, battles, angry monsters, elves and more. The author began writing this book at sixteen, and published it at nineteen. I wonder if perhaps the author was inspired to write this book because of an apparent dearth of books for young boys. The second and third books in the series, Eldest and Brisinger, are not quite as good, with Brisinger more violent than necessary.
 * [[image:eragon.png align="left"]]Eragon by Christopher Paolini**


 * [[image:percy_jackson.png align="left"]]Rick Riordan Percy Jackson and the Olympians**
 * The Lightening Thief**
 * The Sea of Monsters**
 * The Battle of the Labyrinth**
 * The Last Olympian**

This series follows a little boy, Percy Jackson, through exotic and fantastic adventures with the gods and goddesses of Olympus. Percy is a half-blood. His mother is mortal, and his father is a god. The stories takes place in the 21st century. These books are a great introduction to ancient mythology that is studied in fourth grade, as readers become familiar with the names and strengths of some of the most often referred to characters in literature.

This is a great series for those interested in fantastical happenings, with talking photographs, ghosts, time travel, invisible beings, laboratories manned questionable characters, and many more intriguing happenings. This series is well written, has great character development, and layers events and characters and stories so well that a reader cannot help but become engaged. Charlie Bone has magic in his blood that allows him to go into photographs and pictures and speak with the subjects, thus enabling him to uncover mysteries of the past, and raising questions of the past and questions about people in the present. Children will be able to relate to the characters that are not evil, and will be fascinated by those who are.
 * [[image:Charlie_Bone.png align="left"]]Charlie Bone series by Jenny Nimmo**

The Indian in the Cupboard is a story about a little boy, Omri, who is given a cupboard for his birthday. It turns out that it is a magic cupboard; when an object is placed inside it will come to life. Omri becomes the caretaker of the tiny person who has come to life in his cupboard, and immediately senses that he must protect this person from those who might take advantage of either the person or the magic cupboard. Omri’s instincts are well placed, but he still learns some valuable life lessons in the process of getting to know the Indian. Omri learns about trust, he learns about respecting people as people regardless of their size or culture, as well as respecting the Indian’s bravery and strength as well as his needs (basic needs of food and shelter, and higher needs of companionship and culture). Omri learns valuable lessons about friendship as he struggles over differences with his friend Patrick. Omri’s sense of responsibility to the Indian is one of maturity and understanding, whereas Patrick’s view is that of a plaything. This remarkable story is one that is difficult to put down. It is rich with imaginative happenings and truth about relationships. Annotation by Mia Morgan.
 * [[image:indian.png align="left"]]The Indian in the Cupboard (part of a trilogy, also includes The Return of the Indian and the Secret of the Indian) by Lynne Reid Banks**

Tells the story of four children who do not travel to the ocean or the lake as other children do in the summer, “because their father is dead and their mother works too hard at the other newspaper-the one that nobody looks at.” The children are watched over by Miss Bick, who does not seem to care for the children, nor they for her. The children’s primary source of amusement comes from the books that they walk to the town library to borrow. One day one of the children finds a magic coin that grants wishes-or half wishes. The children learn that they must wish double to get a whole wish. The children find themselves engaged in situations that rival some of their favorite novels. The story is about how the children use the charm, and then eventually use it up; and then finally decide how to dispense with the coin. In the other books in the series the magic manifests itself in different ways, and brings in other characters and scenes from the children's favorite books. The writing in these books brings me back to a simpler time, when children had time to be children and need to use their imaginations for their entertainment. Annotation by Mia Morgan.
 * [[image:halfmagic.png align="left"]]Half Magic by Edward Eager also in the series Knight's Castle, Magic by the Lake and The Time Garden**

Olivia Kidney and the Secret Beneath the City (Book 3 of the Series)). The books in this series teeter between fantasy and realistic fiction-though the ghosts and bizarre situations tip the scales slightly more to the fantastic than the realistic. These are not a happy little father daughter stories, these are stories of a family coming to grips with the death of an older brother, a frequently unemployed father, and an absentee mother. The first book in the series takes place all on one day, when 12 year old Olivia loses the keys to her apartment. She spends the afternoon knocking on doors in the building, meeting quirky and sometimes downright rude neighbors, in the process she is coming to grips with the loss of her brother, and helping a friend to discover his own truths as well. The second book in the series follows the Kidney’s to their new apartment. Her father, the building supervisor is frequently being fired from his jobs because he is not very good at it. Once again, they are moving their tired belongings to a new building. This building proves to be quite unusual, in both form (the main walkway through the building is actually a swimming pool) and function (it serves as an exit house for ghosts leaving this world and moving onto the next world). The third book the series continues Olivia’s adventures with other worldly beings and, beings of this world too. Annotation by Mia Morgan.
 * [[image:kidney.png align="left"]]Olivia Kidney by Ellen Potter** (Part of a Series that includes Olivia Kidney and The Exit Academy (Book 2) and

On the day of her birth, a slightly fussy Ella is visited by the fairy Lucida who bestows upon the child the gift of obedience. The newborn stops crying immediately, and then spends her childhood doing exactly as she is told. Ella is a child who could be commanded by any one at any time. The gift turns out to be a curse that Ella would do anything to get out of. As soon as she is old enough she sets out to return the gift and the story unfolds as she sets out on her quest.
 * Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine**


 * Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown**

This might be classified as contemporary realistic fiction except for one thing-the protagonist in this story was flattened by a bulletin board that fell in him while he was sleeping one night-he is as flat as a sheet of paper (except on the rare occasion that he is blown up by a bicycle pump and made large again).

Stanley becomes a child hood hero as his flatness gets him into all kinds of adventures, visiting the president, flying to space, finding a genie in a magic lamp or meeting Santa and the Reindeer. Children love the Stanley stories as they imagine themselves sailing through the sky in a rocket ship. Stanley’s parents are a little spacey themselves-in these stories Stanley and his brother are the decision makers in the family.

This five book series tells the story of a family (a mother and three children) who move into an old house owned but no longer lived in, by a quirky aunt. The children stumble upon a world of pixies and goblins and trolls; this world is not the sweet fairy world that most children envision-it is a scary world that threatens the families’ lives. These small books read like a journal or field guide that offers descriptions and possible explanations for the strange creatures and happenings.
 * The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holy Black**

King-Smith has written over thirty books for children, where the protagonist is often a gentle little animal. Adaptation is a common theme in King-Smith’s stories. His characters often endear themselves to the reader, and get themselves out of tricky situations by relying on their ingenuity. In **The Water Horse**, a child finds an egg, and watches it hatch into a small sea monster, or kelpie. The kelpie quickly outgrows the bathtub in which it was born, and several other nearby pools of water. The kelpie needs to learn how to survive in the wild, and is fortunate to have the guidance of some well meaning children and sympathetic adults. This fantasy has just enough hominess to be believable. In **Babe: The Gallant Pig** a pig taken at birth from his mother to be given as a prize at a county fair and finds camaraderie with the sheep dogs on the farm where he lives. Babe earns the respect of the other farm animals, because he is respectful of them. Babe becomes one of the best sheep ‘dogs’ on the farm, much to the chagrin the alpha dog, thus earning the respect of the farmer, as well as a place in his heart.
 * The Water Horse written by Dick King-Smith Illustrated by David Parkins**

I do not think that I need to do a synopsis of this classic series-but I would feel personally remiss if I did not include it in my list of favorites/
 * Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia**

Dark, mystical, scary, and sad. The children who are drawn to this genre will devour this series. Again, this is not a series that needs any further annotations by yours truly, but I feel obligated to put it on my list of favorites.
 * Rowling and the Harry Potter series**

**Roald Dahl** is an author to know for his foray into modern fantasy writing. His children’s books often depict children who live in difficult circumstances, such as Charlie, the protagonist in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory who lives in poverty, and James, the protagonist of James and the Giant Peach, whose loving parents die, leaving him an orphan in the care of two mean aunts who abuse James and treat him like a slave. But in the end, Dahl’s young characters often find what they have been missing, money, love, happiness. Some of Dahl’s books fall into the fantasy genre, as they are filled with magical happenings, or unusual occurrences, and others fall into the contemporary realistic fiction genre, as the happenings are believable. In most of Dahl’s stories, good wins over evil, as is evident in Fantastic Mr. Fox, where the protagonist, Mr. Fox, feeds his hungry children, and all of the hungry digging animals on the hillside by stealing food from right under the mean and greedy farmer’s noses, and in Danny, Champion of the World, who is able to successfully outrage the mean Mr. Hazell by luring his pheasants from the farm with sleeping pill infused raisins, setting them loose on his fine car, and watching as most fly away.

**// Rainbow Fairies: Amber the Orange Fairy. //** Written by Daisy Meadows. (Scholastic Inc: 2003)
 * Kathi’s Picks: **

Rachel and Kirsty are on enjoying themselves at the beach when they feel magic in the air. This magic leads them on a magical journey with Amber the Orange Fairy. They now must get Amber safely back to Fairyland before Jack Frost finds them and freezes everything over. This book is great for children ages seven to nine years old. The story is about a boy named Eric Hinkle and the magical adventures he takes with his friends. Julia and Neal enter new worlds with Eric as they explore the small door under the cellar stairs. The unknown awaits them as they begin to embark on their exploration of the mysterious world of Droon.
 * The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet. Written by Tony Abbott. (Scholastic Inc: 1999) **

This book is the second book in the Fairy Realm series of books. The main character Jessie goes on magical adventures in the world of Realm with fairies. Six weeks ago she had discovered the magic door to the Realm. She found it in the part of the Blue Moon grounds that her grandmother had called “the secret garden”. This story is sure to capture the imagination of children ages 7-10.
 * Fairy Realm # 2: The Flower Fairies. Written by Emily Rodda. (Harper Collins: 2003) **