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Audrey's list: Summer Adventure for Young People Happy July, and I hope everyone is participating in the Mayor Summer Reading Challenge! I am never going to get used to the Texas heat, but these books for children and middle graders are guaranteed to cool you off, make you smile, and remind you of all the wonderful things that summer has to offer. |
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Julián is a Mermaid
by Jessica Love
While riding the subway home from the pool with his Abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he's seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes -- and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself?
There are so many things to love about this beautifully-illustrated book about acceptance. The illustrations are done using bright watercolors defined by contour lines, making the mermaids and Julián jump off the page. I love that Julián is able to be himself and how he has his Abuela's support.
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Tru & Nelle
by Greg Neri
In their small town of Monroeville, Alabama, in 1930, misfits Tru and Nelle strike up a friendship and find a mystery to solve when someone breaks into the drugstore and steals some candy and a fancy brooch.
This middle grade novel is the narrative retelling of the true life childhood friendship between Truman Capote and Harper Lee. A summer in Alabama is unfolded as Tru & Nelle set off to solve a mystery, which takes a turn and brings them in to direct contact with the Ku Klux Klan. An engaging read that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike, it feels like summer adventure!
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Misty's list: Wild Magic & Subversive Fairy Tales I have loved fairy tales since I was a child - Andrew Lang, Hans Christian Anderson, and the Brothers Grimm. As I grew up, I looked for books that expanded on the ideas of magic, adventure, and using cleverness to triumph over evil. In Red as Blood, or, Tales from the Sisters Grimmer, Tanith Lee re-tells traditional fairy tales with a twist of darkness, while Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell explores magic through the complicated friendship and struggles of two men in nineteenth-century England. |
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Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
by Susanna Clarke
At the dawn of the nineteenth century, two very different magicians emerge to change England's history. In the year 1806, with the Napoleonic Wars raging on land and sea, most people believe magic to be long dead in England until the reclusive Mr. Norrell reveals his powers, and becomes a celebrity overnight.
Soon, another practicing magician comes forth: the young, handsome, and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell's student, and they join forces in the war against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wildest, most perilous forms of magic, straining his partnership with Norrell, and putting at risk everything else he holds dear.
This story by Susanna Clarke took me to places I never expected. Initially it seems like a somewhat standard period tale of personalities and politics, with a side of magic thrown in for interest, but it develops into a fascinating story of friendship and honor. Nuanced and expressively written, my feelings for the characters changed as I progressed through the book. It's a beautiful amalgamation of literary fiction, fantasy and period drama. I suggest reading the book and then watching the very faithful BBC adaptation of the story - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell (television program).
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I discovered Tanith Lee when I was a teenager trawling through used fantasy paperbacks. She was a prolific writer, publishing 90 novels and 300 short stories during the span of her career. Her first novels, in the 1970s, were mostly warrior-prince type sagas, with plots and pulp covers very reminiscent of Conan the Barbarian. Fortunately, her work developed into a style uniquely her own, featuring strong female voices, subversive plot lines, and lushly described worlds. Check out this selection to enjoy Lee's twist on classic fairy tales!
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