Tag Archive | travel

Breakfast on Mars and 37 Other Delectable Essays (book review) – YA authors write essays worth reading!

Jun28

book cover of Breakfast on Mars and 37 Other Delectable Essays edited by Rebecca Stern and Brad Wolfe published by Roaring Brook“Which five historical figures would you invite to dinner?”
“Describe a time when you lied for a good reason.”

Ah, the dreaded essay-writing assignment in school or for a contest or for college admissions…

Thank goodness essays really don’t have to be five perfect paragraphs or written in third person or even written in words!

In this collection, 37 contemporary YA authors, from The Candymakers‘  Wendy Mass to The Apothecary‘s  Maile Meloy, have tackled classic essay prompts and brought us a great assortment of personal, persuasive, and literary essays that will make you ponder, nod in appreciation, and shake your head in disbelief.

Read Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children  author Ransom Riggs’ essay “Camp Dread or How to Survive a Shockingly Awful Summer”  here as he answers the prompt “Describe a time you had to do something you really didn’t want to do.”

All the authors have waived their usual royalty payments for their work on this book, instead having the money sent to international education charity Free the Children.

Any other truly creative essays out there that we should be reading?
**kmm

Book info: Breakfast on Mars and 37 Other Delectable Essays / Rebecca Stern and Brad Wolfe, editors. Roaring Brook Press, 2013.  [publisher site]  [book FB page]

My book talk: Got the boring essay blues? Well, current authors of young adult and middle grade books take aim at humdrum school essays as the writers set essays free from traditional 5-paragraph format in response to a variety of common prompts in this new collection.

Read “Princess Leia is an Awesome Role Model” by Cecil Castellucci and see if she truly does “compare and contrast two characters from the same story” as per her assignment, then follow along as Ned Vizzini argues intelligently about “Why We Need Tails” as the best trait we could steal from animals.

Dip into an author’s personal history as Elizabeth Winthrop recounts “My Life Before Television” in a before and after essay and Laurel Snyder writes about “a time a friend helped” her with “A Good Lie.”

Chris Higgins argues with himself quite convincingly, writing both the title essay “Breakfast on Mars: Why We Should Colonize the Red Planet” as well as its rebuttal “Robots Only: Why We Shouldn’t Colonize Mars.”

For the essay prompt of “Take a belief that is widely accepted, and then debunk it” Scott Westerfeld gives us fair “Warning: This Essay Does Not Contain Pictures” in discussing why modern novels have no pictures as they did in Dickens’ day.

Nick Abadsiz remakes the classic “if you could change one moment in history” essay by drawing his responses as “Laika Endings” about the Russian cosmonaut dog.

Improve your own non-fiction writing range, get glimpses into the real lives and opinions of fiction authors, and learn some neat stuff along the way as you consider Breakfast on Mars. (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

Gorgeous, by Paul Rudnick (book review) – beauty more than skin deep?

Jun27

book cover of Gorgeous by Paul Rudnick published by Scholastic
Red dress, white dress,
duckling becomes swan!
One day will she awaken
to find the magic gone?

Stepping cautiously out of her trailer park and into Tom Kelly’s heady world of high fashion and celebrity, shy Becky puts on the first dress he creates for her and instantly becomes Rebecca, the most beautiful woman in the world. Of course, such a magical transformation comes at a price…

Paul Rudnick has written essays, plays, movies (Addams Family Values and others), but this is his first young adult book – and he nails it! Read the first two chapters here for free, and you’ll be hooked! Find Gorgeous at your local public library or independent bookstore to see if Rebecca/Becky succeeds.

If you had one year to do something extraordinary, what would you choose to do?
**kmm

Book info: Gorgeous / Paul Rudnick. Scholastic Press, 2013 [author NPR  interview]  [publisher site] [book Facebook page]

My book talk: After her mom dies suddenly, Becky calls the mysterious phone number she left, and designer Tom Kelly swears he can transform the shy teen into the most beautiful woman in the world – how could she say no? If she’d only foreseen the consequences…

What made her sweet, funny mom hide in their trailer house and overeat herself to death, Becky never knew. As she gathers up Mom’s clothes for charity, the 18-year-old finds a ring box containing just a phone number. When she dials it, the lady answering sends her a plane ticket to New York – the world’s most famous designer must see her, right now!

Her first plane trip, first limo ride, first time out of Missouri – suddenly Becky is swept into a sophisticated glass mansion overlooking the New York skyline. Tom Kelly knew her mother (why didn’t Mom ever tell her?) and promises that if Becky will wear the 3 dresses he designs for her then she’ll be the most beautiful woman in the world. There is a catch – she must fall in love and get married within one year.

Agreeing to his idea, she finds herself being measured, fitted, and fabulously attired in the most amazing red dress as Rebecca. When she accompanies Tom into the city, the reporters and bloggers go wild – who is she? The reclusive designer escorts Rebecca to her Vogue cover photo shoot, to the opera where her unearthly beauty upstages the diva. When anyone else is around, Rebecca is stunningly beautiful, but when she’s alone, the mirror shows shy, dumpy Becky is still there.

Whisked away on a motorcycle by her teen idol Jate, Rebecca effortlessly becomes a movie star in his latest action adventure. Her best friend Rocher from home joins her as she tours the world as the face of Tom Kelly Designs. When Rebecca meets and charms Prince Gregory as they open a London children’s hospital, she decides that he’s the one for her.

Will Gregory fall in love with her, too?
Could the British public accept an American as wife of the royal heir?
Can Rebecca slow down time so her year lasts long enough?

More than a Cinderella fashion story, Gorgeous  takes aim at our insatiable appetite for who’s who, beauty,and the latest style in everything, as Becky/Rebecca tries to discover her true self during twelve too-short months. (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

The Immortal Von B., by M. Scott Carter (book review) – music, cloning, love, and villainy!

Jun21

book cover of The Immortal Von B. by M Scott Carter published by RoadRunner PressLudwig von Beethoven, here,
in the flesh, young and healthy!
Impossible… except it’s true!

Of course, Josie showed someone else Dad’s super-secure genetics lab when he told her not to. Of course, her routine button-pushing on the DNA sequencer started it up.

Who could have expected that the hair which floated unseen into the sequencer belonged to Beethoven, or that his clone would be so amazing on electric guitar?? (Romance between Ludwig and Josie…that’s something else entirely)

Check out the June 2013 contest on Carter’s website – you could win your own autographed copy of The Immortal Von B.  and a gift card to your favorite bookstore! Yes, this is the same M. Scott Carter who wrote Stealing Kevin’s Heart,  featured yesterday on BooksYALove, but this is such a different story. I wonder what his third book will be about….

If you could clone anyone from history, would you?? (and who?)
**kmm

Book info: The Immortal Von B. / M. Scott Carter. RoadRunner Press, 2013. [author site]  [publisher site]

My book talk: Moving from Oklahoma to Vienna for Dad’s research is quite a change for Josie, but losing her mother, discovering a dreadful secret, and unleashing a chain of musical impossibilities puts the teen and her friends in mortal peril.

It was a bit strange when Mom suddenly stopped playing concerts with symphonies all over the world; her piano genius came down to Josie as a love for guitar. Then Dad being chosen to head up the largest private genetics research center in Europe made quite a switch from being a university professor. So away they go, from the Oklahoma town she’s always known to a huge estate near Vienna.

When Mom suddenly falls ill and dies, Josie is left to raise herself as her grieving father throws himself into his work. He shows her the new genetic sequencer in his lab once, but is usually gone to meetings and conferences. She has just one friend at school, purposely going grunge-rocker to distance herself from the kids of diplomats and duchesses.

The only bright spot in her whole senior year is visiting the Vienna Haus der Musik as a new Beethoven exhibit is being unveiled. The museum director knew Anna and is delighted to show Beethoven’s own clothing and fortepiano to her daughter.

Somehow Josie’s friend Fa8 talks her into hosting a party at the estate where a diplomat’s son starts criticizing her dad’s work. Eager to shut him up, she disobeys Dad’s instructions and shows him the lab and sequencer.  Days later, Dad calls to ask her to check on the lab computer; it says it’s running a human DNA sequence when nothing should be on. Just a glitch probably…

Except when Josie goes down to the lab, she discovers footprints leading from the sequencer to the yard! What got cloned in there? Yes, a strand of Beethoven’s hair from the museum fell from Josie’s sweater into the sequencer when she was showing how harmless it all was, and now a 17-year-old Ludwig is alive in the 21st century!

Suddenly, not only Dad is wondering which human DNA sequence was completed, but thugs with automatic weapons are after Josie, Fa8 and Ludwig – with orders to kill all but the clone! Racing through Vienna while trying to help Ludwig adjust to modern life and all the music that his older self will/did write sends Josie from fear to joy to terror.

Can the three teens escape the bad guys?
What is the DNA sequencer really supposed to do?
Is Josie falling in love with Ludwig, or is he falling in love with her?

Classical music, cutting-edge research, timeless values, and Beethoven learning to play the electric guitar… adventure and romance in Vienna – if they can just live long enough to enjoy it!  (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

Stealing Kevin’s Heart, by M. Scott Carter (book review) – accidental death, accidental love

Jun20

book cover of Stealing Kevin's Heart by M Scott Carter published by RoadRunner PressGoofing around on motorcycles,
Just one split-second and everything changes,
Best friend gone, how can life go on?

The trauma of seeing his best friend killed in a motorcycle crash leaves Alex unable to function – they’d taken motorcycle safety courses, worn their helmets… why did it happen?

It’s straight out of a country song to say that “a good woman’s love put me back on my feet” (thank you, Bill Monroe), but in Alex’s case, it’s more than true – yet this story doesn’t end with a summer camp romance.

You’ll want to request this RoadRunner Press book from your local library or independent bookstore now – they may have to order it, but it’s worth waiting for!

Have you ever been convinced something was your fault when it truly wasn’t?
**kmm

Book info: Stealing Kevin’s Heart / M. Scott Carter. RoadRunner Press, 2011. [author site]  [publisher site]

My book talk:  Alex blames himself for his best friend’s death, and Kevin’s parents do, too. Trying to cope on his own isn’t working, so the teen finds himself unwillingly at camp for counseling and a chance to save his own life. He didn’t expect to find love, too.

They were a mismatched pair – athletic Alex and artistic nerd Kevin – but everyone knew they were best buddies for life. No one was too surprised when they skipped school one beautiful October day to race their motorcycles around Stillwater, Oklahoma; everyone was horrified when Kevin died in a wreck. His father screamed at Alex in the hospital about losing his son…and now Alex is alone, adrift.

Kevin’s death affects him so strongly that Alex can’t function at school, gets kicked off the varsity football team for skipping practice so much, contemplates ending it all just to stop the numbness.

Realizing that time isn’t muting Alex’s pain, his parents send him to a camp that’s noted for its counseling staff, and he has a chance to be away from the neighborhood he shared so long with Kevin.

His cabinmates have their own issues to work through, but they’re not terrible guys like the visitor who tries to kidnap an ex-girlfriend on the first day Alex is at camp! Saving Rachel seems to be the beginning of saving himself, since she still talks to him (and flirts with him) after she knows what happened to Kevin.

Little by little, the sweet Texas girl with her own secrets helps Alex begin to forgive himself for Kevin’s accident. Their time together even lets Rachel share what brought her to camp, her own near-death experience. End of summer, end of camp, end of Alex’s darkest days – thanks to Rachel’s support and affection.

What’s the mysterious connection between them that woke Alex from sleep to save her again?
Can they keep up a long-distance relationship?
Can Alex keep his new emotional equilibrium when he’s back in Stillwater for senior year – without Kevin by his side?

This debut novel examines love and forgiveness, connection and hope, adding a paranormal, medical twist to the tale.  (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

Hammer of Witches, by Shana Mlawski (book review) – sorcery aboard Columbus’ ships!

Jun19

book cover of Hammer of Witches by Shana Mlawski published by Tu Books “In fourteen hundred and ninety-two,
Columbus sailed the ocean blue…”
with sorcerers and an Inquisition agent aboard?

Why not? The Inquisition sought out magicians and Marranos, Protestants and Moors, anyone who might challenge the rule of the monarchy and Catholic Church in Spain during the 1400s.

Perhaps Baltasar inherited his ability to sense sorcery and call up magical creatures from his late parents. Perhaps close proximity to all those mystical books recopied and bound by his uncle did it.  Good thing he has such magical skill… unless it gets him killed by superstitious sailors before he can save them from supernatural adversaries!

Read the first two chapters of Hammer of Witches  here, then head for your local library or independent bookstore to get the rest of Baltasar’s story.

Could you sacrifice so much to rescue those who despise you?
**kmm

Book info: Hammer of Witches / Shana Mlawski. Tu Books, 2013.  [author site]  [publisher site]

My book talk: Uncle always said there was magic in a story, and Baltasar thought his stories were the most magical thing in their sleepy Spanish town. When true magic erupts from their stories and the Inquisition attacks their home, the young man escapes by sea, taking his worries and magic aboard the ships of Christopher Columbus.

Perhaps it began with Uncle’s bedtime stories about the hero al-Katib fighting against his own Moorish people to save Spain for Christianity, or maybe when he told a darker tale about men who killed their brother who avenged himself from the grave, or perhaps it was the story never fully told about how Bali’s mother and father died, leaving him as a child with his aunt and uncle – for there truly is magic in Uncle’s stories.

In these days of 1492, the Inquisition is intent on ridding Spain of magicians, heretics, Jews, and the last of the Moors who had held their land for so many years. Why should they attack Uncle’s humble bookmaking workshop? Were those dark eyes staring through Bali’s window last night something of the Devil? How did Baltasar summon the golem that liberated him from the Inquisition dungeon?

Desperate to elude torture and death, he makes his way to the docks where 3 ships await the next tide and talks his way onto the Dirty Mary as a translator, thanks to his years spent with books and some inner talents unknown even to himself. Off to the Indies as a cabin boy! Perhaps Bali is leaving his troubles behind…

But the magic is aboard ship, too, as is an agent of the Inquisition! The expedition commander is a religious man, bound for glory and gold and spreading the Church. What will Columbus do when he discovers that Baltasar must be a sorcerer? As a supernatural sea monster tries to stop the voyage, Bali’s skills come into play, but even larger dangers loom ahead on the land just sighted.

What will happen when New World and Old World supernatural forces collide?
Is the other magic he can sense aboard ship for good or for evil?
When will the Inquistion agent become the dreaded “hammer of witches” against Bali?

The familiar story of Columbus’ first voyage takes a novel turn as the magic and sorcery long hunted by the Inquisition but never found in our world becomes a vital factor in the survival of the crew, the native peoples, and Baltasar himself as he seeks his hero al-Katib to vanquish evil.  (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen, by Lucy Knisley (book review) – yummy graphic novel of foodie memories

Jun18

book cover of Relish My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley published by First SecondMom the chef, Dad the gourmet,
Lucy the adventurous eater
(and secret junk food lover).

Memoir, graphic novel, and best-of-best recipes for your delectation fill this yum-worthy tale of artist Lucy Knisley‘s growing-up years in a food-worshiping household.

If reading Relish doesn’t make you want to try your hand at rolling sushi or making your own summer pickles (it’s all drawn there for you in vivid color), well, then you should just page back through and stir up some Carbonara or Mom’s Pesto.

What foods bring back wonderful memories of your younger years?
Have you captured those recipes already?
**kmm

Book info: Relish: My Life in the Kitchen / written and illustrated by Lucy Knisley. First Second Books, 2013.  [author site]  [publisher site]

My book talk: Being raised by food-lovers gives Lucy a unique perspective on all aspects of growing, locating, preparing, and (most of all) enjoying the wonderful eats of the world. Her artistic abilities and touchstone recipes capture these food memories on the page in appetizing color.

Her mom headed up famed NYC emporium Dean and DeLuca’s cheese department while expecting Lucy; that explains much about their shared delight in dairy products. After her parents divorced, the city kid found herself deep in the country as her chef-mother began a gourmet vegetable farm and kicked off area farmers’ markets. The freshness of the produce made up a little for the lack of taxis and take-out, but Lucy did enjoy going back to Manhattan to visit her dad and fine restaurants there (he loved Mom’s cooking, but didn’t ever cook).

Through her growing-up years, Lucy mastered the ultimate chocolate chip cookie as a way to connect with new classmates (and shares her recipe), ate her way through a small Mexican town (oh, Huevos Rancheros!), helped her mom during catering gigs (leftover pesto is great), and headed off to art school in Chicago with her tastebuds ready for foods both familiar and new.

This graphic novel autobiography will whisk readers to far-off places (imagine being allergic to soy in Japan!), peaceful country farms (except for those malicious geese), and eateries large and small as the artist shares her favorite recipes and her lifelong foodie love affair with Relish.  (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

A Corner of White, by Jaclyn Moriarty (book review) – barrier between worlds slips, danger enters

Jun17

US book cover of A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty published by Arthur A Levine BooksColors so strong that they’re living entities,
Skies so gray that they smother all cheerfulness,
One white piece of paper forges a forbidden link between worlds.

Elliot’s family and neighbors try to raise crops in a land where summer could arrive four times in a month or never all year.  Madeleine’s latest attempt to run away from her wealthy parents somehow dragged her mother along, too. Communication between their two worlds is treason in the Kingdom of Cello, unknown by Madeleine’s world… and suddenly happens.

I wish that the US cover (at top right) were more like the original Australian cover (below right) which better reflects the colors and whimsicality of the story (yes, Madeleine wears bright colors to counteract the gray Cambridge weather, but that’s not the real essence of color in the story).

Grab this one today at your local library or independent bookstore to slide through that narrow gap between the Kingdom of Cello and The World – and prepare to be entranced.

Would you dare to communicate with someone if it were forbidden, illegal, necessary for your mental health?
**kmm

Book info: A Corner of White (The Colors of Madeleine, book 1) / Jaclyn Moriarty. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2013.  [author site]  [publisher site]  [author interview video]

My book talk: Separated by a spectral barrier for their own good, The World and the Kingdom of Cello haven’t communicated in 300 years. Yet through a small crevice, a boy and a girl send letters back and forth, perhaps changing both for the better, perhaps setting dire danger into motion.Australian book cover of A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty published by PanMacmillanAustralia

Elliot is ready out again to search for his father who was kidnapped a year ago by the rogue Purple that killed his uncle, while his neighbors anxiously await the Selectors who might choose their town for the Princess Sisters’ tour of the Kingdom. His pal Cody makes all the unrepairable machines from Dad’s shop into a sculpture in the schoolyard, and one day Elliot notices a small note stuck in it, a note that’s not from anyone in Bonfire…

As Mum answers every quiz show question wrong, Madeleine wonders yet again how they came to be here – an attic apartment in a university town, eating baked beans again – when just months ago they were jetsetting around the world with her financier father, platinum credit cards at the ready.

Thank goodness for Jack and Belle and for their home-schooling arrangement, so none of them have to deal with the bullies and drama of high school. Jack’s uncle makes their minds stretch with his assignment to ‘become’ the Cambridge historical figure selected from the hat – that’s Isaac Newton for Mad, Charles Babbage for Belle, Lord Byron for Jack.

As Madeleine muses on Newton and Cambridge, she passes an out-of-service parking meter with a note stuck in it “Help! I’m being held against my will!” and decides to answer it, little imagining that it’s a message from a world that’s been sealed off from ours for over three centuries.

The correspondence between Elliot and Madeleine is interesting, as he knows about The World from history class and she thinks he’s a just local who’s trying a huge hoax. Trying to explain the color attacks and momentary seasons of Cello doesn’t convince her of the Kingdom’s reality, but something finally does.

Why is it so dangerous to have an opening between Cello and The World?
Will the Princess Sisters visit Bonfire once the Butterfly Child arrives?
Would Jack and Belle ever believe Madeleine about Cello?

Escapes and worries, attacks and misunderstandings – so much begins when that corner of white paper crosses the gap from the Kingdom of Cello to Cambridge, England. First in a series that mixes teen concerns with philosophical science, family drama with political intrigue, and what-is-not-now with what-might-someday-be. (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

William and the Lost Spirit, by Gwen de Bonneval and Matthieu Bonhomme (book review) – quest for father trapped in time

Jun16

book cover of William and the Lost Spirit by Gwen de Bonneval, art by Matthieu Bonhomme, published by Graphic UniverseA way-finding goat,
Mythical creatures and legendary people,
Trust your spirit, not your eyes.

Hilane is sure that Father is alive when everyone else thinks he’s dead, and her quest to find him turns into brother William’s odyssey through lands of fable and myth to discover a way to release his spirit from whoever (or whatever) holds it captive.

Brigands and knights and political treachery are all part of this sweeping medieval tale in graphic novel format.

Is their father dead or alive? You’ll have to read William and the Lost Spirit for yourself to find out.

May your Father’s Day be much less-adventurous than William and Hilane’s travels!
**kmm

Book info: William and the Lost Spirit / Gwen de Bonneval; art by Matthieu Bonhomme; translation and commentary by Ann and Owen Smith. Graphic Universe, 2013.   [author Facebook – in French]  [artist biography]  [publisher site]  [book trailer]

My book talk: Bandits roam the French countryside and their widowed mother prepares to wed the seneschal for safety, but William and his sister Hilane still sense their father’s life-force and undertake a treacherous journey to find him.

As the Count’s business manager, the seneschal should have ensured that the knights have the resources to clear the area of bandits, yet somehow the peasants are still being killed or run off. Now that Brifaut is marrying the widow of the Count’s son, he will receive a title and much of the abandoned land. Hilane and William think that their father’s “death” was most suspicious – how can a healer die of unknown poison?

When Hilane runs away before the wedding, William follows, turning to their other-worldly aunt Ysane for clues to her whereabouts and meeting up with a Crusades-experienced knight, a troubadour, and a friendly goat. Ysane says that William’s father is alive in “the Far-Off Lands” and that he’ll be guided on his journey as needed. So off they go, encountering turn-coat knights, fearsome creatures, Prester John of legend, and many perils along the way.

Can William find Hilane before it’s too late?
Will he survive the challenges and bring justice to his grandfather’s land?
Is his father truly alive?

This action-packed French graphic novel includes all three original volumes of William’s adventures, plus extensive commentary by the translators in the US publication.  (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

Being Henry David, by Cal Armistead (book review) – memory gone, called to Walden

Jun11

book cover of Being Henry David by Cal Armistead published by Albert WhitmanNo luggage, no memory,
No memory, no past…
Why? Why did he erase his own memories?

From wherever home was, teenage “Hank” finds himself alone in a train station with only a copy of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden  and knows that he must get to Walden Pond, just as the author did, to discover truth through nature and perhaps find the strength to face his past.

Read an excerpt of the book here as you dive into the story of why a young man abandons his memory and decides that Being Henry David  is much better than being himself.

Can deciding that a memory doesn’t exist change the past?
**kmm

Book info: Being Henry David / Cal Armistead. Albert Whitman, 2013.  [author site]  [publisher site]  [video author interview]

My book talk: Waking up in Penn Station alone, no memories. None. Looking in washroom mirror, he sees a teenage guy with black hair, gray eyes, a big lump on his head. He has ten bucks in his front pocket and a copy of Walden – that’s it. He’ll be Henry David, after its author, until he can remember his own name or past or why he can’t remember…

Another teen rescues him from a homeless guy who wants to eat the book, nicknames him Hank because Henry David is too long, takes him to a hidden place to sleep, and gets him involved with some drug dealers who need more runners. After a knife fight, running seems like an excellent idea, so Jack splits the drug money and Hank gets on the train for Concord, looking for answers at Walden Pond, the only glimmer of memory he’s got.

Thoreau’s cabin site is easy to find, says Hailey, the girl he meets at the station. But Hank can’t understand why there is no cabin at the cabin site, just four rock cornerstones and a slab… cold sleeping tonight, and dreams where Thoreau speaks to him.

Is Thoreau there in the flesh in the morning? No, it’s Thomas, who does historical interpretations at Walden Pond and is the town reference librarian, heavily tattooed and riding a Harley. He shares breakfast with Hank, shares hia appreciation for Thoreau’s vision of a simpler life, but doesn’t pry into Hank’s affairs.

In Concord, Hank scopes out Hailey’s high school as a place to stay over the weekend, trying to avoid the blackness that erupts when he probes his memories. Visiting the town library to read more about Thoreau, Hank passes out as the infected knife wound clobbers his system and Thomas takes him home.

Hank’s fingers remember how to play the guitar – can he help Hailey in the Battle of the Bands?
Thomas suggests checking the missing teens database – can he find himself?
The blackness holding back his memories wavers – can he live with what he remembers?

Whether runaways or kidnapped, lost, strayed or stolen, so many stories of teens gone from home have unhappy endings – read Being Henry David to see if Hank’s story is one of them. (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

Ghost Knight, by Cornelia Funke (book review) – murder long-passed, a knight long-dead, danger now!

Jun7

book cover of Ghost Knight by Cornelia Funke translated by Oliver Latsch published by Little BrownGhostly rider with blood on his sword,
evil sidekicks with murder on their minds,
how many centuries can a death vow stay alive?

Every ancient cathedral and old castle has unexplained deaths in its history, many have ghosts who appear with a bit of regularity, but most don’t feature bloodthirsty murderers’ specters threatening schoolkids in their beds!

Listen to an excerpt of the audiobook version here and be sure to view the book trailer of the author visiting Salisbury Cathedral and reading aloud the section where Jon meets the Ghost Knight  for the very first time.

The paperback version was published in May 2013, so you should be able to find it in several formats at your local library or independent bookstore.

Would you call on a ghost to help you solve a dangerous mystery?
**kmm

Book info:  Ghost Knight / Cornelia Funke.; translated by Oliver Latsch. Little Brown, hardback 2012, paperback 2013.  [author site]  [publisher site]  [book trailer]

My book talk: Boarding school, rain, Mum in love with a dentist – Jon thought life couldn’t get worse…until he’s threatened by ghosts who can injure him, meets a girl with an adventurous streak, and invokes a dead knight to right the wrongs!

It definitely wasn’t Jon’s idea to attend the same boarding school as his late father, but after his many attempts to make his mother fall out of love with The Beard (as Jon called the dentist who tricked his little sisters and dog into liking him) all backfired, the 11-year-old found himself on the train to Salisbury. He doesn’t care about the ancient city’s history that his houseparents love and doesn’t care that he wasn’t selected for the cathedral school’s famous choir.

But the ghosts whispering threats about killing him, trying to ride him down on ghostly horses – those are another matter! Ella at school takes Jon to visit her grandmother who gives ghost tours. They discover that Lord Stourton and his henchmen were hanged for the death of Jon’s relatives centuries ago, vowing revenge. Zelda says Jon is in danger if he stays here, but he doesn’t want to go home to Mum and The Beard.

So Jon calls on the knight Longspee who originally captured Stourton, asking the ghost knight to help him rid the school of these wicked specters and save him from their vengeance.

Can Jon and Ella trust Longspee who wants to stay away from this world?
Can the trio truly send Stourton and crew back to their graves forever?
Can Jon find any way to keep The Beard from becoming his stepfather?

Through Latsch’s flowing translation, the noted German fantasy author of the Inkspell trilogy brings readers into the echoing aisles of Salisbury Cathedral and the windswept ruins of old castles as Jon and Ella fight enemies they cannot touch with mortal hands. (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.