The Last Apprentice : Revenge of the Witch

by Joseph Delaney

This deliciously creepy book begins the chronicles of 12 year old Tom Ward. Tom is the seventh son of a seventh son, a mysterious combination that means he hears all the dangerous things that go bump in the night. Apprenticed to the local Spook, Mr. Gregory, who takes care of the dangerous boggarts, witches and other nasties, Tom is warned to beware of girls with pointed shoes. Think the Spook meant well, Tom ignores the warning and befriends Alice, a girl from the local witch family who traps him with a dangerous promise.

Too late to stop it, Tom realizes he has released a hideous witch. With the Spook away it is up to Tom to stop the witch before she is able to feed on the blood of the innocent to regain her strength and begin terrorizing the neighborhood again. Not yet trained to defeat witches Tom makes a dangerous mistake, a mistake that puts the lives of his family in grave danger.

A tale of terror and magic that will enthrall and bewitch young readers and send shivers up the spines of even the most hardened adult!


Part of my 100+ reading challenge

Howl's Moving Castle

by Diane Wynn Jones

In the land of Ingary where magic runs rife a prince has been taken captive by the evil witch of the waste and the talented king’s wizard, who has tried to rescue him has reportable been slain. A dangerous, heart-eating wizard by the name of Howl is reported to be on the move.

But all of this is inconsequential to Sophie Hatter. Afraid that her position as eldest of three sisters means she is doomed to failure if she tries to seek her fortune elsewhere, Sophie works in the her tedious family’s hat shop in Market Chipping. That is until her fate takes a turn and brings Sophie to the attention of the evil Witch of the Waste, who casts a spell, turning Sophie into an old lady unable to tell anyone what has happened.

So, Sophie runs away from home, right into the strange and frantic world of Howl, his apprentice Michael and the fire demon, Calcifer where her only hope of reversing the spell lies in untangling and breaking the bizarre contract between Howl and his demon before the witch of the waste catches up with them.

With a wonderful combination of outrageous humor and great sincerity, this tale of magic and finding one’s true purpose will enchant readers of any age.

Part of my 100 + reading challenge

Broken Moon by Kim Antieau

By night a weaver of tales, by day a scarred, scared young women.

As 18 year old, Nadira writes home to her little brother, Umar, she slowly reveals through her letters and stories her sadness at her unmarriageable status due to scars inside and out. The most prominent - a half moon scar on her face - left by an assault, allowed by Pakistani traditions, as revenge for her brother’s alleged assault on a rival family’s daughter.

When her brother goes missing, Nadira is convinced her cruel Uncle Rueben has sold him to the camel riders as an illegal child jockey. Feeling she has nothing to lose, Nadira dresses as a boy and sells herself to the camel riders, hoping they will take her to the same camp as Umar. Instead, she is taken to an desert camp where bullies gradually wearing down the new boys spirits. During the day Nadira trains for the races, and takes care of the camels with the other boys, hoping to go to a race and find her brother. At night she resourcefully tries to protect her little group from the bullies. In a final attempt to stop them from being attacked, Nadira makes an offer of peace with masala chai and stories from the Arabian Nights.

As her friendship with the bullies and her usefulness to the camel riders grows, Nadira begins to come to terms with herself and learns that even emotional scars can begin to heal.

Antieau's breathtaking story of loss, determination and the power of tales, can not fail to leave readers moved. Narrated through letters to her brother, the past and present are skillful woven together with the life and the traditions of Pakistan, highlighting the hideousness of child slavery and assault.

Part of my 100+ book challenge.

The Girl who leapt through time

Makoto Konno (Emily Hirst) is a little bit clumsy, oversleeps in the morning and loves baseball - your average high school aged girl. That is until she has the worst day of her life. On that day, Makoto really oversleeps, has a pop quiz, starts a fire in her cooking class, is accidental knocked down at recess by some guys tussling and then, when putting away the classes notebooks, she manages to slip and drop them all on her head. But that is not the worst of it. As she cycles home her brakes give out on the hill right as a train is coming through the crossing. And then something strange happens. As she hits the barrier, time stops and she is unexpectedly moved back in time.

Exploring her strange new talent, Makoto begins to correct the mistakes of the day, but with the help of her Aunt, she realises that her traveling is not limitless and is having devistating effects on those around her. Can Makoto make everything right, before she rus out of leaps?

Directed by Mamoru Hosoda

Click here to reserve you copy from the JCLC catalog!

Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata

12 year old Sumiko, a Japanese-American girl, lives with her Aunt and Uncle on a little flower farm in Southern California. The only Japanese at her school, Sumiko yearns to belong and have friends, but with the attack on Pearl Harbor all her hopes and dreams are shattered and her family torn apart.

Suspected of being terrorist, Sumiko’s uncle and grandfather are sent away to a prisoner of war camp, and she, her Aunt, two older cousins and brother are sent to a camp in the Arizona desert on the Mohave reservation. The Japanese soon find that they are as unwelcome on the Indian lands as in their homes before. Struggling with depression “the ultimate boredom”, heat and dust storms, Sumiko learns to find friendship in unusual places as she tries to bring meaning to her new life by planting flower seeds from her old life. As Sumiko grows into adulthood she discovers similarities between their treatment and the Mohave tribe and finds rewards in friendship that cross age and racial dividers.

This heart-rending tale of one girl’s plight to fit it in, in a world torn by war and fear is compelling reading, giving us a glimpse into a time little written about in American history. Newbery award winning author Kadohata wonderfully captures Sumiko's pain, her understanding and her joys.

Part of the 100+ book challenge

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Winner of the 2009 Newbery Award, this charming tale tells the adventures of Bod, a normal boy with an unusual upbringing.

Surviving the assassination of his family, by toddling into the graveyard as a baby, Bod - short for Nobody - Owens is given ghostly abilities, "the freedom of the graveyard", by the ghosts who reside there.

Protected by his guardian, the mysterious Silas, who belongs to neither the world of the living or the dead, raised and schooled by ghostly teachers, Bod explores, adventures and learns about life using the abilities granted him.

Follow Bod as he enters an ancient Indigo Man’s tomb, falls prey to ghouls and their ghoul gate, discovers a witch, dances the Macabray and uncovers the reason for his family’s death.

This collection of tales, so reminiscent of Kipling’s Jungle Book is a delight. Wonderfully inventive, an enthralling story that leaves readers wanting more and to cap it all - read by Neil Gaiman himself!


Part of my 100+ Book Challenge

Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling

When spoilt young Harvey Cheyne, son of a multi-millionaire, falls overboard from the ocean liner taking his mother and himself to Europe, he is picked up by a passing fisherman from the Gloucester schooner "We're Here" just beginning its seasons catch.

The captain, believing Harvey to be mad from his wild talk of reward and famous people, refuses to take the boy home until after the fishing season, but justly offers Harvey the chance to work along side his son Dan, a boy of Harvey’s age, with fair wages to help them bring in the catch.

Through disasters and triumphs, in this coming of age, maritime adventure novel, Harvey finds there is more to life than luxury and learns the value of hard work. As Harvey grows from a boy into a man, Kipling masterfully weaves adventure on the high seas with moral insights from the 19th century that are relevant to all generations since.

This book counts towards the 100+ book challenge.

The Gypsy Crown by Kate Forsyth

17th Century England, Oliver Cromwell and the puritans are in power. Dancing, music and even Christmas has been banned. Times are hard on the gypsy who makes his trade in music, dance and magic.

One gypsy family, the Finches, has been working on an estate, but when the daughters is betrothed, to raise money for the dowry they all decide to go to the town of Kingston on market day and ply their gypsy trade. All goes well until they become involved in an accidental death and only young Emilia and Luka escape being thrown in prison.

With the help of a horse, a monkey, a dancing bear and a fiddle the children make their way across the south of England searching for the five gypsy families to find the charms of power each family owns for legend states when the charms come together the luck of the gypsies will return. But everywhere they go they are pursued by Rom hating Puritans and Cromwell’s spies. The children must give up everything they hold dear and trust to the charms if they are to free their family before they are brought to trial that will lead to a death sentence.

Portrayed with gentle humour to counter loss, this fast paced, historical novel woven with magic and mystery is an enjoyable story. The time period has been well researched and there is extra, easy-to-read information in the back for those wishing to know more. However it isn’t a patch on one of my old standing favourites – Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat.

When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke

From the author of Inkheart and Dragon Rider comes a tale of magic, humour and the spirit of Christmas. So, sit back with a mug of hot cocoa, some gingerbread and prepare to be entertained!

On the run from Gerold Geronimus Goblynch, the evil new leader of the Santas’ council in Yuleland, Niklas Goodfellow’s wagon comes crashing to earth after a storm and his unreliable, invisible reindeer, Twinklestar, bolts. Now, with the help of two children from the town, Niklas Goodfellow, two angels and a crew of grouchy elves face danger and adventure in an effort to find Twinklestar, rid Yuleland of the wicked tyrant and his nutcrackers and to return the magic and spirit of Christmas.

To request this wonderful Christmas story from our catalog click here!

Stardust by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Charles Vess

“There was once a young man who wished to gain his Heart's Desire. And while that is, as beginnings go, not entirely novel (for every tale about every young man there ever was or will be could start in a similar manner) there was much about this young man and what happened to him that was unusual, although even he never knew the whole tale of it."

So begins Gaiman’s enchantingly beautiful adult fairy tale full of romance, magic and adventure. Every nine years the Victorian town of Wall is disrupted from its sleepy ways by people who come from the ends of the earth to see the fairy market held in a meadow on the other side of the wall. On one such market day, Dunstan Thorn falls in lust with a fairy woman. 

Nine months later a basket is left at the entrance to the meadow containing Tristan Thorn. Now, 17 years later Tristan, knowing nothing of his heritage, has fallen in love with the beautiful and aloof Victoria Forrester. He makes a bargain with her, that if he brings back a falling star that fell that night from the sky into the lands beyond the wall, she will give him his heart’s desire. His quest takes him into adventure and finally to the discovery of who he really is, for in fairy the star is not just a lump of metal, but a beautiful girl named Yvaine, a daughter of the moon. 

Finding her is not difficult, but getting her back to Wall is trickier, for Tristan is not the only one searching for her. The dying Lord of Stormheld knocked Yvaine out of the sky with a gem that one of his sons must retrieve to become the next Lord and an ancient witch is pursuing the star, determined to cut out her heart so she and her sisters can be young again. Enhanced by stunning illustrations from Charles Vess, delicate and yet full of detail that captures the very essence of the tale, Stardust is an entrancing, twisting, magical witty and scary-at-times timeless tale that has unsurprisingly won many awards.

To request a copy from the JCLC catalog click here or find out about the movie (now out on DVD) by clicking here.

Here lies the librarian by Richard Peck

From the Newbery award winning author of “A Year Down Under”, comes an uproariously funny tale of classic automobiles, librarians and small town life.

Meet Peewee (Eleanor McGrath) a 14 year old stubborn, courageous and steadfast tomboy. She and her adored brother Jake run a struggling gas station "way out in the weeds." that rivals the bigger, wealthier and underhanded Kirby establishment. All Peewee wants is to work on cars. Jake has big dreams though, and not even a few robberies and set backs, (courtesy of the Kirby’s) will stop him from building a car and racing his name into auto mechanic glory, that is until Irene Ridpath and her sorority sisters come motoring into town with big plans to restore the small town library and in doing so turn Peewee’s and Jake’s lives upside down.

To request you copy from the JCLC catalog, click here!

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

In this disappointing third book of the Inheritance Cycle, after losing his fight and the sword Za’roc to his brother Murtagh, Eragon and his dragon Saphira must now begin to fulfill their promises. Having sworn to help Roran, rescue his betrothed from Galbatorix’s keep, Eragon and his cousin, Roran, set off on this dangerous mission against the advice of his friends. On their return to the Varden the cousins soon find that their duties keep them apart. Roran, having led his own people must now prove to Nasuada, the leader of the Varden, that he can be trusted and is sent out on raids under various captains.

Eragon’s oaths are beginning to conflict. Having lost to his brother, Eragon knows he must keep his promise to his elven teacher to return and learn as much as he can. Saphira has made promises to the Dwarves too. Eragon is forced to make a choice. But how can he leave when the Varden desperately need him to fight against Galbatorix’s army? And how can he fight when he no longer has a weapon?

Again Paolini leans too heavily on other fantasy plots but this time without a spark of his own originality to keep a book of length interesting. Eragon has not grown in character and Roran’s increasing feats of arms are ridiculous. Nothing of note really happens until the last chapters, leaving the readers wondering why they bothered picking up the book and not just waiting for the synopsis in the final book. Let us hope Paolini redeems himself with his final book in this series.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

City of Ember is a captivating tale about an underground city called Ember. A group of people known as the Builders constructed the city to preserve the human race. The Builders gave Ember a timeline of 200 years and then a box would open up and there would be instructions for how to leave the city. But one of the mayors was less than honorable and the box was lost to them.

The story starts out after the box has opened and the city is starting to crumble around the people. Lina and Doon must find a way to save their city from devastation. Can they find the way out in time?

This is a wonderfully illuminating tale of courage of two young adults. It is hard to put down.

To request this book or others in the series, click here!

Written by Amber Young

Chalice by Robin McKinley

Mirasol is a beekeeper, brought up on a small woodlot in the corner of Willowlands. She knows little of the manor house and the Master’s Circle that governs their lands. When the Master and his Chalice die in a fire without naming heirs, Willowlands is thrown in to turmoil, but Mirasol barely has time to notice as her goats are producing vast amounts of milk and honey literally pours out of her beehives, leaving her little time to care for the woodlot.  So, when the Circle come to her cottage, she believes they will send her away for her poor tending of the land she holds, but instead she discovers she is to be the new Chalice, the most important member of the Master’s Circle.  She will be the one who binds the Circle, land and people together and creates harmony among them.

Although ill prepared for her new life and uncomfortable in the presence of the other members of the circle, Mirasol wants their new Master to have a fair chance. But how can she reconcile the demesne and it's Master when the Master is a Priest of Fire, taken from his training by the death of his older brother, a man whose very nature is fire and whose touch burns flesh to the bone?
 
This enchanting retelling of beauty and the beast, smoothly weaves together a tale of magic, healing and honey.

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Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

Strap yourself in for the thrill ride you’ll want to take again and again!...you’re about to take ff on a heart-stopping adventure that will blow you away…

Ever dreamed you could fly; to know what it is to soar above the earth? For 14 year old Max, and her adopted family, flying is no dream, it is a reality. Genetically engineered in an experimental lab known as “The School”, these six kids are only 98% human, the other 2% is genetically altered avian DNA.

With the help of Jeb, one of the scientists, Max, Fang, Iggy, Gasman, Nudge and Angel have escaped and are free, that is until their old guards, mutant wolf-humans called Erasers, find their hid-out. Led by Ari, Jeb’s son, the Erasers capture Angel and take her back to the lab.

Now the “Flock” must use all their unique talents to rescue the six year old. Along the way Max learns that not everything in their crazy mixed up world is as it seems. Oh yeah, and she is destined to save the world.

Based on characters created in Patterson’s bestselling books When the Wind Blows and The Lake House, this fast paced sci-fi thriller has the feeling of James Cameron’s Dark Angel. Filled with frenzied chases and turbulant action this YA novel is not to be missed!

Request your copy today! Just click here!

The Misadventures of Maude March by Audrey Couloumbis

Sallie March, 11 year old spunky, tomboy and her older ladylike sister Maude live with Aunt Ruthie until their Aunt has the misfortune to be accidentally shot dead by the notorious Joe Harden.

The two girls are taken in by Reverend Peasley and his wife, who immediately put the girls to work running the household while they take it easy. Maude, on whom falls the brunt of the work and being courted by an elderly gentleman, decides it is time to take her’s and Sallie’s fortune into their own hands and brave the wilds of the frontier in search of their last living relative, Uncle Arlen.

But Maude and Sally soon find that losing their Aunt Ruthie is only the beginning of their problems as they ride out of Cedar Rapids and into the kind of trouble Sallie has only read about in her beloved dime novels.

Told by Sallie as she tries to set the record straight and punctuated by the erroneous newspaper reports of "Mad Maude and her gang", this rollicking Wild West adventure story will leave you begging for more.

To reserve your copy from the JCLC catalog, click here.

The Book of Three

In this first book in the Chronicles of Prydain we meet Taran, a boy who yearns to be a great hero and battle evil, not an assistant pig keeper in the hamlet of Caer Dallben. But when Hen Wen, the oracular, pig escapes his charge Taran sets out to find her and soon runs into danger for he is not the only one looking for the pig - the evil Horned King is after her as well.

Accompanied by Prince Gwydion, Princess Eilonwy, Gurgi, the bard Fflewddur Fflam and many others, Taran’s quest leads him, not only to an evil castle, dungeons, a secret underground village, but also from an unformed boy to a determined and courageous young man. He begins to see his home, himself and his future in a new way.

Filled with light hearted humor this first book has everything need to make this book a classic: adventure, danger, heroism, persistence and courage.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

This enchanting Newbery award winning tale tells the story of Ella, a spirited young girl who was given an unusual and disastrous gift by a fairy as a baby. When she wouldn’t stop crying, the fairy, Lucinda, bestows on Ella the gift of obedience which meant she had to obey any direct command. "If you commanded me to cut off my own head, I'd have to do it."

Follow Ella into a world filled with ogres, giants, elves and fairy godmothers as she takes matters into her own hands and sets out to win her freedom and her prince with intelligence, ambition and courage.

Read by Eden Riegel, who gives this inventive retelling of the Cinderella story a youthful and saucy charm as the fairytale weaves in and out and finally twists away from the original tale.

To request this book from the JCLC catalog click here

The Last Dragon by Silvana De Mari

This comical fantasy adventure tells the story of the last elf and the last dragon. Originally written in Italian, beautifully translated by Shaun Whiteside and read by Patricia Conolly who skillfully depicts the different characters and races.

Yorshkrunsquarkljolnerstrink is the last elf, an elf born lately. The constant rain has drowned his village and now he needs warmth, food, and shelter or he will die of despair. But the only shelter to be had has been taken by a human woman, Sajra and her dog. He is afraid of her as she will surely cook him and eat him with rosemary, like his Grandmother told him the humans did.

So begins Yorsh’s journey. Almost by chance he, and the two humans with him, stumble across a prophesy, written on an ancient wall concerning the last elf and the last dragon, but before Yorsh can read it all, the trio are running for their lives. How can Yorsh fulfill the prophecy if he can’t find the dragon or read it in full?

Interested? Request your copy from the JCLC catalog today! Just click here.

I Coriander by Sally Gardner

Coriander lives in London at a time of political instability. Charles I, King of England has been beheaded and now Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans hold the country. But this means little to Coriander for her world only contains her parents and their friends. But when a pair of silver shoes arrive at the house the outside worlds begin to encroach on hers.

By the light of seven candles, Coriander tells her story. It is a tale of silver shoes, a stuffed alligator, lost treasure and fairies; for Coriander is the daughter of a fairy princess who fled her kingdom. Now, Coriander must find the courage to put things right in the fairy realm, while combating the evil schemes of her Puritan stepmother and the evil Arise Fell.

Read by Juliet Stevenson, this audiobook is a delight. Part fairy tale, part historical novel the characters are full of vigor and colour. London and the fairy realm are bursting with life as this historical fantasy with a little romance weaves smoothly between the two.