Summer and Bird by Katherine Catmull

After I participated in August's Adult Reading Round Table panel discussion about whole collection readers' advisory, having used bird books in my part of the presentation, several of the ARRT members suggested bird-related books to me, and I read them. One that I enjoyed immensely was Summer and Bird, a fantasy for young readers written by Katherine Catmull.

I was greatly impressed with this first novel. Though Summer and Bird is marketed for young readers, it is very honest and mature in its presentation of problems within families and in its telling of two girls' quests for finding their roles in life. Most readers, however, will not be thinking in such literary terms while reading. They will instead be mesmerized by the unusual story involving two sisters who wake one morning to find themselves abandoned by their parents. Using a drawing left by their mother as a sort of map (the first of several such maps in the book), they set off to find their parents. In the process they pass from Up into Down and encounter many birds.

I wonder how much of this complicated story that young readers understand. Laura in the Youth Services Department at the Thomas Ford Memorial Library explained to me that authors for youth often write for several levels of understanding, including for parents who read to their children among their target audiences. I think that applies here, as the author remarks at the end of the book that this story originated from stories she told while babysitting. I think she created a story that she enjoyed herself while entertaining her young charges. It is a book that I think will interest many adults who enjoy nature-themed fantasy.

Read Summer and Bird with a child if you can. If not, still read.

Catmull, Katherine. Summer and Bird. Dutton Children's Books, 2012. 344p. ISBN 9780525953463.

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

The shape of my latest books-I-want-to-read list keeps changing. I start anew periodically with databases or spreadsheets or posts on social media. My latest is a wish list on the library's online catalog. I never seem to complete a list before I begin another. Somewhere along the line, I am sure that I identified The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle for reading. When my friend George linked from Facebook to an essential fantasy book list recently, I was reminded of my intention and finally borrowed the book to take on a vacation. I finally started it on the flight home.

As so often happens, I had the right book at the right time. At the Cloisters in New York, Bonnie and I saw a very famous series of unicorn tapestries. They tell a story about the plight of unicorns hunted for the pleasure of kings, a theme that appears in The Last Unicorn. What separates Beagle's story from other humans in conflict with nature stories is that the author does not vilify anyone. A few humans and mythical creatures do cruel things intentionally, but most of the characters are just trying to survive. Conflict is inevitable, and those guilty of misdeeds seem to anticipate and accept the consequences. The heroes that prevail mourn for those defeated. Celebrations are tempered with sadness for losses.

Peter Beagle must be an interesting man. He is certainly a talented writer who has spun a fairy tale that is at times comic, philosophical, and compassionate. The story of The Last Unicorn will surprise readers to the end.

Beagle, Peter S. The Last Unicorn. 40th anniversary ed. ROC, 2008. 294p. ISBN 9780451450524.

Read On … Speculative Fiction for Teens: Reading Lists for Every Taste by Jamie Kallio

One of my pleasures during the last year has been seeing my latest book promoted with Jamie Kallio's Read On … Speculative Fiction for Teens: Reading Lists for Every Taste, first on a poster at the Public Library Association Conference in Philadelphia when Jamie's book was a forthcoming title and recently in Libraries Unlimited catalogs that list it for sale. Both are titles in the Read On Series edited by Barry Trott. I am pleased because Jamie was working with us at the Thomas Ford Memorial Library when she started her book, and I like to think that by virtue of our working at a medium-small library and getting published nationally we have made a positive statement to the profession about the work at every size of libraries. She now works for the larger Orland Park Public Library.

Books written for teen readers are hot, especially in the science fiction, fantasy, and paranormal genres, which Jamie addresses in her readers' advisory book. Teens are not the only people reading these books, however. Many adults will recognize some of authors included in her book - Neil Gaiman, Isabel Allende, Terry Pratchett, Orson Scott Card, Ursala K. LeGuin, and J. K. Rowling. The great service of her book is that she goes beyond the familiar to introduce us to other talented authors, their memorable characters, and worlds we can hardly imagine.

Like all Read On Series books, Read On … Speculative Fiction for Teens is divided into five chapters, each of which contains between 11 and 20 lists of books related by reading appeal factors. Chapters focus on story, character, setting, mood, and language. Lists have clever titles which indicate their themes, such as "Look, Ma, I Can Fly! … and Other Experiments," "Falling for You: Immortal Beings," "You're Such a Witch," and "Stranger with My Face: Possession." If you want books with zombies, dragons, robots, vampires, or strong women, you can find them in Jamie's book. You can also find audiobooks, graphic novels, and award winning titles among the entries.

I especially like that Jamie dedicates the book to two of our library's former teen employees, readers with whom Jamie discussed books. How fitting.

Kallio, Jamie. Read On … Speculative Fiction for Teens: Reading Lists for Every Taste. Libraries Unlimited, 2012. 126p.ISBN 9781598846539.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

"… the right book exactly, at exactly the right time."

Who is to say I would not have like Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan as much or more if I read it last week or maybe next month? What I do know is that I had begun reading it just days before I got a snow day. With an unexpected day off and the magic and beauty of the snow to go along with the magic inside the book, it was a perfect day for a book, if not the only right day for the only right book.

I see that the library from which I borrowed a copy of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore put a fantasy label on its spine. This is curious for the setting is the present and nothing that happens is beyond what is possible. What is magical are the relationships among the characters and their creative solutions to problems. Friendship, care, and wonder generate the power needed to drive Clay Jannon in his quest. He is the rover, accompanied by his warrior and his wizard. The roles are defined by their favorite fantasy trilogy, but they live in contemporary San Francisco.

Granted, the bookstore is unlike any that you are likely to find, as is the library Clay and friends visit in New York. The ancient order with which he becomes involved has an unusual methodology, it is true, but its mission is in line with the scholarly pursuits of all peoples of the book. His friends at Google have developed some amazing technologies, too, but I can imagine it all could be true. Robin Sloan has made the possibilities in our real world seem wonderful.

I so wish I could have set this review of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore in the Gerritszoon font.

Sloan, Robin. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. 288p. ISBN 9780374214913.

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursala K. Le Guin

Over thirty years have passed since I last read A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursala K. Le Guin. My memory of the classic fantasy tale was only slight before I downloaded the audiobook performed very dramatically by speculative fiction author Harlan Ellison. I remembered that there were dragons and wizards living on islands. Nothing more. So I returned to a place that I hardly knew and verified that my long ago enthusiasm was well founded.

Le Guin was masterful in her writing of this story which is often found in library collections for youth and teens. The story is fast-paced and full of action and is not the least bit preachy, though it does have a clearly thought out set of ethical rules to offer. Violation of the rules by Sparrowhawk, a student at the School for Wizards on Roke Island, unleashes a powerful shadow that threatens his future and the balance of powers in the archipeligo. Running from the evil is impossible. He must face the peril.

Once the beginning of a trilogy, A Wizard of Earthsea is now the initial book of a cycle including five novels and numerous short stories. They are widely available in libraries. I will be borrowing more.

Le Guin, Ursala K. A Wizard of Earthsea. Fantastic Audio, 2001. 5 compact discs. ISBN 1574535587.

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

In December, National Public Radio chose Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu for its Backseat Book Club. The club asks kids between 9 and 14 years old and their parents to read books and send to the club their comments. I heard the end of the month report on an NPR podcast and was impressed with the observations made by numerous students. Hearing that The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis inspired the recent work, I borrowed a copy and started to read.

"It snowed right before Jack stopped talking to Hazel" seems a rather modest first sentence, but having finished the book, I see much is introduced by these nine words. The statement launches a tale that at first seems very contemporary but then turns magical. Hazel is an 11 year old adopted by American parents from India and brought back to Minneapolis. She and her best friend Jack share an interest in reading, fantasy games, and the Minnesota Twins, but they do not agree about other 5th graders. Jack has a wide circle of friends, but Hazel is only interested in Jack. A snowball in the back marks the start of a series of events that leads the two to a dangerous place far beyond their neighborhood.

The author obviously knows and loves fantasy literature, and like-minded readers will recognize references to genre classics, such a The Hobbit and The Wizard of Oz. What I especially like is how Hazel draws on her reading to understand her own challenges. Of course, not every thing is as it first seems in Breadcrumbs. Readers of all ages will have fun sorting the good from the evil with Hazel.

Click here to learn more about the Backseat Book Club.

Ursu, Anne. Breadcrumbs. Walden Pond Press, 2011. 312p. ISBN 9780062015051.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

I have been following Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson on Facebook for the past year. Using some of the same sets and locations, he is currently filming The Hobbit in New Zealand and occasionally posts photos and videos showing how the project is progressing. The videos are particularly fun as Jackson is witty and charming as a guide to cinematic Middle Earth. I also like being introduced to the actors and seeing how the makeup and costumes are created. I don't think it will lessen the magic of the film to have seen these little documentaries. I have already read the book several times.

A couple of weeks ago, I actually ran out of library books, so I decided it was time to revisit The Hobbit, which we have on a prominent shelf in the living room. The story held few surprises, of course, for I knew it too well, but I did notice some things about the writing. The first is that it really is much easier to read than the Lord of the Rings books. There is much less description and fewer references to the history of Middle Earth. Second, some of the scenes that I remembered as long were not. After finding the ring in the caves under the Misty Mountains, Bilbo gets away from Gollum in only a few pages. The hike along the elf trail through Mirkwood may be unending for the dwarves and Bilbo, but the reader is led through pretty quickly. Even Smaug's attack on the lake town of Esgaroth and battle of the five armies are briefly told - especially when compared to similar events in the trilogy.

I also noticed how Tolkien introduced a very modern ethical dilemma after Smaug was slain by Bard. What would have been a fair distribution of the treasure that had long been kept in the Lonely Mountain by the dragon? The dwarves could claim the mountain but the dragon had stolen from many, including people and elves. Could previous owners of the pieces have been identified? Could the losses of the victimized be tabulated? It seems that only Bilbo and Bard could clearly see that there was plenty of gold for everyone. What really mattered more was the repairing of buildings and gathering of food before winter. But sharing seemed so difficult to do when everyone wanted their part. Only the rise of the common enemy from the North brought the disputing sides together. This sounds a lot like contemporary problems.

Aimed at younger reader, The Hobbit is truly a great book for any age. I enjoyed my return to Middle Earth immensely and now await the late 2012 release of The Hobbit, Part One. I know it will be spectacular.

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit. George Allen & Unwin, Ltd., 1937.

Librarian's Day at the Bristol Renaissance Faire

Was it Librarian's Day at the Bristol Renaissance Faire on Saturday, August 6? Bonnie and I went with our friends Nancy and Glenn. That's four librarians. We parted for a while, and Glenn later reported seeing three librarians that he knew from the suburbs of Chicago. At home in the evening I verified another wearing a T-shirt stating "librarian" in a photo of the Moonie show. I wonder how many more there were.

So, what draws librarians to a Renaissance fair? My first thought is fantasy. We read lots of books that take us to other worlds and enjoy going beyond the pages for a bit of magic and make-believe. What better place than the BRF? The performers, vendors, and much of the paying public are decked out as lords and ladies, knights, vikings, monks, witches, wizards, minstrels, and peasants from the time of Queen Elizabeth I. You also get a stray Klingon or hobbit, but no one seems to mind the disconnect. People speak like Shakespeare and pledge their loyalty to the queen. They even get up on horses and joust. What librarian would not want to be a part of the fun?

Knowing librarians, they are probably also drawn by the food and drink. Turkey legs, tempura, crepes, calzones, shepherd's pie, garlic mushrooms, fruit ices, and many confections are sale, as are all sorts of wines, beers, teas, and soft drinks. Servings are often good for sharing so you may try several dishes. I never go away hungry.

What I used to go for was the music. There used to be half a dozen stages at which musicians traded places every half hour. Madrigal singers wandered the fair. There was also a long table loaded with all sorts of recorders, crumhorms, lutes, whistles, and such under shady trees; musicians jammed all day. I would often spend most of my day listening to dance music and folk songs. That all seems to be gone, and I attend less regularly.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a shop with a great selection of early music compact discs, many of which were imported from the United Kingdom. There were entire shelves devoted to music of particular countries, periods, and instruments. I purchased discs on madrigals and consort music. The shop also had a big selection of board games based on events from history. Medici anyone? How about Armada?

Summer afternoons at the BRF can be rather hot, but there are many shady trees. Even the stands at the jousting field now have canopies. Cold drinks are readily available. With just the slightest breeze, it is a fine place to be.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman must have read a really big dictionary front to back as well as every fairy tale in print as a child. Reading Stardust, his fantasy novel for adult readers, I was greatly entertained by his wide ranging vocabulary and the profusion of fairies, witches, and fantastic creatures, all in support of his well-told tale about a young man pursuing for love what should be an impossible quest. Having a good heart and the help of magical friends when it is most needed, Tristan Thorn gets his heart's desire. It also almost kills him. I don't want to say any more and spoil the story.

I listened to the five disc audiobook read by Gaiman himself. At the end of disc five is a lengthy interview with the author in which he explains how he wrote this story. He started with the idea of a gap in a wall being the portal from the everyday world into Faerie, a fading world of magic. He also tells how he dreaded reading in public until he discovered what fun it was. If you are lucky enough to get the audiobook, make time to listen to the interview.

Gaiman, Neil. Stardust. Recorded Books, 2006. ISBN 9780061153921.

Harry Potter Party in Downers Grove

Book as Costume
Originally uploaded by ricklibrarian.

A crowd of readers moved on downtown Downers Grove last night, awaiting the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Among the many activities was a costume contest. I did not hear who won, but my favorite was the girl who came as the book. In her interview with Anderson's Book Shop staff, she said that it took her three days to make her costume.

There were lots of Hogwart's student robes, many also sporting the Gryffindor scarf. The scarves looked pretty sharp with the black robes or black t-shirts. I think I know what I want for Christmas.

Of course, our reason for being there was to pick up the book, but there were several hours of party before midnight, so we visited Honey Dukes for chocolates. We also watched a bit of human-sized chess and saw wandmaking.

Bonnie had ticket #45. We had the book by 12:03. She started reading in the car on the way home. Laura gets the book next. I am last in line, which is good because I then get to take my time enjoying it.

More photos are on Flickr. Click the photo.

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I notice that iTunes does not have Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I wonder why.

Narn I Chîn Húrin: The Tale of the Children of Húrin by J.R.R. Tolkien

Warning for librarians: the title on the jacket does not agree with the title page. This has already caused confusion placing reserves. Booksellers and the press are using the cover title. Some library catalogs are using the title page title.

The story of Middle Earth continues, as Christopher Tolkien has edited more of his father J.R.R. Tolkien’s early writings and gives us Narn I Chîn Húrin: The Tale of the Children of Húrin. Húrin is lord of Dor-lómin in a hard time when men and elves fight the evil strength of Morgoth, the dark lord of the north. Morwen is his wife and mother of Túrin, Urwen, and Niënor. After her husband is captured by Morgoth, she sends her son Túrin to live with the elves in the hidden realm of Gondolin. These events take place long before the events in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Readers of the Silmarillion may remember the outline of the story, which I will not reveal. In The Children of Húrin the story is greatly expanded and readers learn why Túrin and Niënor wander into the dangerous lands of the west. In the new work (a really old work) there are also dwarfs, orcs, and a dragon that does not fly, but no hobbits. Compared to the Silmarillion, the new book is easy reading, as there is a constant narrative and clear line of action. There are many names, as every major character has several, but readers are clearly told when names change. Christopher Tolkien provides a glossary of names in the back of the book.

Tolkien fans will enjoy the epic story and the great writing. They may come to agree with Beleg, an elf of Doriath, who says, “Alas! Child of men, there are other griefs in Middle-Earth than yours, and wounds made by no weapon. Indeed I begin to think that Elves and Men should not meet or meddle.”

Readers will also enjoy the wonderful illustrations of Alan Lee.

Every library should have this book.

Tolkien, J.R.R. Narn I Chîn Húrin: The Tale of the Children of Húrin. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2007. ISBN 0618894640