Review: A Snicker of Magic

First, let me say that if a cover has a large ice cream cone on it, dibs are I am going to pick it up. Period. I am a cover shopper, and nothing says, “Pick me up Hodgenator” like a giant ice cream cone.

Also, the title has the word “magic” in it. I am going to touch it.

In this case, I saw it on Netgalley and realized I needed this book in my life. Little did I know that while reading it, I did need this book in my life.

Title: ‘A Snicker of Magic’

Author: Natalie Lloyd

Pages: 320

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Available: NOW at your local library/book store

Source: Netgalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Introducing an extraordinary new voice---a magical debut that will make your skin tingle, your eyes glisten…and your heart sing.

Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people could sing up thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers. But that was long ago, before a curse drove the magic away. Twelve-year-old Felicity knows all about things like that; her nomadic mother is cursed with a wandering heart.

But when she arrives in Midnight Gulch, Felicity thinks her luck's about to change. A "word collector," Felicity sees words everywhere---shining above strangers, tucked into church eves, and tangled up her dog's floppy ears---but Midnight Gulch is the first place she's ever seen the word "home." And then there's Jonah, a mysterious, spiky-haired do-gooder who shimmers with words Felicity's never seen before, words that make Felicity's heart beat a little faster.

Felicity wants to stay in Midnight Gulch more than anything, but first, she'll need to figure out how to bring back the magic, breaking the spell that's been cast over the town . . . and her mother's broken heart.

My Thoughts:

This book gives me all kinds of feels. Seriously. I read it while I was in the midst of a terrible shingles episode, and this book made me feel like hope existed in my life, that at the end of everything life would be okay.

That is powerful people. Power. Ful. And magical. If you’ve ever had shingles, you know why.

Midnight Gulch is a magical place full of hope—and this seems to be something Felicity has always needed in her life. And her mother’s. After all, she is a girl on the move.

She has a mother who is always on the move; she cannot stand to stay in the same place long. Is this a symptom of the ever-vanishing magic in Midnight Gulch?

It doesn’t matter because they are back. And Felicity wants to stay. This word collector feels the magic in the air, and she feels that this is the place that is meant to be her home. Her mom just can’t take that away from her. She just can’t.

But the question is this: can Felicity help restore the magic that has been lost? And if so, how will this restoration affect her life (and her mom’s)?

What I enjoyed most about this book is Felicity. Felicity’s character is nicely developed, she is the novel’s star and she remains so throughout. There isn’t a single secondary character that steals her thunder; but those secondary characters serve to support her. Each has a specific role in Felicity’s life, and each brings out the best in her.

A note about adults in children’s books: usually I find that adults in a child’s tale are tricky. A lot of the time I find the adult gets in the way of the storytelling, but that is not the case in this tale. They are there as guidance, which is what all children need in their life. While the novel is on the fantastical side, the role of Felicity’s mom and grandma add a realistic feel to the story, and at times I found myself lost deeper in the text because of it, believing that Midnight Gulch is real—and that I too want to live there. To experience the magic.

Or at the very least, eat a bit of ice cream.

The plot of this book is nicely paced, especially for younger readers. It is engaging from the first page, and it holds readers attentions until the conclusion.

Do I recommend this book?

Absolutely. I recommend this to readers of all ages—and of all genres. This novel doesn’t just speak to a certain type of reader. It is for all readers.

Readers will connect with Felicity the word girl; they will be intrigued by Midnight Gulch; they will find themselves lost in the words, much like Felicity is when she is collecting them.

Have you read a great magical read lately, one with ice cream, cupcakes, cake? Comment below and let’s talk about books, especially those with sweet treats.

         

Happy Reading!

-      The Hodgenator

Review: Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy

After seeing that cover—and that title—I knew I needed this novel in my life. I mean, with a character named Ophelia, what could go wrong, right?

I am glad I read this. I devoured the story.

Title: ‘Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy’

Author: Karen Foxlee

Pages: 240

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Available: January 28, 2014

Source: requested from Netgalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

A modern-day fairy tale set in a mysterious museum that is perfect for readers of Roald Dahl and Blue Balliett.

Unlikely heroine Ophelia Jane Worthington-Whittard doesn't believe in anything that can't be proven by science. She and her sister Alice are still grieving for their dead mother when their father takes a job in a strange museum in a city where it always snows. On her very first day in the museum Ophelia discovers a boy locked away in a long forgotten room. He is a prisoner of Her Majesty the Snow Queen. And he has been waiting for Ophelia's help.

As Ophelia embarks on an incredible journey to rescue the boy everything that she believes will be tested. Along the way she learns more and more about the boy's own remarkable journey to reach her and save the world.

A story within a story, this a modern day fairytale is about the power of friendship, courage and love, and never ever giving up.

My Thoughts:

The plot of this novel is simple, and yet not so simple at all. Ophelia spends time with her father at his new job, working in a strange museum. As young children are apt to do, Ophelia feels this place is one worthy of exploration.

This is how she encounters The Marvelous Boy. Except, what is so marvelous about him?

This is what the reader discovers as he/she devours this exciting tale. There is much to discover about The Marvelous Boy, the predicament he is in, and the time that is ticking away.

Can Ophelia save him? Or will she find herself another victim of The Snow Queen?

Oh sweet Ophelia, how do I love thee? No really, I absolutely adored her character. This was her story to tell, but Foxlee did a terrific job of balancing the development of Ophelia and her cause with the past of The Marvelous Boy and how he came to be in the clutches of The Snow Queen.

The story of the Marvelous Boy is what readers will devour as they race to the finish line of the novel with expectations of discovery of the true identity of The Snow Queen.

After all, throughout the reading I was questioning whether the Marvelous Boy was a real person or just a figment Ophelia dreamt up to pass the time.

And the Snow Queen? There is nothing I can say about her character without a revealing any kind of plot line. I will say this—it’s good.

As a whole, I enjoyed taking the journey with Ophelia. It was fun to run throughout the museum, searching for the best time to rescue the Marvelous Boy, hiding from the Snow Queen, and delving into a magical world that is nothing like my own. I felt like I was Ophelia, experiencing all the magical wonder that was that magical museum.

Goodreads says this novel will appeal to fans of Dahl, and I completely agree. I also believe this novel will appeal to those who enjoyed ‘The Apothecary’ by Meloy. It has the same feel for world-building.

I definitely recommend this novel to all readers/enjoyers of children’s lit, but most especially those aged nineish and above.

Have you read anything magical lately? If so, comment below and let’s talk about books.

                                                                                          

Happy Reading!

-      The Hodgenator

Follow the path to growing up in Breadcrumbs

This book has created a lot of Internet buzz, so I had to add it to my must-reads during the break. At the conclusion of reading it, I was on the fence with how I felt about it. There were elements I enjoyed and elements I did not. I decided to sleep on it before writing a review to give myself time to process it as a whole piece. In the end, I enjoyed the novel, and I believe young readers will devour the pages.

Summary (from Goodreads):

Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. They had been best friends since they were six, spending hot Minneapolis summers and cold Minneapolis winters together, dreaming of Hogwarts and Oz, superheroes and baseball. Now that they were eleven, it was weird for a boy and a girl to be best friends. But they couldn't help it - Hazel and Jack fit, in that way you only read about in books. And they didn't fit anywhere else.

And then, one day, it was over. Jack just stopped talking to Hazel. And while her mom tried to tell her that this sometimes happens to boys and girls at this age, Hazel had read enough stories to know that it's never that simple. And it turns out, she was right. Jack's heart had been frozen, and he was taken into the woods by a woman dressed in white to live in a palace made of ice. Now, it's up to Hazel to venture into the woods after him. Hazel finds, however, that these woods are nothing like what she's read about, and the Jack that Hazel went in to save isn't the same Jack that will emerge. Or even the same Hazel.

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbs is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.

My Thoughts:

This modern fairy tale was a delight to read. It is a story about friendship and staying true to one’s self. It is a story with everything a good fairy tale should have: a journey, magic, and a witch. Readers are thrust into a world where losing one’s self is too easy – but only if one is willing to give in to the magic of the woods.

The star of this novel is not the main character, Hazel Anderson, but the journey into the woods. This is an interesting device, one that many young readers will enjoy. The minor characters within the novel enhance Hazel’s journey, providing mystery, intriguing, danger, and delight. Not knowing who to trust, choosing to trust no one, delivers a powerful reminder that sometimes life delivers obstacles where one must find the road to overcoming them on his/her own.

The execution of the plot is clever. Each chapter is a puzzle piece, and it is up to readers to figure out how the pieces fit together to create a whole picture. While this is a gamble, for me as a reader it paid off. There were tidbits that I would read and think, “How does that fit?” By novel’s end, the pieces fit together.

While the Goodreads summary says that this is a story of the “struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind,” I have to disagree. To me the novel is a story about not letting go, fighting for things worth fighting for (in this case, friendship), and looking forward while all you really want to do is move backward. This is the strength with the novel – this is what will keep young readers engaged. Growing up is difficult, especially in today’s world, and wanting to hold on to the past is a natural element of it. But it is also important to understand that moving forward is more important because it is what allows us to survive what we have already lost – in this novel’s instance, innocence. This element is developed in the characters of Hazel and Jack. It is what ties them together.

As I read the novel I kept thinking of Joseph Campbell’s monomyth, which this story contains elements of throughout. I was surprised that Hazel did not have a “guide” to help her through the woods, but after allowing the book to settle with me I feel that this was a clever move by the author. She allows Hazel to truly grow up while on this journey to self-discovery. It is a hidden truth of growing up. While there are people in our lives that act as “guides”, ultimately the journey itself must be completed by us.

There were elements of the novel that I did not enjoy. I did have a hard time attaching myself to Hazel’s character. It felt like forever before she finally went into the woods to rescue her best friend, and I truly did not feel invested in the book until page 183. That is a long time for readers to wait – but I could be the exception.

Another element I did not enjoy was the ending. There were so many questions I had by novel’s end that I felt were unanswered – questions that I as a reader needed answers to. This is being a bit nit picky, but had the novel had one final chapter I would have felt satisfied. That one chapter needed to answer three questions for me, questions I will not list on here so I do not spoil the novel for those who have yet to dive into it. I will be curious to see if any of you feel the same.

Friendship, Family, and Espionage

Summary (from Goodreads):

It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows - a fascinating boy who's not afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary's sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of their enemies - Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons. Discovering and testing potions they never believed could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent impending disaster.

Together with Ian Schoenherr's breathtaking illustrations, this is a truly stunning package from cover to cover. 

My thoughts: 

Loved every moment of this novel. The plot was inventive, and the reader was magnificent.

Fourteen-year-old Janie and her parents move from L.A. to London in 1952 to escape questions of communism. In London her parents will write for a new Robin Hood series, and Janie will continue being fourteen - just with a new school and new friends.

Instead, Janie becomes friends with Benjamin Burrows whose only dream in life is to become a spy. He has already picked out his first suspected Russian "spy" to watch, and soon Janie and Benjamin are caught up in more than either ever bargained for.

Benjamin's father is an apothecary and expects his son to follow in his footsteps, but Benjamin wants more out of life than selling hot water bottles. Little does he know who his father really is nor why following in his footsteps could lead him to his real future as a spy.

The heart of this story lies with the friendship formed between Janie and Benjamin. At first it seems that readers will follow Janie, but soon it becomes apparent that Benjamin is an equally important piece of this plot's puzzle.

The strength lies with the fast-moving plot. The author does not hold back, thrusting readers into an international tale of friendship, family, and espionage.

The character development is spot on with interesting twists and turns throughout. Even the novel's conclusion is tightly woven together and will leave readers satisfied. That was my one true fear: how would this end and leave me satisfied? Meloy accomplished just that, and The Apothecary is going to have a strong hold on childrens literature for years to come.

I did this as an audio, and the reader was fantastic. She enhanced my experience with the characters and with the plot, creating imagery that I would have been robbed had I read it in print. With that said, I have read the print version contains beautiful illustrations, and I plan to check them out to see if the illustrator captured on paper what I captured in my mind.

Could you handle the magic of Grimm?

I taught a Myths, Monsters, & Shakespeare class for nine years, so I am always looking for great reads that go along with that class. This was recommended to me by my favorite bookseller at B&N. She is usually right about what I like, and this novel is no exception. 

Summary (Goodreads):
Elizabeth has a new job at an unusual library, a lending library of objects, not books. In a secret room in the basement lies the Grimm Collection. That's where the librarians lock away powerful items straight out of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales: seven-league boots, a table that produces a feast at the blink of an eye, Snow White's stepmother's sinister mirror that talks in riddles.

When the magical objects start to disappear, Elizabeth embarks on a dangerous quest to catch the thief before she can be accused of the crime, or captured by the thief.

Polly Shulman has created a contemporary fantasy with a fascinating setting and premise, starring an ordinary girl whose after-school job is far from ordinary, and leads to a world of excitement, romance and magical intrigue.


My thoughts:
The plot of this novel really speaks to me. As someone who has just completed an MLIS degree, the idea of working in a specialized library that houses the objects from Grimm tales sounds like a dream job. Not only that, but to have a chance to check those items out? Oh my! For this reason alone I loved, loved, loved this book.

The strength with this novel is the cleverness in not only the developing of the plot but also the characters. From  Elizabeth's trusting in others made her endearing for me because that is the hardest gift to give, and she was a character who willingly wanted to trust those around her. Whether or not that was a wise decision, well, I'll leave that to the reader to decide. 

The adventure element of this story sold me wholeheartedly. It made this novel worth every page I devoured. And reader, beware - trust nothing that you read while reading the novel. As with all great fairy tales, things are not as they appear to be. Okay, now I'm just being melodramatic, but it was fun, even for a moment. In truth, buckle your seat belt because this will be a bumpy ride - magic carpet and all. Okay, the magic carpet ride isn't really bumpy, but you get the point, right?

This book is a great read for anyone who enjoys fairy tales, fractured tales, and/or adventure stories. A great book for reluctant male readers.

Have you read this novel? If so, I would love to hear what you thought. Other fractured tale suggestions?

The Books of Elsewhere...a mysterious beginning

The purchase of this book was sealed with the promise of the dusk jacket: "For fans of Roald Dahl and Neil Gaiman comes a tale at turns haunting, moving, and darkly funny (and best if read with a flashlight  under the bed sheets--shhh!)." And the dust jacket did not disappoint. This was a lucky, browsing find.

And thus began my journey with Olive, an eleven-year-old who moves into a spooky old mansion on Linden Street. Olive feels as if she doesn't belong, as if she's ignored, as if she doesn't matter. Until a mysterious pair of old-fashioned spectacles changes her perception of all things Olive. These spectacles allow her to step into another world, Elsewhere, a world that is being preserved until...

Elsewhere is the creation of one man - the mean man, the dark man, the scary man - through paintings. Yes, that is correct. He has created an alternate world with his paint brush, a world he controls and a world he hopes to return to one day. At every turn Olive is being "tricked," a master plan to bring back an old master and a claim to what he believes his rightfully his, the mansion (who cares that he's been dead for a while). Can Olive learn to trust in herself in order to save the world? Okay, not literally the world, but at least the spooky old mansion she and her parents call home. 

Jacqueline West's book one, The Books of Elsewhere: The Shadows, will leave readers hungry for more Olive, more Morton, and more reading "with a flashlight under the bed sheets." But be very quiet, HE is waiting, HE is watching, HE is listening - for you.