Ivy's Ever After

Ivy has never fit the mould of a typical princess. Since her mother passed away during Ivy’s birth, the King has not been much for putting on airs and standing by tradition. Ardendale was never a flashy kingdom anyway, made up mostly of peasants and farmers. The one standing tradition that is left is that of the tower.

Ivy learned about the tower by accident. A couple of her friends (the daughters of servants) told her that she was to be locked away in a tower at age 14 and guarded by a dragon. Whichever prince could slay the dragon would not only be Ivy’s betrothed, but also the new ruler of Ardendale.

Ivy cannot believe that her father, befuddled as he is, would keep this important information from her, but when she confronts him, she learns not only that it’s true, but that the King has every intention of standing by this tradition that is part of the Dragon Treaty.

Not long before Ivy’s 14th birthday, a strange ship made of bone with hide for sails, enters into the harbour, carrying Prince Romil of far off Galacia. The Prince claims that he is in Ardendale to slay the dragon that is to guard Ivy’s tower and then to take on leadership of the land. But Ivy thinks there is more to Romil than meets the eye. Why would someone who complains so bitterly about the backwater state of Ardendale want to rule here?

Just before Ivy is to enter the tower, she learns of Romil’s overarching plans, but due to her wild ways of the past, nobody believes her. There is no way she can stay in the tower until she must marry Romil. When Ivy unexpectedly is rescued by an unlikely source, she is in for the adventure of her life.

What follows is a quest that will keep readers on edge over mountain tops, through swamps, into the fairy realm and the dragon’s den. Ivy is filled with pluck, and is desperate to prove that while she may not be the most refined princess, she is indeed brave and true.

Dawn Lairamore has written a fun-filled fantasy for the younger end of the tween set. Filled with trappings of dragons, treasures, fairies and trolls, readers will delight in getting their feet wet in some wizard free fair for a change. At times light and and other times filled with peril, Ivy’s Ever After is a satisfying tale that honors family, friendship and the idea of the greater good.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Here is a title that has been sitting on my tbr pile for quite some time. After all of the Mock Newbery results started pouring in, it was obvious that it was time to move this to the top of the pile! On my way to Boston for ALA’s Midwinter Conference, I had just the time I needed to get reading.

Minli’s family is very poor. In fact, everyone in her village is very poor. They live in the shadow of the Fruitless Mountain, where crops do not grow, and the land is barren and tough. It is all her family can do to work daily on their land and try to harvest enough rice to eat that day. Minli’s parents have very different outlooks on the their existence with Ma spending her time sighing bitterly over their fortune while her Ba fills their empty hours with colourful stories filled with mythical creatures, magic and far off lands. Ma scoffs at the stories, but Minli simply comes alive and seems to glow while she listens.

One day a goldfish seller comes into their little village declaring that a goldfish in the house will bring fortune into one’s home. Minli, with her faith in story, believes the goldfish seller and rushes into her home to get the 2 coins that are hers alone from when she was born. The fish costs her one of her coins and even though others in the village warn her not to believe the man, she happily brings her new fish home.

When her parents return from the fields, her mother is shocked and disappointed that Minli wasted her coin. Ba, however, reminds her that the money is Minli’s to do with what she pleases. Ma only sees the fish as another mouth to feed…something that Minli had not thought about when she first spotted the fish.

Minli decides in the dark of night to free the fish, so that her parents will not have to worry about feeding it. When she releases it in the river, something amazing happens. The fish speaks to her, and tells her how she can change the fortune of her family.

Soon Minli is off on her own, chasing her dream of helping her parents change their fortune. What follows is an adventure of discovery involving a flightless dragon, a boy with one friend, and the Old Man of the Moon.

Grace Lin has written an enchanting story that mixes a rich cultural landscape with a magical quest. Minli has such a pure spirit, that readers can’t help but root for her to overcome all of the odds and help her family. Between the “outside” stories, the pacing is perfect, and while I wondered at first if I would be able to keep momentum during the telling of the “outside” stories, it is managed with ease. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon has all of the qualities of a book with staying power. It will be interesting to see if this appears on some of the lists this year!

Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary

Now that alliances have been exposed, Kendra and her Fablehaven bunch are deciding whether or not to try to find the remaining artifacts that are needed to open the dreaded prison before the Sphinx and his followers do, or whether they should just leave everything be.

The decision is made when Kendra is taken and her sting bulb doppelganger is left in her place. She is being held by the Sphinx's minions and finds out that they have stolen the Oculus; the artifact from the Brazilian preserve that allows users to see everything at once. Kendra knows that the Sphinx can use this to find all of the artifacts needed to open the dreaded prison Zzyxz. She needs to escape and try to get to the artifact that Patton told her about in his journal before the Sphinx figures out how the Oculus works.

Once she is reunited with her grandparents and her Fablehaven family, it is quickly decided that they must venture to Wyrmroost, the dragon sanctuary where humans are NOT welcome, in order to get the artifact. The team is assembled and includes Kendra, Coulter, Tanu, Gavin, Warren, Trask, Mora, and Dougan. All have gifts that will help with the mission, but Kendra is still scared. She is happy that Gavin is coming, and not only for his dragon taming abilities. They have been exchanging letters, and Kendra is still harboring a bit of a crush.

All feelings have to be pushed aside once they reach Wyrmroost. It is a very dangerous place, and everyone has to be on his/her game to survive, let alone succeed.

Brandon Mull has written another fast paced, twist and turn filled adventure, where people aren't who they seem, and death lurks around every corner. The pacing is perfect and will keep readers on they edge of their seats as they expect the worst but hope for the best. In this installment, Seth is exploring his dark side, and is developing a depth that he didn't have before. He is quickly becoming a favorite character of mine.

I have always thought that Fablehaven would translate well to screen, and it is about to! It has been optioned, and I for one, can't wait to see the film version. Head on over to Brandon's site to find more information.