School Library Journal» Feiwel & Friends

Pick of the Day: Soldier Dog

SLJ — Mon, 27 May 2013 09:00:55 +0000

ANGUS, Sam. Soldier Dog. 248p. bibliog. Feiwel & Friends. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-250-01864-9; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-250-03764-0.
Gr 6-8–A gripping story of love, loss, and sacrifice during World War I in England and France. Feeling rejected by his widowed father, Stanley Ryder, 14, longs for his older brother, who has gone off to war. Da raises horses and dogs for racing, but his wife’s death has left him emotionally crippled. When their prize dog runs off and mates with a lesser breed, Da lashes out at Stanley. He gives away all but one of the litter, vowing to drown the remaining pup. Stanley runs away to find his brother. He succeeds at enlisting despite his youth and gets a job training dogs to carry messages through active gunfire and bombings when communication lines have been destroyed. Through poetic and cinematic prose, Angus breathes life into trench warfare and the horrors faced at the front. Her well-drawn characters exude courage even through their terror. Though Stanley is behind the front lines, the danger he faces is palpable, but he is determined to stay and find Tom. He finds a new family among the soldiers and begins to understand that Da’s behavior toward him may have sprung from the pain of loss. He begins to long for his whole family and manages to get word of his whereabouts to Lara, his former teacher and Tom’s girlfriend. Despite convenient twists that bring the story to a climax, the book remains an absorbing read that pays homage to the courage of the Allied forces while shedding light on the atrocious conditions under which they fought. An outstanding book, reminiscent of Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse (Scholastic, 1982).–Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ

Pick of the Day: The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There (Audio)

SLJ — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:00:45 +0000

The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There. By Catherynne M. Valente. 7 CDs. 8:21 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2012. ISBN 978-1-4418-7767-3. $79.97.
Gr 5-8–Valente returns listeners to Fairyland in this sequel (2012) to The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (2011, both Feiwel and Friends). An awkward and lonely girl, September consoles herself with the delicious secret that she has been to Fairyland and saved it from an evil queen. On an ordinary day, after a long, impatient wait, September trips over a wall and falls into Fairyland where she discovers that things are not as she left them. The shadows of the inhabitants are being sucked into Fairyland-Below. September begins a quest, along with her dear companions A Through L, a Wyvern (a sweet, loyal, and dragonish beast), and Saturday, a Marid (a bluish boy). Divinely verbose, Valente’s brilliantly crafted words evoke exquisitely lush and detailed images in the listener’s imagination. She seamlessly and brilliantly blends elements of fantasy, mythology, and historical fiction to create a magical world so cunningly described that it’s utterly believable. Startling truths reminiscent of J. M. Barrie, L. Frank Baum, and others ground the story and give it depth. Singer/songwriter S.J. Tucker’s satiny voice blankets and captivates listeners. She is a storyteller in the classic sense, and voices lively, distinct characters, some with hints of exotic accents. It is not imperative that listeners are familiar with the first book, but it will lend clarity to some details of the story.–Lisa Hubler, Charles F Brush High School, Lyndhurst, OH