Tarot

Gr 8 Up—Kennerson creates a believable fantasy world replete with a king whose methods of running his kingdom are questionable. Readers meet Anna, the king's daughter, who is almost 16 and has never stepped foot out of her tower—ever. The only people she sees are the Magician, the Fool, and the Hermit. She considers them her friends as they sit with her, bring her bland food, and allow her to weave tapestries. Anna imagines entire worlds as she weaves: people, animals, cities. With years of practice, she has become adept at weaving and with nothing to keep her mind from roaming—adept at stories. Her tapestries are beautiful—perhaps too much so. As her 16th birthday approaches, the king comes to visit. As the king views the tapestries for the first time, he is overwhelmed by the magical quality of them and stunned by the image of a moon (once a traitor who seduced his wife and was banished from the kingdom). He is annoyed that Anna has caused him so much trouble. Anna, worried she has somehow angered the man she thinks is her father, must unravel the truths the kingdom has hidden and find a way to survive them. Reminiscent of books by Tamora Pierce, with a strong female character who is coming into her own, this action-adventure fantasy will find many fans.