Tyger, Tyger

Gr 7 Up—Teagan Wyllston, 16, has a goal—get into Cornell and become a vet. There's no place in her life for boys. But when she meets the mysterious Finn Mac Cumhaill, he sets sparks flying. Her mother dies suddenly and her father disappears as Tea's Irish Traveler family history comes to light in the first strikes of a deadly goblin war. Teagan's brother, Aiden, is blessed with a gift for music that comes in very handy as he, Tea, and Finn quest throughout the legendary realm of Mag Mel, where dangerous sidhe live and the dreaded Fear Doirich rules. Kersten Hamilton's first book (Clarion Books, 2010) in a projected series, drenched in Celtic myth and legend, keeps a leisurely pace through the first half, but builds momentum and action toward an abrupt cliffhanger ending with promise of romance to come between Tea and Finn. Celeste Ciulla imbues her narration with the magic of Ireland, trading multiple Irish accents easily. Fantasy fans will enjoy this goblin tale and look forward to the next installment.—Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI