Kaimira: The Sky Village by Monk and Nigel Ashland

ISBN: 978-0-7636-3524-4

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Hardcover: 416 pages

Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy

Reading Level: 9-12

First Lines: Hundreds of hot-air balloons bobbed in the wind, their baskets tied together with long stretches of rope. From the ground, the Sky Village looked like a giant net, poised to capture the clouds as it drifted far above.

One Word Review: Spirited

Published: 2008

The Trinary Wars, a series of devastating battles for global domination among humans, beasts, and meks (machines), have resulted in a world where chaos reigns. In China, a young girl named Mei is forced to leave her home on land and join the Sky Village after her mother is kidnapped by a brutal band of meks. Before she departs, her father gives her the Tree Book, a mysterious and possibly dangerous creation that allows her to communicate with Rom, a boy struggling to keep himself and his sister alive in the desolate ruins of Las Vegas, where beasts roam free. The first in the Kaimira series, The Sky Village follows both children as they attempt to make sense out of the book and some new found abilities.

A dazzling start to what promises to be a sensational new series, The Sky Village hosts a likable and sympathetic cast of characters, an exciting and fast-paced plot, and a wonderfully rich and believable setting. Occasional illustrations compliment the story nicely by allowing for better visualizations of this fantastical world and its inhabitants. While I enjoyed almost everything about this book, I especially liked the descriptions of Mei's life on the balloons. The Ashlands have created a unique landscape that spoke to the child in me. I could see the sky walkers dancing across ropes from balloon to balloon as Mei watched breathlessly. It was a stark contrast to the dark underbelly of Las Vegas that served as home to Rom and his sister, Riley.

Geared toward middle readers, I think even adult fans of science fiction and fantasy books will be pleased with The Sky Village. I'll definitely be looking for the second installment, when hopefully we'll be introduced Lizard Girl, another Tree Book owner we've yet to meet.

Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer

Publisher: BBC WW

Audiobook (Unabridged): 8 Hours and 22 Minutes

Narrator: Nathaniel Parker

Author Website: http://www.eoincolfer.com/

Book Website: http://artemisfowl.com/

Reading Level: Young Adult

Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy

First Line: Happy was not a word often used to describe Artemis Fowl's bodyguard.
One Word Review: Delightful

In this fifth installment of the wildly popular and award winning series, Artemis Fowl sets out to save his fairy friends from being exposed to the human world. With former LEPRecon (cute, huh?) officer, Holly Short, and a few new friends at his side, he's battling time and demons all the while dealing with the onset of puberty.

First, let's discuss the book itself. As always, Eoin Colfer has created a wonderful mixture of action, suspense, humor, emotion, and techno-gadgets that captures the reader from the first page and carries him happily to the end. Having read all of the previous books, I won't say this one was my favorite - that honor goes to book #3, The Eternity Code, but it still left me feeling that Artemis isn't the only genius at work here. Not only has Mr. Colfer built a wonderfully believable alternate reality in which to set his stories, but he crafts his characters so well that they feel like friends. And, unlike some other series books I've read, the characters develop as the series moves forward. The relationships and the people / fairies themselves don't remain static but evolve as they should.

Moving on to the narration. I've been listening more and more to audiobooks on my iPod. It's so convenient to just plug up my headphones while I'm working and be entertained at the same time. Having experienced several different books over the past few months, I have come to the conclusion that all narrators are not created equal, and that they will, in turn, largely affect the listener's level of enjoyment. Even, I believe, the best possible books could be turned into an unpleasant experience. So, what do I think of the narration of The Lost Colony? In a word, brilliant. Nathaniel Parker is spectacular in this role. His narration is flawless, and he does each character's voice as it has always sounded in my head when I've read the books. It is audio theater at its finest.

The next Artemis Fowl is set to be released in a couple of weeks, and it looks to be just as fabulous as the previous books.

Journey to the Blue Moon: In Which Time is Lost and Then Found Again by Rebecca Rupp

ISBN-10: 0763625442

Publisher: Candlewick

Hardcover: 272 pages

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Genre: Fantasy

One Word Review: Surprising

When Alex misplaces his grandfather's antique pocket watch, odd things begin happening to him. He forgets to do things (like his homework), and nothing seems to matter to him any more. He soon discovers that lost things often end up on the moon, and when he encounters Moon Rats, he and his faithful dog, Zeke, travel back with the rats to find his lost watch and hopefully his lost time. From there, he meets up with unexpected travellers who've lost items of their own, and the adventure really begins. He must find his watch before the moon ceases to be blue or else be stuck for centuries.

I picked this book up at the local library, thinking that the cover was cute and the story sounded marginally entertaining. I wasn't really expecting much, so I was rather surprised at the depth of the story and the philosophical questions that kept popping up. The fact that these subjects are kept on the child's level of understanding is really what's remarkable. Things such as losing one's way in life and losing sense of purpose wouldn't ordinarily be topics I'd expect in children's books, but Rupp has made it work. And, in the process, she's created a story with very likable characters that is action-packed enough to keep kids and adults engaged.

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In addition to several homeschooling books, Rebecca Rupp has also written The Dragon of Lonely Island, The Return of the Dragon, and The Waterstone.

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Fablehaven is a creative and fast paced story. The tale begins with two siblings, Kendra and Seth, who are unwillingly sent to spend 17 days with a grandmother and grandfather they barely know. They are clueless to the fact that their grandparents are actually caretakers of a refuge for all sorts of incredible and dangerous mystical creatures, including fairies, satyrs, naiads, and a particularly nasty witch. It's a thrilling adventure story as the kids struggle to save their family.

I found this book to be delightful. The plot is somewhat similar to Michael Buckley's Sisters Grimm series, but it's enjoyable in its own right. The world Brandon Mull has created is well thought out, and the characters are pretty well written - I particularly liked Seth. It has enough action to keep you interested, enough humor to keep it light (including a few moments that were laugh out loud funny), and an ending that, while it's perhaps a bit simplistic, is satisfying enough to have me thinking I'll look for book two on my next trip to the library.

The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer

The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm is an adventure fantasy novel about 3 over-protected children in futuristic Zimbabwe. When they decide to break the bonds of their sheltered existence for a day, they find themselves in a series of perilous situations which lead them further and further from home. The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm are the unusually gifted detectives who are sent out to find the children.

This is a wonderful story made even more rich with Nancy Farmers vivid descriptions. It's beautifully written, and the originallity of the story makes it a refreshing addition to any library. While it's apparently geared toward children (middle grade to teen), the complexity of the story coupled with Nancy Farmer's wonderful storytelling, will captivate adults as well.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Stardust tells the tale of a smitten young man, Tristan Thorn, who promises to find and deliver a fallen star to his beloved in exchange for anything he desires. Throughout his journey, Tristan encounters many strange and interesting characters, several of whom are intent on his failing this quest. It's a fanciful tale of magic and love and the lengths one will go to prove his love.
While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I will say that I find it inappropriate for its intended teen audience (I'm assuming this is the intended audience as I found the book in the teen section of the local Barnes and Noble). The themes might be fairy tale in nature, but several of the scenes are, in my opinion, more mature than the typical young adult writing. That being said, reading it as a novel geared toward adults, I found it enchanting and a nice escape from reality. It's a very quick and easy read, and I am looking forward to seeing the film.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Neverwhere is not typical of the sorts of novels I read. It's a dystopian story of a man who quite literally falls through the cracks of society into a desolate and sinister underworld in his attempt to do a good deed. It was dark and a bit gruesome at times, but it was also engaging and entertaining. Having never been to London, I think I may have missed some of the subtler allusions, but Gaiman's writing is clever and witty, and his characters are very well written. It was certainly worth reading, and I look forward to reading more of Gaiman's work.