Book Review: The Circle Book One of the Sidhe by Cindy Cipriano

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Before Calum Ranson starts middle school, he spends a summer helping his mom in the family's bookstore, the Siopa Leabhar. When he's not working, Calum thinks about his missing cousin, Findley, and figures he will be the one to find him. 

Though the family appear normal to the outside world, they are really part of the Sidhe, a faerie clan. Nobody knows this until Laurel, a new girl in town, shows up at the bookstore wearing necklace which Calum recognizes as a symbol of the dark faerie clan, the Hobayeth. As Calum and his friends drift apart, his friendship with Laurel grows. The must learn to work together in the real world and the Otherworld to rescue her brother who disappeared seven years earlier, around the same time as Findley. Will the attempt free Findley as well or cost him his life? 

Cipriano's debut novel, The Circle, captivates the the reader with intrigue and mysterious twists. Relatable characters help to make the transition from "real world" to fantasy a smooth one. Though the story sometimes gets bogged down with details that don't have any real bearing on the plot, it does help set the stage for a second novel young fantasy lovers will look forward to. An underlying message of the importance of family ties and friendship help round off the solid fantasy novel.

Recommended 

**I received an ARC copy of the book at no charge to facilitate my honest review. No monetary compensation was received.

Publishing Information:

Publisher: Odyssey Books (June 1, 2013)

Pages: 186 Paperback

ISBN: 978-1-922200-04-4

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So Your Son Hates to Read?

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No matter what I do or say, I have one son who won't crack a book. It's almost blasphemous at our house to not read since both of his parents and two siblings are avid readers. We have tried everything from bribery to threats all to no avail. That boy will not budge. Even with our book cases looking like a middle school boy's dream library, we still can't get our son to read. I admit, I even paid my son $10.00 just to let me read Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading to him. The funny thing wasn't the money I had to pay, but the fact he actually admitted he liked the book after we finished.

I have often felt frustrated that I couldn't get my son to read until one day it dawned on me that he reads all of the time, just not all of the fabulous books I thought he would like. On this day I found my son looking through free book vectors, while trying to find artwork for a school project. He would find a picture he liked then tie it in with his research. He actually reads a lot more on the internet than I give him credit for.

 I have found some other tricks that work (at least most of the time).

• When your son wants to buy something, have him read all of the product reviews first and report which is the best before you let him buy it. My son actually does this.
• Mention stories in the newspaper or internet and don't tell your son the final outcome. Make him discover it for himself. I always tell him enough of the story to pique his interest and refer him to our local news site or newspaper to discover the ending.
• Sunday comics are great, especially if you ask your son which he thought was the funniest.
• Don't underestimate toy catalogs. My son has spent hours reading about remote control cars.
• Have your son look up how to fix something. My son has read a ton of how to's and can fix anything from bike tires and remote control cars to air soft guns.
• Find what interests your son and pull up articles on the internet about it. 
• No matter how old your son is, try to read to them. Listening is as important as reading and will still help build vocabulary.
• Forward funny emails to your child's inbox. My boys read those all of the time. 
• Forward information on family trip planning. It's amazing what your son will read about the place they know they will visit. Trip brochures are also a great thing to get your son reading while getting him excited for vacation.

Just because your son doesn't pick up a book, doesn't mean he isn't reading. My son loves
collector guns and has researched all different kinds of guns on the internet. He reads about them all of the time. He asked his great-grandfather what gun he carried in World War II and knew all about that particular firearm from his research. I knew a boy who read baseball stats regularly and could give a rundown on most of the players in professional baseball. Give your child credit where credit is due. Comic books, catalogs, and the internet can be a reading paradise if you let them.

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Book Review: Greenhorn By Anna Olswanger and Illustrated by Miriam Nerlove

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In 1946, a young Holocaust survivor arrives to a New York yeshiva. The orphan, Daniel, is one of twenty boys from Poland who lost their parents in concentration camps. Daniel brings with him the only possession he owns, a small box he never lets out of his sight.

The narrator, a boy with a stuttering problem named Aaron, befriends Daniel. Together they face the taunts of the other schoolboys as they tease Aaron about his speech. At the same time, the other boys try to cajole Daniel into revealing what is inside his precious box.

A haunting secret lies within the box. A secret left me shocked and horrified while at the same time leaving me in awe at the healing power of friendship and love. In a sea of Holocaust books, Greenhorn stands apart as a simple but powerful story of the horrors of inhumanity towards our fellow man. Olswanger's masterfully written short, illustrated middle grade novel lends itself to a more mature audience or a parent-child read aloud and  is sure to spark a somber discussion. The fact that Greenhorn is based on a true story, deepens the powerful impact. 

Highly Recommended (5 stars)

Publishing Information

Publisher: New South Books
Ages: 8 and up
Pages: 48
ISBN-13: 978-1-58838-235-1

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The Key & The Flame by Claire M. Caterer: Book Review

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Holly wishes for more than her boring life in America offers.  When her parents and younger brother, Ben move to an English Village for the summer, Holly receives a peculiar iron key from the cottage's caretaker. The key opens a door in a tree where Holly, Ben and their new English friend, Everett, end up in the medieval kingdom of Anglielle.

Ben and Everett are taken prisoner in the castle and where Holly must learn to use the key which transforms into a wand to rescue them. Magical creatures both help and hinder Holly's progress. While the plot has substance and the characters and mythical creatures spark interest, the action lacks the excitement and suspense needed to carry such a long fantasy novel. Caterer paints a pretty picture but leaves out the crucial step of actually meeting the wizard-like antagonist, saving it for the next book in the series.  The Flame & The Key will captivate the most voracious fantasy lovers, but the more fickle middle grade reader may put it down halfway through.  

Good to Recommended (3 1/2 stars)

Publishing Information:

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (April 2, 2013)

ISBN: 9781442457416

Ages: 8-12

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