If Harry Potter were a girl, and an elf, and magic was really just science....

The Keeper of the Lost Cities, by Shannon Messenger, is a great fantasy, that kept reminding me of the Harry Potter stories.  Not that it's a bad thing, or that the Harry Potter series invented some new formula....it just IS.

The story begins with Sophie suffering through another day as a 12-year-old that happens to be a senior in school.  Not only is is she super-smart, but she also has a secret she hasn't even told her parents; she can read minds.  Imagine being bullied in a traditional way, and having the pleasure of knowing exactly what everyone thinks!  She sees a strange boy following her, who tells her why she doesn't fit in....she's not human at all, but an elf!  

She is brought to the elf world and enrolled in a school where she is no longer a genius, in fact, just the opposite.  She is woefully behind, and much of the science she learned in the human world is found to be wrong.  Her only gift is her Telepathy, which is surprisingly strong.  She must abandon her human family, and learn all she can about her new world.  Of course there is the mystery of her origin, a mysterious group of rebels calling themselves The Black Swan, and a headmaster that has it in for her.  Sophie, with the help of her friends, begins to find some answers, which lead her into terrible danger.

My daughter, who is a freshman in high school, picked up this book on a whim, and finished all 500 pages in one day!  She then wrote a book report, and I loved what she took from this book:  we all fit in somewhere, we just have to find our place in this world.

One of THOSE BOOKS......

Because of Mr Terupt by Rob Buyea is one of THOSE BOOKS.  I have yet to meet a reader that didn't like it, both young and old.  I often find myself waiting for the let down, as books people rave about often don't "do it" for me.  I'm relieved to say, for once, I am in agreement.  I not only enjoyed the story, but also found it inspirational.

It is a story told in seven voices at the start of fifth grade.  Each voice is a student with very different reasons to hate school.  There is the class bully, the prankster, the shy one, a new kid, the brain, the follower, and the sullen kid.  They all are in the class of Mr Terupt, who manages to inspire them and keep them in check.  As the school year progresses we learn the root of these students problems.  It takes a terrible accident to truly inspire these students to change their paths.  

As a teacher, I can only hope to connect with my students as well as Mr Terupt does.  And, I believe students can identify with one, or more of the characters in the story, as well as see the "other side" of those that they don't.  Our state has a Minnesota Youth Book Award And the students of my school voted for  this book to win.   Jury's still out on state results....

A book in which not much seemed to happen

Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer had all the trappings of a book I would like: a hint of magic, clever children, a bit of mystery.  And yet....it fell short.  I learned more about how to be a top-notch servant than about any magic.

Frederick is a miserable orphan at the beginning of our story, who manages to escape a horrible punishment with the help of a mysterious creature by the name of Billy Bly.  He uses the advantage to become a sort of helper to the less-than-talented "cook."  He is, of course, clever, so he learns to sharpen knives properly and tie knots.  Frederick suddenly finds himself in the employment of a wizard, thanks to the fact that the livery suit mysteriously fits him.  And then....more about being an effective servant.  There IS a mysterious curse that surrounds the wizard family, and Frederick's knot-tying talents DO save the day, but, honestly, it's too little, too late.

If you like Downten Abby, minus the romance, and mostly about the work, this is the book for you.