Wintersmith by Terry Prachett

Tiffany Aching, a 13 year old apprentice witch, gets a little excited at the season changing ceremonies and dances with the Wintersmith, the god of winter. For shame! The Wintersmith falls immediatly in love with her which causes much seasonal confusion for Tiffany's beloved homeland. This fantasy/fairy tale/comedy weaves together all these elements with style and hilarity. Characters span generations (one is even 113 years old) and sizes as Tiffany gets assistance from her pals, the wee-free-men, tiny blue Scotish warriors that keep her under careful watch.

There are elements of the story that will appeal to both boys and girls. Tiffany handles multiple crises with grace and thoughfulness. She's a good role model for adolescent girls, aside from the fact that she is, well, a witch in training.

This is part of a series but stands alone just fine. I have not read any of the previous stories and I had ball with this one.

Gossamer by Lois Lowry

Littlest One is in training as a dream-giver, a delicate creature whose job it is to turn memories into dreams that give comfort and hope to humans. Thin Eldest is her teacher, doing his best to guide Littlest as she learns to use her considerable gift for bestowing dreams on the inhabitants of their assigned house--an abused 8 year old boy and his elderly foster mother. Comforting the angry boy is a task made urgent when a Sinisteeds begins to inflict nightmares on him. When the Sinisteeds gather to attack the child's sleep in a horde, Littlest must use her ingenuity to save him. Lowry skillfully weaves together all the strands of the story--the sweet, caring work of the dream-givers, the violent thoughts and words of the boy, the determination of his mother to make a home for him, the calm patience of the foster mother--into an allegorical story that can be enjoyed on more than one level.

The Last Dragon, by Silvana Di Mari

Yorsh is a young elf who encounters two humans whose differences lead to several humorous situations. Encountering an old prophecy that the last elf and last dragon will create a new beginning for a land engulfed in darkness, Yorsh journeys to find the dragon. His fate is also tied to the fate of a young orphan girl whose parentage the reader will predict. This was a very satisfying fantasy with humor, danger, and characters the reader quickly cares about.

Strange Happenings: Five Tales of Transformation by Avi

A bored boy trades bodies with a cat who once was also a boy, a princess is born invisible because of her mother's wish for a flawless daughter, a curious boy realizes too late that the identity of the team mascot is better left unknown, a shoemaker reneges on a bargain with his cat and discovers that the devil will have his due, and a selfish hunter finds forgiveness and a new life from the golden bird he killed. The five short stories in this slim volume show versatility in style and tone, with some reading like timeless folktales ("Babette the Beautiful", "The Shoemaker and Old Scratch", "Simon") and others like present-day fantasy ("Bored Tom" and "Curious"). Although the amount and density of symbolism varies from story to story, each tale has at least one moral to teach. It would be exciting to read and discuss this title with fifth-graders or middle-schoolers.

The King of Attolia.

TURNER, Megan Whalen. HarperCollins/Greenwillow. Tr $16.99. ISBN 0-06-083577-X; PLB $17.89. ISBN 0-06-083578-8.

Gr 7 Up –In a slick political and personal maneuver, the former Thief of Eddis has married the Queen of Attolia and must convince her court and her countrymen that he is a competent and caring ruler. This rich and multilayered novel, the third about Eugenides, is told with verve, and will create legions of fans for the newly minted and largely misunderstood monarch. (Feb.) SLJ Best List

Great romance and adventure in one title. Sequel (THE THIEF, THE QUEEN of ATTOLIA) we have been waiting for. The series has grown with our readers.
KP

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

Edward is the much-adored and pampered china bunny of 10-year-old Abilene. However, the life that he seemed to take for granted takes some interesting turns when he is lost at sea, recovered, and lost again several times. He experiences life with an array of people from various walks of life, but of all the lessons he learns the greatest of these is love. Ibatouilline‘s acrylic gouache illustrations are stunning and at times haunting. DiCamillo’s multi-layered story is skillfully written.


School Library Journal Best Books, Booklist Editor's Choice