King Lear

Shakespeare, William. King Lear. 2007. 215p. ISBN 0-300-12200-4. Available at 822.3 SHA on the library shelves.

Slowly descending into madness, Lear, King of Britain, decides to split his kingdom into three pieces, one for each of his daughters. As a price, however, he asks them to describe in glowing terms why they love him most. HIs two oldest daughters readily participates, but Cordelia, the youngest one, honestly replies that words alone cannot express how much she loves him. Enraged at what Lear perceives to be her lack of enthusiasm, he disinherits her, and grants her part to her two older sisters. The Duke of Kent opposes this move by Lear, so the King banishes him as well. Despite having lost her inheritance, Cordelia marries the King of France, who appreciates her honesty.

Lear then decide to live with his two daughters, alternating between one and the other. However, he brings with him a hundred knights which each must support while they are there, incurring significant expenses. Both daughters do not really love their father but consider him a old fool. Forced to disband his knights, Lear soon find himself alone with his Fool and the Duke of Kent, who has returned from exile and disguised himself as a servant to protect his King. Powerless against the daughters who have now turned against him, Lear looks to a French invasion to restore him to his throne.

His daughters have other plans, however, and they discover the plot against them. They assemble their armies and march on. Following the confrontation, the two sisters are victorious against Cordelia, but not without much bloodshed and double crossing. In the end all three sisters end up dead, and King Lear is left with only his madness before he succumbs to the trials he has lived through.

Shakespeare’s best known tragedy, King Lear remains relevant today for its presentation of greed and madness and for its discussion of the important of nature and reason.

Twelfth Night

Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night. 2008. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive, as well as 822.33 SHA on the library shelves.

Two siblings, twins Viola and Sebastian, are separated when their ship sinks in the Mediterranean. Rescued by a good captain, Viola disguises herself as a man, takes the name Cesario, and joins the service of Duke Orsino. Orsino is madly in love with Olivia, who still mourns the death of her father and brother, has sworn she would not have any relationships with men for seven years, so Duke Orsino’s pleas of love fall on deaf ears. She is intrigued by Cesario, however, whom she finds weirdly attractive. At the same time, Viola herself becomes infatuated with Orsino, creating an unrequited love triangle.

Meanwhile, Sebastian was himself rescued by a thief named Antonio. Wanted by Duke Orsino, Antonio falls madly in love with Sebastian. When Sebastian meets Olivia, she mistakens him for Cesario, and they soon marry. When Sebastian is reunited with Viola, both Duke Orsino and Olivia are confused, as there are now two Cesarios. Identities are soon unraveled and Viola and Orsino are soon married.

Considered by many to be Shakespeare’s best comedy, Twelfth Night hilariously examines what happens when cases of mistaken identities collide with love stories.

Once and For All

Dessen, Sara. Once and For All. 2017. 357p. ISBN 978-0-425-29033-0. Available at FIC DES on the library shelves.

Working for her mother, Louna has seen all sorts of weddings. Her mother is Natalie Barrett, the locally famous wedding planner, and she and her partner William have the art of the wedding down to a science. Louna has been working with them ever since she was a young girl, and her role has evolved over time to include more tasks. When asked by a nervous bride if she believes in the fairy-tale wedding and a happily-ever-after, Louna can’t answer, because she doesn’t believe any of it. She’s seen too many happy couples fail, and combined with her mother’s cynicism, Louna knows she will never live a true love story, because they don’t really exist.

Then she runs into Ambrose at his mother’s wedding. Ambrose is everything Louna is not. He’s spontaneous, she’s not. He has no ambition nor plans, she has both. Soon Ambrose ends up working for her mother, and now she has to put up with his irreverence and clear lack of wedding business skills. Ambrose rubs her the wrong way, and yet, there’s something there. Louna is not ready to date, however, not after the whirlwind she experienced with Ethan, a beautiful night and a short passionate relationship that had no time to blossom due to a school shooting that took Ethan’s life. Louna is not ready to let go of Ethan, for no other relationship could compare. Ambrose too feels that there is something there, and he endeavors to kindle the flame that will lit up their relationship.

Fans of Lock and Key will appreciate this great book about love by Sarah Dessen, this story is told from Louna’s perspective and explores how one person can overcome the sorrows that have kept them from experiencing everything that life has to offer.

Shadowshaper

Older, Daniel José. Shadowshaper. 2015. 297p. ISBN 978-0-545-59161-4. Available at FIC OLD on the library shelves.

Sierra Santiago leads a busy life. With school done, she’s looking forward to working on a mural, spending time with friends, and also taking care of her elderly grandfather, who’s losing more and more of his memories. Working on the mural, she notices that the other painting across the street has faded overnight and seems sadder than she remembers it. That night, she attends a party with her best friend but they are attacked by a strange zombie-like guy who relentlessly pursues her.

Sierra discovers that she is one of the Shadowshapers, people who have the power to connect with spirits through paintings, music, and art. These spirits are then willing to do the Shadowshaper’s bidding. This small group is very secretive, and as Sierra investigates she discovers that her grandparents were part of it, but her parents wanted nothing to do with this paranormal power and denied it even existed. Her brother Juan has been introduced to the Shadowshapers by her grandfather. Holding an old photo of her grandfather and his friends, Sierra sees that members of the group are slowly vanishing.

Through the helpful assistance of a librarian at the University, Sierra ascertains that one of her grandfather’s colleague, anthropologist Dr. Jonathan Wick, has used the powers of Shadowshapers to conjure spirits that have been pursuing his own evil plans, including animating the corpses that have been threatening Sierra and her friends. As Wick seeks to become the only one who can control this power, Sierra is the only one who can stop him, but in doing so she will discover information about her family’s past and present she may not be ready to learn.

By Your Side

West, Kasie. By Your Side. 2017. 342p. ISBN 978-0-06-245586-4. Available at FIC WES on the library shelves.

Autumn is looking forward to spending time with her high school girl friends at a remote cabin for the Martin Luther Day weekend. Before that, she and her friends spend an evening in the library working on a history project. With the library closing time fast approaching, Autumn and her group head to the underground parking lot. She places her bag in Jeff’s car, since they will all be going to a campfire in the woods before the girls head to the cabin. Considering the long drive, she decides to return to the library one more time to use the bathroom. Coming out, however, everything is black, and the library staff has departed, leaving her locked inside the library. With no phone, no computer access, no food, no change of clothes and all office phones locked, Autumn settles for a long night, until she realizes the long weekend means the library will not reopen until Tuesday. Worse, she’s not alone in the building.

Once she realizes that she’s locked in with druggy Dax Miller, she calms down a little. Mysterious Dax is quiet, and all she knows about him is that he got in trouble in the past and has spent some time in juvenile detention. And now he’s here with her, and unlike her, he planned on being locked in the library for the long weekend. Equipped with some food, a sleeping bag, toiletries, but also with a dead phone and no charger, there is no way to leave. The doors are locked, and only by pulling the fire alarm would people know someone is inside the library. Dax, however, does not want the police to get involved, and they most assuredly would.

Over the next three days, Autumn and Dax get to know each other better. But during watching television in the breakroom, Autumn sees a report about her disappearance in the car accident that injured Jeff Friday night, when he was returning to town from the campfire. Afflicted with panic attacks, Autumn enters full crisis mode, and Dax saves her by putting his own future in danger. He pulls the fire alarm. Now, Autumn owes Dax for saving her. Was the connection that they made over the long weekend real, or simply an arrangement for unfortunate circumstances?   

1984

Orwell, George. 1984. 1983. 314p. ISBN 0-15-166038-7. Available at FIC ORW on the library shelves.

The Party and the government of Oceania are one. There is only one Party, and the Party provides for everyone. Big Brother is the face of the Party and of the State, and he encourages people to work hard to support the Party and Oceania against its enemies, Eastasia and Eurasia, both superpowers like Oceania. Winston Smith is a member of the Outer Party, the organization that supports the Party and implements its directives. As a worker in the Ministry of Truth, Winston’s job is to modify news report and articles so that they always match what the Party has said. Thus, if the Party predicted five years ago that the number of boots produced would be up by 5% but was down by 2%, it is Winston’s job to make sure that the newspaper reports from five years ago reflect the 2% decrease and not the 5% increase. This ensures that the Party is always right.

Winston is very dissatisfied with his life. Big Brother is spying on all of the population and the Thought Police is very active making sure everyone conforms to the Party’s ideals. When Winston meets Julia, he suddenly feels hope and love rekindled in his heart, and they begin secretly dating in a seedy part of town to escape Big Brother’s surveillance. As their relationship grows, so does their hate of the Party and of Big Brother. Encourage to join a seditious group, both of them forget that Big Brother is always watching. Caught and made to confront their worst fear by the Ministry of Love, can Winston and Julia’s love triumph over the totalitarian Party?

Yellow Dog

Korner, Miriam. Yellow Dog. 2017. 288p. ISBN 978-0-8899-5546-2. Available at FIC KOR on the library shelves.

Winters in Northern Saskatchewan are cold, and there isn’t much to do. Jeremy spends a lot of time with Justin, playing hockey and video games, but Justin’s home life has been sliding lately, and he’s more into hurting animals. When Justin dares Jeremy to pull the tail on a yellow dog who lives at the end of the road, he does so but instantly regrets it the moment he sees the dog’s hurt eyes and fear.

Returning to the site of his mean prank, Jeremy feeds the dog and slowly builds a rapport with him. The old man who lives in the shack notices Jeremy playing with his dog, but he doesn’t say anything. One day he invites Jeremy inside. The old man’s shack is a single room, with no bathroom, running water, or electricity, but it is full of memories. The old man was a musher, and ran his own teams of dogs. Now all that remains of this is the yellow dog in the yard and a few dog houses by his broken-down barn.

As Jeremy learns more about the old man and the way of life before the snowmobile, he realizes that he would like to run dogs too. His mother warns him not to, however, because his father died of an accident in the bush. Jeremy is convinced this is what he needs to do, so he finds other dogs, and begins to train them to pull a sled. With the old man’s help, Jeremy manages to get his team of four dogs and even takes them out on the lake.

His relationship with Justin has suffered, however, since all he wants to do is torture the dogs. When dog culling day comes and Jeremy hears gunshots, he’s sad but not worried about his dogs, which are tied in the old man’s yard. However Justin gives him a note that makes him reconsider his earlier assessment, and he rushes out to discover that his dogs were untied and let loose in the town. Jeremy manages to track all of his dogs, but Lightning was hurt during the hunt. To atone, Justin joins Jeremy to help him with the dogs, and the two develop a truce. The two of them head out on the lake with three dogs, but a snowstorm soon strikes and they become lost. Will the two of them survive the night out with their dogs?

Fans of animal stories will like how Jeremy gets to know his dogs and how he trains them. For another take on dog racing and survival, take a look at Ice Dogs.

The Haunted House Project

Clasen, Tricia. The Haunted House Project. 2017. 215p. ISBN 978-1-5107-0712-2. Available at FIC CLA on the library shelves.

A year ago, Andie’s mother was hit by a truck and was instantly killed. The tragedy has impacted her family life. Her father has lost his job and is gambling away the insurance settlement. Her older sister Paige now works full time on top of going to school, not so she can afford to go to college but so she can buy groceries for her family. And Andie still miss her mom terribly every day, and her friends have long lost any semblance of commiseration for her and are now just plain annoyed she is no longer the fun free spirited girl she used to be.

At school Andie sees a counselor during the week, sometimes in group sessions, sometimes one on one. Andie is scared that the school counselor will discover how bad her homelife is, and that she will be wrestled from her father, who hasn’t done much fathering in the last year. Still, what you know is better than what you don’t. When she and her partner Isaiah are assigned a project in science, they decide to investigate ghosts. Andie has always read ghost stories, and she often feels like her mother is right here with her. As they discuss the project, a brilliant idea occurs to Andie. What if their project involved faking ghostly communication? Could she pull off making it seem like her mother is talking to Paige and to her father? She could document their reactions and keep track of what happens next.

As Andie and Isaiah begin implementing their haunting project, Andie realizes that her mother truly was the glue that held the family together. She sprays her mother’s perfume on the couch. She moves a picture slightly so it is more visible. She changes the television channel and the radio station. All subtle signs, but they all seem to have an impact on her sister and father.

Meanwhile, her own social life is crumbling as her friends, led by beautiful Becky, snub Isaiah and make demands on Andie she can’t fulfill. Plus, what exactly is the nature of her relationship to Isaiah? As she brings back her mother’s memory from the grave, can Andie save herself as well? A well written story about broken family dynamics, readers will appreciate Andie’s efforts at restarting the pulse of her own family and ensuring that it has a future.

Well, That Was Awkward

Vail, Rachel. Well, That Was Awkward. 2017. 314p. 375 mins. ISBN 978-0-670-01308-1. Available at FIC VAI on the library shelves and as an audiobook on Overdrive.

Gracie can never be mad, or sad, or angry. Not to her friends, not to herself, and especially not to her parents. Gracie had a sister she never knew. Brett died at the age of 7 when she was hit by a car while playing in the street. After her death her parents moved from Boston to New York, and a few years later Gracie was born. Gracie has always felt the weight of Brett’s absence. The perfect child, Brett was everything Gracie was not. As the new child, Gracie tries to emulate Brett, but it’s hard to live up to her parents’ expectations. Not wanting to disappoint them, she tries to be happy all the time.

When the subjects of death, sisters, or siblings comes up, Gracie always try to steer the conversation away from the topic. It’s during one of those conversations that Gracie notices that A.J. has become extremely good looking, enough to stop her from breathing. What happened? Lovable A.J. has turned into the most attractive boy at her school, and now Gracie is completely smitten. Unfortunately, she quickly discovers that A.J. is more interested in Sienna, her best friend, than in her. Disappointed, Gracie is nonetheless happy to help Sienna begin a texting relationship with A.J. Helped with best friend Emmett, they manage to get the two of them together.

But sometimes, being the supportive friend who’s always second is not good enough. And this is one of those times. As Gracie gets ready to turn 14, twice as old as Brett, she’s feeling the winds of change. It’s time for Gracie to face the music, and realize that she has the right to be angry and sad sometimes, and that she always deserves happiness, even if that means being her own awkward person and not someone else.

Buddha Boy

Koja, Kathe. Buddha Boy. 2003. 128p. ISBN 9780142402092. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive.

When Justin first sees Michael, he finds him rather odd. Not wearing a coat in winter, and begging for food in the cafeteria, Michael, who goes by the name Jinsen but who is mocked and called Buddha Boy by the other students, approaches life with the thoughts of being at peace with the universe. Justin doesn’t get it. Why is Jinsen always smiling, despite the insults and physical abuse other students hurl at him?

Then the worst happens. Justin is paired with Jinsen during economics. They are to work together on a game. Jinsen invites Justin over to his house to work on their project, and Justin discovers that Jinsen lives in a nice house and owns more art supplies than Justin has ever seen. Very artistic, Jinsen designs the visual elements of the game, while Justin creates the paper. Impressed by Jinsen’s art, Justin tells him he should join art class. Jinsen does so, and joins Justin’s table, much to the dismay of his friends.

As Justin gets to know Jinsen, he realizes that the boy is both talented and deeply committed to his faith. Justin begins to question himself on the value of faith and belief. He witnesses Jinsen being abused by other students on more than one occasion, but Jinsen always keeps a smile on his face. However, every instance of bullying challenges Justin to be more than a bystander. With his friendship with Jinsen deepening, Justin finds himself having to make a tough decision. Should he continue to remain quiet so he better fit in the social structure of his school, or should he stand up for someone who is so different but whose personality is such a ray of warm sunshine in an otherwise dreary life?

Friends and faith mix really well in this beautifully written book about the power of one individual to change the lives of many people. Fans of realistic fiction will enjoy exploring the world of Justin’s high school and the drama that Jinsen refuses to participate in.

The Demon Covenant

Brennan, Sarah Rees. The Demon Covenant. Book 2 of the Demon Lexicon trilogy. 2010. 440p. 901 mins. ISBN 9781416963813. Available as an audiobook on Overdrive.

In The Demon Lexicon, Alan and Nick discovered after a confrontation with the magicians of the Obsidian Circle that Nick was not human, but rather an ancient demon inserted in the body of a newborn to achieve Black Archer’s dark purpose of acquiring even more magic. Nick’s capture had failed, and as a result many of the magicians of the circle had been slain. Mae Crawford and her younger brother Jamie had returned to Exeter and resumed their lives. Having discovered that the two siblings were playing their divorced parents against each other, Annabelle, Mae and Jamie’s mother, has assumed sole custody and now keeps a closer eye on her kids.

Mae is flabbergasted when she discovers that Jamie has continued to meet and talk with Gerald, now the leader of the Obsidian Circle. Jamie possesses magical talents and hopes to develop them further, and he is also madly in love with Gerald. She contacts Alan and Nick to inform them of her worries. The two brothers appear to have had a falling out of sorts, and are barely speaking to each other. As Mae work with Nick to attempt to make him appear more human, she also begins to fall for Sebastian, a tough boy at school who’s been picking on Jamie, causing further tensions between herself and her brother. She’s also still attracted to Alan, and to Nick.

With Gerald planning to capture Nick and draining him of magical powers for his own nefarious purposes, Mae realizes that she must unite all of the magicians’ enemies into a strike force to take the magicians out. This, however, will require careful planning and the setting aside of old hatreds. Can Mae maneuver the deadly pitfalls to save everyone she cares about?

Waking in Time

Stanton, Angie. Waking in Time. 2017. 360p. ISBN 978-1-630790707. Available at FIC STA on the library shelves.

 

It’s a new chapter in Abbi’s life. She’s heading to college. On her way there, Abbi stops by her grandmother’s grave. The most important person in Abbi’s life, she died before her granddaughter moved to her alma mater, the University of Wisconsin. The day after Abbi receives a hat box filled with grandmother’s memories, she wakes up in 1983. Abbi meets Professor Smith, a physics instructor, who reassures her they have met in the past, and he is working on preventing her from traveling through time. And he tells her there is one more time traveler. On her next jump back she meets Will, who also travels in time, but in his case he jumps forward. He tells here they’re an item and fall madly in love in the past. As Abbi jumps backward, she discovers that she her fate and that of her family is tied to Will and to Professor Smith. Can she hang on to her true love when they travel in different directions?

Stanton creates an intricate and well-crafted tale with the added twist of a second time traveler in the opposite direction. Abbi and Will’s growing relationship is enhanced by the time travel effect, with one party always knowing more than the other about what has happened, whether in the past or in the future. The setting itself is limited to the Liz Waters dormitory and surrounding areas of the campus, but each time period is well researched. Enough hints are present throughout the story to suggest what will occur, but the it remains filled with mysteries and revelations that will surprise the reader. Fans of Kierstin Gier’s Ruby Red trilogy and of time travel will enjoy Abbi’s travels

Boy Meets Boy

Levithan, David. Boy Meets Boy. 2003. 185p. ISBN 0-375-82400-6. Available both at FIC LEV and as an audiobook from Overdrive.

Paul has always known he is gay. Even in kindergarten, Paul’s teacher knew and told his parents. Paul is fine with that, that’s just who he is. The kids at his high school are very accepting of Paul as well as of the other students with different gender identities. There is Kyle, who used to pine for Paul but their breakup left behind some scars. There’s Infinite Darlene, who is both the captain of the football team and homecoming queen (making many of the girls mad). There’s Jenny, who dates Chuck, much to Trevor’s dismay. And then there’s Noah. Gorgeous and smart Noah. Paul is immediately attracted to Noah when they first meet in a bookstore, and at first their relationship proceeds with caution.

Soon, however, the two of them become more involved, but one incident breaks up this relationship. Now Paul is devastated. To regain Noah’s trust, Paul will have to pull all the stops and cajole his friends in helping him achieve his goal of once again being part of Noah’s life.

An unrealistic school environment, the universe in which Paul and Noah operate nonetheless holds lessons in acceptance and understanding that apply everywhere, including in our own daily lives.

Beyond the Bright Sea

Wolk, Lauren. Beyond the Bright Sea. 2017. 283p. ISBN 978-1-101-99-485-6. Available at FIC WOL on the library shelves.

Placed in a boat shortly after her birth, the baby girl was cast at sea. When found by a solitary man living on a small island off the larger island of Cuttyhunk, which is part of the Elizabeth chain of islands, the girl was named Crow. She not only survived in Osh’s gentle hands, but thrived and became an inquisitive girl.

At 12, Crow has spent her entire life on their island, living in a makeshift house but not wanting for anything. Everyone on Cuttyhunk assumes she came from Pekinese, Massachusett’s only leper colony, and treat her as a leper even though she has no symptoms. Crow has always been curious about where she came from, but both Osh and her other friend, Miss Maggie, who lives across the sandbar from them, has told her not to look into her past too closely as surely nothing good will come of it.

When Crow begins digging, however, she comes upon a dangerous mystery that involves a treasure left behind by the famous pirate Captain Kidd. Others are also searching the treasure, however, and as Crow seeks to unravel her past it throws the present into turmoil, with Osh, the father who is not her father, concerned that their relationship might change if she discovers who she truly is. But as she explores the dangerous past of the leper colony, Crow realizes that home and family are what you make of it, and not what others tell you they ought to be.

Beautifully written, Crow’s story will be appreciated by readers who enjoy a light mystery and those who like historical fiction.

When My Sister Started Kissing

Frost, Helen. When My Sister Started Kissing. 2017. 193p. ISBN 978-0-374-30303-7. Available at FIC FRO on the library shelves.

When Claire and Abigail’s mother died, the family was heartbroken. Spending every summer at a cabin on the lake, the sisters saw comforting reminders of their mother everywhere. Now that it is summer again, they dread returning to the lake. Their father has remarried, and his new wife is pregnant with their half-brother. Worse, all signs of their mother, from her old easel to her favorite chair to the board games and her books have disappeared from the cabin.

For Claire, however, all of these changes are nothing compared to what is happening with her sister Abigail, who insists on being called Abi. This summer, Abi is boy crazy, and her secrets mean that Claire must cover for her. Unsure of herself, Claire can’t help but wonder why Abi would act this way. As the summer progresses, and as Abi’s affections seem to be divided between two different boys, Claire decides she can’t make excuses for her anymore. But as their family seems to be drifting apart, the lake imparts lessons that just because things are changing doesn’t mean that they will not remain meaningful.

Written in verse, this short book features three points of view, that of Claire, Abi, and of the lake itself observing the sisters. A coming of age novel, readers interested in family relationships will appreciate the dynamics that are at play between two sisters struggling with new feelings and emotions.

All’s Faire in Middle School

Jamieson, Victoria. All’s Faire in Middle School. 2017. 217p. ISBN 978-0-525-42998-2. Available in the Graphics Novels section of the library.

Imogene’s family is rather unique. Both her mother and father live for the Florida Renaissance Faire, and they work there throughout the year, she as one of the shop owners, and he as Sir Hugo, Lord of the Dragon and the villain of the story. Imogene has grown up among the Renaissance Faire folks her entire life, and she has been homeschooled. This year, she decides she wants to go to middle school with other normal kids instead of pursuing her education with the Faire people. Simultaneously, Impy has been promoted at the Faire to the role of Squire to Sir Hugo.

Impy now finds herself in uncharted waters. Middle school is not what she expected. The kids are mean and vindictive. They bully each other. As the outsider, Impy does not fit in any cliques but manages to acquire some friends. At the Faire, being a squire is hard work and she has trouble adjusting to her new role. Anita, a student at her school, is bullied because she is smart and doesn’t hide it, but at the Faire she dresses as a princess. Impy feels she can connect with her there, but not at school where Anita is treated as a pariah. Trying to fit in with odd clothes and odder manners, Impy does everything she can to ingratiates herself to her crowd, even if it means drawing mean pictures of teachers and students, including one of Anita. But when that picture spreads around school, following the knight’s code of chivalry, honesty and bravery proves harder than she thought, both at school and at the Faire.

Beautifully illustrated, Imogene’s tale of woes and redemption when joining middle school will entertain readers experiencing similar adaptation to a new environment as well as those who lived through those awkward years.

A Crack in the Sea

Bouwman, H. M. A Crack in the Sea. 2017. 358p. ISBN 978-0-399-54519-1. Available at FIC BOU on the library shelves.

Kinchen and Pip live with old man Ren, on the outside of Tathenn, the capital of the islands of Second World. When she returns home to discover that her 11-year-old brother has been invited to tea with the governor and the Raft King, Kinchen immediately worries. Pip can breathe underwater and can talk to fish, yet he has the worst time distinguishing between humans. They all look the same to him. For his part, the Raft King rules Raftworld, a large city constructed out of thousands of rafts that float tied together and powered by hydraulics.

The Islanders and the Raftworlders have always been at peace and meet every few years to exchange and trade. People willing to leave their home are welcomed with the other nation. The Raft King, however, is looking for a door so he can return to the First World, where his mother, Amelia, came from, and Pip is the one that can find this door by asking the fish.

Meanwhile, Thanh and his sister Sang are escaping warfare and Communist rule in Vietnam like so many, by boarding a small boat and risking the open sea to make landfall in Thailand, Malaysia or the Philippines. Accompanied by two adults, a baby, and another girl called Mai, they eventually stumble upon a doorway in the open sea held open by a Kraken, and are propulsed in the Second World.

Intermingled in their stories is the story of Venus and Swimmer, two African children who escape from a slave ship and live with a man they name uncle Caesar for a while, before being captured again and taken out onto another slave ship bound for Jamaica. Able to walk underwater, Venus rescues more than a hundred slaves, including her brother and her uncle, and they walk for days underwater before discovering a door leading to a new world.

These three stories all tie in together in a beautifully told tale of hope and redemption. Fans of intriguing fantasy will appreciate the well crafted main characters and the setting of the Second World.

Dog Night at the Story Zoo

Bar-El, Dan. Dog Night at the Story Zoo. 2017. 99p. ISBN 978-1-10191838-8. Available in the Graphic Novel section of the library.

When night falls and humans return to their houses, the animals at the zoo get ready to host their own open mike night. Animals from all around the neighborhood, as well as zoo residents, attend and enjoy stories told by other animals. Tonight, at the Story Zoo, it is Dog Night and all of the presenters will be neighborhood dogs.

Throughout the night, a bloodhound tells the story of the day she lost her ability to track bandits and criminals and was helped by Surelick Holmes, a brilliant dog. A bulldog explains that he doesn’t want to be judged by the way he looks. After all, it’s not his fault. A poodle describes how much energy she has and how bothersome she was, until all the right conditions were met and she became the best companion ever. Finally, a stray dog presents how he became the best fetcher ever and saved a man’s emotional well-being, finding a home in the process.

Sometimes sad, sometimes sweet, always entertaining, the illustrated Story Zoo awaits your presence!

The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Vol. 4

Houoto, Aya. The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Vol. 4. 2016. 176p. ISBN 978-1-4215-8048-7. Available in the graphic section of the library.

Following the bizarre ceremony in which the Nue gave her a four leaf clover, Himari returns to school the next day only to be immediately stopped by Hayato Hidaka, who notices the ring. It strangely reminds him of his best friend that disappeared years ago. Hidaka is rumored to be cursed. Everyone he becomes friends with ends up hurt or worse. Himari can’t help but be intrigued. During her investigation she discovers that an ayakashi is threatening the whole family, but no one can see it. This ayakashi attempts to seize the ring from Himari but she escapes his clutches.

The boy Hidaka remembers turns out to be Aoi, his best friend who became the Nue when Momochi selected him to protect the gateway to the spirit world. Now Himari must discover a way to remove the ayakashi’s influence on Hidaka so he can finally lead a normal life. But with Aoi unable to leave the house, she can only rely on herself to solve this problem.