Book review: Catla and the Vikings by Mary Elizabeth Nelson

Catla and the Vikings by Mary Elizabeth Nelson (Published by Orca Books, March 1, 2012)

Thirteen-year-old Catla is an Anglo-Saxon girl living in England in the fall of 1066. Life in her small, isolated village has been peaceful for many years. Catla's biggest worry is her possible marriage to Olav, a much older merchant that Catla doesn't like. Her father will only change his mind about the marriage if Catla gives him a good reason why she shouldn't marry Olav. Catla is taking a walk to think about her dilemma when Viking raiders suddenly attack her village without warning.

As the only person from the village who escaped, Catla must go to find help. The nearest village is over a day's walk away, and Catla must travel there all on her own, with the threat of being attacked by other raiders or wild animals. Luckily, halfway through her journey Catla meets up with Sven, a boy from her village who was returning home after a trip to York, the nearest city. Together, the two teenagers must come up with a plan to defeat the Vikings and convince the other village to help them.

I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I learned some interesting facts about life during this time period that I didn't know, such as the fact that in times of war the women in small villages often had to fight alongside the men, and that gender roles were more varied than I would have expected. However, I found the ending to be unsatisfying since a lot was left unresolved. Near the end, it's suggested that an even larger attack by the Vikings is coming, and I wish that the ending hadn't been left so open. Perhaps there will be a sequel, but I hate being left with a cliffhanger when a book appears to be a standalone novel until right before the ending.

Book review: Pendragon Legacy: Sword of Light by Katherine Roberts

Pendragon Legacy: Sword of Light by Katherine Roberts (Published by Templar Publishing, February 1, 2012)

Sword of Light is the first of a four book series based on Arthurian legends that imagines what might have happened had King Arthur and Queen Guinevere had a child. That child, a daughter named Rhianna, has been raised in secrecy on the magical island of Avalon, in order to keep her safe. Rhianna always knew she was different from the other children in Avalon, because she was human and they were fairies, but she never knew who her real parents were. Then Merlin comes to the island with the body of King Arthur, with hopes that if his body rests in the magical caverns of Avalon, he can someday be reborn. He also tells Rhianna the truth about who her parents are, and of the quest she must undertake in order to save the kingdom from her wicked cousin, Mordred, who killed her father.

The first task Rhianna must complete is to find her father's magical sword, Excalibur, which was thrown into a lake after his death. Only a Pendragon can wield the sword, so Rhianna must find it before Mordred, who was badly wounded in his battle with with King Arthur, recovers enough to search for it. On her quest, she faces many dangers and makes new friends, and has to prove that although she is a girl, she is brave and strong and can be a a worthy successor to her father.

Sword of Light was a quick, enjoyable read, but it's definitely middle grade and not young adult. I don't think Rhianna's exact age was ever stated, but I think she was probably around twelve years old or so, since she often seemed very young and acted quite impulsively and foolishly - but then again, so do many much older characters in other books, so at least this character is young enough to have an excuse for it! If you like middle grade fantasy and are interested in reading a new take on the Arthurian legends, then I recommend giving Sword of Light a try, I definitely liked it enough to want to read the rest of the series. This would also be a good book to give to younger readers, particularly girls, who love fantasy novels, since it's not too dark or scary and there's nothing in the story that would be inappropriate, and there's a lot that would appeal to young readers - magic, fairy horses, friendships, and a young main character who is strong and brave.

Book review: My Story: Berlin Olympics by Vince Cross

My Story: Berlin Olympics by Vince Cross (Published by Scholastic, April 5, 2012)

Fourteen-year-old Eleanor Rhys Davis, called Ellie by her friends, lives in England in 1935. She is a very talented swimmer, but she doesn't always get the best grades in school. One of her teachers encourages her to start writing in a diary. At first, she doesn't have much to write about, and so she describes school, swimming practice, and spending time with her two best friends, who are also swimmers - Sarah, who she grew up with, and Tara, a new girl at school who is the daughter of an American diplomat. Sarah is Jewish, and although she and her parents were born in England, her grandparents were immigrants from Germany. She is worried about her relatives who still live in Germany, since the Nazis have begun to pass laws that restrict the rights of Jewish people.

As Ellie and Sarah's swimming improves, their teacher, Mrs. Williams, suggest the girls should work hard at their training in hopes of being chosen for the British swim team for the 1936 Olympics which will be held in Berlin, Germany. However, as the rest of the world learns about how the Nazis are treating Jews and other people they consider "racially inferior," there is debate in some countries about not participating in protest.

Although this book was not one of my favorites from the My Story series, I did enjoy it. I hadn't known much about the 1936 Olympics before reading this book, so I did learn some interesting history. I think certain parts of the story could have used more detail, and I was disappointed that it ended so abrubtly, with everything being wrapped up in an epilogue set several years later. Readers who enjoyed other books in the My Story series will probably enjoy this book as well, but if you are new to the series, many of the other books are a better choice to start with, unless you are particularly interested in the subject and historical setting of this book.

Book review: Forget Me Not by Sue Lawson

Forget Me Not by Sue Lawson (Published by Black Dog Books, March 1, 2012)

This book tells the story of the Gilmores, a fictional middle class family traveling in second class on the maiden voyage of the Titanic in 1912. The story alternates between the third-person perspective of fifteen-year-old Thomas and the first person perspective of his slightly younger sister, Eve. The family has left their home in Southampton, England to immigrate to America and settle in South Carolina. Their younger sister, Beatrice, has weak lungs, and the doctor has said their only hope for her to get better is to move to a warmer climate.

Thomas and Eve feel very differently about the move to America. Thomas is excited for a new home, new life, and new friends. Eve, on the other hand, is devastated to have left her home and friends behind, and is nervous about traveling on the Titanic - something about the ship just gives her a bad feeling. Eve begins to feel a bit better when she and Thomas meet Meggie and Hugh, a brother and sister around their age who are traveling home with their parents to America after a trip to Europe. The four teenagers become friends and Eve even begins to feel something more for Hugh. But then disaster strikes, when the Titanic hits an iceberg and begins to sink.

Forget Me Not is one of the many books about the Titanic released recently, to coincide with the upcoming 100th anniversary of the sinking in April 2012. I have been interested in the Titanic for years, so I am always eager to read a new novel set during the doomed voyage. Overall, I enjoyed this book, it wasn't my favorite Titanic book ever, but it was an enjoyable, quick read. The characters and their relationships could have been a bit more developed, and I wish the ending had been a bit less abrupt. I'd recommend this book to readers who love historical fiction about the Titanic, or who are interested in the subject for the first time due to the upcoming anniversary.

Book review: My Story: Wartime Princess by Valerie WIlding

My Story: Wartime Princess by Valerie Wilding (Published by Scholastic UK, March 1, 2012)

This book is written as the fictional diary of Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II. Margaret begins her diary when she is eight years old, shortly before World War II breaks out. Margaret is young, so she doesn't understand much about what is going on in the world, but she knows that Adolf Hitler is a bad man and that there may be a war with Germany. Soon her worst fears come true when the Nazis invade many countries in Europe and England must go to war.

Even though Margaret is a princess, she too must make sacrifices because of the war, which goes on for many long years. Food is rationed, and there are few parties and no fancy new clothes. Worst of all, she and her sister, Elizabeth, rarely get to see their parents, as the two princesses must live in safety in the countryside because of the Germans bombing London and other cities. However, there are still some fun times, too, despite the war, and there is also the beginnings of a romance between Elizabeth and their cousin, Prince Philip of Greece.

When I ordered this book online I expected it to actually focus on Elizabeth as the main character, since she's on the cover and the summary made it sound like it was her diary and not Margaret's. And while she is certainly an important character, and her romance with Philip is an important part of the story, I'm not sure why she's on the cover when all the other books in the series show the diarist on the cover. Margaret is closer in age to the target audience for this series, anyway, so it does make sense to have her tell the story, but I think the cover should have been more accurate and shown the main character like all the other books in the My Story series do. So I guess the cover issue is a minor complaint, since I really enjoyed the story, it's just bothering me a bit! The book seems to be historically accurate and I think the author did a good job at imagining what Princess Margaret might have been like as a young girl, and what she would have thought about the war and all the changes in her life. Readers who enjoyed other books in the My Story series and the similar Royal Diaries series will probably enjoy this book as well.

Book review: Spell Sisters: Sophia the Flame Sister by Amber Castle

Spell Sisters: Sophia the Flame Sister (Published by Simon & Schuster UK, March 1, 2012)

This is the first book in a series set in a fantasy version of Medieval England that imagines what the adventures of young Guinevere might have been like. In this series, Guinevere is living with her aunt, uncle, and cousin, Flora, where she is to learn how to be a young lady. Flora is Gwen's age and more ladylike and less adventerous than Gwen is, but the two girls are still best friends.

While exploring in the woods, the two girls meet Nineve, the Lady of the Lake. She tells them it is Gwen's destiny to save Avalon. The evil sorceress Morgana Le Fay has imprisoned the eight sisters whose magic helps keep Avalon alive. If they are not freed soon, they will be trapped forever, and only a mortal girl can rescue them. Gwen and Flora decide they must work together to find all eight sisters and free them. In their first adventure, they search for Sophia, the sister who controls the magic of fire.

If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be cute. Seriously, everything about it is cute. The illustrations are adorable! Even the bad guys (Morgana and her nasty evil bird minions) are cute in the pictures. While this book probably won't appeal to fans of serious Arthurian legend stuff (unless they also happen to like cute things, which I do, I will admit it), it's probably the perfect book for young girls who like the magical sparkly fairy type books. And if you are like me and are an adult who once in a while wants to read something extremely adorable, you might enjoy it, too.

Book review: Dear America: Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie by Kristiana Gregory

Dear America: Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie by Kristiana Gregory (New edition published by Scholastic, April 1, 2012, originally published in 1997)

In the spring of 1847, thirteen-year-old Hattie Campbell and her family leave their home in Missouri to travel west in a covered wagon on the Oregon Trail. Hattie is sad to leave her home and her best friend, as well as the graves of her little sisters who died.

In her diary, Hattie writes of all the hardships her family and others in their wagon train experience. The pioneers face sickness, dangerous river crossings, extreme weather, and much more. Many people do not survive. But despite all the sadness, there is happiness too, as Hattie becomes friends with another girl on the wagon train and begins to fall in love with her new friend's brother.

I first read this book many years ago, when it was first published. I was eleven years old then and absolutely loved it and reread it quite a few times. This book was one of my childhood favorites so I am happy it is back in print again for new readers to discover and enjoy. It's still one of my favorites from the Dear America series and I recommend it to all fans of the series as well as to readers who love historical fiction about pioneers in the old west.

Book review: A Girl for All Time: Matilda's Secret by Sandra Goldbacher

A Girl for All Time: Matilda's Secret by Sandra Goldbacher (Published by Daughters of History Ltd, September 20, 2011)

This book is written in the form of a diary kept by the main character, thirteen-year-old Matilda, who is the fictional cousin of Katherine Howard. Matilda's family is poor, even though they are related to nobility and have a big house and servants. Katherine's uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, offers to help the family out financially if Matilda's parents send one of their daughters to court. Matilda is chosen because she is able to be quiet and observant. Uncle Norfolk wants her to be a friend to Katherine and help her attract the attention of the king, Henry VIII, who is unhappy with his current wife, Anne of Cleves.

At first, Matilda is overwhelmed by life at court. Most of the other girls look down upon her. However, she and Katherine quickly become friends, and Katherine helps her out by giving her fashionable clothes to wear, and making the other girls be nice to her. With Matilda's help, Katherine is soon noticed by the king, who divorces his current wife so he can marry Katherine. At first Katherine loves the jewels and fancy gowns, but she soon becomes resentful that she cannot be with Thomas, the boy she loves. Matilda is terrified because she knows that if the king discovers that Katherine is in love with someone else, terrible things could happen to Katherine and even everyone in her household, including Matilda.

Matilda's Secret is the first book in a new series from England called A Girl for All Time. Each book will be about a different girl from the same family during various important times in British history. Like the American Girls series, there will be dolls of each main character. However, judging by the content in this book, this series seems intended for slightly older readers than the American Girls series, since there are references to torture, executions, infidelity, and many unpleasant facts of life in the sixteenth century. The descriptions are not extremely graphic, but I do think the subject matter makes the book more appropriate for preteens and young teens, rather than younger readers. I think this book would be enjoyed by the same readers who enjoy similar series, such as the My Story, Dear America, and Royal Diaries series.

Book review: The Hidden Gold: A Marie-Grace Mystery by Sarah Masters Buckey

The Hidden Gold: A Marie-Grace Mystery by Sarah Masters Buckey (Published by American Girl, February 28, 2012)

Eleven-year-old Marie-Grace Gardner and her father are travelling up the Mississippi River on a steamboat to visit his friends in Pennsylvania in the spring of 1854. Although she will miss her friends and family in New Orleans, Marie-Grace likes travelling on the elegant steamboat. Shortly after boarding the steamboat, Marie-Grace meets another girl her age, Wilhelmina Newman.

Wilhelmina came to New Orleans to find her dying father, who became sick while traveling home from the California Gold Rush. She arrived too late, and found that her father had already died. He was supposed to be bringing home gold that he found in California, and Wilhelmina desperately needs to find that gold, because her mother died while her father was away and her grandmother can't afford to keep Wilhelmina and her two younger brothers much longer. If she doesn't find the gold, her brothers will have to go live with other relatives. After losing her parents, Wilhelmina is determined that she and her siblings must not be separated. Marie-Grace wants to help her new friend, but where could the gold be? And is a fellow passenger also trying to find the gold, so he can steal it?

I enjoyed the original American Girls book series about Marie-Grace, so I was looking forward to reading this book. While I enjoyed it, I didn't like it quite as much as the main series, because the historical setting was not as interesting. However, despite being much older than the target audience, my guess for who the villain was turned out to be completely wrong! I think younger fans of the series would really enjoy this book, but for the older fans like me who have loved the series since childhood, this is probably not the most interesting of the books.

Book review: Our Australian Girl: Meet Nellie by Penny Matthews

Our Australian Girl: Meet Nellie by Penny Matthews (Published by Penguin Books Australia, January 25, 2012)

Twelve-year-old Nellie O'Neill lost her entire family - mother, father, and three younger siblings - to the famine in Ireland. After that, she had to live in a horrible workhouse, but now she has the chance for a new life. Nellie has arrived in Australia with a group of other Irish orphan girls, who are to work as maidservants.

At first, Nellie is worried that she will not be chosen to work as a servant, or that if she is, her employer will be cruel to her. However, Nellie is lucky, because she is chosen to work for a kind woman who runs a boardinghouse. For the first time in her life Nellie has her own room, and unlike in Ireland, there is plenty of food. But can her good fortune last?

I enjoyed the books I read in the Our Australian Girl series last year so I was happy when I found out there would be two new sets of books released this year. This series is a lot like the American Girls series, but set in Australia. Each character lives during a different time and place in Australian history and her story is told in a four book series. Although this book was not my favorite from the series (my favorite books so far were the stories about Grace, a young convict girl in 1808), I enjoyed reading Nellie's story and look forward to reading the other three books about her, which will be published later this year.

Book review: Dear Canada: Torn Apart by Susan Aihoshi

Dear Canada: Torn Apart by Susan Aihoshi (Published by Scholastic Canada, February 1, 2012)

Mary Kobayashi begins a diary after receiving one as a present for her twelfth birthday in May 1941. Although there is a war going on in Europe, it seems very far away from Vancouver. At first, Mary writes mostly about her everyday life - school, friends, Girl Guides meetings, and summer camp. But when Japan attacks the United States at Pearl Harbor later that year, everything changes forever.

Even though Mary and her siblings were born in Canada to immigrant parents who became naturalized citizens of their new country, many people are suspicious of anyone with Japanese heritage. Soon, restrictions are placed upon them and the other Japanese Canadians in their community. They must observe a strict curfew, give up cars, radios, and cameras, and many are forced to leave their homes. Mary is left wondering if her life will ever be the same again.

I expected Torn Apart to be mainly about Mary's experiences in an internment camp, based upon the publisher's description and the subtitle "The Internment Diary of Mary Kobayashi." It's actually mainly about her life in Vancounter during the year and a half leading up to those events - only the last forty pages or so of the book are set at the internment camp Mary and her family are sent to. Although this book was not one of my top favorites from the Dear Canada series, I still overall enjoyed it. The author, whose parents and grandparents spent part of World War II in an internment camp, brought to life the injustices suffered by people of Japanese descent in Canada and the United States during the war. I recommend this book to readers who enjoyed other Dear Canada books (or the similar Dear America series), or who are interested in this era of history.

Book review: Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Forchuk Skypruch

Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Forchuk Skypruch (Published by Scholastic Canada, February 1, 2012)

This book tells the story of Lida, a fictional young Ukranian girl, who is captured by the Nazis to be used for slave labor shortly before her ninth birthday. Lida's father was killed by the Soviets, and her mother was shot by the Nazis for attempting to hide their Jewish neighbors. After that, Lida and her beloved younger sister, Larissa, went to live with their grandmother, where they were captured by the Nazis. The girls were separated, with Lida being sent to a work camp. Lida is devastated, as she doesn't know what happened to her sister, her only remaining family, and she fears she might have been harmed or killed because she is too young to work.

The conditions at the work camp are awful. Lida lies about her age, hoping she will be seen as more useful, and thus, be kept alive. There is never enough food and everyone is cold and hungry. Lida is lucky, because she is given a good position working in the laundry, which is clean and warm. However, after a few months, she is forced to go to work in a factory, making bombs for the Nazis. Lida hates having to help the Nazi war effort, because if they win, she will never be free again. However, she is able to find comfort from memories of her family, from her friendship with other children living at the camp, and from keeping alive her hope that one day she will find her sister again.

Before reading Making Bombs for Hitler, I didn't know that so many children and young adults from Eastern Europe had been used as slave labor by the Nazis during World War II. I wouldn't necessarily say I enjoyed reading this book, because it's a very sad and tragic story about the suffering of children in war. However, I think it is a very important story to tell, and the author tells it well. Lida was a very couragous character who survived living and working in conditions that were nearly unbearable, all the while keeping alive the hope that she would someday be reunited with her sister. This book is a companion novel to another book by the author, Stolen Child, which was about Lida's sister, Larissa. Making Bombs for Hitler can be read as a standalone, but you will want to read Stolen Child too, to find out how Larissa survived the war. I recommend this book to young readers studying World War II as well as to adults with an interest in the subject.

My Story: No Way Back by Valerie Wilding

My Story: No Way Back by Valerie Wilding (Published by Scholastic, January 5, 2012)

Eleven-year-old Mary Wade is the oldest of seven children in a poor family living in London in 1789. Her father is usually away working, leaving her mother to care for the children alone. There is never enough money, and they are often cold and hungry. One day, hoping to help her mother, Mary makes a terrible decision that will change her life forever. With the help of her friend, Mary steals some clothing to sell. The next day, she is caught and arrested. At trial, she is convicted and sentenced to death, all for stealing a few pieces of clothing.

Mary spends the next few months in filthy Newgate Prison, wondering what will happen to her. She misses her family and is terrified she won't live to grow up and try to have a better life and have children of her own. Then her sentence is commuted to transportation to the new colony of New South Wales (present day Sydney, Australia). Mary is grateful for a chance to survive but sad she will never see England or her family again. The sea voyage is very long and Mary wonders what will await her at the end.

No Way Back is a bit different from the other books in the My Story series, since it is based on the life of a real person, unlike the other books, which describe real historical events from the point of view of a fictional main character. Mary Wade was one of the youngest convicts to be transported to Australia. She survived and thrived and grew up to have so many children that she now has thousands of descendents living today. It is also not an actual diary like the other books in the series (since Mary would not have had a diary to write in) but is written in the style of one. I enjoyed this book but I wish it had been a bit longer and more detailed. It ends with Mary's arrival in New South Wales and I would have liked to read about her life there. I think readers who enjoyed other books in the My Story series (or other similar series such as Dear America and Dear Canada) would enjoy this book as well.

Book review: Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler

Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler (Published by HarperCollins, January 31, 2012)

Twelve-year-old Princess Meriel is the only girl in a family with five older brothers. Her mother died when she was very young, so it has just been Meriel, her brothers, and their father, the King, for as long as she can remember. Then one day her father returns home with a new wife, Lady Orianna. From the start, Meriel hates Lady Orianna. She doesn't trust her, especially after overhearing her argue with her father over the fact that if she has a son, he will never be king with five older brothers. The next day, when Meriel wakes up, her brothers are all gone. Lady Orianna says they have been sent away to school, but Meriel doesn't believe her.

Meriel is determined to find out the truth, but when she does, it is more awful than she ever could have imagined. Lady Orianna is a witch, and has cursed Meriel's brothers, transforming them all into swans. Meriel is the only one who can break the curse, but the task will be difficult. And she is running out of time, for it will soon be winter, and then her brothers will have to fly to a warmer land or they will die from the cold.

I was really looking forward to reading this book, since I enjoyed Diane Zahler's previous two fairy tale retellings, The Thirteenth Princess and A True Princess. I was not disappointed and enjoyed Princess of the Wild Swans as much as the previous two books. One of the things I really like about this author's books is that even though they are all set in magical lands, the settings are inspired by real places and cultures, and along with the traditional fairy tale stories she retells, she mixes in folklore and mythology from those places. The setting for this book reads like a fairy tale version of medieval Ireland, due to the Celtic names and folklore. I think readers who enjoyed Diane Zahler's previous books, or who enjoy fairy tale retellings or historical fantasy, would enjoy this book.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards

The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards (Published by HarperCollins, January 17, 2012)

Thirteen-year-old Zardi lives in the kingdom of Arribitha, where the sultan has banned magic, and anyone even heard talking about magic can be arrested. Her best friend is Rhidan, a mysterious foreigner who was found abandoned as a baby and raised by Zardi's family. Rhidan longs to know of his origins, and receives a clue from Sinbad the Sailor, but Simbad must flee before Rhidan can get more answers.

The sultan of Arribitha is cruel and evil, and forces young girls to be take the position of "Praisemaker" - they are forced to announce executions and are eventually killed. Zardi's parents tried to have her and her sister married off so they cannot be chosen, but before they could do that, her older sister is chosen to be the next Praisemaker. Zardi and Rhidan must then go on a journey to save Zardi's sister and discover the truth about Rhidan's origins.

The Book of Wonders is an enjoyable middle grade fantasy inspired by the Arabian Nights stories. The main characters were very likable and I enjoyed the author's descriptions of all the exotic places they visited. This book is very different from anything I have read recently, and since I am sick of urban fantasy I am always looking for fantasy with a more historical or magical setting. If you are like me and enjoy fantasy with unusual settings, I think you would enjoy The Book of Wonders.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Dear America: Behind the Masks by Susan Patron

Dear America: Behind the Masks by Susan Patron (Published by Scholastic, January 1, 2012)

Fourteen-year-old Angeline Reddy lives in the wild mining town of Bodie, California, in 1880. Her father is a famous criminal defense lawyer who is known for having never lost a case. But when he is presumed murdered, Angie doesn't believe it, and neither does her mother. Many people could have wanted her father dead, but Angie is sure he is alive and in hiding.

Angie is determined to solve the mystery of what happened to her father, but it will be difficult. Bodie is wild and dangerous, and a gang of vigilantes is causing trouble in town. On top of everything else, her mother is ill, and there seems to be a ghost haunting their house. Can Angie, with the help of her friends, solve the mystery in time?

Behind the Masks is a bit different than other books in the Dear America series. It's still written in the usual diary format, but instead of being about just the daily life of a young girl from an important place or time in American history, this particular book has a strong central plot, which is Angie solving the mystery of what happened to her father. As a result, it didn't seem as much like a "real" diary, since the diary entries are really long (since it's a 300 page book set over about four weeks). I still really enjoyed the book, and recommend it to readers who love historical fiction set in the Old West, but at times it didn't seem much like a Dear America book.

Book review: May B. by Caroline Starr Rose

May B. by Caroline Starr Rose (Published by Schwartze & Wade, January 10, 2012)

Twelve-year-old May lives on the Kansas prairie in the 1870s. She wants to be a teacher when she is old enough, but she has trouble reading. She understands the lessons, but when she tries to read, the words get all mixed up. Her parents have decided that to help out the family, May has to go work for the Oblingers, a married couple who live nearby, for a few months. She will have to leave school and not see her family that whole time.

Shortly after arriving, Mrs. Oblinger, who came from back east and hates the prairie, decides to leave her husband and return home. Her husband goes to follow her, and never returns. May is left all alone in the Oblingers' soddy. When they never reutrn, she doesn't know what to do, because it would take an entire day to walk home and she is afraid she will get lost. So she decides to try and survive on her own until her father comes for her. But then winter comes early, and May must find a way to survive, trapped in the middle of nowhere with dwindling supplies of fuel and food.

This novel is written in verse format. I haven't read many verse novels, but I think the format fit this story well, particularly when May described her struggles with reading (although the condition was not known at the time, May had dyslexia). Because of the format, this was a very quick read, and I wish it had been a bit longer, because I wanted to read more about what happened to May. However, I did really enjoy the book, and would recommend it to readers who enjoyed the Little House on the Prairie and Dear America series.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Our Australian Girl: A Home for Grace by Sofie Laguna

Our Australian Girl: A Home for Grace by Sofie Laguna (Published by Penguin Books Australia, October 3, 2011)

The year is 1808, and after being sent from London to Australia as a convict because she stole food, ten-year-old Grace is now working as a servant for a young married couple, Tom and Beth, who live on a farm in the Australian wilderness. Beth is very kind to Grace, but Tom has never trusted her. In the previous book, Grace had to take Tom's beloved horse, Glory, and ride for help when Beth went into labor while Tom was away working. Glory was injured, and now Grace fears that Tom blames her for what happened, even though riding the horse was the only way Grace could get help in time.

Grace feels terrible about what happened to Glory, because she has always loved horses. Now that Tom is home and Glory seems to get sicker each day, Grace fears that she will be sent away. She loves helping Beth with the housework and caring for her new baby, Alice, and she doesn't want to have to leave them. Grace decides the only thing she can do is try to help Glory get better, but who can she turn to for help?

A Home for Grace is the fourth and final book about Grace from the Our Australian Girl series. I have really enjoyed reading Grace's story. She had such a hard life as a poor orphan in London, so I loved reading about her finally getting the happy ending she deserved. I love the time period the stories are set in, and since I haven't read that many books about Australian history, I enjoyed learning about what life was like for the convicts and settlers in early 19th century Australia. I think this series is a great choice for young Australian readers who want to learn more about their country's history, although I wish these books were more easily available outside Australia too. As an American, I've always wished for more historical fiction to be available here that isn't set in either the United States or England.

Book review: Tomorrow Girls: Set Me Free by Eva Gray

Tomorrow Girls: Set Me Free by Eva Gray (Published by Scholastic, November 1, 2011)

Set Me Free is the fourth and final book in the Tomorrow Girls series, and begins right where book three, With the Enemy, ended. This series is about four young girls, Louisa, Evelyn, Maddie, and Rosie, who were sent to a boarding school to keep them safe during a war between the United States and the Alliance, which happened after natural disasters destroyed part of the United States. However the girls soon learned that the school was secretly run by the Alliance and successfully escaped, joining up with three boys from the nearby boys' school. After traveling many miles and enduring many difficulties, including rescuing Maddie after she was kidnapped by Alliance agents and taken away to be brainwashed, the kids have finally made it back to their home city of Chicago.

Each book has been narrated by a different girl, and so for the last book, the narrator is Maddie. Maddie is probably the character who changed the most from the start of the series. At the beginning, she was rather timid and not as strong as the other girls. However, she has become stronger and braver, especially after learning that her absent mother, who she thought had a support job in the army, is actually the leader of the Resistance, which is the military organization that fights to defeat the Alliance. Now, Maddie and her friends must find her mother and the Resistance to give them an important encoded message, but finding them in war-torn Chicago won't be easy.

Set Me Free is, overall, a pretty good conclusion to the Tomorrow Girls series, it doesn't end with a cliffhanger and the storylines for all the main characters are resolved. I was disappointed by a couple of things, however - we never find out what happened to some of the minor characters, nor is the exact reason for the war ever explained, in fact it's never explained what exactly the Alliance is or where they came from. This series is a good choice for introducing younger readers to the dystopian genre, and for older readers looking for a quick read. I just wish there had been a bit more background information, because I'm still left wondering why there was even a war in the first place.

Book review: I Am Canada: Deadly Voyage by Hugh Brewster

I Am Canada: Deadly Voyage by Hugh Brewster (Published by Scholastic Canada, September 1, 2011)

After spending two years living in England, fourteen-year-old Jamie Laidlaw and his parents are returning home to Canada as first class passengers on board the maiden voyage of the Titanic. Jamie is happy to be returning home, since he hated his school in England. And he's excited to be travelling on the grandest ship in the world. Jamie makes new friends and has adventures exploring the Titanic, but he also gets himself in trouble with his parents after being found in a restricted area of the ship.

When the Titanic hits an iceberg, Jamie and his family don't believe at first that the ship could possibly be in danger. After all, the Titanic was specially designed with watertight compartments so it wouldn't sink. But soon it becomes clear that the ship is doomed, and Jamie must fight to survive in the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

I love reading historical fiction about the Titanic, so I really enjoyed Deadly Voyage. This book is written in the form of a memoir recorded by Jamie many years later, so we know from the start that he will survive. Jamie and his family are fictional, but most of the other characters are real people that were on the Titanic. I recommend this book to readers who enjoyed other books from the I Am Canada series or who love books about the Titanic, and with the 100th anniversary of the sinking coming up in few months, there is sure to be a lot of interest in the subject.