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When was the last time you took a dare?

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What was the last dare you took?

This attractive animal fantasy should appeal to readers who like swashbuckling and hedgehogs in waistcoats. Penhaligan Brush is a fox, bored by his life as an apothecary in a sleepy Cornish village, who goes to visit his adoptive badger brother in the coastal town of Porthlaven. There he stumbles upon a dastardly plot by the loathsome wrecker Sir Derek (not a nice cat) to lure a ship full of treasure to its demise on the craggy shores of the port. Ouch!

The book, by S. Jones Rogan, is beautifully illustrated by Christian Slade (he of the Korgi fame.) Having visited Cornwall on many occasions, there is much about this book that appeals to me and makes me wish that I was still living in England. I anticipate recommending this title to boys and girls alike.

Darkwing
by Kenneth Oppel

Darkwing is a Cybils nominee.

Dusk is a chiropter, a small prehistoric mammal with a flap of skin attached to his arms that enables him to glide through the air. But Dusk is different from the other chiropters; his legs are weak, making it difficult for him to climb trees, and his chest and shoulders are freakishly large and bulky. But the differences go beyond appearance, as Dusk discovers that, unlike the other chiropters, he can "see" in the dark using his echolocation. And even more astonishing: he can fly! Dusk's parents love and encourage him in spite of his differences, but not everyone in the colony is as tolerant, and Dusk is often shunned for his differences.

Meanwhile, another mammal, a felid named Carnassial, discovers that he has a taste for meat. The various species of beasts, including felids and chiropters, have always been allies; they have a pact to work together to destroy the last of the saurians, or dinosaurs, by finding the nests and destroying the eggs. Now that the saurians are apparently wiped from the earth, Carnassial and some of his fellow felids do the unthinkable: they turn on their fellow beasts and begin to hunt and eat them.

When Carnassial's prowl attacks Dusk's colony, the colony flees its home. But in a world growing increasingly crowded, will the colony be able to find a new home? Dusk's abilities may be able to help the colony, but will they learn to accept him, or will Dusk become an outcast?

I found Darkwing to be excessively violent and fairly disturbing. There's definitely a Darwinian theme running through the book; everything seems to be killing and eating everything else. That wouldn't be too bad, however, except for the way the carnivores, and especially Carnassial, are portrayed. The theme of the book seems to be accepting who you are, and that even carnivores are a part of nature. Yet, all of the carnivores are depicted as evil, which makes you question whether it really is natural. And the scene where Carnassial first yields to his impulses and kills one of his fellow beings has a high "yuk" factor; it's a disturbing scene that made me think of a serial killer making his first kill.

If you can overlook the violence, Darkwing is a fairly readable and enjoyable book. The story of the colony's search for a new home is entertaining and exciting, and readers will engage with "Ugly Duckling" Dusk and his family. I particularly liked that Dusk's family loves and supports him in spite of his differences. I think that too often this kind of books portrays parents who reject or poorly treat a child who is "different" for the sake of dramatic tension, but it was refreshing to see a loving family trying to support their child. Readers of animal fantasy who aren't disturbed by the violence, and especially fans of Oppel's other books, will probably enjoy Darkwing.

Fell
by David Clement-Davies

The black wolf Fell is a Kerl, a loner, who lives without a pack in the mountains of Transylvania. The darkness that he experienced in his youth drove him away from his pack in search of answers, and for years he has wandered the mountains alone, studying man. Fell has the Sight, an ability to see into other places and times and into the minds of other animals, which often seems more like a curse than a gift.

Alina is a girl disguised as a boy, living as a poorly-treated servant with a shepherd couple, Malduk and Ranna, who found her as a small child. They've told her that she's a changeling, and that it's essential that she disguise herself as a boy so that the fairies and goblins don't take her back. When Alina discovers that Malduk and Ranna lied about her past, the couple turn on her and she must flee for her life.

Struggling for her life in the Transylvanian winter, Alina encounters Fell. Though they are from two different worlds, Alina and Fell can communicate through the Sight. The two of them set off together to find the answers that they so desperately need. Alina is searching for home and family and the keys to her past, a past that somehow involves the evil Lord Vladeran. Fell seeks to understand his visions of the future and his shared destiny with Alina. The future of the world may depend on the choices that the two of them make.

Fell is a beautifully written book. Clement-Davies' skillful use of language and lovely metaphors bring to life the land of Transylvania in the 15th century, its people, and the lives of the wolves. Although the Sight adds a mystical element to the books, and Fell is able to communicate with Alina, the wolves are depicted realistically for the most part, and don't think or act like humans. One of the best scenes in the book is the scene when Alina meets Fell. The differences between wolf and human are starkly depicted in this scene, and the two of them must somehow find a way to bridge that vast gap. Although Fell ends up helping Alina, he is never domesticated, and the reader is left with an impression of wild power barely contained.

Fell is a sequel to The Sight, although I think it probably stands pretty well alone. In fact, Fell is a very different book from The Sight. Whereas the first book was told exclusively from the point of view of the wolves, Fell alternates between Fell's and Alina's point of view. Personally, I liked Fell much better; I could relate more to Alina's story, and I didn't find it as dark a book as The Sight. But fans of The Sight may be disappointed if they come to the book expecting it to follow in its predecessor's footsteps.

Through Alina and Fell, Clement-Davies explores philosophical questions such as the relationship between man and nature, the meaning of life and death, and whether we are trapped by destiny and myth or whether we can affect the future by our choices. Such philosophical questions play a role, but don't overwhelm the story as they sometimes threaten to do in The Sight. And neither the rich language nor the philosophical underpinnings slow down the story, which is interesting and moves along quite well.

Like its predecessor The Sight, Fell is a complex book that will be challenging for some readers. However, the interesting characters, rich setting, and exciting story make this a book well worth reading.