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Ladies and Gents, the Centre for Youth Literature interrupts your regular programming to bring you the 2014 Inky Awards longlist, fresh from the Somerset Celebration of Literature in Queensland!

Drum roll, please…

Gold Inky Award longlist (Australian books):

Zac and Mia by AJ Betts
All This Could End by Steph Bowe
Steal My Sunshine by Emily Gale
The Whole of My World by Nicole Hayes
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
The First Third by Will Kostakis
Every Breath by Ellie Marney
Fairytales for Wilde Girls by Allyse Near
Run by Tim Sinclair
The Sky So Heavy by Claire Zorn

Silver Inky Award longlist (international books):

All The Truth That’s In Me by Julie Berry
Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
When We Wake by Karen Healey
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
ACID by Emma Pass
Man Mad Boy by Jon Skovron
Winger by Andrew Smith
Wild Awake by Hilary T Smith
Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

This year is a transition period for the awards, as it moves from a financial to calendar year for eligibility titles.  As such, last year’s longlisted titles were discounted from proceedings.

Please see our 2014 longlist on insideadog.com.au for more details about the books.  Applications will open from 20th March to be one of our six teen judges – you have until 14th of April to get your submission in.

A reminder that the shortlist will be announced at the Melbourne Writers Festival in August, at which time voting will open. The winners will be announced at an Inky Awards Ceremony on 21st of October at the State Library of Victoria. Please sign up for our enewsletter to be advised when bookings are open.

As you know, our Writer In Residence program over at Inside A Dog offers teenagers an opportunity to interact and workshop with authors.

Following is a line-up of our Writer In Residence program for the first 6-months of 2013. If you see a student’s favourite author, or perhaps are reading an author’s book, pop on by!

• February – Alyssa Brugman
• March – Myke Bartlett
• April – Raina Telgemeier
• May – Garth Nix
• June – Ambelin Kwaymullina

You’ll notice that from March to June we will be showcasing Reading Matters authors, who will be involved in the Reading Matters Student Day program.

Enjoy!

On Tuesday evening YA enthusiasts crowded into the State Library of Victoria to find out what titles Australian publishers are celebrating from 2012, and looking forward to in 2013…

Bloomsbury Australia

H.I.V.E. by Mark Walden (June 2012)
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas (August 2012)
Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black (February 2013)
Hidden by Marianne Curley* (March 2013)

http://bloomsburyanz.com/

Ford Street Publishing

Riggs Crossing by Michelle Heeter* (September 2012)
Greylands by Isobelle Carmody* (October 2012)
Gamers’ Rebellion by George Ivanoff* (July 2013)
Far From Gallipoli by Pamela Rushby* (October 2013)

http://www.fordstreetpublishing.com/

PanMacmillan

A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty* (October 2012)
Girl Defective by Simmone Howell* (March 2013)
Wildlife by Fiona Wood* (June 2013)
The Howling Boy by Cath Crowley* (September 2013)

http://www.panmacmillan.com.au/

Allen & Unwin

Unforgotten by Tohby Riddle* (September 2012)
Into That Forest by Louis Nowra* (September 2012)
When We Wake by Karen Healey (February 2013)
Interchange by Margaret Wild* (2013)

http://www.allenandunwin.com/

HarperCollins

The Horses Didn’t Come Home by Pamela Rushby* (March 2012)
Pennies for Hitler by Jackie French* (June 2012)
Refuge by Jackie French* (August 2013)
The Big Dry by Tony Davis* (September 2013)

http://www.harpercollins.com.au/

Walker Books

Love Notes from Vinegar House by Karen Tayleur* (May 2012)
Black Spring by Alison Croggon* (October 2012)
Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made by Stephan Pastis (March 2013)
Stagefright by Carole Wilkinson* (March 2013)

http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/

Scholastic

Ned Kelly’s Secret by Sophie Masson* (July 2012)
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (October 2012)
Joyous & Moonbeam by Richard Yaxley*(September 2013)
Battle Magic by Tamora Pierce (October 2013)

http://www.scholastic.com.au/

Penguin

The Farm by Emily McKay (November 2012)
Things A Map Won’t Show You edited by Susan La Marca & Pam Macintyre* (February 2012)
The First Third by William Kostakis* (May 2013)
Run by Tim Sinclair (April 2013)

http://www.penguin.com.au/

Hardie Grant Egmont

This Is Not A Drill by Bec McDowell (November 2012)
All The Wrong Questions by Lemony Snicket (October 2012)
Life In Outer Space by Melissa Keil* (February 2013)
The Phoenix Files: Doomsday by Chris Morphew* (June 2013)

http://www.hardiegrant.com.au/egmont

Text Publishing

Friday Brown by Vikki Wakefield* (September 2012)
Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead (September 2012)
Alex As Well by Alyssa Brugman* (February 2013)
Julius and the Watchmaker by Tim Hehir* (May 2013)

http://textpublishing.com.au/

Random House

The Shadow Girl by John Larkin*(2012)
Brave Heart by Brett & Hayley Kirk* (August 2012)
Steal My Sunshine by Emily Gale* (May 2013)
The Whole of My World by Nicole Hayes* (June 2013)

http://www.randomhouse.com.au/

Which 2012 titles have you already read? And which 2013 titles have piqued your curiosity? Personally, I’m having trouble deciding between Stephan Pastis’ (aka the genius behind Pearls Before Swine) Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made, Tim Sinclair’s Run, and new books from Cath Crowley, Simmone Howell, Fiona Wood, and Tamora Pierce. Bring on 2013!

_________________________

* denotes an Australian author.

Note: The publishers listed were those that accepted our invitation.  They were asked to only present on four books – two from 2012, two to be launched in 2013.

 Twelve-year-old Fern feels invisible. It seems as though everyone in her family has better things to do than pay attention to her: Mom (when she’s not meditating) helps Dad run “Harry’s,” the family restaurant; Sarah is taking a gap year after high school; Holden pretends that Mom and Dad and everyone else doesn’t know he’s gay, even as he fends off bullies at school. Then there’s Charlie: three years old, a “surprise” baby, the center of everyone’s world. He’s devoted to Fern, but he’s annoying, too, always getting his way, always dirty, always commanding attention. If it wasn’t for Ran, Fern’s calm and positive best friend, there’d be nowhere to turn. Ran’s mantra, “All will be well,” is soothing in a way that nothing else seems to be. And when Ran says it, Fern can almost believe it’s true. But then tragedy strikes-and Fern feels not only more alone than ever, but also responsible for the accident that has wrenched her family apart. All will not be well. Or at least all will never be the same.

I was beyond excited when I received this book (Adele picked it up in the States for me and it is hand signed by Jo Knowles… the excitement level is too big to be contained within this post), because Jo Knowles is one of my must-read authors. I was blown away by her debut novel Lessons from a Dead Girl, which I reviewed here. For me, she is essential reading.

I cannot tell you how odd I looked reading this book on the train. The cover all happy and light, while I sat in a vat of hot tears. The other commuters gave me a wide berth, to say the least.

A warning that my review will be riddled with spoilers – I’ve tried to write the review without spoilers and it just didn’t come together, or make much sense – so please do not read on if you wish to remain unspoiled. For those of you who will dash away from this review, before you go I’d implore you to put SYaH’s in your reading pile. It is a beautifully written book with a great cast of believable characters.

I did not want the book to end.

I was so engaged and enchanted with SYaH’s that once completed I spent my time imagining possible sequels and adventures for Fern. I want to be a part of Fern’s life. I want to check in with her as she grows up. I want to see her learn from life’s lesson. I want to see her family and friends again. I want to know if she’s passing maths. I want to know it all. I fell so deeply in love with the characters that I cannot ever imagine letting them go. SYaH’s became a friend. Is it weird to have a book as a friend? One who you laugh with; cry with; have in-jokes with.

I was surprised by the direction this book ended up taking. I thought the storyline would be a predictable arc, and that the real meat of the novel would be in the characters and their interactions. I was half right. Jo Knowles knows how to write characters you cannot help but love. It was the story arc that got me. I was completely unprepared for it, and as a consequence was the crazy commuter sobbing in carriage one.

You see, Jo Knowles had an older brother who was gay and sadly died of AIDS, and a classmate who committed suicide during high school. When Fern’s older brother, Holden, is bullied on the school bus I thought I knew where this story was going. I thought it was going to be a terribly sad tale of a boy who was ridiculed and abused for his sexuality, and who found solace in death. It is perhaps why I had such a reaction to this book, I was prepared for one tragedy but not another. You see, Holden doesn’t die. Instead the family wake one morning, just like any other morning, to find their youngest son, Charlie, dead in his bed. Sometime during the night he had suffered a massive brain aneurism. I cannot tell you how destroyed I felt. Knowles had captivated Charlie’s utter joy in life, he’s sweet innocence, the depth of he’s imagination, all by page 1. So I cried and cried and cried on that carriage. It was the shock that a character had given me joy for a 100 plus pages and that I would never read that joy again. I was heartbroken.

The rest of the story revolves around a family and their grieving process. Such a raw and painful process to view, but one that resonates with anyone who has lost a loved one.

Jo Knowles’ strength are her characters. Do you know that feeling you get when you’re just waking up, and your dream hasn’t quite left you yet, so reality is a green monkey’s with three heads (don’t ask, I have some odd dreams). That is a Jo Knowles book; a moment in between dream and reality, where I honestly believe with all my heart that Fern, Ran and Charlie are all alive out there, just waiting to be my friend.

I’m so unbelievably sad that they’re not real. That my reality isn’t Fern and co. But every time I open that book they do become real. I hope one of your teenagers walk away feeling like they made a friend too.

Walker Books

With a tagline like ‘celebrating the freedom to read’ is it no wonder bannedbooksweek.org is a favourite?

For thirty years banned book week been reporting on book censorship in America.

Hundreds of books have been either removed or challenged in schools and libraries in the United States every year. According to the American Library Association (ALA), there were at least 326 in 2011.  ALA estimates that 70 to 80 percent are never reported.

In 2011, the 10 most challenged books were:

ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: offensive language; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group

ttyl is a constant stream of IM chat, email and texts between three friends ‘SnowAngel’, ‘zoegirl’ and ‘madmaddie’. It’s a little of a shock to read as the language is expressed in a short hand that seems impossible, yet is a reflection of how teens are interacting online, and the topics discussed break the barriers of ‘polite’ conversation.

The Color of Earth (series), by Kim Dong Hwa
Reasons: nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group

A graphic novel that explores a daughter’s relationship with her mother, and the social ramifications of being a ‘single’ mother in Korea. The minimal nudity and implied sexual acts pales in comparison to the lyric-like qualities in the writing and the strength of the mother-daughter relationship.

The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins
Reasons: anti-ethnic; anti-family; insensitivity; offensive language; occult/satanic; violence

A very popular series that has encouraged many ‘non-readers’ to open up it’s pages and delve into a world of action, adventure and romance. I find it interesting that in it’s ‘book’ format, The Hunger Games finds itself on the 10 most challenged book lists. In ‘movie’ format, it finds itself the number one box hit of 2012. This implies to me that there are two standards when a story is told. When in a movie format, the level of ‘violence’ is more readily accepted then in a book format.

My Mom’s Having A Baby! A Kid’s Month-by-Month Guide to Pregnancy, by Dori Hillestad Butler
Reasons: nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group

A children’s picture book that describes the experiences of Elizabeth, a soon to be older sibling as her mother goes through pregnancy. There is language about the human body, reproduction and child development. Some of the language, such as sperm, has caused parents to ask for the book to be banned from their libraries.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: offensive language; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group

Alexie chose to respond in the Wall Street Journal, in 2011, about the push to ban his book due to it’s content.

“I have yet to receive a letter from a child somehow debilitated by the domestic violence, drug abuse, racism, poverty, sexuality, and murder contained in my book. To the contrary, kids as young as ten have sent me autobiographical letters written in crayon, complete with drawings inspired by my book, that are just as dark, terrifying, and redemptive as anything I’ve ever read.”

With books that deal with such strong issues it can be quite confronting and distressing for some. When that is balanced against the children it has managed to reach because they know the same type of pain or humiliation or depression and find solace in knowing that they are not alone, then you need to make that book accessible to them.

Alice (series), by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Reasons: nudity; offensive language; religious viewpoint

A twenty-four strong series that explores the world through the eyes of Alice, who is on the cusp of becoming a teenager. There are cringe worthy moments of embarrassment, new friends, new love interests and a role model or two.

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Reasons: insensitivity; nudity; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit

When a book is 81 years old and still in-print, I find it shocking that people would still wish to ban it. It’s not longer just a work or fiction, but part of the history of fiction.

What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones
Reasons: nudity; offensive language; sexually explicit

Another of those lighter books that explores being a teenage girl and all that entails. I’m extremely disappointed (although not surprised) that nearly all the books on this list involve women protagonists. It feels like we’re continuing a 1950′s women belong in the kitchen mentality. I have to question why women aren’t allowed to explore their sexuality and men are.

Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily Von Ziegesar
Reasons: drugs; offensive language; sexually explicit

Another book that has made itself onto the (not as) big screen. As a weekly television show for CW it sees millions of viewers. As a book it sees itself in the number 9 position for most banned books in 2011. Too rich teenagers, drugs, drinking and sexual encounters. It looks at it all.

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Reasons: offensive language; racism

New rule; if a book has been in-print for 52 years, it also shouldn’t find itself on the most challenged book list. When complaints are made that To Kill a Mockingbird should be censored because of ‘racism’ I’m unnerved by the lack of comprehension of social commentary and injustice. When a book chooses to hold a mirror up to the law to demonstrate the social inequity that was part of American history… well I’m on board with that book.

Round three of the Inky shortlist goes to BZRK by Michael Grant. Earlier in the year CYL staffer Liz Kemp gave a brief review here for BZRK. I thought I would follow it up with my own impressions.

Set in the near future, BZRK is the story of a war for control of the human mind.  Charles and Benjamin Armstrong, conjoined twins and owners of the Armstrong Fancy Gifts Corporation, have a goal:  to turn the world into their vision of utopia.  No wars, no conflict, no hunger.  And no free will.  Opposing them is a guerrilla group of teens, code name BZRK, who are fighting to protect the right to be messed up, to be human.  This is no ordinary war, though.  Weapons are deployed on the nano-level. The battleground is the human brain.  And there are no stalemates here:  It’s victory . . . or madness.
 
BZRK unfolds with hurricane force around core themes of conspiracy and mystery, insanity and changing realities, engagement and empowerment, and the larger impact of personal choice. Which side would you choose?  How far would you go to win?

I’m very much a fan of seeing my name (either first or last) in a book. It gives me a little celebrity thrill. So meeting Charles and Benjamin Armstrong (I know, great last name) was definitely a book highlight moment, especially being genius conjoined twins. It just doesn’t happen every day!

In all seriousness though, it was the teen judges’ reaction to BZRK that had me really excited because it was so enthusiastic. Many cries went out about the creepy ‘real life’ implications and possibilities of the nano technology. Is Wikipedia really embedded with government codes? It’s just real enough to have me joining the conspiracy theorists.

I think this is where some of the best YA literature lies: when it has the reader querying the world around them. What does it mean to be human? Is it flesh and bone, or is it memories and feelings? Is it free will? This and the reality of nano technology really spoke to our judges. They see the warring corporations, BZRK and The Armstrong Fancy Gifts Corporation, in real life with groups like Coles and Safeway, or Amazon and everyone (alas). The reality of our world isn’t always comfortable, BZRK had me facing this fact.

Grant had me questioning the idea of villains versus heroes. Thrown into the role of ‘heroes’ is the BZRK group as they fight the ‘villainous’ Armstrong corporation. But what makes BZRK good? To limit this to a fight of good versus evil doesn’t do justice to what Grant is asking you to question here. Is a person or corporation good because they happen to perform a good deed, with evil intent? Is it a good act in the first place, if evil is always it’s intent? Is being a person or corporation that is ‘bad,’ mean your every moment is an act of evil?

While reading BZRK, I was constantly reminded of one particular History class where we had gotten a little off topic (not an irregular occurrence) and the lecturer was talking about the soullessness of corporations.

A corporation is without law or morality, for these are human inventions and a corporation is not a human.

Something to that effect, anyway. It really struck a cord with me at the time; would I become a silent cog in an immoral corporation? Would I find myself doing things, not questioning how they affected me or how they aligned with my morality for a paycheck? BZRK had me thinking on these things again, just in a different way. Every time I use technology am I making myself less human? Does Warcraft affect my ideas of morality? Does technology control me, not the other way around?

Questions to pond in an exciting and thrill seeking novel. For a slightly older readership than Grant’s Gone series, BZRK is suitable for 16+.

Don’t forget to send any fans of BZRK, or any of our other shortlisted titles to insideadog.com.au/vote

Next up in our Inky Awards series is A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness.

The monster showed up just after midnight. As they do. But it isn t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming… The monster in his back garden, though, this monster is something different. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.

It becomes quickly apparent to the reader that Conor is drowning. His mother is on her third round of chemotherapy and she is dying. In fact she has barely days to live. It is also apparent that the monster wants the most dangerous thing of all; Conor’s secret shame.

What is absolutely heartbreaking about this novel is the yearning Conor experiences. He’s whole world is about to open up and disappear before him. His mother will leave him, just as his father left him for a new family. He will be cared for by an emotionally cold grandmother. He has no friends (having found himself alienated from everyone after his mother’s sickness became public knowledge), he is being physically and emotionally bullied by a boy in his class, and he is unraveling in the face of his, and his mother’s, reality.

I’m not ashamed to admit I cried during a majority of A Monster Calls. Around page 100 I gave up the gig and just sobbed (opposed to the don’tlookatme crying I was originally attempting). The strength of the novel is in Ness’ ability to create voice. Conor feels as real as you and I. He is a character that you willingly emotionally tie yourself to. He compels your compassion and sympathy, despite knowing that there is only heart break around the corner.

A Monster Calls is a simple story. There are no surprises of plot or miracle cures, it is just the sad tale of Conor in the last days of his mother’s life. The complexity of Conor’s emotions -anger, shame, abandonment, hate, love, sadness -  all wrapped up in Patrick Ness’ accessible writing style, and it is Ness who is the conduit here, ties us deftly and (so very) easily to Conor.

Complimenting the text is the illustrations by Jim Kay. I cannot imagine one without the other; they are two parts of a whole. It was an extremely interesting partnership as Ness’ writing is often very visual. Accompanied by the illustrations, this novel felt like a silent movie. The impressions of the drawings follow you while you’re reading; the monster fills your conscience, large and imposing.

Another brilliant performance by Patrick Ness, after his success with the Chaos Walking Trilogy.

Walker Books

This week was a bit of a hectic week for the CYL team; there was Inky and his shortlist announcement and there was MWF.

MWF was great fun for us all. We met some really great authors and had a lot of great panel conversations. Below is a recommended reading list from the panel ‘Read Any Good Books Lately’, with Adele Walsh, Lili Wilkinson and Melissa Traverso.

A Straight Line to my Heart by Bill Condon

A warm tale about Tiff and that in-between time of life where you’re no longer and teenager but not yet an adult. A fairly simple plot where the strength lies in it’s feelings and connections of family, friends and life.

Allen and Unwin

Friday Brown by Vikki Wakefield

Vikki Wakefield has such a unique voice and writing style that her stories leave you slightly off kilter. Like you’ve missed a step and had to skip to catch up. Friday Brown finds herself in the seething underground of Australian slums; homeless, afraid and trapped by a curse.

Text Publishing 

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

A very very laugh out loud funny story of Greg, his best friend Earl and Rachel (recently diagnosed with leukaemia). Greg is a jokester; funny, self-deprecating and honest. It would be easy to dismiss this book as just another ‘cancer’ book, but instead it takes on the role of showing the lighter side of a serious subject. There is no miracle save or life lesson. Sometimes death is just death.

Allen and Unwin

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Much like Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is not just a ‘cancer’ book, John Green’s Fault in Our Stars takes a walk on the humorous side of death. There are tears of laughter and despair throughout Hazel and Augustus’ tale. It was a glimpse at the sweetest of every emotion, because there was always the thought that this might be the last.

Penguin

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Another cusp of life story featuring Ed and Lucy. The adventure they take over one night, the hardships and prejudices they must face, and the decisions they must make to keep their lives moving forward and their futures bright with possibility.

Pan Macmillan

Other titles discussed as must reads-

Only Ever Always by Penni Russon

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

The List by Siobhan Vivian

The Deep: Here be Dragons by Tom Taylor and James Brouwer

Our booktalker event on Tuesday (31st of July) concentrated on engaging reluctant readers through the middle years.

One of the avenues discussed was comics. The following is a suggested list to get you started in comics. There are a host of different ages and genres to engage any reader.

Australia’s only full-time comic book writer, Tom Taylor’s recommendations:

Super Dinosaur by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard

10+ is the perfect age group for this. Derek, our protagonist, and SD (super dinosaur), fight evil and save the world. You know how it is.

Image Comics

Buffy Comics by Joss Whedon

Follows a ’season 8′ storyline (season 7 was the last for the tv show). For all your students who love the Buffy tv series, it has the same sense of darkness with humour that Whedon is known for. Not to mention lots of fighting action scenes. Plus, who doesn’t love a strong female protagonist, ridding the world of evil?

Dark Horse Comics

X-Men by Joss Whedon

Much like the Buffy comics, Whedon’s X-Men series mixes dark issues, humour and action scenes to create a balanced reading experience.

Marvel

I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly

A girl protagonist who escapes the reality of her life into a fantasy world filled with giants. Convinced she is meant to kill the giants and save the world, reality and fantasy begins to merge into something new. While the protagonist, Barbara, is in fifth grade, this would be more suitable to a slightly older audience, grade 6 up.

Joe Kelly is the creator of the Ben 10 series, should you need to ’sell’ it a bit to your student.

Image Comics

Locke and Key by Joe Hill

Joe Hill is the son of the son of horror giant Stephen King. So he does suspense, horror and terror really well. Definitely for your older students, 15+.

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

A darkly gothic tale of Morpheus, the personification of Dreams. Captured and held prisoner for 70 years, Morpheus escapes. Left without his powers he goes on a quest to regain everything he lost during his years of imprisonment. There is violence, nudity and disturbing scenes, in The Sandman, so caution is

This book list is dedicated to our hard working, adorable and friendly Inky of insideadog.com.au. He’s not just a 9 to 5 dog, he’s on the book hunt all day every day.

So here’s to Inky, the best friend a book lover can have.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.

Possibly the most vocal in our best animal companions, Manchee is ever adventurous and always excitable dog companion to Todd Hewitt (our protagonist). For those of who haven’t yet gotten around to the KoNLG, be warned: Manchee induced tears are probable. He’s such a joyous character you will instantly fall in love with him.

Walker Books

Wood Angel by Erin Bow.

Broken hearted and lonely after her father’s death Plain Kate agrees to give up her shadow to have her deepest wish realised. Her heart’s wish is to make the loneliness go away, so she is gifted with being able to understand her cat, Taggle. Taggle, in his own cat-like way, loves Plain Kate and knows that she’s in deep danger. He is the means by which she navigates as she journeys into the unknown.

Chicken House

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier.

Rather an unusual journey companion is Gogu, a telepathic frog, to our protagonist Jena. Wildwood dancing is the retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses and The Frog Princess (with a little vampirism thrown in for fun!). As with anything Marillier touches it is steeped in history, lore and beautiful writing.

Pan Macmillan

Eragon by Christopher Paolini.

It doesn’t get any better than a pet dragon. There’s the flying and the fire breathing, and the emotional connection between Eragon and Saphira, as you journey in this fantasy world of Dragon Riders.

Random House

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver.

Is the story of a young boy named Torak who is fo