Heroic Dreams - All Things Medieval

This is a summer reading list for young adults who want to explore fantasy and imaginative fiction without resorting to the current small handful of blockbusters. This list has some classics that might otherwise be overlooked,  and some contemporary books that are just terrific. If you are looking for some really good fiction for the kids to read this summer this list can help. (Hey and all these books are great for adults too!)

If you want more information about these books and links to amazon for them I have more info on my site here: Summer reading for teens

Some Classics
A Wrinkle in Time - (Newberry Medal Winner) This is simply a beautiful book that has blazed a trail in modern children’s fantasy by putting forward a story of several children embarking on a grand adventure; In this case to rescue their father. There is some fascinating and thoughtful stuff in this book like living stars and tesseracts. It is a perennial favorite and on every librarian’s list.

A Wizard of Earthsea – Written by Ursula K. Leguin this is the first book in a series called The EarthSea series. Short and light but extraordinarily beautiful. This first book in the series follows a young boy named Ged as he goes from being a simple goat herd to a powerful wizard.  It is simply beautiful and it brings forth some wonderful and magical themes such as the concept that everything (including dragons) has a secret name.  And if you know the secret name you can control the thing (including dragons).

The Hobbit - This probably shouldn’t be on this list but it is so good that I can’t leave it off.  With the absolute enormous success of the Lord of the Rings movies this book may be overlooked but I consider it better!  It is also in the works to be a movie.

Five Children and it – This is one of the most popular books written by Edith Nesbit who is often credited with creating the whole genre of children embarking on fantasy adventures.  Her books are in the public domain now and can easily be found for free. The theme of this book is:  Be careful what you ask for. You may get it! That’s the message in this delightful tale of five youngsters who discover a bizarre sand creature that grants wishes. There’s a catch, of course: the wishes come undone at sunset, and worse yet, things often get out of hand!

Dragonflight – This book is a little more complex than earlier ones I have cited here and it tends toward being more of a novel for grownups but it very suitable for teens.  We are introduced to a complex world of dragons through the main character Lessa. This book is often credited with being the book that has launched many a young girls writing career.  It is the first book in a trilogy of books called The Dragon riders of Pern series.

A Princess of Mars: The first novel in the Edgar Rice Burroughs series and currently in the initial stages of being written into a movie or animation that will be made by Pixar.  This is the first book in a series called John Carter of Mars and it is good rollicking fun in the tradition of the old pulp magazines.  It is a favorite for young boys who like sword fighting big monsters.

Contemporary fantasy and fiction
When it comes to modern fantasy fiction for teens there is an enormous selection to choose from and that, in itself,  could be an obstacle. Here are summaries of some of the more popular ones and I have also picked some that are currently slated to be made into a movie.

Artemis Fowl Series – This series of books takes a little bit of an unusual position as far as children’s books go because Artemis Fowl himself is a twelve year old genius and a criminal mastermind. The author of these books calls them Die Hard with Fairies! And the books are often characterized as being a high-octane and rip-roaring ride.  It is a wildly popular series of books with a big website and even a wiki. There are currently five books in the series with the first being simply titled Artemis Fowl. The sixth book “The Time Paradox” is set to be released in July of 2008.

Here, there be Dragons – The title itself is rather mysterious and harkens back to another time. This was the phrase that cartographers used to write in patches of ocean that were unexplored.  The basic premise of this story will really resonate with teens that are fans of fantasy itself because it starts with the unusual meeting of three young strangers John, Jack, and Charles on a rainy night in London. We later find out these three young men are J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams.

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches - This is a series of books that takes place in a world of magic and secrets called Ruin Mist. This book was slow to start but word of mouth turned it into a best seller. It is one of those relatively little known books and series that is very satisfying.

Septimus Heap – If magic and wizards are of strong appeal this series of books make a great alternative to Harry Potter. The Main character (Septimus) is the seventh son of a seventh son and the main line of the story follows two children switched at birth: a boy destined to be a wizard and a girl destined to be a princess.  There are currently four books in the series and the first book has been picked up by Warner Brothers and is currently being made into a movie that is scheduled for release in 2010.

Any of these books or series will launch teens and young adults on a remarkable adventure into strange fantasy worlds and no joystick or keyboard is required.

If you want more information about these books and links to amazon for them I have more info on my site here: Summer reading for teens

Popularity: 14% [?]

The New Movie Beowulf has really done a lot for the story, and the legend of Beowulf. Up until now Beowulf was something strictly for fans of medieval things - or mandatory reading in high school. But, because of the movie, everybody is once again interested in really learning about this mythic hero and the adventures he had.

And this brings me back to my theme of the story of Beowulf being more than just a fantasy adventure. It has lasted a thousand years for good reason. It has withstood the test of time because it resonates with people; men, women, children, and anybody of any age.

Who doesn’t read a book like Beowulf and secretly wish he could have such adventures?

And this brings me to the point of this post. Because the story is so universally appealing it has been done in many beautiful variations -so there is a flavor of the story of Beowulf for everyone. You can experience the story and the adventure in a graphic novel, a children’s book, or a collectible-worthy grownup version. And I am going to take a look at these three variations.

About these three Beowulf Books

Thanks to the good people over at Candlewick Press I am going to be offering all three of them as a free give away to some lucky web visitors. (I also have some other candlewick press books that I will be reviewing and giving away. So check back!)

Beowulf: A Tale of Blood, Heat, and Ashes (2007)

This is beautifully done version of the story. It is an oversized book gorgeously illustrated by John Howe who was a lead artist for the Lord of the Rings movies. It’s quite obviously a labor of love. If you want a book that you can keep for years and refer back to as soon as the story fades then this is the one.

 Beowulf the Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds

It is, after all, a story of action and adventure so it translates perfectly into the genre of graphic novel. But this isn’t your typical graphic novel. It is done in a rich variety of styles that capture the mood and the stages of Beowulf’s life.

Beowulf  By Michael Morpurgo and illustrated by Michael Foreman  (Ages 8-12)

This book is aimed at 8-12 year olds so I guess you have to call me 12 because I really love it. (A book like this is a treat not just for the kids.)

The thing I want to emphasize here again is the fact that the story of Beowulf is truly universal. It has been told for over a thousand years by many different people and in many different ways. So no matter what your taste in style of story or book is you can find something in that style that tells the story of the greatest hero that ever lived!

 About the Books and Candlewick Press

These three books are published by candlewick press and you can order them or browse through their extraordinary selection of outstanding children’s books for readers of all ages. Candlewick Press

Here are links to the specific books:

• Beowulf: A Tale of Blood, Heat, and Ashes
• Beowulf the graphic novel
• Beowulf ages 8-12

And Remember: I am giving away all three of these books (along with some others by Candlewick Press) so check back for details on how you can win.

Popularity: 22% [?]

 The Bestiary by Nicholas Christoper: Book Review 

This is a Chimera of a book - Read on to understand what I mean

For me there are two kinds of fantasy books. The first kind is the book you read because its just a lot of fun. You know, there is a grand adventure, damsels in distress, knights and dragons and of course a big and exciting new world to explore. Big, in this type of novel, means epic on a grand scale.

The second type of fantasy book, for me, is the meaning of life type. This is the kind of book that is really big in a different way. You travel along with the main character in his or her quest to figure out the meaning of things. His is a strange world with strange creatures (very  Kafkaesque) and of course, he can never really figure any ultimate answers to the big questions (classic Kafka), he can only come up with his solutions. The real joy is in the questing. So big, in this type of novel, means big questions and a big search to answer them.

Upon first impression this book fits into neither one of these categories. Let me explain. It is a book about a man who develops an obsession with finding a book that may or may not exist. It’s called the Caravan Bestiary. It is said to be an encyclopedia of the beasts that were denied entry onto Noah’s Ark.

There are no massive battles and there is no grand search for the meaning of life. It is just one man trying to figure out something about himself. And well, when you stop to think about it, you have to admit that it really doesn’t get much bigger than that. When it comes down to it this is all we really can do; try to figure out our little place. So this book fits very well into my second category of fantasy.

And this obsession does get even bigger because it is wrapped in a deeper meaning.

The main character has a real love for the creatures of the earth both past, present, mythical or not. It adds a really nice dimension to this book. His quest becomes a “If I could just accomplish one little thing that really means something” quality.

And this reverence and love for the beasts of the earth makes a transition to you the reader. You start to really get a sense of the beauty of the creatures of the earth and you feel it.

While reading you are going to realize that this book itself creates a new entry into the Bestiary. It is a Chimera of sorts. The front of this new Chimera is a lamb and the back is a lion. - The lamb is a fun fantasy story about the chase for a mythical book. The Lion is the passion for the mystery and the beauty of all the creatures on this earth whether they be mythical or not.

It is an enjoyable and thought provoking book and I recommend you give it a try if you are looking for something more than just fantasy. And it comes with an extra little bonus. It has a glossary of Mythical creatures appended to it which is just wonderful.

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The Caravan Bestiary is not a real book, it is a creation of the authors mind so if you want to do some sleuthing you are going to be out of luck but here are some links and books you might find interesting.

LINKS

• Author’s Homepage: NicholasChristopher.com
• Pre-order the book at Amazon.com - The Bestiary
• Dave’s Mythical Creatures (website)

BOOKS

• The True Story of Noah’s Ark (with audio CD and pull-out spread)
• Treasury of Fantastic and Mythological Creatures: 1,087 Renderings from Historic Sources (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)

Popularity: 22% [?]