THE AMBIDEXTROUS LIBRARIAN

Cicada Summer (Kate Constable) I stumbled across Cicada Summer in a very "professional" attempt to increase my general knowledge of junior fiction. I had heard of Kate Constable, most recently through her acclaimed novel Crow Country , which won the 2012 CBCA Young Readers Book of the Year (haven't read it yet - should do soon!)   Cicada Summer  wasn't quite what I expected, mainly because I totally judged the book by it's cover and didn't read the blurb at all.  Regardless though, I found it to be quite an engaging story, and surprisingly atmospheric for a junior fiction novel. Eloise doesn't speak much.  Actually, she doesn't say anything at all, and hasn't really spoken since her mother passed on a wee while back.  Instead, Eloise speaks through her art, as she is quite a talented artist. Eloise's father, who is an "entrepreneur" and forever chasing his next big bucks breakthrough, has just been given a beautiful, but deca...

Raven Girl (Audrey Niffenegger) A short, modern fairy tale of a girl born to a Postman father and a Raven mother, Raven Girl is a fable of love and identity, and finding the strength within to be who you were born to be.  Narrated in a simple but moving tone, with stark, somewhat childlike illustrations, the moral behind the fable is clear - know who you are, and surround yourself with those who accept you as you are, and you will have wings to fly. Interestingly, Raven Girl has also been made into a new dance for the Royal Opera House of Covent Garden.

The Witches (Roald Dahl) Don’t be fooled – REAL WITCHES exist, and their sole purpose is to eradicate ALL children due to the vile stench they exude!  REAL WITCHES are, of course, terribly icky, but they parade the world as lovely ladies and can only be spotted by those in the know! So begins the telling of a classic good vs. evil fairy-tale, where a young boy and his grandmother unwittingly find themselves in the midst of a large gathering of witches, led by none other than the Grand High Witch herself who plans to rid England of all children, forever!  Will their terrible plan be foiled in time? Packed with larger-than-life characters, colourful accents and disgustingly descriptive narrative, The Witches is bound to be a hit with children who enjoy a squeamish read! Dahl, R 1983,  The witches , Jonathan Cape, London. Children's - Horror

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Ransom Riggs) Jacob had always assumed that his grandpa’s fanciful stories of the “peculiar children” and “monsters” were just that –stories, until he finds his grandpa fatally injured by one of the very “monsters” he so vividly described.  With his dying breath, Jacob’s grandpa imparts a cryptic message of an island, a peregrine and an old man’s grave... but what does it all mean?  So begins Jacob’s journey to uncover the truth in his grandpa’s stories, and his own personal truth. Beautifully illustrated in a stark comic book style which captures the movement and motion in a visual and even audible manner, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a fantastic novel for young readers who are seeking an equal measure of action, fantasy and horror in their novels.  Riggs, R 2011,  Miss Peregrine’s home for peculiar children , Quirk Books, Philadelphia. Children's - Graphic Novel / Fantasy