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  Review:  

Fablehaven, Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary   

By:  Brandon Mull       

Awards:

PB:  Shadow Mountain, 2009

Main Character:  Girl and boy 

Location:  Mainly on a secret preserve north of Montana, present day 

Focus:  Fantasy, trust and betrayal, risk, choice

Review:  

I loved, loved, loved this book! I am a huge fan of this series and have anxiously awaited the arrival of the latest installment of  Fablehaven. I have to say that other than Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, I have not read a series that I have enjoyed this much since Harry Potter. Perhaps that sounds trite, but there it is.

 Fablehaven is unique (ahhhh) action-packed, creative and enthralling. I have found that it is easy for my students to read and to follow, while making them think (yippee). Although I have never taught any of the books in this series, I do think that they would make excellent read alouds. So many discussions could easily flow from the chapters and it is entertaining enough to keep even my most disinterested readers attentive after lunch. 

Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, starts off with Kendra, the main character, being kidnapped by the Society of the Evening Star.  The action continued to be non-stop throughout the story. Although I was sad to learn that most of the book does not take place at Fablehaven, the dragon sanctuary of Wyrmroost is full of enough fascinating and terrible creatures to keep one pleasantly on edge. The usual gang, Seth, Kendra, Tanu,Gavin and Warren along with a few others travel to Wyrmroost to collect the key that will unlock a vault containing the translocator. This artifact, along with four others are capable of opening the demon prison, Zzyzx, thus unleashing terrors unknown and the inevitable destruction of the world. Unfortunately, Wyrmroost is a death trap and our brave adventurers are up against impossible odds. There are a few big surprises in this fourth installment of Fablehaven, that I must admit I did not see coming (making the story that much better). If you haven't picked up this series yet, do and recommend it to your friends and for sure your young readers. There is also a though-provoking reading guide at the end of the book.  

Possible Uses:  

Engaging reluctant readers  

To think about risk and consequences  

An excellent addition to a unit on fantasy. It would be fun to have students research the "creatures" which are borrowed from other sources and which are made up by the author. Students could compare and contrast the behavior of the characters in this story and in other stories. For example, centaurs are originally from Greek mythology and were known to be dark and taken to wild, drunken parties. In Fablehaven they consider themselves superior to other creatures. They are vain and mainly focused on the survival of their culture. They are easily prone to fighting. How do other authors of fantasy novels depict centaurs? How do the authors create new traits for ancient mythical beings to help them develop their own stories? 

Review: The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg 

By:  Rodman Philbrick  

Awards:  

PB:  The Blue Sky Press

Main Character:  Boy 

Location:  Maine, Battle of Gettysburg, 1863   

Focus:  Historical Fiction, slavery, Underground Railroad, Civil War, Battle of Gettysburg, brothers, loyalty  

Review:  

Homer P. Figg and his brother, Harold are orphans living with their cruel uncle, Squint. Squint sells Harold to the Union Army in place of a richer recruit even though he is not of age to fight. Thus ensues the story of Homer P. Figg as he travels around the eastern states in search of his brother. Along his journey he is captured by slave catchers, assists on the Underground Railroad, joins a traveling medicine show and eventually makes his way to the Battle of Gettysburg where he is rejoined with his brother. Homer’s lies  provide comic relief as his stories could make the tallest tales sound true. The story was a quick trip through some of the major issues of the times as well as the love and loyalty Homer has for his brother. This book was a fairly quick read and a good companion to any unit on the Civil War or the Battle of Gettysburg. There are some interesting parts about the Underground Railroad as well, although this is only a part of the story. It is a good representation of some of the major issues and lifestyles of the time. 

Review: Crispin, The Cross of Lead

Crispin and the Cross of Lead  

By: Avi  

Awards:   2003 John Newbery Medal, 2003 ALA Notable Children’s Book

PB:  Hyperion Paperbacks for Children

Main Character:  Boy

 Location:  England, 1377    

Focus:  Freedom, historical fiction, coming -of- age, self discovery, relationships     

Review:  

Crispin is a young boy living in an impoverished village in 14th century England. The plague has wiped out almost half of the British population and peasants and serfs are often ill-treated by the lords of the villages. After the death of his mother he is chased from the village and had to fend for himself. His ignorance of the world is hard for modern day people to fathom, as is his peril. He meets a wandering entertainer by the name of Bear who makes Crispin his servant. Throughout their adventures, Bear helps Crispin to gain confidence in himself and eventually, the freedom he has been craving. Many secrets are revealed and there is plenty of action. The reader gets a sense of what life in this time period was like. With a little research, students can better come to understand the peasant/serf/lord relationships, the Hundred Years’  War, the politics of ruling kings, the Peasant’s Revolt and the role of the Christian (Catholic) church in society. 

Possible Uses:  

Interesting examination of what freedom has meant to different people in different times and how that freedom is achieved.  

Excellent coming- of -age story, learning to know yourself and gaining self-confidence. 

Examine the different relationships during the time period and how modern society has changed. Are there similar relationships in our society today?  

How did Christianity play a part in people’s lives? How was religion used and abused? How is religion viewed in today’s society? Are there groups that are lacking freedoms due to religious interpretations?