Saskatoon author, Art Slade, once again shows his versatility in The Hunchback Assignments. Of the steampunk genre, unfamiliar to me, this story embraces the elements of fantastical, historical and intrigue. Modo, once a curiosity at a travelling show, is taken in by Mr. Socrates, aware of the child’s ability to transform his features. After 12 years of being trained and sheltered, he is abruptly abandoned on the streets of London. There, Modo must use every skill he possesses to survive, and yet to disguise his disfiguring appearance. Having set himself up as a private sleuth, he is one day approached and hired by the mysterious and lovely Octavia. With Mr. Socrates back in the picture, Modo attempts to unravel a chain of events which leads them to London’s underworld and to the revelation of a sinister plot by the mad scientist, Mr. Hyde.

At intervals, we are given glimpses into the world and cruelties of Mr. Hyde; providing us with just the right amount of suspense and horror. I would highly recommend this for readers from grade 6 right through high school. I trust there will be a sequel because we will want to know what happens to Modo next.

Another excellent addition to our global awarenes books, Wanting Mor looks at the life of Jameela in post-Taliban Afghanistan. When her beloved mother dies, Jameela is left to the mercy of her alcoholic and drug-addicted father. He hurriedly moves them to Kabul where he fairly quickly marries. The new step-mother is reminiscent of the Cinderella story. Jameela is expected to work like a slave with no appreciation and the father conveniently stays out of the way. After Jameela seems to be establishing a friendship with the son of her new step-mother, the complaints are so vicious that Jameel’s father takes her to the market and abandons her. Befriended by a kind shop-owner, she is taken to the orpahanage where she gradually finds her place and wonder of wonders, is given the opportunity to learn to read. This had been a dream of her mother’s who couldn’t read herself as she had grown up under Taliban rule. This is a solid story of a young girl with great courage.

Part of the Orca Young Readers series, Waiting for Diamonds is an excellent example of a fast-paced, adventure-filled novel for your middle years’ readers. A scant 113 pages makes this accessible to a wide variety of reading levels. Anita Daher has created a courageous and feisty heroine in the person of Jaz. Having moved recently to Destiny from Yellowknife, she quickly becomes involved with the Junior Canadian Rangers and is training for the big sled-dog meet. Unfortunately, she and Colly, her partner, are about as compatible as “potatoes with strawberry sauce.” In the middle of all this comes the news of a missing diamond polisher, who is soon accused of criminal activity. When Jaz finds out it’s her friend Gunther, she is in total denial as to the possibility of his guilt. But the race must go on, or so they hope. Partway through the race, they discover an injured Gunther, who immediately sees them as his way to escape, Jaz now has to admit that something funny is going on. In danger now from the weather and Gunther, she and Colly must cooperate if they are going to make it through at all. Nominated for this year’s Diamond Willow award, this is a thriller that is sure to please.

Wounded presents a present-day issue in a most readable format; that of the cost of war to those serving in the armed forces as well as that of their families. Marcus’s father is serving in Afghanistan and he, his sister and mother, cannot wait for him to return. The telephone ringing at an unexpected time causes trepidation; an unexpected visit to school by a superior officer causes fear. Will he be the one this time to be called out to face bad news. Emotions run high throughout this novel and when his dad finally does return, his increasingly erratic behaviour brings you to understand the almost impossibility of fitting back into “normal” life. Although there are times when the conversation between father/son seems a bit stilted, one has to admire the strength of the relationship between them. This is an important novel for our students to read as there are many days when the paper shows the latest casualty, but we have no grasp of the huge emotional impact on those most closely involved. This would pair well with Deborah Ellis’s Off to War:Voices of Soldier’s Children; true short stories on the same theme.

Well, Shane Peacock has done it again in the second of his stories of the early days of Sherlock Holmes. Although reading the first one sets the scene for this one and acquaints us with Sherlock’s background and family life, Death in the Air also can be read on its own. After solving a nefarious murder in Eye of the Crow and receiving no credit for it, Sherlock is increasingly determined to become a great detective acknowledged by all. When he is a close spectator of a great trapeze artist’s untimely fall, he is immediately convinced that it is a murder that he alone can solve. His investigations take him into the seediest parts of London, pitted against the notorious Brixton gang. If he can bring them to justice, he would have to be credited with an amazing coup and be given the reward that he so desperately needs to finance his education and to save his mentor and employer from ruin. The relationship between Sherlock and Bell is compelling and I trust will continue to receive a place in future novels. Whether Sherlock attains his goals in this novel, I shall leave for the reader to discover.

Historical fiction at its best, Greener Grass is a poignant look at the great famine in Ireland of 1847, after entire potato crops were destroyed by blight. Seen through the eyes of fourteen-year old Kit, we are overwhelmed with the utter devastation which led to famine and death. Many landlords evicted tenants for non-payment of rent, and they were forced to exist on seaweed soup once daily. Many perished. As all good historical fiction shoud do, this takes us into the heart of Ireland and the hard choices that need to be made when survival is at stake. Kit is a resourceful and strong character who evokes our sympathy and draws us into the plight they faced. This will make a fine addition to both elementary and high school libraries and should be included in lists of excellent historical fiction.

Wild Geese is the name of the anticipated sequel.

A truly riveting adventure story, Submarine Outlaw will likely capture the heart and minds of all who have longed to escape the confines of their everyday world and try something exciting and even dangerous. Alfred has no desire to be a fisherman and approaches the local junkyard dealer and together, they build a submarine. Hard as that might be to believe, read on, for the  dramatic escapes and encounters Alfred makes in his undersea voyage are fascinating and believable. For those of you seeking another kind of adventure story, I would pair this with Kenneth Oppel’s Skybreaker and John Lunn’s The Aquanauts and would be suitable for grade 5 readers and into early high school. The sequel is already out and I have purchased it so I’ll be ready for those students who will want to continue with Alfred’s adventures.

This is nominated for the 2009 Diamond Willow category.

Read another review from the blog What Counts.

I always enjoy reading your books. I remember reading Everything on a Waffle and loving it, but with a niggling question: Which of my students will read this? Since reading more of your works, that question has become amplified. I really struggle with who your audience is. The characters are right for children and although the plot line is a little eccentric, there are students who would enjoy that. Your writing is superb but the flights of linguistic fancy often seem above what most of our readers would enjoy. Recently, because I’m really trying to figure you out, I read The Canning Season. Once again, it is full of quirky characters and a plot that dazzles the mind. But as I encountered some of your language choice, I thought, oh,no- this is not appropriate for my younger students for whom the story seems intended. But the characters appear to be too young for my YA (Young Adult) shelf and definitely too young for high school. So in all good conscience, where do I put this? To whom do I recommend this? I came to conclude that this should be an adult book. It would not take a great deal of revising in order for it to take on the quality of The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, which it so reminded me of in terms of style and audience.

I also recently read My One Hundred Adventures. This seemed much more accessible to our elementary readers and I look forward to testing it out on some of my more discerning readers. Although, once again, there are many implausible scenes, it moves along at quite a sharp pace.

Reading The Corps of the Bare Boned Planes last year was what really set me off on this “who is you audience” rant. See the post I wrote on this at that time, which explains some of my frustration in trying to come to an understanding of you as a most excellent author.

So once again, dear Polly, you are an amazing writer. I just think that you need to decide for whom your writing is best suited. I will continue to read your offerings and perhaps I will find that indeed they have a child audience that I am as yet unaware of. We adult readers adore you!

Gwen is another home child story, so I was expecting something somewhat similar to others I have read. But Gwen is unique in particular because of the character. Although she loses her father early on and becomes an orphan sent to one of Barnardo’s homes, she never loses her indomitable spirit. Her sojourn there gains her many friendships, which are sundered when they are sent to Canada. Unfortunately, Gwen’s first experience is horrific, and when she has to rebuff advances from the man of the house, she takes matters into her own hands and treks back to Peterborough to ask the Matron for a new place. A unique writing style and a courageous character combine to make this an excellent read, and a great addition to your Canadian history collection. This is likely most suitable for readers from grade 5-8.

This is another look at bullying- this time online. Truman School, told from a variety of very distinctive perspectives, centres around Amr and Zebby who decide to start an on-line newspaper where kids can say what they really think about Truman School. Soon it becomes a format to bring down a certain popular girl, Lilly, and Amr and Zebby are not sure they have the right to delete something when they have opened it up to entries from everyone. A fast-paced, easy read, this nonetheless has lots of food for thought and I think would be very appealing for both gals and guys. I highly recommend it.