UNSPOKEN, THE LYNBURN LEGACY, BOOK ONE by Sarah Rees Brennan

Brennan, Sarah Rees. Unspoken, The Lynburg Legacy, Book One. Random House Books for Young Readers, 2012. ISBN13: 9780375870415 $14.63 YA Novel- fiction.

Ever had an imaginary friend growing up? Well what if that imaginary friend you talked to as a child was real? 

Meet Kami Glass, a teenager living in the English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Kami is like most girls, she likes to dress in style, has a best friend and two crazy brothers, and is even in love with a boy- Jared, whom she has known all her life. However, no one knows about Jared except her due to the fact that he seems to exist only in her mind. Despite that odd quality, life is normal for Kami until the Lynburns move back to their manor in town. The Lynburns are a family that has a dark past and even darker secrets. The two teenagers, cousins, arrive at school and Kami quickly encounters the shock of her life. Jared is real. Now our protagonist needs to uncover not only the mystery of the Lynburn’s, but also her feelings about Jared. Through their mind link, the two are aware of their feelings and thoughts, but can Kami still trust him? And will Kami uncover the mystery behind the brutal animal sacrifices and nurder happening in her secretive town? Sarah Rees Brennan does a fantastic job creating a strong and compelling story in Unspoken. The author shows her ability to bring Gothic romance to a new and modern age with her independent heroine and the boy that needs to be saved. Brennan provides for her readers a strong cast of characters full of complexities and a dash of quirkiness. Throughout the story we see characters using witty humor in their dialogues that helps to lighten the atmosphere of a dark and suspenseful story. Even with grisly deaths, the reader can laugh as they read lines like: “Your soul like the souls of a thousand monkeys on crack, all smushed together.” Overall, the book is very entertaining to plow through and leaves the reader hungry for more.

Jacquelyne Yawn

ART MARKS by Sallie Lowenstein

Lowenstein, Sallie. Art Marks. Kensington MD: Lionstone Books, 2013. ISBN 978-9859618-0-0. $30 

The first thing you will notice about Sallie Lowenstein’s Art Marks is the book itself, by which I mean the artisanal uniqueness of its production. It’s a book of art, i.e. a handcrafted volume the likes of which you seldom encounter these days. It’s hand-bound and stitched with thick covers and corners like an old photo album, fittingly, since this is a book of memoir, of travel, of family, and of artistic discovery as Lowenstein relates and provides drawings from her childhood spent in Burma and India. As she writes on the opening page, “I wish every child a trip like mine to change their worlds and minds forever.”

Focused on a (magnificent!) road trip to Delhi in the late 1950s, she recalls the driver who sketched for her, opening the cosmos of art she has since pursued. It is a treat to see her drawings from decades ago—talented and observant child! She notes and draws the peacocks surrounding one of their hotels, camels and elephants elsewhere—all the swirling wonder of South Asia recalled in the grown-up’s reverie, a respite of cherished memory interspersed with the “hectic scramble of America.”

Constructed as it is, the book opens flat to numerous double-truck pages of gorgeous, vibrant illustration. Evidenced in her many other picture books, Lowenstein has a gift of both design and replication of, for example, the intricate decoration of Muslim art in Jaipur, in Agra, and of little known but poetically-named places like Fatehpur Sikri. These painting are sometimes on half pages; each page is thick, sensuous paper and the chosen font looks like beautifully-written print on old-style lined notebook sheets.

Lowenstein’s prose matches her art and honors the memory of her journey through descriptive words that convey not just sights but smells and touch, like the feel of sand. The words equal her topic and honor that turbaned driver of long ago who took the time to entertain and instruct a little girl from far away. The cover of the book and an inside illustration show his hand sketching a bird for her---- reminding us all that random acts of kindness can have lifelong benefits for those who receive them, including the creation of this truly lovely memoir.

Alida Allison 

DAUGHTER OF THE CENTAURS (CENTAURIAD #1) by Kate Klimo

Klimo, Kate. Daughter of the Centaurs. Random House Books for Young Readers, 2012. ISBN 13: 9780375869754 $14.57 YA Novel- fiction. 

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Kate Klimo brings a fresh new view of this setting. Instead of zombies, vampires, and the occasional werewolf (or both) we get centaurs. Daughter of the Centaurs centers around a young girl, Malora, who dreams of following her father’s footsteps to become a horse leader of the People, a small band of the world’s remaining humans. However, tragedy strikes when her People are massacred by a group of bat-like beings called Leatherwings. Left as the sole survivor, Malora finds herself alone with only Sky, her father’s stallion, as her companion and a herd of wild horses. Three years later, Malora and her herd are captured by a group of Centaurs, her People’s ancient enemy. To her surprise and astonishment, Malora finds companionship and a place to call home in the Centaurs’ society. Despite finding friends among the Centaurs, there are those who still fear and despise the foreign human. Will Malora ever truly feel welcome in her newfound community? The story is a great coming of age novel for young teens. Throughout the novel the reader comes across themes about belonging, those who feel ostracized, and society as a whole. As a first novel, Daughter of the Centaurs is a promising start for the trilogy. The story is entertaining, a great range of characters, and light-hearted. Yet, the book displays a few flaws that include lack of character development, not enough plot buildup, and a simplistic writing style. Overall though, the book is a fantastic read and recommended for any teen interested in a good fantasy.

Jacquelyne Yawn

NO GO SLEEP! by Kate Feiffer

Feiffer, Kate. No Go Sleep! Illustrated by Jules Feiffer. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2012. $16.99. ISBN 9781442416833. Ages 3-7. Picture book—fiction.


What child ever wants to go to sleep when mommy and daddy say to? Every child and parent will be able to relate to this book about the process it takes for one stubborn baby to finally fall asleep.

This book is a little reminiscent of the timeless book Good Night Moon, in how various nearby objects and animals, like the sun and moon, stars, nearby cars, bunnies, frogs and the baby’s toys talk to the baby and take part in trying to soothe the baby to sleep.

The illustrations are done by Jules Feiffer, of The Phantom Tollbooth fame, each illustration recalling that classic book. The illustrations are striking and colorful and feature corresponding text to sounds objects and animals make, such as the “beep, beep” of a car, or the “baa, baa” of sheep, which are good associations for children when reading books, and add a little something eye catching to the illustrations.

All in all, this is fun book that I can easily see parents and children reading together over and over at bedtime.

Joyce Myers

THE UGLY DUCKLING DINOSAUR by Cheryl Bardoe

Bardoe, Cheryl. The Ugly Duckling Dinosaur: A Prehistoric Tale. Illustrated by Doug Kennedy. New York, NY: Abrams Books, 2011. $16.95. ISBN# 9780810997394. Ages 4-8. Picture book—fiction.

Of the many different retellings of fairy tales I have ever read, this one is one of my favorites. This reinterpretation of The Ugly Duckling is set during prehistoric dinosaur times and features the ancient ancestors of today’s ducks as the duck family and a baby Tyrannosaurus Rex as the ugly duckling. The resemblance between a duck and a dinosaur is so different that you have to wonder how a T-Rex egg even ended up among duck eggs, but this ridiculousness is part of the charm of the story.

The author’s narration of the familiar fairy tale is enjoyable and easy to follow, but it is really the illustrations that make the book what it is. Many of the illustrations made me laugh because it is not often that you see a baby T-Rex trying to act like a little duckling. My favorite illustration features the T-Rex’s duckling “siblings” following after their mother, waddling into the water, while the T-Rex clumsily clomps behind them with a gait that could never be mistaken as a duck waddle. Another hilarious illustration shows the ugly duckling trying to fit in by disguising himself with feathers.

Dinosaur lovers will enjoy the glimpses of a variety of dinosaur creatures the baby T-Rex meets up with on his quest to find his place in the world. These other featured dinosaurs include, Pteranodons, Stegosauruses, and Deinoychuses. The author’s note page features more detailed information about various dinosaurs with more scientific images for those readers who wish to learn more.


Joyce Myers