A Seed Is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long.

Once in awhile a book comes my way that I must force my children to read as soon as it enters the house.  This is one of those books!  It immediately jumped to the top of our book pile.  Not that it was a hard sell at all!

This is the second book by the authors of An Egg Is Quiet, which I consider one of the top picture books of last year.  I think that this one is just as wondrous. 

This book continues the glory of the small and exquisite.  You can examine seeds closely from the familiar sunflower and dandelion to the exotic hamburger bean and devil’s claw.  This is a book to pore over with a child, linger over and discuss.  On the way, they will learn about the ways in which different seeds grow, how the plants grow from them, and the wonder of photosynthesis.  The text and illustrations work hand-in-hand to make the science accessible and the information inviting.  Share this with preschoolers through first graders to celebrate spring.

The Navigator by Eoin McNamee.

Looking for a great read for boys from about 5th grade through 8th?  Well, this is the book for you!

Owen finds himself adrift as time starts to run backwards.  He is saved by the Resisters who live on an island outside of time, fighting their enemies the Harsh.  The Harsh want to turn back time to before humans existed so that the land is barren and frozen.  The Resisters are the only ones who stand in their way.  Owen makes friends with Cati, the daughter of the Watcher, who stays awake while all of the other Resisters sleep until they are needed again to fight the Harsh.  He finds himself fighting for his father’s integrity as well as his own as the Resisters suspect that he is working for the Harsh. 

The book is a phenomenal read filled with action galore, great characters, amazing technology, and lots of tension.  It reads like a movie, the writing allowing visualization of all of the action.  The setting and situation are unique to this novel, making it a great gateway book into science fiction. 

Recommend this to boys who enjoy Artemis Fowl.  Yes, it doesn’t have fairies and it is more sci fi than fantasy, but the action is similar and the same kids should enjoy the novel.

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier.

Sigh, what a gorgeous book.  The cover truly reflects the beauty of the story itself.  I simply could not read it quickly, wanting to savor as much as I could while being caught up in the story. 

I tend to dislike retellings of fairy tales and folk tales into teen novels.  On some level many of them seem to lack the luster of my childhood imagination.  Marillier’s story is the exception to that.

It is the story of five sisters who travel between their world of Transylvania to the other realm where they meet fairies and other incredible characters.  The tale is told from the perspective of Jena, second oldest sister, who found a frog as a child and still carries her pet around with her at all times.  Her older sister Tati is the beauty, who early in the story falls in love with Sorrow, who may or may not be one of the Night People who resemble vampires.  The three youngest sisters offer other distinct personalities as well.  Jena and Tati find themselves in danger both in the other realm and at their home.  When Night People begin to tempt them to the darker side of the Wildwood, their cousin Cezar begins to dominate their lives at home.  The tangles of their double lives as well as of their hearts remind one of the thorny tangle guarding Sleeping Beauty.

References to all sorts of fairy tales and folk tales are made from the Frog Prince to the 12 Dancing Princesses to vampires to fairies and nymphs.  It may sound overwhelming, but the author skillfully weaves all of these into a tale that rings more true than any of the original tales.  She takes these fragments, making them into something larger and more lovely.  It becomes a world that any reader will be loathe to leave. 

I especially applaud the author on her skill with offering just enough detail to carry the story and involve the imagination.  It is a delicate line to cross.  Too much detail and the fairy land becomes less real, too little and it doesn’t evoke the magic necessary.  But in this novel, readers are allowed to create their own childhood fairy tales again, led by the author through a remarkable original tale of her own. 

Recommend to fantasy lovers but also girls who enjoy romances or horror.  There are so many levels to this book, that it will appeal to many types of reader.  This is one of the treasures of the year!