Stories that leave the real and ordinary world behind often intrigue readers more than the everyday stories of “real life.” The books in this issue of Endpapers do just that. Fantasy lands, magical creatures, and the real that seems unbelievable. Lose yourself in a land beyond reality.
Mice, and similar woodland critters, are the heroes in Heartwood Hotel by Kallie George. Why is it that young readers find books about animals more engaging than books about people? I don’t know. But this book, and its sequels, bring a forest world to life. Each story explores the meaning of home, making good decisions, putting friends first, and being part of a community. The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss is part of a series, but I can only speak for this one book, not the whole collection. The book’s singular character travels around a labyrinthine world in constant search. Her goals are ambiguous, but her purposes are somehow still noble. It seems odd to label something as meaningful but also vague, yet that is the sense this book gives. It’s a story about value and sacrifice. And while I don’t know if this author has any faith background, the story of this girl and her careful preparations smacks strongly of the church and its preparations for the return of its Lord. A story I would read again. Kate DiCamillo has a voice of her own. The Puppets of Spelhorst and Hotel Balzaar are two of her most recent stories and once again her simple prose lights up a complex story. In The Puppets of Spelhorst, a collection of puppets is sold to a new owner who delivers them to a pair of sisters for playtime. Each puppet has distinct hopes and fears. So, while they find a story being written for them by their human playmates, they must come to grips with the reality that is out of their control. In Hotel Balzaar, a girl befriends a mysterious old woman who tells tales, teaching her to be open to the unexpected. Both stories serve as modern-day fairy tales which would be best if read with an adult so that truth can be found amid the sparse plot. Our family loved Knight Owl so this sequel, Knight Owl and Early Bird by Christopher Denise, was an exciting find at the library. With the same charm as the first book, this sweet picture story shows how different personalities and skills can complement one another, even if annoyance pervades a friendship at first. A dying old man. His faithful grandson. A nasty great-aunt. A mysterious circus that not everyone can find. A treehouse and a neighborhood friend. Hope and wonder and memory and sacrifice. Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley brings elements of magic, family, and friendship into a story about a magical circus and its circus-folk. This is a great story for lower middle-school readers who like fantasy. Certainly not the most profound of fantasy tales, but fun and completely clean. The Midnight Fair by Gideon Sterer is a wordless picture book about animals who make a travelling carnival their own after nightfall. The art is beautiful, the characters are engaging despite the absence of dialogue, and the story is told brightly and cheerfully. Highly recommended for a read-aloud (or a… “look-along?”) with little readers, but equally enjoyable for the whole family. If you’ve ever stood, transfixed, before a piece of art in a museum somewhere, The Art Thief by Michael Finkel may resonate with you. Following the true-life story of Stephane Breitwieser, a man who walked out of museums with over 200 pieces of stolen valuable art over six or so years, The Art Thief reminds us that truth really is stranger than fiction. From Stephane’s first heist until the – I’ll admit it – shocking conclusion, I was riveted by this incredible tale. This book gave me (1) an appreciation for art, (2) an appreciation for those who tend and preserve it, (3) insight into the criminal mind, (4) sadness for the lostness and depravity of man, and (5) awareness of the complexity of hunting a criminal across a continent with coordinated law enforcement.
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curated by Brittany Mountz
English major and unsuspecting English educator at ALC Archives
January 2025
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