Saaski is not like the other children in her village- she has darker skin, wild hair, eyes that change color, and she has a fear of metal. She is half human and half Moorfolk- which are those secretive beings that reside within a glittering mound beyond the moor outside the village. Unaccepted by the Moorfolk, she is transformed back into a baby and swapped with a human baby that belonged to villagers Yarro and Anwara. Only Old Bess, Anwara’s mother, at first suspects there is something mysteriously inhuman about the baby, but keeps it to herself. As Saaski grows and begins to display odd features and behavior the villagers begin to suspect that she is not their kind, eventually blaming her for misfortunes that affect the village. Hurt and alone, Saaski flees daily to the moor to find comfort in playing her set of bagpipes- a passion she shares with her friend Tam, another outcast. She also develops a deeper relationship with Old Bess, who keeps Saaski’s secrets about the mysterious markings she sees around her home. Saaski’s sense of security is becomes endangered when, upon midsummer’s eve, villagers make terrible threat to Saaski and her parents. Saaski and Tam escape to the moor and discover the real truth about who she is, and why she can never go back.
McGraw's The Moorchild explores how it must have been for one to be labeled an outcast from birth in a small community centuries ago. The love and appreciation Saaski receives from her parents cannot compensate for the cruelty she must endure from the rest of the village. Readers will find Saaski’s strength to carry on and courageousness to trace her past inspiring and will also delight in this novel that intertwines folk life with Irish folklore. McGraw dedicates the book to any child who has ever felt different, and that dedication speaks to many. Grades 4-7.
McGraw, Eloise. (1996). The Moorchild. New York, NY: Aladdin Paperbacks, imprint of Simon and Schuster.
ISBN: 0-689-80654-X
Cover art from Parent Central, http://www.parentcentral.shoptoit.ca/
Imagine that you must do whatever your parents and friends ask you to do, no matter what. This is Ella’s fate in Gail Levine’s classic re-telling of Cinderella. At birth, Ella is “blessed” by Lucinda the fairy with the gift of obedience. That is, she must obey any order given to her by anybody. When her mother dies and her father remarries, her step mother and step sisters discover her compulsion to be obedient and use it to their advantage. Ella’s wit and charm win the heart of Prince Char. Unfortunately, her gifts also earn the jealousy of her step sister Hattie. When her father leaves town, her step-family commands her to become a servant, scrubbing floors and cooking. Ella finds herself falling for Char but worries that if he marries her she would endanger Frell. After all, any enemy could use her compulsive obedience to gather state secrets or to kill the royal family. Will Ella end up with her Prince charming? Or will she choose to save him by staying away?
Levine was awarded a Newbery Honor for this humorous, fractured fairy tale. Her heroine is a strong female lead that is appealing to young girls. Magical elements abound to satisfy fantasy fans including magic, elves, ogres, giants and a fairy book that allows Ella to read others’ correspondence. The plot is similar to the original Cinderella with updates to make it more appealing to modern readers. Though written over a decade ago, the story is still a popular choice among fans of fantasy and fairy tales. This title makes an excellent read-aloud chapter book, especially appropriate for classes studying fractured fairy tales. Grades 3-7.
Levine, Gail Carson. (1997). Ella Enchanted. New York: HarperCollins, 1997.
ISBN: 0060275111
Cover art link from ALIScat - a catalog of public libraries in Nassau County, New York.
Have you ever wished your family had more money? Happiness? Well, then you’ll be able to relate to Minli, a young Chinese girl runs away from home to ask the Old Man in the Moon for wealth and happiness. If you like fairy tales, then you’ll enjoy this story which is interwoven with Chinese fables. In this modern fairy tale, the fish can talk and the Dragon can not fly. Dragon joins Minli on her journey, hoping to ask the Old Man in the Moon to help to make him fly. Along the way, Minli collects additional requests for the Old Man in the Moon. When she arrives, she discovers that she can only ask one question every ninety-nine years. What will she ask?
This book is exceptionally well-written, alternating between two stories: Minli’s journey to the Man in the Moon and her parents’ faith that she will return home someday. Lin masterfully weaves together ancient Chinese fables with the stories of Minli and her parents. Chinese fables are easily identified by their title and unique serif font. Each chapter begins with an illustration which foreshadows events of the chapter. Lin provides additional full-page color illustrations which enhance the story. The pace is well established, making readers want to complete just one more chapter. The plot is similar to Baum’s Wizard of Oz, in that Minli picks up additional favors to ask the Old Man in the Moon, along the journey. This exceptionally well written title makes an excellent introduction to Chinese fables. The author lists some that inspired her in the end papers. Grade 3-5.
Lin, Grace. (2009). Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. New York: Little Brown.
ISBN: 9780316114271
Cover art link from ALIScat - a catalog of public libraries in Nassau County, New York.
Have you ever been told what to do and what not to do because it's the way things have always been? Well, a small mouse named Despereaux Tilling is a great example of breaking these rules. He was born as a disappointment to the family. He was small, had huge ears, and did not act how a mouse should. He doesn't scurry off to find food; he's more distracted by reading and stories of knights and princesses.
When Despereaux break sacred rules, the Mouse Council sends him into the dark dungeon as a punishment, and to be at the mercy of the terrifying rats. Despereaux later overhears the demise of his love and sets on a quest for rescuing her--which will require a large amount of courage and bravery, especially from a mouse like Despereaux. Can a small mouse really go against fate, save the day, and become a hero?
Review:
I enjoyed how Despereaux went against everything a mouse was. It's a great example of how one has to be who they really are, despite the fact that it's different from others. What I didn't like about the book was that Despereaux fell in love very suddenly and appeared to be more infatuated with Princess Pea. Then again, it's a tween fantasy book that focused more on the quest than the relationship between Despereaux and his princess. Perhaps the best part of the book, or the reoccurring theme in the book, was how DiCamillo expressed that each character each had some dark and light in them. Many of the characters were realistic in this sense and weren't purely good or bad.
DiCamillo, K. (2003). The Tale of Despereaux (Ering, T.B., Illus.). Cambridge: Candlewick Press.
ISBN: 0-7636-1722-9
Grades 3-6
Art cover link from kidsblog.nationalgeographic.com
