Knight Owl and Early Bird by Christopher Denise

I do hope you have already met Owl. After his victory over the dragon, he is now appointed as the Knight of the Night Watch. He has his nighttime routine. 

"While the other knights slept, he lit the torches, patrolled the walls, and made sure the fires were burning. All night long, Owl kept the castle safe."

At the end of each night, Owl has dinner and then heads off to his bed. Of course, we know owls are nocturnal, so he works at night and sleeps all day. But, in the best of stories, there is of course sure to be a complication - something to disrupt this daily pattern and I am sure you have already identified the disrupter - it is that little gal on the cover - Early Bird. She is young, enthusiastic, keen to be a knight, and she has no volume control as evidenced by the way she talks in a larger font and capital letters. Oh, and notice all of those exclamation marks.

"Hi - are you awake? My name is Early Bird! I'm your BIGGEST fan! I want to be a Knight Owl just like you! You can teach me everything. I'm a super-duper learner. I KNOW that I can be a Knight Owl!"

Owl just cannot cope with all this enthusiasm - he needs to sleep. While owl is sleeping or trying to sleep Early Bird keep herself busy - busy and noisy. Wait until you see Owl's eyes later that afternoon. Owl begins to show Early Bird the patrol routine but before the sun set Early Bird falls asleep. After several days of constant chatter by Early Bird, Owl explodes - STOP.

"You are not an owl! You are not a Knight! You are a VERY early Bird. ... PLEASE GO AWAY."

If you were making a graph of this story - this is a very low point. Little Early Bird heads of into the dangerous forest. If I were to read this book to a group of children, I would most certainly slow down and perhaps even pause at the point so the listeners might think for themselves about what might happen next. Luckily Owl misses little Early Bird and so as darkness falls he sets off to find her. Remember she has that LOUD voice. Wait until you see how our new small hero is able to save the day and also win over the friendship of Owl. You will also want to mix up a batch of pancakes with maple syrup to celebrate this wonderful moment of acceptance and new friendship.

An immersive, charming read and convincing proof again that even small bodies can house stout hearts. Kirkus Star review

When I read Knight Owl I gasped at how wonderful it was. If I was still working in my school library Knight Owl would most certainly be a book I would have shared with groups of students. And now we have another treat - Knight Owl and Early Bird. Listen to a conversation with Christopher Denise (13 minutes). You can see other books by Christopher Denise here. And you might like to follow him on Instagram.

I suspected there would be a different (and significant) image under the dust jacket. I adore these tiny videos of when covers are revealed. Here is a still image showing the illustration under the Knight Owl and Early Bird dust jacket.

Check out my previous post about Knight Owl by Christopher Denise which won a Caldecott Honor.

The 113th Assistant Librarian by Stuart Wilson

"My name is Hieronymus Finch-Thackeray, and I think you are splendidly suited 

to become the 113th assistant librarian. What say you?"

You might like to begin here with my previous post about The 113th Assistant Librarian - which I wrote after hearing the author Stuart Wilson and before I read his book almost in one sitting!

"My dear boy, books are powerful ... They are more than simple bound pages. Books may record the past, predict the future, or hold the darkest of secrets. At their best they are societal equalisers. At their worst ... well! Words can teach the truth as easily as they can spin a lie. And that's not even considering that which lurks between the lines. The knife of interpretation is paper-thin, yet it cuts through minds with the slightest of pressure. Underestimate books at your peril."

Oliver Wormwood has found his calling. He will now work at the library but on his very first day the librarian dies. There is no one else who can run the library so Oliver must step into the role and learn how the run the library and keep the borrowers happy and keep himself safe from the very dangerous books and he must do this very quickly or he too might end up dead!

I have said this before but I marvel at the imagination of some writers. There are so many fabulous moments in The 113th Assistant Librarian - inventive plot twists that made me gasp and smile. 

This book has it all:

• It is a page turner
• It has some laugh out loud funny moments (wait till you encounter the hideous bookworms and that pesky firedrake owner)
• It has a hero you will love along with his two friends Agatha and Ember and a series of cats some of whom are very helpful
• It is set in a library - surely that is enough to tell you it will be interesting 
• There are parts of this story that will resonate with all librarians - such as due date stamps, the power of bookmarks and the need for shelving and classification systems. This made me laugh "He'd been working in the library so long that his idea of a deadly weapon usually comprised a preface, an afterword, and a bunch of pages in between."
• The titles of the various books are hilarious and so inventive - I wanted to create a list of them
• There are moments of great drama and danger
• And this book contains the most amazingly rich vocabulary

Oliver Wormwood is a splendid character. I love his emotional intelligence, his natural ability to understand and embrace how libraries work, his desire to keep the library organised and tidy, and surprisingly, his attention to his own cleanliness.

"He paused to wash the mud off his shirt in the Spellwater Fountain ..."

"He even got into a rhythm when it came to washing his clothes and bedding. Finding a spot in the otherwise overgrown garden that was lucky enough to receive sunlight for a few hours a day, he tied some string from one tree to another to form a washing line ... he did not like to have dirty clothes strewn all over the floor."

Vocabulary: demeanour, impartiality, codex, gauntlet, coffer (small chest), bandolier, imperative, cantankerous, decagonal, dodecagonal, glommed, trepidation, clerestory (a high section of wall that contains windows above eye-level), synchrony, chapodiphobia (fear of octopuses), poultice, exsanguinate, illustrious, ruminate, surreptitiously, filching, kettle helm, text block, Inncunabula, parley and parlay.

I do like the character names.  His sisters are called Heloise, Isolde, Willow, Elsbeth and Octavia. The town where Oliver lives is called Blackmoor-upon-Wyvern. A wyvern is a small dragon so this is most certainly a place filled with magic. If you plan to introduce this book to your students I suggest sharing some of the character descriptions:

"An old man dressed in a long magenta cloak stepped forward. He peered at Oliver over a pair of tiny reading glasses perched on the edge of his long nose."

"(he) came face to face with a tall woman with shoulder-length straight brown hair wearing a cloak of midnight blue. The bronze bracelets poking through her tattered cuffs signaled her power ... "

"An old man stood before Oliver. He had a slight hunch and grey wiry eyebrows so long they might have been about to take flight. ... He was dressed in a threadbare knee-length jacket and breeches and he had holes in his shoes. ... His skin was so pale it could have been made from porcelain."

"Dressed in a sodden cloak of midnight blue, the slim man was average height, with a narrow face and pointy nose. He had a long tuft of black hair growing from his chin that he had knotted into a braid. ... He had light brown eyes that were almost amber, an attribute that was hard to ignore because the man maintained eye contact for a fraction longer than was customary."

"The man was wearing a lurid green cravat which gave the effect of a frog perched on his collarbone."

There will be a second adventure for Oliver by Stuart Wilson- and it is sure to be just as good as this first one.  Listen to an audio sample from the first installment here. In this insightful interview Joy Lawn talks to Stuart Wilson about his book. 

I recommend The 113th Assistant Librarian for readers aged 10+.  It could also be a terrific class or family read aloud. There is an interesting political layer to this story that you could explore with older readers around the idea of censorship and corruption of the populace through knowledge. The 'Member for Upper-Lower Tumbledown Barrows tells Oliver to remove all books about yellow or golden apples - you need to read the book to find out why. I also loved the description on page 183 where Oliver's friend London Llewelyn describes his 'occupational and health' training as an apprentice lamplighter.

This story is such fun for anyone who knows even a little bit about how libraries are supposed to work. ... This is an exciting original fantasy written by a person who loves words, books and ideas. It has the usual middle grade themes of testing yourself, coping with high family expectations, and finding unexpected friendships, but it is also interlaced with some thought- provoking ideas about the nature and power of books, and the need for free access to knowledge. Story Links

I think the CBCA 2025 judges must be having a very hard time this year deciding on their Younger Readers notables, short list and winners. Here are two others I also loved.

The Midwatch

The scene in chapter 18 of The 113th Assistant Librarian made me think of this wonderful picture book which is sure to be in most Australian school libraries:

Stuart Wilson says: I wanted to set a story in a library because they are such unique places. Anyone, old or young, can walk straight in, spend hours reading or watching or listening – without spending any money. And there are staff on hand to help you, should you need them – magical places indeed!

Other books set in libraries:

The Lost Library

Leeva at Last

Escape from Mr Lemoncello's Library

The Mysterious Librarian

Companion books:

Vincent and the grandest hotel on Earth

The Book of Wondrous Possibilities

The Hatmakers (this story also explores Guilds)

Knight Owl by Christopher Denise

 

"I am Owl, and I am a knight of the Night Watch."

From a tiny hatchling Owl knows he is destined to be a knight. His dreams are filled with heroic scenes - slaying and capturing enormous dragons. His parents are not sure this is a good idea, but something is going on the kingdom. There are reports in the local newspaper 'The Olden Times' that record numbers of knights have gone missing. 

Things are so desperate that the castle has a poster proclaiming:

Knighthood in just 2 weeks. Apply today!!! Live a life on honour and ADVENTURE!

So young Owl applies to attend Knight school and yes - he is accepted. Some of the equipment is a bit of a challenge but he graduates with honours and is allocated night duty - Knight Night Watch. Other knights fall asleep, but night is the perfect time for young Owl. Then one evening he hears a whoosh. An enormous dragon lands on the castle battlement. The dragon threatens to eat the little owl, but Owl is brave and wise (as all owls are). He shows the dragon his pizza box and 

"it turned out that dragon loved pizza. They talked about how each of them had hatched from eggs, how much they liked the night, and how flying was hard to explain to someone who had never down it before. They really had a lot in common."

Oh, and bonus - now the issue of disappearing knights is solved. And our little hero has heaps of new friends especially friends who love the nighttime.

I have read this book many times and each time I make new discoveries. Once you first read Knight Owl you need to go back and explore all the extra details in the illustrations such as newspapers, posters, book spines, and even a pizza box!

Knight Owl was a Caldecott Honour book in 2023 and winner of the 2022 Cybils award. 

At its heart, the Cybils Awards is a group of readers passionate about seeking out and recognizing books that portray diversity, inclusion, and appropriate representation for children and teens. To accomplish that goal, the Cybils Awards works to recognize books written for children and young adults that combine both the highest literary merit and popular appeal.

Here is a fascinating interview between Christopher Denise and Betsy Bird. And here is Christopher Denise's web page.

A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. Kirkus

2024 is the Year of the Dragon - this book will be a perfect one to share in classrooms and libraries. There are thousands of picture books which feature dragons but pop this one onto the top of your pile. 

The Letter for the King by Tonke Dragt translated by Laura Watkinson

A young messenger. A secret mission. A kingdom in peril.

When Tiuri answers a desperate call for help, he finds himself on a perilous mission that could cost him his life. He must deliver a secret letter to the King who lives across the Great Mountains – a letter upon which the future of the entire realm depends. It means abandoning his home, breaking all the rules and leaving everything behind – even the knighthood he has dreamed of for so long.

The fate of a kingdom depends on just one person…

He must trust no one.

He must keep his true identity secret.

Above all, he must never reveal what is in the letter. Pushkin Press

Some years ago a friend gave me a book - The Secrets of the Wild Wood.  When I looked at it more closely I discovered it was the second book in a series so some time last year I bought book one - The Letter for the King.

I now discover a few things

• Tonke Dragt is the IBBY Netherlands 2022 Hans Christian Andersen nominee
• The Letter for the King is a translated book from Dutch - the original title is De brief voor de koning
• The Letter for the King was first published in 1962. 
• It is a very long book with 508 pages. The audio book is nearly 16 hours of listening.
• You can read the plot in great detail here along with a full character list
• The Letter for the King was translated in 2013 into English

This book is included in 1001 children's books you must read before you grow up. Here is a quote:

"The story is structured like an epic narrative and offers the readers a range of thrilling adventures that take place in the Middle Ages. Tonke Dragt has incorporated a large number of fairy-tale motifs into the story and borrowed elements from Arthurian legend. In 1963 this book was proclaimed the best children's book of the year in the Netherlands."

Reading The Letter for the King is a marathon. I spent many weeks in the company of Tiuri. This is a rewarding reading experience because Tiuri is a brave hero; he is a loyal friend; he overcomes enormous difficutlies; and (thank goodness) he does deliver the letter to the King - a happy ending. If your young (ages 10+) reading companion enjoys books filled with medieval knights, wild horse riding, the power struggle of good and evil, and splendid story book heroes then this book is well worth finding.

This book has been made into a Netflix series. Watching the trailer this series does look very different from the book. 

In 1996 Tonke Dragt wrote The Goldsmith and the Master Thief. This book is not related to this series but I wanted to share that the English translation of this will be available in May, 2021.

The Fire Star by AL Tait

A maid with a plan.

A squire with a secret.

A missing jewel.

A kingdom in turmoil.

Maven is a maid to Cassandra. Cassandra, daughter of a baron, niece of an airl, has been promised in marriage to Sir Garrick Sharp, Knight Protector of Rennart Castle. This is not a love match it is happening for political and power seeking reasons. Cassandra has not even met Garrick and the wedding is due to take place in just three days.

"Marriage to a young, vital man meant a long life of servitude and obedience. Neither of these were traits for which Cassandra was renowned."

Cassandra has bought with her a special jewel. This is like her dowry. Ownership of the Fire Star is complex. It must pass down the female line and so when Cassandra marries Garrick, the Fire Star will be passed to Lady Anice.  All of this manoeuvring is being orchestrated by the father of Anice, the Airl Buckthorn (When I read the word Airl I translated it as Earl). As a powerful male he knows giving the Fire Star to is daughter is equal to giving it to him. 

"The stone will technically remain in the hands of a woman - Anice ... but as his daughter, Anice and all her possessions belong to the Airl, bringing him ownership of the Fire Star in all but name."

Cassandra is a striking figure but Mavern is the focus of this story. She is so much more than a mere servant. She is ambitious for Cassandra but also ambitious for herself. She has a plan - a plan that must succeed.

Now onto the other person caught up in these events. Reeve has come to Rennart Castle after his service for many years to Lady Rhoswen, wife of the Airl. He is in fact a wedding present.  Reeve will now work for Sir Garrick as Squire of the table. 

You have already guessed the Fire Star is stolen but who has done this, why this has happened and the intriguing role of Mavern and Cassandra who have their own complex plans will be sure to surprise and delight you.

I really enjoyed The Fire Star. The under tone of women's rights, feminist beliefs and political intrigue added so much spice to the traditional story of lost treasure, heroes who find the jewels and characters, who in the process of their endeavours, find themselves. You can read an extract here. I think this is a book for readers aged 10+. The complexity comes from the alternating voices of Maven and Reeve which is done through first person (Maven) and third person (Reeve). Once a reader grasps this structure the plot just races along but you do need to read carefully watching all the time for hints about conspiracies, relationships and motives. The simple lifting of a eyebrow can convey so much. 

There are some tantalising words in this book: destrier, jongleur, moue, and recalcitrant. I do enjoy stories of knights with their "chivalry, courtesy, etiquette and valour." I am thinking of the book series by Tamora Pierce which begins with First Test.

This book also reminded me of The Quest for the Sun Gem by Belinda Murrell.

The Fire Star is the first book in a series (Maven & Reeve Mystery) but I am so happy to report that this first book has a very satisfying ending so readers are not left "panting" for the next instalment due out in 2021. In this extended video Alison Tait talks about The Fire Star. 

I previously talked about Race to the end of the World also by Alison.

The Fire Star has been selected by the CBCA as a 2021 Notable title.

One more thing. The cover?  It is appealing BUT I wish it had the symbol of the Beech Circle:

"Inside the circle of the locket, behind the expected miniature portrait of her parents, is a little painting of trees and a red bird. The Beech trees, a symbol of knowledge and wisdom; the robin, which makes its home in hidden places but can fly as it pleases. Roots and wings, all in a circle."

"One of the gowns was shrouded in a light muslin cloth, stamped on the outside with a simple drawing of a tree and a tiny red bird - Lady Cassandra's wedding finery, Reeve assumed, wondering which of the kingdom's finest seamstresses had stamped this mark, which he did not recognise, on the overlay."

Aside from reading ‘The Fire Star’ for pure enjoyment, there is also a whole other (quite beautiful) layer to this story to be discovered.  Megan Daley

Sir Lance-a-little series by Rose Impey illustrated by Katharine Mcewen

Easy Fiction Treasure

I have talked about this series once before.  Sir Lance-a-Little sets off to fight the dragon Huffalot.  Such fun. He is a little knight who likes to think he is the bravest and cleverest knight in the whole kingdom of Notalot. The word play here is terrific. Huffalot does not sound very dangerous and perhaps nothing much happens in Notalot. Meanwhile his cousin sees the message from the dragon and she decides to join in even though she has to walk because sadly she has no horse. Along the way she meets a wolf. Readers who know the story of Little Red Riding Hood will quickly recognise that Princess Plum should NOT take the short cut offered by the wolf. This is sure to lead to trouble.

Look at these fabulous sentences - funny with a sophisticated vocabulary:

"As Sir Lance-a-Little rode along, he imaged Huffalot cowering in his cave."
"It was the voice of his pestiferous cousin, Princess Plum!"
"He knew the Knight's Code of Honour off by heart, and sitting on people definitively wasn't in it."
"He is famous for his colossal appetite for eating people."
"Sir Lance-a-Little and his tiresome cousin glared at one another."

I'm always on the look out for easy to read beginner books with satisfying stories. I've only seen Sir Lance-a-little and the Big Bad Wolf from this series but I'm sure all of them (there are seven) will be enjoyed by your young reading companion. A few from the series are still in print which is lucky. Here is a video with Katharine McEwan in her artist studio.

Here is the blurb from Scholastic:

"You’ve probably heard of Sir Lancelot. But how about Sir Lance-a-Little? This pint-sized hero is the bravest, cleverest knight in the whole kingdom of Notalot! He’s got a sword, and a helmet, and a proper quest: to defeat his number one enemy: the dragon Huffalot. Trouble is, something always seems to get in the way, from a naughty fairy to a Big Bad Wolf.

• Hilarious stories by much-loved author Rose Impey
• Featuring a delightful cast of fairy-tale characters
• Bright colour pictures and vivid, accessible text
• A magical choice for newly independent readers"

Rose Impey is a writing talent. She has written over 100 books!  I adore The Flat Man, Houdini dog (and sequels) and the Titchy Witch series.

Sir Lance-a-Little and the Big Bad Wolf by Rose Impey illustrated by Katherine McEwan

Here is a terrific series - Sir Lance-a-Little.  There are six titles.  Each has 28 pages with bright, almost full page illustrations. Sir Lance-a-Little and the Big Bad Wolf is an ideal book for beginning readers because it is funny, there is a twist at the end but the story line also contains some familiar elements. This book is a true story not a ‘reader’. It has some great vocabulary to challenge and engage a reader such as annoyingly, offered, notalot, sneakier, tiresome, colossal, pesky and freed.

Sir Lance is indeed little but he is also very brave – well he thinks he is. Princess Plum has not read enough fairy tales. She does not know it is unwise to follow a wolf! Huffalot, the aptly named dragon, is fierce. He is in fact “the fiercest and most cunning dragon in the whole of Notalot”.

The repeated refrain is just perfect:

“Or that was what he liked to think”

When I saw this book series was by Rose Impey I knew it would be a winner. I adore her Titchy Witch books and The Flat Man from the Creepies series.  The Flat Man is a truly 'scary’ book and I often recommend it for for the youngest readers who are keen feel a shiver of fear. We also have her wonderful Christmas book A letter to Father Christmas  in our collection. I highly recommend this series Sir Lance-a-Little. I hope you find them in a library today.

First Test by Tamora Pierce

I first read this book in 2000 and fell in love with the characters and in particular the feisty and determined Keladry who has applied to train as a knight following in the footsteps of Alanna, lioness of Tortall, who completed her training ten years earlier by disguising herself as a boy.  I have been recommending this book ever since but sadly no one seems to have continued reading beyond the first book.  I do wonder why.  This is a splendid series and would suit fans of books like Skulduggery Pleasant (a very popular series in my school library) and Rangers Apprentice.

In one sitting I read First Test again today.  This is a book where you become totally involved with the characters and their activities.  Tamora Pierce completely transports you into her medieval fantasy world.  Here is the cover of our library copy

The story opens with a meeting between King Jonathan and Lord Wyldon the training master. A letter has come from Keladry of Mindelan, a ten year old girl who is requesting to train as a knight.  Sitting in the room is Alanna the Lioness, the King's Champion.  Wyldon is incensed :

"Girls are fragile, more emotional, easier to frighten. They are not as strong in their arms and shoulders as men They tire easily. This girl would get any warriors who served with her killed o some dark night."

The King will not be swayed, however, and Kel is allowed to begin her training but unlike all the boys, her time is to be a trial - a probation AND Alanna, who had thought to mentor the girl, is forbidden all contact.

Kel arrives and she is so excited to begin her training but the bullies have other ideas and they will not give in until she gives up.

"Entering her room, Kel shut the door. When she turned, a gasp escaped before she locked her lips. She surveyed the damage. ... The drapes lay on the floor ... her packs were opened and their contents had been tumbled out. Someone had used her practice glaive to slash and pull down the wall hangings. On the plaster wall she saw written 'No Girls!', 'Go Home!', 'You Won't Last.' "

The boys fight her physically and mentally. One of the worst things is the way they tamper with her lance and fill it with lead.  Kel eventually discovers this trickery but not before she has spent months doing extra arm strength exercises determined to master this huge weapon.  On the positive side Kel does have friends.  The servants are on her side and so is her sponsor Nealan of Queenscove who by luck is also a healer and her horse, even though he has been badly treated previously, becomes a wonderful ally.

One of the aspects of this book that I enjoyed is that while Kel is strong and intelligent and very disciplined she does have one weakness.  She cannot cope with heights.

"Kel's ears roared; she could not catch her breath. The broad moat that passed in front of the wall was a long drop below. She heard nothing, she did not feel hands prying her grip from the stone .. 'I'll fall' she whispered."

You can read more about the whole series here and also in this Wikipedia entry.

When you read First Test you will realise it is part of a series of books which intertwine.

The Alanna series are written for an older audience so senior primary students can start with Protector of the small.

One of my favourite Canadian bookshops Woozles in Halifax recently featured the newest book in the Tortall series.  Tamora Pierce visited Halifax and so many of their Facebook posts featured her books.

Here is the cover of the newest book in this series which now number 18 books.

Benjamin Dove by Fridrik Erlings

Benjamin Dove interesting title, appealing cover NO how wrong first impressions can be. Benjamin Dove is the first Icelandic book I have ever read. This book has an IBBY award, The Icelandic Children’s Book Award, and Reykjavik Children’s Book Award yet I am saying my first impressions were totally wrong. This misleading cover meant this book was the choice of a little Year 3 girl who donated it to our school library. I certainly hope she didn’t read it – yes I can hear you saying what a strange thing to say.

Benjamin Dove is an amazing book but it is also such a vicious depiction of bullies that I must say it is only suitable for the most mature of Primary readers and probably would be better placed in a High School library.

Benjamin has two special friends Jeff and Manny. A new boy moves into the neighborhood and he quickly joins the boys. Roland has a very adult way of speaking and thinking but he also has fabulous ideas for new games. He introduces the boys to the world of heroic knights and all quickly make swords, tunics and shields and take the names Roland Dragon, Benjamin Dove, Jeff Eagle and Manny Unicorn.

Living nearby is an elderly lady called Grandma Dell who is loved by all the neighborhood children. The bullies strike attacking her cat and then her home of more than 40 years is burned to the ground. Our knights become heroes as they inspire the whole community to rebuild before Granny Dell is discharged from hospital. These scenes were the best in the book, a bit like those make-over television shows where all the neighbors line up along the street as a welcome home after racing against the clock to make everything so special..

All of this sounds fine but of course those bullies are ready to strike at any time and one of the friends will betray our heroes, think of Judas, with disastrous consequences.

This book reminded me the The Fat Man by Maurice Gee (a book I can hardly bear to think about), Surfing Mr Petrovic by Colin Bowles (another title with very vicious scenes of bullies) and Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo. If you are a fan of Robert Cormier and can cope with the death of a loved character then I would recommend this book but only to readers who are ready for this challenge. It does have a very important message and a powerful story that will stay with me for a long time. A film was made in 1992 and you will see the tone of the book from this clip even though it is in Icelandic.

I also found a terrific interview with the author which you must read if you are considering adding this book to your reading list.