The Magic Nesting Doll by Jacqueline K Oburn illustrated by Laurel Long

Katya is gifted a matryoshka, a nesting doll, by her grandmother.

"If your need is great, open the doll and help will come. But you may only do so three times. After that, the magic will be gone. Keep the doll and remember me."

Right from those words I knew Katya would use her gift wisely and unselfishly and I also knew I was in the realm of a fairytale because there are going to be a pattern of three. 

Just like in the famous story of The Snow Queen, Katya arrives in a city that is under the spell of perpetual winter, it is always night and there is no moon or dawn. The young Tsar (Tsarvetich) has been turned into living ice. He is watched over by his uncle the Grand Vizier.

"They took her into the chamber of the frozen prince. Katya had never seen a man so beautiful. His full lips were pale blue and his glassy hands long and fine. He hair glistened like frost. The only sign that he was not a statue carved of ice was the faint cloud of breath and the slight stirring of his chest."

I guess you are jumping ahead and thinking Katya will be the one to break this spell - and yes, she does but she will need help. And yes, that Grand Vizier is not to be trusted. Katya is thrown into the dungeon. It is time to use her first nesting doll - a bear. Now the snow is gone but the prince is still in his deathly sleep.

Next Katya is banished to a ravine - time to use her doll - this time the help comes from a wolf. The prince gains a little colour to his face as the moon once again appears in the sky and the Grand Visier is himself beginning to freeze. The third test comes when Katya is taken to the top of a remote mountain. Her third doll is the firebird. "Who better than a firebird to bring back the sun?"

Katya returns to the prince expecting to see him awake but alas, even though is restored - his hair is brown, his skin is warm - he is still in a deep sleep. What will she do? Be still my romantic heart!

The details of snow, birds, clothing, plants, and animals, and the lavish designs in the architecture and in the interiors, in combination with the appealing story, simply and economically told, but rich in archetypes, make this a book to be enjoyed over and over again. Kirkus

This book is from 2000 so it is 26 years old BUT it might be in your local or school library - that is a major joy of libraries that you can find 'old' treasures like this book. And I don't mean 'old' in the sense of old fashioned or outdated or worn out - I mean an 'old' book because it was published a long while ago. Of course, the story in this book is fairytale and so it is utterly timeless. I expect this Russian story has been told in many other books and forms.

Bookseller blurb: A wicked spell has changed a handsome young prince to a pale glassy figure made of "living ice," and his kingdom to a frozen landscape of night without moon, dark without dawn. Katya knows that it's up to her to rescue the prince and undo the evil spell that has banished the sun. Armed with only the magic nesting doll and her own valiant heart, she is determined to succeed. But will her courage and the mysterious nesting doll be strong enough to prevail? Laurel Long's dazzling jewel-like paintings and Jacqueline K. Ogburn's romantic original tale were inspired by Russian folk art and stories. This talented duo has created a modern classic that honors its folklore heritage while depicting a world in which a girl can be anything, including a hero.

Back when this book was first published you could buy a set of nesting dolls to match the story!

Companion books:

The Quilt Makers Gift

Cherry blossom and the Golden Bear

The Glassmakers' Daughter

Jacqueline K. Ogburn is a children's book author whose work frequently explores folklore, mythology, and creative uses of language. After earning bachelor's degrees in English and philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, she held various positions before spending a decade in New York City book publishing, primarily as a children's book editor at houses including Lothrop, Lee & Shepard and Dial Books for Young Readers. Following her move to North Carolina to raise her family, she began a second career writing picture books, where her background in editing and lifelong interest in stories shaped her approach to imaginative narratives. Ogburn's earlier titles demonstrate her engagement with mythological traditions and inventive storytelling, including retellings of Russian folklore in The Magic Nesting Doll and a Brothers Grimm-inspired tale in The Lady and the Lion, as well as original stories that blend whimsy with cultural elements. 

Laurel Long is the illustrator of many books for children, including Hans Brinker by Bruce Coville, The Magic Nesting Doll by Jacqueline K. Ogburn and The Lady & The Lion, a Grimm story. Her picture book, The Mightiest Heart by Lynn Cullen was awarded the Gold Medal by the Society of Illustrators. ... Laurel Long is a Professor in the Art Department at California State University, Northridge.

Here are some illustrations from The Magic Nesting Doll:

The Lost History by Melanie La'Brooy

"Penthea's name was given to her by the Regent and the Eslit ... Which makes it the only name she'll ever need ... Your kindness towards your lowly knot sister is to be commended, Princess, 

but I am certain no Lost History exists for Penthea, 

for I can't imagine any writer would be a big enough fool to waste their time 

writing down a single word about a Wintrish servant girl."

But there IS a book about Penn and it does tell the truth about her history but finding this book, reading this book and sharing the contents of this book with the 'right' and trustworthy people is where the real danger lies. Eslit Hortense says Lost Histories are impossible to recover but the Regent dislikes the word impossible.

"Lost Histories are difficult to reclaim but it has been done before. I want The Lost Histories of the Grey Ones found."

This is book two in the Talismans of Fate series. Here is my blog post from 2022 where I talk about Book One - The Wintrish Girl (see the cover below). You do need to read the first installment of this series to make sense of the second book. Also do not skip the prologue in The Lost History - it is vital component of the story. 

Here are some text quotes which will give you a flavour of this story:

"Resentfully, Penn opened her copy of The Official History of the Empire of Arylia by Hildegard of Flurrier. Hildegard was an extremely dull Historian ... unlike more exciting Historians, Hildegard never veered off into grim legends about ancient massacres, where the blood and bones of victims had been used for fertiliser, or lurid stories of outcast settlers who turned to cannibalism. Which was a pity."

"Penn stared down at the Inquisitor, sharing in Arthur's surprise. Lex Talionis was the most beautiful woman Penn had ever seen. She had huge green eyes, high cheekbones, and full red lips, and while she was tall, she wasn't a giant like Hair-Raising Histories had said she was. There was no sign of her terrifying creatures either."

(A couple of things to notice about this quote - full red lips and huge green eyes give a hint she is an evil woman but even worse we do need to be worried about her terrifying creatures. There are three - Drowner, Inferno and Rack).

"Because the new ruler of Arylia has always received the Royal Sceptre and Orb during the Talisman ceremony ... what does the Lore say about the legitimacy of a ruler who has not taken the symbols of royal power out of the Casket of Fate?" "Search the entire Lore ... for guidance on what to do when there is no Loreful heir to the throne of Arylia ..."

About halfway through the second book I wondered if there might just be two books in this series but then, with about ten pages still to read, Melanie La'Brooy introduces some more story complications so it is very clear there will be a third book where you can re-enter the world of Penn and Princess Seraphine along with their friends Juniper and Arthur. There are sure to be further clashes between Marvellance and Malevolence. 

Readers aged 10+ will need some reading stamina to complete this book but it is well worth putting in the reading hours (435 pages). The Lost History is set in a complex fantasy world but there is so much humour in this story which meant I could cope with all the changing scenes, settings, rules and characters. Although thinking about characters I would now appreciate a list (please) especially since I didn't go back and read the first installment so I had to keep my mind quite focused to remember all of them, especially the adult ones, a few of whom absolutely cannot be trusted. This excellent interview with Joy Lawn and Paperbark words will give you some really deep insights into The Lost History. 

There is a delicious political layer to this story - in Candlemage for example - citizens are not allowed to own books. "Ideas and knowledge are dangerous for all minds, but particularly young ones ... that is why we Magi sacrifice our own happiness and spend our lives controlling the flow of knowledge. By doing this we keep the peace, maintaining comfortable happy lives for all Candlemagians!"

Here are some of the funny/quirky inclusions in this story which gave me a smile. The family tree for example is a living tree with names scribed on the leaves.

Endora gives Penn a visitor's ring so she has temporary access to the treasure vault. "It'll give you access for forty-eight house. Right hand, second finger."

"To make cheese you need curdled milk ... but guard cows don't produce milk. They produce screams that can curdle blood. That's why they're known as Bloodcurdlers."

"Milk of all different colours poured down one huge wall like a frothy rainbow waterfall. Penn watched as the colours separated into different streams and flowed down into the biggest and shiniest cauldrons she'd ever seen."

As well as being a rollicking adventure The Lost History has a serious undertone, touching on themes that give the reader pause for thought: leadership, how to rule, friendship, how to view history, the lessons of history, the difference between being smart and clever, and class are just some issues explored. Storylinks

Publisher blurb: After rescuing Princess Seraphine from the evil Malevolents, servant girl Penn thought her fate had finally changed. But now her powerful Talisman is gone and Seraphine is ignoring her again. Even worse, the ruthless Inquisitor has been summoned to uncover why Malevolence has returned to Arylia and fingers are pointing at Penn. Her only hope is to find the Lost History, which might be the key to unlocking both the Inquisitor’s and her own mysterious past. But someone else is hunting for it – only they want to destroy it. Even as she races to retrieve the Lost History, Penn knows that if she digs up her past, she might not like what she finds. Because Malevolence has started calling to her and she’s finding it strangely hard to resist …

In this feminist construction of the hero’s quest, Penn, and her friends, embark on a quest to find a lost history, a book that should shed light on what really happened to the Wintrish people who had a curse placed on them. They encounter forces that oppose their search, people who don’t want what really happened to come to light. On the way, they find it hard to know just who to trust ... Reading Time

Thank you to UQP (University of Queensland Press) for my advance copy of this book. It arrived just prior to my trip to the IBBY Congress in Italy so I have only just had time to pick it up - The Lost History was published in September 2024. Here is the website for Melanie LaBrooy where you can find VERY detailed teachers notes and sample chapters. 

The Wintrish Girl

I listed some companion books in my post about The Wintrish Girl. If you are a fan of The Phantom Tollbooth you are sure to also love The Lost Library.

The Phantom Tollbooth

The Shelterlings by Sarah Beth Durst

"Each of them had left their home, trekked to the very top of Cloud Mountain and drunk from the Moon Mirror - a pool as perfectly round as the moon, which bestowed a magic power on all who drank its waters - and each had been told by the wizards that the magic the water had given them was small and useless."

Okay begin with the title - what are Shelterlings?  Shelterlings are animals who now live together in a shelter for Rejected Familiars. They all longed for an adventurous life so they climbed a mountain to gain a magical gift and then expected to become a familiar for a wizard. Working with a wizard would mean a life heroic deeds and grand adventures BUT all of the various animals in this book have failed. Their magic is either strange, seemingly useless or it just doesn't work properly. 

Here is a list of some of the animals and their magic:

• Holly is a squirrel and she can conjure pastries of any flavour or size.
• Charlie is a beaver and he conjures flowers - enormous in size and quantity.
• Gus is a barn owl who can turn himself in a stone.
• Periwinkle is a thief who can find 'lost' objects.
• Clover is a cow who tells prophesies but you need to expect the opposite things to happen.
• Zephyr is a fast turtle with no brakes.
• And more - skunk, porcupine, fox, mouse, bat, gecko, toad and flamingo.

Charlie has been in charge of the shelter where the rejected familiars live. He did leave a while ago but now he has returned with a fabulous plan. He knows how the rejects can repair their magic and fulfill their dreams. He tells the group about seven important objects that need to be collected and then taken to the Moon Mirror, where with the help of a magical spell, everyone will have their magic restored and then they can find a wizard and become a true familiar. Their days as Rejected Familiars will be over. BUT is all of this too good to be true?

While Charlie was away, Holly has been in charge of daily life at the Shelter. Now she decides they all need to work hard to collect the seven objects and strangely while they do this each discover their failed talents are actually very useful. But there is something else going on. Charlie is wise and kind but then he seems to snap and snarl. Does he have another plan for the seven objects and that spell he will cast at Moon Mirror? And what are these magic items - a flower that must be plucked from a cliff as the sun hits the petals at dawn; a herb that grows in the place where there has been a lightning strike; a desert fruit that ripens under a full moon; a pearl found deep in the ocean; a heart-shaped moon rock buried in a volcano; a crystal in a cave; and a piece of a fallen star.

An amusing, fast-paced fantasy with an impressive rodent hero. Kirkus

Blurb from author page: Holly the gray squirrel dreams of being a wizard's familiar and performing mighty magic. But squirrels aren't exactly known for being noble companions, and Holly's only magic trick is conjuring pastries. A tasty talent, but useless. Which is why she lives at the Shelter for Rejected Familiars with other oddball magical animals, including Gus (a barn owl who can turn to stone), Zephyr (a super-fast turtle with super-slow reactions), and Clover (a cow who constantly predicts the future but is always wrong). When an old friend presents a plan for curing the shelterlings' so-called defective magic, it seems like a dream come true -- but first they must find the rare ingredients of a powerful spell. How can a group of misfits complete such an impossible quest? And more importantly, should they? Maybe being different isn't a mistake. Maybe it's exactly what's needed to save the day!

Listen to an audio sample here from part way into chapter one. Read chapter one. And read more plot details in this review. I didn't race through this book but I think it will appeal to quest and fantasy fans aged 10+. 

I previously talked about this book by Sarah Beth Durst:

The Stone Girl's Story

Princess of Dawn by Megan Gilbert

"I hope to be the queen you always wanted me to be."

Bookseller blurb: Galdinia Elderwin, the nineteen-year-old Princess of Crysterra, has lived in the safety of her father’s shadow her whole life. When the king unexpectedly dies, Galdinia is left with the task of becoming queen, but she is missing the key to her ascension to the throne: her gift of elemental power from the Gods. After the king’s death, the capital of Crysterra observes the Week of Mourning, which is full of ceremonies and celebrations in honour of the late king, and on the Seventh Day of Mourning, Princess Galdinia is set to be coronated as queen. In the span of one week, Galdinia must navigate the throes of training for a gift she has not yet been given, gain the respect of the capital’s Syndicate—who still view her as a child—and overcome the heartache of past forbidden love as she is presented with five powerful and charming suitors who could help legitimise her claim to the throne. All the while, she is wary of her enemies on the horizon—her loathsome uncle and aunt, and the exiled Valah Pyrin—who all believe they have a claim to the throne and would do anything to take it from the young princess. Galdinia struggles to deal with the rising pressure and anxieties of becoming queen on her own merit, doing right by the citizens of Crysterra, and having faith in the Gods, and more importantly, herself.

Let's begin with the dedication:

To every woman that has ever been told she isn't enough. You are more than enough. Don't let a broken system stop you from wearing your crown; use you crown to fix the system.

Here are the parts of this story that I enjoyed/appreciated:

• the story pace - this is helped by the story structure where we follow the seven days of events following the death of the King Bartemus.
• the small reveals that made me very suspicious of Bentley such as when he gives her the hair clip and it feels cold and also the scene at the ball when we learn his parents have not attended and Draec Wrynn (father of suitor Evarius) questions Bentley's credentials. (page 197) - from this scene onward I became very suspicious of this smooth operator.
• the hints of political intrigue between the different parts of the realm and even in her own staff.
• does the monarch really hold power or will he/she in fact be a puppet of the Syndicate?
• the strong character descriptions of the contenders for the crown.
• the inclusion of a map.
• the story tension as I desperately waited for Galdinia to be granted her gift - water weaver, fire flourisher or wind wielder. 
• the heroism of the final battle scenes - a princess not afraid to really fight (like a phoenix).
• descriptions of the table setting on day six and the food prepared by Miss Giles.
• I like the inventive names of the five suitors - Kaedric Novus; Lord Evarius Wrynn; Dillian Othid; Kell Ly; and Lord Bentley.
• I also liked the descriptions of the three objects (page 116) during her training sessions.
• Galdinia grows in confidence - especially when she finally confronts Valah.

Questions for Megan

• Did you consider including the royal crest - the Elderwin crest on your book cover?
• Why is this book called Princess of Dawn?
• Page 101 you use the word 'okay' - did you consider any other word choices - this word startled me. And the word 'marsupial' on page 341 also surprised me.

This book has terrific character descriptions - the bold words imply so much:

Draven (brother of the King); "He looked much like his brother - olive skin, dark hair and eyes - but his features were far harsher. As the years of animosity wore on him, his face became somehow sharper."

Edana (wife of Draven): "Locks of her dark brown hair had fallen from her usually pristine bun; she was too distracted to notice her hair's disobedience."

Drystan Allard (first love of Galdinia): "The front pieces of his otherwise neatly tamed mop of chestnut brown hair fell in his eyes as he came to a halt before his friends. The sunlight radiated off his onyx armour, somehow making him glow more brilliantly than he already did in Galdinia's eyes ... At the sight of his kind eyes and gentle smile, Galdinia could feel the warmth of summer ... "

Valah (banished daughter of the former ruler and contender for the crown): "Valah had silently approached Galdinia from behind before speaking, her voice hissing her final word."

I really appreciated the way Megan Gilbert tried to break the usual princess/fairy tale tropes. I love that the Princess is a very skilled archer. You need to know the quote below will be overturned - thank goodness.

"And now at nineteen, Galdinia was slapped in the face with the rude awakening that queen could have their husbands chosen for them. And what was worse: she might not be able to be queen without a king."

"Although Galdinia didn't revel in violence, she was fascinated by the strategy of armies ..."

I have been following Megan Gilbert and her progress with her debut book for a year. I am in awe of her energy and promotion (Facebook; Instagram). She also ran a preorder campaign on Pozible! Scroll down to see her supporter offers and also her book publishing budget. Megan has thanked her supporters at the back of the book.  Her book is self-published and print on demand and is also available from Amazon as an e-book. I actually read the e-book and the print book. With an e-book I like to mark passages I want to re-visit or quote on my blog and Megan had a special price offer for her e-book for less than $4. This book is also available from some local Australian booksellers. Megan also made some merchandise to go with her book - a banner for bookfairs and bookmarks with a QR code.

In the interests of disclosure, I need to say the author of this book is the daughter of a friend and she kindly gifted this book for me last Christmas. The story really held my attention and I read it over the course of one day (343 pages). 

I work in the library at Westmead Children's Hospital and I did wonder about adding this book to our collection. The recommended age for this book is 15+ but I think it might better suit a slightly older reader. The main character is aged 19. For myself I did find the references to heavy drinking a little confronting (I was reading as a reviewer of Middle Grade and some YA titles) and there is an indirect and very minor reference to suicide (page 277). The official content warnings are: anxiety and panic attacks, battles and hand-to-hand combat, blood, death, including that of family members, misogyny, and murder.

Megan Gilbert offers her readers lots of extras on her beautifully designed web page - pronunciation guide, playlist, and a media package. She has held a few in-person events with book readings and interviews, and she even offered an annotated version of her book as part of a competition. This book is the first in a planned trilogy but I am happy to say enough is resolved at the end of the first installment so readers can rest easy and wait until later in the year for Book two. Fingers crossed her true love is rescued and by book three I'm sure there will be that all important 'they all lived happily ever after.'

Wilder by Penny Chrimes

There is a corruption layer to this story which I really enjoyed but it was strangely left unresolved. About half way though the story we discover the local land owner, Lord Stanley, has altered the flow of the river for his own greedy purposes. This means the marsh is expanding leaving the local fishermen with no income and so, in turn, the whole town is suffering. Added to this, on nights of the full moon, children disappear into the marsh and they are never seen again.

One day a strange child walks out of the marsh - her name - given to her by the village Wise Woman, is Rhodd. Rhodd is half wild. She cannot speak at first and her legs are covered in deep angry red welts. The townspeople are deeply suspicious of this child. Her adopted mother is often called a witch because she is a healer and was originally also an outsider. It is clear Rhodd will need to return to the marsh to discover what has happened to the river. She hears voices in her head encouraging her to do just this but she works hard to silence them.  Following her destiny is, however, made all the more urgent when Lord Stanley arrives with a proclamation.

"None of you paid me a penny in rent last year. ... I am going to pull down these houses and sell off the land. This village is no longer necessary. ... For some reason beyond our understanding the river is gone. Nature moves in mysterious ways. .... I want you all out of your houses and the village empty by the end of the month. The houses will be pulled down the following day."

The end of the month is less than two weeks away. 

Rhodd has an amazing gift but she keeps it a secret. She can communicate with animals via her thoughts and she can see through their eyes but she won't use her special companion - a falcon - in this way. The falcon seems to guard Rhodd and he keeps telling her to go back to the marsh.

Rhodd does have one special friend in the village - a young boy who is curious about the world. His name is Gar and he is also an outsider. 

Publisher blurb: When the child emerges from the wilderness, no one in the village knows what to do with her. She is odd - half-wild, without speech and seems to have an unnatural bond with animals - especially the falcon, who is always circling above her. The Wise-Woman takes her in, and names her Rhodd, but the rest of the villagers remain suspicious. Over the years, as Rhodd grows, the village realises that the river, which is their connection to the wider world, is beginning to die, and eventually a dark sickness begins to spread. Soon, too soon, the villagers turn their suspicion on Rhodd and her falcon. And so, Rhodd sets out to discover what - or who - is causing the river to dry up . . . to protect her mother, her falcon and herself...

I almost gave this book five stars but in the final chapters the fantasy elements were just too crammed in and the despicable behaviour of Lord Stanley felt unresolved and unpunished. This reviewer agrees with me. 

A touching story that achieves the delicate balance between sacrifice, loss, and an appreciation for life entwined in the presence of nature in any given moment. The Kids Book Curator

Companion books:

The Girl who Drank the Moon

The Witch's Boy

The Stone Girl's story

Here are two other books by UK author Penny Chrimes:

Cobweb Christmas: the tradition of Tinsel by Shirley Climo illustrated by Jane Manning

Do you put tinsel on your Christmas tree? Have you ever wondered why? How wonderful to discover this tradition is linked with a Ukrainian folk tale. Cobweb Christmas is one possible retelling of this tale. Ukrainians often include a spider as a decoration on their Christmas tree.

Tante prepares for Christmas. She lives alone with only her pets and farm animals for company but on Christmas eve each year the village children come to see her decorated tree. Each year she works hard to prepare for this event. The house is thoroughly cleaned and special decorations are baked. 

"Tante made cookie for the tree. She baked gingerbread boys and girls. She rolled sugar cookies shaped like new moons and cut cinnamon-cookie stars. She rubbed apples until they gleamed like glass to hand from the branches too."

Cleaning up the house means Tante needs to sweep away all the cobwebs. She swishes every spider out the door.

It is the tradition in this village that the children leave their shoes by their doors so Kriss Kringle can tuck a gift inside each shoe. On the evening of this particular Christmas Kriss Kringle meets all the displaced spiders. They explain that they just want to see the beautiful Christmas tree in Tante's house. Kriss Kringle opens the door so there is a small crack for the spiders. They scurry inside the climb all over the tree leaving a trail of their webs. Kriss Kringle returns to close the door and sees all the webs on the tree. 

"He knew how hard the old lady worked to make Christmas and how dismayed she'd be when she saw her tree. But he didn't blame the spiders for being curious. Instead, he decided to leave a special gift for Tante too. Gently Kris Kringle touched each week. Beneath his finger, the slender strands gleamed like gold and the dangling threads sparkled like silver."

Huge thanks to my friend at Kinderbookswitheverything for sharing this book with me. Take a look at her post about other Christmas folktales.

Sadly all of these books are now out of print but you might be lucky and find one in a library. I did find a video version of Cobweb Christmas. It does not quite have the same magic as reading the print book but it will give you a good idea about the story and the illustrations by Jane Manning. Here are another two books which explore this theme.

The Lost Stone of Skycity by HM Waugh

Sunaya has a gift. She can sense danger and safety. She can 'read' people. She's had these skills for a long time but only now does she realise not everyone can do these things. Sunaya and her nephew (who is only slightly older than her) have been sent to remote mountain region in the bitter winter. Their people usually travel to this region in the summer but right now Sunaya's father wants to hide his six prized nanny gotals so they are not taken as part of dowry. Notice that word gotals - this one word tells you this story is set in another world.  The winter mountains are home to the Ice People but for Sunaya and Danam the Ice People are perhaps just the stuff of legends or stories told by Great Aunt Mera.

Travelling through this bitter snow covered landscape Sunaya senses danger. Her Uncle, who is travelling with the children, has forged ahead. Suddenly the snow explodes into an avalanche and First Uncle is killed. Sunaya knows there is no point in searching for him and she convinces Danam to continue their journey. The pair take refuge in a small run down hut. Sunaya has had a sense that someone is watching them.  Indeed this is true - it is a group of Ice People including the Princess, who is next in line to the throne, and her brother the Prince Praseep.

The Ice People are seeking a Cloud Dragon.  The Cloud Dragon will be the protector of the Princess Rishala when she takes over from the dying queen. There is a prophecy:

"The Seers foretold that if we walked to the edge of the Dirt, we'd uncover her Cloud Dragon. We walked there and we saw your group. We watched you come down the slope. One adult, two children. One child in pants who read the slopes expertly, and a child in skirts following who knew nothing."

The problem is the Ice People have the wrong person. They think Danam is destined to be the next Cloud Dragon and so they are taking him away to complete a series of extremely dangerous and complex tasks.  In fact it was Sunaya who was wearing pants, Danam just had his cloak tied around him and it looked like a skirt. Sunaya needs to convince the Princess and her group that she should come to the city with Danam. She does not know about the prophecy, she does not really understand her own power but she is desperate to protect her nephew and the herd of gotals. One of the guards travelling with the Princess, a girl called Aji, seems to sense the truth and later she becomes a very important ally. But what about Vilpur who is also in this group - can he be trusted?

These tests, Sunaya learns, can be fatal. Praseep himself had hoped to be the next Cloud Dragon and take the role protecting his sister but he failed one of the five tests and only lived to tell the tale because he does possess powerful gifts. The tests are designed around: Strength, Courage, Resilience, Compassion and Fortitude. Sunaya must save her nephew but to do that she knows she must face these tests - and win!

The lost stone of the title is the reason for the division of this kingdom into "dirt people" and "ice people". Stones are powerful devices used by the Ice People but Sunaya needs to show serious errors were made in the past and "dirt people" are not really the enemy. Stories from the past need to be rewritten.

I loved the depiction of bitter cold in this story. Thank goodness Praseep can make fireballs.  They kept me warm. I try hard not to say negative things on this blog but, while I totally adored this story, I really really do not like the cover. If I had not been given an Advanced Reader Copy by Beachside Bookshop I am fairly sure I would not have picked up this book and that makes me sad. I do tell students "don't judge a book by it's cover" but of course with books (and sometimes people) this is something we all do. I highly recommend this book and I hope you can convince a middle primary reader to explore the amazing lands, palace and tests of the Ice People.

You can read part of Chapter One here. Read about HM (Heather) Waugh on her web site. I hope this book is listed as a notable title for our CBCA awards in 2020 - yes it is that good! Why did HM Waugh include goats (gotals) in her story? Read about this here. This book will be available from 1st October, 2019.

I would follow The Lost Stone of Skycity with Ottilie Colter and the Narroway hunt; Prisoner of Ice and snow and The Halfmen of O by Maurice Gee.

The gift of Dark Hollow by Kieran Larwood

Great storytelling continues in this latest Longburrow adventure. Kirkus

 A modern-day classic that is not to be missed, with stunningly detailed fantasy illustrations by David Wyatt. BookTrust

A few weeks ago I talked about The Legend of Podkin One-ear by Kieran Larwood - my new favourite book. This week I have read the second book from this series - The Gift of Dark Hollow and it is just as good as the first.

Once again it is the bard who is telling the story of our hero Podkin. Along with his sister Paz and baby brother Pook, they are caught up in a series of fierce battles against the Gorm. They have now acquired three more 'gifts' with magical powers which brings their total to four of the twelve from the ancient tribes.

• Starclaw -  The magic dagger of Munbury it can cut through anything except iron
• Moonfyre - A brooch that lets you jump in and out of moon shadows the gift of Dark Hollow.
• Ailfew -   The magic sickle which is the gift of Redwater Warren.
• Surestrike - The hammer of Applecross can make weapons that pierce the Gorm's armour.

As the group travel to Applecross to retrieve Surestrike they meet Zarza, a bonedancer, Vetch of Golden Brook and Yarrow the bard.  Right from the start I didn't trust Vetch and I am fairly sure we will meet him again in future installments.

"He seemed desperate for someone to like him. A bit too desperate perhaps."
"And as for that Vetch, well I trust him about as far as I can throw a giant rat."
"Vetch, wrapped in his exotic cloak, sidled up to Podkin at one point, giving him a nervous smile. His eyes kept darting to the dagger on Podkin's hip."

Vetch returns to Dark Hollow with a rescued farmer, his wife and children. Meanwhile our heroes travel on to Applecross to find and open the mysterious bridge over to Ancients Island. It is a furious race to outrun the Gorm, retrieve Surestrike and make it home.  You will be on the edge of your seat gripping your sword and holding your breath through the scenes that follow.

I love all place names and rabbit species we meet in this series - "The other surviving rabbits were refugees from all over Gotland and Enderby. Some were from Munbury and Redwater warrens but there were also sables from Cherrywood and Ivywick, lops from Applecross, and brindle-furred rabbits from Stormwell and Hillbottom. Some came from tiny warrens Podkin had never heard of, like Toadleton and Muggy Pit. There was even a shield maiden all the way from Blackrock."

The gift of Dark Hollow employs a rich vocabulary with words like: priority, brusque, comatose, loamy, vulnerable and bandoliers.

Listen to an audio sample from the first book (page 6-8) and here is one from The Gift of Dark Hollow. Take time to look at the web site of the illustrator David Wyatt it is brilliant.

This is an adventure story, fast paced and tense. It seems that the free rabbits of Enderby will be easily overpowered by the Gorm, with their deadly weapons, armour and devious spies. The fight is to preserve the rabbit race at all costs, but most of all so that rabbits can once again live in peace. The Book Bag

The third book from this series is The Beasts of Grimheart. Due in Australia at the end of October.