In a Flash by Donna Jo Napoli

“Stay alert. Always. Pay attention to everything and everyone. Pay attention to how things are done in your new country. Be kind. Be grateful. Smile a lot. Take care of each other.” ...

“Forza e coraggio—that will be your motto.” 

Forza e coraggio. Strength and courage. I close my eyes and still my heart. We can do this."

In a Flash is a gripping story and a page turner. I kept hoping I was going to be totally wrong about the ending - and then it happened - have you guessed what the title means? This book is set out in chronological chapters beginning on 24th July 1940. 

Simona and Carolina have lost their mother. Their father is a chef and he accepts an invitation to work at the Italian embassy in Tokyo. That should be an interesting experience for the young girls aged eight and five but the year is 1940. Students of history know there are three important and dreadful events associated with this time. World War II has begun. Italy has sided with Germany and Hitler but this will change. Japan will be drawn into the war after the bombing of Pearl Harbour and yes, we are heading for the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and later Nagasaki. It is war time so there is also rationing to contend with and remember Papa is a chef and the Italian Ambassador and his wife demand Italian food. As very young children both girls learn the new language of Japanese fairly easily and Simona especially picks up lots of cultural nuances which help her greatly as the navigate their new lives. 

When the allegiances change Italy becomes the enemy. Papa is taken to a internment camp and the girls are taken to a house with other foreigners. The did have a suitcase each at the beginning of their journey but Simona's suitcase is lost - this is such a heart-breaking scene. eventually the girls escape their 'imprisonment' and so begins a journey across Japan always hoping they can be reunited with their father. Their journey ends in Hiroshima. They arrive on 27th May 1945. In a few weeks time an unimaginable event will happen. Simona is nearly fourteen and her sister is nearly eleven. The final chapter of this book is dated 6th August 1965. 

A blinding light invades the room. Then a roar louder than any train, and we’re thrown to the ground. I climb on top of Karo-chan to protect her as things crash down on all sides. I cradle my head in my arms and wait. After a few minutes things stop flying through the air. Everything is quiet. And dark as night.

Her are some text quotes from In a Flash:

He sat me down and explained that because of the Pact of Steel, Germany’s enemies were Italy’s enemies; Germany was at war with France and Great Britain, so Italy was, too.

So that’s what this cloth is called. I untie the furoshiki, and there’s a rice ball, cucumber strips, and carrot chunks sitting in the middle. I know rice balls from home. I take a bite, but it’s nothing like in Italy—no cheese inside, no tomato, no peas. I take a nibble. Sweet. I nibble till it’s all gone. Then I eat the vegetables, which turn out to be pickled.

A couple of months ago, at the end of September, Italy and Japan and Germany signed a big agreement—the Tripartite Pact—and the next week the ambassador went to a huge party at some palace.

“When America declares war on Japan, Italy will declare war on America,” Papà says. “Remember the Tripartite Pact, Simona? Germany, Italy, and Japan fight together. The enemy of one is the enemy of all three.”

“A big, responsible Italian girl who knows Japanese as well as anyone.” He leans over a little. “My interpreter might not tell me things he doesn’t want me to know. I get the feeling sometimes, when he’s translating newspapers, that he skips things.

No one expects to see Western children here—so no one does. As long as we talk right and behave right, people think we are who we pretend to be. Language matters more than the shape of eyes. But if anyone looks too hard, we’ll get caught.

Staying alive is a game of wits. People often tell me that I’m clever, but right now I feel stupid. Staying alive is also a game of luck. So much depends on luck. Three women in a cabin in the woods. A blind washerwoman. But luck can run out.

We’ll go to Kyoto. They bombed Kobe and Osaka, but they won’t bomb Kyoto. Not beautiful Kyoto. They’ll want to preserve it so they can visit it as tourists in the future. That’s how Americans think.

This is good. I know where they can go. There’s a Catholic mission in Hiroshima where priests go after their own missions are bombed out. They only do this with priests who are friends of Japan. German priests.

In a Flash is a long book with 400 pages. I read my copy on a Kindle so I was able to read this book over just two days but for readers aged 11+ they will need some reading stamina. In a Flash was published in 2021 and so far, it is only available in hardcover so here in Australia it is priced at over AUS$30. Here is the website for Donna Jo Napoli.

It took me a little while to get into the rhythm of the first person narration but once I did I was hooked. The dates at the start of each chapter really drove the plot for me. I loved the kindness shown to the girls by strangers especially by the blind washerwoman. I also really appreciated the deep intelligence of Simona as she navigates her new culture. This book will give readers such an interesting insight into a different aspect of World War II and a very different perspective about life in Japan during those years especially the control of the media and the use of propaganda and indoctrination. 

Through the voice of Simona, this novel offers an unusual perspective on the World War II years in Japan. The girls’ journey is constantly challenging, as they often face sudden, unexpected risks. Because the story spans multiple years, there is a lot of information about Japan’s home front experience during the 1940s, including patriotism, propaganda, underground anti-war efforts, depletion of resources, and bombings. Topics of xenophobia, identity, assimilation, loss, friendship, and family are intertwined through the perspective of a young person navigating tumultuous events. Kirkus

Companion books:

The Miracle Tree

The Last Paper Crane

All the Beautiful Things by Katrina Nannestad illustrated by Martina Heiduczek

"It feels like all the beautiful things have to be hidden away ... "

"The world is a jigsaw puzzle, every person a unique piece. There's a space for each one, but it must be the space made just for them. And if we leave one piece out, no matter how small, plain, insignificant or odd it may seem, the jigsaw puzzled remains incomplete. 

The picture looks ugly because there is a gap."

In the world of Germany in 1939 to 1945 every child has to be perfect. Anna is perfect - the perfect German girl. She is athletic, clever and has that perfect blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her sister however is not perfect. She has a disability and Mutti and Anna know if little Eva is found she will be taken away. 

"Eva was born with a disability that weakens her body and makes it hard for her to learn new things. Eva didn't walk for a long time and she's still a bit wobbly. Words came much later .... It's unlikely she'll ever learn to read. And she's so very small and thin, more like a toddler than a seven-year-old."

Eva takes delight in making paper dolls. The family have to keep her hidden, but Anna is able to collect tiny treasures - a piece of lace, a ribbon, a small piece of coloured paper - and Anna weaves a magical story for Eva as they work together to create new outfits for dolly. 

"Eva fetches her square biscuit tin and returns to the kitchen table. She opens the lid and gasps with delight even though she knows exactly what's inside - Dolly, a flat cardboard doll with woollen hair and tissue paper underwear, and eight flat dresses. They're all made from scrap paper and other treasures Mutti and I have scrounged from floors, streets, bins, barns. ... Every piece of the dress needs a story."

Anna and her friend Udo work hard to keep Eva a secret but there is danger everywhere. A boy in their neighborhood - Manfred is especially dangerous. "He is fourteen, tall, strong and handsome. He is in the special patrol group, Hitler Youth's very own police." 

Woven into All the Beautiful things we meet Eva Braun, visit the countryside home of Hitler, and in some awful scenes witness the indoctrination of the children in class against anyone who is not perfect - people with disabilities, people who are different and of course Jewish people. In one scene we see brave Anna quietly taking Nazi propaganda posters from her school and at home she burns them.

Luckily Anna and Udo do find friends in their town and one of these is seamstress Fraulein Linz. Little do they know that this lovely woman will be the one to hide little Eva when it becomes too hard to keep her at home and keep her safe. Fraulein Linz is living a double life. The Nazi wives visit to have her make their beautiful clothes and she even appears to be friendly with Eva Braun but this is all just a ruse. 

"How do we tell the monsters and the angels apart?"

This book has 327 pages, and I read it all in one sitting - YES, it is that good. In fact, this book is wonderful! I actually read this book about 3 weeks ago but I just wanted to sit and think and let it settle before penning something here on my blog. I actually feel I am quite inadequate as a blogger and lover of middle grade children's books to even begin to talk about this amazing book. One of the most precious parts of this story is the emotional intelligence of young Eva. 

There are some quite terrifying scenes in this book which I think demonstrates the power of this writing. One that has lingered with me is when Anna is stopped and told to empty her pockets by a member of the Gestapo. They have been watching Udo. He is part of the resistance and their communication is via train tickets. Udo has slipped it into Anna's pocket and now Anna needs to take it to Pastor Almendinger.

"The railway station's a perfect exchange for messages. Always busy. ... I'm there all the time, looking for discarded tickets for Dolly's dresses. In fact, there are four in my pockets right now. ... 'I'd like to see what's in your pockets.' ... I stick my hands into my pockets, grab the lining at the bottoms and turn them inside out. Everything that was inside spills. The tiny folding scissors, bottle tops, acorns and buttons fall into the snow, but the wind grabs the rest and sends it fluttering along the street. Including the very important train ticket for Pastor Almendinger."  

All the Gestapo see is a collection of rubbish.  

Here are a couple of text quotes:

"We're crying for Eva, who is safe, but whose life has grown smaller yet again. How many times must her world darken and shrink? How long can she live this way without the light in her eyes fading, before hugs in her arms slacken?"

"And then I shudder. Not because of Manfred's fanaticism. That's old news. It's just I've never been called a traitor before. I realise that a person can be both a hero and a traitor. It depends on your point of view. To Eva and Mutti, I'm a hero. To Hitler and Manfred, I'm a traitor." 

All the Beautiful Things is certain to be a CBCA Younger Readers Notable, and I am also sure it will be shortlisted. Here are a set of teachers notes from the publisher. I highly recommend All the Beautiful Things for readers aged 11+. 

This is a great read, suffused with love and humour. As usual Nannestad has got the balance just right, presenting the reader with thought provoking situations while keeping them enthralled with suspense, some mystery, and lots of giggles. A must for every school  and home library. Storylinks

All the Beautiful Things is as much a story of resistance as it is about loyalty and family, but also, finding out what it means when the rules you think exist start to crumble, and your world changes in so many ways. It is a book that will make you question prejudices and what we assume disabled people are like, and ponder how we can help people who need it. And I think makes us ask ourselves what we would do if we ever found ourselves in a similar situation. Another wonderful novel from Katrina Nannestad. The Book Muse

History can be tough to understand, especially when it comes to things like war and prejudice. But Nannestad takes the real stories of the past and wraps them up in a way that is both accessible and heartwarming for kids. You’ll not only get to see the struggles of people who lived through WWII, but you’ll also learn about what it was like to be different in a world where difference meant danger. Better Reading

Some things to think about:

• It is interesting that Katrina named Anna's little sister Eva and Anna also meets and 'befriends' the famous Eva Braun. 
• When you read a book like this as a reader you put your trust in the author that there will be a 'happy ending' and that characters you love will be kept safe. What happens if this 'rule' is broken?

In November I attended a terrific 'fireside' chat at Gleebooks Kids with Katrina Nannestad.  Here are some things I discovered:

• Katrina will appear at our Sydney Writer's Festival in May 2025
• Her favourite character from her books so far is Udo (from All the Beautiful Things) and also Sasha from Rabbit Angel Soldier Thief
• Silver Linings is her personal family story and a sequel is planned
• Katrina reads and researches history through personal accounts. She likes to find lesser-known stories of World War II
• She plots her stories and has a clear plan of the way the plot will be structured
• When Katrina is writing one of her novels, she writes every day of the week and often becomes totally absorbed in the journey of her characters. Each book from this series takes 8-9 months to write.
• Her new books - another Lottie Perkins title and a new series about a character named Frances Bloom.

In November Katrina Nannestad ran a competition where people sent in their own paper doll creations. Take a look here.

After reading All the Beautiful Things you will want to read every book by Katrina Nannestad especially her stories set during World War II -   

Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief; Waiting for the Storks; We are Wolves

Here are some other companion books:

The Little Riders

I am reading this one at the moment so I will talk further about it here in the coming weeks. 

Check out the Kirkus review.

The Counter Clockwise Heart by Brian Farrey

Opening sentence:

"It was the coldest winter morning ever on record in the empire of Rheinvelt when the people of Somber End awoke to find the Onyx Maiden in their tiny village."

And the scene continues:

"As tall as a two-story house, a maiden made entirely of rough, dappled onyx loomed over the roundel. Adorned in armor, she appeared to be in the midst of a battle. Her right arm was thrown backward read to strike with a cat-o'-nine-tails cover in spikes. Her wild hair, blowing in an unseen gale, reached out in all directions, like a demonic compass rose. Most terrifying of all was her face - frozen in a permanent angry scream."

The people of Somber End are simple folk. Their lives have always been a struggle but now life is getting even harder. Naturally the people blame the bad times on the statue which they name the Maiden. The rulers of Rheinvelt - Imperatrix Dagmar and her wife, Empress Sabine, send emissaries far and wide seeking an answer to this mystery. All they learn is that:

"One day, the Maiden would waken and bring a terrible reckoning. Not just to Somber End, but for all throughout the empire."

Then one day a young boy stands at the foot of the statue. In his imagination she is not frightening she is powerful. He begins to talk to the statue telling her his hopes and dreams. He does this for over a decade - every day and over time the fortunes of Somber End change. Fast forward and now the boy, Guntram, has grown into a man and the village people call him their guardian. He is summoned to the castle. 

Many years before this, actually on the night the Maiden appear, a baby also appeared encased in the walls of the castle. The Empress and Imperatrix decide to raise him as the prince of their empire but there are two problems. The Imperatrix dies which causes everyone, especially Prince Alphonsus enormous grief and secondly, the Empress discovers Alphonsus has a clock in his chest and it has begun to run backwards.

Meanwhile on the edge of the village there are the Hinterlands which legend says are filled with monsters. There are also Hexen Woods which are home to a terrible sorceress known as Nachtfrau. 

Alphonsus has one good friend in the castle - the huntress Birgit Freund. Alphonsus orders her to seek the clockmaker responsible for making his clock heart. He is sure there will be terrible events or perhaps even his own death when the clock finally stops. 

Now enter the next important character - Esme. She is a Hierophant - a magical race who are now exiled in the cold north. Esme has been able to pass through the enchantment that holds the Hierophants. Her mission is to destroy Nachtfrau - but she also a Hierophant but more importantly she is Esme's mother.

So, things are all set for the classic clash of monster and hero except monsters come in many forms one of whom is that young boy, Guntram. His desire for power is now out of control and nothing will stop him. Alphonsus has clearly connected with the Maiden, she has now come back to life and Guntram is determined to kill the Prince - his jealousy knows no bounds.

It is interesting the way magic works in this story. Performing magic has consequences - this is called the Balance. There is also a magical box that provides prophecies BUT it tells one truth and one lie each time and so the questioner is left to decide which path to follow or how to interpret the advice.

The well-developed setting lends an otherworldly historical atmosphere. ... Laced with ethical questions and examples, this is a thought-provoking coming-of-age story. Kirkus

Here is a review in the New York Times.

Bookseller blurb: Time is running out in the empire of Rheinvelt. The sudden appearance of a strange and frightening statue foretells darkness. The Hierophants—magic users of the highest order—have fled the land. And the shadowy beasts of the nearby Hinterlands are gathering near the borders, preparing for an attack. Young Prince Alphonsus is sent by his mother, the Empress Sabine, to reassure the people while she works to quell the threat of war. But Alphonsus has other problems on his mind, including a great secret: He has a clock in his chest where his heart should be—and it’s begun to run backwards, counting down to his unknown fate. Searching for answers about the clock, Alphonsus meets Esme, a Hierophant girl who has returned to the empire in search of a sorceress known as the Nachtfrau. When riddles from their shared past threaten the future of the empire, Alphonsus and Esme must learn to trust each other and work together to save it—or see the destruction of everything they both love.

I picked this book at a local bookshop which was sadly closing down. The cover didn't really appeal to me but the endorsements on the back cover lured me in. I am very glad I found this book. Yes, it does contain the usual tropes of fantasy/quest stories with the race to thwart evil and hideous monsters and misunderstandings about who to trust and who might betray our hero and of course magical powers. And we have seen this idea of using a clock to create the story momentum - a literal race against time. But there is also a delicious tension in this story. I truly wanted the 'bad man' to be killed and I kept hoping this would happen much earlier in the story. I just wanted someone to eliminate that dreadful man - Guntram Steinherz later known as the Margrave. He is one of the most loathsome characters I have ever encountered in a middle grade (ages 10+) book. The scenes where he tricks The Empress and also lies to betray Alphonsus made me gasp and there were several times when I had to put this book down and re-enter the real world for a while for respite. I also nearly skipped to the end to check he was finally dead and that Alphonsus and Esme were safe.

I do recommend The Counter Clockwise heart. It is an engrossing story with a clever imagined world and characters that you will really care about. 

Minus the steampunk layer this book reminded me of this:

Cogheart

And these:

The Ogress and the Orphans

The Girl who drank the Moon

Ajay and the Jaipur Moon by Varsha Shah

"Space offers us new worlds to conquer, new territories to colonize, and endless resources to take."

These are the words of Mrs Surya. At first they sound glorious to the audience and to the team of kids who have come to meet this famous millionaire but slowly the truth behind this sentence is revealed. You could use this sentence to introduce this book to your readers aged 10+. Think about the words conquer, colonize and take. Colonize is especially poignant when you consider this book is set in India and they were colonized by the British.

Now look at this statement by Mrs Surya:

"As you know, the WECU corporation own factories across the globe. With the willing support of politicians, I will move them into space so that they no longer pollute our world. No longer bogged down with laws and human rights, these factories will be a blueprint for oligarchs everywhere."

The words 'human rights' should chill you. In the first book the workers in the T-Shirt factory were subjected to horrid working conditions. In this second book we meet the slum kids of Jaipur. Their leader, a girl named Laxmi is missing one finger as a result of working in a jewelry making factory. You should review the UN Rights of the Child with your class. 

Now read Chapter 28 - and think about the consequences of Mrs Surya vision of space, her assumed role as leader, and the way she uses words to manipulate the kids and later her press conference audiences. Even her office, with the glass floor and the way the door snaps shut are all about control and power. When you are reading this book notice the references to her eyes - "windows to her corrupt soul."

Ajay and his team of street kids work hard to survive living on the streets of Mumbai. The produce a newspaper which last year led to some fame but as time has passed people are no longer interested in reading the news and printing their paper each week is a huge struggle without a proper printing press. But buying a new press means they need a lot of money. Then Ajay reads about a competition to find a meteorite that has crashed into the earth. Whoever finds it will be given a tour of the new space research base in Jaipur. 

Ajay has a talented team of friends: Vinod is a wonderful cook; Yasmin, safely away from the dangerous T-shirt factory is a very fine artist; Saif is an apprentice engineer who can solve any engineering problem; and Jai is a first-class cricketer.

Working as a team I was sure these kids would find a way to travel from Mumbai to Jaipur, and I knew they would find a way to win this competition. BUT standing in their way there are difficulties, lies, betrayals and corrupt adults. Saif finds the location of the meteorite but as they arrive in Jaipur his tools are stolen. This is just the first disaster. In fact, there are so many twists in this plot I began to think these kids would not survive let alone succeed.

If you read this book in a class you will want to add in some research about Jagadish Chandra Bose (1858-1937) Dr APJ Abdul Kalam (1931-2015), and Asima Chatterjee (1917-2006). Along with the astronaut Kalpana Chawla (1962 -2003).

Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose is one of the most prominent first Indian scientists who proved by experimentation that both animals and plants share much in common. He demonstrated that plants are also sensitive to heat, cold, light, noise and various other external stimuli.

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam served as the president of India from 2002 to 2007. He began his career designing helicopters for the Indian Army as an aeronautical engineer for the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). In 1969, he was moved to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), where he served as project director on SLV-III, the nation's first satellite launch vehicle, which was successful in putting the satellite Rohini into a near-Earth orbit in 1980.

Asima Chatterjee was an Indian chemist noted for her work in the fields of organic chemistry and phytomedicine. Her most notable work includes research on vinca alkaloids, and the development of anti-epileptic and anti-malarial drugs. She also authored a considerable volume of work on medicinal plants of the Indian subcontinent.

Kalpana Chawla was American astronaut who died in the Space Shuttle ‘Columbia’ disaster. Born in Karnal, India, she was the first woman of Indian origin to go to space. In May 1997, she went on her first space mission, travelling for fifteen days in the Space Shuttle Columbia flight STS-87. In 2003, she travelled once again into the space aboard ill-fated Space Shuttle Columbia flight STS-107.

You can read chapter one on the Chicken House page. 

This is an exciting and beautifully written and illustrated book for children aged eight and upwards. It could be the starting point for discussions about what friendship means to them and how they relate to each other’s varying interests and future plans. School Reading List UK

Alongside action and humour are serious socio-political messages. The power imbalance between rich and poor is a significant theme and there is mention of child labour and exploitation. There are many points in the book that would prompt deep discussions. ‘What defines where someone belongs?’ asks Ajay. He later comments, ‘All that matters about a society is the way it treats its most vulnerable.’  The children’s achievements (in the face of adversity) and their tight friendship makes Ajay and the Jaipur Moon an empowering and heart-warming read. Just Imagine

You could also use this book to discuss the depiction of a character - Mrs Surya. Her clothes are both interesting and obscene when you think about the poverty experienced by the kids in this book. She reminded me of the evil woman in Beetle Boy by MG Leonard.

"Her eyes were the colour of warm caramel ... her smile eclipsing the sun.

"She turned and gave a magnetic smile that he was sure was just for him! She looked magnificent as she went to stand on the podium ... wearing a silver sari encrusted with scales of diamonds that blazed in the light of the chandelier."

"Up close, glittering from head to toe, with silver star earrings, and the border of the sari snaking around her, she looked even more striking."

"Mrs Surya glittered from head to toe in a lace sari that was encrusted with diamonds and looked like the clouds of the milky way. ... she looked like a figure spun from light."

This is the second book about Ajay and his newspaper The Mumbai Sun. I loved the first and this sequel did not disappoint.

Ajay and the Mumbai Sun

Flocked by Chren Byng illustrated by Andrew Joyner

No one ever leaves the flock

"Welcome to the flock. In the flock, everything is good. In the flock, everything is warm. In the flock, everything is safe. .. Do not question the flock. The flock is all you need. The flock is all you know. You are the flock and the flock is you. You are happy in the flock."

There’s sure to be a correct literary term for this plot but I call it a “grass is greener story” and I have read lots of them. Daisy by Brian Wildsmith; Wendy by Gus Gordon; Once upon a Small Rhinoceros by Meg McKinlay; and the famous Iranian allegory The Little Black Fish by Samad Behrangi. 

The point of difference here is the tone of indoctrination which is a theme you could explore with older students. The flock do not question their lot in life and everyone is expected to conform. The page where all the sheep are smiling is especially chilling. Is the head sheep a dictator? 

The pages set under the sea and in the busy city street offer a stark contrast to the ‘sameness’ of the flock in the field.

The final pages ask the reader to ‘fill in the gaps’. We see that the young sheep has survived and indeed thrived in the outside world so perhaps after reading the post card, others in the flock might take a step out into the wider world? The expression “pulling the wool over our eyes” comes to mind when I look at the woolly end papers. I think this is more than a story about bravery and stepping out of your comfort zone and it is interesting that the youngest community member is the one who is curious about the world and it is the youngest sheep who is willing to take a risk and defy convention.

You could also view this as an allegory about group think. It plays on the notion that people are like sheep - who follow one another around without thinking. If you look at the labels I have added to this post I think you can see there are terrific possibilities for using this book with a group of older students to explore "bigger" themes such as propaganda; conformity; independence; misuse of power; risk taking; and adventures. This is a book that repays rereading and older children will love being able to predict where the story is going and even what happens next.

The character of the little sheep himself is especially appealing. We see his personality and interests start to develop – with the sideways glances away from the flock and towards the little red flower. You can see more books illustrated by Andrew Joyner here. 

Companion books:

Brian the Brave

Louis I King of the Sheep

Daisy 

Once upon a small Rhinoceros

Louise the Adventures of a chicken

The Little Black Fish

Windswept by Margi Preus

An inventive, memorable must-read. Kirkus Star review

Tag (real name Hyacinth nickname Tagalong shortened to Tag) is locked up at home with just her mother and a few servants. Her older sisters - Rose, Lily and Iris have been windswept. Wild storms hit this place from time to time and any children who are outside are swept away. No one knows where they go or even if they are still alive so the town has very strict rules. Children under fifteen are not allowed outside - ever!

When her mother goes out to a council meeting Tag decides to explore the hidden attic. And she works out a way to escape. She meets up with other children and joins them as they decide to travel to the distant mountains to seek out their lost siblings. Tag ties pieces of clothing together that she finds in the wardrobe and then she uses this as a rope to escape from her locked house. 

"Moving aside rolls of old wallpaper and saggy cardboard boxes. Tag reached the wardrobe. When she opened the doors, it was as if her sisters rushed out - at least, the smell of them did, as if they were in there somewhere, among their trousers and party dresses, their skirts and stockings and shoes. Tag climbed inside and sat right down among the shoes and wept. She wept ... for her sisters lost to the wind. For her father, sent to his grave. For her mother laced into a corset of grief. And for herself ... "

In this dystopian world books are banned:

"The book even smelled dangerous. It smelled of clouds and fiddlehead ferns, woodland campfires and castle kitchens. Or at least what Tag imagined those things might smell like. It was dangerous to posses an illegal book. People were sent away - banished - for the offense. Still, somehow, she found herself tucked into a corner of the attic with the book open on her lap. The light from the window cast a lemon-yellow circle on the book and left the rest of her in soft brown darkness. Tag read stories of golden birds, magic beanstalks and long-haired girls locked in tall towers. ... She encountered witches and shape-shifters, mermaids and snow snakes, dragons and people-eating giants."

There is also a political layer to this story which I really enjoyed. Here are some text quotes from the council meeting. Tag and her companions listen in while the townspeople demand some action about their children.And in this world the leaves which are swept in by the wind are currency. 

"Ren scooped a leaf off the ground and handed it to Tag. It was a leaf unlike any other Tag had ever seen or felt - leathery and a little heavier than an ordinary leaf ... 'That's currency,' Ren explained ... 'In other words, money. And really, the only people authorised to pick those up are the PTB (Powers that be) footlickers in the white jumpsuits. But everybody goes out anyway, ... They use is to pay for things. They're valuable. ... Everyone has to agree that each leaf has a certain value so you can use them to pay for things your need or want.' ... 'Where do the come from?' ... 'They blow in on the wind. That's the only time you find them."

There is also a layer of environmental consciousness in this book as the children encounter piles of rubbish and plastic on their journey. 

"She thought she had come to the piles of gold and silver likely to be found in a troll's lair. But as she rounded the corner and entered an immense chamber, she saw that what was sparkling and glinting in the smokey light of the torches were piles of broken glass and shards of plastic. The walls were covered with or were maybe made of trash: plastic packaging, plastic straws, plastic toothbrushes, toys and more toys, doodads and knick-knacks, and a mountain of plastic bags. Millions of tiny plastic particles caught the light, sparkling like mica."

And I like the final wisdom:

"You have all survived something hard, and you have grown stronger because of it. Use this strength to create a new and better life for yourselves and for all the kingdoms and their inhabitants on our one and only Earth."

Author blurb: In Tag’s world, children are disappearing. “Youngers” who venture Outside are windswept—vanishing in the swirling snow—Tag’s sisters among them. Many have tried to find the lost children; all have failed. And since the Other Times, the Powers That Be seem intent on keeping it that way. Little remains from those times: snippets of songs, heaps of plastic trash, and a few banned texts—including a book of fairytales. An unlikely crew of Youngers join forces—Boots, who can climb anything, Ant, who will eat anything, Ren, who will say anything, and Tag, who doesn’t appear to have any talent whatsoever. With their dubious skills, the (book of) fairytales, a possibly magic ribbon, and an unwillingness to accept “that’s impossible,” they set off to rescue their windswept siblings ...

Windswept references a dozen Norwegian folk and fairy tales along with more familiar (to my eyes) tales such as Sleeping Beauty; Rapunzel; Rumpelstiltskin; Little Red Riding Hood; Snow White and Jack and the Beanstalk.

There is also a repeated refrain in this story which acts as a puzzle:

The Mountains - you'll get there too late or never at all. 

And there is a time constraint because if the mountains turn completely blue they will be too late to rescue the stolen childen.

Fairy Tale Tropes (Metropolitan Opera)

The absent or deceased mother

Many fairy tales feature young women who are, for a variety of reasons, motherless.

In Windswept, Tag's mother is not absent but she is distant and does not have a close relationship with Tag because she is grieving the loss of her other three daughters and her husband.

The wicked older woman

Be it a controlling stepmother or malicious witch, fairy tales also often include an older female figure who torments the young protagonist out of jealousy.

In Windswept these are the legendary trolls who is is rumoured have taken all the children to their mountain lair. This was the only part of the story that I found a little puzzling. The trolls, we learn, take the children because their own youngsters have been hunted and killed. The trolls use the children build up their numbers. After seven years of living with the trolls in their filthy lair the children become troll-like trolls. "The younger they are, the longer they can serve the trolls' interests."

A supernatural or magical helper

Many stories feature a magical figure who aids and protects the young protagonist. This character may take the form of a fairy godmother, a deceased ancestor or spirit, a magical animal, or an enchanted tree.

In Windswept there are three magical helpers - old women who offer advice and practical help such as a magical table cloth that produces food. 

Rags-to-riches

Many fairy tales follow protagonists who have been reduced to lowly circumstances, are held in some sort of captivity, or have been exiled and/or denied their rightful inheritance. The narrative arc of these stories often concludes with the hero reclaiming or even exceeding the social status and material wealth that was rightfully theirs.

In Windswept the children want to restore their freedom and find their siblings and discover the truth about the wind and the way their city has been controlled by draconian rules. By the end of the story the lives of these children are certainly much richer and as a reader we make the wonderful discovery about the power of stories to set the captives free. 

The motif of three

Three old women help the children; to call up the wind Tag uses a special string with three knots and Tag had three sisters who were Windswept and taken to the Trolls

They live in a world where stories and books are dangerous—there are too many ideas there. But as the kids tell stories and read from the fairy tale book, they think that maybe they can handle books—they can think for themselves, make their own judgements. Maybe the books aren’t to be feared; maybe ignorance should be the real fear. School Library Journal

It’s a classic folktale journey, with magical objects, helpful old women, gnomic advice, monsters, the unleashing of unusual talents, outwittings, and a glorious eleventh-hour comeuppance. Horn Book

Listen to a five minute audio sample which begins with the voices of a group of creatures who are gathered around to listen to the storyteller.

I really love the cover of this book and the internal illustrations by Armando Veve. Here is some more of his work:

The structure in this book where the bard tells stories reminded me of Podkin One Ear.

The Legend of Podkin One Ear

The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill

"People do need to ask big questions if they want to make big changes. 

We need to get everyone to ask the same big question."

The town of Stone-in-the-Glen was once a thriving little community - not perfect - but certainly a happy place to live, with most people in good jobs and enough money to support their children and important town amenities such as a school and a library filled with hundreds of wonderful books. Even better their town library was a place loved and used by the community. People liked to read books and they liked to discuss them.  

But as is the way with stories (and books) things are not destined to stay so idyllic. The library, had been at the heart of life in this village, but then it burned down and everything changed. A new Mayor arrived. He claimed to have slayed the dragon who caused the fire. He claimed to be the only one who could save the people. He set up new rules - rules which led to suspicion - pitting neighbour against neighbour. Crops failed, other buildings burned down, the school was lost and no one had enough to eat. 

The poorest of the poor in this town were the orphans (fifteen of them) living in Orphan House. In past times the people of the town had supported the orphans and their beautiful Matron and her gentle husband Myron, with food and other supplies but over time this has dwindled down to nothing. 

Then as chance would have it an Ogress sets up her home near this little village. She has lived for hundreds of years and in many different places but Stone-in-the-Glen feels like home. The Ogress is a very kind soul. The only thing missing in her life is the companionship of friends and neighbours. She does have the crows, her blind dog and some lost sheep but she is sure the people in the community will befriend her if she shows them kindness so she sets about baking and harvesting. Each evening, very very late at night, she makes deliveries of her cooked treats to the doorsteps of people in the village. She also places boxes of vegetables at the gate of the orphanage - not every day - but often enough to keep the children from starving. The Ogress does not know things are especially hard at the orphanage she just wants the children to be happy. 

Publisher blurb: Stone-in-the-Glen, once a lovely town, has fallen on hard times. Fires, floods, and other calamities have caused the townsfolk to lose their library, their school, their park, and all sense of what it means to be generous, and kind. The people put their faith in the Mayor, a dazzling fellow who promises he alone can help. After all, he is a famous dragon slayer. (At least, no one has seen a dragon in his presence.) 

Only the clever orphans of the Orphan House and the kindly Ogress at the edge of town can see how dire the town's problems are.  When one of the orphans goes missing from the Orphan House, all eyes turn to the Ogress. The orphans, though, know this can't be: the Ogress, along with a flock of excellent crows, secretly delivers gifts to the people of Stone-in-the-Glen. But how can the orphans tell the story of the Ogress's goodness to people who refuse to listen? And how can they make their deluded neighbours see the real villain in their midst? The orphans have heard a whisper that they will 'save the day', but just how, they will have to find out ...

The other part of this story is about dragons but to say any more would be a spoiler.  

"As for dragons in particular, they are as diverse in their dispositions as any other creature. I myself have encountered dragons of very personality type - shy, gregarious, lazy, fastidious, self-centred, bighearted, enthusiastic, and brave."

There is so much to love about this book:

The food: "As her garden grew, the Ogress kept baking. Pies and breads and cakes and cookies. Muffins and turnovers and hand pies and rolls. She fire clay pots with tight-fitting lids and filled them with soup. She built boxes and filled them with vegetables. She built a handcart to help her make more deliveries. She delivered to as many people as she could, as many days as she could."

"A tart for the woman who used to light the lamps. ... A box of cupcakes for the former teacher - who the Ogress knew missed her classroom and missed her students so much it was like a needle in her heart. ... Acorn bread for the former street sweepers. Walnut pies for the day labourers. ... A jar of honey for the organ master."

The Ogress - you are sure to love her: "Like all ogres, the Ogress was quite tall - even sizable adults would have to crane their necks and squint a bit to say hello. She had feet the size of tortoises, hands the size of heron's wings, and a broad, broad brow that cracked and creased when she concentrated. Her skin was like granite, and her eyes looked like brand new pennies. Her hair sprouted and waved from her head like prairie grass ... sometimes spangled with daisies or dandelions or creeping ivy. Like all ogres, she spoke little and thought much. She was careful and considerate. Her heavy feet trod lightly on the ground."

The way Kelly Barnhill gives each of the orphans very distinct personalities: Althea is a logical girl who believes in evidence; Bartleby is a philosopher; Cass is a quiet hard working and very practical girl; and Elijah is a storyteller. I also love Myron - in fact this whole book is worth reading just so you can meet gentle Myron. 

The constant gasp moments where things are interpreted unkindly: "That terrible Ogress who has been ruining our lovely town for a generation ... Now she is no longer content with destroying out property and causing our crops to fail and our milk to sour and our buildings to dilapidate but now, now she is stealing children." And there are also dreadful propaganda speeches by the Mayor.

The "message" that books and libraries and reading are all important ways to unite a community.

I also loved the way Kelly Barnhill treats time in her book. This is not a linear narrative and the changes of time feel like the gentle motion of ocean waves. I also loved the narrator whose identity may surprise you. Read more here. The author’s voice is descriptive and philosophical, and it’s shared in the manner of a storyteller YA Books Central

You might like to think about the role of light and heat in this story and compare this with a story like The Snow Queen which used ice and snow to control citizens. 

This is now my book of the year (so far). It is nearly 400 pages so reading this book is a marathon not a sprint but boy oh boy it is well worth every reading minute. I knew I was safe with Kelly Barnhill and I was sure she would give me that all important happy (and satisfying) ending but there were times in this story of greed, power and manipulation that I just had to stop reading and take a breath in the real world for a while. The awful mind games and propaganda metered out by the corrupt mayor were, at times, very hard to read. 

Combines realistic empathy with fantastical elements; as exquisite as it is moving. Kirkus Star review

The reader is immediately tossed into this fantasy, relying on the narrator to explain how life used to be in the town to counter the grim description of how it is now. The Mayor is a fantastic (though loathsome) villain, oozing charisma and evil in equal measures, and in direct contrast is the ogress, who asks permission of the bees to take their honey and secretly shares her baking gifts with the town.  Bulletin of the Centre for Children's Literature

The two covers above are from the hardcover edition (top) and the paperback.  I prefer the hardcover one and I do wish the publisher had not made this change. 

Here are some companion reads: