Hannah Lamb

From the duo behind the bestselling Wildwood Chronicles comes a new adventure that illuminates a thrilling, underground world of pickpockets.

As the son of a consul general, Charlie Fisher lives a sheltered, sometimes lonely life in the marvelous city of Marseille. His days often consist of nothing more exciting than lessons with his tutor and social events with his father. But all of that changes one seemingly ordinary Tuesday morning, when Charlie happens to witness something extraordinary: a gang of young pickpockets pulling off a robbery in the middle of a crowded, public square. Charlie is mesmerized, and from that fateful day he becomes entrenched in the world of masterful thieves known as the whiz mob. But when this seemingly harmless new pastime leads Charlie into danger, he must decide if this life is really worth the risks that come with it.

Colin Meloy writes in a voice sharp with wit and precision, creating a rich and vibrant world complemented by Carson Ellis’ art at every turn. Each member of the whiz mob is given a distinct voice and personality, making readers feel as if they are part of the crew themselves, learning the lingo and pickpocketing culture right alongside Charlie. This is a unique and uproarious reading experience, and one not to be missed.

This article was originally published in the November 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

The bestselling author of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making brings to life the imaginative world of one of the most revered literary families of all time: the Brontës.

Living in a small Yorkshire parsonage, still grieving the deaths of their mother and two eldest sisters, Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne use their games in the playroom at the top of the stairs to help them cope with their harsh reality, especially now that Charlotte and Emily are soon returning to boarding school. But when the siblings head to the station for Charlotte and Emily’s departure, they find a different kind of train waiting for them, one that whisks them away to the magical land of their imaginings. But what are they to do when the world they created expands beyond the rules they set for it, and will they ever be able to find their way back home?

With this story, Catherynne M. Valente has created a unique blend of fantasy and historical fiction. Readers are transported to a land where loyal suitcases turn into hot air balloons to transport their owners, where people are made of all manner of objects, from scraps of lace to writing tablets, and where toy soldiers come to life and fight real battles. But best of all, readers experience all of this whimsy with the young Brontës as their guides, each one’s unique and vibrant personality brought to life by Valente’s exquisite descriptions. This book is a masterful look into the childhood lives of these beloved literary legends, and one that asserts the power of literature and one’s own imagination.

This article was originally published in the September 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Sweet storytelling and whimsical illustrations combine to create this charming debut novel from Jacqueline Ogburn.

Eric Harper has always loved all animals, a trait that he shares with his beloved grandmother. And now that Grandma has had to sell the family farm and move into a nursing home, perhaps the only silver lining in the whole situation is that the mother and daughter who bought the farm have set up a veterinary clinic in the main house and asked Eric to help take care of the animals. Eric soon learns that this clinic, however, has some special patients along with the normal cats and dogs, including a disappearing cat, a golden egg-laying goose and Eric’s personal favorite, a pregnant unicorn. Seeking refuge from the turmoil at home, Eric begins to spend more and more time at the clinic and becomes immersed in a world of magic that he never knew existed. But there are certain rules in this new world, and Eric may have to learn them the hard way.

This story is full of mythical creatures and the high jinks that accompany them, making for a fun, imaginative romp that any child or adult can enjoy. Ogburn writes with a distinct voice that calls to mind the Southern atmosphere in which the story takes place, enriching the reading experience. Most importantly, though, the story also has a healthy dose of tenderness and warmth, and deals with difficult topics such as illness and grief in a sensitive way. Both entertaining and enlightening, Ogburn’s debut calls attention to the magic of the story world as well as the magic of our own.

Debut author Sarah Jean Horwitz brings to life a fun and frolicking middle grade adventure, packing it full of enough fantasy, humor and heart to make giddy even the most finicky reader.

Felix Cassius Tiberius Carmer III is a magician’s apprentice and an amateur inventor, though his passion truly lies in the pursuit of the latter. But the makeshift family he’s found in the likes of his master, Antoine the Amazifier, and his lovely assistant, Kitty Delphine, is all Carmer has, and he can’t abandon them now, when their show is facing financial ruin. Elsewhere in Skemantis, something sinister is attacking faeries, and one-winged faerie princess Grit is determined to find out what’s going on. Carmer and Grit couldn’t be more different, but they’ll have to figure out how to work together if they’re to solve either of their problems.

In a story populated with small boys with impossibly long names, cat automatons and feisty faeries, Horwitz strikes a balance between being humorous and fun and also holding deeper meanings that stretch beyond mere entertainment and make a lasting and important impact on the lives of the young readers. Through Carmer and Grit, kids will learn what it is to surpass what others see as your limitations and embrace them, rather than trying to ignore or hide them. They will see a model of how to work, and even form a friendship, with someone very different from themselves, and the many unexpected benefits that can bring.

Great life lessons and tons of fun await anyone who ventures into this landscape of steam-powered cities and faerie-inhabited willow trees.

With her debut novel, Maria D. Laso (who died in 2015) offers a rich story populated with colorful characters, a setting so vivid you feel as if you could step right into the pages, and heaping doses of humor and heart.

Possum Porter has had to endure a change that no young child should: the loss of her beloved Mama. Now that it’s just her and Daddy, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that no more change comes their way. But when a new teacher, Ms. Arthington, comes to their small town, it looks like Daddy might have different plans. He wants to send Possum to school for the first time, which is an atrocity considering that Mama already taught her everything she needed to know during their lessons at home. Worst of all, Ms. Arthington seems to be eyeing a new suitor—Possum’s very own daddy. To prevent more change from uprooting her life, Possum must find a way to prove that she already knows everything she needs to, all while keeping Daddy out of her new teacher’s clutches.

Laso’s writing shines with all the charm of a small Southern town, and each character, from nosy and meddlesome Miss Nagy to Possum’s cherished canine companion, Traveler, has a personality as genuine as it is distinct. At the heart of it all lies an unforgettable heroine with all the grit, spunk and charm fit to share the ranks of such treasured predecessors as Scout Finch and Laura Ingalls Wilder.

BookPage Children’s Top Pick, February 2017

Paul Mosier’s debut middle grade venture is luminous and heartrending, populated by poetry, sharp wit and wonderfully original characters with voices that sing from the pages and pierce your very bones.

Twelve-year-old Rydr boards an Amtrak train in California, the start of a three-day journey that will take her to her new home in Chicago, where she will live with a distant relative she’s never met. Rydr hopes this journey will help her forget about her past and erase the pain that comes with those memories. Little does she know that this trip will have the exact opposite effect, forcing her to confront those scars head-on. But she doesn’t have to brave this experience alone. Accompanied by a cast of eccentric, lovable characters, Rydr will learn how to come to terms with the events that have brought her to this point, how to let her guard down and let people in and, perhaps the most important lesson of all, how to let herself feel, whether those feelings are good or bad.

Though this book may be marketed for middle school readers, Train I Ride is steeped in such genuine feeling and depth that it can be enjoyed and related to by anyone, of any age. Mosier strikes the perfect key, never straying into territory too verbose or too spare, but finding the right balance between the two. This is an extremely well-written and thoughtful story from a stellar voice in middle grade literature and beyond.

This article was originally published in the February 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Misty Copeland, the first female African-American principal dancer in the history of the American Ballet Theater, brings her story to life in this special young readers edition of her autobiography.

Though her talent is unparalleled, Copeland’s journey to stardom in the classical ballet world was not easy. While most ballerinas begin lessons at 3 or 4 years old, Copeland came to the ballet world much later, at the age of 13. Despite this late start and the added challenge of an unstable home life, Copeland’s natural talent was apparent from her first day in a ballet class at her local Boys & Girls Club. Dubbed a prodigy by her teachers, Copeland was going en pointe, the technical term for dancing on the tips of your toes, after just three months of lessons, a technique that takes most young dancers years to master.

Young girls and boys alike will be captivated by Copeland’s story of hard work and perseverance, and encouraged to pursue their own dreams no matter what obstacles may stand in their way. Through spare yet beautiful language, Copeland shares both the hardships and triumphs of her journey in a simple yet honest way that younger readers will be able to easily comprehend. While Copeland’s illustrious career is certainly inspirational, this biography allows readers to peak behind the curtain of glamour and fame and get to know the true story of one of the world’s most famous ballerinas. Rather than skipping over the struggles along the way, Copeland relates them with grace and transparency, creating a genuine account of her impressive life that is sure to motivate young and old alike.