Today's read heads into the jungle. Since I haven't been there (literary speaking, of course) in awhile, I thought I'd take a peek. Plus, this is the prequel to the prize winning Elatsoe book...which I've heard about but haven't gotten to yet. So, I'm heading into this one with very fresh eyes. It is almost 400 pages long, which makes me flinch, since it's for middle graders. But on the other hand, it is for upper middle grade and recommended all the way to 16 years. Anyway, I'm curious to see what it's about and if it's as magical as I think it might be.
Grab those adventurer hats because I bet we're in for quite the ride.
Today's post is also part of the weekly MMGM (Marvelous Middle Grade Monday) list, where fans, lovers, and knowers of middle grade literature place their recommendations for the week. If you're looking for literature for this age group (around ages 8 to 12), it's worth taking a look. You'll find that HERE.
SHEINE LENDE
A Prequel to Elatsoe
by Darcie Little Badger
Illustrated by Rovina Cai
Levine Querdo
Middle Grade Fantasy
391 pages
ages 10 to 16
Darcie Little Badger's Elatsoe launched her career and in the years since has become a beloved favorite. This prequel to Elatsoe, centered on Ellie's grandmother, deepens and expands Darcie's one-of-a-kind world and introduces us to another cast of characters that will wend their way around readers' hearts.
Shane works with her mother and their ghost dogs, tracking down missing persons even when their families can't afford to pay. Their own family was displaced from their traditional home years ago following a devastating flood - and the loss of Shane's father and her grandparents. They don't think they'll ever get their home back.
Then Shane's mother and a local boy go missing, after a strange interaction with a fairy ring. Shane, her brother, her friends, and her lone, surviving grandparent - who isn't to be trusted - set off on the road to find them. But they may not be anywhere in this world - or this place in time.
Nevertheless, Shane is going to find them.
Shane works with her mother and their ghost dogs, tracking down missing persons even when their families can't afford to pay. Their own family was displaced from their traditional home years ago following a devastating flood - and the loss of Shane's father and her grandparents. They don't think they'll ever get their home back.
Then Shane's mother and a local boy go missing, after a strange interaction with a fairy ring. Shane, her brother, her friends, and her lone, surviving grandparent - who isn't to be trusted - set off on the road to find them. But they may not be anywhere in this world - or this place in time.
Nevertheless, Shane is going to find them.
MY TIDBITS
Magic weaves right into the daily life of Shane in a way, which feels so natural that it draws in perfectly for the exciting adventure.
Shane lives in a world where magic is as normal as breathing, although some have larger leanings in that direction than others (who might not have it at all). Shane's talents follow those of her mother, who can contact ghost dogs, and uses these to help locate missing persons, except that Shane can call on ghost turkey vultures as well. Since this would put many people at unease, this second talent is kept secret. When Shane's mother goes missing with a boy after encountering a fairy ring, Shane is determined to locate her...even if it means heading into another world.
I was surprised how well this author melds fantasy with a sense of reality. The book begins with Shane and her mother on the search for a missing little girl. The tension grabs right away, while the wholesome relationship between the mother and daughter shines. When it's said that the dogs accompanying them are ghost dogs and Shane calls upon the ghost vultures, it's as natural as shaking a hand and took me a little off-guard. The magic weaves in constantly in the same manner, allowing readers to sink into it with as much casualness as Shane and the others have for it. This creates an original atmosphere as the world building already makes it rich and full.
Although almost 400 pages, this read packs tension and excitement to keep the pages turning. I'll admit that I found myself skimming through several paragraphs, though, simply because I was curious what would happen next and the descriptions or side details slowed it down. But then, I'm an action girl and tend to have a short attention span sometimes. There's also a voice shift later on, which distracts for a moment (not sure why it's there). To say that I didn't enjoy this book, though, would be wrong. The story is very grabbing and interesting.
As for the characters, they are easy to like and very understandable. The actions make sense even when they make mistakes. They help each other out when necessary and show respect to those around them. There are some more dangerous situations, thanks to some very deadly creatures, but especially for those who have read Elatsoe already (or know about it), it's clear that everything turns out fine, and this softens the blows on this front.
This is an exciting read, which grabs and offers a very rich, fantasy world.
And here she is...
Darcie Little Badger is a Lipan Apache writer with a PhD in oceanography. Her critically acclaimed debut novel, Elatsoe, was featured in TIME as one of the best 100 fantasy books of all time. Elatsoe also won the Locus Award for Best First Novel and was a Nebula, Ignyte, and Lodestar finalist. Her second fantasy novel, A Snake Falls to Earth, received the Newbery Honor, was a LA Times Book Prize Finalist, and was longlisted for the National Book Award. Darcie is married to a veterinarian named Taran and splits time between California and Texas.
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