Fantasy

Fantasy genre

I Was A Rat!: Or, The Scarlet Slippers

“I was a rat!”

So insists a scruffy boy named Roger. Maybe it’s true. But what is he now? A terrifying monster running wild in the sewers? The Daily Scourge newspaper is sure of it. A lucrative fairground freak? He is to Mr. Tapscrew. A championship wriggler and a budding thief? That’s the hope of Billy and his gang. A victim of “Rodent Delusion”? So says the hospital doctor.

Or just an ordinary small boy, though a little ratty in his habits? Only three people believe this version of the story. And it may take a royal intervention–and a bit of magic–to convince the rest of the world. . . .

Barkbelly

One silver-starry night, a shiny, wooden egg falls from a flying machine high in the air down, down, down through the midnight sky down to the small village of Pumbleditch, where Barkbelly is born. Where he’s the only wooden boy. And where he’s the cause of a tragic accident. Suddenly, Barkbelly’s only choice is to flee for his life—to run. As he tries to escape his haunting past, he faces extraordinary adventures and dangers. Every wooden step leads Barkbelly toward the dark and startling truth about where he comes from and the burning question of where he really belongs.

The Black Canary

Twelve-year-old biracial James has grown up in a musical family. Not only are both of his parents musicians, but his four grandparents are as well. Everyone assumes that James will pursue music, yet he would rather become a newspaper reporter…or an astronomer…or a cook…anything that will let him leave music behind and be his own self. Everything changes when, on a family visit to London, James discovers a portal that leads to London in the year 1600, then finds himself unable to return to the point in time he had left behind. James is forced to join the Children of the Chapel Royal, a group that performs for the queen of England, and the musical talents he denied are now put to the test and pushed to their limits. In this alternate world James comes to realize that he cannot survive and get back to the twenty-first century without recognizing, understanding, and making the most of his musical gifts. Jane Louise Curry brings Elizabethan London to life in this remarkable story about music, family, and finding one’s place in the world.

What Pet to Get?

Jack’s mother says he can choose a pet but what pet to get? An elephant? (So difficult to take on vacation.) A polar bear? (It wouldn’t like the central heating.) What about a Tyrannosaurus Rex? (Unfortunately, it’s been extinct for 65 million years.) The gatefold on the last page reveals Jack’s final choice, and a big surprise.

A Dinosaur Called Tiny

When Tiny the Dinosaur hatches out of a great, big egg, no one can believe how small he is! Tiny grows—a little—and tries to make friends with the other young dinosaurs, but they laugh and say that he isn’t big enough to play their games. But when one of the other dinosaurs is suddenly in trouble, Tiny’s small size—and big heart—help him save the day.

Meerkat Mail

Sunny Meerkat lives in the Kalahari desert with his family. Under the hot sun, Sunny and his brothers and sisters work together, play together, eat together, learn together, and sleep together. Sunny needs a break, so he decides to take a trip to visit some relatives. Through a series of postcards–that actually flip open for children to read–Sunny documents his journey for his family. But as he travels from the barnyard through the forest to the city, Sunny realizes there’s no place like home.

See the review at WOW Review, Volume 5, Issue 1

Fox

An injured magpie and a one-eyed dog live happily together in the forest, until a jealous fox arrives to teach them what it means to be alone.

Howl’s Moving Castle

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl’s castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there’s far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.

Ping Pong Pig

“Ping Pong Pig” loves to leap, jump, and bounce all over Apple Tree Farm. He is far too busy having fun all day to help with the chores. Soon he lands into a big mess, and he’s up to his ears in trouble. Will he learn to help his friends before pigs fly?