SUMMER READING: Wield your words wisely...

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers…where despite Mother Nature’s attempts to blow us off the map, we’re still trucking along like all is well (we just look like ducks since we’re all running around with yellow raincoats on!). 

Today, I am playing the roles of both “Insatiable Reader” AND “Reading Rebel”.  Yep, that’s right.  This weekend did not go according to plan (eh, cie la vie) but I DID manage to get in a decent amount of reading and I’ll let you in on a little secret…one was a book I didn’t agree to review, but simply selected for my reading pleasure.  GASP! Shock. AWE!  ^_^  Now, don’t get me wrong, the books I agree to review are carefully selected by yours truly, so they are in fact intended to be of interest to my own reading tastes, but sometimes there’s that one book you just happen upon for no rhyme or reason and you simply must drop everything and READ IT NOW.  This was one of those books…

Today’s selection falls squarely into the land of Children’s Fiction but don’t let that fool you…it has word building power like you wouldn’t believe!  No, really…we’re talking SAT words for crying out loud but you know what?  That really helps (for some) adult readers to see the appeal (me on the other hand, I am the Zimmerman of the reading world….if it sounds good, READ IT!  Hmm, may have to work that in to a byline somewhere…).  It’s a fantastic read that I hadn’t heard of prior to purchasing but now that I have, books two and three are on my wish list.  Ready to get started?  Here we go!  Today’s book of choice is…

Clemency Pogue:  Fairy Killer

By

J.T. Petty

Illustrated by

Will Davis

If you like fairies, hobgoblins and clever little girls, you are in for a treat!  Clemency Pogue is the name of the child mentioned, and clever is the simplest of definitions for her.  She is smart, quick with a quip, creative in solving problems, handy with a needle and thread (she made her own pants!)…and perfectly wonderful at happening upon the names of supposedly imaginary creatures in order to gain unexpected control of them so they can aid her in her quest to right an unfortunate wrong she began unknowingly.  *whew…mouthful* 

The wrong committed?  Fairy killing in the first degree (or maybe third, I get all confuzzled at that part).  You remember the tale of Peter Pan and kindly yet jealous Tinkerbell?  Well, so does Clem and when faced with a fairy they will not shoo, she uses her words as any good child should to put an end to the situation….once and for all.  She fires…and misses.  She speaks again…to no avail.  Seven times later the miscreant little devil is kaput…but what of the other six proclamations of her non-belief that were spoken?  Uh-oh…hence the unfortunate wrong I mentioned.

Thus starts the short yet not entirely sweet but wholly endearing tale of Clem and her mission to somehow save the downed fairies as well as those they were assisting at the time of their demise. But what if not all the fairies should be revived?  I mean would you want to bring back the Fairy of Frequent and Painful Pointless Antagonism (that’s her position/title mind you not her actual name…they’re very secretive of those)?  I think not!  It takes her on a journey across the world (or rather through it…hobgoblins apparently like to travel subterranean style) to fields and forests, houses and shacks until she winds up back where she began…or rather with the same problem she started with.  Let’s just say that some fairies carry a grudge when they are snuffed out by the words of a child…

A fun, fast and fascinating read ala Series of Unfortunate Events or Elliot and the Goblin King (The Underworld Chronicles); the creativity unleashed in such a sort span of pages is wonderful.  I was drawn to the book by the curious title; stuck around to find out more because of the interesting cover.  In the end, I was stuck to the pages like the stickystones are to the cap of our hobgoblin friend…and when I discovered there were further adventures (two to be precise), I quickly added them to my wish list.  I will definitely be checking out more of Ms. Pogue’s adventures and highly suggest those of you with imagination and the ability to laugh at puns no matter how small (or intended), follow suit.

Review copy from my personal library thanks to my friend Nayuleska!  (THANKS!)  If this sounds like an adventure for you, seek the out a copy at your local bookstore.  Recommended read for middle grade readers and beyond.

Until next time…happy reading!