Kingfisher's New Books

Kingfisher Publications has two new interesting books that should appeal to most boys. Lost Worlds is by John Howe, the concept artist for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. From the world of Aratta and Mohenjo-Daro to Atlantis and Camelot, this visually stunning book explores lost worlds. Rich and stunning illustrations take you on a historical, archaeological, and mythological journey to far off lands abandoned in time. You'll find yourself flipping through these worlds over and over. Click here to watch a video trailer.

Versus: Warriors. Steve Stone is the illustrator of this very cool book. He has worked on hundreds of book covers, most notable Stephen King’s DARK TOWER series and Terry Brooks’ epic fantasy series SHANNARA. In this epic story, ten of the greatest warriors of history meet for the first time. From Viking vs. Aztec Warrior and Samurai v. Gladiator to Medieval Knight vs. Zulu, Versus explores who would triuimph and why, if these fiercest warriors were to engage in deadly battle against one another. Only one can be crowned history's ultimate warrior. Who will it be? Watch a video by clicking here.

Click here to access kingfisherpublications.com.

Runaway Storm

Runaway Storm, D.E. Knobbe's fast-paced adventure book is for readers ages 12 and up. It's an exciting story about a 15 year-old runaway who takes off on a kayak, but quickly sees his adventure turn into a struggle for survival. You can see an interesting video preview of this gripping story by clicking here.

The author has also launched a great summer giveaway - the right answers to a few questions can win one lucky reader a kayak! Check out the contest by clicking the above link as well. I'm looking forward to reading Runaway Storm!

Eric Walters

Eric Walters is currently the Feature Author on our home page. Eric is a prolific storyteller who shares his gifts and passions with the world in many innovative ways. One of Eric's current philanthropy projects is with Toronto District Schools. Eric is part of a team that uses an interactive approach to literature to engage boys in the writing process by incorporating technology. This unique reading program's goal is to ultimately involve up to 5,000 students across Canada. Kids who take part can win basketballs, tickets etc, and at the end of the year the program will conclude with a massive group literacy day.

Creation of Hope is another project Eric has founded. This project began with a chance meeting with a young boy in a marketplace and the discovery that he was one of over 500 orphans in and around Kikima – a small rural community in Kenya. To learn more about this innovative project, click here. To learn more about Eric's unique body-of-work, click here.

Malice

“TALL JAKE, TAKE ME AWAY…”

Everyone’s heard the rumors. Call on Tall Jake and he’ll take you to MALICE, a world that exists inside a terrifying comic book. A place most kids never leave.

Seth and Kady think it’s all a silly myth. But then their friend disappears, and suddenly the rumors don’t seem so silly anymore…

Part thriller, part ground-breaking graphic novel … get into this story, and you may never get out!

Chris Wooding, a British SF/Fantasy/YA writer lives in London and is the author of MALICE. This hard to classify comic is about a horrifying world of tricks and traps, overseen by the sinister master of ceremonies, Tall Jake.Click here to learn more about Chris.

Click here for the book. For a chance to win a FREE copy of MALICE, send us an email from our "Win a Free Book" link on the home page of our website.

Winter Duty

E.E. Knight's cover of Winter Duty recently caught my attention in a local library. I'm swamped with reading other books, but this one looks worthy of investigation. Click here for a link to Winter Duty. Vampire Earth is E. E. Knight's dark fantasy series. To learn more about Vampire Earth, click here.

Border Crossing

BORDER CROSSING is narrated by fifteen-year-old Manz, a mixed-race son of migrant apple pickers who lives in the dusty town of Rockhill, Texas. Manz takes a summer job rebuilding a fence at a cattle ranch, working alongside his friend Jed. As the days wear on, he begins to suffer from an uncontrollable paranoia and becomes convinced that "Operation Wetback," a brutal postwar relocation program, is being put back into effect. This taut coming of age novel explores mental illness and border issues in an honest and clear voice. This unique story was written by Jessica Lee Anderson. Be sure to visit her website by clicking here.

Reviews to date have been good:

"Compelling . . . . A fast read, this book will provoke discussion and, perhaps, further research." - Booklist, Oct 2009

"Poignant." Kirkus, Oct 1, 2009

Click here for BORDER CROSSING.

Upon Secrecy

Selene Castrovilla brings a fascinating story from American history to life in Upon Secrecy, a suspenseful new picture book published by Calkins Creek Books/Boyds Mills Press. Set during the Revolutionary War, it shows how members of the Culper Spy Ring eavesdropped on the British, wrote secret messages, and fended off highway robbers to deliver crucial information to George Washington. This gripping narrative of the spies' most important mission keeps the tension alive, while period details and illustrations add to the drama. Extensively researched, the book includes a timeline, bibliography, places to visit, and even an explanation of the invisible ink, or "sympathetic stain," that enabled the spy ring to send messages undetected by the enemy.

Castrovilla's previous picture book for Calkins Creek, By the Sword: A Young Man Meets War also has a connection to the Culper Spy Ring. The book paints a suspenseful portrait of a young Benjamin Tallmadge as he and his beloved horse, Highlander, fight to defend New York against the British. As George Washington's chief of secret service, Tallmadge later organized and ran the Culper Spy Ring. By the Sword tells the harrowing dual stories of how Washington manages to save his men-and the American cause-by stealthily retreating across the East River, and how Tallmadge risks death by returning to save Highlander. Castrovilla found this account in Tallmadge's memoir, and knew it revealed an important human side of the revolution-one not usually addressed. By the Sword was a 2008 IRA Notable Book, a 2010 New York State Charlotte Award recommended intermediate reading selection, a Kansas Reading Circle recommended title, and a 2009 Moonbeam Children's Book Award gold medalist.

Click here for Upon Secrecy