The Prince and the Dressmaker

The Prince and the Dressmaker  by Jen Wang (graphic novel)

Prince Sebastian has a secret.

Some days I look in the mirror and think, "That's me, Prince Sebastian!  I wear boy clothes and look like my father.  Other days it doesn't feel right at all.  Those days I feel like I'm actually...a princess."

Although Sebastian is sure that his family would be ruined and his parents would disown him if the secret ever got out, he does share it--and his dreams of being known in public as the glamorous Lady Crystallia--with his dressmaker.  Frances not only encourages Sebastian, she creates fabulous gowns for Lady Crystallia that are soon the talk of all Paris. 

And then, things go wrong.

This beautifully illustrated graphic novel is a quick and compelling read with a sweet, satisfying ending.  Reading it restored my faith in humans (and who doesn't need a bit of that?) and I plan to share it enthusiastically with teens, tweens...and parents.

Highly recommended, ages 10 to adult.

The Pearl Thief

The Pearl Thief  by Elizabeth Wein

15 year old Julia Beaufort-Stuart knows that her life is about to change in many ways:  the family estate has been sold to pay debts.  This will be the family's last summer spent at the old castle--and they will be surrounded by workers and strangers busily changing over the traditional home into a boarding school.

Even so, Julie never expected to get banged on the head and left for dead by the side of the river.

Part coming-of-age story, part murder mystery, part historical tale, part exploration of the culture of Scottish Travellers ("gypsies" is an impolite term), this book is a page turner from beginning to end.  It is also, astute readers will note, a prequel to this author's award-winning Code Name Verity, and many of the scenes in Pearl Thief add light to scenes and situations in the other book.  

Highly, highly recommended.  I am perishing to hear the audio version.

Like a River Glorious

Like a River Glorious  by Rae Carson (Gold Seer Trilogy #2)

Lee Westfall and her companions have arrived (mostly) safely, in California.  Soon Lee's "witchy" senses are detecting more gold than all of them will ever need--it's in the water, in the dirt, and in the rock walls above the small encampment they build.  

But the citizens of Glory are not the only gold seekers in California.  Her wicked uncle Hiram still hunts her, and he has plans for Lee that she has never dreamed, even in her worst nightmares.

Solid historical fiction with just a touch of magic.  The issues faced by the Chinese, the local native tribes, and the "confirmed bachelors" are not ignored, which is refreshing.  Of course the problems faced by women--considered akin to property or livestock by US and territorial law at the time--are essential to the story.

This is a fitting companion to Walk on Earth a Stranger, with some (not lots) of cussing, discussions of drug use (laudanum), and some referrals to prostitution (not shown on the page).  

Recommended for readers ages 12 to adult.

The Deadly Sister

The Deadly Sister by Eliot Schrefer
Abbey is jogging and finds the body of a popular fellow classmate. Jefferson. She also finds her sister’s cell phone next to the body. Her sister Maya is a known stoner, school dropout, and unpredictable character. And Abbey’s only thought is to save her and find the real killer.

The plot twists nicely, leading us down many paths, through Maya’s tattoo artist and cross-dressing friends, past Jefferson’s obvious need to have sex with and control every girl, through his drug dealing, into his trailer home and nerdy brother, who is set up by a panicking Abbey as the killer.

There is enough suspense to make this a completely satisfying story – one where the suspense follows all the way to the last word. 8th graders will love this. The high school crowd will own it completely.