Strange Happenings

May 1, 2006
Avi (Poppy's Return) turns the multifaceted theme of transformation this way and that in five provocative tales. In "Bored Tom," a listless 12-year-old, envying his cat's nap-filled existence, agrees to swap lives via the intercession of Maggie, a "wizard-cat," who ultimately one-ups both former boy and former pet. The witty premise of "Babette the Beautiful" involves a 16-year-old princess born invisible after a crone abets a vain queen's wish for a flawless daughter; Babette struggles toward self-knowledge, literally piecing herself together in mirrored rooms full of human parts. The stories nimbly incorporate folkloric motifs and archetypes, and feature a pleasing assortment of talking animals. Characters suffer moral consequences for their greed, vanity and dominion over the powerless, whether human, bird or beast. In the first and last pairs of stories, deft narratives consciously incorporate the wry omniscience and plainspoken diction of traditional folk tellings For the centerpiece, "Curious," Avi, while still probing an ancient moral ("curiosity killed the cat") adopts a matter-of-fact tone and modern setting. With its clever mix of magic, mystery and a soupcon of sci-fi (plus a captivating cover, to boot), this collection will please Avi's fans and may well draw new ones. Ages 8-12.

July 1, 2006
In five dark, eminently discussable stories, unrepentant characters get well-deserved comeuppances, and even the relatively innocent protagonist of "Curious" is doomed by his defining attribute. Avi recounts the bizarre events in the quiet, well-honed voice of a campfire storyteller who knows his audience. Offbeat characters, brief but vivid descriptions, and unexpected plot twists all recommend these tales for reading aloud or alone.

(Copyright 2006 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

March 15, 2006
Gr. 4-7. In this short story collection, Avi offers five fantastical tales, set in both contemporary and fairy-tale lands, that explore the notion of transformation. In some stories, the shape-shifting takes place between everyday creatures: from boy to cat, and from bird to man. In others, the changes are more mysterious: a princess, whose parents wished her to be flawless, is born invisible and must choose her own imperfect features from a dreamlike gallery of parts. The story elements don't always knit together smoothly, and some of the heavy moral messages and symbolism, particularly in a tale about the devil, may fly over the heads of children. But the pieces are vividly imagined and shot through with a captivating, edgy spookiness, which, along with their brevity and some droll, crackling dialogue, makes them great choices for sharing aloud in class or as inspiration in creative-writing units. For another body-switching tale, suggest Blake Nelson's " Gender Blender "(2006).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)

May 1, 2006
Gr 6-8 -These stories vary in tone from grimly humorous to quietly ironic to stately formal. In -The Shoemaker and Old Scratch, - a tightfisted tradesman tries to outwit the Devil, but discovers too late that Satan has many guises. In -Bored Tom, - a boy wants excitement, so when a talking cat offers to switch places, he agrees -but then the cat refuses to switch back. -Curious - combines sports and science fiction. Jeff wants to know more about the Alien, the mascot for the local baseball team -particularly since no one seems to like it or to know how it was employed in the first place. -Babette the Beautiful - and -Simon - incorporate folkloric elements. After her queen mother asked a wise woman for a flawless baby, Babette is born invisible. Mirrors are banished from the land, and no one will admit that the princess can -t be seen. Greedy, selfish Simon hunts the fabulous Queen-of-All-the-Birds and finds himself changed into a half-bird monster until he learns compassion. These stories don -t have conventional -happy endings, - but the conclusions fit the individual styles -sly, mystical, or gruesome, as appropriate. Fantasy fans with a taste for the unusual will enjoy this challenging collection. -"Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL"

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 10, 2006
Avi (Poppy's Return) turns the multifaceted theme of transformation this way and that in five provocative tales. In "Bored Tom," a listless 12-year-old, envying his cat's nap-filled existence, agrees to swap lives via the intercession of Maggie, a "wizard-cat," who ultimately one-ups both former boy and former pet. The witty premise of "Babette the Beautiful" involves a 16-year-old princess born invisible after a crone abets a vain queen's wish for a flawless daughter; Babette struggles toward self-knowledge, literally piecing herself together in mirrored rooms full of human parts. The stories nimbly incorporate folkloric motifs and archetypes, and feature a pleasing assortment of talking animals. Characters suffer moral consequences for their greed, vanity and dominion over the powerless, whether human, bird or beast. In the first and last pairs of stories, deft narratives consciously incorporate the wry omniscience and plainspoken diction of traditional folk tellings For the centerpiece, "Curious," Avi, while still probing an ancient moral ("curiosity killed the cat") adopts a matter-of-fact tone and modern setting. With its clever mix of magic, mystery and a soupcon of sci-fi (plus a captivating cover, to boot), this collection will please Avi's fans and may well draw new ones. Ages 8-12.

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.