Inspiration: magical

I'm defining "magic" as books where charms or spells and supernatural powers are used. The kind of stuff not defined by physics and lab science. Mostly thought to be fiction, but I'll let you make up your own mind.

You've got to be able to suspend your disbelief and really fall into the book to truly enjoy a magical story. Things happen that can't happen, and that's just the way it goes. Remember when you were a kid and could do that? Try to recapture it.

Here's a list of magical stories I've personally read and enjoyed, including internal links to this blog's posts where I discussed them (if I did).

Note: I have an admitted weakness for vampires, but they're not really "magical" so I'll save that list for another day. ;) 

• I, Coriander by Sally Gardner - A fantastic, captivating middle-grade book about a 17th Century London girl who ends up in the land of fairies.
• The Eye of Zoltar by Jasper Fforde - A high-rise rest home for magicians, the orphan who tries to keep it all afloat, and a quest to save the world's last dragons.
• The House at the End of Hope Street by Menna Van Praag - A magical, living house that protects women in need.
• A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness - The first in her All Saints Series, where a witch and a vampire fall in forbidden love. 
• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - Highly acclaimed novel, a steampunk magic circus.
• The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman - A library of magical materials, collected by the famous Grimm Brothers.
• The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry - Salem's modern witches, who tell fortunes by focusing through hand-made lace.

I also could simply recommend nearly anything by Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratchett, but if I have to choose just one from each of them, I'll recommend:

• Stardust by Neil Gaiman - A naive young man who vows to bring back a falling star to win a girl's love, and the profane Earthly embodiment of that star who doesn't want to be captured and held prisoner.
• The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett - Crivens! A girl witch (and a clan of drunken, thieving, miniature warriors) tries to save her baby brother from the Queen of Fairies.

What's your favorite book of magic?

The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman illustrated by Chris Riddell

We're used to dark, sinister, slightly twisted fairy tales from Neil Gaiman. And the man never fails to delight.

This one's got a sleeping beauty sheltered by homicidal foliage, dwarves, crones, and a warrior queen along with amazing illustrations by Chris Riddell ... and a hell of a twist. It's short - at less than 75 pages - and wonderfully compact. Perfection.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

A classic quest through the fairy world in search of a fallen star - you know, the best kind of Neil Gaiman story!

Read by the author, the story is an epic yarn: A half-fairy boy(who doesn't know he's anything but human) whimsically takes off on a journey to win the hand of his love. There he meets trees, lords, witches, a unicorn, the broken human incarnation of a celestial body, and sky pirates. I listened to this audiobook while quilting, and I have to say I completely lost track of time.

But in looking online, I discover the book version is richly illustrated ... so off to the library to track that down, too. Oh! And there's a movie? The best adaptation of a Gaiman in film?

Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O'Neill

Turning all the fairy princess conventions on their head, a girl is saved from imprisonment, a boy is saved from danger, a town is saved from destruction, and a kingdom is saved from evil.

A brave princess (with truly awesome hair) starts the action by saving a maiden trapped in a tower. Learning independence and self-sufficiency, the pair go about doing other brave and wonderful things. And fall in love.

There's a lot packed into the 53 pages of this graphic novel, and it's done well. I laughed, I was surprised, and I was very impressed by O'Neill's bold ambition in the story.

Snow White: A Graphic Novel by Matt Phelan

In this dark, graphic reboot, Snow White has been transplanted to flapper-era New York, her wicked step a former Ziegfeld girl.

While fairy tales usually are meant for the very young, the dark nature of this depiction and the historical setting will mean more to preteen, middle school readers. The minimalist palette and sketchy quality add to the story's noir quality. There are some interesting twists to the familiar story to accommodate the change in timeline - for example, police Detective Prince.

It's an interesting story, and very quick to read - certainly an innovative mashup that's well done.

The 13 Clocks by James Thurber

I'm sometimes inspired to go back and read classic children's books that I somehow missed during my own youth - this is one of those times.

The 13 Clocks stars an evil duke who has stopped time and is holding a beautiful princess captive. He assigns impossible tasks to each prince who visits to win her hand. But an unusual suitor takes upon the challenge with help from a truly unique plot device, and they may be the ones to overcome the duke's hurdles - or perhaps, not. I won't give it away.

The story is begging to be read aloud - even just reading the book, you can internally hear the wonderful cadence of the language. I'm putting this book at the top of my school-aged read-aloud list.

Additionally, I'd like to note this is the kind of intelligent children's literature that sneaks in advanced vocabulary and adult ideas to stretch kids, cognitively. I was reminded of Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," a personal favorite for the same reason.

Interstellar Cinderella

by Deborah Underwood

Cinderella lives in space and she's a mechanic.  This book is cool, and even boys will sit still for it.  The twists on a familiar story are just enough to make everyone in the audience sit up and take notice.  My favorite part is how the heroine handles the inevitable offer from her galactic prince at the story's end.  Like any good Cinderella, she's gracious while showing readers she's got a mind of her own and solid goals she hopes to accomplish.  

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

It's a dark tale, full of suspense, that starts quite innocently: a trip back to his hometown takes a man down memory lane to a place and time he'd forgotten.

The new renter to the family's upstairs room brought bad things from the start for the young boy, his family, and his neighborhood. But it also introduced him to the family of women at the end of the road - the Hempstocks. What happens next is a tale strange, scary, and unexpected.

Gaiman is such a masterful writer, that as a reader you're just swept up and carried away in the story. I listened to the audiobook (read by the author), and enjoyed every minute. And what I loved most is that just as the story's winding down to it conclusion, Gaiman is able to sweep the rug out from under us in a truly fantastic way. I was left stunned and tearful at the end, more in love with Gaiman as an author with every story.

The wonderful wizard of Oz

by L. Frank Baum

You think you know the story, but have you actually taken the time to read the book?  I don't remember finishing it as a child, so last week I ordered the audio version at the library.  I got the one narrated by Brooke Shields, and she does an amazing job.  Kids will be engaged by all the voices she does for the vast array of characters, especially the ones not in the movie.  Check out this version for your summer road trips.

First, this is a children's story.  The conflicts are just enough to keep things interesting without leaving little ones trembling in the overnight hours.  Baum's story is a captivating tale of a, seemingly, very young girl unwillingly having an adventure in a strange land.  While some vicious events do occur, the story quickly moves beyond them. 

Second, adults should give it a shot.  If the written version escaped you in childhood, you will likely find this to be far superior to your memories of the 1939 film.  Additionally, if you have become enamored of Gregory Maguire's version of events, either in print, or on stage, this will give you added background.  It is fun to see just how much room Mr. Baum left for expanded ideas when writing the original story.

The Wise Fool by Shahrukh Husain & Micha Archer

While most of the fairy tales and morality stories in America are based on European folk tales, the rest of the world also is rich with these type of stories. This bright, vivid book tells a series of Mulla stories, as have been handed down all across the Middle East.

The stories all center on Mulla Nasruddin, a man of great wisdom and humor. In the stories he uses his brain to maneuver sticky social situations. It's a kind of manners or ethics lesson told through brief encounters, a trickster tale like Br'er Rabbit or Loki or even Bugs Bunny.

The artwork in this book is astounding, a colorful papercraft that truly brings the Islamic world to life on the pages. Each story is less than 2 pages long, which leaves plenty of room for large, bright illustrations.

Lies, Knives and Girls in Red Dresses by Ron Koertge

Have you ever read the old, non-Disney-fied versions of fairy tales? The dark, gothic ones the Grimm brothers actually collected from the oral tradition? This book of poetry is a spin on those horror-filled tales of morality.

Angsty, angry teen girls admit their attraction to the naughty, forbidden wolves and monsters. Minor characters in often-told narratives get their opportunity to tell the story from their perspective.

Many of the stories are a little naughty. Most are hilarious for the unexpected spin they put on familiar tales. Definitely not the kind of book for your toddlers - but teens and adults will enjoy revisting their nursery favorites!

I don't want to be a pea!

by Ann Bonwill

Hippos and Birds go together. They really are the best of friends. In fact, they have an annual Fairy-tale Fancy Dress party. This year, Hugo and Bella must decide on a costume. The only problem is that in most fairy tales, the sidekick always seems to be a less than desirable costume option. Can the two friends find a solution that works for both of them?

This adorable new story was a hit with the first grade class I visited this morning.

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

I couldn't resist a book about a teenage library page ... especially since she's working at a materials repository (rather than a book repository) that has a collection of magical items collected by those famous Grimm Brothers!

I *loved* this book: It's got suspense, magic, mystery and lots of the unexpected. I absolutely did NOT know what would happen next, or how - and that's really rare. I anxiously read along, wondering upon wondering what would happen next and who would be behind the strange happenings in Elizabeth's library.

Although it's positioned as a teen book, there's no reason middle schoolers or even mature readers younger than that wouldn't enjoy it too; there's no gore, only a bit of chaste teen romance, and a plot that moves things right along.

I can't find anywhere that says it's the first in a series, but I hope it is. And I can see how it might be!