Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Fans of both teen fantasy and Victorian-flavored gothic romance will find a new treat in Magic Under Glass. The story is set in what feels almost like an alternative history reminiscent of the height of the British Empire - with its manners, entertainments and setting. But the presence of fairies and sorcery quickly lend a fantastic bent to the tale of Namira, a young performer plucked from a tawdry music hall by a wealthy widow. She is recruited to sing with his rare piano-playing automaton (a mechanical man) which seems to have frightened away previous singers. Namira finds herself living in luxury as she must suddenly navigate higher society and dangerous intrigue - when the automaton begins to communicate with her. A fresh story among rivals in the teen romance category, this title seems to indicate a sequel but not confirmation as yet (Bloomsbury)

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

How unlikely a story! A magician striving to impress his audience conjures an elephant that comes crashing from the heights of the theatre to land in audience, the animal crippling a wealthy patron as it lands. A fortuneteller predicts that Peter, an orphaned boy, will find his lost sister when an elephant leads him to her. Working her own magic to suspend disbelief, DiCamillo weaving simple words into a rich fabric of beautiful, poignant interaction among strangers and friends who are all seeking the most unlikely of outcomes. Hauntingly illustrated by Yoko Tanaka, The Magician's Elephant is both a wonderful read-aloud for elementary age kids and a charm-filled title for independent middle-grade and teen readers. Just beautiful. (Candlewick)

The Knife of Never Letting Go - by Patrick Ness

Outstanding Epic Perfect for Teen Boys and Adult Sci-Fi Readers
Wow! I LOVE this story! The main character, Todd has grown up in a settlement where all the women have mysteriously died off and the men are plagued with the ability to hear each other's thoughts - or "noise". When Todd discovers a "hole" in the noise, the following events quickly propel him on a journey of discovery while at the same time plunging him into a world of horror. As he pieces together his own history with that of larger world, the sense of looming apocalypse swells. The frontier-like setting takes on surreal quality as the reader discovers more and more about where the book's characters are and how they got there. I'm reminded at times of "Lost" and Cormac McCarthy's The Road when reading this. The characters are flawed and evolving (a good thing) with the fast-paced, highly original story. Especially recommended for teen boys, though girls will like it, too, this title is the first in Ness' "Chaos Walking" series. Addictive, thought-provoking and rich with western-esque sci-fi drama, The Knife of Never Letting Go will leave readers scrambling to find the second book, The Ask and The Answer, in which things become even more chaotic...and compelling. Storytelling at its best - Highly recommended for Teen and Adult readers.

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong - Ghost Whispering in a Darker Setting for Teens

No vampires here (yet) but ghosts aplenty, as Kelley Armstrong presents the first in the 'Dark Powers' series, The Summoning. The tale opens with Chloe Sanders, who's struggling to hang onto her sanity as she attracts the spirits of the dead who long to be heard or noticed. Events send her to a group home where she discovers herself among other 'talented' teens who may or may not be safe company for her. Flavors of "Ghost Whisperer" are here, but the setting is darker and the encounters more sinister. Closing with a open-ended finale, YA and teen readers will be compelled to follow the story into the second book in the series, The Awakening. Recommended! (Harper Collins)

Witch Child by Celia Rees

Witch Child by Celia Rees

Having spent so many of my college years reading historical fiction (not the "romance" historicals - smile!), i was slow to pick up Celia Rees' teen fiction take of American colonial persecution of women perceived as witches. I am SO VERY glad that I overcame that reticence because Witch Child is an amazing foray into this time period with all the paranormal flavors that young adult readers are hungry for lately. In a nutshell, the book is essentially a collection journal entries and diaries of fourteen-year-old Mary who is spirited away from England in the wake of her grandmother's execution for witchcraft. The writings are being presented by an 'Alison Ellman' circa modern day. The story of Mary's efforts to leave her history behind as she strives to fit into a 17th century frontier community are met with both success and suspicion. Her inherent gifts rise to meet the wildness of the country and its native people, while superstitious and cult-like community elders work to paint her as a witch. The story and the writing are refreshingly original and addictive. And just when you think the tale is winding down, the last entries in the book set-up a wildly innovative twist that propels the story toward the second book in the series. Highly recommended! (Teen - Adult, Candlewick Press)

"The Ranger's Apprentice Series" by John Flanagan ...Core Characters Deliver Strong YA Fantasy (Penguin Books for Young Readers / Puffin)

In publishing niche that is amply populated by fantasy-flavored fiction for kids and teens, keeping the different worlds, their creatures, their magic and their rules in order can be discouraging for new, as well as experienced, readers of the genre. How refreshing it was to try on John Flanagan's debut novels in "The Ranger's Apprentice" series. Without borrowing heavily from previous kids' fantasy outings, Flanagan crafts an engaging and captivating setting with a strong cast of characters, and a story that doesn't lean too hard on wizardry and impossibility. The first three books in the series, "The Ruins of Gorlan", "The Burning Bridge" and "The Icebound Land" follow the story of Will, who with his fellow orphans and wards of the local baron, are looking forward to being apprenticed at age fifteen. Though he craves to enter apprenticeship with the Battleschool, his small physical size prevents his selection for that trade. Will is offered instead the opportunity to train as a Ranger, learning the skills and responsibilites of that elite and elusive branch in service to the kingdom of Araluen. Under the tutelage of Galt, an experienced and taciturn member of the Rangers, Will's journey of self discovery and personal growth is cast against a quickly evolving backdrop of looming war, political intrigue and heart-stopping action amid a historic European-esque setting. "The Ranger's Apprentice" series thrives because the central characters are not overshadowed by gimmicks and are allowed to remain the strong core of the story, and rightly so, as they are well-crafted and evolving as well. Highly recommended for kids as well as adult fantasy fans who will not find the books childlike, but perhaps may be reminded with pleasure of their first journey to Shannara or Middle Earth.

"The Goose Girl" by Shannon Hale... Flys to the Heart of the Tale (Full Cast Audio / Bloomsbury)

I never imagined that the fable of "The Goose Girl" could be re-imagined in a way that satisfies so completely. The traditional story gives you a princess whose identity is stolen by her handmaiden as she is en route to marry the prince of a distant kingdom - and well... the very idea often left me wondering "How'd she let THAT happen? I mean, Isn't she a princess with some experience being in charge?". In most versions of the original fable, the ruse relies on the notion that the betrothed have never met and that the princess declines to identify herself to the ruling family for unclear or unconvincing reasons. Shannon Hale's take on the traditional tale resolves the mystery of why the princess remains incognito while building a whole new mythos around the story. Placed in a setting with broader scope and richly developed characters, Hale's "The Goose Girl" is an exciting and dangerous twisting of the tale, a re-telling that leads to a cliffhanger finale that is both deeply satisfying and also leaves the reader (listener) craving more. Happily, "The Goose Girl" is part of Hale's 'Books of Bayern' series with additional books highlighting different characters from the shadows of fairy tales and the stellar imagination of the author. Full Cast Audio's version of "The Goose Girl" is my favorite medium for this story as, once again, the cast of voice actors and producers with FCA develop a deep and textured rendition that exceeds the printed text.

"The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman

It's been so long since I've heard a really good ghost story. You know, the kind you tell at a slumber party or campout. I wonder if really good haunting stories are even spoken anymore outside of the realm of movie screens and video games. Naturally, 'jump out and scare the bejesus' moments are artfully crafted and terrifying when you're experiencing CGI special effects that are supported by tension building sound effects. But for younger readers who are neither ready for "Silent Hill" (is anybody?) nor inclined to watch "The Sixth Sense", the written realm is still a grand place to seek spooky thrills and chilling moments. The latest crop of ghostly stories for teen readers this fall include some outstanding titles that seep into the bones with frightening clarity and dead-on spookiness.

Here is the first of my ghostly favorites:

"The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins) has been a long time coming. I first encountered a taste of this graveyard in Gaiman's short story "The Witch's Headstone" which was collected and published in "Dark Alchemy"an outstanding anthology of magical tales from the fantasy genre's A-team of writers. The story felt like there was so much more to be revealed about Bod (short for Nobody), a boy who is being raised by ghosts in a crumbling graveyard for reasons that aren't plain in the short story. I sorely wanted more.

I wasn't the only one, it seems. Gaiman's "The Graveyard Book" opens with an eighteen-month-old baby (It's Bod!) wandering away from the scene of his family's murder and toddling into a graveyard, one baby step away from his own extinction at the hands of the killer. The ghostly denizens of the ancient burial ground, who typically shun human contact, find themselves pressed into service to take responsibility for the endangered child. The tot is tagged by his new family with the name 'Nobody' or 'Bod' for short, and he seems destined to live his life among the dead. There are certainly unique challenges that his ghostly caretakers face; feeding and clothing a child, educating him, and most importantly...keeping him hidden from the curious, and sometimes dangerous outsiders.

Gaiman's deft skill as a wordsmith and storyteller keep the reader buried chin-deep in a rich graveyard world that is at once gothic and funny, frightening and romantic. His enviable talent with an 'economy of words', means that the story never drags with too much explanation and coloration - Gaiman uses perfectly selected words or phrases to communicate volumes.

"The Jack called Ketch saw the boy in front of him. He pulled his black silk cord tight between his hands. It had been stretched around many necks, over the years, and had been the end of every one of the people it had embraced. It was very soft and very strong and invisible to x-rays."

Volumes, dude.

"The Witch's Headstone" reappears as chapter four in this expanded graveyard world, bridging the satisfying backstory of Bod and his hanuted home with the uncertain fate and certain dangers he faces as he grows into a young man moving into the living world. Illustrated by Dave McKean, the sketchy drawings remind me of those that punctuated favorite ghost story collections read during my youth (1970's YA horror collections rocked!). The illustration hints of horror and mood, leaving your eyes and imagination to fill in the misty gaps and empty spaces.

Highly recommended for capable young readers as young as eight and certainly for adults as well, "The Graveyard Book" is an ideal read for any young fan seeking a story that is wonderfully spooky and masterfully told.

SEE ALSO:
"M is for Magic" by Neil Gaiman (HarperTrophy) Also available as unabridged audio
"Coraline" (graphic novel) by Neil Gaiman, Illustrated by P. Craig Russell
"Coraline" (novel) by Neil Gaiman, Illustrated by Dave McKean Also available as unabridged audio

Disclaimer: I'm a huge Gaiman fan and will tell anyone who asks. I tell most who don't ask as well. See? I did it again.