Here is a review a long time coming. I am still working on my pile of chapter books from this summer. This one actually finishes the books I shared back in June but the pile has grown with some new ones. I'll share them at the end of this post in case any will interest you or a reader in your life for the holidays. Today I am sharing a fun fantasy middle grade novel that is full of magic and adventure. The book is Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12.
About the Book:
*Winner of the Good Housekeeping Kids' Book Awards*From the bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches comes an action-packed, enchanting middle grade fantasy about a neurodivergent heroine, a mysterious school, and a world of magical creatures. Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Roshani Chokshi.
"Thrilling, funny, and suspenseful." - Craig Kofi Farmer, Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award-winning author of Kwame Crashes the Underworld
★ "Fast-paced and engaging... This is a beautiful, inclusive work that’s also a terrific story." - School Library Journal
Eleven-year-old Vanya Vallen has always felt like she doesn’t fit in. She’s British-Indian in a mostly white town in England, her parents won’t talk about their pasts, and she has ADHD.
Oh, and she talks to books. More importantly, the books talk back.
When her family is attacked by a monster she believed only existed in fairytales, Vanya discovers that her parents have secrets, and that there are a lot more monsters out there. Overnight, she’s whisked off to the enchanted library and school of Auramere, where she joins the ranks of archwitches and archivists.
Life at Auramere is unexpected, exciting and wonderful. But even here, there’s no escaping monsters. The mysterious, powerful Wild Hunt is on the prowl, and Vanya will need all her creativity and courage to unmask its leader and stop them before they destroy the only place she’s ever truly belonged.
From Me:
Vanya is an eleven-year-old girl living in the United Kingdom. She never feels like she fits in at school but tries very hard to fit in. She has ADHD and has conversations with books. It is only with certain books and not all of the books in her parents' bookshop. She has many questions, but her parents seem to have many secrets that they won't share until one of the secrets shows up at their house. Vanya came back for some reason and discovers her father laying on the floor of the annex to the shop and their upstairs flat. Her mother is upstairs fighting off a monster. She breaks the living room lamp and pulls out a weapon from it. The fight is scary but Vanya steps up and gets the weapon and kills the monster. That is when the secrets start coming out. Soon a man who Vanya does not know is knocking on the door and offers to take Vanya to the magical land where parents went to school and used to live. The adventure begins and she if off to Auramere. The problem is her mother's agreements with the Old Ones have been broken so there is no protection for Vanya. Her mother knows she needs to let Vanya go but also wants to protect her. Vanya goes off to live with Jasper and Roman, her parents' best friends from Auramere. She is discovering that there are archwitches who protect the people from all the Old Ones--the villains of the fairy tales and more and she is a young one who may grow up to fight them as well. It is a whole new world for Vanya, and she actually feels like she fits in but when danger comes what will she do.
This story is creative and mysterious. I love the imagination that created the interesting take on magical animals. There are the usual unicorns that look more like donkeys with horns and then there are pegasus. But then there are creatures like the patrallak or winged deer. The description of Auramere is amazing and sounds so wonderful and mysterious. This book is full fantasy. I also love how many of the tales heard as children are addressed. There is an explanation of the Pied Piper and Baba Yaga is one of the caught Old Ones. It brings in so much of the stories but also provides a fresh take to the idea of magic and why it exists.
I think this book is perfect for kids who love fantasy and mystery. It is well written, and I love that it has such diverse characters. Vanya's mother and Jasper grew up in India. The book makes a wonderful read for a middle grader but also for a class. It would be interesting to discuss the various aspects of Auramere and the connections to what is learned about magic and the tales.
I promised to share some of the chapter books in my reading pile. Here they are with a short description.
1) Mountain Upside Down by Sara Ryan is a middle grade (10-13 year-olds): A funny and heartfelt LGBTQIA+ middle grade novel set against the backdrop of family drama and a library funding campaign in a small town.
2) Maggie and the Mountain of Light by Mark Snoad is a middle grade (8-12 year-olds) novel. It is an exciting, action-packed, fantastical adventure featuring an unlikely and relatable hero. Maggie is an ordinary twelve-year-old girl, struggling with anxiety and allergies, and yet, due to the strength of her friendships, she is able to achieve extraordinary things. With an effortless blend of history and fantasy, matter-of-fact cultural diversity, and many laugh-out-loud moments, Maggie and the Mountain of Light will delight and enthrall readers.
3) Right Beside You by Tucker Shaw is a young adult novel: In this fresh, speculative blend of queer romance and coming-of-age, Eddie meets Theo in present-day New York and Francis in a New York of the past... torn between eras and his heart, he must make a decision that will change his life forever.
4) Coach by Jason Reynolds is the fifth book in the Track Series for ages 10+: In this companion to Jason Reynolds’s award-winning and New York Times bestselling Track series, meet Coach as a boy striving to come into his own as a track star while facing upheaval at home.
5) The Scott Fenwick Diaries by Kristin Nilsen is a young adult (ages 12+) novel: In the tradition of Judy Blume, a contemporary coming-of-age middle-grade comedy for teens and tweens with the honest truth about the angst and uncertainty of pursuing your first real-life crush.
