Fresh Approaches: New Editions and Reissues
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Joy Fleishhacker -- School Library Journal, 7/30/2008 10:32:00 AM
Paperback Perk Up: Middle Grade Fiction
Revive—or fill in—your fiction collection with paperback editions of popular and critically acclaimed novels, each adorned with a fresh, attention-grabbing cover.
In a fantasy staple by Diana Wynne Jones, Sophie Hatter is transformed into an old lady by a horrible spell and hopes to undo the curse by climbing aboard Howl’s Moving Castle (1986), where she interacts with the unfeeling Wizard Howl, matches wits with a clever fire demon, and—inadvertently—falls in love. Well respected in its own right, Jones’s novel inspired an animated Japanese fantasy film of the same title (2004), directed by Hayao Miyazaki, which was dubbed into English and released to positive reviews in the U.S. The companion volume, Castle in the Air (1991), features the same blend of adventure, emotion, and mystery. Greenwillow has reissued both books with new cover art by John Rocco, light-infused paintings that use texture, shadowing, and bright hues to emulate the airy spirit of the novels. Howl’s Moving Castle includes an interview with the author about the book’s characters and plot.
In the oldie-but-goody category, HarperTrophy presents a reissue of Mary O’Hara’s horse classic, My Friend Flicka (1940), the first of a trilogy that inspired several film adaptations and a 1950s television series. Set on a ranch in Wyoming, this timeless tale involves a strong-willed boy, a gloriously wild filly, and a series of difficult choices. The crisp cover photo of a horse will captivate animal lovers.
Suzanne Fisher Staples’s beautifully written Under the Persimmon Tree (Farrar, 2005) takes on more current-day issues, as Najmah, a girl orphaned by the 2001 Afghan War, makes a dangerous journey across the border to safety. Meanwhile, Nusrat, an American-Muslim woman married to an Afghan husband, is in Peshawar, Pakistan, teaching refugee children. The characters' lives, and viewpoints, intertwine to tell a moving and fascinating story. The Square Fish paperback features a haunting photographic cover in sepia tones and includes an interview with the author.
In another realistic novel, Jill Wolfson’s 11-year-old narrator provides a first-person account of What I Call Life (Holt, 2005). When her unstable mother has an “episode” in front of the prying eyes of strangers, Cal is placed in a group home run by an elderly woman called the Knitting Lady. This thoughtful, ultimately uplifting book stitches together the stories of Cal and her four roommates with the tales of two girls from the past. Appropriately, the Square Fish paperback features a cover photo of a girl—sporting red fingernails and lime-green Keds—knitting. An author interview is appended.
On a lighter note, 12-year-old Stuart, who has a knack for finding trouble, has been told by his mother that if he gets Busted! (Roaring Brook, 2004) one more time, she’ll make him quit soccer. When the inevitable happens, Stuart hatches a plan to set things right, but his scheme unfolds with unexpected consequences. The Square Fish edition of Betty Hicks’s funny but heartfelt story, featuring a cover with two stylized soccer players entangled on the field, will flag down sports fans. Once again, a “Go Fish” author interview is included.
Pub Info
HICKS, Betty. Busted! Square Fish. 2008. pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-0-312-38053-3.
JONES, Diana Wynne. Castle in the Air. Greenwillow. 2008. pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-0-06-147877-2.
_____. Howl’s Moving Castle. Greenwillow. 2008. pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-0-06-147878-9.
O’HARA, Mary. My Friend Flicka. HarperTrophy. 2008. pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-0-06-137463-0.
STAPLES, Suzanne Fisher. Under the Persimmon Tree. Square Fish, 2008. pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-312-37776-2.
WOLFSON, Jill. What I Call Life. Square Fish, 2008. pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-0-312-37752-6.
