Author: Sharon Tyler

Book Review: The City’s Son by Tom Pollock

/ Sharon Tyler / 1 Comment

[Cover]

The City’s Son

The City’s Son by Tom Pollock is an urban fantasy novel which marks the debut of the author. The book is suitable for young adults and adults.

Beth Bradley is a rebel, and a girl great with a can of spray paint. She spend her fee time tagging the city, while her friend Pen scrawls poetry to accompany it. Beth’s father is lost in grief over his late wife, and Pen is trapped by the expectations and demands of others. After a daring evening an apparent betrayal separates the friends and sends them both out into a world born of the very essence of London. They have very different paths, and different dreams. Beth meets Urchin, the prince of the streets who opens her eyes to the layers of the world around her. The city and all of its components are alive, and there is a major battle brewing. Reach, a source of death and destruction, is trying to rise, and the city’s creature are abuzz with rumors that Urchin’s Goddess and mother might be returning to fight the final battle. But when the battle is over, who will have won and what will the final price be?

The City’s Son is a original and engaging read. Beth is a risk taker, and is so used to making her own decisions that she does no bow to the voices of those who expect her to. A prince, his people, and their expectations can not withstand her will. She is a strong girl, but still carries a vulnerability that makes her feel real. The collection of the city’s creatures were imaginative an believable. I could easily see some of those statues coming to life, of reflections in skyscrapers taking on a life of their own. The mix of imagination and absolute reality come together perfectly. I will admit to looking at light bulbs, telephone wires, and bricks in a different way since finishing the book.

I highly recommend The City’s Son to teens and adults that like urban fantasy novels that carry with it a fresh perspective of the world, and yourself. There is just as much exploration into what Beth, Pen, and others want as there is the physical world around them.  The story is unique, with a skill in building a world that exists along side our own that reminds me of Neil Gaiman and Holly Black’s work. The introduction to a society that very well could be real, but since we are so good at ignoring what we do not want to see I doubt we would ever notice it. If you are looking for something fun, adventurous, and different then this is a must read!

A version of this review was previously posted on Sharon the Librarian.

Connecticut Childrens Authors- Chapter Book Edition

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There is something amazing about reading a book and recognizing locations that you have visited, or those that you knew extremely well. It is even better when you read an author’s biography and realize that someone who’s work you enjoy lives nearby. It connects me to that story, and that author, even more. Here are some authors of children’s chapter books that live right here in the Nutmeg State that you might want to explore.

Suzanne Collins lives in village of Sandy Hook Connecticut,  a town of which everyone is now familiar, with her husband and their two children. You might know her best for the Hunger Games series, but prior to that she wrote for several television series on Nickelodeon  and Scholastic Entertainment. She also wrote a very popular The Underland Chronicles, which began with Gregor the Overlander.

Gregor the Overlander

Hunger Games

Patricia Reilly Giff is a resident of Weston Connecticut. You might recognize her name from a wide range of chater books that focus on normal children and families becoming extraordinary through everyday life. She is the author of the Zigzag Kids series, the Polk Street School Books series, Eleven, Wild Girl, Water Street, and a number more very popular titles. Patricia Reilly Giff has received the Newbery Honor for Pictures of Hollis Woods and Lily’s Crossing, which is also a Boston Globe Horn Book Honor Book. Her book Nory Ryan’s Song was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and an ALA Notable Book.

Wild Girl

Nory Ryan’s Song

Suzy Kline lives in Torrington Connecticut. She has written several chapter book that you might recognize; such as the Herbie Jones series, the Horrible Harry series, the Song Lee series, Orp, and Molly’s in a Mess. She often visits classrooms and talks to students about writing. When she does, she brings along a bag of rejections to show that even a now successful writer had her share of ‘no thank you’s’ in the beginning.

Orp and the FBI

Horrible Harry and the Secret Treasure

Mike Lupica is a New York Times bestselling author of several books for young readers, he also happens to live in New Canaan Connecticut. His books tend to focus on sports, and everything that goes along with achievement and teamwork. Some of his most popular titles include Heat, Hero, The Underdogs, and the Comeback Kids series.

Heat

Long shot : A Comeback Kids novel

Connecticut Picturebook Authors

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Did you know that some of the most famous, and most loved, children’s authors live in Connecticut? I know that when I sat down determined to find out if any of my favorite authors are, or were, local I was amazed at the caliber of wonderful children’s books that were written right here in Connecticut. Here is a sampling of my favorite picturebook authors that I discovered to be own state treasures.

Mercer Mayer is the writer and illustrator for Little Critter First Readers, as well as Little Critter Spectrum. He began writing and illustrating children’s books in 1966 and has published over 300 titles. He also happens to live in Roxbury Connecticut. I loved the Little Critter books growing up, and now I get to share that love with my children with books like Just for You, There’s a Nightmare in My Closet and Just Go to Bed.

There’s a Nightmare in My Closet

Just for You

Anne Rockwell lives in Old Greenwich Connecticut. You might recognize her name from many picturebooks that are family and library favorites. Many of Anne’s early works were illustrated by her husband Harlow Rockwell. After his death in 1988, their daughter Lizzy stepped up and illustrated many of her books. Apples and Pumpkins, Whoo! Whoo! Goes the Train, and The First Snowfall are some of my favorites.

The First Snowfall

Apples and Pumpkins

Nancy Elizabeth Wallace grew up in Rowayton Connecticut, and now lives in Branford Connecticut. She writes and illustrates her picturebooks with cut paper art style images. Nancy often does research at the library for her science based books. She also collects what she is writing about, so that she can see and touch them in order to spark wonder, curiosity, questions, and better understanding. Stars! Stars! Stars!, Baby Day!, Pumpkin Day!, and Count Down to Clean Up! are some of her books that I remember most.

Count Down to Clean Up!

Baby Day!

Unfortunately, one of my favorite children’s author that was born and raised in Meriden Connecticut has since moved up to New Hampshire, Tomie De Paola. He is best known for his Strega Nona books and unique illustration style. Tomie dePaola has written (and/or illustrated) over 200 books for children. He and his work has received the Smithson Medal from the Smithsonian Institution, the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota, and the Regina Medal from the Catholic Library Association. My children and I love the books about Strega Nona, Big Anthony, and Bill and Pete books.

Pete and Bill to the Rescue

Strega Nona

Sadly, last year an amazing Connecticut resident, that also happened to be renowned children’s authors and illustrator, passed away. Maurice Sendak, passed away in May of 2012. This Ridgefield Connecticut resident wrote over twenty books, and illustrated more than four times that many. Most connect his name with Where the Wild Things Are, but I fondly remember Chicken Soup with Rice and his illustrations in Else Holmelund Minarik’s Little Bear books as well.

Little Bear

Where the Wild Things Are

There are several phenomenal authors of adult books, young adult books, and children’s chapter books here in our little state as well. I will be sharing some information and favorite books from those Connecticut residents in the weeks to come, so stay tuned.