Cinder
Meyer, Marissa. 2020. Cinder. Square Fish. New York, NY. ISBN 978-1250768889
PLOT SUMMARY
Cinder is a young cyborg with exceptional mechanical skills. She lives in New Beijing with her stepmother, Linh Adri, and her stepsisters, Linh Peony and Linh Pearl. Cinder is unable to remember much of her past, except that she was in an accident where her parents died. She only knows Linh Garan found her and brought her to live with his family before he passed. Cinder is not liked by her foster family, except for Linh Peony who seems to be kind to her. In New Beijing, a serious virus known as the plague is killing the population and nobody has a cure for it. While those on earth are battling this plague, the Lunars, who live on the moon are planning an secret earthly invasion. With the sudden death of the Emperor, Prince Kai, the emperor’s son, is trying to devise a plan to help his people without forming an alliance with the untrusting Lunars, especially Queen Lavana. By fate Prince Kai meets Cinder and begins to develop feelings for her. Yet, Cinder is unable to share her feelings with him because she has learned a shocking secret about her life.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This fantasy book is an interesting cross between the beloved fairy tale Cinderella and a new science fiction twist. While some of the characters such as the well-known wicked stepmother and stepsisters, and the Prince are represented in the original Cinderella, this story has other important characters that evolve throughout the story. The setting of the story is developed in the Eastern Commonwealth of New Beijing in a futuristic world. Cyborgs, like Cinder, roam freely through the area. Cinder is an independent and gifted young girl who knows how to fix and mend broken computer and robot pieces. She is often discriminated against for not being completely human, but she does not allow that to affect her. Prince Kai and Cinder form an uncommon bond when they meet, knowing they come from two separate and different societal places. Queen Levana, the Lunar queen is the antagonist who wants to control all those living on earth. She is unable to look into the mirror very much like the wicked witch in the other fairy tales who can only see beauty in herself.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Los Angeles Times- "Terrific”
The Wall Street Journal - “Prince charming among the cyborgs.”
CONNECTIONS
This story will remind us of the classic fairy tales, and how they can have an interesting and entertaining twist.
Other related books:
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Matched by Allie Condie
Activity: Have students make a comic strip of the story using the most important characters within the main events of the book.
Compare and contrast the similarities between the original fairy tale Cinderella and Cinder.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Riggs, Ransom. 2011. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Quirk Books. New York, NY .ISBN 978-1594744761
PLOT SUMMARY
Jacob Portman is a quiet lonesome sixteen year old boy who establishes a special relationship with his senile and delusional grandfather, Abraham Portman. His grandfather has shared many extraordinary stories and odd pictures about the time he lived on an island off the coast of Wales in an orphanage.One day a tragic event happens, and Jacob finds his grandfather injured in his backyard. His grandfather’s death haunts Jacob who decides to visit the island and look for the orphanage for more information. When he gets to the island he finds a delapidated building and soon realizes something is odd and strange about the place. After visiting the house several times, he is one day surrounded by peculiar children who at first run away from him, but soon become his friends. He learns that these children have special talents and live under the protections of Mrs. Peregrine. However, Jacob learns that they live on an endless loop that takes place on September 4, 1940 and are unable to leave the island. Jacob also discovers a group known as wights, who are monsters that have eaten so many peculiar people that has made them revert back to have some human resemblance. The wights have an evil plan to become immortal and take over the world. Together with his new friends, Jacob, Emma, Millard, and a few more peculiars try to stop this disaster from happening.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a mysterious and fantastically brilliant written story about a group of children with unique and powerful talents. Each character is described with their extraordinary abilities that almost seem like magic. As with many fantasy books there are villainous characters that depict monstrous nightmares. The wights and hollowgasts are set out to destroy the lives of many peculiars that have been in hiding for centuries. The setting of the story jumps from the present to the 1940s during World War II. The book has vintage photographs of many of the characters which adds a realistic quality to the story. The language and vocabulary used by the characters in the past add to the realism of the story. The characters from the 1940s live in Wales and speak a different language than modern English.
REVIEWS
Associated Press- “Riggs deftly moves between fantasy and reality, prose and photography to create an enchanting and at times positively terrifying story.”—
Awards:
New York's Time bestsellerCONNECTIONS
This book reminds me of the X-Men comic books where the characters have certain mutant powers that make them different and feared.
Other related books:
The Young Elites by Mary Lu
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Activity: Students can create a character with a peculiar quality and add it to the list of peculiars.
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The Lost Years of Merlin
Barron, T.A. 1996. The Lost Years of Merlin. Tom Doherty Associates LLC. New York, NY. ISBN 978-0812577778
PLOT SUMMARY
A young boy, Emrys, washes us on a shore of a distant and unfamiliar place with a woman who has healing knowledge. The woman, Branwen, insists she is his mom and takes care of the boy as he is unable to remember anything about his past. Branwen keeps to herself and on random occasions will share with him insignificant details about their lives. Emrys realizes that he possesses some form of magical powers that lets him sense trouble before it starts, and an agility to climb high up on trees. After accidentally injuring a bully villager, Dinatius, Emrys decides to leave and embark in a mythical and imaginative journey where his sole purpose is to discover anything he can about his past, his home, and his family. In this journey he meets several important characters such as Rhia, a young and kind girl who needs help for her land. Emry carries with him a powerful pendant known as the Galator that Branwen gives him which contains enough power to destroy evil. Emrys is unaware of who he is, but soon discovers information about his past that helps him understand why Branwen escaped and hid for many years.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is filled with mythical creatures and characters filled with magic. The setting of the story changes between Earthly places and magical worlds filled with imagination. Most of the story takes place in the woods where creatures such as giants, goblins, and ghouls roam the place. The ability of Emrys to foretell the future and his relationship with nature depict the importance of the magic he possesses. However, Emrys is cautious in using any of his powers because part of him fears that he is unable to control it, and therefore could end up hurting others. The villain, Rhita Gawr and Stangmar are in search of all the power known to their kind, and Emrys is unaware that he is the only thing that can save the people from them. With the use of imagery, the plants and animals in the forest come to life and they demonstrate a true connection with the people that surround them.
REVIEWS
Kirkus Review, “Barron transforms the early years of the mythical wizard's life into a vivid, action-filled fantasy, replete with deep forests, ruined castles, and evil spells: a promising first installment of a projected trilogy.”
Awards:
Grummond Medallion
Nautilus Award
CONNECTIONS
The book reminds us of the power of love between a parent and their child and the ability to conquer even the darkest days with it.
Other related books:
The Once and Future King by T. H. White
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Activity: Students can create illustrations of the worlds and characters encountered in the books.
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