Beware those origami dragons

"The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter," a clip from Kirkus Reviews trumpets on the cover of  Lisa McMann's new book The Unwanteds. Those are a couple of mighty big book jackets to fill, but after reading this dystopian fantasy, I can see the reviewer's point. I didn't pick up the book based on that blurb, but on the rave review from a fifth grader at my school.
As the novel opens, a group of 13-year-olds are set to be "purged" from the land of Quill. This is an event that happens yearly. The young people are divided into three groups. The Wanteds, those deemed the strongest and most intelligent, will be sent to university. The Necessaries, judged to be average but harmless, are kept to perform menial labor. The Unwanteds, children who have been caught expressing hints of creativity, are sent to their deaths.
We discover by Page 20 (it's also on the book flap, so I'm not spoiling anything) that instead of being eliminated this year (and for many years) the Unwanteds have been saved by magician Marcus Today. He brings them to Artimé, his wondrous haven, where creativity is encouraged and nurtured.
The tale focuses on a pack of boys and girls. Alex, who's the Harry Potterest of the bunch, was purged because he drew in the mud. His artistic talent flourishes in Artimé. He's also a twin, but his brother is a Wanted. That provides Alex with intense heartache and sets up danger later on.
Sticking with the Harry Potter/Hunger Games theme, Lani is a bit of a cross between Hermoine and Katniss.
Quill is a gray, dreary protectionist state run by the evil High Priest Justine. Justine has cut Quill off from all contact or trade with any other people, so the infrastructure and machinery is decrepit.
But Mr. Today and the other leaders of Artimé (who include animals and magical creatures) are convinced that their community will be discovered one day and a battle is inevitable. The children receive magical trainingto prepare
The weapons are quite wonderful. They're based on the artistic talents of the children and teachers. Origami dragons burst into real flame when they hit their targets. Clay balls coat their victims rendering them unable to move. Actors can recite soliloquies that make their victims feel magical daggers plunge into their chests. Most of the weapons are meant to slow the enemy, not kill.
The Unwanteds, while not as complex as Harry Potter, is a good bet for 9- to 12-year-olds who are on their umpteenth reading of the Potter books and need something fun and fresh. It's also a good choice for those tweens who hear the Hunger Games hype and aren't ready for the stark violence of that series. This is a far gentler read.
The Unwanteds is the first in a series.

Here's a cute video of Author McMann talking to Max Burkholder – Max on Parenthood – about the book. He "really, really, really loved it."

-Rebecca Young

Ears above the crowd

A Very Big Bunny
By Marisabino Russo
Schwartz & Wade Books, 40 pages
$17.99, ages 4 to 8

Many picture books are variations on themes that have been appeared frequently before: bedtime, new babies, first day of school. That's not to say that wonderful new books don't get written on familiar themes. After all, even in adult literature, it is said that there are only seven original plots.

But  A Very Big Bunny, by Marisabino Russo, prompted a bit of a "wow" moment. In thousands of picture books, I'm not sure I've seen one about what it feels like to be the tallest kid in the class - or the shortest.
With charm, humor and pathos, Russo covers both in a way that youngsters who feel different in any way can relate to.

Amelia is the very big bunny. Her parents try to convince her that standing out in a crowd is a good thing, but she'd much prefer to be average. The mean girl bunnies at school reinforce her feelings. They tell her that her feet are too big for hopscotch and that they can't turn the jump rope high enough for her.

Amelia reacts by turning into a loner, hanging out by the fence, counting clouds, making dandelion chains.

But one day, a new student comes to class. Susannah is as tiny as Amelia is big. The mean girls start in on her, too, They call her "shrimp" and "pipsqueak" and treat her in similar fashion on the playground. Her feet are too small for hopscotch  and they can't turn the jump rope that low.

Susannah, who has a big personality packed into her tiny body, joins Amelia at the fence. She's exuberant in her efforts to win the friendship of the lonely, timid big bunny. But Amelia resists day after day. Finally when  picture class day (which Amelia dreads) approaches, Susannah comes up with a plan for the pair to be the flashiest bunnies in class. A fast friendship is cemented and Amelia learns that her parents were right, standing out in a crowd is fun, especially if you have someone standing with you.

Russo's gouche paintings are whimsical, detailed, lively and packed with personality.
-Rebecca Young