From: Arthur Slade <art>
Date: Sun, 05 Dec 1999 14:37:42 -0500

Two of my favorites are not s well known yet, they were only released in the last few months.

For a picture book it's "The Bone Talker" by Shelley Leedahl, illustrated by Bill Slavin published by Red Deer Press

This is the story of an old woman whose "life had wound down like a clock." All she hears now are her bones talking to her about old age. The villagers, her family and her husband desperately try to find ways to get her to rise out of her sad state, and eventually start bringing her pieces of cloth for her to sew. This revives her and she ends up sowing a magical cloth that turns into ... well I can't give away the ending, because that would ruin the story. It's a wonderful synthesis of text and art.

For a novel it would be "Kalifax" by Duncan Thorton, Illustrations by Yves Noblet published by Coteau Books.

This is a fantasy novel for ages ten and up, about Tom, an adventurous boy who travels on a huge sailing ship trying to pass through the icy roof of the world, so they can come down to the other side where
"islands bloom like flowers." The crew see Tom as their Kalifax, which is an elven good luck charm. The book features battles with snow goblins, ice trolls and polar bears. And an appearance by Grandfather Frost. Though the story is a grand adventure, what I was most taken with was Thorton's inventive use of language.

Art

-******************* Arthur G. Slade Author of "Draugr" and "The Haunting of Drang Island" (Orca Books)
"Fright" novels for young adults http://www.arthurslade.com Reviews of books & graphic novels http://www.arthurslade.com/reviewzone.html
Received on Sun 05 Dec 1999 01:37:42 PM CST