Firebirds Soaring

November 15, 2008
This follow-up to Firebirds Rising (2006) will hold great appeal for fantasy fans who don 't mind exchanging their epics for short stories. From the lush and lyrical to the minimalist, soaring is exactly what these stories do, taking the reader through unexplored lands of the fantastic, well beyond wizards, vampires and faeries. Some stories are clearly rooted in fantasy legends, like Nina Kiriki Hoffman 's flowing centerpiece, "The Ghosts of Strangers. " Others, like Carol Emshwiller 's "The Dignity He 's Due, " employ some characterizations and settings that step just beyond reality, satisfying those who can 't get enough of the urban fantasy genre. Each story includes an author 's note for further information. Traditional themes in YA literature, including romance, deception and family relations, drive the stories. Both acclaimed and lesser-known authors are included, so readers who pick this up because they recognize a favorite author 's name may discover new favorites. (Short stories/fantasy. YA)

(COPYRIGHT (2008) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

December 1, 2008
Gr 9 Up-This anthology, the third volume in the series, contains 19 short stories by some of the top writers in this genre. Nancy Springer opens the volume with a story of a precocious young princess with a gift of discernment who unearths the controlling power of the moon goddess hidden in a golden ring. Nancy Farmer takes readers on a magical train ride into eternity. Margo Lanagan's "Ferryman" reveals the dark and dreary life of the boatman of the dead, while Jane Yolen and Adam Semple offer up the brutal, very adult retelling of "Little Red Riding Hood" as a sexually abused young woman who copes with her pain by cutting herself and disappearing into a fantasy world. The selections vary in length, with some short stories, some novellas. Each work is introduced by an evocative illustration that beautifully sets the scene for the written work. The variety of styles and themes and a gathering together of so many talented writers in one work offer readers a banquet for the imagination. For fans of the genre, this is a must read."Debra Banna, Sharon Public Library, MA"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2009
Grades 7-12 The third anthology in the Firebirds series is even more expansive, with 19 stories that range from fantasy to futuristic to historical to genre defying. The latter includes some stand-outs, like Carol Emshwillers poignant The Dignity Hes Due, about a homeless family living off the Appalachian Trail, the mother of which believes her son is heir to the throne of France; or Candas Jane Dorseys disquieting Dolly the Dog-Soldier, about a litter of human puppies adopted from the arfenedge and trained as assassins. Margo Lanagans Ferryman and Jane Yolen and Adam Stemples Little Red reimagine familiar figures in unusual ways. Ellen Klages, Kara Dalkey, and Marly Youmans also contribute strong pieces. At the center of the book is Nina Kiriki Hoffmans short novel, The Ghosts of Strangers, a storyabout dragons and ghosts and a little girl who is integral to both. Despite the variety, similar themes echo throughout the stories and, along with Dringenbergs smoky, evocative graphite illustrations, make the collection cohesive while still encompassingthe depth and breadth of speculative fiction.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2009
Innovative narrative construction, explorations of the fuzzy border between fantasy and reality, and an excellent balance of well- and lesser-known authors characterize this latest Firebirds anthology. With all original tales and not a weak entry in the bunch, here is a worthy addition to the rich canon of speculative fiction.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2009
The "speculative fiction" label of this latest Firebirds anthology allows for a variety of interpretations, from straight-up fantasy (Nina Kiriki Hoffman's eerie novella "The Ghosts of Strangers") and science fiction (Kara Dalkey's fascinating "Flatland") to Elizabeth Wein's thrilling, touching, but entirely reality-based tale of a gender-bending World War II pilot who enlists in her dead brother's place. The resulting collection may be less thematically focused than the previous Firebird offerings, but the stories are no less compelling. Some, like Sherwood Smith's "Court Ship" and Clare Bell's "Bonechewer's Legacy," are companions to established series (though still accessible to newcomers). Others, like Ellen Klages's trippy, slightly creepy "Singing on a Star," showcase authors writing outside the genres for which they are best known. Innovative narrative construction (Candas Jane Dorsey's empowering "Dolly the Dog-Soldier"; Jo Walton's dreamlike "Three Twilight Tales"); explorations of the fuzzy border between fantasy and reality ("The Dignity He's Due" by Carol Emshwiller); and an excellent balance of well- and lesser-known authors are featured. With all original tales and not a weak entry in the bunch, here is a worthy addition to the rich, label-defying canon of speculative fiction.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 15, 2008
This follow-up to Firebirds Rising (2006) will hold great appeal for fantasy fans who don't mind exchanging their epics for short stories. From the lush and lyrical to the minimalist, soaring is exactly what these stories do, taking the reader through unexplored lands of the fantastic, well beyond wizards, vampires and faeries. Some stories are clearly rooted in fantasy legends, like Nina Kiriki Hoffman's flowing centerpiece, "The Ghosts of Strangers. " Others, like Carol Emshwiller's "The Dignity He's Due, " employ some characterizations and settings that step just beyond reality, satisfying those who can't get enough of the urban fantasy genre. Each story includes an author's note for further information. Traditional themes in YA literature, including romance, deception and family relations, drive the stories. Both acclaimed and lesser-known authors are included, so readers who pick this up because they recognize a favorite author's name may discover new favorites. (Short stories/fantasy. YA)

(COPYRIGHT (2008) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)