Happy December First!  I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving, assuming you’re of the turkey day persuasion.  I blogged about why I was grateful–yes, grateful–to be selling a house and going a bit nuts doing so on that illustrious day.  You can find it here, in case you need a laugh.

Now, on to the spotlight!  I know I’m cheating just a bit in featuring First Light as a middle grade, but it’s okay ’cause my librarian gave me permission!  As we were discussing great winter stories she’d read, she suggested this one, then confessed I’d have to go upstairs to the YA section to find it.  But, as she pointed out, it’s placed in the MG section as often as not, and at fourteen the protagonists can go either way.

After reading it, I’m still on the fence as to where it belongs, but lean middle grade…if only because it’s so cool!  The first thing to make a big impression on me was the depth of the world building and research Rebecca Stead put into this book.  It really blew me away.  I’ve always wanted to travel to the north pole (or south pole, for that matter) and given that dream isn’t likely to come true anytime soon, this was the next best thing.  I was also really impressed with the development of Gracehope.  The small society living beneath the ice was very well realized.  Little things, like their skating everywhere, seem obvious in retrospect but are such a perfect fit that I’m sure they took some brainstorming to come up with.

The story itself–Peter’s story, and Thea’s–was equally well developed.  I did find Peter just the slightest bit whiney and self centered early on, but only in the way teens/tweens often can be, and not so annoying I couldn’t enjoy the sections in his head.  As we switched to Thea’s perspective I found myself deeply sympathetic to her as a person, as well as her cause.  Later on I felt that sympathy took an unnecessary hit as she makes a choice which impacts others and could be seen as thoughtless.  A little more motivation there–which would have been easy to share–could have prevented that issue.  But, honestly, at that point we’re dicing straws because there was never a moment I wasn’t thoroughly engaged in the story and able to switch heads with each chapter–no mean feat to accomplish!

I loved the way the science of the world would lead to further discussion, and I found myself digging back into my memories of college bio classes, wishing I remembered more.  But perhaps the story’s most important check mark was that I loved the wrap up and was satisfied with how the ‘villians’ were dealt with.  A few questions are left unanswered, and I’m hoping for a sequel.  However, if no second book is forthcoming, the story will still hold together in my mind as a tale I’ve loved, no seconds required.

Now…given the importance of dogs in this, I tremble to ask the Apricot-kitty.  Yet, it must be done.  So, let’s see what she has to say:

“Only dogs–and people dependent on dogs–would be stupid enough to seal themselves inside a world of ice.  If Grace and her people were truly intelligent, they’d have found a way to get cats involved, and quite likely prevented all the fear and struggles that followed.  You people and your reliance on dogs…it’s really quite pathetic.”

This from a cat who rather likes roaming over the four fenced acres our dog patrols for her, free of concerns that stray dogs, cats, or wilderness creatures will trouble her.  But she does bring up a point.  I wonder why it was dogs, and no other animals, which the ancestors of Gracehope turned too?  I suppose we’ll never know…unless a sequel satisfies that question!  One can only hope. 🙂

For more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday interviews, spotlights, reviews and giveaways, stop by Shannon Messenger’s blog, and happy reading!

Share, share away: