Wendy Orr (1) (1953–)

A Bronze-Age historical fantasy told in prose and verse about life on an island which sends a yearly tribute to the Bull King, a tribute which includes two thirteen year olds for his bull dances.

When the snake priestess’s daughter is born with extra thumbs, it’s seen as an omen that she cannot be her mother’s successor. Aissa is smuggled away to a farming family, but a few years later, she’s separated from them by a raider attack and becomes a lowly, nameless servant in the show more priestess’s household.

This is intriguing and poignant. When Aissa's foster-mama hid her from the raiders, she told Aissa to stay quiet until she returns -- and so Aissa does not speak. But she is smart and resourceful, and her changing circumstances not just keep the story interesting but allow it to show more of what life on the island is like.

The wind howls so strong
she can hardly walk,
the rain lashes so hard
she can hardly see,
but she hears from somewhere
goats bleating,
ble-aah, ble-aahing
and remembers Lanni the goatherd,
“Our summer cave is nearby,
If you need help.”
Aissa doesn’t know how
to ask for help
but this might be
the time to learn. show less

My six-year-old reading companion and I both enjoyed Nim's Island very much. It's adventure-oriented without being dark or terrifying. (The marine iguana and sea lion sidekicks help there. Parents with sensitive readers might want to know that Nim's mother died in a weird way when she was a baby, something that's brought up repeatedly.) Refreshingly, it doesn't seem to position itself as a "girl book" or a "boy book"--and it plays with gender in neat ways by having its kickass girl lead show more assume an adventure-writer named Alex is a man, even when she tries to clarify that she's not. The "bad guys" are flat and uninteresting, but the "good" characters have more to offer readers, and the story is quite fun.

Also, homeschooling families might enjoy the fact that this particular kickass girl lead's father is unschooling her on their fabulous island. show less

Nim lives on an island with her father, Jack, a marine iguana called Fred, a sea lion called Selkie, and their friend Alex Rover, the adventure writer. Nim's island is the most beautiful place in the world, and she wouldn't live anywhere else. When Jack invites a group of scientists to visit, they bring their children as well. But two of the scientists have plans other than studying algae. By the time Nim discovers what they really want, and what they will do to get it, the children are in show more grave danger. And so is the island! Nim must choose between saving a natural treasure and saving someone's life. show less

Many years before the rise of contemporary YA, Wendy Orr wrote this visceral and raw story, drawn in part from her own real life experiences. Anna bears the brunt of a terrible car accident, breaking her neck and suffering other injuries, which take some time to reveal themselves. Her anger permeates the story, often in the form of sarcastic asides (some of my favourite lines), as Anna rapidly casts aside any illusions of a happy ever after ending. Seventeen-year-old Anna's whole life has show more been derailed and she doesn't know who she even is anymore. A powerful, relevant read about the shattering of hopes and dreams and the remaking of them, cracks included. show less