The Star Thief

February 15, 2017
A debut middle-grade adventure involving constellations that come to life, airships, friendships, revenge, and the fight for survival.In the years just before the turn of the 20th century, Honorine--a white girl with gray eyes and a knack for artifacts and machinery--has lived on the Vidalia Estate for as long as she remembers. For the first years her best friend and playmate was Francis Vidalia, but now he's in school and her days are filled with household chores. When strangers come looking for a book, her world is turned on its head. Honorine is swept up into a world where living constellations--here known as Mordant--are in a fight for their very survival. Before the book is over Honorine will have been on a fantastical flying island that is really a ship; met the scheming white Capt. Nautilus Olyphant and seen the ingenious device with which he has been capturing the Mordant; dealt with the mysterious and somewhat sinister Mapmaker; found out who her parents are; seen monsters emerge from Hades; and made important decisions involving friendship, family, and loyalty. The pace is fast, the characters believable, and the setting original. Though there are some holes in the story, such as exactly what motivates Nautilus, the breakneck pace will not give readers time to ponder such questions. And they probably won't mind a bit. Readers enjoying a mix of fantasy, adventure, and a clever heroine will fall for this one. (Fantasy. 9-12)

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February 1, 2017

Gr 4-7-Honorine's boring life tending fires at Vidalia mansion is disrupted when she discovers strangers invading long-lost Lord Vidalia's study. Before she knows what's happening, she finds herself swept up in the ongoing battle between two powerful men: the Mapmaker and Captain Nautilus. The Mapmaker is the leader of the Mordant, who are physical manifestations of the constellations whose powers help guide humanity. Captain Nautilus leads a crew of scientists who are trying to capture the Mordant and harness their powers-he also happens to be Honorine's father. After Honorine learns she is half-Mordant, she understands that her powers could shift the battle, but it is difficult to tell which side is good and which is bad, especially since her best friend Francis has sided with Nautilus. In the end, saving the world means seeking out one of the last remaining Mordant, Andromeda, who is Honorine's mother. Readers will find it easy to connect emotionally with Honorine as she tries to navigate a world with no clear answers, while fantasy lovers will appreciate the mythological underpinnings of this imaginative new world.

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2017
Grades 5-8 In this adventure of the galactic variety, Honorine's deepest wish is to know a family. And according to the Mapmaker, a strident and fiercely powerful Mordant, she'll betray him to gain her deepest longing. Orphaned as a baby, Honorine discovers Lord Vidalia placed her in his home to protect her from unseen powers that literally light up the night sky. One night, Honorine's life drastically changes when she stumbles upon Mordantsconstellations come to lifeand is reunited with the only person she's ever considered family: Lord Vidalia's son, Francis. The problem? Francis seems to be on the wrong side of the epic battle above, and Honorine is discovering truths about her family that leave her in an extremely sticky situation. Infused with references to constellations and Greek mythological creatures, and stocked with ships that sail through the sky and civilizations succumbing to power and greed over and over again, the invigorating plot ultimately leaves Honorine with only one choice to make. A fun, Rick Riordanesque escapade.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)