MMGM: The School Between Winter and Fairyland, by Heather Fawcett

I heard of Heather Fawcett because a lot of people are talking about her latest book for adults, Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Fairies. While putting that one on hold at my library, I noticed that she has a number of books for younger readers that were available to borrow. 

The School Between Winter and Fairyland is blurbed as "a fresh and exciting twist on magical boarding schools," and that it certainly is. I love that our protagonist isn't a student at Inglewood School: she's a beastkeeper. It's definitely a callout to Hagrid from Harry Potter, and anyone who has always wanted to spend more time with him and his magical beasts will love this novel.

I love that Autumn is part of a family, and that families are central to the plot and theme of the novel. Gran is the chief beastkeeper, and assigns chores to Autumn and her three brothers—and if you make Gran mad you'll be deworming the gwarthegs! I love the unique versions of mythical monsters Fawcett comes up with, and how they are all dangerous, but, like any wild animal, if you understand them and treat them properly you don't have to be afraid of them.

The plot was twisty and engrossing, with a real sense of peril but also lots of humorous and heartwarming moments. Autumn's love for her missing brother is a powerful thread driving all her actions; her reluctant friendship with Cai is beautifully developed. The boggart is another great character, loyal and frightening, and then there's Choo the relentlessly friendly dog.

This book was similar to The Phoenix Feather in the way it played with the trope of the Chosen One and notions of heroism. If the world isn't divided into people and monsters, us and them, good guys and bad guys, then a dragon-slaying hero isn't going to be much use. But there are still things that need fighting, and friendship, trust and understanding will be much more effective than swords.

Knowing that Fawcett is such a good writer, I'm now very impatient for my hold on Encyclopaedia of Fairies to come up! I've also put The Grace of Wild Things on hold: a fantasy retelling of Anne of Green Gables! And Fawcett is Canadian; she lives on Vancouver Island, not very far from where I am!

The Marvellous Middle-Grade Monday crew hangs out at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle. You can always find great Middle-Grade picks, every Monday.

This Friday, I will be back with a fun author interview! Michael Roth will talk about dogs, llamas and picture books, and give a little insight into his self-publishing journey. Hope you can join us!