Marvelous Middle Grade (Minnesota) Monday: Breadcrumbs

Many nights I stayed up too late speeding through my advance reading copy of Breadcrumbs (to be released by Walden Pond Press in September) because the book is that good. Written by Anne Ursu, Minnesotan and author of the Cronus Chronicles trilogy, this novel will delight, challenge, and entertain. Ms. Ursu's capture of the middle grade voice is true and marvelous, and she causes us all to ponder - What kind of friend am I? She also artfully weaves a middle grader's perspective on divorce, adoption, and minority ethnicity into the story without these becoming the story.

The premise: Hazel and Jack were best friends. But then he wouldn't talk to her. And Jack vanished into the forest, reportedly with a shimmering woman covered in ice. No one paid attention or seemed concerned, least of all his parents. So Hazel entered the forest to find him.

What keeps readers reading: A real world (which is extra fun for Minnesotans) and an imaginary one rolled into one believable place coupled with characters who encounter decisions and change. Woven with Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen" in mind, Anne Ursu sculpts a tale all her own, rich with struggle and abounding in mysterious magic. Hazel must conquer her fears, reach beyond herself to help Jack, and care about the good of others rather than what might happen to herself. Breadcrumbs is the story of one brave girl, daring to do right, no matter the outcome.

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September 27th, 2011! Snag your copy of Anne Ursu's Breadcrumbs. And snuggle in. You'll get lost in its world.