The best in children’s literature, selected by Jim Whiting.
Deva Fagan
Deva Fagan [http://www.devafagan.com] likes searching for patterns, which is how she explains both her degree in mathematics and the echoes of old fairy tales in her stories. She lives in Maine with her husband and her dog. This is her first book.
Ever since her mother died and her father lost his shoemaking skills, Fortunata has survived by telling fake fortunes. But when she’s tricked into telling a grand fortune for a prince, she is faced with the impossible task of fulfilling her wild prophecy-or her father will be put to death. Now Fortunata has to help Prince Leonato secure a magic sword, vanquish a wicked witch, discover a long-lost golden shoe, and rescue the princess who fits it. If only she hadn’t fallen in love with the prince herself!
FORTUNE’S FOLLY
Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
April 14, 2009
Fantasy
272 pages
Ages: 9 and up
$17.99
Grandparents would find Fortune’s Folly a good book for “tween” readers (especially girls) who are fans of such authors as Shannon Hale and Jessica Day George, and enjoy clean “PG-rated” stories with romance, adventure, humor and the flavor of a fairy-tale. The main character is a strong, spunky girl who makes mistakes but eventually triumphs by being smart and using her wits. It is my hope she will inspire young readers to believe that they don’t need magic or a “special destiny” to do good in the world.
For a sample chapter, please visit http://www.devafagan.com/fortunes-folly-excerpt/.
For more information about Jim, please see www.jimwhiting.com. To inquire about availability of specific titles or to send a comment, write him at jimruns3@gmail.com.