Carmer and Grit, Book One: The Wingsnatchers (Volume 1) - Softcover

SARAH JEAN HORWITZ grew up next door to a cemetery and down the street from an abandoned fairytale theme park, which probably explains a lot. She currently lives near Boston, MA. Find her on Twitter, @sunshineJHwitz, or at sarahjeanhorwitz.com.

Gr 4–6—Felix Carmer III should not be seeing the small fairy who is scowling at him. Sure, as the apprentice to Antoine the Amazifier, Carmer performs magic, but those are just tricks, and the automatons he builds are all gears and springs, not real magic. This fairy, Princess Grettifrida, is full of real magic and opinions. For one, she demands to be called Grit and nothing else. Together they learn that the master behind the evil, glowing-eyed Wingsnatchers (mechanical fairy-snatching cats) is none other than the master magician, The Mechanist, who hides his true identity as technology tycoon Titus Archer under a mask of whirring gears. When Grit and Carmer discover the truth, loyalties are strained and Grit ends up in grave, iron-enclosed danger. The resolution is explosive for The Mechanist and quieter for Grit and Carmer. This world is part magical fairy dust and part steampunk mechanics. Grit starts off feeling powerless and different, since she has only one wing, but eventually realizes that the power inside her is greater than anyone guessed. Though the main characters have distinct personalities and the plot is original, the pacing is a bit like the automatons featured in it: in need of a good wind to get it moving again every once in a while. However, the way technology and magic must both be used to solve the problem will result in thoughtful reader reflection. VERDICT Fans of steampunk and fairies might find this adventure intriguing. A solid secondary purchase for medium to large middle grade collections.—Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA