I was so excited to see there was so much interest in a Mother & Son Book Club! Looking at all the responses, and the age range for those children signed up to participate, I thought long and hard about the first selection. I’m pleased to announce the first selection is:
The Real Boy by Anne Ursu!
On an island on the edge of an immense sea there is a city, a forest, and a boy. The city is called Asteri, a perfect city saved by the magic woven into its walls when a devastating plague swept through the world years before. The forest is called the Barrow, a vast wood of ancient trees that encircles the city and feeds the earth with magic. And the boy is called Oscar, a shop boy for the most powerful magician in the Barrow, who spends his days in the dark cellar of his master’s shop grinding herbs and dreaming of the wizards who once lived on the island. Oscar’s world is small, but he likes it that way. The real world is vast, strange, and unpredictable. And Oscar does not quite fit in it.
But it’s been a long time since anyone who could call himself a wizard walked the world, and now that world is changing. Children in the city are falling ill; something sinister lurks in the forest. Oscar has long been content to stay in his small room, comforted in the knowledge that the magic that flows from the trees will keep his island safe. Now, even magic may not be enough to save it.
Anne Ursu has written an unforgettable story of transformation and belonging—a spellbinding tale of the way in which the power we all wield, great and small, lies in the choices we make.
Just released today!
To participate in this book club discussion, please fill out the form below. As a special treat from the publisher, I have one copy of this book to give away. The winner will be chosen randomly from the responses to the form below. The winner will be contacted by Friday, October 4 and the book will be sent shortly thereafter. Additionally, all participants will received a signed bookplate from the author!
The official book club discussion will take place here, in a blog post devoted to the discussion, starting on November 1. This should give anyone ample time to get their hands on a copy and read! Stay tuned for announcements of Twitter/Facebook discussions throughout the month of October. If you have any questions, please enter into the comments below or email me directly at jennsbookshelf@gmail.com.
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