Ghoulish Song by William Alexander. 166 p. Margaret K. McElderry Books/ Simon & Schuster, April, 2014. 9781442427303.
Publisher synopsis: A brave girl flees a ghoul while trying to save her town in this lively, fast-paced companion to National Book Award winner Goblin Secrets.
Kaile lives in Zombay, an astonishing city where goblins walk the streets and witches work their charms and curses. Kaile wants to be a musician and is delighted when a goblin gives her a flute carved out of bone. But the flute’s single, mournful song has a dangerous consequence: It separates Kaile and her shadow. Anyone without a shadow is considered dead, and despite Kaile’s protests that she’s alive and breathing, her family forces her to leave so she can’t haunt their home.
Kaile and her shadow soon learn that the troublesome flute is tied to a terrifying ghoul made from the bones of those who drowned in the Zombay River. With the ghoul chasing her and the river threatening to flood, Kaile has an important role to play in keeping Zombay safe. Will Kaile and her shadow be able to learn the right tune in time?
Set in the delightful and dangerous world of Goblin Secrets, Ghoulish Song is a gripping adventure laced with humor and mystery from National Book Award–winning author William Alexander.
I was cataloging books yesterday. I can usually catalog a book pretty quickly if I have to but I had time, so I took some to read the first lines of each book that I cataloged. Ghoulish Song came in my Junior Library Guild subscription.This one definitely grabbed me. I didn't love Goblin Secrets. I liked it well enough but it didn't grab me as it apparently grabbed the National Book Award judges.
First Line: The last day of Kaile's life did not start well.
Page 56: She looked for her father in the market crowd. She didn't know what she would do if she saw him, or how she would feel. But she didn't have to find out, because she didn't notice anyone she knew-or at least no one she knew by name. A few familiar-looking faces passed through the crowd, but nobody here had attended her funeral.
Ooh, that's intriguing, going to her own funeral!
ReplyDeleteCheck out my Friday 56
Sounds exciting! How sad that her family banished her.
ReplyDeleteHere's the link to my Friday post: Beach House Memories.
This book looks to certainly be intriguing; do you think it is kid friendly? My kids are always looking for something fun to read. I'll see if I can find it in the library too; thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteSparrow's BB & The Friday 56
Definitely kid-friendly Claudia. Middle grade - age 10 - 12-ish. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteBoth excerpts are definitely intriguing! Other book for my wishlist. I've been really enjoying this kind of children's fiction lately and this looks unique. I'll have to look for the first one.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, I've seen this book around but I haven't read it. The excepts have renewed my interest!
ReplyDeleteLooks like an incredibly fun read!
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend!
What a delightful cover and that opening sure grabbed me. I think I'd enjoy this book.
ReplyDeleteHere is my 56 - http://fuonlyknew.com/2014/09/05/the-friday-56-35-cursed-a-guardian-chronicles-novel-by-trakena-prevost/