Librarians get recommendations from books from all sorts of places- the newspaper, magazines, catalogs, emails from book companies. However, the absolute best recommendations for me are from my students. Last week a former student Jenny stopped by to visit. Jenny and I have had lots of fun conversations about books in past years, so when she stopped by to visit me my first question after  the polite- “how are you, how is school,”etc, etc, was “What have you been reading?”   Her answers had me heading for the store to buy The Black Book of Secrets and The Bone Magician by F.E. Higgins.

F.E. Higgins is a British writer, who has an extraordinary talent for word choice. Even though this is a 21st century book, opening page one is like stepping into 19th century England.Every word, every phrase removes you from the chair you are sitting in, to the grim and macabre world of Ludlow Fitch and the pawnbroker Zoe Zabbidou who buys people’s inner most secrets and has Ludlow record them in his special black book.  I’m really at quite a loss for words as how to describe these books. I wish I had her talent for storytelling. What I can tell you is that once I opened each book, I couldn’t put them down.  If you are looking for a series that will take you on an extraordinary journey, start with the Black Book of Secrets. (ages grade 5+) Even better, see what F.E. Higgins has to say for herself! Keep Reading, Mrs. Hembree