(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Charles Vess. In this stand-alone novel set in the same world as The Cats of Tanglewood Forest, middle sister Sarah Jane and elderly Aunt Lillian inadvertently drag Sarah Jane's sisters into a battle among fairy clans. De Lint maintains distinct personalities for the many human and magical characters, and Vess's detailed illustrations add to the vintage feel of this tale set in modern times.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Charles Vess. When friendly cats turn orphan Lillian into a kitten to save her from a deadly snake bite, a perilous journey through a magical land ensues. The story is enchantingly dreamlike, and Lillian is a likable heroine. Atmospheric green-tinged illustrations make the setting feel ultimately benign. This is an expansion on the author-illustrator team's story for younger readers, A Circle of Cats.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) YA Though Jay Li seems like any other teenager, albeit with a mysterious dragon tattoo, he's on a quest to find a community to serve and protect, just like his shapeshifting dragon ancestors. Engaging characters bring an Arizona border town to life as de Lint skillfully weaves Chinese folklore, Mexican cooking, barrio rock, gang violence, and desert beauty into this satisfying coming-of-age fantasy.

Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian

(4) YA Miguel has a boring life until he meets the new girl in town who just happens to be a shape-shifting dingo. Suddenly he's traveling to Australia in his dreams and battling for both of their lives. Though the story can be a little slow, bogged down with exposition, it is nonetheless original and generally enthralling.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess

(3) YA Country girl T.J. is miserable in her family's new suburban home--and so is Elizabeth, the six-inch-tall punker chick who lives in T.J.'s wall. The girls' dissatisfaction takes them to the city where they encounter numerous dangers. Their parallel stories draw on both fantasy and YA tropes for an enjoyable dual identity quest.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) YA When seventeen-year-old Imogene moves with her mother and brother, she's determined to turn over a new leaf, and she resolves to help her new friend Maxine do the same. Imogene, Maxine, and the school ghost, Adrian, tell this supernatural story of unexpected friendship. The voices of the three protagonists are engaging from start to finish.

Reviewer: Becky Levine

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Charles Vess. This story is not as intriguing as a related tale in de Lint's collection Waifs and Strays, but readers will enjoy the account of Lillian's transformation into a cat. When a snake gives Lillian a fatal bite, the feral cats in the forest use their magic to change her into a cat to prevent her death. A tree spirit helps Lillian turn back into a girl. Lillian's cartoonlike appearance is at odds with the otherwise realistic illustrations.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) YA Renowned as a writer of contemporary urban fantasy for adults, De Lint sometimes features younger protagonists in his short stories, sixteen of which are gathered in this strong collection. Vampires, fairies, trolls, and ghosts all make appearances, but the stories are most effecting when they center on the longings of the human--or not-quite-human--heart.

Reviewer: Anne St. John