Ghoulish Song

February 4, 2013
In this more focused companion to Alexander’s National Book Award–winning debut, Goblin Secrets, the author revisits the macabre city of Zombay to tell another tale of art as the fundamental underpinning of important magic. Kaile is a baker’s daughter who loves music. She crosses paths with a goblin who gives her a bone flute, but when Kaile plays the flute, her shadow separates from her body. Her family believes she has died (“Only the dead don’t have shadows,” her younger brother says), and Kaile is forced to leave home. While seeking the origins of the flute, so she can reunite with her frightened shadow and return to her family, Kaile instead finds her music is the key to saving the city. There is magic in almost every aspect of Alexander’s world, including the sinister sentience of the river and the bones of the drowned, and his graceful prose weaves an engaging fantasy that embraces the power of music. While this story shares its setting and basic plot with the previous book, many questions about Zombay are yet to be answered. Ages 8–12. Agent: Joe Monti, Barry Goldblatt Literary.

April 29, 2013
In the town of Zombay, where goblins, witches, and ghouls are prevalent, young Kaile is given a flute by a goblin. When she plays it, a magical song severs her from her shadow. Unfortunately, in her land, a person without a shadow is presumed to be dead, and Kaile is first mourned as deceased and then chased away under the assumption that she is an undead ghoul. She and her detached shadow set off on an adventure to learn the secret of the flute, and, in so doing, discover that music can save the town. Author William Alexander reads in a friendly, engaging voice, ably conveying all the humor, drama, and of his book. He skillfully evokes the very likable, spunky, resourceful, and sometimes impulsive character of Kaile. And although he does not create true character voices per se, he does a good job in differentiating the characters. This entertaining companion to Alexander’s Goblin Secrets will delight young listeners who enjoy lighthearted fantasy. Ages 8–12. A Margaret K. McElderry hardcover.