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Young adult novels by Donna Jo Napoli

KIRKUS:

Two Italian sisters try to survive in Japan during World War II...a long and treacherous journey ... in a country that now sees them as the enemy...an unusual perspective on ...a history rarely told

HORN BOOK:

......becomes a survival story...what saves them are Simona’s strength and determination but also the sisters’ assimilation into and respect for Japanese culture...told with immediacy, compassion, and nuance

SCHOOL LIBRARY

JOURNAL:

...a stunning look at the humanity of the Japanese and Italians during World War II... an enthralling story of sisterhood amongst harrowing war.

BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS:

...Simona and Carolina’s story is one of the power of sisterhood and survival, thrown into a country they know nothing about and adapting under dire circumstances.

IN A FLASH

 

2020 Random House (ISBN 9781101934135)

   Junior Library Guild selection

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Flash

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY:

An achingly lovely, sometimes frightening reimagining.

 

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:

...unique and gripping ... engrossing and original feel... brilliant spin on a familiar fairy tale.

 

BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS:

...a sumptuously dark retelling of “Snow White,” bringing humanity to the wicked stepmother while still holding her accountable for her crimes....absolutely wrenching

 

HORN BOOK:

...elegantly detailed historical fiction with characters whose anguish cuts straight to the heart... lush prose

 

KIRKUS:

...offers depth and cleverness and delight... profound vision of painful love

 

BOOKLIST:

...exceptionally clever and well-researched.... This emotional tale is a surefire winner for fans of fractured fairy tales.

blog TeenReads:

This brilliant take on an old, familiar tale never ceases to intrigue and surprise with every chapter.

DARK SHIMMER


2015 Random House (ISBN 978-0-385-74655-7) (pb 2016)

  • starred review PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

  • starred review from BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS

 

review

For a Dark Faerie Tales Deadly Destinations entry, click here.

review the-PAGE-69-test

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DarkShimmer
Anchor 1

BOOKLIST:

...realistically
drawn personalities and relationships as well as fine-tuned ethical dilemmas...uplifting historical novel that views a national tragedy through the lens of a moving personal story

 

KIRKUS:

A worthy introduction to an important slice of history.

BOOKLIST (Audio):

Careful pacing -- from ...lush green fields through the gradually accelerating drumbeat of death, starvation, and debilitating disease -- adds drama, bringing home just how capricious fate and be, and on what small choices a life can be spared or lost.

HUNGER: A TALE OF COURAGE


2018 Simon & Schuster (ISBN 978-1-4814-7749-9) (pb 2019)

  • Carolyn W. Field Honor Book, Pennsylvania Library Association

  • starred review Booklist

  • Junior Library Guild selection

  • audio version (Tantor ISBN 978-1541469648)

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HORN BOOK:

The characters ... that Napoli creates to flesh out her retelling of the classic story of survival and faith add both veracity and depth.

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:

...gritty survival story will resonate with fans of The Hunger Games...

 

BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS:

Napoli mines the Biblical story... transforming it from a tale not about obeying the will of God but about how the very act of survival is sometimes the greatest leap of faith of all...Fans of Life of Pi will find a similar blend of gritty survivalism and spiritual contemplation in this maelstrom of a tale.

 

VOYA:

... swift and sometimes frightening .... Readers will feel all the anxiety, anticipation, fear, and hopelessness along with the people confined to the ark. . ... a tale of survival, empathy, and having faith.

BOOKLIST:

... the despair of a ruined world and the stir-craziness of confinement ....an obstinate, guilt-ridden Noah and an angry family ... all through the eyes of a clever, headstrong young girl who learns to thrive on hope.

AJL REVIEWS:

The writing is exceptional.... it is difficult to put the book down... Superb writing and a unique story ...a recommended purchase for Jewish libraries.

 

WOMEN'S LEAGUE FOR CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM:

... page turning adventure... satisfying climactic ending.... it will surely find an audience among readers who like their heroines spunky and with the courage to overcome catastrophe and begin life anew.

MablesFablesRaves:

.. delicious and fulfilling... This epic tale is very different...a very tender story full of discovery and the simple joys...even within the harsh reality of surviving.

Rhapsody in Books Weblog:

...terrific book, but one shouldn't approach it with expectations of religious affirmation in the typical sense. It is a story about survival and love, the sanctity of living things, and the rewards of recognizing and respecting that sanctity.

STORM 


2014 Simon & Schuster (ISBN 9781481403023) (pb 2015)

  • Sydney Taylor Book Award presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries 2015

  • Bank Street Best Books list

  • Finalist for the National Jewish Book Award presented by the Jewish Book Council

 

review the-PAGE-69-test

 

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Storm
Hidden

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:

Napoli seamlessly weaves cultural, mythological, and historical information together, immersing the readers in Norse life.

HIDDEN (sequel to HUSH: An Irish Princess' Tale)

 

2014 Paula Wiseman Books (Simon & Schuster) (ISBN 9781442483002) (pb 2015)

  • Amelia Bloomer Project (of the ALA) Top Ten List

  • starred review SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

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Skin

HORN BOOK:

The teen's turmoil over a disease that is literally only skin-deep is poignant, and given respectful treatment by Napoli; readers will empathize with Sep's feelings, fears, and actions.

BOOKLIST:

...Napoli has created a direct, internal, intelligent, not always likable but thoroughly sympathetic hero... Those searching for skin-centered self-acceptance reads would do well to start here...

 

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: ...teens will relate to her feelings of betrayal toward her body. Napoli captures the stresses of adolescence in a fresh, believable way. Readers will watch Sept grow from an angry and at times selfish girl into a strong and confident woman... This is truly a novel about personal growth and the power of loving and believing in yourself.

SKIN 


2013 Amazon (ISBN 97814778 followed by 17216 for hardcover; 16905 for paperback; 67211 for eBook; also 9781480544024 for CD)

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TheWager

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY:

... lush feasts and brightly colored brocades give way to wretched scenes described in lurid detail...human nature at its worst and its best.

 

BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS:

... journey of the senses... Impeccable pacing...

THE WAGER 


2010 Henry Holt and Company (ISBN 978-0-8050-8781-9)(pb 2014)

  • Bank Street Best Books selection

  • starred review PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

  • starred review BCCB

  • shortlisted for the Cybils Award in YA Fantasy & Science Fiction

 

 

another review another review 

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AlligatorBayou

KIRKUS:

... haunting... deep reflection on our country's treatment, past and present, of its immigrants...

 

BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS:

... ominous, eminently booktalkable theme...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above are sixth and seventh graders in Portland, Oregon, reading ALLIGATOR BAYOU as part of their curriculum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Donna Jo with two great-granddaughters of Giuseppe Difatta (one of the main figures), Debbie Flores and Linda Ott, in New Orleans, January 2019

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ALLIGATOR BAYOU


2009 Random House (ISBN 978-0-385-76472-8) (pb 2010)

 

  • American Library Association Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults

  • Parents' Choice Gold Award for Historical Fiction

  • Junior Library Guild

  • International Reading Association's (IRA) Notable Books for a Global Society

  • Bank Street Best Books (Historical)

  • part appeared in TLI Grade 8 Interim assessment 2011-12 by The Learning Institute

 

reviews another review  another review another review

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TheSmile

 

VOYA:

... spot-on flair for infusing history with emotion...

KIRKUS:

... magnificent and mournful portrait of the Italian Renaissance, both tragic and triumphant...

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY:

...romantic tragedy and redemption...

THE SMILE 


2008 Dutton (ISBN 978-0-525-47999-4) (pb 2009)

  • Bank Street Best Books selection

  • highlighted review VOYA (5Q)

  • published in German (2009 Fischer Schatzinsel DAS GEHEIMNISVOLLE LÄCHELN ISBN978-3-596-85378-6)

  • published in Greek (2009 Agyra Publishing House, Athens ΤΟ ΧΑΜΟΓΕΛΟ ISBN 978-960-422-811-9)

  • published in Polish (2010 Wydawnictwo Jaguar, Warszawa USMIECH LISY ISBN 978-83-7686-010-7)

  • published in Australia and New Zealand (Random House Australia)

 

reviews another review

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Hush

KIRKUS:

... spellbinding... rich in details both tender and blood-soaked... vivid, precise, cinematic.

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:

... powerful exploration of what it means to have a voice.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY:

... tension over Mel's hopes for escape paces this story like a thriller.

HUSH: AN IRISH PRINCESS' TALE


2007 Atheneum (Simon & Schuster) (ISBN 0-689-86176-1) (pb 2008)

  • American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults

  • Young-Adult Round Table of the Texas Library Association (TAYSHAS) selection

  • Bank Street Best Books selection

  • starred review KIRKUS

  • starred review PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

  • starred review SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

  • Miami Herald's Best Books of the Year list

  • New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age

  • published in German (2011 Patmos Verlagshaus MELKORKAS SCHWEIGEN ISBN: 978-3-7941-8085-1)

 

reviews another review another review another review 

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FireInTheHills

KIRKUS:

... powerful.. strong, action-packed ode to the Italian resistance movement... a side of WWII that will fascinate readers...

FIRE IN THE HILLS (sequel to STONES IN WATER)


2006 Dutton (ISBN 0-525-47751-9)  (pb 2008)

  • Carolyn W. Field Honor Book, Pennsylvania Library Association

 

 

reviews another review another review another review

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TheKingOfMulberryStreet

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY:

This tale may well offer readers insight into how their own families found their way here -- or send them in search of those stories.

KIRKUS:

This powerfully vivid story has the immediacy of Napoli's always-immaculate prose, coupled with a basis in family lore and urban history that make it irresistible... Dom's voice and presence make his life as real and as tangible as possible. History comes to vibrant life for middle-grade readers and almost anyone whose ancestors come from foreign lands.

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:

Napoli is an expert at gripping readers' emotions, which she does with consummate skill in this tale... of the struggle many children faced when they first came to America.

THE KING OF MULBERRY STREET


2005 Delacorte (ISBN 0-385-74653-9) (pb 2007)

  • Sydney Taylor Honor Book presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries 2006

  • Junior Library Guild

  • Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award

  • starred review in KIRKUS

  • starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

  • New York Public Library 100 Books for Reading and Sharing

  • A PJ Our Way Selection (Association of Jewish Libraries)

  • Sons of Italy National Book Club selection

  • Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People (by NCSS and CBC)

  • Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award List (Vermont)

  • Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Award Master List

  • Rhode Island Children's Book Award Nominee

  • Pennsylvania Keystone to Reading Book Award Master List, Intermediate Category

  • Graden State Book Award Nominee (New Jersey)

  • published in Japanese (2009 Kaiseisha Publishing ISBN 978-4-03-726770-4)

 

reviews another review another review another review

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Bound

CAPITOL CHOICES:

...this excellent read-aloud introduces young readers to an exotic habitat.

 

KIRKUS: 

...fabulous coming-of-age story... beautiful lessons about finding oneself, about fitting in (or not), about the implacability of nature and weather and the importance of maternal advice.

HIGHLIGHTS MAGAZINE, a child review:

...you'll want to read it again and again... It sounds like music when it's being read to you.

BOUND


2004 Simon & Schuster (ISBN 0-689-86175-3) (pb 2006)

  • American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults

  • SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Best Books

  • PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Best Books

  • KIRKUS Editor's Choice

  • BOOKLIST Top Ten Historical Fiction for Youth

  • starred review SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

  • starred review KIRKUS

  • starred review BOOKLIST

  • starred review PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

  • Junior Library Guild

  • American Library Association Young Adults (YALSA) Popular Paperbacks

  • nominated for Kentucky Bluegrass Award

  • Dorothy Canfield Fisher Master List (Vermont)

  • South Carolina Junior Book Award List

  • available in large print from Thorndike (ISBN 0-7862-7419-0)

  • published in German (2008 Patmos Verlagshaus ISBN 978-3-7941-8047-9)

  • published in Japanese (2009 Akane Shobo ISBN 978-4-2510-6662-6)

 

To hear the first chapter read by the author, click here.

reviews another review another review another review 

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North

BOOKLIST:

...Idyllic, yet with an authentic feel... [takes] readers on a journey they won't forget soon.

 

KIRKUS:

... fascinating [journey], organically incorporating a wealth of detail about the Arctic and its human and non-human inhabitants.

NORTH


2004 Greenwillow (ISBN 0-06-057987-0) (pb 2005) (available on Kindle 2012)

  • Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award

  • South Carolina Junior Book Award Nominee

  • published in Spanish (2005 Destino. Barcelona. HACIA EL NORTE ISBN 84-08-05765-0)

  • published in German (2006 Carl Hanser Verlag NACH NORDEN ISBN 3-446-20645-0)

  • audiocassette with Recorded Books (ISBN 1-4025-9927-7)

  • selections read on Vermont Public Radio in spring, 2005

 

reviews more reviews

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Breath

KIRKUS:

...compelling mystery.... fully realized characters...

KLIATT:

...vividly evokes the harsh and superstitious medieval world... nightmarish but memorable.

BREATH


2003 Simon & Schuster (ISBN 0-689-86174-5) (pb 2005)

  • Golden Kite Honor Book

  • American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults

  • New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age

  • American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults

  • starred review KIRKUS

  • starred review KLIATT

  • Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers list

  • Renaissance Learning recommended list

  • American Library Association Young Adults (YALSA) Popular Paperback

  • available in large print from Thorndike (ISBN 0-7862-7420-4).

  • published in Chinese (2006 Muses Publishing House ISBN 986 739913-7)

  • published in German by Patmos Verlagshaus GmbH & Co.

  • published in Japanese by Julian Publishing Co.

 

reviews 

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TheGreatGodPan

 

KIRKUS:

...the otherworld of myth, the lush and varying landscapes... pulsing with erotic tension... elegant and tragic solution

BOOKLIST:

... breathtaking language about nature, music, and desire. Teen readers will swoon.

THE GREAT GOD PAN


2003 Delacorte (ISBN 0-385-32777-3) (pb 2005)

  • starred review KIRKUS

  • New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age

  • Best Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror list, VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES

 

reviews

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DaughterOfVenice

 

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:

...Even when acting rebelliously, [the main character's] actions and thoughts feel authentic to the time and world... engrossing and exotic...

 

VOYA:

... engaging... exciting... thoroughly satisfying ending...

DAUGHTER OF VENICE


2002 Delacorte (ISBN 0-385-90036-8) (pb 2003)

  • Nevada Young Readers Award

  • starred review SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

  • Booksense 76

  • starred review VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES

  • Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Master List, Vermont

  • YALSA 100 Great Books for Teens

  • Renaissance Learning recommended list

  • excerpted in READ vol.53, no. 15, March 19, 2004

  • published in England (2002 Walker Books, Ltd. ISBN 0-7445-9059-0; 2004, pb ISBN 0-7445-9080-9)

  • published in German (2003 Fischer Schatzinsel DONATA, TOCHTER VENEDIGS ISBN 3-596-85124-6)

 

reviews another review 

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Beast
Beast.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HORN BOOK:

... brings immediacy and vitality to the beast

 

KIRKUS:

... sensual and brillliant imagining... Compelling, relentless, erotic.

 

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:

... rich language and gracefully formal prose portraying Beast's poignant search for his place in the world...

 

LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS:

Besides creating unconventional viewpoint characters, Napoli is a master of atmosphere ...a deep immersion into an unfamiliar world... anguish... integrity ... true love.

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BEAST


2000 Simon & Schuster (ISBN 0-689-83589-2) (pb 2002)

  • SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Best Books

  • Junior Library Guild

  • VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES "Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers"

  • VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES "Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror"

  • finalist for 2001 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature

  • starred review SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

  • starred review KIRKUS

  • starred review THE HORN BOOK

  • audiocassette with Recorded Books (ISBN 0-7887-5227-8)

  • Washington DC's Capitol Choices Noteworthy Books for Children

  • Carolyn W. Field Honor Book Pennsylvania Library Association

  • Keystone Young Adult Book Award list

  • YALSA 100 Great Books for Teens

  • 2001-2002 Texas Tayshas Reading List

  • Renaissance Learning recommended list

  • available in cassette through Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic

  • available in large print from Thorndike (ISBN 0-7862-7421-2)

  • published in Farsi (2003 Peydayesh ISBN 964 349 169 2)

  • published in Japanese (2005 Julian ISBN 4-902584-13-1)

 

reviews another review another review

For a description of Donna Jo's visit to Iran in 2005, click here:

 

BOOKLIST:

...Love, pride, greed, magic, and revenge: what a wonderful read.

SPINNERS

coauthored with Richard Tchen

1999 Dutton (ISBN 0-525-46065-9) (pb 2001)(ebook 2015)

  • Junior Library Guild

  • boxed review BOOKLIST

  • New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age

  • Carolyn W. Field Honor Book, Pennsylvania Library Association

  • South Carolina Book Award Master List

 

reviews another review

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Spinners
CrazyJack

 

BOOKLIST:

... beautifully written... romance, adventure, fantasy...

VOYA:

...subtle highlighting of the need to work hard, yet appreciate the beauty in life...

 

KIRKUS:

...Gripping... dark and psychologically truthful...

HORN BOOK:

... everyday magic that makes life worth living.

CRAZY JACK


1999 Delacorte (ISBN 0-385-32627-0) (pb 2001)

  • Junior Library Guild

  • Smithsonian's Notable Books

  • starred review BOOKLIST

  • starred review BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS

  • starred review VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES

  • Tennessee Master List, Volunteer State Book Award

  • Renaissance Learning recommended list

  • available in large print from Thorndike (ISBN 0-7862-3047-9)

  • audiocassette with Recorded Books (ISBN 0-7887-4010-5)

  • available in cassette through National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

  • published in Japanese (2006 Julian ISBN 4-902584-14X)

 

To see a one-act play version performed at Lamoille Union High School in Hyde Park, VT on 13 March 2014, go here.

 

reviews another review

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ForTheLoveOfVenice

FOR THE LOVE OF VENICE


1998 Delacorte (ISBN 0-385-32531-2) (pb 2000)

  • New York Public Library Best Books

  • Highlights Free Library of Philadelphia

  • Boxed review BOOKLIST

  • Renaissance Learning recommended list

  • available in cassette through National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

 

reviews

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BOOKLIST:

... writing is strong and sure... story is nicely laced with romance ...

 

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:

... paints Venice with loving detail that is a gift to the senses... Offers a unique slant on contemporary politics and perspectives couched in exotic romance

Sirena

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:

... absorbing ... mythic aspects

 

BOOKLIST:

... rich in insight, fine language, and a look at truth told aslant... full of the sweetness of longing, romance, and the space and togetherness needed for any close relationship.

 

CNN YOUNG ADULT BOOKS THAT CHANGED OUR LIVES:

...a poignant tale of relatable longing with the most beautiful language.

SIRENA


1998 Scholastic (ISBN 978-0-590-38388-2) (pb 2000) (available on Kindle 2012)

  • American Library Association Best Books

  • starred review SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

  • boxed review BOOKLIST

  • San Francisco Chronicle Holiday Roundup List

  • Nebula nomination

  • New York Public Library Best Books

  • International Reading Association Children's Choices

  • Highlights Free Library of Philadelphia

  • Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice for Young Adults

  • CNN Young Adult Books that Changed our Lives 2013

  • available in braille through National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

  • published in Chinese (2005 Muses Publishing in Taiwan 0800-221029 and 02-22181142 and 957-29530-6-0, as well as Shanghai Literature and Art in Mainland China)

  • to be published in Thai by Matichon Publishing House

 

reviews another review

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StonesInWater

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:

... Few books view the Holocaust from this vanage point...

 

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY:

...Children will be riveted by Roberto's struggle to stay alive -- and aid others along the way -- against enormous odds...

 

KIRKUS:

... Riveting... A memorable survival story...

STONES IN WATER (first in a series with FIRE IN THE HILLS)


1997 Dutton (ISBN 0-525-45842-5) (pb 1999)(ebook 2015)

  • Golden Kite Award of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators 1998

  • Sydney Taylor Book Award presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries 1998

  • Carolyn W. Field Honor Book, Pennsylvania Library Association

  • nominated Nebraska Golden Sower Young Adult Award

  • nominated Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award of Illinois

  • North Carolina Battle of the Books 2012-2013

  • American Library Association Best Books

  • American Library Association Notable

  • National Council of Social Studies Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies

  • PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Best Books

  • boxed starred review PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

  • starred review SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

  • New York Public Library Best Books

  • nominated Allen White Children's Book Award, Kansas

  • nominated Young Hoosier Book Award, Indiana

  • Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Master List, Vermont

  • nominated Maud Hart Lovelace Award, Minnesota

  • available in braille and in cassette through National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

  • Audiobook (ISBN 978-0525-59691)

  • published in Dutch (1998 Averbode SAMEN STERK ISBN 90-317-1381-3)

  • published in Danish (1999 Carlsen SOM STEN I VAND ISBN 87-562-8086-6)

  • published in England (1999 Oxford U Press ISBN 0-19-271798-7, also in paperback)

  • published in German (2001 Carl Hanser Verlag FLUCHT NACH VENEDIG ISBN 3-446-20012-6)

  • published in Korean (2008 Pulbit Publishing Co. ISBN 978-89-7474-621-6)

  • Performed as drama at Media Theatre, Media, PA, 2003

 

reviews another review another review

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ZEL


1996 Dutton (ISBN 0-525-45612-0) (pb 1998 Puffin)(ebook 2015)

  • PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Best Books

  • SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Best Books

  • BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS Blue Ribbon Book

  • BOOKLIST "Books of Special Note"

  • American Booksellers Association Pick of the List

  • American Library Association Young Adults (YALSA) popular paperbacks

  • starred review KIRKUS

  • starred review PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

  • starred review SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

  • boxed review BOOKLIST

  • Junior Library Guild

  • New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age

  • Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Master List, Vermont

  • Maine Student Book Award Master List

  • Voice of Youth Advocates Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror List

  • Missouri State Teachers Association Reading Circle Selection List

  • Notable Carolyn W. Field Award, Pennsylvania Library Association

  • Honor Book YOUNG CRITICS' TOP CHOICES FROM THE LAST SIX YEARS, 1997

  • audiocassette with Recorded Books (ISBN 0-7887-3529-2)

  • audiobook (ISBN 978-0525-6283)

  • available in cassette through National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

  • published in Danish (1999 Carlsen ZEL ISBN 87-562-7748-2)

  • published in Chinese (1999 Academy Press-Xue Yuan ISBN 7- 5077-0877-2)

  • published in Japanese (2008 Poplar-Sha ISBN 978-4-591-10494-1)

 

reviews another review another review 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KIRKUS:

... rich, complex ...A passionate, painful elaboration of the story of Rapunzel...

 

 PUBLISHERS WEEKLY:

... A work of depth and beauty... The genius of the novel lies in its breadth of vision...

 

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: ...This version will challenge readers to think about this old story on a deeper level. It begs for discussion in literature classes...

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Zel
SongOfTheMagdalene
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BOOKLIST:

... With richness of detail and depth of feeling, Napoli introduces the biblical figure Mary Magdalene... Lyrical and layered...

SONG OF THE MAGDALENE


(originally 1996 Scholastic (ISBN 0-590-93705-7) with pb 1998) 
reissued and available in pb 2004 Simon & Schuster (ISBN 0-689-87396-4) (available on Kindle 2012)

  • American Booksellers Association Pick of the Lists

  • American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults

  • Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies

  • New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age list

  • boxed review BOOKLIST

 

reviews another review another review For a recording of the author reading, please click here.

THE MAGIC CIRCLE


1993 Dutton (ISBN 0-525-45127-7) (pb 1995 Puffin) (ebook 2015)

  • PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Best Books

  • BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS Blue Ribbon Book

  • American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults

  • American Library Association Recommended Books for Reluctant Readers

  • American Library Association Notable

  • BOOKLIST Children's Editor's Choice

  • starred review KIRKUS

  • starred review BULLETIN FOR THE CENTER OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS

  • starred review PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

  • starred review SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

  • boxed review BOOKLIST

  • Volunteer State Book Award Master List in Tennessee

  • New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age

  • nominated Garden State Teen Book Award, New Jersey

  • book of the month Philadelphia Children's Reading Round Table

  • available in cassette through Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic

  • published in German (1995 Sauerländer IM ZAUBERKREIS ISBN 3-7941-4101-6)

  • published in Dutch (1996 Averbode HET GEVECHT MET DE DUIVELS ISBN 90-317-1333-3)

  • published in Japanese (2000 Aoyama Shuppansha ISBN 4-89998-003-5)

  • published in Chinese (2003 Pennant Cultural Publishing Co. ISBN 957-6774721)

  • performed as musical at Media Theatre, Media, PA, Feb., 2001

 

reviews another review another review

 

 

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY:

...genuine magic and suspense ...will captivate adults as well...

 

KIRKUS:

...extraordinary artistry... richly poetic yet accessible and immediate, pungent and wise, mesmerizing...

 

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:

...richly imagined ...sure to change readers' views of this much maligned figure forever...

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TheMagicCircle
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