Ancient Viking gods come to life in pair of YA novels

Two interesting novels recently released for young adults involve stories of ancient Viking gods who were widely worshipped by inhabitants of what is now northern Scotland.

In The Sleeping Army by Francesca Simon (Faber and Faber/Penguin, 224 pages, $19) 12-year-old Freya is visiting the British Museum when she decides to try blowing an ancient instrument labelled Heimdall's Horn. The consequences are beyond anything she could have imagined as she is sucked into a fantastic world where the Viking gods rule but are in danger of dying.

Simon mixes fantasy with realism as Freya's father searches for her in modern London, while Freya is transported from a quiet schoolgirl's life to battle supernatural beings in Asgard, home of the gods.

Simon is a popular U.K. author with more than 50 books to her credit. Readers who enjoy plenty of action in a fantastic but mythological setting will enjoy this book.

Under the Mound by Cynthia Heinrichs (Simply Read Books, 300 pages, $20) also deals with Norse myths.

It is told through the eyes of Malcolm, a 15-year-old boy who would rather whittle wood than wield a sword, but who grows to manhood as he follows Earl Harald on his quest for power in the 12th century.

Malcolm discovers he has an ability to communicate with the spirits that haunt the mound and threaten to annihilate the warriors who have taken shelter inside.

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Demonstrating her flexibility, Heinrichs, a former Winnipegger living in Vancouver, has also released a picture book, Mermaids (Simply Read, 32 pages, $19), which features both an unusual setting and story. In South Korea on the island of Jeju, women dive daily to the ocean floor to harvest seaweed and edible sea creatures.

Known as haenyo, they belong to an old but dangerous profession that six-year-old Jae Hyun longs to join. Although her mother envisions a different future, her mind is changed when Jae Hyun proves she can keep a clear head in an emergency.

Vancouver artist Jumin Lee's pictures are full of greens and blues and seem to flow across the pages like the mermaid persons they represent.

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For all would-be astronauts, the story of Neil Armstrong, I Want to Go to the Moon by Tom Saunders (Simply Read books, 32 pages, $19) will be inspirational.

Based on the lyrics of Saunders' song (which is included in the book as a CD), it describes how Armstrong wanted to go to the moon from the time he was very young. He faced many obstacles and many skeptics before he realized his dream. Both the author and illustrator, Cynthia Nugent, live in the Vancouver area.

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The residential school system, which scarred so many children, is an unusual choice for the theme of a picture book, but it is the one chosen by veteran Saskatchewan writer Peter Eyvindson in Kookum's Red Shoes (Pemmican Publications, 32 pages, $11).

Kookum (which means grandmother) recalls how, like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, she was snatched from her home and transported to a strange place far away. However, while the book may be helpful in explaining what happened in this dark chapter in Canadian history, the illustrations by Sheldon Dawson of the teachers and regime in the school would be frightening for young children. It is not recommended for children under 10.

Helen Norrie is a former teacher-librarian in Winnipeg. Her column appears on the third Saturday of the month.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 21, 2012 J9