CANR
WORK TITLE:
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S): Kingfisher, T.
BIRTHDATE: 5/28/1977
WEBSITE: http://ursulavernon.com/
CITY: Pittsboro
STATE: NC
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 326
Also writes as T. Kingfisher: http://tkingfisher.com/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
ADDRESS
CAREER
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist Oct. 15, 2018, Joyce McIntosh, “The Eating Instinct: Food Culture, Body Image, and Guilt in America.”. p. 5.
Kirkus Reviews Sept. 15, 2018, , “Sole-Smith, Virginia: THE EATING INSTINCT.”.
Publishers Weekly Aug. 13, 2018, , “The Eating Instinct: Food Culture, Body Image, and Guilt in America.”. p. 60+.
ONLINE
Dear Author, https://dearauthor.com (February 17, 2016), review of Bryony and Roses
NPR, https://www.npr.org (November 26, 2015), review of The Seventh Bride
Tor.com, https://www.tor.com (March 20, 2018), review of The Wonder Engine
T Kingfisher
A pseudonym used by Ursula Vernon
T. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon. In another life, she writes children's books and weird comics, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.
This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups.
When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.
Genres: Fantasy
New Books
October 2019
(hardback)
The Twisted Ones
Series
Clocktaur War
1. Clockwork Boys (2017)
2. The Wonder Engine (2018)
Novels
Bryony and Roses (2015)
The Seventh Bride (2015)
The Raven and the Reindeer (2016)
Summer in Orcus (2017)
Swordheart (2018)
The Twisted Ones (2019)
Collections
Toad Words And Other Stories (2014)
The Halcyon Fairy Book (2017)
Jackalope Wives And Other Stories (2017)
Novellas
Nine Goblins (2013)
Ursula Vernon
aka T Kingfisher
Ursula Vernon is the author and illustrator of "Nurk," "Digger," and a number of other projects. The daughter of an artist, she spent her youth attempting to rebel and become a scientist, but eventually succumbed to the siren song of paint, although not before getting a degree in anthropology.Having moved across the country several times, she eventually settled in Pittsboro, North Carolina, where she works full-time as an artist and creator of oddities. She lives with her boyfriend, a spastic Beagle, a (fairly) mellow Border Collie, a small collection of cats,
Genres: Children's Fiction, Fantasy
Series
Digger
Digger Vol 1 (2005)
Digger Vol 2 (2006)
Digger Vol 3 (2007)
Digger: The Complete Omnibus Edition (omnibus) (2013)
Black Dogs
1. The House of Diamond (2007)
2. The Mountain of Iron (2011)
Dragonbreath
1. Dragonbreath (2009)
2. Attack of the Ninja Frogs (2010)
3. Curse of the Were-wiener (2010)
4. Lair of the Bat Monster (2011)
5. No Such Thing as Ghosts (2011)
6. Revenge of the Horned Bunnies (2012)
7. When Fairies Go Bad (2012)
8. Nightmare of the Iguana (2013)
9. The Case of the Toxic Mutants (2013)
10. Knight-napped! (2015)
11. The Frozen Menace (2016)
Hamster Princess
1. Harriet the Invincible (2015)
2. Of Mice and Magic (2016)
3. Ratpunzel (2016)
4. Giant Trouble (2017)
5. Whiskerella (2018)
6. Little Red Rodent Hood (2018)
Novels
Nurk (2008)
Castle Hangnail (2015)
Graphic Novels
Irrational Fears (2016)
Non fiction
It Made Sense at the Time (2004)
Awards
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature Best Children/Young Adult Fiction winner (2016) : Castle Hangnail
Ursula Vernon is the author and illustrator of "Nurk," "Digger," "Dragonbreath," "Castle Hangnail," and the forthcoming "Hamster Princess." Her Eisner-nominated comic "Digger" won the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story and the Mythopoeic Award, and her children's book "Dragonbreath" won the Sequoyah Award in 2013.
Ursula grew up in Oregon and Arizona, went to college at Macalester College in Minnesota, and stayed there for ten years, until she finally learned to drive in deep snow and was obligated to leave the state.
Having moved across the country several times, she eventually settled in Pittsboro, North Carolina, where she works full-time as an artist, writer, and creator of oddities. She lives with her husband, a beagle, and a small collection of cats.
T. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon, an author from North Carolina. In another life, she writes children's books and weird comics. She has been nominated for the World Fantasy and the Eisner, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, Nebula, Alfie, WSFA, Coyotl and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.
This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups. Her work includes multiple fairy-tale retellings and odd little stories about elves and goblins.
When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.
www.redwombatstudio.com
About the Author
Ursula Vernon is the creator of the popular Dragonbreath series, and her work has won a Hugo award. She lives, writes, draws, and lives in a castle (ok, maybe it’s more like a house) in Pittsboro, North Carolina.
T. Kingfisher, also known as Ursula Vernon, is the author and illustrator of many projects, including the webcomic “Digger,” which won the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story and the Mythopoeic Award. Her novelette “The Tomato Thief” won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette, and her short story “Jackalope Wives” won the Nebula Award for Best Story. She is also the author of the bestselling Dragonbreath, and the Hamster Princess series of books for children. Find her online at RedWombatStudio.com.
Ursula Vernon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Ursula Vernon
Ursula Vernon accepting the Hugo Award for best novelette at Worldcon in Helsinki 2017.
Born
Ursula Vernon
May 28, 1977 (age 42)
Nationality
American
Area(s)
Writer, artist, webcomics
Pseudonym(s)
T. Kingfisher
Notable works
Digger, Dragonbreath series
Awards
Ursa Major Award; Hugo Award; Nebula Award; Mythopoeic Award; WSFA Small Press Award
redwombatstudio.com
Ursula Vernon (born May 28, 1977) is an American freelance writer, artist and illustrator. She is best known for her Hugo Award-winning graphic novel Digger (2003–2011) and for the children's books series Hamster Princess and Dragonbreath. Vernon is the creator of The Biting Pear of Salamanca, a digital work of art which became an internet meme in the form of the LOL WUT pear. Under the name T. Kingfisher, she is also the author of several books for older audiences.[1]
Contents
1
Career
2
Works
2.1
Books
2.1.1
Dragonbreath series
2.1.2
Hamster Princess series
2.1.3
Other children's books
2.1.4
Books for older audiences
2.2
Webcomics
2.3
Illustrations and art
3
Awards and nominations
4
See also
5
References
6
External links
Career[edit]
Ursula Vernon grew up in Oregon and Arizona and studied anthropology at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota where she first took art classes.[2] In recent years she has become known for writing and illustrating a number of children's books, her first being published in 2008.[3] Prior to this she was more well known for her webcomics and as a freelance artist, particularly for her works containing anthropomorphic animals. Vernon regularly attends conventions to exhibit and sell her work and has been a guest of honor at Midwest FurFest 2004 and 2009, and the Artist Guest of Honor at Further Confusion 2010. Vernon was the Author Guest of Honor for Mythcon 45[4] and a Guest of Honor at Eurofurence 20, both in August 2014. In 2017, she was the Author Guest of Honor at Arisia '17.
Works[edit]
Books[edit]
Ursula Vernon is the author and illustrator of the Dragonbreath and Hamster Princess children's book series, published by Dial Books:
Dragonbreath series[edit]
Dragonbreath (ISBN 0-8037-3363-1) (2009)
Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs (ISBN 0-8037-3365-8) (2010)
Dragonbreath: Curse of the Were-Weiner (ISBN 0-8037-3469-7) (2010)
Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster (ISBN 0-8037-3525-1) (2011)
Dragonbreath: No Such Thing as Ghosts (ISBN 0-8037-3527-8) (2011)
Dragonbreath: Revenge of the Horned Bunnies (ISBN 0-8037-3677-0) (2012)
Dragonbreath: When Fairies Go Bad (ISBN 0-8037-3678-9) (2012)
Dragonbreath: Nightmare of the Iguana (ISBN 0-8037-3846-3) (2013)
Dragonbreath: The Case of the Toxic Mutants (ISBN 0-8037-3847-1) (2013)
Dragonbreath: Knight-napped! (ISBN 0-8037-3849-8) (2015)
Dragonbreath: The Frozen Menace (ISBN 0-8037-3986-9) (January 12, 2016)
Hamster Princess series[edit]
Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible (ISBN 0-8037-3983-4) (August 18, 2015)
Hamster Princess: Of Mice and Magic (ISBN 0-8037-3984-2) (March 15, 2016)
Hamster Princess: Ratpunzel (ISBN 0-8037-3985-0) (October 18, 2016)
Hamster Princess: Giant Trouble (ISBN 0-3991-8652-2) (May 9, 2017)
Hamster Princess: Whiskerella (ISBN 0-3991-8655-7) (January 23, 2018)
Hamster Princess: Little Red Rodent Hood (ISBN 978-0-39918-658-5) (September 25, 2018)
Other children's books[edit]
Nurk: The Strange Surprising Adventures Of A (Somewhat) Brave Shrew (ISBN 0-15-206375-7) was published by Harcourt in 2008[3] and released as an audiobook in 2009.[5] It was Vernon's first published children's book.[6]
Castle Hangnail (ISBN 978-0-803741-29-4) (April 21, 2015) Dial Books
Books for older audiences[edit]
Black Dogs Part 1: The House of Diamond (ISBN 0-9769212-4-3) (March 1, 2007) Sofawolf Press
Black Dogs Part 2: The Mountain of Iron (ISBN 978-1-936689-03-3) (January 2011) Sofawolf Press
Nine Goblins (Goblinhome Book 1) as T. Kingfisher (October 27, 2013) Red Wombat Tea Company
The Seventh Bride as T. Kingfisher (November 24, 2015) 47North
Bryony & Roses as T. Kingfisher (May 18, 2015) Red Wombat Tea Company
The Raven & The Reindeer as T. Kingfisher (February 7, 2016) Red Wombat Tea Company
Summer in Orcus[7] as T. Kingfisher (web series) (September 2016) Red Wombat Tea Company
The Halcyon Fairy Book as T. Kingfisher (January 13, 2017) NESFA Press
Clockwork Boys (Clocktaur War Book 1) (ISBN 1614504067) as T. Kingfisher (November 21, 2017) Red Wombat Tea Company
The Wonder Engine: Clocktaur War Book 2 as T. Kingfisher (February 27, 2018) Red Wombat Tea Company
Swordheart as T. Kingfisher ISBN 978-1-61450-463-4 (November 2018)
The Twisted Ones (ISBN 9781534429567) as T. Kingfisher, from Simon & Schuster. (October 1, 2019)
Webcomics[edit]
Vernon is the author of the Eisner Award-nominated and Hugo Award-winning webcomic Digger.[8] A fantasy story featuring an anthropomorphic wombat,[2][9] it is also available in six paperback books published between 2005 and 2011: Vol. 1 (ISBN 0-9769212-2-7), Vol. 2 (ISBN 0-9769212-6-X), Vol. 3 (ISBN 0-9791496-3-0), Vol. 4 (ISBN 0-9819883-3-4), Vol. 5 (ISBN 0-9819883-9-3), Vol. 6 (ISBN 1-9366890-6-5) and as Digger: The Complete Omnibus Edition (ISBN 1-936689-32-4) published in 2013. She is also the writer and illustrator of the webcomic Irrational Fears and the short stories Little Creature and Little Creature and the Redcap, all available online at Webcomics Nation.[10]
Illustrations and art[edit]
Before becoming a published children's book author Vernon was primarily a freelance artist and illustrator and she still regularly produces new works of art. Her work includes the creation of digital art as well as the use of more traditional mediums such as watercolour and acrylics, with much of her more recent work being mixed media. Most of her art work is available as prints and Vernon has also taken commercial commissions such as book covers and game art.
The game Black Sheep designed by Reiner Knizia and published by Fantasy Flight Games uses art by Vernon on its playing cards.[11] Her art work titled The Biting Pear of Salamanca became an internet meme in the form of the LOL WUT pear[12] and has been made into a resin figurine due to its popularity.[13] She has also designed labels for a series of tea and soap products.[citation needed]
Awards and nominations[edit]
Vernon's cover for Best in Show won the 2003 Ursa Major Award for Best Anthropomorphic Published Illustration.[14] She was nominated for the 2006 Eisner Awards in the category Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition for her work on Digger.[15] Digger has won some Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards, and has been nominated for others, in the Outstanding Black and White Art and Outstanding Anthropomorphic Comic categories.[16][17] Digger won the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story in 2012[18] and the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature in 2013.[19] She won the Nebula Award for Best Short Story[20] and the WSFA Small Press Award for "Jackalope Wives" in 2015.[21] Her story "The Tomato Thief" won the 2017 Hugo Award for Best Novelette.[22]
Artist
Ursula Vernon is the author and illustrator of “Nurk,” “Digger,” and a number of other projects. The daughter of an artist, she spent her youth attempting to rebel and become a scientist, but eventually succumbed to the siren song of paint (although not before getting a degree in anthropology, because life isn’t complete without student loans, right?). Her work has been nominated for an Eisner award, “Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition” and a number of Webcomics Choice Awards.
Ursula grew up in Oregon and Arizona, went to college at Macalester College in Minnesota, and stayed there for ten years, until she finally learned to drive in deep snow and was obligated to leave the state.
In addition to writing and making art, Ms. Vernon is “an avid birdwatcher, occasional neophyte practitioner of the sword art of iaido, and an amateur thrower of pots.” She is active in her local webcomics community, and can occasionally be found at local science fiction conventions, looking vaguely baffled by the crowd and signing anything put in front of her.
Having moved across the country several times, she eventually settled in Pittsboro, North Carolina, where she works full-time as an artist and creator of oddities. She lives with her boyfriend, a spastic Beagle, a (fairly) mellow Border Collie, a small collection of cats, and a large collection of Indonesian demon masks, which generally manage to keep her out of trouble.
Interview with Ursula Vernon
by Andrea Johnson on Jan 6, 2015 in Nonfiction | 0 comments
Tags: andrea johnson, apex magazine, interview, interview with ursula vernon, issue 68, ursula vernon
2340 WORDS
Ursula Vernon is an illustrator, author, graphic novelist, gardener, and animal wrangler. She’s won the Hugo Award, the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, and was nominated for an Eisner award. Her novels for children include Nurk and the Dragonbreath Series, and her webcomics and graphic novels include Digger (winner of aforementioned awards), Irrational Fears, and Little Creature. Writing for adults and children, Ursula combines intelligent storytelling and empowered characters into the kinds of stories that grow and change alongside the reader. Her newest books, written under the pen name T. Kingfisher, include The Seventh Bride and Toad Words and Other Stories.
This month at Apex Magazine, we are thrilled to present Vernon’s short story “Pocosin,” which features a dying god, a no–nonsense protector, and those who believe they deserve the dying god’s soul.
What struck me most about “Pocosin” was its sense of place. I experienced a, for lack of a better term, “atmospheric pressure” that pressed down on the characters and narrowed their available actions. It gave the story an additional weight of experience, not dissimilar to the feeling you get when you close your eyes and smell a fine wine or scotch. Now, I know people don’t usually smell their fiction (or realize when something like that is happening), but if you can, when you can, that’s a sign the author has transformed words on a page into something magical and transportive. “Pocosin” has such a scent, one that residents of the Carolinas might recognize, and that the rest of us can only dream about.
Questions about the Story
APEX MAGAZINE: The story opens with an author’s note about what a pocosin is. Why did you decide to place the story in a “swamp on a hill?” Is there a connection between what happens in the story and this particular environment?
URSULA VERNON: Well, I’m a gardener, and my great love is native plants. I live in North Carolina, which has a great many ecosystems, and pocosins are one of them. Pocosins are rare and strange places, full of carnivorous plants, and I had a sort of character in my head—Maggie’s great–grandmother, actually—who I knew lived “by the sundew pool.” (Sundews are small predatory plants that put out long, sticky leaves to trap insects.)
So many stories are set in pseudo–Europe. (Don’t get me wrong, I love pseudo–Europe, I’ve set books there myself!) But I started thinking about this weird, uniquely Southern setting, the sort of place that literally doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world, and the sort of setting where God and the Devil could show up to bargain for a soul. And where you’d have possum gods, of course.
AM: The pocosin is nearly a character unto itself, creating a kind of “atmospheric pressure” that the characters endure. Why is it important for writers to be paying attention to the environment in which their story takes place?
UV: Well, it depends on the story, of course—there are undoubtedly some that can take place in white rooms and no one will notice! But I think when you’re calling up spirits, the place you’re standing is going to influence what shows up.
AM: If someone asked me to describe Maggie, I’d say “she’s stubborn and has balls of steel.” How did you go about developing her character?
UV: Heh! I don’t think I so much developed her as found her. There’s a lot of tough old women in the world. I suspect if you reach a certain age in some places, you’re either beat down or as tough as nails, and I didn’t think she’d been beat down.
AM: The dying possum god is *ancient*. Why are modern gods even interested in his soul?
UV: I think his age is why they’re interested. He’s a scrap of magic from before the modern gods showed up, and they want that scrap—either because it competes with them or because it’s worth having or they just don’t want each other to have it. Probably the last one. Not too many people would want a possum god just for itself.
AM: What were some of the inspirations for this story?
UV: Honestly, I was thinking about what the least impressive god in the world would be, and I immediately thought of possums. I have a bit of a soft spot for them, because they’re not as dumb as people think they are, but they’re very slow and very… oh, primitive, I guess. (As an aside, their body temperature is so low that they’re far less likely to carry rabies than other mammals—apparently it has a hard time incubating in them!)
Once I had the god and the setting, I figured God and the Devil would show up, and then it was just a matter of figuring out who would sit there and be unimpressed with their shenanigans.
Questions about your writing career in general
AM: I took the Digger route to discover your comics, and one of the things I most appreciate about your work is that you’re very interested in creating comics, graphic novels, and webcomics for readers ages eight to teenager (Nurk, Irrational Fears, Dragonbreath, and Little Creature who I adore). How do you know what age group a story should be marketed towards? Why is it important for younger readers to have age appropriate graphic novels?
UV: *laugh* This is a great question, and I wish I knew the answer! The fact is, I never know what age range a book is for. I write them and my editor tells me. My voice tends to fall toward middle grade a lot of the time—that tends to be 8–12ish—but I’ve written books that I thought were kids books and had my agent go “Ahahahah… NO.”
It’s definitely important to have comics for kids though. For the Dragonbreath books, a lot of our readers are what are called “reluctant readers”—they’re often not into reading for fun, or they’re intimidated by the sight of a wall of text, or occasionally they have a problem just visually processing that many words piled on top of each other. Comics and graphic novels are so important for kids like this. The art director on Dragonbreath does a heroic job of shuffling things to make sure that every two–page spread has an illustration on it somewhere, so you’re never confronted by a solid wall of text.
At the same time, the books can’t be dumbed down because that’s boring—nobody wants to read stuff that they feel is talking down to them! A lot of times, the response to kids not reading at a high level is to give them simpler books to read, and then of course they’re bored and rather insulted, so that doesn’t make reading any more fun for them. “Here, you hate books, let’s read one that talks to you like you’re dumb!” Not gonna fly. So graphic novels are awesome because you can read something at the level you find interesting, without the grind of plowing through that much text.
AM: Much of your work features animal or anthropomorphized animal characters. What’s the allure of featuring animal characters as opposed to an all human cast?
UV: …humans are hard to draw.
I mean, I like animals! Don’t get me wrong! I paint animals a lot, I love animals, my house is full of them, I garden for them, I am a repository of useless animal facts. But if I have to illustrate it, I prefer drawing animals. Humans fall into the uncanny valley too easily.
There’s a lot of other reasons, of course. Animals can be more purely the character, without some of the cultural expectations. People don’t push baggage onto them the same way. Digger the wombat is female, enormously physically powerful, grumpy, assertive, and at no point does she ever worry about what she looks like. That’s not a common run of traits in female characters, even today. We’ve moved to a point where you’re allowed to kick ass, but you damn well better look good doing it.
Anyway, if I’d tried to write Digger with a human title character, I would have faced this enormous pressure to justify her behavior at every step of the way. But because I had wombats—and hyenas!—instead of humans, I wasn’t pushing back against all these expectations and the characters could be what they were, and people would just accept it.
Which may be a cop–out. But it also means the comic existed at all, because again, humans are REALLY hard to draw! *grin*
AM: You also publish under the pen name T. Kingfisher. Why did you choose to publish certain titles under a different name?
UV: It’s because I’m a children’s book author as Ursula Vernon, actually! So when I set out to write a lot of stuff for adults—as opposed to “adult” stuff, which sounds like something else entirely!—I wanted to do it under a different name. (If I had been smart, I’d have written the kid’s stuff under a pen name to begin with, but you never think of that at the time…)
There’s a tendency for parents, when they find their kids will read something—particularly the reluctant readers!—they will buy everything that author ever wrote in hopes that their kids will read that, too. And this is wonderful on the part of the parents and I am totally delighted to get kids reading, but… well… they don’t always look too closely at the descriptions. At best, that means the kid may wind up with a book that bores them to pieces, at worst…
Well, I had a library event once where they raffled off books and had gotten ahold of my first novel, which they would have had to order direct from the small press, and a nine–year–old boy won the raffle and I had to do that slow motion “Nooooooo…!” across the room. My first novel had torture and lesbian elf sex and straight human sex and… well… yeah. I traded him for a book I had on me, and everyone was happy, but it was a near thing.
Since then, pen–name. I picked T. Kingfisher for a couple of reasons, not least of which was an homage to a far more famous Ursula, who joked once about being named Ulysses Kingfisher.
AM: A few months ago you were the toastmaster at WindyCon! How fun! Other than mastering toast (which means making it fall buttered side up, right?), what does a toastmaster do exactly? Do you have a favorite moment from the Con? What’s your 2015 convention schedule look like so far?
UV: Being a Toastmaster, near as I can tell, basically means you introduce far more important people, keep up a running line of patter, and read any notes that people hand to you with super vital announcements that you need to read to the assembly. With a friendly crowd, I am fine at this, and WindyCon was very friendly, so it was a lot of fun!
The moment that sticks with me—heh—was when I was the master of ceremonies at the masquerade. The last entry was dressed as the Goddess of Plague, and the script was that she was going to come for me, I would scream, and once the sound guy heard the scream, he’d kill the lights. Very dramatic, lotta fun.
The problem is that I am… not a screamer. I make a noise like an injured muppet. So the Plague Goddess, who is in a fantastic costume with bones and dead rats and everything, comes for me, and I have read off the little script and I’m backing away and I scream… or at least, I make a horrible muppet noise… and the sound guy doesn’t recognize it’s a scream.
So I back away farther and make another awful muppet noise and the Plague Goddess and I are making frantic eye contact, and I make a third muppet noise and I am about to fall off the stage into the speakers because I have to keep backing away, she can’t just grab me and have us grappling on stage under the lights—it’s gonna kill the effect—but the sound guy does not realize that this is literally the best scream I can make.
(My husband, who is in the audience, does know that this is my best scream and is having quiet hysterics in the front row, but that’s another matter.)
Fortunately at that point, the woman running the masquerade realizes that I have just done the best scream I can do and it is… err… sad… and furthermore I am about to fall off the stage, so she screams. And she used to work haunted houses, so this is a really spectacular, finest–tradition–of–horror scream, absolutely top quality. They kill the lights, disaster is averted, the Plague Goddess hurries off in the dark and I make some wisecrack about Purell as the lights come up.
It was a thing.
My 2015 schedule is already full, I’m afraid—I have Foolscap [Jan 30—Feb 1, Redmond VA], Tuscon Book Festival [Mar 14–15, Tuscon AZ], Anthrocon [July 9–12, Pittsburgh PA], MileHighCon [Oct 23–25 Denver CO], Chessiecon [Nov 27–29 Baltimore MD], and I may add Worldcon [Aug 19–23, Spokane WA] or another as time permits! And I’m trying to cut back on cons anyway, because I’m getting travel crazed. (I enjoy the cons enormously, but I’m fundamentally an introvert, and it takes me a long time to recuperate afterward…) Plus my publisher likes sending me on book tours, and they’re starting to see through my 24–hour–leprosy excuse.
Oh well, maybe in 2016…
AM: Thanks so much Ursula!
Well, let's see. I'm a painter and children's book author, I live in North Carolina, and...uh...just go look at the art. The art will tell you everything you need to know, and a lot of things you probably didn't.
I'm the author/illustrator of the Eisner-nominated webcomic Digger and the children's books "Nurk" and "Dragonbreath" from Harcourt-Brace and Penguin Dial, all of which can be purchased through Amazon (visit www.ursulavernon.com for direct links.)
Almost all art shown here can be purchased in print form at www.redwombatstudio.com www.redwombatstudio.com/ or by dropping me a note or an e-mail.
I am not accepting commissions at this time, and will not be for the foreseeable future.
Portrait above by Margo McCafferty-Rudd, 2008 www.mcruddart.com
Current Residence: North Carolina
Favourite style of art: Digital painting
Favourite cartoon character: Brock Samson
Personal Quote: Have you the brainworms?!
Favourite Visual Artist
James Christiansen
Favourite Bands / Musical Artists
Nick Cave
Favourite Writers
P.C. Hodgell, Terry Pratchett
Tools of the Trade
Painter, Photoshop, watercolor, acrylic
I write & illustrate books, garden, take photos, and blather about myriad things. I have very strong feelings about potatoes.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Inspiration
Where do you get your ideas?
I wish I knew. Sometimes it’s as easy as trying to combine two thing that haven’t been combined before–lemons and antelope, say, or pangolins and stars. Sometimes it just comes to me out of the blue, and an idea drops fully formed into my brain, and I have to go paint it or write it Right This Minute, or else.
Writing
How many books have you written?
A lot.
No, really, how many?
Well, if you count 100+ page comic collections as a book, then over thirty. If you don’t, then still over thirty, but slightly less than before.
I have questions for a report I have to do for class.
I get that a lot. I was born in Japan, my favorite book is “The Hero And The Crown” by Robin Mckinley, I wanted to become a writer because I ran out of books about talking animals to read, my biggest influence is nature, and my advice for young writers/artists is to just start, because you can’t get better unless you practice. Please refer to this, because I can no longer do homework e-mails due to sheer volume.
I have a great idea for your next book!
Sadly, for legal reasons, I can’t use fan ideas. That means that if you tell me the idea, you guarantee I will never, ever be able to use it, so please, please, don’t tell me! Lawyers make these rules! I’m very sorry.
Will you read my manuscript?
Nope! I am flattered you want my opinion, but I really truly do not give book critiques. It is not in my skillset. All I will say is “That seems nice!” because I don’t critique. Ever. Under any circumstances.
Kid Books
Why did the cover designs change for Hamster Princess?
Marketing decided to change it. If it was a nefarious plan to make people re-buy the entire series so that they matched, I was not consulted.
Will there be any more Dragonbreath books?
I’m afraid the series as ended for now. That was a decision by the publisher, not me!
Purchasing Art
How can I buy prints?
You can buy Limited Edition prints through the Artwork section of the website. For all other prints, Topatoco will be handling them, and links will be available when they’re for sale.
I don’t have Paypal or a credit card–can I still buy art?
Absolutely! All you have to do is send me an e-mail with which prints you want, and we can set something up. I take check or money order (as long as it’s in USD) and I’m even open to barter and trade, so break out the cowrie shells!
Do you sell your originals?
As often as possible! Mostly at conventions these days, though, because I no longer make enough to sell online.
Some of the art is missing/not available through Topatoco--can I still buy it?
Yes, but not through the main site–contact Ursula to set that up if there’s a piece you remember that is no longer available on either site.
Commissions and Permissions
Can I use your art to make tubes, tags, signatures, stationary, etc? I’m with an MSN graphics group…
No. I am no longer giving permission for my art to be tubed at this time. (Too much spam! Too many e-mails! Can’t handle the load! Trying to come up with a licensing solution…)
Can I use your art on my webpage?
If you include a link/copyright notice thingy, then yes.
Are you currently taking commissions?
I am not currently taking commissions at this time. I am buried in work, alas!
Technique
What is this clayboard of which you speak?
It’s neat. It’s a hard board like masonite, coated with a thin white layer of a gesso-like clay. It makes a really neat surface to paint on. It’s sold by Ampersand. These days I use their clayboard and gessoboard a great deal.
It says on some of these “mixed media.” Whazzat mean?
Ah, glorious mixed media. Mostly what that means is that I used watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, acrylic ink, and fluid acrylics in a glorious mishmash. I highly recommend PITT pens from Faber & Castell and FW Daler inks, as well as Prismacolor pencils.
What media do you work in?
Anything I feel like! I never met a medium I didn’t want to at least try. The majority of my artwork these days is either mixed media or done digitally. I like to work on clayboard, gessoboard, and plain old illustration board.
Do you have any advice or tips for an artist starting out?
You’ll have to be more specific. Seriously, I’m delighted to give the benefit of my dubious experience, but too often I get “Do you have any advice?” which is sorta unanswerable. Clean your brush a lot? Palette knives are really handy? Wacom tablets are the best? People’s ears are bigger and lower than you think? Ask me a specific question, and I’ll go on forever, but please be specific.
I’m interested in getting into digital art. What do you suggest?
Buy a wacom graphire tablet packaged with Painter Classic. For a hundred bucks, you get a sturdy tablet, and a program that’ll at least get your feet wet. Later, you’ll probably want to upgrade to a version of Painter with layers, but that’s my advice to start.
What programs do you use for the digital art?
I like Painter7, a Wacom Intuos 2 4 x 5 tablet, and occasionally Photoshop for layout and printing.
Education and Promotion
Did you go to art school?
Nope! I took several art classes in college, but it’s really not necessary to go to art school–anything you can learn in the classroom, you can learn on your own. The nice thing about art classes is that you run through all the techniques and whatnot much faster than you would on your own, and get exposed to a great many new media, so they’re very useful–but at the end of the day, practicing on your own is still the way you get better.
Should I go to art school?
Well, it can’t hurt.
Any sites that I NEED to be aware of to post art on/most beneficial to you?
DeviantArt is the current top. These things go in cycles, though–a site gets huge, everybody jumps on it, then it gets TOO huge, lumbers to oblivion, and everybody jumps ship to something more easily navigated. WARNING: May contain some content not suitable for children under 13.
How do you find out about where/when cons are?
Word of mouth, usually–I’m really bad about keeping track of cons, so I generally don’t hear about it until another artist I know goes “Are you doing ____con?” and I go “Where’s that?” People also occasionally ask me to come as a guest, which makes it easier.
Best advice you ever received?
“You can’t be afraid to make bad art,” as I think a painting prof of mine once said…or possibly my friend Harpold…cripes, it’s been too long.
Worst advice you ever received?
Anything involving doing free art for “the exposure.” Do free art because you like the idea, because you want to help the cause, because you have nothing better to do, but don’t delude yourself.
Misc
You used to have the best teas, through Ellen Million. Now that she's stopped, where can I get more?
The teas were supplied by Empire Teas. They make all kinds of great teas. They won’t have the fancy labels, though.
About Ursula Vernon
Ursula Vernon is the author and illustrator of the Dragonbreath series, Castle Hangnail, Nurk, and Digger, as well as the upcoming Hamster Princess series. The daughter of an artist, she spent her youth attempting to rebel and become a scientist. It didn't go well. Her work for adults has been nominated for the Eisner award, and has won the Hugo and Mythopoeic Awards, and her work for kids has won a Sequoyah Award, an IRA/CBC Children’s Choice, two Kirkus Best Books for Children awards, and was a Kids’ Indie Next List Pick and a Junior Library Premier Selection.
Ursula grew up in Oregon, which has a lot of pine trees; Arizona, which has a lot of cactus; and went to college in Minnesota, which has a lot of snow. She eventually settled in Pittsboro, North Carolina, which has a lot of antique stores. She sometimes misses the cactus, but not the snow.
She works full-time as an artist, writer, and creator of oddities. She has a large garden and a bunch of bird-feeders and can usually be seen staring out the window at the birds when she is supposed to be working. She lives with her husband and an assortment of animals, including a very good border collie and a very bad beagle.
“The Blair Witch Project meets The Andy Griffith Show” — Revealing T. Kingfisher’s The Twisted Ones
Tor.com
Mon Feb 4, 2019 9:00am 12 comments 6 Favorites [+]
Sometimes the things that go bump in the night are real, and they’re looking for you…
We’re excited to share the cover for The Twisted Ones, a horror novel by T. Kingfisher (the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author also known as Ursula Vernon), inspired in part by the author’s childhood love of ghost stories and unexplained mysteries. Check out the full design and learn more about the novel below!
When Mouse’s dad asks her to clean out her dead grandmother’s house, she says yes. After all, how bad could it be?
Answer: pretty bad. Grandma was a hoarder, and her house is packed to the gills with useless garbage. That would be horrors enough, but there’s more. Mouse stumbles across her step-grandfather’s journal, which at first seems to be the ravings of a broken mind.
Until she encounters some of the terrifying things he described herself. Alone in the woods with her dog, Mouse has to confront a series of impossible terrors—because sometimes the things that go bump in the night are real, and they’re looking for you. And if she doesn’t face them head on, she might not survive to tell the tale.
Cover design by Greg Stadnyk
When Ursula Vernon tweeted a description of her next project as “The Blair Witch Project meets The Andy Griffith Show“, Navah Wolfe—Senior Editor at Saga Press—had to know more:
I messaged her and asked if it was adult, novel length, and if it had a home. She told me it was adult, was novel length, didn’t have a home yet, and was 60% of the way done, did I want to read it? I said sure, as long as she didn’t need a quick response, busy swamped editor, etc. And then I dipped into it on my commute home, just because I was curious. SEVEN HOURS LATER, I was still reading, alone in my house while everyone else was asleep, absolutely terrified and convinced that every noise I heard was an eldritch horror coming to get me. I made an offer that week!
When asked why she wrote The Twisted Ones, Ursula replied:
When I was a kid, I had a book of American ghost stories and unexplained mysteries. It had Bigfoot and the Jersey Devil and Mothman.
(To this day, I am still afraid of Mothman.)
It also had an entry for the Devil’s Tramping Ground, a mysterious circle in North Carolina where the devil supposedly goes to pace back and forth and contemplate wickedness.
Decades later, I would move to Chatham County, North Carolina and one day, pulling up a map, I realized that I lived just off Devil’s Tramping Ground Road. The real one. The one that ends, somewhere a few dozen miles away, in the actual spot where Satan supposedly wanders around.
I would like to say that it is impressively eerie, but it’s just a sort of overgrown and a lot of litter. But still! It had gotten a mention in That Book I Read As A Kid, the greatest authority on ghost stories that I knew! And now I was living right by it!
Why weren’t horror novels being set all over North Carolina? Why weren’t we hip-deep in mysterious found manuscripts and cattle mutilations?
Did people just think it wasn’t scary enough? What did Maine have that we didn’t? We had woods! Better woods than The Blair Witch Project, anyway, where you got the impression that if the actors had just followed the river far enough, they’d come out in a Wal-mart parking lot.
Filled with sudden fervor and a desire to prove that my adopted home could be just as terrifying as anywhere else in the country, armed with Arthur Machen and strong opinions about local humidity, I set out to write a book filled with both the things that I loved and the things that scared me. Sometimes they turned out to be one and the same.
T. Kingfisher’s The Twisted Ones publishes in Fall 2019 with Saga Press.
Vernon, Ursula: LITTLE RED RODENT HOOD
Kirkus Reviews. (Aug. 1, 2018):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula LITTLE RED RODENT HOOD Dial (Children's Fiction) $13.99 9, 25 ISBN: 978-0-399-18658-5
The Hamster Princess takes on Little Red Riding Hood.
A small, sycophantic, adorable-voiced hamster girl wearing a bright red hood seeks out Princess Harriet for help, saying her grandmother is being terrorized by weasel-wolves. Although she is deeply repelled by the little hamster's extreme cuteness, Harriet and her trusty companion, Wilbur, follow Red into the woods, where they find the weasel-wolves. They are acting suspiciously docile--but Red says to ignore them; it's "the big one" who's the problem. Their first encounter with the big one involves a badly spelled note and a drawing of Harriet with "little stink-lines," but the second moonlit meeting is even stranger, as the big one is looking a lot more hamsterous and actually speaks (his name's Grey). Grey explains that he was "born a weasel-wolf" but was "bitten by a hamster under the full moon," making him a were-hamster. Probing reveals a shocking shared backstory between Grey and Harriet, and Wilbur's hilariously ill at ease while Grey and Harriet bond. Grey's looking for packs of weasel-wolves that have gone missing; it seems they vanish when Red and her grandmother enter an area. The jokes, both visual and textual, share space with the plot's central conflict: Harriet must decide whom to trust--a hamster subject who annoys her or a hamster-eating monster she likes.
Vintage Vernon humor and a cast so lovable it hurts. (Graphic/fantasy hybrid. 7-12)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Vernon, Ursula: LITTLE RED RODENT HOOD." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2018. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A548137951/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=49657400. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A548137951
Vernon, Ursula: WHISKERELLA
Kirkus Reviews. (Nov. 1, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula WHISKERELLA Dial (Children's Fiction) $12.99 1, 23 ISBN: 978-0-399-18655-4
Hamster princess Harriet is back in Vernon's take on "Cinderella."
Twelve-year-old Harriet has zero interest in marriage, especially when most princes she knows aren't particularly pleasant, but her optimistic mother has other ideas; the queen thinks that a masked ball would liberate Harriet from her intimidating reputation. But it's a reputation Harriet is proud of, and the queen's idea of a masked ball sadly doesn't allow for Harriet's costume ideas, like Genghis Prawn, "unstoppable leader of the lobster horde." Instead, the belle of the ball is a gorgeous, mysterious newcomer wearing glass shoes. While everyone else is enchanted, Harriet, concerned about how easy it was for an uninvited intruder to waltz right in, schemes to learn the mysterious hamster's secret. She learns that Ella (or Whiskerella) is stuck attending balls until she's swept off her feet by a prince. Ella finds the princes just as odious as Harriet does--and the shoes are painful--but her wishes are less important than the "happily ever after" that the fairy godmouse insists she have, as "Everry little girrrl drrreams of marrrying a prrrince!" The wild struggle to prevent the unwanted happily-ever-after includes razor-sharp takedowns of Cinderella tropes, stampeding quails, and a running gag about a lizard with bladder troubles. After all the silliness, it ends on a surprisingly beautiful note.
Readers will have a ball with this hilarious, charming story. (Graphic/fantasy hybrid. 7-12)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Vernon, Ursula: WHISKERELLA." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Nov. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A512028523/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=76d5fc9d. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A512028523
Vernon, Ursula: GIANT TROUBLE
Kirkus Reviews. (Apr. 1, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula GIANT TROUBLE Dial (Children's Fiction) $12.99 5, 9 ISBN: 978-0-399-18652-3
Hamster princess Harriet faces a big problem in this "Jack and the Beanstalk" retelling.Harriet and her loyal quail steed, Mumfrey, have been cliff-diving--a magical ability gained in Of Mice and Magic (2016)--when they're approached by a cloaked chipmunk peddling magic beans. Mumfrey loses patience during the pitch and eats one. The resulting flatulence prompts Harriet to camp outside the castle. A massive beanstalk towers above them by morning--Mumfrey had a nighttime bathroom break, and it appears that quail fertilizer's potent. Harriet and Mumfrey follow harp music up the beanstalk and to a castle, where "harpster" Strings (front half hamster, back half harp, amazing biceps from strumming herself) has been enslaved by the giant. She wants freedom to start a metal band; no one will be surprised when Harriet volunteers as drummer. Harriet must save Strings, a nail-biting rescue that includes stealing--by way of chewing--one of the giant's shoelaces, rank with years of giant toe sweat and funk. The cliff-diving comes in handy in the final confrontation with the giant, but the story's real resolution comes from threatening to sue the chipmunk for the damage his unmarked bean caused. This is vintage Vernon, sly text punctuated by clean, comic-style illustrations that manage to make even goose ("Honk?") and quail ("Qwerk qwerk qwerk, werk-qwerk, qwark") dialogue funny. Clever wordplay, wonderful character banter, and stinky humor make this outing another giant success. (Graphic/fantasy hybrid. 7-12)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Vernon, Ursula: GIANT TROUBLE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A487668600/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=6f78ce32. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A487668600
Vernon, Ursula: OF MICE AND MAGIC
Kirkus Reviews. (Jan. 1, 2016):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula OF MICE AND MAGIC Dial (Children's Fiction) $12.99 3, 15 ISBN: 978-0-8037-3984-0
Princess Harriet's second outing takes on the "Twelve Dancing Princesses." Although hamster Harriet is, sadly, no longer invincible, having broken her curse in Harriet the Invincible (2015), she's got a hero's skills after her previous adventures. Seeking new excitement, she encounters a lonely old lady by the side of the road asking for food; genre-savvy Harriet quickly deduces that it's a disguised fairy and complies. She's rewarded with a quest to save 12 mouse princesses, cursed to slip away every night to a mysterious location where they dance right through their slippers. When Harriet suggests that they might like dancing (as she liked her curse) and that it would be rude to just go breaking it without asking them, the fairy tells her that Harriet's kingdom too will face doom--at some unspecified point in the future--unless the curse is broken. Harriet arrives to find the mouse king a despot who inflicts his peculiar organizational whims on his subjects, such as militant matching and forced color coordination of clothing to each room. The princesses--who range in their enjoyment of femininity to stand as foils to tomboyish Harriet--don't like dancing (anymore) or being trapped, clearing Harriet to save the day. While Harriet prizes her physical prowess, Vernon here allows her to show off her smarts as equally impressive. Maintaining a keen balance between silly and sly, this sequel will have readers snickering. (Graphic/fantasy hybrid. 7-12)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Vernon, Ursula: OF MICE AND MAGIC." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Jan. 2016. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A438646678/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=dddb9a86. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A438646678
Harriet the Invincible
Publishers Weekly. 262.49 (Dec. 2, 2015): p85+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Harriet the Invincible
Ursula Vernon. Dial, $12.99 ISBN 978-08037-3983-3
This uproariously fun first entry in the Hamster Princess series begins when an uninvited evil fairy spoils Princess Harriet's christening and curses the baby to a deathlike sleep at age 12. Sound familiar? Well, it is, but this future sleeping beauty is a rodent, and the curse involves not a spinning wheel but a hamster wheel. When Harriet Hamsterbone, no fan of standard princess stuff like deportment lessons and kissing princes, learns about the curse at age 10, she's ecstatic--because she needs to be alive for the curse to work, she realizes that she's essentially invincible. (Harriet celebrates by jumping off a tower, then "spent the next two years cliff-diving, dragon-slaying, and jousting on the professional circuit.") When the curse magic gets twisted, Harriet demonstrates bravery, inventiveness, and a sword-sharp wit as she tries to save the kingdom. Shifting between prose passages and indigo-tinted cartoon sequences, Vernon (the Dragonbreath books) upends fairy-tale conventions and gender stereotypes left and right in a book with all the makings of a hit. Readers will be laughing themselves silly. Ages 8-12.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Harriet the Invincible." Publishers Weekly, 2 Dec. 2015, p. 85+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A436234250/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b59872df. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A436234250
Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible
Maggie Reagan
Booklist. 111.21 (July 1, 2015): p73.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
* Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible. By Ursula Vernon. Illus. by the author. Aug. 2015. 208p. Dial, $12.99 (9780803739833). Gr. 3-6.
Princesses don't cliff-dive. They don't joust, they don't slay monsters, and they don't rescue anyone. But Princess Harriet Hamsterbone (yes, she's a hamster) is a princess, and, "If I do it," she says, "it's got to be something princesses do! Who makes these rules?!" Not content to wait around to prick herself on a hamster wheel on her twelfth birthday--she was cursed at birth, Sleeping Beauty style-Harriet makes the curse work for her. Curses, she reasons, are specific, and this one will keep her alive until she's 12, making her all but invincible for the time being. And so off she goes, riding her faithful quail and ignoring her parents' dry commentary, saving princesses from dragons (and dragons from princesses), and maybe finding the skills to save herself in the process. And, oh yeah, she'll do anything to avoid having to kiss some stuck-up prince. The spunky, slightly bonkers Harriet is a delightful heroine who turns this fairy tale on its head, and the book is peppered with clever two-color cartoon illustrations that will attract even the more reluctant readers. It's a joy to read, and we can only hope that Harriet--long may she reign--will return in later installments.--Maggie Reagan
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Reagan, Maggie. "Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible." Booklist, 1 July 2015, p. 73. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A429090044/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=11ee795b. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A429090044
Harriet the Invincible
Publishers Weekly. 262.19 (May 11, 2015): p61.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
* Harriet the Invincible
Ursula Vernon. Dial, $12.99 (256p) ISBN 9780-8037-3983-3
This uproariously fun first entry in the Hamster Princess series begins when an uninvited evil fairy spoils Princess Harriet's christening and curses the baby to a deathlike sleep at age 12. Sound familiar? Well, it is, but this future sleeping beauty is a rodent, and the curse involves not a spinning wheel but a hamster wheel. When Harriet Hamsterbone, no fan of standard princess stuff like deportment lessons and kissing princes, learns about the curse at age 10, she's ecstatic--because she needs to be alive for the curse to work, she realizes that she's essentially invincible. (Harriet celebrates by jumping off a tower, then "spent the next two years cliff-diving, dragon-slaying, and jousting on the professional circuit.") When the curse magic gets twisted, Harriet demonstrates bravery, inventiveness, and a sword-sharp wit as she tries to save the kingdom. Shifting between prose passages and indigo-tinted cartoon sequences, Vernon (the Dragonbreath books) upends fairytale conventions and gender stereotypes left and right in a book with all the makings of a hit. Readers will be laughing themselves silly. Ages 8-12. Agent: Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary. (Aug.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Harriet the Invincible." Publishers Weekly, 11 May 2015, p. 61. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A413481439/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8b5c5881. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A413481439
Vernon, Ursula: HARRIET THE INVINCIBLE
Kirkus Reviews. (May 1, 2015):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula HARRIET THE INVINCIBLE Dial (Children's Fiction) $12.99 8, 18 ISBN: 978-0-8037-3983-3
This new series from Dragonbreath's Vernon puts a wild spin on "Sleeping Beauty." A droll opening introduces Harriet Hamsterbone ("who, as her name indicated, was a hamster"), an adventurous princess chafing against deportment, the requirements of her role, and other limitations imposed by her parents. When they reveal the source of their overprotectiveness (the "Sleeping Beauty" curse, with a hamster wheel on her 12th birthday substituting for the spinning wheel), Harriet takes a seemingly counterintuitive stance: since the curse requires her to be alive on her fateful birthday, until then she must be invincible. She gallivants around as an unstoppable hero before returning home for her birthday--to discover that her mother has prepared for the curse by picking a wretched, male-chauvinist prince to kiss and wake her once the curse sets in. Before it can, the evil fairy shows up to gloat, and a hilarious sequence leads to the backfiring of the curse, leaving Harriet the castle's only hamster still awake. Now she must find a prince willing to kiss every last sleeping creature in the castle. Vernon deploys the same winning elements found in her Dragonbreath books, a mix of boldly drawn, two-tone cartoons, occasional speech bubbles, and a boisterously humorous text. Harriet is her own hamster, but she takes her place proudly alongside both Danny Dragonbreath and Babymouse. Creatively fresh and feminist, with laughs on every single page. (Graphic/fantasy hybrid. 8-12)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Vernon, Ursula: HARRIET THE INVINCIBLE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2015. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A411372127/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=d752b439. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A411372127
Castle Hangnail
Melissa Moore
Booklist. 111.14 (Mar. 15, 2015): p73.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Castle Hangnail.
By Ursula Vernon.
Apr. 2015. 384p. Dial, $16.99 (9780803741294). Gr. 4-7.
Castle Hangnail must have a master or it will be decommissioned. So when 12-year-old Molly shows up on the doorstep, claiming to be the new master, most of the minions working in the castle accept her despite her youth and seeming lack of true evil. After all, she has the invitation from the Board of Magic, and she can perform magic. But the castle has fallen into disrepair, and the board's list of tasks (including blighting, smiting, and defending) must be completed if she is truly to be master. When an old and powerful rival of Molly's shows up to claim the castle for herself, all that Molly can do may not be enough. In the tradition of Eva Ibbotson comes a wacky, heartwarming tale of magic, friendship, and home. Creatively drawn characters--from a Minotaur cook to a donkey-dragon to clockwork bees--enjoy mutual respect and will sacrifice whatever is needed to safeguard the castle and its master. The illustrations add whimsy to this delightful tale, and the satisfying conclusion leaves the door cracked for future adventures.--Melissa Moore
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Moore, Melissa. "Castle Hangnail." Booklist, 15 Mar. 2015, p. 73. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A409422145/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=dd2113e9. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A409422145
Vernon, Ursula: CASTLE HANGNAIL
Kirkus Reviews. (Feb. 1, 2015):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula CASTLE HANGNAIL Dial (Children's Fiction) $16.99 4, 21 ISBN: 978-0-8037-4129-4
Castle Hangnail is in desperate need of a new Master; 12-year-old budding Wicked Witch Molly might be just the person to fill the position.The crumbling castle is in real danger of being decommissioned, and the resident minions fear the loss of their longtime home. It's fairly easy to overlook the fact that the short, rather kindly girl in the witchy boots seems a somewhat unusual candidate for the job. That might just be because she stole the invitation to apply from a nasty young sorceress and is, therefore, something of a fraud. In a droll, ironic style that fans of Terry Pratchett will appreciate, Vernon (Dragonbreath, 2012, etc.) creatively--even joyfully--explores the well-worn trope of young teen witchcraft. Molly, fiercely defensive of her new home and loyal followers, is just beginning to understand the nature of her power. Her successes are engaging, hard-won and fully believable. Characters as unusual as a steaming teapot spirit, mother-and-son Minotaurs who ably manage the castle kitchen, a near-empty suit of armor, a Frankenstein-like castle manager and a lively stuffed doll that does all the sewing come fully, sometimes hilariously to life. Illustrations liberally sprinkled throughout add yet another satisfying dimension. An appealing protagonist, lots of action, clever, witty writing, witchcraft and evildoers who get nothing but what they deserve--what's not to love? (Fantasy. 10-16)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Vernon, Ursula: CASTLE HANGNAIL." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2015. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A399321896/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=2e0adea0. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A399321896
Vernon, Ursula: NIGHTMARE OF THE IGUANA
Kirkus Reviews. (Nov. 15, 2012):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula NIGHTMARE OF THE IGUANA Dial (Children's Fiction) $12.99 1, 29 ISBN: 978-0-8037-3846-1
Tasked with driving a fearsome Dream Wasp away from Wendell, their nerdy reptilian buddy, Danny Dragonbreath and Suki the salamander crawl into his sleeping brain. Eeeww. So exhausted from lack of rest that he gets an A- on a test and reluctant to seek help from his New-Age mother ("No, Mom, not the kelp!"), Wendell turns in desperation to Danny's wise if mythological great-grandfather Dragonbreath for advice. Thus it is that Danny and Suki, with a "baku" (dream eater) in tow, are soon on their way. They stumble through dream chambers stuffed with mounds of unappetizing health food, run from monstrous school bullies and search zillions of books (Reasons That I Will Die of Shame if Suki Ever Finds Out I Like Her) on the way to climactically vanquishing the giant Wasp (eek) and smashing her slime-filled eggs (yuck). As in episodes past, Vernon tells the tale in a running mix of prose and green-highlighted drawings with dialogue balloons, slides in wisecracks galore and closes with a teaser for the next chapter (something involving "mutant thieves"). "It's impossible! It's unnatural! It's weird!" exclaims Suki. Readers will echo Danny's response: "Good enough for me!" (Graphic hybrid fantasy. 8-11)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Vernon, Ursula: NIGHTMARE OF THE IGUANA." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Nov. 2012. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A308117186/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=93507acb. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A308117186
Dragonbreath: lair of the bat monster
Ursula Vernon
Faces: People, Places, and Cultures. 28.7 (Apr. 2012): p48.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 Cricket Media
http://www.cricketmedia.com/
Full Text:
Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster is a funny book about Danny the Dragon and his friend Wendell the Iguana. When they find an injured bat in a swimming pool, they don't know what to do, so they go see Danny's cousin Steve to ask for his help. This is my favorite part of the book because Steve is a really cool dragon. Steve is funny and smart, and a really brave dragon. Danny is a brave, fun dragon, too, and Wendell is smart, but not very brave at all. The injured bat is lucky to have all these funny characters helping him. There are illustrations in this chapter book that I also liked because they helped describe what the bat monster looks like and the expressions each of the characters had. Every scene leads smoothly into the next one. I thought this book was fantastic and I couldn't put it down. This book would be great for anyone who loves humor and excitement.
Ages 8 to 12
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2011
www.us.penguingroup.com
----------
Please note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Vernon, Ursula. "Dragonbreath: lair of the bat monster." Faces: People, Places, and Cultures, Apr. 2012, p. 48. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A294628818/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=fc36d600. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A294628818
Vernon, Ursula: DRAGONBREATH
Kirkus Reviews. (July 15, 2011):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2011 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula DRAGONBREATH Dial (Adult Fiction) $12.99 8, 18 ISBN: 978-0-8037-3527-9
Adventure-magnet Danny Dragonbreath and his nebbish sidekick Wendell have no idea what trick-or-treat has in store for them...
The first horror: Wendell's costume consists of two pie tins, one emblazoned with a plus and another with a minus...he's a hydrogen atom. He's hoping the pity candy will offset the embarrassment. The second horror: Danny's dad has volunteered to take Christiana Vanderpool along. Christiana is an official Junior Skeptic (who doesn't believe that Danny's a real dragon). The third horror (though far from the last): Big Eddy and his pack of lizard goons lurk. Danny and company feel safe enough with parents nearby, but then Big Eddy dares Danny to go into the local haunted house. What can a young dragon do? The trio gets locked in the house, and the horrors begin to mount. Pictures change from crying clowns to flowers, mysterious thumps echo down dark halls, floors collapse, ghostly visions appear...will they survive the spectral onslaught-but, more importantly, will they escape with their candy collections intact? Vernon's fifth hybrid text-and-graphic-panels tale extends Danny's search for adventure (and Wendell's search for safety). Plenty of gags and one-liners similar to previous outings, in two-color panels and short chapters.
Fans will enjoy the spooky outing, newbies should start with earlier volumes for maximum fun. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 5-9)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Vernon, Ursula: DRAGONBREATH." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2011. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A261178748/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a90024c4. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A261178748
Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster
Children's Bookwatch. (June 2011):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2011 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
Full Text:
Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster
Ursula Vernon
Dial Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780803735255 $12.99 www.penguin.com
It's an elephant, a gorilla--or a giant bat monster. Either way, Danny Dragonbreath and his best friend's exploration of bat caves in the Mexican jungle suddenly got a lot more complicated. Danny is kidnapped by a giant bat monster and it's up to Wendell to hunt down the creature before Danny vanishes forever into the caves. Fans of prior Dragonbreath series titles (those at the advanced elementary to middle school grade levels) will relish this adventure!
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster." Children's Bookwatch, June 2011. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A259155593/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c6fd39bb. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A259155593
Vernon, Ursula: LAIR OF THE BAT MONSTER
Kirkus Reviews. (Jan. 15, 2011):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2011 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula LAIR OF THE BAT MONSTER Dial (Adult Fiction) $12.99 3, 1 ISBN: 978-0-8037-3525-5
More charged up than daunted by encounters in previous episodes with vampire squid, ninja frogs and a fearsome were-wiener, irrepressible dragonling Danny charges off into the Mexican jungle to visit Cousin Steve, a feathered lizard and bat scientist. Delivering her punch lines as usual in green-tinted cartoons strewn liberally through the narrative, Vernon dials up reader interest with, first, a visit to a bat cave ("The smell was eye-watering and pungent, and it crawled up inside your nose and your mouth and burned your eyes and your tear ducts and the roof of your mouth. It was like old cheese soaked in cat urine wrapped in gym socks dipped in boiled cabbage. 'You get used to it...' said Steve unconvincingly"). Then Danny's suddenly kidnapped by Camazotz, a not-(as it turns out)-so-legendary monster bat with unsatisfied maternal instincts. A night of narrow squeaks ensues, capped by the discovery of a golden treasure guarded by Camazotz's larger and much more hostile mate. Thanks largely to the efforts of Danny's nerdy sidekick Wendell, the scaly buddies do get home by morning-but not before readers get plenty of reasons to echo Danny's trademark: "That. Is. So. Cool!" (Graphic hybrid fantasy. 8-11)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Vernon, Ursula: LAIR OF THE BAT MONSTER." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2011. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A256562866/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=48148fd0. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A256562866
Curse of the Were-Wiener
Kat Kan
Booklist. 107.4 (Oct. 15, 2010): p52.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2010 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Curse of the Were-Wiener.
By Ursula Vernon. Illus. by the author.
2010. 208p. Dial, $12.99 (9780803734692). Gr. 3-5.
In this third Dragonbreath adventure, Danny first realizes there's something wrong with his school cafeteria hot dog, and then the hot dog bites his best friend, Wendell. When Wendell and other students start itching, growing hair, and staring at the moon, Danny knows he has to find and destroy the main were-wiener. This time around, Vernon uses black, white, green, and red in the comic-like panels and illustrations that accompany the prose text. The book is just spooky enough for young readers who don't want to get too scared, and it features the return of the monster potato salad.--Kat Kan
Kan, Kat
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Kan, Kat. "Curse of the Were-Wiener." Booklist, 15 Oct. 2010, p. 52. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A246013263/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=48159412. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A246013263
Vernon, Ursula: CURSE OF THE WERE-WIENER
Kirkus Reviews. (July 15, 2010):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2010 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula CURSE OF THE WERE-WIENER Dial (Adult Fiction) $12.99 9, 1 ISBN: 978-0-8037-3469-2
School lunch bites-literally-in the third impossibly droll escapade featuring dragonling Danny Dragonbreath and his peace-loving iguana buddy, Wendell. When Wendell and other students at Herpitax-Phibbias School For Reptiles and Amphibians are nipped by a strangely colored hot dog, Danny finds himself in a race against time to find and take out the Alpha-Wurst in a package of feral were-wieners before his friend and schoolmates are transformed into mindless minions. Dishing out most of the many punchlines and wisecracks in thick-lined red-and-green cartoons, Vernon crafts a mixed-format escapade that sends Danny and Wendell on a Journey through dark storm drains (cue a Joseph Campbell joke from Wendell; "Who?" asks Danny) to enlist the aid of an escaped sentient potato salad that likewise came out of the school kitchen-because "everybody knows that potato salad and hot dogs are ancient enemies"-and on to a gory (okay, ketchup-y) climax in the lunchroom fridge. What next? Would you believe....a Bat Monster? Stay tuned. (Graphic hybrid fantasy. 8-11)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Vernon, Ursula: CURSE OF THE WERE-WIENER." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2010. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A256560634/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=41e97907. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A256560634
Vernon, Ursula: DRAGONBREATH
Kirkus Reviews. (Dec. 15, 2009):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula DRAGONBREATH Dial (Children's) $$12.99 Feb. 1, 2010 ISBN: 978-0-8037-3365-7
"Vague notions of heroism entered his mind, and then paused, confused by their surroundings." Primed by viewings of Seven Fists of Carnage and like martial-arts fare, impulsive dragonling Danny "That-is-so-COOL!" Dragonbreath isn't exactly ready to charge into action but plunges ahead nonetheless when he and his nerdy buddy Wendell see new exchange student Suki the Salamander in the clutches of real, live ninja frogs. Telling her hilarious tale in a close weave of smart-alecky prose and two-toned cartoons with dialogue balloons, Vernon propels her tailed trio to "mythological Japan" (thanks to an unusually extensive city bus system) for encounters with a magical crane (the feathered kind), a wise but hard-of-hearing old dragon and a hidden fortress full of amphibian ninjas eager to make Suki their Queen. As she'd rather be a veterinarian, the stage is set for a climactic battle. At least as rib-tickling as first outing Dragonbreath (2009), this follow-up leaves the safely returned Danny shrugging off kung-fu to prattle on feverishly about vampires. Stay tuned. (Fantasy. 8-11)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Vernon, Ursula: DRAGONBREATH." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2009. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A214551906/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4eea144c. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A214551906
Vernon, Ursula: DRAGONBREATH
Kirkus Reviews. (June 1, 2009):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula DRAGONBREATH Dial (Children's) $$12.99 Jun. 1, 2009 ISBN: 978-0-8037-3363-3
Young everydragon Danny Dragonbreath hasn't quite caught the knack of breathing fire yet, but he sure knows how to have adventures--or at least to inflict them on Wendell, his peace-loving iguana buddy. Having failed to impress his teacher Mr. Smaug with a hastily concocted report on the fictitious "snorkelbat," Danny recklessly drags Wendell off to the Sargasso Sea (on a bus) to gather material on actual marine life with the help of his cousin Edward, a sea serpent. Encounters with a shark, poisonous jellyfish, vampire squid ("Instead of ink, they shoot a cloud of glowing snot at you." "Glowing snot? That is SO COOL!") and an aggressive giant squid ensue. Vernon's text abets the suspension of disbelief with Wendell's dubious regard for the mythological: "He had somehow maintained a fairly solid grip on reality despite being Danny's friend, but there were limits." Presented in a hybrid prose/graphic format with simply drawn, two-tone pictures in an appropriately reptilian green, Danny D's first outing will leave readers in stitches--and on tenterhooks waiting for the next one, which, according to a preview, will feature ninja frogs. (Fantasy. 8-11)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Vernon, Ursula: DRAGONBREATH." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2009. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A208114972/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=0e68865e. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A208114972
Dragonbreath
Kat Kan
Booklist. 105.18 (May 15, 2009): p55.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Dragonbreath.
By Ursula Vernon. Illus. by the author.
June 2009. 144p. Dial, $12.99 (9780803733633).
Gr. 3-5.
Young dragon Danny Dragonbreath has a problem: he can't yet breathe fire. Meanwhile, he just received an F on his report about the ocean and he now has one night to rewrite it. Along with his best friend, Wendell (an iguana), Danny visits Cousin Edward the sea serpent, who takes them on an undersea tour that includes a visit to a coral reef and a trip down to the dark depths of an ocean trench. When a giant squid attacks the two youngsters and tries to eat them, Danny finally finds the motivation to breathe fire (which doesn't work too well underwater). This book follows the same kind of hybrid format as Jeff Kinney's Wimpy Kid books, interspersing two-color comic-book-style panels (sometimes pages of them) throughout the prose. Young readers will sympathize with Danny as he deals with a bullying komodo dragon and struggles with his fire-breathing problem; they will also sympathize with Wendell as he gets dragged into all kinds of adventures with the fearless Danny.--Kat Kan
Kan, Kat
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Kan, Kat. "Dragonbreath." Booklist, 15 May 2009, p. 55. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A200916090/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=90c6ac54. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A200916090
Nurk
Children's Bookwatch. (Nov. 2008):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2008 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
Full Text:
Nurk
Ursula Vernon
Harcourt
c/o Harcourt Children's Books
525 B Street, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495
9780142063757, $15.00 www.harcourtbooks.com
Nurk is a quiet shrew who hides at home--until a mysterious letter involves him in a dangerous rescue mission--and Nurk is not a brave soul. His adventures with strange dragonflies and others will gain him a host of friends, a few enemies, and many terrifying moments in this story of a shy shrew who is not very brave despite his new calling. Elementary grades will find it a gentle, fun story.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Nurk." Children's Bookwatch, Nov. 2008. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A188797644/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=32b5e672. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A188797644
Vernon, Ursula: NURK
Kirkus Reviews. (May 1, 2008):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2008 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula NURK Harcourt (Children's) $15 Jun. 1, 2008 ISBN: 978-0-15-206375-7
A reclusive young shrew develops a taste for adventure in this short, witty debut. With the example of his long-absent grandmother Surka--"a fighter, a dishwasher, and a pirate queen"--before him, little Nurk stocks up an empty shell he calls the Snailboat and sets off downriver in response to a letter pleading for unspecified help. That plea comes, as it turns out, from Scatterwings, a thoroughly adolescent dragonfly princess whose royal brother Flicker has been captured by the Grizzlemole, a blind enchanter of mountainous size. The occasional fluidly drawn black-and-white scenes depict a particularly tiny and timorous-looking rodent, but Nurk shows heart aplenty in taking on a series of eldritch challenges--and he returns home afterward bolstered by a new self-assurance likely to spur him on in sequels to search for his lost grandparent. Nurk's adventure, and the tone in which it's related, will remind readers of Stuart Little's quest. (Fantasy. 10-12)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Vernon, Ursula: NURK." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2008. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A178332903/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e59eaeb9. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A178332903
Vernon, Ursula. Black Dogs: The House of Diamond
Jackie Cassada
Library Journal. 131.20 (Dec. 1, 2006): p115.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2006 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
Vernon, Ursula. Black Dogs: The House of Diamond. Sofawolf. Jan. 2007. c.216p. ISBN 0-9869212-4-3. pap. $14.95. FANTASY
When her House falls prey to bandits, Lyra is rescued by Sadrao, a dog-soldier from Khamir, who takes her under his protection. She joins him, along with a pair of female elves and a sorceror's unpredictable half-blood offspring, on his journey to the distant city of Knaxos and the legendary House of Diamond. Political and social intrigue as well as swordplay mark fantasy illustrator Vernon's first novel, the first of two volumes that combine high fantasy with themes involving intelligent animal races. Larger libraries may wish to consider for their fantasy collections.
By Jackie Cassada, Asheville Buncombe Lib. Syst., NC
Cassada, Jackie
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Cassada, Jackie. "Vernon, Ursula. Black Dogs: The House of Diamond." Library Journal, 1 Dec. 2006, p. 115. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A156550208/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=321cd4ff. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A156550208
VERNON, Ursula. Hamster Princess: Whiskerella
Mahnaz Dar
School Library Journal. 64.1 (Jan. 2018): p78.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
VERNON, Ursula. Hamster Princess: Whiskerella. illus. by Ursula Vernon. 256p. Dial. Jan. 2018. Tr $12.99. ISBN 9780399186554. POP
Gr 3-6--Harriet the hamster princess faces her greatest tribulation yet: a fancy masquerade ball. She'd rather be slaying Ogrecats or fighting giants than wearing elegant gowns and dancing with dull, clumsy princes, but the party gets a boost with the arrival of the lovely Whiskerella, who exits right before midnight, leaving behind several disappointed suitors. Curious Harriet and her friends Wilson and Ratpunzel investigate only to discover a fairy godmother hellbent on obtaining Whiskerella a happyever-after ending at all costs. Like previous titles in the series, this cheerfully irreverent "Cinderella" spoof hilariously deconstructs fairy-tale tropes ("And who falls in love with somebody because of their shoe size?!"). The humor turns delightfully silly at times, too, with plenty of bathroom jokes. The depiction of female characters is thoughtful: though take-charge Harriet, who eschews stereotypically feminine traits, is the star of the show, gentle Ratpunzel gets her due as well. Whimsical illustrations break up the action-packed narrative and add a comic book-like flair. VERDICT Both series fans and newcomers with a taste for snark will devour this one. Multiple copies are a must.--Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Dar, Mahnaz. "VERNON, Ursula. Hamster Princess: Whiskerella." School Library Journal, Jan. 2018, p. 78. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A521876202/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=05c0d550. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A521876202
Vernon, Ursula. Ratpunzel
Mahnaz Dar
School Library Journal. 62.9 (Sept. 2016): p146.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
VERNON, Ursula. Ratpunzel. illus. by Ursula Vernon. 240p. (Hamster Princess: Bk. 3). Dial. Oct. 2016. Tr $12.99. ISBN 9780803739857. POP
Gr 3-6--Harriet, the intrepid hamster princess warrior who broke the curse placed on her at birth (Harriet the Invincible) and rescued the 12 dancing mice princesses (Of Mice and Magic), goes up against an evil sorceress. Trouble's in the air at Harriet's best friend Prince Wilbur's castle: an egg laid by his mother's hydra, a nine-headed creature appropriately named Heady, has gone missing. Harriet and Wilbur leap onto their quails and gallop off to solve the mystery. Along the way, they meet Dame Gothel, a mysterious, cloak-clad gerbil with a flair for magic, and her ward, Ratpunzel, a rodent who's been imprisoned within a tower (by lowering her long tail, she allows visitors access). Subverting gender stereotypes (Wilbur is the gentle and more thoughtful foil to impulsive and bold Harriet) and skewering fairy-tale tropes left and right (sweet Ratpunzel's innocent and trusting nature is hilariously absurd), this slim, dialogue-heavy, action-packed volume is packed with wit that's broad enough to appeal to children yet clever enough to win over adults. Two-tone cartoon illustrations break up the text, adding humor and giving the work a graphic novel-like feel. VERDICT Hand this can't-miss installment to followers of the series, fans of comedy mixed with adventure, and those seeking an alternative to traditional princess stories.--Mahnaz Oar, School Library Journal
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Dar, Mahnaz. "Vernon, Ursula. Ratpunzel." School Library Journal, Sept. 2016, p. 146. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A462899754/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4d6c2e8b. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A462899754
Vernon, Ursula. Hamster Princess: Of Mice and Magic
Michele Shaw
School Library Journal. 62.1 (Jan. 2016): p83.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
* VERNON, Ursula. Hamster Princess: Of Mice and Magic. illus. by Ursula Vernon. 240p. (Hamster Princess: Bk. 2). Dial. Mar. 2016. Tr $12.99. ISBN 9780803739840.
Gr 3-6--Fierce warrior hamster princess Harriet Hamsterbone and her faithful battle-quail, Mumffey, are itching for adventure mere weeks after obliterating the fairy curse in the first book of the series, Harriet the Invincible (Dial, 2015). Now that she is no longer invincible, she cannot participate in her favorite pastime, cliff diving, and she yearns for a new mighty quest. When a fairy shrew appears, needing her assistance at the Mouse Kingdom, Harriet quickly obliges. She learns of the plight of the 12 dancing princess mice, who are cursed to dance all night, every night. Arriving at the castle armed with a poncho of invisibility, Harriet must find out what is forcing the princesses to dance and break tire curse before it's too late. What she unearths is a rodent-tweaked version of the "Twelve Dancing Princesses," in which the 12 princesses, who are named after the months of the year (January, February, March, etc.), seem destined to marry the 12 mole brothers (named after the zodiac signs: Gemini, Pisces, etc.). The generous comic book-like, two-toned illustrations are reminiscent of Vernon's "Dragonbreath" series (Dial) and suit the text perfectly. VERDICT A quick and satisfying read that is as hilarious as it is fun. Make room on the shelves for this not so frilly princess.--Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA
Shaw, Michele
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Shaw, Michele. "Vernon, Ursula. Hamster Princess: Of Mice and Magic." School Library Journal, Jan. 2016, p. 83. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A438949202/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=9e0962bb. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A438949202
Vernon, Ursula. Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible
Michele Shaw
School Library Journal. 61.5 (May 2015): p107+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
* VERNON, Ursula. Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible. illus. by Ursula Vernon. 208p. (Hamster Princess). Dial. Aug. 2015. Tr $ 12.99. ISBN 9780803739833; ebk. $10.99. ISBN 9780698403970.
Gr 3-5--From the creator of the "Dragon-breath" series (Dial) comes a new fairy tale heroine in the form of a hamster. Princess Harriet Hamsterbone is not like ordinary princesses who are known for trailing around the palace looking ethereal and sighing a lot. She is, however, brave and intelligent and excels in other hamster princess skills, like checkers and fractions. Harriet is also invincible, due in part to a curse put upon her at birth by the evil wicked fairy god mouse, Ratshade. The curse dooms Princess Harriet to fall into a Sleeping Beauty-like slumber at the age of 12 but leaves her unable to die until then. Rather than worry about the inevitable, Princess Harriet lives life without fear-cliff-diving and Ogre-cat fighting, all with her trusty quail friend Mumfrey at her side. When the curse backfires, leaving all in the Kingdom in a deep slumber except Harriet and Mumfrey, it is up to the fierce little hamster to find a willing prince able to help her break the curse and save the kingdom. The artwork is large and in graphic novel-style, with sparse colors, similar to the "Dragonbreath" illustrations. Move over, Babymouse, there's a new rodent in town! VERDICT Vernon has created a spunky heroine readers will cheer for and who will leave them eagerly searching for the happily ever after in the next installment.--Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Shaw, Michele. "Vernon, Ursula. Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible." School Library Journal, May 2015, p. 107+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A413169502/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a5716e98. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A413169502
Vernon, Ursula. Castle Hangnail
Benjamin Russell
School Library Journal. 61.1 (Jan. 2015): p101.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
VERNON, Ursula. Castle Hangnail. 384p. Dial. Apr. 2015. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780803741294.
Gr 4-6--Molly, a 12-year-old witch, arrives as tire new master of Castle Hangnail, despite some misgivings on the part of Majordomo, the Igor-like guardian responsible for the management of its legacy and various minion occupants. To keep the castle from having its magic removed and its minions dispersed, Molly must perform a series of wicked tasks, which may be beyond the scope of her moral compass and her fledgling powers. Featuring a bevy of cute and unthreatening touches and populated throughout with spot illustrations, the book quickly establishes grounded and effective stakes. One the one hand, a character is a hypochondriac goldfish, but on die other, a child is responsible for the livelihoods of several adults and is hiding secrets that could drastically affect them. To have these aspects exist side by side so seamlessly is testament to the author's careful maneuvering of tone, including a finale that solidly shows the story's veneer of innocence is overlaid on significant and deadly consequences. While that depth could make the peril disquietingly real for younger readers, it offers a read with substance and resonance, despite the more whimsical trappings. An appealing fantasy for upper middle grade readers.--Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH
Russell, Benjamin
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Russell, Benjamin. "Vernon, Ursula. Castle Hangnail." School Library Journal, Jan. 2015, p. 101. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A443055406/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=6da13be5. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A443055406
Vernon, Ursula. Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs
Nancy D. Tolson
School Library Journal. 56.7 (July 2010): p71.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2010 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
VERNON, Ursula. Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs. illus, by author. 206p. CIP. Dial. 2010. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3365-7. LC 2009012273.
Gr 2-4--Danny Dragonbreath's love of ninja comic books and movies not only fills his imaginative play, but also assists him when he is confronted in real life with ninja flogs that attack his friend Suki, an exchange student from Japan. This attack causes Danny and his friend Wendell to take her on a bus ride to mythological Japan to seek out Danny's wise great-grandfather to assist with their situation. The spirited illustrations, done in green and black with touches of red, capture the humor of the characters' adventures. This delightful easy chapter book could tempt reluctant readers into turning another page.--Nancy D. Tolson, Mitchell College, New London, CT
Tolson, Nancy D.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Tolson, Nancy D. "Vernon, Ursula. Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs." School Library Journal, July 2010, p. 71. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A231088380/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=444606a6. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A231088380
Vernon, Ursula. Dragonbreath
Tina Martin
School Library Journal. 56.1 (Jan. 2010): p82+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2010 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
VERNON, Ursula. Dragonbreath. illus. by author. 160p. Dial. 2009. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3363-3. LC number unavailable.
Gr 2-4--Danny Dragonbreath feels like a loser in more ways than one. No matter how hard he tries, he can't muster up even one lukewarm dragon's breath. Now he's in trouble with his teacher at the Herpitax-Phibbias School for Reptiles and Amphibians. He handed in a carelessly written paper on the ocean and received a well-deserved F. Now he must rewrite the paper. To research the topic he talks to his cousin, a sea serpent. Along with Danny's iguana friend, Wendell, Edward takes them on an underwater adventure to the Sargasso Sea. The adventure becomes life-threatening when Danny and Wendell are attacked by a giant squid. Danny must save his friend and does so with a long-awaited fire breath. Not only is Danny a hero but he gets an A on his re-submitted paper. The exchanges between the less-adventurous and nervous Wendell and nonchalant Danny make this a laugh-out-loud read. The text is generously illustrated with engaging, comicbook style cartoons in green, black, and white, many full page and others that cover several spreads. This humorous adventure story will appeal to reluctant readers and children seeking early chapter books.--Tina Martin, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, IL
Martin, Tina
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Martin, Tina. "Vernon, Ursula. Dragonbreath." School Library Journal, Jan. 2010, p. 82+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A216180334/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=72ab4ed8. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A216180334
Vernon, Ursula. Nurk: The Strange, Surprising Adventures of a (Somewhat) Brave Shrew
Tim Wadham
School Library Journal. 54.8 (Aug. 2008): p104.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2008 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
VERNON, Ursula. Nurk: The Strange, Surprising Adventures of a (Somewhat) Brave Shrew. illus, by author. 131p. CIP. Harcourt. 2008. Tr $15. ISBN 978-0-15206375-7. LC 2007030788.
Gr 1-4--When Nurk opens a letter addressed to his grandmother, Surka, his first concern is that he has committed mail fraud. After discovering his adventurous grandmother's journal, in which she vowed to take risks, his second thought is that he should return the missive. He builds a boat out of a snail shell and heads down the river. He discovers that the letter was sent by the Princess of the Dragonflies, soliciting Surka's help. The king informs Nurk that the prince needs rescuing from Grizzlemole, an oversize blind mole and a generally terrible creature. Nurk bravely takes on the quest and, with help from passages in the journal, succeeds fairly easily. Each chapter includes an undistinguished heavyline black-and-white ink drawing. Vernon's writing shows some flair, but overall the story's effectiveness is hampered by some slow parts and a plot that relies on predictable contrivance and coincidence.--Tim Wadham, St. Louis County Library, MO
Wadham, Tim
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Wadham, Tim. "Vernon, Ursula. Nurk: The Strange, Surprising Adventures of a (Somewhat) Brave Shrew." School Library Journal, Aug. 2008, p. 104. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A183422754/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=afb524ab. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A183422754
February 17, 2016
REVIEW: Bryony and Roses by T. Kingfisher
SiriusB+ Reviews / Recommended Readsfairy tale retelling / gardening / Romance22 Comments
Recommended Read
Bryony and her sisters have come down in the world. Their merchant father died trying to reclaim his fortune and left them to eke out a living in a village far from their home in the city.
But when Bryony is caught in a snowstorm and takes refuge in an abandoned manor, she stumbles into a house full of dark enchantments. Is the Beast that lives there her captor, or a fellow prisoner? Is the house her enemy or her ally? And why are roses blooming out of season in the courtyard?
Armed only with gardening shears and her wits, Bryony must untangle the secrets of the house before she—or the Beast—are swallowed by them.
Review.
Dear T. Kingfisher,
I first learned about this book at the File 770 blog. Some commenters thought that the story was worthy of a Hugo nomination, and it seemed to be a retelling of one of my favorite fairy tales: “Beauty and the Beast”. This year will be the first time for me to participate in Hugo nominations (last year was first time I voted), so of course I wanted to check this book out.
To make a long story short, as far as retellings go I found it exceptional – it is a well written story which is familiar, it had several fascinating twists on the old tale, and the characters were lovely. As the blurb tells you, in this version there is no father anymore – dear dad died (partially due to his own stupidity I regret to say) and the three girls (who are young women now) were left to take care of themselves. They did a pretty good job, I thought, considering the change in their circumstances from wealth to poverty.
Bryony is a dedicated gardener. She works hard on her garden, it grows a lot of things that help them survive, she considers plants her friends, and in many ways her hobby/profession determines her outlook on life. When she stumbles upon an enchanted house, which can make almost anything a traveler needs magically appear, she picks up a rose and is thinking about taking it. Then the Beast appears and tells her that she can say goodbye, but she has to come back within a week or the house will come after her.
Amusingly, dedicated gardener that she is, Bryony does not really care for roses much.
“What do you know about roses?”
Bryony exhaled. “They’re a lot more trouble than they worth.”
A strange sound came from the Beast, and his massive shoulders shook. It took her a moment to realize that he was laughing.
“I mean it,” Bryony said, nettled. “They get black spot and mildew and cankers and rust. I don’t know why anyone bothers with fancy types. They smell nice, sure, but they take ten times as much work as anything else in the garden. I prefer sages. Nothing bothers a sage.”
“Or a rutabaga?”
“Don’t talk to me about rutabagas,” said Bryony grimly. She wondered if she could towel herself off with one of the napkins on the table. “Do you plan to keep me here talking, er, my lord?” She wasn’t sure what to call him. My lord seemed safest.”
“I am afraid,” said the Beast, turning back toward her, “that I plan to keep you here permanently.”
Bryony stared at him fixedly, focusing on the bright yellow eyes. Her mind was numb.
“Because of a rose?” she forced out.
“Yes,” said the Beast, “though not quite the way you think.”
She put her hands to her face and gave a strangled laugh. “Imagine if I’d nicked the silverware!”
“Would you like to nick the silverware? We have a great deal of it.”
Bryony is not happy about what she calls her kidnapping, but she is the kind of person who will not just surrender to circumstances. She may have to go back to Beast, but almost right away she starts thinking about how she could escape.
Very quickly, though, she realizes that Beast is in trouble, and he cannot tell her the complete story of how he and House ended up in the situation they did. Even when he tries to hint, it is clear that something evil literally prevents him from talking, can hurt him, etc. Bryony does want to escape, yes, but the more she gets to know Beast, the more she wants to solve the mystery and help him out, whatever it is he needs help with.
And the more they interact, the easier it is for Bryony to deal with Beast on the day to day basis.
“Occasionally, she drank a second glass of wine in the evenings, which made her feel rather giddy and amused, and which one night led to her poking the Beast with one bare toe when she thought he wasn’t looking up from his book fast enough.
(A week ago, the notion of touching the Beast voluntarily would have made her tremble, but there was something deeply unthreatening about him when he was reading. He had to fold himself into the chair for one thing. For another, he was desperately near-sighted and had to hold the book a few inches past the end of his muzzle when reading. Apparently House could not provide adequate reading glasses.)
He looked at her toe. She waved it threateningly. “You’re not listening. This is a great line.”
“You’re poking me,” he said mildly.
“You’re lucky I don’t come over and hit you with a footstool. What can you possibly be reading that has you so engrossed?”
“A treatise on the subject of aetherometrics.”
She scowled. “You made that up.” She threatened him with a toe.”
I liked Bryony. She is a hard-working and very practical, down to earth young woman. She is funny, in fact she thinks that both her greatest asset and her greatest sin is that her first reaction to stressful circumstances is to laugh about it. She even manages to bring some of her plants to the House and make her own garden there. I liked Beast a lot too, and I liked them together, and I hope you can see why from the excerpt I quoted above.
I said before that this book is definitely a retelling, so the general framework of the familiar story is very recognizable; however the author also made the story her own and added some twists which made complete sense to me. I wish I could say more about them, but I do not want to give away spoilers, so I will just say that I highly recommend this one if you like fairy tales retellings with great characters.
Grade : B+
'The Seventh Bride' Faces Horror — And Still Gets The Biscuits Made
Facebook
Twitter
Flipboard
Email
November 26, 20157:03 AM ET
Tasha Robinson
The Seventh Bride
by T. Kingfisher
Paperback, 226 pages
purchase
Midway through T. Kingfisher's fleet fairy tale The Seventh Bride, 15-year-old protagonist Rhea is shocked to learn how terrible her betrothed really is. She seeks solace with another woman, who sympathizes, but doesn't stop mixing dough. "You're making biscuits," Rhea wails. "Yes," the other woman says, "I am. We could both sit down at the table and cry together. But in a few hours ... there will still be no one we can tell, and the only thing that will be different is that we will be hungry. And there will be no biscuits."
This in a nutshell is the voice of T. Kingfisher, a.k.a. children's author, comics artist, and podcaster Ursula Vernon, the most practical, down-to-earth author writing about ninja frogs and feminist hamster princesses today. Vernon's protagonists — often young, usually female, and generally in way over their heads — are sometimes terrified and sometimes angry. Some, like Sarah in the recent story "Wooden Feathers," are just finding their identities. Others, like Grandma Harken in the Nebula-winning "Jackalope Wives," or Digger in the Hugo-winning webcomic Digger, have survived long lifetimes of putting their heads down and muddling through problems as best they can. But like Rhea, they're almost always homey people who at heart just want to get the laundry done, the pets fed, and the biscuits made. Adventure comes to them whether they want it or not, and it's up to them to figure out how simple, grounded skills like gardening and kindness can keep them alive.
Sign Up For The Books Newsletter
Get book recommendations, reviews, author interviews and more, sent weekly.
E-mail address
By subscribing, you agree to NPR's terms of use and privacy policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
In that sense, Vernon's adult fantasies (self-published under the Kingfisher pseudonym, to distinguish them from her middle-grade fantasies like the Dragonbreath series) fit perfectly within centuries of fairy-tale tradition, where charity and politeness always pay off, and rudeness or cruelty have serious consequences. And her deeper horror elements recall the darkest aspects of the Grimm brothers' collected stories as well. But The Seventh Bride, which Amazon's 47 North imprint picked up for publication after its success as a self-published e-book, has a subtly modern sense of surreal humor amid the traditional trappings. This is a world where magic sometimes gets into the land, making the hollyhocks plaid and turning potatoes into sulky vagabonds.
Like any good fairy tale, 'Seventh Bride' accesses a lizard-brain sense of justice, and of what makes a story symmetrical and satisfying.
Tasha Robinson
Rhea, like other Vernon heroes, is a worried but stolid focal point amid unpredictable weirdness. Forced to accept a marriage proposal from the nobleman Lord Crevan, she travels to his castle — where she learns she isn't his first wife, and that his interest in her is predatory. There's a little bit of Bluebeard in his DNA, but the story echoes other classics, as he sets her impossible tasks and she finds help in unlikely places.
Stylistically, Seventh Bride is stripped-down and straightforward, wasting little space on elaborate scene-setting. That bluntness is appropriate to Rhea's perspective as an uneducated peasant whose most significant experience of the world involves fighting a bullying swan for her daily lunch. So it's a surprise that Bride most closely resembles Peter Beagle's elegant, poetic novel The Last Unicorn, with its phantasmagoria of witches, nobles, sorcerers, and great powers. (The two books even share a key image, in the form of a magical and not entirely physical clock.) Vernon has Beagle's knack for creating colorful, instantly memorable characters, and inhuman creatures capable of inspiring awe and wonder. For that matter, Vernon sometimes feels like Diana Wynne Jones' heir, with her stories of aggrieved heroes trying to bull their way through comic magical chaos. (One terrific example: her recent children's book Castle Hangnail, which Disney recently optioned.)
But the constant delight with all of Vernon's work is how distinctive and unexpected it is, in part because of that focus on tough-minded, distinctive women who are more interested in pounding out the biscuits than in waiting for rescue. Half of Seventh Bride is caught up in Rhea's mixture of terror of Crevan, and fierce determination to face him for her family. The other half is the simultaneously lovely and horrifying detail: The creepy golem birds, the shock of Crevan's first bride, the assigned task Rhea knows she has to fail. Like any good fairy tale, Seventh Bride accesses a lizard-brain sense of justice, and of what makes a story symmetrical and satisfying. But in a way that's specific to Vernon's writing, it also makes old tropes feel new again, with a little ingenuity, a lot of personality, and a dogged determination to see that the biscuits get made, no matter how implausible and impossible the world becomes.
Tasha Robinson is The Verge's film critic, and a former Senior Editor at The Dissolve.
Sleeps With Monsters: Feeling and Faith in The Wonder Engine by T. Kingfisher
Liz Bourke
Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:00am 13 comments 4 Favorites [+]
I’ve only ever read a handful of books that treat the question of religion in fantasy with any serious weight. The presence or absence of gods and their powers, the (un)knowability of divine things, the question of whether or not one can get, or understand, an answer from a god—the question of whether, if you’ve given your fealty to a god, it matters if you understand the use said god makes of you—is not a question that fantasy in general deals with in great detail, even—or perhaps especially—in those works that take the existence of gods for granted.
Until now, my short list has generally included Lois McMaster Bujold’s Five Gods works (The Curse of Chalion, Penric’s Demon) and not much else. But now I find—in the middle of a grimly humorous story that reminds me of nothing so much as a really fucked up Forbidden Realms adventuring party—that T. Kingfisher (otherwise known as Ursula Vernon) has a revelatory scene in her The Wonder Engine, second and final book in the Clocktaur War duology.
Buy it Now
The Wonder Engine follows on from Clockwork Boys, where we first met the forger Slate, the assassin Brenner, and the demon-haunted paladin Caliban—as well as their clerical companion, adolescent savant Learned Edmund—and learned that they’re a last, probably doomed, attempt to save their city. They’ve been sentenced to death, and if they don’t stop the invading Clockwork Boys—living, almost indestructible automatons, sent out by neighbouring Anuket City—their death sentence will be carried out, thanks to the cursed tattoo each of them unwillingly received. But, unfortunately, though they’ve managed to reach Anuket City, their mission is still dangerously likely to kill them before the curse has a chance.
Especially since Slate has history in Anuket City, the kind of history that would quite like to torture her to death, and neither Brenner nor Caliban trust each other—in part because they’re both attracted to Slate, but mostly because one’s a smart-mouthed assassin and the other is a sometimes-painfully literal paladin with a talent for saying exactly the wrong thing.
It’s around paladin Caliban that the religious questions of The Wonder Engine coalesce. Caliban is, by his own lights, a failed paladin: possessed by a demon, he slaughtered a dozen people, and though he was rid of the demon in the end, its rotting corpse is decaying down the back of his soul. He hasn’t felt the presence of his god since the demonic possession, and he feels himself to be abandoned. Probably unworthy.
In The Wonder Engine, Caliban has not one but two encounters with divinity, the first with a goddess, the second with his god. Neither are explicable. Neither of them resolve anything: when Caliban feels the presence of the god he pledged himself to once again, he doesn’t feel grateful. He feels angry: why wait until now? Why let him despair?
The problem with gods is that authentic religious experiences don’t tend to come with answers to these sorts of questions: all you have is feeling and faith. And your personal decisions as to what to do with it. (I speak as an agnostic/atheist who’s had a couple of very religious experiences, before I decided that religion and I had to part ways.) Kingfisher gets to the bleeding, beating heart of this—and does it in a book that’s about so much more.
The Wonder Engine is a grimly funny adventure story that also manages to be compassionate and pragmatic. And it manages to say more about religious experience and faith in a chapter than most books do in a treatise.
I really love it. Read it.