The Land of Silver Apples, by Nancy Farmer

Do you love the book The Sea of Trolls?  If so, you'll really like Nancy Farmer's sequel, The Land of Silver Apples.  This historical fiction book blends English and Norse mythology with early Christian history to produce an engrossing fantasy that is hard to put down!  Characters include elves, bards, kings, druids, hobgoblins, and an apprentice on a quest.  I recommend reading the Sea of Trolls before The Land of Silver Apples because I think that the reader benefits from the rich context of the story and the character relationships that are established in the first book. Rumor has it that the third book in the series will be out next year!

I rate The Sea of Trolls at a 9 and The Land of Silver Apples at an 8 because they really held my interest and made me want to learn more about European mythology.  To answer Clem's question before she asks it: neither book is a 10 for me because, while I love them both, neither is a life-changing piece of literature, which is one of my criterion for a 10.  The book will be back in the classroom tomorrow and available for reading over vacation.