Firebrat

by Nancy Willard

Riding on the New York City subway, Molly and Sean exit into the Crystal Empire and join a giant tortoise on a mission to save the empire from the Firebrat.

Genres: Science Fiction Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction

Paperback

First published May 12, 1988

About the author

NANCY WILLARD was an award-winning children's author, poet, and essayist who received the Newbery Medal in 1982 for A Visit to William Blake's Inn. She wrote dozens of volumes of children's fiction and poetry, including The Flying Bed, Sweep Dreams, and Cinderella's Dress. She also authored two novels for adults, Things Invisible to See and Sister Water, and twelve books of poetry, including Swimming Lessons: New and Selected Poems. She lived with her husband, photographer Eric Lindbloom, and taught at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Reviews

[Clare Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This used to be one of my favorite books when I was younger. I LOVED it. I still think it has really amazing elements (the timesticks, the fire engine, the salamanders, the Dracula mask, the people that are fish, the thrones in the wall). I just feel, as an adult, that it could have been spun out into this amazing amazing story and it was just truncated. I still love it though. I'm sad it's out of print or I would definitely give it to some people I know.

[slauderdale]

Very fond of this book, which nonetheless feels like the deeply wonderful setup for something bigger and better. Too short, needs more. 8( I picked it up secondhand while road-tripping as a kid and reread it multiple times. The illustrations, of course, are awesome, and I memorized the charm used at one point:

"Shine come in and Sorrow go.
In this spell I put my trust.
Farewell, dents and dirt and rust.
Meshach, Master of the Fire,
Shadrach, Shepherd of the Dust,
Rot and Ruin, climb no higher.
Shine come in and Sorrow go,
Shadrach and Abednego!"

This book shares ties with the Young Wizards series by Diane Duane, a series I love very much. For one thing, it is illustrated by a young David Wiesner, who also provided a (sadly, rather bland) cover for the first edition of So You Want to Be a Wizard.



Secondly, both Diane Duane and Nancy Willard were inspired to write stories based on the same magical image by David Wiesner, a painting that he created for a 1981 promotional poster:

"The Original Art
An Exhibition Celebrating the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration 1981
DECEMBER 3, 1981 TO FEBRUARY 12, 1982
THE MASTER EAGLE GALLERY [...]"



In Duane's case, she ended up writing a short story about her young Wizards, Nita and Kit, called "Uptown Local." In Willard's case, she wrote this book, with David Wiesner's wonderful illustrations throughout.

Cousins. 8)

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

David Wiesner did the illustrations.

[Laurie D'ghent · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm starting to think that every book that wins some literary award is a) stupid and b) annoying.