Alanna: the first adventure<small><br> by Tamora Pierce</small>

I'm not sure but I think this is the first Tamora Pierce book that I have ever read. This, I suppose, can only be explained by the fact that I came to fantasy late, preferring hard scifi and non-fiction in my youth.

In any case, I've corrected my foolish ways, and now I can assure you that this won't be the last Pierce book I read.

Alanna: the 1st adventure is basically a fun story that features a pair of red-headed twins who switch roles after they leave home. Alanna wants to be a knight, and thus becomes 'Alan'; while her brother, Thom, disdains the fighting skills, and heads off to school to learn magic.

Although I suspect we'll see Thom in future books, this book follows Alanna as she works her way up from page to squire. In doing so she meets a number of challenges, not least of which is a fierce bully, her shorter stature, and her own physical development.

Now you might be shaking your head and thinking 'ahh, the red-headed twin plot', in which you would not be entirely wrong. There is much that is familiar. But don't let that turn you away from giving this book a try. One of the things that I think sets Pierce's writing apart from others in the "red-headed twin, cut off your hair and pretend to be a guy genre" is that she doesn't pussy-foot around the real problems that would obviously crop up. She has Alanna being surprised her period, (apparently no one had had the talk with her, poor thing) and having to come to grips with breasts and male nakedness, and having to deal with the guilt of lying to her friends about her gender. Good stuff.

Talking Points:::
The beginning book in an adventure arc that spans 4 books.

Alanna is written at the 4th Grade level and The First Adventure is suitable for Middle Schoolers, on up. It would also be alright for your more savvy Tweeners who understand menstruation.

I enjoyed this book and thought it would appeal to those looking for light adventure. The characters are well drawn, albeit familiar. The writing is solid.

Pam
Somewhere in the X-burbs