A look back at YA

Today, I thought I'd talk about a series that I still enjoy going back and reading, that I started when I was maybe 11. It's the Immortals series by Tamora Pierce. It follows a young girl (13 in the first book) who discovers her 'knack with animals' is really what they call 'wild magic'. She learns how to talk to immortals, heal animals, call them when they're needed, and explain what she needs them to do. She plays a crucial role in a war, both keeping the animals safe, and using them to defeat the enemy. In time, she learns the identity of her father, and what makes her so unique. It's a really good book series to show your kids, and also a good series to read if you feel like it yourself! Tamora Pierce actually writes a total of four (I think) series in this realm and timeline. The first is the 'song of the lioness' series, which follows Alanna on her path to becoming a knight, even though she's (in secret) a woman. Then comes this series, and then 'the protector of the small', which follows a young woman who wants to become a female knight like Alanna, and her struggles. Finally, 'daughter of the lioness' follows Aly as she struggles to make her own way, apart from her family. All of these are good books, and you can't go wrong with any of them. If you're going to have your youngish child read them, I'd suggest starting with the first book of 'song of the lioness' and the first book of 'the immortals'. As the characters grow up (a little in the second, more so in the third and fourth book of each series), the content does some as well, although never explicit. It's a good series for your 13-15 year old teens, although 10-12 is still fine, and I still enjoy them now. I've looked in the YA sections a couple times recently, and I've noticed, it's almost all 'twilight' type books, so I'm not sure if Tamora Pierce is still a 'popular' writer or not... That being said, you can always buy them online, and there's a plethora of used versions too. Have fun, and let me know what you think!