Young Kate is plain as a stick but a gifted wood carver. Her father had warned her that foolish people might think that she guides her knife with magic, and after he dies of fever, Kate becomes the target of suspicion and fear. As a plague worsens, Kate realizes that she must flee her village, and she reluctantly makes an odd bargain with a stranger: in exchange for her shadow, the stranger will provide essential supplies and grant a single wish. Soon Plain Kate is entangled in an elaborate noose of magic and revenge. In her debut novel, poet Bow writes with an absorbing cadence, creating evocative images that trigger the senses and pierce the heart. With familiar folktale elements, she examines the dark corners of human fear and creates intriguing, well-drawn characters, including Taggle, Kate's talking cat, who adds a welcome lightness. The taut, bleak tale builds to a climax that unfortunately falters, solving a central dilemma with magical convenience. Still, with this debut, Bow establishes herself as a novelist to watch.

After trading her shadow for "a heart's wish," Plain Kate (along with talking cat Taggle) is banished from town. Taken in by a caravan of Roamers, Kate makes friends with a girl whose mother was burned as a witch. The vaguely Eastern European setting lends the story an old-world beauty that softens the often brutish events in this stunning debut fantasy.

Bow's debut novel takes the stuff of Disney (spunky orphaned heroine and talking animal sidekick) and uses it to tell a surprisingly dark fantasy. When Plain Kate, an orphaned woodcarver, trades her shadow to Linay, a wandering stranger, for her heart's desire, she gets more than expected: The deal draws her (and her now-talking cat) into Linay's scheme to destroy those who burned his sister as a witch and throws her in with the Roamers (gypsies), who are more tied to Linay than Plain Kate could have guessed. The vaguely medieval, quasi-Eastern European setting works well, especially with the Roamer elements, but the real strength is the characterization; even cold, often cruel Linay evokes sympathy, and Taggle is a truly remarkable feline, especially as the power of speech renders him oddly human. Don't be fooled by Plain Kate's youth: This is full of blood magic and unhappy people doing unpleasant things, but there's lots of heart and redemption, too. A haunting, chilling (but never gory or graphic) tale with a fantastic girl at its center. (Fantasy. 10 & up)

After her father's death, the orphaned heroine of Bow's YA debut novel supports herself by carving wooden talismans in a vaguely Russian village ruled by superstition. When strange things start happening, Kate, already considered ""halfway to a witch"" because of her knife skills, must leave or risk being burned at the stake. She makes a bargain with Linay, a real witch, trading her shadow for things she needs to flee as well as her ""heart's wish,"" which, poignantly, turns out to be someone to talk to: her cat, Taggle, can now speak. Kate connects with a caravan of ""Roamers,"" and it soon becomes clear that Linay took her shadow for evil purposes. Despite the talking animal (who nearly steals the show) and graceful writing (Kate carries Taggle around her neck, ""draped bonelessly, like a fur collar with glittering eyes""), this is a dark and complex tale, full of violence%E2%80%94knives cut a lot more than wood. The ending, which reverses nearly every bad thing that has happened along the way, is a bit much, but Kate is undeniably a sympathetic character deserving of happiness. Ages 12%E2%80%93up. (Sept.)

Gr 4-8 When Kate's wood-carver father dies, she is left to support herself with her woodworking talent while living in her father's former market stall with a cat named Taggle. When Linay, a mysterious and magical stranger, comes to town and buys Kate's shadow, he gives her the money she needs to escape her village home, where people are blaming her for the hard times that have fallen on them. It is rumored that her talent comes from magic, but Kate's journey leads to unexpected consequences and danger for her and the Roamer family whom she joins. It's up to Kate; her new friend, Drina; and Taggle to defeat Linay with their own magic, as they come to discover the truth about his past and his desire for revenge. Kate's journey involves physical, mental, and magical growth, presenting a character who truly matures and changes over the course of her story, and the bittersweet conclusion reflects honest choices and Kate's newfound strength. Supporting characters, from villagers to the tormented Linay, are presented realistically and move the story forward smoothly. Bow's first novel shows a solid control of story and characters, and the careful and evocative writing reflects her work as a published poet. Beth L. Meister, Milwaukee Jewish Day School, WI

Plain Kate is freshly orphaned, left with nothing but her father’s carving tools and a miraculous talent with wood, when a witch lures her into a terrible trade. She will give up her shadow, and in exchange her deepest wish will be fulfilled. Lonely, abandoned Kate cannot even imagine what her deepest wish might be. Nevertheless, when her cat, Taggle, begins speaking aloud in human language, she understands that she has been granted a friend and traveling companion. Yet Kate’s travels are plagued with accusations of witchcraft, accusations that heighten as her shadow begins to disappear. Even a fortuitous meeting with Drina, a gypsy girl who actually does know some magic, ends badly when Drina is almost burned as a witch. The sense of impending doom hangs heavy throughout the book, with scenes of horror and violence interspersed with Kate’s increasingly desperate quest. Yet the lively presence of Taggle, irrepressible with his feline self-involvement and clever observations, brings elements of fun and friendship to Kate’s journey. The novel will appeal to fans of Karen Cushman (Alchemy and Meggy Swann [Clarion Books, 2010]), with Kate as a strong, individualistic female protagonist, and those of Vivian Vande Velde (Stolen [Marshal Cavendish, 2008/VOYA December 2008]), who also plays with the unpredictable wildness of magic. Recommend this to young fantasy fans who can tolerate a bit of darkness in their magical tales.—Diane Colson.