Ursula Le Guin and Anne Fine

Amanda Craig reviews Ursula Le Guin's Voices and Anne Fine's The Road of Bones for the Times.

Of Le Guin's Voices, Craig writes, "Children will want a lot more magic, but as an allegory about how freedom can be snatched from political oppression, Voices is excellent. "

Anne Fine's The Road of Bones fares less well: "Fine, the former Children’s Laureate, has addressed many contemporary problems, from divorce to bullying, with a robust and engaging wit. This is a departure from form, an angry, biting book about the horrors of the former Soviet Union that will repel and confuse many children. "

I'm actually quite interested in reading Fine's book. It's an unusual topic and one I think older teens might find compelling.