Silverboy by N.M. Browne Ages 9-15 240 pages Bloomsbury USA February 2007 Hardcover     In order to survive in a world where unloved and abandoned children go unnoticed and uncared for, 15-year-old Tommo becomes an apprentice for grinding the living magical gems known as Spellstones. Years of handling and grinding Spellstones will eventually cause the dreaded “Tremors”, a deadly degenerative disease that dooms most Spellstone grinder apprentices. Fearing that his remaining moments alive will be in hard labor and then in fits from the Tremors, Tommo escapes and gains a temporary eight-day sanctuary through an ancient relic of an old belief system. The followers of the old beliefs were scattered due to a “witch hunt” by those who feared them. However, the head priest is still held captive by a zealous and dangerous ruler. Akeena, a local fisherman’s daughter, befriends Tommo out of necessity - they are both on the run. Remaining incognito is not very easy because of Tommo’s condition. Dust during the many years of grinding Spellstones has caused his skin to glow with a silver sheen, and the physical stress of his apprenticeship has caused his hair to turn white. Neither of these characteristics is common in the villages, and they visibly mark him as an escaped apprentice. To make matters worse, flocks of noisy birds follow the two young adults during their journey, apparently having a telekinetic connection with Tommo. Both Akeena and Tommo must discover hidden strengths within them, overcome their suppressors, and rescue the most important man of all. N.M. Browne's Silverboy will suit an audience of nine to fifteen-year-olds. The author has a fantastic, original storyline, content and writing style for this fantasy fiction adventure tale. The 240-page hardcover is printed on paper derived from well-managed forests. The brilliant jacket, designed by Jeff Nentrup, caught the faintest glow from streetlights outside our blinds at night and caused the book to eerily glow like a phantom – a fantastic concept.   web reviews   Lillian Brummet/2007 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)