Offical Website of Mette Ivie Harrison, Children's writer, triathlete,

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	Cover art by Jenn Reese Now Available only as an ebook on Kindle
"A compelling contemporary take on an old story that breathes new life into both magic and mythic romance." Janni Lee Simner From Scott Abbott : "Izzie is 16 and loves Mark, a basketball player and nice guy. She loves his butt in tight pants and loves to kiss him. When her affections switch to Tristan, she likes his butt even better. Izzie is the antithesis of the passive magic teen princess heroine. She's a real teenager. Okay, she's also got magic. Okay, the story based loosely on Gottfried's Tristan has a happy ending (although when the black sails appeared at the end I feared tragedy). But best of all, at least for me, was that it's just plain funny. Juxtapose a tragic epic German poem with high school and, if you write well, you've got a book that makes you laugh. What a fun day it was reading this."	Fierce has been abandoned by her mother, who has become human. She is tormented by the remaining members of her pack and has decided she will have nothing to do with anything human. She hunts ceaselessly to prove herself, but nothing she does is enough. The one day she sees a human woman in the forest. For a moment, she is distracted, thinking that the woman looks a little like her mother in a human skin. And then, the woman turns Fierce into a human to be her guide as she--the Princess Jaleel--searches for a black horse she has lost centuries ago. Now Fierce has to decide if she is going to help the princess or try to stop her, if she is going to try to become a hound again, or save the world from the consequences of the princess's wild magic.
Cover art by Larry Rostant	Cover art by Larry Rostant	Cover art by Larry Rostant
A Prince with the animal magic that must be kept secret, or he will be put to death. A Princess who has only ever loved her hound, and has a dangerous secret of her own. The last thing they should do is fall in love. Read an excerpt	A princess who was once a hound. A bear who was once a king. When they become human again, can they still find love? And can they save the world of magic which they once disdained? Read an excerpt	Her parents were legends. When she was born, they gave their magic to her. And they will not take it back. Now, it is up to her if magic lives or dies. But she has lived all her life with animals. Why should it matter to her what humans do to their own magic? Read an excerpt
Reviews: "[P]owerful, surprising, moving, and deep. . . The Princess and the Hound is a classic. It defies rules and formulas. It does nothing in the way that other fantasies have taught us to expect. Yet every rule-defying decision by Harrison is exactly right, leading to a breathtakingly right ending." Orson Scott Card "Like a tale spun out over many winter evenings." Kirkus "The tale's perspective from that of the marriageable prince, not the more usual damsel's view, makes this stand out from other novels set in a folklore framework." Booklist "With the language and feeling of a fairy tale, Harrison tells the story of . . . a likeable hero, a nuanced character who is sensitive to the needs of others while he is also trying to be strong and brave. Well-written and intriguing. Harrison has a PhD in Germanic literature and her intelligence and love of language shine throughout." Kliatt "What I loved about the book was not so much the retelling aspect . . .but the idea of the secrets we keep, and when it is necessary to disclose them. . . . [T]he world of Harrison's novel is one where such secrets may bring about persecution and death. . . I think a lot of teens will relate it to high school." Alex Flinn "Harrison's writing style is most evocative of Robin McKinley but still all her own. Readers of fantasy, animal stories and subtle romances will enjoy this novel and hope for more from this skilled author. Fans of Robin McKinley, Patricia McKillip, Franny Billingsley, Cornelia Funke and Sherwood Smith should add this to their "must" be read list. Heidi Anne Heiner, SurlaLune Fairy Tales "A handsome prince, a beautiful princess, an unusual hound, two secrets, dangerous enemies - this book has all the elements of a classic tale. This is Beauty and the Beast with several unique twists. Readers will admire the courage of the Prince and his intended bride. And who is the beast? The answer will surprise you." The Toledo Blade "Not since Tale of Desperaux have I opened a book and wanted to read aloud so much. In her prologue Mette Ivie Harrison evoked exactly the tone and voice of a classic fairy tale in the oral tradition. . ." interactivereader.com	Reviews "King Richon, who returns to his human form, aims to make amends for his tyrannical rule. Chala, choosing to give up her hound state, must reconcile herself to her human limitations as she wonders if she sacrificed too much. Their mutual respect and deep friendship subtly and convincingly grow into love while they explore their magical shape-shifting powers and restore peace to the kingdom. Told in third person, the chapters alternate between the points of view of the bear and the hound. The plot pacing is even and taught. Deep exploration of the main characters' flaws and values blends smoothly with an exploration of good versus evil. Some well-drawn descriptions of bloody battles between animals and humans may be too intense for some readers, but the love story is as compelling as the characters are strong and complex. [. . . ]Readers will find the relationship between independent Chala and pensive Richon appealing."—Amy J. Chow, School Library Journal. VOYA "In this stand-alone companion novel to The Princess and the Hound (Eos/HarperCollins, 2007/VOYA August 2007), Harrison weaves an unusual tapestry from the strands of a folktale in which humans and animals shift forms, a fairytale in which kings and princesses outwit evil, and a moral tale in which the redemptive power of love heals great wounds, enables harrowing sacrifices, and provides unexpected reservoirs of strength. The novel begins slowly as the omniscient narrator alternates chapters between the hound's and the bear's perspective. In addition, readers expecting a conventional princess tale may be put off as this heroine loves long chases and the taste of warm blood, but Harrison's vision of female strength and courage is refreshing on its own terms, and the bear's growth toward true humanity is equally." Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac KIRKUS, starred "This beautifully understated tale is of magic and "unmagic," human and animal, forest and town. [ . . .] ichon the bear and Chala the hound move between animal and human existence; the relationships between animal and human, and the magic in being both, are exquisitely delineated, and the love story between the two strong protagonists is all the more powerful for being intensely restrained."	Reviews: From Booklist: Pulling themes and even characters from The Princess and the Hound (2007) and The Princess and the Bear (2009), Harrison offers another satisfying, stand-alone fantasy, framed in folklore, that explores the archetypal divisions between good and evil, life and death, and human and animal. Liva, the daughter of a hound and a bear, possesses strong, nurturing magic, including the ability to shape-shift into animal form. Young human Jens has no magical talent, but the characters' potent attraction draws them into an epic quest to save humans from themselves. Once again, a strong female protagonist, romance, magical adventure and provocative questions will capture teens. Gillian Engberg From Kirkus: In this book, Liva, daughter of the Hound and the Bear, has inherited their powerful magic. She knows her parents mostly in animal form, and they keep her away from humans. Liva can transform into almost any animal at will, and she knows their languages and their secrets. But human magic and animal magic are at war, and a terrible stone can leach the magic and dissipate it. Jens, a man who has no magic, finds himself opposed to the campaign of a human Hunter who seeks to destroy all the animal magic, and he and Liva are drawn together powerfully. The author’s gift for delineating animal natures and human attraction is still evident . . . [and] The snowbird of the title plays a lovely [. . . ] role in a magical denouement. Each of these titles stands alone. From the Deseret News: The love of the hound and the bear is one for the ages. And that love has spread to their daugher, Liva, for whom the hound and the bear gave up their human forms. In "The Princess and the Snowbird," readers meet Liva, who is heir to all her royal parents' magic. As such, she can transform herself into any animal she wants. She lives int he forest of her parents, where magic runs deep. Jens also lives in the forest, though he lacks magical abilities, human or otherwise. He is an outcast among his family and his village. When Liva and Jens unexpectedly meet, they find themselves inexplicably drawn to one another. It seems an unlikely match, but when evil starts working to rid the land of magic and those who wield it, the two join forces with unexpected results. Though "The Princess and the Snowbird" is the third book in this series, it does stand on its own. Enough background is provided for readers to understand and enjoy it separately. And enjoy it they will. This unusual princess story is less about castles and gowns and more about characters and journeys. Harrison's writing continues to spark the imagination and inspire readers to dream. Jessica Harrison From One Librarian's Book Reviews Liva is the daughter of the hound and the bear, and was endowed with all the aur-magic they could put in her. She doesn't understand her role in saving magic, only that her parents won't accept any magic from her, even if they are hurt or sick. Jens was born without any magic, and always felt like an outcast, an inferior member of his village, lacking even the tehr-magic that most humans had. When their paths cross, the two begin to feel the pull of a destiny larger than themselves, especially with the appearance of a majestic and legendary snowbird. Harrison's fairy tales always feel like they are full of untapped depth to me. The stories, on the surface, appear pretty straight-forward. But, there are more levels to them underneath the top. The writing, while not flowery, immerses you in the story, forcing you to taste, feel, smell, and experience all the characters do. I loved watching Liva experience new things and try to learn and grow from those experiences. Jens definitely has more to him than meets the eye, even with an all-seeing-narrator eye. I loved how the two interacted, especially in the end, when things didn't just turn out perfect right away. A lovely ending to this unique magical trilogy. Here's a favorite quote: His aur-magic had been draining out, but this last bit was palpable. It was like the last fall of a tree's leaves or the final stilling of a river frozen at the beginning of a bitterly cold winter. It was the last moment of sunset before it was night, the last call of a bird as it flew north, never to be heard from again. It was the smallest of changes, yet it was everything. p 88-89 Melissa Baldwin
Cover art by Lori Koefoed	Cover art by Greg Spalenka
You know the mirror from the Snow White fairy tale. Or do you? One hundred years later, she is still hanging on that wall. This is her quest to be human again. Read an excerpt	What if you felt like you were a monster of plastic and steel instead of a flesh-and-blood human? Natalie Wills runs just so she can feel the blood rushing through her veins. Read an excerpt
Reviews "Grips you from the very first page all the way to the surprising conclusion." Holly Black, author of The Spiderwick Chronicles "[A]n extraordinary novel . . . I cannot recommend this novel highly enough . . . Mira, Mirror is one of those rare things - an imaginative fantasy that is also a deep novel about the human spirit. One of the most original, insightful fantasy novels ever written . . .This is a classic; you don't want to miss it." Orson Scott Card "Harrison brilliantly recasts a minor prop from the original story as a tragic heroine, and, in doing so, adds a whole new dimension to the tale, for a job well done." Michael M. Jones, Chronicle "This exciting, dark fantasy that examines the bonds of sisterly love will keep readers engrossed from beginning to end. . . This is a moving and at times graphic retelling." Sharon Rawlins, School Library Journal "Enchanting story . . . Mira is perhaps the most intriguing and complex protagonist ever to grace the pages of a re-told fairy tale. . . .Mira, Mirror is truly original." Amie Rose Rotruck, Children's Literature "Highly recommended . . . Older readers will find this an engrossing, compelling fantasy." Children’s Bookwatch "Exciting debut . . . Harrison's "Mira, Mirror" follows in the new tradition of "Ella Enchanted" Claire Martin, Denver Post "The plot is rollicking and clever." Diane Emge, VOYA Awards: Spirit 0f 76 Recommended Book List "Borders Recommends" List Association of Mormon Letters Honorable Mention for Juvenile Books 2004 The Center for Children's Literature "Too Good to Miss" List 2005 Utah Center for the Book Letters for Literature Level II 2005-2006 Winner The Children's Bookstore "Pick of the Month" November/December 2004	Reviews "A highly readable first novel." School Library Journal "The writing style, together with the book’s trim length and large type, makes this a good choice for reluctant readers." School Library Journal "While the book is hopeful, it is tinged with resignation, feelings readers will understand and appreciate." Frances Bradburn, Booklist "In this stunning first novel, Harrison takes you inside the thoughts of a young girl, forced to face a world filled with adult problems. You'll find yourself running along with her every step of the way." LuAnn Staheli, The ALAN Review Awards: ! ! ! ! Exceptional Rating by: Today’s Books One of Bank Street’s Best Children’s Books for 2004
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Copyright Mette Ivie Harrison 2011 all rights reserved.
Last revised October 24, 2011.