The Furious Spinner

I've decided to take a few days off: I've got to get some work done. In the meantime, I have some work for you. I need your help in renaming the young adult novel I just sold. Yay!!!! It's due out Fall of 2006. Here's an outline of the story: Nadira, a young Pakistani woman, disguises herself as a boy and goes to the Middle East to try and rescue her 6 year old brother, Umar, who was kidnapped and is being forced to ride camels in races. Nadira has a crescent moon-shaped scar on her face. The terrible story of that scar and how her feelings about it transform are important to the story. Also, when she is in the camel camp with the boys, they call her "the boy with the enchanted scar." Throughout the book, Nadira saves her life and the lives of "other" boys by telling stories, like Shahrazad did in the Arabian Nights.

That being said, I came up with fifteen new titles. I asked friends and family and narrowed it down even more. I'd like you to tell me which you like—especially if you are a teenager or you are a parent to a teenager. But anyone's opinion is welcome. Use the "comments" at the end of the post or email me with your choice. A couple of things to remember: titles shouldn't be too obscure or hard to pronounce. I changed a title once before and the results were not good, so don't let me down here. Pressure, pressure. (Plus if you have another better title, feel free to let me know. I'll put you in the acknowledgements if I use it. No puns, please. My father has already regaled me with Driving Miss Dromedary and Camel-ot. My boss chipped in with Camel-lia, the flower jockey. *sigh* Thanks for the laughs, guys, but it ain't that kind of book.)

Here are some ideas:
Nadira's Moon
Nadira and the Shadow Boys
Finding Umar
Kissed by the Moon
Tale of the Moon-shaped Scar
Nadira and the Moon Scar
Boy With the Enchanted Scar
The Enchanted Scar
Tale of the Enchanted Scar
Camel Rider

It's not a fantasy book, so I'm not sure about titles with "enchanted" in them. Also, someone told me she will never read a book with "tale" in the title because she figures it's like a fairy tale; this person is pretty good at tapping into the zeitgeist of the culture. And Finding Umar reminds me a bit too much of Finding Nemo.

I'll be looking forward to your responses. 18 comments

18 Comments:

My vote goes to either Nadira's Moon, Nadira and the Shadow Boys or Kissed by the Moon.

I agree that using the word 'enchanted' might be more appropriate for a children's novel (The Enchanted Garden etc) but I like the words 'moon' or 'shadow' (The March of the Long Shadows by Norman Lewis is one of my favourite titles), in a title. How important is Nadira's scar to the story? People might accuse you of jumping on the Harry Potter bandwagon :)

What about 'Shadow Boys'? I like to think of the world of boy camel jockeys as being shadowy and scary.

By  Jason, at 3:13 AM  

Hi Kim,
I like Nadira's Moon.
Best of luck to you!!

By  Joanette, at 1:34 PM  

Camel Rider, The tale of the enchanted scar.

It sounds like a great story!

Lila

By  Anonymous, at 1:43 PM  

1. Camel Rider

2. Nadira and the Moon Scar

3. Nadira's Moon

By  Mario, at 1:46 PM  

Option #16?: Boy with a Moon-Shaped Scar

By  Sue Vanlaanen, at 2:06 PM  

Definitely Nadira's Moon or maybe Nadira's Crescent Moon? Just a thought...

By  GT, at 2:12 PM  

Nadira and the Shadow Boys,
definitely.

By  Anonymous, at 2:24 PM  

Nadira's Moon or Nadira and the Shadow Boys both grab me. I would also like Camel Rider if it didn't evoke the book & movie Whale Rider...

(Hi - we share an agent!)

By  Sara Z., at 3:25 PM  

Here are some responses from email I've gotten in the last couple of hours: 2 vote for Nadira's Moon. 1 for Kissed by the Moon. Some new suggestions: Nadira, Disposable Ones, Nadira and the Camel Boys, Nadira of the Camel Boys.

Thanks!

By  kim, at 4:15 PM  

Kim- I like Nadira's Moon but something with Shadow Boys evokes more of what the story seems to be about. Nadira's Moonshadow Boys or something?? I also like Stories for Umar. Anyway, what a great idea to have us join in! thank you- judy b/gd

By  Anonymous, at 4:43 PM  

other possible titles:

Camel Boy
The Camel Boys


The possible title "Kissed by the Moon" sounds like a romance. I think there might be boys out there who would never pick up a book with the word "kiss" in the title.

By  Mary B, at 5:39 PM  

Nadira and the Moon Scar

By  Tom Marshall, at 5:41 PM  

Instead of Finding Umar, how about something like Searching for Umar?

Also, I really like the word "crescent." It sounds exotic. :-) Maybe... Tales of the Crescent Moon, Under a Crescent Moon... or something else about the scar.

What color is it? Jewel colors work well in titles: Nadira and the Ruby Crescent, Tales of an Amethyst Moon, etc. etc. Sounds like an excellent book; I'll look forward to reading it, whatever it's called. :-)

Molly

By  Anonymous, at 6:10 PM  

Nadira's Moon sounds like a great title for a YA book.

By  Megan, at 10:03 AM  

I like Molly's suggestion: Tales of the Crescent Moon.

By  kevin, at 2:44 PM  

Nadira and the Shadow Boys
Tales of the Crescent Moon
Nadira's Moon

- Yasmine

By  Anonymous, at 3:24 PM  

Here are some choices from emails today: 2 Camel Rider, 1 Kissed by the Moon, 1 Nadira's Moon, 1 Boy with the Enchanted Scar (some of these were either or). Someone suggested Rider's Moon or Shadowmoon. I'm still cogitating. Thanks for all the input. I am enjoying it! My dad keeps saying, "But I haven't read the book!" That's a given, Dad. Everyone is just winging it, but because you're my dad, I'll put it in the mail to you tomorrow.

By  Kim, at 1:14 AM  

I Like Nadira and the Shadow Boys

By  Susan, Goldendale Library, at 1:55 PM  

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