“Who am I?” That is the question Taran seeks to answer in book four of the Chronicles of Prydain. Taran has already had many adventures, fought many foes, won several battles, and fallen in love with Princess Eilonwy. He is held in high esteem by all who know him, yet he is still an Assistant […]
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry, 1989
Annemarie lives in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is 1943. Her best friend, Ellen Rosen, is Jewish. This is a beautifully told story appropriate for fourth graders. It is sweet in it’s own way, and pulse-poundingly adventurous, though not in a way I’d ever want to experience for myself. It is a deadly serious look at how […]
Balance vs. Burnout
“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” That’s pretty sound advice, wouldn’t you agree? After all, it was given by a man with a brilliant mind—the one who drafted the Declaration of Independence, served as president of the United States, instigated the Louisiana Purchase, and sent out the Louis and Clark Expedition. […]
Out From Boneville (Bone, book one), by Jeff Smith, 2005
I’ve heard good things about this series of easy graphic novels from several sources. And I admit book one was engaging. Fone Bone is a cute little white critter that reminds me a bit of Casper the ghost. He’s even-tempered, reasonable and likeable. But he, along with his cousins Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone, are […]
The Island Stallion, by Walter Farley, 1948, Book Review
After rereading The Black Stallion a few weeks ago (read my review), I had to revisit my second favorite book by Mr. Farley. This is the first of a companion series, one I put off reading as a child because after cruising through a dozen books featuring the Black, my loyalties were firmly entrenched. I […]
The Girl Who Came Home, by Hazel Gaynor, 2012, Book Review
Today I would like to discuss some things self-published authors should NOT do. Unfortunately, this book will be my shining example. I happened to stumble upon this novel on a blog I admire. It was a guest post by the author promoting her work. I’ve always had a morbid fascination for the Titanic disaster, especially […]
The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster, 1961, Book Review
This book gets the highest rating I’ve ever given a book I didn’t finish. What I mean is the writing was phenomenal, but the story was boring. Did you get that? Let me explain: Mr. Juster is a master of language. Every sentence is a work of art. He has a quirky roundabout style that […]
Gathering Blue (The Giver Trilogy, book two), by Louis Lowry, 2000, Book Review
Ms. Lowry wrote The Giver in 1993 (Newbery winner), Gathering Blue in 2000, and finally Messenger in 2004. It is a series of loosely related dystopian novels. A very depressing series, if truth be told, but engaging and well written. Though I’ve read the first one several times (long before my blog), I’ve never reviewed it–yet. Last year […]
The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet (The Secrets of Droon, book one), by Tony Abbott, 1999, Book Review
Early chapter books aren’t my specialty. I don’t read them often, but my son was in need of a new series, so I read The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet, the first book of The Secrets of Droon. I was impressed. The story was very simplistic, of course, but what takes me twenty minutes to […]
Throne of Fire (Kane Chronicles, book two), by Rick Riordan, 2011, Book Review
Like most of his books, Mr. Riordan’s second installment in his Kane Chronicles has positive and negative elements. I won’t object to my kids (12+) reading them, but I don’t push them, either. The books are exciting, imaginative and funny, a combination that has made them wildly popular with middle school kids. But they also […]