This is book two in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. If you haven’t read them, start with my review of book one, The Lightning Thief. Rick Riordan did it again. I enjoyed The Sea of Monsters almost as much as The Lightning Thief. It’s a whole new adventure with many of the same characters […]
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, JK Rowling, 1997, Book Review
I first delved into Harry Potter more than a decade ago. Since then, thousands of reviews have been written covering all seven of the books, so why add another? Two reasons: First, not everyone has read them yet. Yes, there is a generation of kids who have grown up with Harry, but there are more […]
Savvy, by Ingrid Law, 2009, Book Review
Savvy is a uniquely styled book that won Newbery honors last year. Its most outstanding feature is the rhythmic nonsense words that flood the prose, creating a style all its own “Fibertygibbity,” “a fizz and a zing,” “jump and jive,” “razzmatazz,” “bumping, jumping,” “stumbled and tumbled,” “gewgaws,” and “…loosening his lip-lock.” Ms. Law has a very […]
Sea Cutter (Chronicles of Nathaniel Childe, Book One), by Timothy Davis, 2011, Book Review
“He’s not dead!” “Please Nathaniel. It’s been two years. He’s not coming back,” my mother begged. “How can you give up on him?” I yelled. Nat’s heart tells him his father survived the shipwreck. But where is he? Why has he left Nat and his mother to a pauper’s existence in New Bedford? Then […]
Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula, by Elise Stokes, 2010, Book Review
I met Elise Stokes recently in a forum post discussing clean content in children’s literature. I was intrigued enough by our conversation to order her book, Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula. I’m glad I did! Not only are its pages free of objectionable content, they contain all the ingredients required for a superb adventure. […]
Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Patterson, 1977, Book Review
Katherine Patterson is one of only five authors to twice win the Newbery medal. She delivers powerful, thought-provoking stories, beautifully written with a depth of emotion and meaning. The kind of stories I love, yet I wouldn’t count either of her Newbery winners among my favorites. Personal preference, I suppose. Yet there is much I […]
Found (The Missing: Book One), by Margaret Peterson Haddix, 2008, Book Review
This book was recommended to me with little explanation, and I expected it to be just another run-of-the-mill, edgy adventure story, with a little too much language and content a little too old to comfortably call it a tween book. Wrong! Found is much more than I bargained for. It’s a fantastic, clean page-turner entirely suitable for […]
A Dog’s Life: Autobiography of a Stray, by Ann M. Martin, 2005, Book Review
I’m a huge dog-lover and a sucker for any story featuring man’s best friend. Buck, Lad, Kitty, Marley, Lassie, I’ve read them all. Add to that list Squirrel, a loveable stray who tells her story in the first person. Born in a deserted shed, Squirrel was content to live and play with brother, Bone, and […]
Okay for Now, by Gary D. Schmidt, 2011, Book Review (Kind of)
I have one word for you: A.m.a.z.i.n.g. Gary Schmidt has long been one of my favorite authors. In fact, I’ve kind of made him my very own personal back-pocket author. Years ago, when I was freshly out of college and toying with a writing hobby, I discovered his book, Anson’s Way. I finished the last […]
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians), by Rick Riordan, 2005, Book Review
“Look, I didn’t want to be a half-blood. If you’re reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is: close this book right now. Believe whatever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead a normal life. Being a half-blood is dangerous. It’s scary. Most of […]