Though I have heard of the Chronicles of Prydain, and over the years have even gleaned some knowledge of Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper, and Hen Wen, his oracular sow, I’ve never had occasion to delve into the series until this winter. I was hugely impressed. The prose is gorgeous, the characters unique and well-developed and the […]
The Call of the Wild, by Jack London, 1903, Book Review
Growing up, The Call of the Wild was one of the staples of my library, a book I read half a dozen times before I turned 18. I hadn’t picked it up in fifteen or twenty years, but I did so yesterday and read it through adult eyes. The story I remembered, but I was shocked anew at […]
Henry and the Paper Route, by Beverly Cleary, 1957, Book Review
My boys absolutely love Henry Huggins. These books may be over fifty years old, but the world of Klickitat Street still rings true. Families still have dogs. Little sisters are still pests. Neighbor kids still have squabbles. And boys still have dreams. Henry and the Paper Route, ten-year-old Henry Huggins dreams of having a paper […]
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, by Jules Verne, 1870, Book Review
Jules Verne’s undersea adventure classic is a smooth blend of science and fantasy, so smooth I had to do a little research to verify where the line blurs. Written as a first person account (the narrator is a scientist), it contains many facts and figures “proving” observations with natural law. Many facts and figures. And […]
Dear Mr. Henshaw, by Beverly Cleary, Book Review
Dear Mr. Henshaw is Beverly Cleary’s highest award-winner, capturing the Newbery and Christopher Awards in the early 80’s, yet it is one of my least favorites. Written as a series of letters and journal entries, with absolutely no narration, Mrs. Cleary somehow, miraculously, weaves together a plot, a central-California setting and a well-rounded character. This accomplishment […]
The Door in the Wall, by Marguerite deAngeli, 1949, Book Review
I love a story with a wealth of meaning behind its words. This one is exemplary. Within, young Robyn’s father has left for the Scottish wars, his mother has gone to wait on the ailing queen, and Robyn awaits John-the-Fletcher who will escort him to the manor of Sir Peter where Robyn will serve as squire. […]
The War of the Worlds, by H.G. Wells, 1898, Book Review
reading I am Number Four by Pitticus Lore recently, I thought I’d go back to where alien sci-fi all began. Actually, I don’t know if that statement is entirely correct. There may have been earlier extra-terrestrial stories, but this is the big one, the one that has lasted and inspired scads of films and other books. The […]
Ramona and her Father, by Beverly Cleary, 1977, Book Review
Ramona and Her Father is another installment in the life of the Quimbys. Within, Mrs. Cleary maintains her characteristic anecdotal style, but she’s tied her chapters more fully together to give us a glimpse inside the mind of this precocious child. And to our surprise, we find a regular girl with logical reasons for her outlandish behavior. Ramona is […]
Mr. Popper’s Penguins, by Richard and Florence Atwater, 1938, Book Review
I really liked this book! I was hesitant at first, not knowing what to expect. The sentences seemed a little simplistic, the details redundant, and the humor a bit corny. But I quickly realized this is not a middle grade novel but one aimed at a slightly younger audience, unusual for a Newbery winner. It’s […]
Ramona Quimby, Age 8, by Beverly Cleary, 1981, Book Review
Meet the Quimby’s. In Ramona Quimby, Age 8, Mrs. Cleary details for us this ideal American family. The Quimby’s aren’t perfect, and they can hardly make ends meet, but they tolerate each other’s idiosyncrasies with love and understanding. A generation of kids grew up feeling a part of Ramona’s world, and it’s still a safe, happy place […]