Harry is back in this well written sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets! In the first book Harry begins his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he makes new friends, finds a new world and a new home, and keeps the evil Lord Voldemort from returning to human form. In this sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry is awaiting the end of summer vacation. Unusual he wants it to be over so soon, right? Most kids love summer vacation, but not Harry because he is stuck on Privet Drive with the Dursleys- his uncaring and mean family.
Harry is counting down the days until he can return to Hogwarts and is trying to stay out of his horrible families’ way, and almost succeeds- until he is visited by Dobby, a House elf. Dobby warns him that terrible things are about to happen at Hogwarts- and that Harry should not come back to school. And as it turns out, Dobby is right!
Not long before he is back at school, dreadful things start to happen. Kids are being turned to stone! Worse yet, is that everyone thinks Harry is behind all the attacks. Can Harry and his two best friends Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger uncover the truth before it’s too late?
I loved this book. It was even better than Rowling’s first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I could not put it down and zipped through it in record time. However, there are a few things parents should be aware of if they are letting their kids read the series. At its core, this book is about prejudice. Non-magic students, that is, students with muggle parents who have no magic themselves, are referred to as Mudbloods. It is a derogatory name for people with non-magic parents. Hermione is a muggle-born student, and faces being different.
Personally, I think it is handled by Rowling. She tackles the subject of prejudice in such a way that it is both realistic and sensitive to the hurt prejudice causes. Unfortunately, prejudice is a way of life and I applaud Rowling for including this in her books. Also, this book is much darker then the first book. Without giving away the story too much, there is a great deal of violence and dread surrounding the story, but I think it makes for great reading. However, it might be something you want to discuss with your kids if they are reading it on their own, or you are reading it to them. It is without a doubt a fantastic book, but it tackles some very grown-up issues.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
The City of Ember: By Jeanne DuPrau
It is time for the truth. The truth is I saw the movie, The City of Ember, before I read the books. I think if I had read the books first, I may not have liked the movie very much. However, I loved the movie. I thought it was so good that I raced out and bought all the books in the series.
Now, I know that this series received lots of awards and recommendations but, I did not love it. It was good enough to keep reading, but there were small details in it that stuck out with and made me less than excited to keep on reading. For example, there is a part in the book where they are supposed to have never done things that you or I take for granted, like light a match, and get it right away. It bothered me because it did not seem authentic. I remember saying to myself, “How could they do that so quickly?”
Yet, DuPrau is a really good writer in spite of missing the details I found significant. She has a way for keeping her text clear and uncluttered- a task that I find difficult as a writer. In all honesty, the style in which she writes is a pleasure to read.
The City of Ember is about two kids named Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow. They live in Ember, an underground city that was formed by a group of men and women everyone refers to as The Builders when life on the surface was coming to an end. The Builders thought of everything from electricity, schools, a governmental system, and anything else that the citizens of Ember might need when they founded the city over 200 years ago. Unfortunately, they only expected the citizens to live there 200 years and did not plan for an extended stay, so the city is very nearly falling apart, and the citizens are running out of all life’s essentials like food and electricity.
The story begins on assignment day- the day where each child is given an important job. Doon wants to work underground so he can be near the generator. He is sure he knows a way to fix it and keep the city of Ember from being engulfed in darkness forever. Lina on the other hand has always wanted to be a messenger and deliver messages from person to person. She loves to run- fast! On assignment day, Doon draws messenger- and wants to switch with Lina, who got a job in the pipe works. So they switch, but their adventure does not end there. Lina and Doon stumble upon a map that could lead them and everyone else out of Ember and back onto the surface where they can live free in the light and the air. But can they uncover the exit before it is too late?
This book has all the right things- good story line, adventure, unusual characters, and an interesting plot- but it really did not do it for me. I wish I had not seen the movie first, because if I had not, I might have liked it more. As it is, I read the rest of the series because I bought them, certain I would love them after seeing the movie, but I was disappointed. Had it been the other way around, I would have liked them more…I think.
Now, I know that this series received lots of awards and recommendations but, I did not love it. It was good enough to keep reading, but there were small details in it that stuck out with and made me less than excited to keep on reading. For example, there is a part in the book where they are supposed to have never done things that you or I take for granted, like light a match, and get it right away. It bothered me because it did not seem authentic. I remember saying to myself, “How could they do that so quickly?”
Yet, DuPrau is a really good writer in spite of missing the details I found significant. She has a way for keeping her text clear and uncluttered- a task that I find difficult as a writer. In all honesty, the style in which she writes is a pleasure to read.
The City of Ember is about two kids named Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow. They live in Ember, an underground city that was formed by a group of men and women everyone refers to as The Builders when life on the surface was coming to an end. The Builders thought of everything from electricity, schools, a governmental system, and anything else that the citizens of Ember might need when they founded the city over 200 years ago. Unfortunately, they only expected the citizens to live there 200 years and did not plan for an extended stay, so the city is very nearly falling apart, and the citizens are running out of all life’s essentials like food and electricity.
The story begins on assignment day- the day where each child is given an important job. Doon wants to work underground so he can be near the generator. He is sure he knows a way to fix it and keep the city of Ember from being engulfed in darkness forever. Lina on the other hand has always wanted to be a messenger and deliver messages from person to person. She loves to run- fast! On assignment day, Doon draws messenger- and wants to switch with Lina, who got a job in the pipe works. So they switch, but their adventure does not end there. Lina and Doon stumble upon a map that could lead them and everyone else out of Ember and back onto the surface where they can live free in the light and the air. But can they uncover the exit before it is too late?
This book has all the right things- good story line, adventure, unusual characters, and an interesting plot- but it really did not do it for me. I wish I had not seen the movie first, because if I had not, I might have liked it more. As it is, I read the rest of the series because I bought them, certain I would love them after seeing the movie, but I was disappointed. Had it been the other way around, I would have liked them more…I think.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Paper Back Swap
I thought I would take a second to tell you all about Paper Back Swap. It is this fantastic website out there where you post old books that you no longer want. When someone is interested in the book, they simply request that book from you and you in turn, mail that book to their home address. Once they receive the book, you earn a credit that you can use to request a book from another member.
Like a lot of people out there, I am always looking for a more eco-friendly and money-saving way to get my hands on books. I often visit garage sales or used book stores in an attempt to satisfy my need to read and keep extra money in my pocket book during the process. I was so excited when I found out about Paper Back Swap because it has already saved me a fortune, and I have found a few books that are out of print I wanted to read.
Paper Back Swap even offers a part on your personal page where you can make up a wish list for books you would like to get when they become available if you really want something and it has not yet made its way to Paper Back Swap yet. It is great!
If you have a chance, you can check it out at paperbackswap.com!
Like a lot of people out there, I am always looking for a more eco-friendly and money-saving way to get my hands on books. I often visit garage sales or used book stores in an attempt to satisfy my need to read and keep extra money in my pocket book during the process. I was so excited when I found out about Paper Back Swap because it has already saved me a fortune, and I have found a few books that are out of print I wanted to read.
Paper Back Swap even offers a part on your personal page where you can make up a wish list for books you would like to get when they become available if you really want something and it has not yet made its way to Paper Back Swap yet. It is great!
If you have a chance, you can check it out at paperbackswap.com!
Secret of Dripping Fang, Book One, The Onts: By Dan Greenburg
This was a fun book! The Secrets of Dripping Fang, Book One, and The Onts is a great book for any eight year old who is learning to read. The book is short, moves quickly and has some really funny parts. The writing is not that difficult and the book is short enough for kids who have just started to take an interest in chapter books to want to continue reading. However, I do not know that I would recommend it for adults who read children’s books, because unlike some children’s book series, this is clearly written for a much younger audience. But, it would be a great book to have your child read to you because it is funny, the characters are unusual, and the story moves along quickly.
The Onts is the first in The Dripping Fang series and it is about two orphan twins named Wally and Cheyenne Shluffmuffin who live in the Jolly Days Orphanage. No one wants to adopt Wally or Cheyenne because Wally has very stinky feet and Cheyenne is allergic to absolutely everything. So, when the Mandible sisters, a pair of old maids, show up at the Jolly Time Orphanage and want to adopt the twins, they cannot help but be suspicious!
Weirder still is that the sisters live in Dripping Fang Forrest, where zombies and glowing slugs call home and want to make the Shluffmuffin twins their very next meal. Prepare to be afraid, laugh out loud and enjoy these unique twins, the characters they meet on their travels, and most of all, their adventures in the Secrets of Dripping Fang Series.
This book was very affordable and the illustrations, which were done by Scott M. Fisher, were incredible! Fisher really brings to life the characters in this book, which I always enjoy, especially when how I imagine a character looks is almost exactly like the illustration. I think any kid who likes silly, outrageous, and sometimes bizarre books would enjoy this series.
The Onts is the first in The Dripping Fang series and it is about two orphan twins named Wally and Cheyenne Shluffmuffin who live in the Jolly Days Orphanage. No one wants to adopt Wally or Cheyenne because Wally has very stinky feet and Cheyenne is allergic to absolutely everything. So, when the Mandible sisters, a pair of old maids, show up at the Jolly Time Orphanage and want to adopt the twins, they cannot help but be suspicious!
Weirder still is that the sisters live in Dripping Fang Forrest, where zombies and glowing slugs call home and want to make the Shluffmuffin twins their very next meal. Prepare to be afraid, laugh out loud and enjoy these unique twins, the characters they meet on their travels, and most of all, their adventures in the Secrets of Dripping Fang Series.
This book was very affordable and the illustrations, which were done by Scott M. Fisher, were incredible! Fisher really brings to life the characters in this book, which I always enjoy, especially when how I imagine a character looks is almost exactly like the illustration. I think any kid who likes silly, outrageous, and sometimes bizarre books would enjoy this series.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Lost Hero: By Rick Riordan
The Lost Hero picks up after the final book in the Percy Jackson series, The Last Olympian, has concluded. This book is about the Greek Gods- with a whole new twist and a whole new set of characters. I was not sure if I would like this book because there were new characters, but Rick Riordan cleverly brings back the old characters and mixes them in with all the new ones in such a way that you find yourself glad you decided to read.
There are three main characters in this book- Jason, who wakes up on a bus, can’t remember who he is or even how he got there. Weirder still is that he’s sitting next to a pretty girl who appears to be his girlfriend, and he can’t remember who she is. The girl’s name is Piper and she can tell Jason is upset, and can’t stand to see him struggling to remember who he is. Even worse, her Dad, a famous actor, has been missing for three days, and she has been having horrible nightmares about him being in trouble. On the seat behind him is Leo, Jason’s supposed best friend and he can’t decide if Jason is joking or not about his memory loss. They are best friends after all- or are they? Yet Leo has bigger problems, because he is seeing ghosts.
The three friends are on a school field trip when chaos ensues and strange creatures attack them. Luckily, they are able to hold them off- that’s when two strange people arrive and insist on taking them to some place safe called Camp Half-blood. That’s when the three friends discover that one of their parents is really a Greek God- but which God is their Dad or Mom? Plus, camp half-blood is in disarray and these new heroes may be the only ones who can set it to rights.
This book is excellent. I think it is Riordan’s best book yet. I read it in less than two days and was very sad when it was over because the new book does not come out until fall of 2011, which means I’ve got to wait to see what happens next. Boo! At any rate, if you start with Percy Jackson and read your way up to this one, I very much doubt you will be disappointed. Rick Riordan is so great at mixing fact and fiction, and changing the characters of Greek Mythology to give them a clever, sometimes funny, modern day personas. These books are great and I think people of any age would enjoy them!
There are three main characters in this book- Jason, who wakes up on a bus, can’t remember who he is or even how he got there. Weirder still is that he’s sitting next to a pretty girl who appears to be his girlfriend, and he can’t remember who she is. The girl’s name is Piper and she can tell Jason is upset, and can’t stand to see him struggling to remember who he is. Even worse, her Dad, a famous actor, has been missing for three days, and she has been having horrible nightmares about him being in trouble. On the seat behind him is Leo, Jason’s supposed best friend and he can’t decide if Jason is joking or not about his memory loss. They are best friends after all- or are they? Yet Leo has bigger problems, because he is seeing ghosts.
The three friends are on a school field trip when chaos ensues and strange creatures attack them. Luckily, they are able to hold them off- that’s when two strange people arrive and insist on taking them to some place safe called Camp Half-blood. That’s when the three friends discover that one of their parents is really a Greek God- but which God is their Dad or Mom? Plus, camp half-blood is in disarray and these new heroes may be the only ones who can set it to rights.
This book is excellent. I think it is Riordan’s best book yet. I read it in less than two days and was very sad when it was over because the new book does not come out until fall of 2011, which means I’ve got to wait to see what happens next. Boo! At any rate, if you start with Percy Jackson and read your way up to this one, I very much doubt you will be disappointed. Rick Riordan is so great at mixing fact and fiction, and changing the characters of Greek Mythology to give them a clever, sometimes funny, modern day personas. These books are great and I think people of any age would enjoy them!
Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief: By Rick Riordan
Of all of Rick Riordan’s books, this one is my least favorite- but having said that, this is still a good book. I picked this up because like so many books out on the shelves these days it had the typical, “If you like Harry Potter- you will love this series” disclaimer you see all over the place now. I did not expect to like it as much as I did, but the concept was just so cool that I just had to give it a try.
Percy Jackson is tweleve year old kid who has been kicked out of one school after another. He has been diagnosed with ADHD and struggles with school, with making friends, and most especially with strange things happening to him. Strange things like his Algebra teacher turning into a real life monster. When this happens, Percy has to defend himself- or die. It is shortly after this that Percy discovers his best friend is not really a human, he is not who he thinks he is, and he’s in big trouble. The only safe place for Percy is a place called Camp Half-blood, but in order to get there, he will have to defeat a Minotaur.
Suddenly, Percy is thrown into a new world where monsters really do exist, and the characters of Greek Mythology are not only real, they are angry with him because they think he has stolen Zeus’s master lightning Bolt. It is up to Percy and his new found friends to find the lightening blot and take it back to Zeus before a war begins- and he only has ten days to do it. Percy and his friends embark on an action-filled quest filled with strange creatures, danger and excitement as they travel to Mount Olympus to return the lightning bolt to its rightful owner.
Sounds good, right? It is. Percy is a great character- he is funny and charming and awkward all at the same time. Plus the friends he makes are really cool, and the talents these half-blood kids have are just incredible. So, why did I say this was my least favorite of all Rick Riordan’s books? It is because as the series goes on, the books get better and better. I just re-read this so I could remember what happens, and I have to say, Percy Jackson is not as well developed in this book as he is in the others. As the series goes on, the books get more and more incredible. So I guess my advice is, read this, and even if you think the book was just ok, keep reading the series. You will be so glad that you did! The monsters get bigger and bader, the stories get more complex and the adventures just keep coming.
Percy Jackson is tweleve year old kid who has been kicked out of one school after another. He has been diagnosed with ADHD and struggles with school, with making friends, and most especially with strange things happening to him. Strange things like his Algebra teacher turning into a real life monster. When this happens, Percy has to defend himself- or die. It is shortly after this that Percy discovers his best friend is not really a human, he is not who he thinks he is, and he’s in big trouble. The only safe place for Percy is a place called Camp Half-blood, but in order to get there, he will have to defeat a Minotaur.
Suddenly, Percy is thrown into a new world where monsters really do exist, and the characters of Greek Mythology are not only real, they are angry with him because they think he has stolen Zeus’s master lightning Bolt. It is up to Percy and his new found friends to find the lightening blot and take it back to Zeus before a war begins- and he only has ten days to do it. Percy and his friends embark on an action-filled quest filled with strange creatures, danger and excitement as they travel to Mount Olympus to return the lightning bolt to its rightful owner.
Sounds good, right? It is. Percy is a great character- he is funny and charming and awkward all at the same time. Plus the friends he makes are really cool, and the talents these half-blood kids have are just incredible. So, why did I say this was my least favorite of all Rick Riordan’s books? It is because as the series goes on, the books get better and better. I just re-read this so I could remember what happens, and I have to say, Percy Jackson is not as well developed in this book as he is in the others. As the series goes on, the books get more and more incredible. So I guess my advice is, read this, and even if you think the book was just ok, keep reading the series. You will be so glad that you did! The monsters get bigger and bader, the stories get more complex and the adventures just keep coming.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment- By James Patterson
Maximum Ride- the Angel experiment is a book for a slightly older audience than the books I usually tend to read. I would say it was geared towards people from ages 11-14. There is a little bit of puppy love and some bad language, so you parents out there, heads up. All in all, I do not think it was too bad as far as adult content.
As far as liking this book- it was really interesting. I can honestly say, I have never read another book quite like it. I guess the author James Patterson took one of his adult novels and turned to into a series for a younger audience. I have not read the book it was based on, but the series was recommended to me by a friend I made on paperbackswap.com. Paperbackswap.com is a place where you can post old books you no longer want, and then ship them to someone else who does. You then earn a credit and are only out the cost of shipping. I highly recommend this site to anyone who has books they do not want anymore, and would like new ones for little cost. I have met some really nice people on the site who share my love of books and have made excellent book recommendations.
I read every book in this series. I do not know if it was because I liked the story so much, or because these books were so out there. The main character is called Maximum Ride- a name she picked herself. She is 98% human, and 2% bird (I know, sounds odd) and she can fly. She was created by scientists who are pushing the bounds of science experiments and combining human DNA with that of other animals. She also has friends named Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman and Angel who also have wings and are members of her flock (even weirder, I know). Now, the flock has to be on the lookout for other half-human half-wolf mutants that sort-of lust after their bird-human blood.
In this story, Max and her friends are trying to track down their parents and determine whether they were abducted from them, or given away as babies to be experimented on by the scientists who turned them into bird mutants.
In all honesty, I can say that is one of the strangest book series I have ever read. Having said that- I did read the whole series. It was so far-fetched and so weird that I had this compulsion to finish all the books. They are all pretty much written from Max’s point of view, with a few of the other main characters occasionally offering their point of view. Max tells the story in a funny, but exciting way that makes you want to keep on reading.
But was this a really good book? I am honestly not sure because I neither liked nor disliked this book. It felt very outlandish to me and I’m a huge fan of science fiction. Some of the aspects were completely unbelievable- but I still felt it was worth reading, even though I had trouble believing it all. That may be because Max and the rest of her flock are such fun, likable characters. All in all, this series was pretty good for people who find government conspiracies and human experimentation interesting.
As far as liking this book- it was really interesting. I can honestly say, I have never read another book quite like it. I guess the author James Patterson took one of his adult novels and turned to into a series for a younger audience. I have not read the book it was based on, but the series was recommended to me by a friend I made on paperbackswap.com. Paperbackswap.com is a place where you can post old books you no longer want, and then ship them to someone else who does. You then earn a credit and are only out the cost of shipping. I highly recommend this site to anyone who has books they do not want anymore, and would like new ones for little cost. I have met some really nice people on the site who share my love of books and have made excellent book recommendations.
I read every book in this series. I do not know if it was because I liked the story so much, or because these books were so out there. The main character is called Maximum Ride- a name she picked herself. She is 98% human, and 2% bird (I know, sounds odd) and she can fly. She was created by scientists who are pushing the bounds of science experiments and combining human DNA with that of other animals. She also has friends named Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman and Angel who also have wings and are members of her flock (even weirder, I know). Now, the flock has to be on the lookout for other half-human half-wolf mutants that sort-of lust after their bird-human blood.
In this story, Max and her friends are trying to track down their parents and determine whether they were abducted from them, or given away as babies to be experimented on by the scientists who turned them into bird mutants.
In all honesty, I can say that is one of the strangest book series I have ever read. Having said that- I did read the whole series. It was so far-fetched and so weird that I had this compulsion to finish all the books. They are all pretty much written from Max’s point of view, with a few of the other main characters occasionally offering their point of view. Max tells the story in a funny, but exciting way that makes you want to keep on reading.
But was this a really good book? I am honestly not sure because I neither liked nor disliked this book. It felt very outlandish to me and I’m a huge fan of science fiction. Some of the aspects were completely unbelievable- but I still felt it was worth reading, even though I had trouble believing it all. That may be because Max and the rest of her flock are such fun, likable characters. All in all, this series was pretty good for people who find government conspiracies and human experimentation interesting.
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