The Maze of the Beast is the sixth book in the Deltora Quest series, and it is quite the adventure novel. While the story and series may be directed towards a younger audience, the book remains a wonderfully entertaining read. The new characters in the Maze of the Beast are incredibly well developed and most have good backstories, and this particular book is full of unexpected plot twists. They twists and turns are probably the best part of this book, as they flow very well together and add precious little details to the story. The beasts, traps, and terrors also stand out. The new monster called the Ol is very intriguing, and add to the suspense of the book. I will say that the one fault in the series, at least to me, is that the "boss" monster at the end usually doesn’t add much to story. It isn’t very terrifying, and it seems underwhelming after the rest of the action packed events. I would recommend this book to anyone with a bit of spare time on their hands, as this light read proves very amusing.
The book, Return to Del, by Elimy Rodda, is a thrilling conclusion to the first Deltora Quest book series. With the high level set by her other books, I was expecting a worse ending (which generally happens to other series), but I got the complete opposite. The book tops off the series nicely and concludes with some unexpected events. The entire plan to hide the heir and the background of the world of Deltora is even further revealed. Everything fits together, and it’s nice to see the well developed characters get some action and bond together to fight the Shadow Lord for one epic, final battle.
I nothing much to say other than the book is outstanding, and that Inwould reccommend it to anyone with a bit of time to read a good book.
Step into the Little Worlds of many different kinds of children with
unusual ways to look at the world. Author Geraldine Collet and illustrator
Sebastien Chebret have created a colorful picture book for children ages 3-7.
This picture book is sure to inspire some wonderful conversations about how
exciting it is to be an individual who looks at the world in a fresh, new
way.
Virgil is very shy but his family is incredibly loud. His mom calls
him Turtle and he really hates that. His fortune teller, 12 year old Kaori,
tells him to watch out for the color red and that starts a disastrous day of
being bullied and getting stuck in a deep well. Will his life end with his
disappearance? Every chapter of Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly will
delight readers 9-12 as they uncover a story with many pieces that fit
together beautifully at the end.
Coyote Moon is beautifully written by Maria Gianferrari with gorgeous
illustrations by Bagram Ibatoulline. Coyotes have become common place in
cities and towns all over the U.S. The story focuses on their opportunistic
eating habits and back matter will explain how they have come to live in
inhabited areas. It also contains a short bibliography and websites to visit.
Children ages 5 - 10 will love reading this book again and again.
Meg Murry is an outcast. She feels that she doesn't belong anywhere -- not at school, and especially not among her family of accomplished scientists and visionaries. But, when three strange women appear and offer to help her find her missing father, she is whisked away to another world. With the help of her brother Charles Wallace and their friend Calvin, she works to find her father and save Earth from impeding evil. I originally read "A Wrinkle in Time" back in middle school, but decided to reread it before seeing the film, and found that I loved the book just as much as I did the first time around. The writing is charming and clever. The worlds are vast and imaginative. Meg and her brother Charles Wallace undergo compelling character arcs and discover their true purpose along the journey. I have nothing negative to say about this amazing story. To anyone who loves fantasy, sci-fi, adventure, rich characters, and interesting plots, go read this book!
Twelve-year-old Aru Shah has a habit of lying. She exaggerates her life to her pretentious classmates in the hopes of fitting in. But, when she lights an ancient cursed lamp to impress them, she accidentally brings about the end of days and a dark creature known as the Sleeper. Together, with her new friend Mini, they have to stop the Sleeper and save humanity. "Aru Shah and the End of Time" is an exciting, funny, heartwarming book that reminded me ofsome of the earlier "Percy Jackson" books by Rick Riordan -- and I thought Mini and Aru's unlikely friendship was a charming, very compelling part ofthe story. There were some parts that were slow and seemed to meander a little, but, nevertheless, this story was a blast. From the minute the story starts, you will want to follow Aru and her friends to the very end.
The fifth book in the Deltora Quest series, Dread Mountain, is quite the entertaining read. Like the seven others in the series, it is an adventure novel that lives up to its name. The characters fit perfectly into the story, and are well developed. You really get to know Barda, Lief, and Jasmine as they work together to defeat the evil Shadow Lord. In this case, they struggle together to push through tough news and the environment along their journey to Dread Mountain. Along this part of the quest they meet several side characters, and while the unique 'races' of the characters are extraordinary, most stay lacking in development. The only other main fault in the book is the evil boss monster Gellick, as he doesn’t seem like a real threat to the characters. The book has more of a self vs self conflict, and I wish the big 'baddies' like Gellick were featured more as a sort-of fear than some sort of pushover. Other than that, I would recommend this book to anyone willing to spend a good 45 minutes reading.
This book was a great book, it was beautiful! It was also a B.O.B book for seventh grade from what I know. I loved the characters because they are so relate-able. It all starts when Sylvie, one of the two main characters, goes missing one morning on her daily run to get in shape for track. There is only one explanation for her disappearance, the Slip, which is a mysterious body of water. Jules the other main character is crushed, Sylvie is her only sister, and after Sylvie drowns all she has left is her father. The family of two is torn apart by the loss of their mother and now, oldest daughter. Life goes on, and when the time comes for Jules to go back to school, she sees a sign of luck, but even that is not enough. While all this takes place, deep in the woods, three fox kits are born, two males and one female, who happens to be a kennen. After many adventures Senna, the kennen fox and Jules meet, drawn together by a force of nature. Then something terrible happens. It leaves Jules is in shock, but she makes a discovery of a lifetime. With all the switching from points of view, the book can be a little bit confusing, but it still is great is the reader can understand. I highly suggest this book to anyone looking for a fairly quick read, I was able to read it in about a week. This book was very enjoyable and the reader could feel like they are a part of the book. Highly suggested!
Reviewer Grade: 7
While it may be considered a children's book, Charlotte's Web by E.B. White lives up to its name as a classic. The simple story provides for a light and easy read, while still providing an elegantly woven story. The characters, while not super developed, are jocular and entertaining, and still preserve the sort-of dramatic side of the book. The friendly relationship between Charlotte the spider and Wilbur the pig soon turns into a matter of life and death, allowing for many twists and turns throughout the book. Though simple, the book also has several deeper meanings (I won’t spoil them), allowing for speculation among its audience. The fun in discovering what E.B. White could have meant in just one of the book's lines may very well be the entire hook of the story. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone, no matter what their age is. There’s always fun to be had in a book, whether it be hidden or minuscule.
Reviewer Grade: 8th
This book is one of my favorite books to read, though you should probably start from the beginning of book one to understand what is going on. This book is full of creativity and is wonderful to read. My favorite part in this book, is when one of the characters FIRESTAR goes to the moonstone to receive his nine lives. Erin Hunter describes this amazing event so well that it will draw you in completely!
Where to start? This book was poignant, beautiful, lovely and dealt with the subject of loss, through a child’s eyes, in a way that pulled at my heart strings, big time. This beautiful tale follows a young kid named Marty as he deals with the pain and loss that comes when someone close is dying and there is nothing you feel you can do about it. When Marty’s precious possession is lost, his jean jacket scattered with buttons that represent his fondest memories with this person, at first he is devastated, but then he hears the tale of the train of lost things and he goes on a quest to find it and retrieve the precious thing he lost. Along the way he comes across two others, both on similar journeys, and discovers that what matters is not the objects themselves but the memories they represent and the love that he shares with his loved ones.
Paquette’s character Marty, approaches the subject of loss and death with a childlike curiosity. Yet throughout the story, Marty also displays the strong denial that comes with facing loss and death, questioning whether or not what is happening is really true. Marty’s love for his loved one and his need that, retrieving this jacket would make things all better, is what kept his character going. Yet in the end he realizes that life and death are not always that simple. But memories and love have a stronger power over death and loss and sometimes to overcome them you just need to escape reality to really understand that.
I don't usually pick up kids books but I picked up and read this book in one day! That is how good it was! I love this book in every way and I highly recommend it! Even though this book is for kids, I also recommend it for older people, or anyone dealing with loss, as the lessons learned can be applicable for anyone.
Thank you to the publisher Philomel Books for a ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book doesn't come out till March 20 but you can put it on your hold list today!
This was a very good book. I listened to it on audio and the narrator was fantastic. The climax of the book takes place during a dust storm, which is a classic case of the natural elements reflecting the story line. A bit contrived, yes, but good for young readers. The conclusion was textbook, but also okay for younger readers. If you'd like to read a good story with no surprises, this book is for you.
Spy School, by Stuart Gibbs, is a really good, light, and easy read. The book's main attraction is its plot twists. The unknown double agent, hidden 'spy' school, and secret organization all combine to make a great action-packed, half-romance novel. The ending also gets the reader hyped up for the next book in the series. Stuart Gibbs uses great foreshadowing throughout the book, and hints at every little detail in the plot. Although the plot is sort-of cliche and some characters are kind-of bland, the book sums up to be a highly entertaining read. I would recommend this book to anyone willing to put in the little time it takes to read it.
Stuart Little, by E. B. White, is quite the fascinating tale of an adventurous mouse on a quest to find his beloved, lost friend. The book is endlessly entertaining, and Stuart the mouse hooks the reader with his various shenanigans. Rather than developing the side characters, E. B. White strives and succeeds at focusing on peculiar Stuart and amusing the reader. The side plots also fit very nicely into the main story. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone, as it is a quick, easy, and wondrous read.
Three times lucky is an amazing book filled with lots of epic adventure and mystery. Mo will become forever attached to you, as her and her best friend Dale will crack the case of Mr. Jesse's murder as the Desperado Detectives. Mo will forever search for her lost, Upstream mother, obsess over Lavender, and find that her real family was right in front of her the whole time! This is a great story for mystery book lovers and drama as well!
The plot of The Glitch in Sleep is intriguing - I enjoyed the idea
that there are two different dimensions one called The World (where we live)
and the other called The Seems which controls The World via departments such
as nature, weather, and sleep. For example, the sleep department creates
dreams/nightmares, decides the hours of sleep a person receives if any at
all, and more. But the issue is that The Seems is a well-oiled machine and
depends on organization - if any of these departments do not completely do
their job and the issue is not fixed before the next day then something
called the Ripple Effect occurs which essentially unravels the Chain of
Events and foils the Plan. The Plan consists of organizing principles upon
which The World is managed and if The Plan is foiled, chaos ensues. Becker
Drane is a Fixer, someone who repairs malfunctions in The Seems that
negatively effect The World. One of the reasons I rate this book three stars
instead of five is because Becker is 12 years-old but acts adult-like, his
characterization does not feel appropriate for his age. In fact, all the
children act more mature than normal. At nine years old Becker fills out the
equivalent to a job application/aptitude test in which one of the questions
is something along the lines of “How would you change The World if The
World were being remade?” I can not imagine a nine year old answering that
sufficiently enough that a secret society responsible for the well-being of
The World and every person there would be impressed enough with a child that
they immediately hire him and trust him in deadly situations with advanced
technology. I do applaud the diversity in the book with representation from
countries not normally acknowledged in children’s literature. One thing I
also got a little irritated with was the constant tributes and references to
Highland Park, NJ, Becker’s hometown. The authors both grew up there but I
never lived there and I felt that the information about White Castle and the
different schools located there and other children’s names who were
probably were old friends of the authors were sort of unnecessary and did not
further the audiences’ love or Becker’s loyalty to Highland Park. I mean
if something happened to Highland Park than I would have seen the tributes
and references as appropriate but there was no immediate danger so they
seemed irrelevant and they often came up in times that broke with the tone. I
am sure someone from/living in New Jersey might enjoy these but even as
someone who has been to Highland Park several times and has family relations
there, I did not care too much. I also think there is a lot of world building
in motion and there is too much information regarding the tools and the
departments and officials that is overwhelming. I can also see a potential
romantic relationship being set up which might complicate the next book in
the trilogy by taking away from the plot. I will read the next book to see
some character development and relationships unfold and gain more
understanding of The Seems because the book was left on a cliffhanger.
The plot of The Glitch in Sleep is intriguing - I enjoyed the idea
that there are two different dimensions one called The World (where we live)
and the other called The Seems which controls The World via departments such
as nature, weather, and sleep. For example, the sleep department creates
dreams/nightmares, decides the hours of sleep a person receives if any at
all, and more. But the issue is that The Seems is a well-oiled machine and
depends on organization - if any of these departments do not completely do
their job and the issue is not fixed before the next day then something
called the Ripple Effect occurs which essentially unravels the Chain of
Events and foils the Plan. The Plan consists of organizing principles upon
which The World is managed and if The Plan is foiled, chaos ensues. Becker
Drane is a Fixer, someone who repairs malfunctions in The Seems that
negatively effect The World. One of the reasons I rate this book three stars
instead of five is because Becker is 12 years-old but acts adult-like, his
characterization does not feel appropriate for his age. In fact, all the
children act more mature than normal. At nine years old Becker fills out the
equivalent to a job application/aptitude test in which one of the questions
is something along the lines of “How would you change The World if The
World were being remade?” I can not imagine a nine year old answering that
sufficiently enough that a secret society responsible for the well-being of
The World and every person there would be impressed enough with a child that
they immediately hire him and trust him in deadly situations with advanced
technology. I do applaud the diversity in the book with representation from
countries not normally acknowledged in children’s literature. One thing I
also got a little irritated with was the constant tributes and references to
Highland Park, NJ, Becker’s hometown. The authors both grew up there but I
never lived there and I felt that the information about White Castle and the
different schools located there and other children’s names who were
probably were old friends of the authors were sort of unnecessary and did not
further the audiences’ love or Becker’s loyalty to Highland Park. I mean
if something happened to Highland Park than I would have seen the tributes
and references as appropriate but there was no immediate danger so they
seemed irrelevant and they often came up in times that broke with the tone. I
am sure someone from/living in New Jersey might enjoy these but even as
someone who has been to Highland Park several times and has family relations
there, I did not care too much. I also think there is a lot of world building
in motion and there is too much information regarding the tools and the
departments and officials that is overwhelming. I can also see a potential
romantic relationship being set up which might complicate the next book in
the trilogy by taking away from the plot. I will read the next book to see
some character development and relationships unfold and gain more
understanding of The Seems because the book was left on a cliffhanger.
I've been on a children's book about dogs kick lately. I started with Shiloh, went to Where the Red Fern Grows, and ended with Sounder (I may read Old Yeller too). Sounder is the winner of the Newbery Medal, but it was the least powerful book out of the three. I almost feel like I may have read an abridged version of the book. The characters weren't well developed and there wasn't really a sense of desperation and overt class stratification that the book's summary promised. Overall, it was underwhelming. I'm being nice and giving it 3 stars instead of 2.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, is a rather peculiar adventure tale filled with all sorts of oddities and misfits. The story begins with the main protagonist, Alice, as she follows the White Rabbit into the infamous rabbit hole. In Wonderland, or so it seems, she meets several creatures all with the strangest backstories and personalities. The story is carefully crafted so that much of the book confuses the casual reader. A great concern for detail is needed to understand the novel and its full meaning. The book shares the complexities and hardships of growing up, in which the Lewis Carroll absolutely nailed. He also shares his negative opinions about the British government through the main antagonist, the Queen of Hearts, who is meant to be a high and powerful monarch, but never does anything. Overall, the book is a great read and it is certainly entertaining to spend some time to pick out the many small details hidden in the book. 8th Grade.
