East (Paperback)
by Edith Pattou
ISBN: 0152052216

Price: USD 8.95
163 used & new available from USD 0.10

Nymah Rose has been trying her whole life to live up to her mother’s expectations as a replacement for Rose’s dead sister. A frustrating life, to be sure. Then, when her hope is weakest, the impossible happens. A talking polar bear offers to help her family out of poverty if Rose will come with him. After much debate, Rose agrees and sets off into a perilous adventure of mystery, danger, and enemy trolls.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. (Particularly once I got towards the end and suddenly recognized the plot as one of my favorite myths.) There was more superstition in the book than I’m usually comfortable with, but it’s portrayed as being a bad idea. The characters are well written, the plot moves nicely, and the settings are quite vivid. A great read if you’re looking for a medium-length book with an interesting plot. Be warned, though, it is a little hard to put down once you’ve started.

Today I’ve decided to take a little trip down memory lane and introduce to you a few extra special books I’ve enjoyed. Books that may not be the most down to earth, up to date, or realistic, but books that still make me smile.

Pippi Longstocking

Pippi Longstocking (Puffin Modern Classics) (Paperback)
by Astrid Lindgren
ISBN: 0142402494

Price: USD 5.99
100 used & new available from USD 0.75

A very funny story about the strongest girl in the world and her rather scatterbrained, upside-down way of looking at things.

No Flying in the House

No Flying in the House (Harper Trophy Books) (Paperback)
by Betty Brock
ISBN: 0064401308

Price: USD 5.99
142 used & new available from USD 0.10

The delightful story of Annabel, a young girl who discovers that she is related to fairies.

Rascal

Rascal (Paperback)
by Sterling North
ISBN: 0140344454

Price: USD 5.99
291 used & new available from USD 0.10

A truly enjoyable tale about a boy and his pet raccoon.

Rabbit Hill

Rabbit Hill (Newbery Library, Puffin) (Paperback)
by Robert Lawson
ISBN: 014031010X

Price: USD 5.99
271 used & new available from USD 0.10

The tale of the shenanigans that the animals living on the hill get into when New Folks move into the big house.

Part of our Read-a-Thon 2010 highlight posts.

When most people think of C. S. Lewis, his Narnia series is usually what comes to mind first. Or perhaps The Screwtape Letters. But today I want to draw attention to what are definitely my favorite Lewis books: his science fiction trilogy.

These are written for advanced readers, as the style of writing is so deep and thought-provoking, and Lewis does not attempt to smooth over the badguys. Evil is portrayed as what it is. But I still recommend these very, very highly. Every time I read them I find something new.

And just because they’re thought-provoking, don’t think they’re boring! Every book has plenty of action and suspense written in the older style. They stretch the imagination while exciting interest. And, best of all, on multiple occasions they have inspired me anew and afresh to marvel over how amazing our God is.

Here they are, listed in order.

Out of the Silent Planet

Out of the Silent Planet (Space Trilogy, Book One) (Paperback)
by C.S. Lewis
ISBN: 0743234901

Price: USD 8.87
186 used & new available from USD 1.24

Arthur Ransom is kidnapped by a pair of scientists and taken on a spaceship to Malacandra, where the scientists intend to turn him over to the ruler for a human sacrifice. But little do the scientists know that their betrayal was not what the ruler wanted, and their actions have set about world-changing events.

Perelandra

Perelandra (Space Trilogy, Book 2) (Paperback)
by C.S. Lewis
ISBN: 074323491X

Price: USD 8.98
152 used & new available from USD 1.90

Ransom, now a friend of the rulers of the planets, is sent to Perelandra (Venus) to help try to prevent it from going the way of Earth at Eden.

That Hideous Strength

That Hideous Strength (Space Trilogy, Book 3) (Paperback)
by C.S. Lewis
ISBN: 0743234928

Price: USD 9.75
135 used & new available from USD 4.76

The events in books one and two have brought about massive celestial repercussions, and the dark beings on Earth battle the rulers of the planets in an attempt to take over Earth once and for all.

As a side note: These books seem to be written from the standpoint of theistic evolution, and do involve other races of beings on other planets.

Part of our Read-a-Thon 2010 highlight posts.

We’ve already touched on historical fiction in a previous post, but this time I want to highlight some of my personal favorites—books which are of a more swashbuckling sort and include castles.

The Story of King Arthur and His Knights

The Story of King Arthur and His Knights: Centennial Edition (Signet Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)
by Howard Pyle
ISBN: 0451530241

Price: USD 6.95
90 used & new available from USD 0.10

The Story of the Champions of the Round Table

The Story of the Champions of the Round Table (Dover Children’s Classics) (Paperback)
by Howard Pyle
ISBN: 048621883X

Price: USD 10.16
89 used & new available from USD 0.10

First off we have Howard Pyle’s “King Arthur books.” These are my favorite renditions of the classic Arthurian legends. There are four books in all: The Story of King Arthur and His Knights, The Story of the Champions of the Round Table, The Story of Sir Launcelot and His Companions, and The Story of the Grail and the Passing of Arthur. We have the first two books reviewed here on Incredibooks.

The Black Arrow

The Black Arrow (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)
by Robert Louis Stevenson
ISBN: 0141441399

Price: USD 11.00
16 used & new available from USD 0.10

Another great, and sometimes-overlooked tale, is Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Black Arrow, which is set during the War of Roses in England.

And what list of swashbuckling tales would be complete without Robin Hood? Here we have not one, but two great versions of the legend.

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (Signet Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)
by Howard Pyle
ISBN: 0451530268

Price: USD 5.95
80 used & new available from USD 0.10

The Outlaws of Sherwood

The Outlaws of Sherwood (Paperback)
by Robin McKinley
ISBN: 0441013252

Price: USD 11.20
48 used & new available from USD 2.99

Part of our Read-a-Thon 2010 highlight posts.

Narnia. It almost doesn’t seem possible that there are people who still haven’t read the books, but I know that good books get lost in the shuffle sometimes. If you’ve never read this seven book series, you’ve missed a real treat. The storylines are beautifully written, the characters fun, and some of the symbolism is really incredible.

If you’re interested in reading these amazing books (which are a nice, small, easily readable size), I’d recommend that you begin with either The Magician’s Nephew, or The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Personally, I’d say start with The Magician’s Nephew. It comes first in chronological order, and is also my second favorite.

The Magician’s Nephew

The Magician’s Nephew (The Chronicles of Narnia) (Mass Market Paperback)
by C. S. Lewis
ISBN: 0064471101

Price: USD 6.99
773 used & new available from USD 0.10

The story of the wonderful events leading to the creation of Narnia.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)
by C. S. Lewis
ISBN: 0064471047

Price: USD 6.99
996 used & new available from USD 0.10

Four children find their way into Narnia and must help defeat the White Witch who has all of Narnia under her thumb.

The Horse and His Boy

The Horse and His Boy (Paperback)
by C. S. Lewis
ISBN: 0064471063

Price: USD 6.99
653 used & new available from USD 0.10

A great “side” tale that fits chronologically while the four children are ruling Narnia as adults. The tale takes place in Calormen, a neighboring country, and features a slave named Shasta and a talking horse who are escaping to Narnia.

Prince Caspian

Prince Caspian (Narnia) (Paperback)
by C. S. Lewis
ISBN: 0064471055

Price: USD 6.99
511 used & new available from USD 0.10

After a long absence, the children return to Narnia to help overthrow a tyrant and restore the true king to his throne.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Voyage of the “Dawn Treader”(The Chronicls of Narnia, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)
by C. S. Lewis
ISBN: 0064471071

Price: USD 6.99
503 used & new available from USD 0.10

Two of the children are allowed to revisit Narnia, bringing with them their obnoxious cousin. They sail on a quest to recover some of the banished lords who stood by the true king during the tyrant’s rule.

The Silver Chair

The Silver Chair (Mass Market Paperback)
by C. S. Lewis
ISBN: 0064471098

Price: USD 6.99
545 used & new available from USD 0.10

The cousin, now not nearly as obnoxious, escapes with his friend from boarding school and finds himself in Narnia. The two children are charged with the task of finding a long lost prince for the dying king.

The Last Battle

The Last Battle (Paperback)
by C. S. Lewis
ISBN: 006447108X

Price: USD 6.99
516 used & new available from USD 0.10

The final book in the Narnia series. The two children from The Silver Chair must help Narnia during its final hours.

Several of these books were made into movies by BBC, and they are now being remade by Walden Media. Two are already finished, and the third Voyage of The Dawn Treader is slotted for release on December 10th of this year.

Part of our Read-a-Thon 2010 highlight posts.

When I think of “Historical Fiction” I tend to think of either romance, or things set in medieval times or the Revolutionary war. Here are some great books from other time periods that keep the romance to a minimum and have wonderful stories.

The Golden Goblet

The Golden Goblet (Newbery Library, Puffin) (Paperback)
by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
ISBN: 0140303359

Price: USD 6.99
312 used & new available from USD 0.10

A tale of adventure and mystery set in Ancient Egypt. All ages.

Madeleine Takes Command

Madeleine Takes Command (Living History Library) (Paperback)
by Ethel C. Brill
ISBN: 1883937175

Price: $6.05
40 used & new available from USD 6.05

This one is set during the French and Indian War and features Madeleine, a 14-year-old girl who must help defend a fort against the Indians.

Kidnapped

Kidnapped (Bantam Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)
by Robert Louis Stevenson
ISBN: 0553212605

Price: USD 3.95
182 used & new available from USD 0.10

A story of high adventure set in Scotland during 1751. This is one of my personal favorites.

The Forest Runners

The Forest Runners (Paperback)
by Joseph A. Altsheler
ISBN: 1449993214

Price: USD 8.50
1 used & new available from USD 8.50

An adventurous story set during the settling of Kentucky.

Part of our Read-a-Thon 2010 highlight posts.

Some people know author Lloyd Alexander best for his Prydain Chronicles, a five-book series of Welsh-flavored fantasy adventures, but today we want to point out some of his other, perhaps less well known, masterpieces.

Time Cat

Time Cat (Puffin Modern Classic) (Puffin Modern Classics) (Paperback)
by Lloyd Alexander
ISBN: 0142401072

Price: USD 6.99
156 used & new available from USD 0.10

A very amusing medium length story told in classic Lloyd Alexander style. Memorable characters, humor all over the place, and a very fun concept. Good for all ages.

The Rope Trick

The Rope Trick (Hardcover)
by Lloyd Alexander
ISBN: 0525470204

Price: $0.01
62 used & new available from USD 0.10

The Rope Trick is a little bit of a different flavor in fantasy. It’s set in an Italian or Madrid area and features a young lady with magical abilities. Older Readers.

The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio

The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio (Hardcover)
by Lloyd Alexander
ISBN: 0805083332

Price: USD 14.78
89 used & new available from USD 0.10

Another out-of-the-ordinary fantasy, this one is set in the desert with plenty of camels, caravans, and treasure hunting. Older to Advanced Readers.

Lloyd Alexander has proven over and over that he is a master of first-person stories, and this book only adds to that reputation. Few people can spin a hilarious story as well as this while keeping elements of suspense and danger as sharp as possible.

Interested in more by Lloyd Alexander? Here’s a list of our reviews of his books.

The Read-a-Thon is coming up fast, and the team here at Incredibooks is about to explode with excitement.

This is the time of year when all the books we’ve not had time to read get scribbled down into a rapidly growing list. We plan and calculate and rearrange, and Rebekah goes into agonies of time-crunch despair nearly every time she turns around.

Coming up with books to read on demand can be a challenge, especially when you’re in the mood to read new ones. Really, who wants to spend a lot of valuable reading time surfing around trying to find something good?

To that event, we’re planning something extra special for this year’s Read-a-Thon: beginning May 17th and ending May 31st, we will be highlighting a different book or books every day! We’ll feature books by several of the authors who are supporting us, as well as some lesser known titles and great books that you can read to your younger siblings for extra page counts.

Remember, registration ends June 7th, so sign up soon! If you want a quick and easy way to point others to the Read-a-Thon, Jordan and Ruth have put together some web banners and buttons for you to use as much as you want. So get out there and let the excitement build. Read-a-Thon 2010, here we come!

A Penny for Your Thoughts (The Million Dollar Mysteries, Book 1) (Paperback)
by Mindy Starns Clark
ISBN: 0736909923

Price: $0.01
75 used & new available from USD 0.10

In this first of the Million Dollar Mysteries, Callie Webber is on her way home from a charity donation when her mysterious boss asks her to stop off and deliver two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to an old friend of his.
Callie, with her background in private investigations and law, is very loth to just hand over that much money to anyone without checking up on them first. After all, it’s her job to investigate anyone who requests a grant from her boss’s foundation. But she agrees, and grudgingly heads off to Feed the Need with the check. All she can think about is getting home and enjoying her dog Sal—until the head of Feed the Need is murdered.

A Penny for Your Thoughts is very well written with lots of suspense and action! And it has one of those “gotcha” endings that, when you think about it, you should have been able to catch! I love those. Actually, the whole series has the delightful distinction of being written by a Christian author, and starring a Christian main character. I wouldn’t recommend it for younger readers, though. Like every murder mystery, there are some unsavory people and events, as well as a teensy bit of mature content. Happily, that latter is not over the top, nor held up as good. I find these books so refreshing after wading through several secular series.

Registration opens in two weeks, and excitement is building here at Incredibooks. This is the time of year when we splash the Read-a-Thon across the Internet and tell as many friends as we can. After all, it only comes once a year, and we don’t want anyone to miss it.

Do you have friends who love reading or are looking for something better than TV this summer? Tell them about the Read-a-Thon! Here are some ways you can help us promote this program.

• Facebook. A great tool, a great way to stay in touch. Publish a bit of your excitement over the Read-a-Thon, or scribble the information on a friend’s wall.
• Blogs. Post about the upcoming events with links and lots of exclamation points. Want something a little more special? We’ve made banners for you use. Download one and show everybody that you’re going to be doing a lot of reading.
• Talk! Spread the word at school, church, or any place where there are people. Maybe even see if your librarian will spread the word. You never know who might be looking for a reason to read! We have a Read-a-Thon bookmark that might start some conversations for you.
• Twitter. Like to tweet? Tell everybody about the Read-a-Thon in 140 characters or less.

Get out there and make a splash. We want this to be the best Read-a-Thon ever!