Dragons of the Valley: A Novel (Paperback)
by Donita K. Paul
ISBN: 1400073405

Price: USD 10.98
75 used & new available from USD 3.53

No sooner have Tipper and her companions put down the threat of uprising—and reunited her father’s three statues—than war begins to threaten the land of Chiril. Men from the country of Baardack have begun to subtly invade, one of the most prominent being a strange, sentient hunter called the Grawl. The three statues, carved from one of the world’s corner stones, must not fall into the enemy’s hands. Bealomondore, a tumanhofer, is one of those responsible for transporting the statues to a safer place. An artist at heart, he must learn to put down his paintbrush and take up his sword to defend Chiril against this new threat.

In some ways this story seemed to feel a little bit different from some of the other books by Mrs. Paul. It isn’t my favorite of hers, but I definitely enjoy it. Truth is woven into the story, and the characters you’ve gotten to know from The Vanishing Sculptor (plus some new ones) have their opportunities to shine. There’s also some great humor involving Fenworth and his kimen companion, the reluctant hero artist, and Lady Peg’s mind as a weapon in itself against the enemy. The final book in the trilogy is scheduled to come out in October!

The Charlatan’s Boy: A Novel (Paperback)
by Jonathan Rogers
ISBN: 0307458229

Price: USD 11.89
54 used & new available from USD 1.50

The story of Grady, a boy with no knowledge of his family, as he travels with a cheating showman named Floyd. The golden age of their show used to be the “Wild Man of the Feechiefen Swamp” act, but now that feechiefolk have become a laughable legend, the traveling duo are forced to find other shows make money from. That is, until they hit upon a scheme that will force all of Corenwald to believe in feechies once more—and bring back an opportunity for their favorite bit of show business. As they travel back and forth across the land, Grady also begins to discover things about himself.

I found this story very entertaining. Though some characters appear only for a short time, many of them actually do tie back in later in the book. My main complaint was that most of the book involves them cheating the townspeople in one way or another, but Grady’s conscience still pesters him, and the story ends well. Readers of the Wilderking Trilogy (The Bark of the Bog Owl, The Secret of the Swamp King, and The Way of the Wilderking) can enjoy picking up on subtle tie-ins, while new readers can still enter and enjoy the world of Corenwald. Overall, definitely worth reading. According to the back of the book, there’s a sequel on its way later this year. I shall look forward to it.

The Scarlet Pimpernel (Forgotten Books) (Paperback)
by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
ISBN: 1606801422

Price: USD 9.23
4 used & new available from USD 8.10

Revolution has taken hold of France, and hundreds of nobility are sent to the guillotine every day. A band of Englishmen, and their mysterious and daring leader known only as the Scarlet Pimpernel, lend aid to aristocrats on the death list—smuggling them from the blood-spattered country into England. But an accredited agent of the revolutionary government is determined to catch this scoundrel band and forces Lady Blakeney, one of the most popular ladies in England, to help him determine the real identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Torn between a mess of circumstances, Lady Blakeney has little idea of the adventure yet to come.

A well-spun yarn, intriguing enough to keep me reading. I would have to say that the first half of the book is the best, since it reaches a slightly mushy scene for midpoint and then the rest of the story felt a little too drawn-out. There’s also a goodly smattering of language, used by the Englishmen at the time. Overall, though, a good and interesting story, with a somewhat mysterious twist.

Chester Cricket’s New Home (Paperback)
by George Selden
ISBN: 0440412463

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

Chester Cricket’s beautiful stump by the brook has been squashed, and he is forced to move down the brook to a pond with Simon the old turtle, and Walter, a rather eccentric water snake, while he looks for a new home. Animals all over the Old Meadow volunteer to let the cricket stay with them, but he despairs of ever finding a real home again—not knowing that some of his friends have a trick up their sleeves.

A fun, light-hearted story, good for the whole family to enjoy. Though Harry and Tucker from A Cricket In Times Square don’t make an appearance, many other unique characters in Chester’s neighborhood do. Good for a short read.

The Whisper of Glocken: A Novel of the Minnipins (Paperback)
by Carol Kendall
ISBN: 0152025170

Price: USD 17.43
62 used & new available from USD 0.10

Five years after the invasion of the Mushrooms, a new problem has arisen. The Watercress river, flowing through the valley of the Minnipins, has changed direction and begun flooding the towns. Five unlikely heroes, Glocken, Silky, Scumble, Gam Lutie, and Crustabread, are commissioned by the five old Heroes to journey outside the valley and find the source of the flooding. With them goes the ancient Whisper Stone, which has been passed down through Glocken’s family for generations, and contains the secret for finding the legendary Whisper of Glocken, a bell now known only in pretend-stories.

This was an interesting read, but I don’t like it as much as its prequel. Some important parts of it seemed a bit vague and confusing, and sometimes I’d get turned around and couldn’t figure out exactly where the main characters were. It’s also more strange than the first book, because the Minnipins spend most of their time outside the valley, where they meet strange creatures and plants, and even full-size humans. Overall, not as good as The Gammage Cup, but it might be worth reading just for the sake of reading it.

We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea (Godine Storyteller) (Paperback)
by Arthur Ransome
ISBN: 0879239913

Price: USD 11.21
50 used & new available from USD 5.59

While awaiting Commander Walker’s return in Harwich, John, Susan, Titty, and Roger make friends with the sailor of the Goblin. Mrs. Walker gives them permission to sail up and down the river for a few days until their father arrives. When the sailor disappears ashore, however, and the anchor drags, the Walker children find themselves being swept out to sea on a very real adventure.

Whereas most of the other books contain more imaginative, light-hearted adventures, the dangers in this story seemed more present and real. The children are, after all, at sea by themselves. It’s an exciting read, though sadly the Amazon pirates never show up. Nevertheless, it’s probably one of my favorite Swallows and Amazons books.

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

Today we’re featuring one of our Read-a-Thon 2010 sponsors, Eric Reinhold. (Check out the interview we did last year!) Mr. Reinhold writes Christian fantasy and already has released two books in his series, The Annals of Aeliana, with more on the way!

Ryann Watters and the King’s Sword

Ryann Watters And The King’s Sword: Book One in the Annals of Aeliana Series (Hardcover)
by Eric Reinhold
ISBN: 1599792885

Price: USD 17.99
57 used & new available from USD 3.68

In the first book, Ryann Watters is visited by the angel Gabriel and given the task of finding the king’s sword, along with three gifts to aid him in his quest. Join Ryann and his friends, Liddy and Terell, as they discover the powers of the gifts and travel to and from the fantastical world of Aeliana.

Ryann Watters and the Shield of Faith

(Not yet reviewed)

Ryann Watters And The Shield Of Faith Vol 2: Book Two in the Annals of Aeliana Series (Hardcover)
by Eric Rinehold
ISBN: 1599796260

Price: USD 14.99
37 used & new available from USD 9.83

The sequel to Ryann Watters and the King’s Sword came out last year! We haven’t written a review for it yet, but if you enjoyed the first one, you may want to look into the sequel!

The original Ryann Watters is even in the process of becoming a feature-length film. Pretty cool, huh? For more information, check out the Official Movie Site or Mr. Reinhold’s blog.

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

One of the series we’ve enjoyed reading is Freddy the Pig by Walter R. Brooks, full of whimsical, adventurous stories involving Freddy and the rest of the talking animals on the Bean farm. Sadly, most of these books have gone out of print, but you may still be able to find some through inter-library loans. I’m not gonna go through all twenty-six books in this post, so here are a few of my favorites.

Freddy the Pilot

Freddy the Pilot (Hardcover)
by Walter R. Brooks
ISBN: 087951941X

Price: USD 23.95
45 used & new available from USD 0.10

Mr. Boomschmidt, Freddy the pig’s old friend and a circus owner, has got a dilemma on his hands. Mademoiselle Rose, the bareback rider, has rightly refused to marry the sour-faced Mr. Condiment, who is now dive-bombing the circus and trying to put Mr. Boomschmidt out of business. It’s up to Freddy and his animal friends to turn the tables on Mr. Condiment, including disguises, skunks acting like Robin Hood and his merry men, and, of course, Freddy’s new airplane.

Freddy Rides Again

Freddy Rides Again (Hardcover)
by Walter R. Brooks
ISBN: 1585672688

Price: USD 23.95
27 used & new available from USD 12.24

Freddy and friends are back in this sequel to Freddy the Cowboy. The Margarines have moved in and are disrupting the neighborhood with their fox hunts. Not only that, but there have been rumors of a rattlesnake near the Bean farm. Join Freddy, Jinx the cat, and others as they gallop to the rescue.

Freddy Goes Camping

Freddy Goes Camping (Hardcover)
by Walter R. Brooks
ISBN: 1585671770

Price: USD 23.95
42 used & new available from USD 8.29

Mr. Camphor’s two unusual aunts have always spent the summer in a nearby hotel, but when the hotel is shut down due to mysterious ghost stories, they come to stay at Mr. Camphor’s large estate. Which is a problem. Mr. Camphor appeals to Freddy for help, and together they go on a camping trip across the lake on a search for the trickster causing these ghosts.

Check out our Freddy the Pig page for a complete list of the series, with links to our reviews.

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

If you’re looking for some good contemporary (or historical, I suppose) fiction with a fun twist, you may want to check out the Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome. Set in England some while ago, it follows John, Susan, Titty, Roger, Nancy, Peggy, and other friends introduced throughout the series as they sail on the lake and make up different adventures. Ransome manages to give it a real, yet imaginative feel with an overall sense of fun. Some of the books are devoted entirely to the stories the children make up.

Here are some of my personal favorites from the series.

Swallows and Amazons

Swallows and Amazons (Paperback)
by Arthur Ransome
ISBN: 087923573X

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

The original Swallows and Amazons! On a holiday trip to the lake, the Walker children (John, Susan, Titty, and Roger) meet for the first time the wild Amazon “pirates,” Nancy and Peggy Blackett. Fun adventures ensue, including a war against the Blacketts’ Uncle Jim (also known as Captain Flint).

Winter Holiday

Winter Holiday (Godine Storyteller) (Paperback)
by Arthur Ransome
ISBN: 0879236612

Price: USD 11.49
57 used & new available from USD 5.15

Several books after Swallows and Amazons, Winter Holiday introduces some new characters: Dick and Dorothea, who arrive at the lake during the winter. They meet the Walkers and Blacketts there (or the Swallows and Amazons) and are swept up into building an igloo and eventually a race to the “North Pole.”

Pigeon Post

Pigeon Post (Godine Storyteller) (Paperback)
by Arthur Ransome
ISBN: 087923864X

Price: USD 11.21
48 used & new available from USD 4.89

The whole company from Winter Holiday turns into miners as they try to find legendary gold in the hills for their Uncle Jim. However, a mysterious man is following them, and he seems to be after the same gold. There was one weird section in this book that I didn’t like, but otherwise it was a pretty good read!

And if you’re feeling ambitious, you may want to read the whole series! Here’s a list of them in their proper order.

Some of the later ones, which we haven’t reviewed yet, made it onto my favorites list as well, such as We Didn’t Mean To Go To Sea and Great Northern?.

Oh, come on. You can at least try the first one, and if you like it, there are eleven more in the series. Pretty good opportunity to boost your page count for the summer, too. Don’t you think?

The Sable Quean (Redwall) (Hardcover)
by Brian Jacques
ISBN: 0399251642

Price: USD 20.58
80 used & new available from USD 3.19

Buckler, a blademaster hare from Salamandastron, is sent to Redwall Abbey to deliver new bell ropes to the Abbess and is caught up in the adventure of his life. Vilaya the Sable Quean, along with her captain Zwilt, plan to take over Redwall Abbey by kidnapping their Dibbuns and holding them hostage. But Buckler has a score of his own to settle with Zwilt and leads the inhabitants of Redwall to stop the evil vermin horde.

I’m afraid I wasn’t particularly impressed with this book. It’s pretty stereotypical Redwall, without enough new things to make it feel original. Two of the characters (including a warrior mole!) are introduced later on in the book and assume important roles, which felt a little last-minute to me. I would say that big Redwall fans might want to read this, but The Sable Quean is not a must-read.