Entries Categorized as 'All Ages'
Posted by Sarah
Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Dogs, Good Read Aloud, Margaret Sidney
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Ever since her husband died, Mrs. Pepper has been trying to earn enough money to pay for the rent of the little brown house and feed her five children: Ben, Polly, Joel, David, and Phronsie. But when they meet a boy named Jasper and his rich father, could it be that good times are in store for the Peppers?
This book is like a good old friend to me. It’s fun to see how little Phronsie and Jasper’s father get along together.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:Book of Ember, Funny, Good Read Aloud, Jeanne DuPrau, light
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Ember stands as the only light in a literally dark world. The city is lighted by lamps, the sky is black, and nobody ever leaves. When Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow are assigned their jobs as citizens of Ember, they are excited at first, but soon become frightened as they discover that the city is running down, which is the worst possible thing that could ever happen. Then Lina’s granny remembers that something important was lost, which Lina finds, but not before her baby sister chews up the important piece of paper, leaving the writing on the paper in tatters. It’s labelled “Instructions for” something, so Lina and Doon try to figure out what it says before the city’s lights flicker out for the last time.
Here’s a delightful story that is both fun and deep at the same time. I’m still thinking about some of the implications of elements of the story, and still chuckling over others. The citizens of Ember have no concept of so many of the things that we take for granted, which is demonstrated time after time as they wonder about what words like “hogwash” and “treetop” mean. On the deep side of things, The City of Ember speaks profoundly about pride, greed, and the consequences of wrong choices. The only thing I really didn’t like was the slow beginning, but once that’s over, you have a book that deserves to be recognized as an excellent story for pretty much everybody. There’s a movie coming out on October 10th, which looks pretty good to me.
Posted by Sarah
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fantasy, Fiction, Review
Tags:Fairies, L. Frank Baum, Seafaring
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Trot and Cap’n Bill meet some mermaids who invite them to visit their palace underwater. Trot and Cap’n Bill accept the invitation and, after the mermaids give Trot the form of a mermaid and Cap’n Bill the form of a merman, they all go to the palace, where Trot and Cap’n Bill meet Queen Aquareine of the mermaids. But Zog the Magician captures the queen, Trot, Cap’n Bill, and Princess Clia, and it’s a battle of magic to see who will come out victorious.
As a warning, in my copy of this book a few little sections have the lines of text switched around, so you have to read it out of order so it makes sense. Zog is pretty sinister. The battles of magic in his castle are neat. Most of the book is more of Trot and Cap’n Bill visiting the ocean, but it picks up somewhat at the end with Zog.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:E. Nesbit, Funny, Good Read Aloud, treasure hunting
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The six Bastable children have realized that their father is out of money, and because of this he has no time to spend with them anymore. So they decide to restore their family fortunes by finding treasure. They all sit down in the nursery and brainstorm ideas. Then they start trying them, one by one. Some ideas are reasonable, like going into business. Others a bit more far fetched, such as becoming highwaymen (but not robbing anybody nice).
E. Nesbit wrote this book before any of her other children’s stories. She had just finished writing breezy stories that magazines would print, and the haphazard style lingers here. The Story of the Treasure Seekers is quite enjoyable, but the writing style could turn off some people. However, fans of Nesbit will pick up on her subtle humor, which is absolutely hilarious in this one. I nearly died laughing quite a few times as the Bastables stumbled their way through money-making schemes.
Posted by Rebekah
Categories: All Ages, Fantasy, Fiction, Incredibook!, Picture Books, Review
Tags:Animals, Dragons, Funny, Graeme Base
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A collection of letters (with illustrations) from various, obscure explorers who are credited with discovering several of the major types of Dragons. The letters have been compiled and illustrated by a Professor Rowland W. Greasebeam, B.Sc (Serp.), F.R.Aud.
This book is absolutely hysterical! I found the Eleventh Anniversary Edition at the library just the other day. I had read the original several years ago, (enough years ago that I forgot the title) and finally rediscovered it! Much to my enjoyment, there was an extra chapter of dragons. If you read it, read everything in it. The acknowledgements, the disclaimers in the back, the introductions to each chapter, everything. It is sooooo funny! (See? I resorted to a typical extention of a two letter word to fully express my enthusiasm, i.e. I really like it.) It would be good for all ages, as the younger ones can enjoy the illustrations and the older (but young at heart) can laugh themselves silly at the humor.
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