Entries Categorized as 'Fiction'
Posted by Sarah
Categories: Fiction, Review, Younger Readers
Tags:Good Read Aloud, Marguerite De Angeli, Out of Print
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Lydia, a girl in an Amish family, wants to go to Lancaster with her father like her older brother and sister. She can go as soon as her hooked rug is finished, but after a certain disaster I won’t mention so it isn’t spoiled, Lydia feels her chances are ruined for a long time.
This is a fairly short book with a fairly simple plot with fairly interesting speech. In regard to the latter, the Amish speak a mixture of German and English. I suppose this book might be hard to read aloud with their kind of talk, but I think it might make a good read aloud otherwise. Henner’s Lydia might be aimed for children younger than I am, but it’s alright. Not one of my favorites, though. If you’re looking for a simple, somewhat educational book to relax with, this book might be for you!
Posted by Jordan
Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Dick King-Smith, Dogs, Funny, Good Read Aloud, Pigs, Quick Read
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When Farmer Hogget guesses the weight of a piglet at the fair, he has no idea that he will win the contest. But once he brings the pig home, things start happening. Who would have thought that his sheepdog Fly would adopt the pig? And who would have thought that the pig would be better at herding sheep than the dog?
Lots of fun here. If you’ve seen the movie, you will notice some differences between book and film. Babe is enjoyable, lovable, and a great family book. Kids love it, adults laugh more than the kids (but at wholesome jokes), and therefore, we have a winner.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Advanced Readers, Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Review, Science Fiction
Tags:Animals, C. S. Lewis, Space Trilogy
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Picking up right where Out of the Silent Planet leaves off, Perelandra finds Dr. Ransom preparing to go to space again. But this time, he’s headed for Venus (or Perelandra). Once he lands, Ransom discovers that Perelandra is a newly created world which still exists in a Eden-like innocence. However, this new created state won’t last forever, especially when Professor Weston shows up once again. Ransom must stop Weston from corrupting Perelandra before it’s too late.
I normally think of C. S. Lewis as the guy who wrote Narnia. Big misconception. He wrote much more, and this particular trilogy is just as good. I found that Perelandra dragged a bit at the beginning and end, but picked up in the middle enough to compensate for that. Some bits of the story are quite funny, although not nearly enough to leave you in stitches the whole way through. I must mention that I have enjoyed the third and final book, That Hideous Strength much more than the first two. But as I’ve always experienced with Lewis’ books, this one’s a definite keeper.
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Advanced Readers, Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Mysteries, Review, Science Fiction
Tags:Garth Nix, Scary, The Keys to the Kingdom
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Arthur Penhaligon suffers from asthma. On his first day at his new school, he has a nasty attack and collapses. A strange man called Mister Monday and his butler appear and, along with some considerably confusing talk, give Arthur a mysterious key, shaped like the hand of a minute clock. Then they vanish. Arthur thinks it’s all just a weird hallucination, but that doesn’t explain why he still has the key — which Mister Monday will do anything to get back. Monday sends out his Fetchers (particularly nasty dog-faced men) to retrieve the precious item, and a terrible plague breaks out that no one can find the cure for. Arthur is sure he’s the only one who can help. But how?
It might be noted that the plot has much more depth to it than I’ve managed to portray in my summary! I thought it was very interesting. A definite page-turner, though much more intense (at least at the beginning) than I’m used to reading. Overall, I was quite pleased, and I plan to read the next book, Grim Tuesday.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Mysteries, Older Readers, Review, Science Fiction
Tags:Animals, Dragons, Long Read, Madeleine L’Engle, Sad, Scary, Seafaring
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Thirteen-year-old Simon Renier and his adult cousin Forsyth are both on a boat headed for Venezuela. Forsyth plans to deliver a portrait of Simon Bolivar to a museum, Simon is just along for the ride. On the day they leave, Simon meets Poly and Charles, two brainy kids who are roughly his own age. What could be better? Together they roam the ship, until the portrait is stolen, and they must help solve the mystery.
Wondrously complicated. I’ve heard that this is the second in a series about Poly and Charles, but Dragons in the Waters can stand on its own. You will not expect the ending, nor will you expect most of the plot twists (unless you read the blurb on the back cover and ruin it!). This could easily have been a five star book, except for some signature L’Engle weirdness that was a bit of a stretch (I won’t spoil the story by telling you what it is). However, if you’re willing to let her rearrange the universe a bit, Dragons is a gripping mystery that will keep you turning pages.
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