Entries Categorized as 'Fiction'
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Fiction, Picture Books, Review, Younger Readers
Tags:Animals, Birds, Dr. Seuss, Easy Read, Funny, Good Read Aloud
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Four silly stories by Dr. Seuss about some rather interesting subjects.
The Sneetches, the title story, is about birds. Half have stars on their bellies, the other half don’t. The ones with the stars lord it over the ones without. One day, a man offers to add stars to those with none.
The Zax is a tale of two creatures who won’t budge from their tracks to let the other through.
Too Many Daves is a crazy poem about a woman who named all of her sons Dave.
Finally, What was I Scared of? tells the story of “a pair of walking green pants with nobody inside them.”
This is probably my favorite Seuss book. I’ve always loved The Sneetches, and Too Many Daves is a poem that I can partially recite. Anyway, some great stories.
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fiction, Mysteries, Review
Tags:Animals, Dogs, Horses, Jim Kjelgaard, Out of Print
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Trailing Trouble is “an adventure-mystery about a young game warden, his pinto pony, and Smoky, the dog with ‘a nose for trouble.'” Many people think it would be a good idea to make a National Park of the Gistache, but somebody obviously doesn’t share their sentiments. Bad things start to happen, and Tom Rainse thinks that this is more than the usual small band of poachers…
Well, I can’t say much more, because, after all, this is a mystery. I wouldn’t want to spoil anything, would I? Another fun Kjelgaard book, overall. The dialogue between Tom and his friend, Buck, is very comical at times. I am sorry to say, though, that Trailing Trouble ends just as abruptly as some of the other Kjelgaards. The climax occurs at the third paragraph from the end. But that’s okay. It still works.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Animals, Award Winner, Funny, Lizards, Louis Sachar, Snakes
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Camp Green Lake doesn’t really have a lake. And it’s not a fun camp. It’s a punishment camp for bad boys, where every boy digs a hole every day to build character. If you find anything interesting, you give it to the Warden. If she likes it, you get the day off. Stanley Yelnats is sent to Camp Green Lake for a crime he didn’t do. He doesn’t mind, because things like this are always happening to his family. They all blame it on his great-great-grandfather, who stole a pig, and seemingly caused the family bad luck. Somehow, the camp’s past is entangled with his family’s past, and with the past of Zero, a supposedly brainless camper.
If Holes sounds like a boring story, let me tell you, it’s not! This is an unbelievably tall tale that is amazingly believable. Sachar’s story is interesting, quirky, funny, and a bit tense. On the subject of tense, I would suggest that if you have anything against poisonous lizards that you don’t read this with the closet door open, at night, or anytime you might feel like you could be assaulted by lizards. The only big problem I found in Holes was a few places where the writing style changed.
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fantasy, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Dragons, Edward Eager, Time Travel
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Barnaby, Fredricka, Abbie, John, and Susan all love books. And they agree that the best kind of book is a magic book. One day at the library, they just so happen to find such a book. Though, of course, at the time, they don’t realize it. Then they find out that the book (you guessed it!) grants wishes. They take turns making wishes, and end up having to get themselves out of all sorts of trouble.
Another great Eager book. As in his others, the children have to figure out what rules the magic operates by, and how to use it to their best advantage. I also find it funny that the girl from the very end of Half Magic makes an appearance in this one.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Animals, Good Read Aloud, Indians, Quick Read, Scary, Scott O’Dell, Seafaring
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El Manta Diablo is nothing more than a scary story about a giant manta ray, right? When Ramon Salazar finds the largest pearl ever known, he is not so sure. An old Indian claims Manta Diablo will take back the pearl, and Ramon’s life.
I believe this story is a great example of why you shouldn’t be superstitious, however, the ending proves that Ramon doesn’t learn that lesson. Whatever. Scott O’ Dell has another winner, although a rather short one.
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