Entries Categorized as 'Older Readers'
Posted by Rebekah
Categories: Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:J. R. R. Tolkien, Out of Print, Poetry, Quick Read
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This is a book containing some of J.R.R. Tolkien’s poetry, 16 poems to be specific. It has several that I hadn’t read before, and some old friends, including Oliphaunt, and Frodo’s The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late. Thoroughly enjoyable.
A great collection. Please keep in mind that this in not a complete collection of Tolkien’s poems. I enjoy poetry, and this book was neat to read.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Funny, Lloyd Alexander
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The Centennial Exposition is coming to Vesper Holly’s hometown, Philadelphia! Vesper is excited, but even more so when President Grant appears at her house to ask her help. The Brazilian Emperor’s children have been kidnapped, and Dom Pedro, the emperor, has received a ransom note from none other than Dr. Desmond Helvitius! The note demands that Vesper deliver the ransom in person, but Vesper has other plans…
You may be disappointed that Vesper doesn’t get to travel to some foreign country, but don’t overlook this book because of that! Despite the fact that nothing blows up (something does in all the others), The Philadelphia Adventure is well worth reading.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Funny, Lloyd Alexander
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Vesper and Brinnie discover that Vesper’s late father had willed her a piece of property containing a volcano. Vesper’s disappointed that it’s not a live volcano, but a telegram from the mysterious Alain de Rochefort demands their presence in Puerto Palmas. The adventure that follows is in true Vesper Holly fashion, complete with Brinnie’s escapades and the sinister Dr. Helvitius.
The second book in the Vesper Holly series is better than the first. Dr. Helvitius is, if possible, even more evil than in the first book. Vesper remains her fearless self, and Brinnie retains his bumbling. It’s another exciting book from Lloyd Alexander, featuring oar-swinging El Dorado Natives, imprisonment, revenge, and events that only Vesper Holly would want to be in the center of!
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Non Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Animals, Gavin Maxwell, Otters
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Gavin Maxwell lives all by himself in an isolated area of Scotland called Camusfearna, with no other human beings within forty miles. After Jonnie, his dog, dies, he begins wondering what it would be like to have an otter as a pet. He travels to the marshes of Southern Iraq and, with the help of a few natives, secures a wild otter of unknown species. This otter is Mijbal (Mij for short), and the resulting adventures are hilarious!
I must warn you first: You may find the first few chapters extremely boring!!! But please keep reading! It’s well worth it. I recommend this book to anyone who loves animals and nature. MGM made it into a movie in 1969. I haven’t seen it, but from what I’ve read about it, it’s not like the book at all.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Mysteries, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Animals, Lloyd Alexander
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Tamar receives a night visit from Jaya, a mighty ruler. Jaya’s only pastime is the gambling game of aksha. So, Tamar plays to please his guest. But Jaya bets his life against Tamar’s and Tamar loses. Charging him to come to his palace in Mahapura, where he will claim his debt, Jaya vanishes. Driven by a sense of dharma, or honor, Tamar seeks Mahapura and finds many strange adventures on the way.
I believe that Lloyd Alexander’s best books are his Chronicles of Prydain, which start with The Book of Three. The Iron Ring was pretty good and contained much of the morals that Alexander’s other books hold. Tamar is from India, so a lot of the mythology is from Indian legend. Animals talk, magic gems abound and things are not always as they seem.
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