Entries Categorized as 'Review'
Posted by Becca
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fantasy, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, George Macdonald
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About a year after the events in The Princess and the Goblin, Curdie is sent by the older princess Irene to the city of Gwyntystorm, where the king and his daughter are now living. The old princess gives Curdie two things to help him complete his unknown task: Lina, the frightening animal, and a way to tell the true character of any person. On his arrival at Gwyntystorm, Curdie finds that the whole city hates the king and is excessively evil. Even the king’s courtiers are planning to take over the kingdom by poisoning the king. With only three loyal people in the palace, not counting the young princess Irene, Curdie must administer justice to all the wrongdoers in the king’s household.
In case you skipped the first part of the review, The Princess and Curdie is the sequel to The Princess and the Goblin. Younger readers may enjoy the story, but older readers will most likely catch the more subtle facts that a younger reader would miss. The young princess doesn’t appear in the story until about halfway through the book. I may have enjoyed The Princess and Curdie a little more if she had been in the story longer. However, it is still a very good, memorable read and Lina helps to make up for the princess’ smaller part.
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Funny, Good Read Aloud, L. M. Montgomery
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Even Aunt Elizabeth has to admit that Emily has grown up. And despite discouragements and setbacks, Emily continues to pursue her dream as a writer. But more importantly, although she knows she loves Teddy, he seems to have forgotten her. And when he leaves to go far away to art school, she doesn’t know what to do. She tries to forget him, but all the while she can’t help but listen for the whistled three notes in Lofty John’s bush—their special signal since childhood.
A wonderful conclusion to the Emily series. A lot more happens in the book than I’ve brought up in my summary, a lot of it humorous, and all of it beautifully and simply written. L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series may be the most well-known, but this little trilogy should not be missed.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Fiction, Picture Books, Review, Younger Readers
Tags:Animals, Bears, Easy Read, Funny, Good Read Aloud, Out of Print, Sid Fleischman
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Josh McBroom is having trouble with a big wind that threatens to ruin his wonderful one acre farm that will grow anything (even his sons’ marbles). This isn’t just any old wind, though. This wind moves post holes, takes the milk bucket, and even sucks McBroom’s children up the chimney! What can he do to save his farm and his kids, and get rid of that bear jumping rope with the clothesline?
Once again, Sid Fleischman has written a story full of silliness that is just barely believable. I hardly scratched the surface of the goofy events that the story contains. Just try not to die laughing and you’ll be okay.
Posted by Rebekah
Categories: Advanced Readers, Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Bears, Binding of the Blade, Dragons, L. B. Graham, Long Read, Monsters, Tigers
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Once again, spoiler alert. With the by now familiar cliffhanger endings, this next-to-last book in the series is full of revelations and battles, all moving toward the final book, All My Holy Mountain, coming in April.
After his capture in Shadow in the Deep, Benjiah is still in the custody of his father’s murderer. The remaining Kirthanin army is fleeing before the unending pressure of Malek’s hosts. Aljeron and a few of his band have reached the base of Harak Andunin, despite terrible odds. A surprise awaits them in the form of Valzaan, the prophet. Yes, I said Valzaan. Alive. He joins them in their trek up the mountain and into the gyre of the Father of Dragons, Sulmandir. Thankfully, Sulmandir is alive and, after some debate, agrees to help them by awakening his children. Benjiah’s prophecy of the “four races” is on its way to fulfillment with the union of the Great Bear, Men, and Dragons. Aljeron prepares to lead his remaining followers across the Zaros mountains, where they will join the retreating army of Kirthanin in a final, desperate stand.
This book kept me on the edge of my chair. I kept wondering how the goodguys could possibly get into a worse predicament, and then a new disaster would take place. Wylla gets captured, Benjiah’s under a death sentence, a couple of goodguys get killed, (goodguys who have been with us since the first book), Malek has been revealed, and, trust me, who he’s been masquerading as is a bit of a shock, and on top of it all the goodguy armies are forced to surrender! Everything seems hopeless, then Aljeron finds the mysterious “fourth race,” Sulmandir arrives and . . . the end. Sorry, you’ll have to wait until April to find out.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:G. A. Henty, Indians, Long Read, Pioneers
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At the start of the American Revolutionary War, young Harold joins the British side with his father. He becomes a talented scout, helps win several battles, has narrow escapes from the enemy, and manages to be around for almost every part of the war.
Here’s a book that is remarkably interesting for the fact that it is about the British side of the American Revolution. The battles are done well, at points Henty even has me (an American) rooting for the British. And yet, for some reason, the story keeps getting sidetracked into Indian fights. About seven long chapters in the book are solely about Harold and his friends fighting Indians. Even though the main story is good, it is rather annoying to have the war grind to a halt so that Harold can rescue his cousin from Indians. However, hearing the British side of the story makes the book worth reading anyway.
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