Entries Categorized as 'Review'
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Incredibook!, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Animals, Bryan Davis, Dragons, Dragons in Our Midst, Long Read, Scary
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Our rating: 
Several months after the conclusion of Raising Dragons, Bonnie’s father suddenly appears on the scene, claiming that Irene (Bonnie’s mother) is, in fact, still alive, but in critical condition. He insists that the only way Irene can recover is if Bonnie goes with him, so despite suspicion, Bonnie and her father depart for Montana. Billy, Professor Hamilton, Walter, and Billy’s mother uncover more clues and decide that things are not as they seem. They set off to the rescue, guided partly by a book that contains some of Merlin’s prophecies. But unknown dangers await both Bonnie and Billy, trials that will put to test not only their courage, but their faith.
I’m not sure whether the appropriate word to sum this book up would be “Wow” or “Whoa.” Both are entirely applicable. Plot twists and mysteries completely pack this book, and you can hardly stop to catch your breath between chapters while racing through with that age-old question of, “What happens next?” A very, very powerful story. I did rate it five stars, but I should note that in my personal opinion, it ranks at more like four and a half. However, this is entirely due to the fact that I have a rather severe case of medical phobia, and so a great deal of the content in The Candlestone I found to be unnerving. Setting that aside, this story is not to be missed!
Posted by Jordan
Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Picture Books, Review
Tags:Easy Read, Funny, Good Read Aloud, McBroom, Quick Read, Sid Fleischman
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Josh McBroom, his dear wife Melissa, and their eleven children, Willjillhesterchesterpeterpollytimtommarylarryandlittleclarinda, all head West to find better farm land. On arriving in Iowa, they meet scrawny Hector Jones, who sells them eighty acres of land, not a tree stump on it, for ten dollars. The catch? When the McBrooms reach their new farm, it turns out to be a one acre pond that is eighty acres deep. Things seem to be going poorly for them, until one extremely hot summer day, when the pond dries up, and they find out that the soil underneath is so rich, anything will grow in it within a few minutes! Of course, neighbor Jones is not happy and will stop at nothing to get the farm back.
The story contained within McBroom Tells the Truth is good enough to keep everybody turning the pages. It’s a sort of picture book, in that there are pictures on every page, but the book runs almost fifty pages and takes quite awhile to read aloud. As you may have guessed, McBroom Tells the Truth is full of silliness and is most definitely a tall tale. Fleischman must have loved writing these, since there are many, many more books about McBroom and his wonderful one acre farm.
Posted by Sarah
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fantasy, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Funny, Jonathan Rogers, Wilderking Trilogy
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In the island of Corenwald, 12-year-old Aidan Errolson longs for some adventure and writes often to King Darrow, asking for some kind of quest. (None of his fifteen letters are answered, however.) One day he hears the bark of the bog owl and meets Dobro Turtlebane, one of the feechiefolk, tribes of people who warn each other never to go near “civilizers.” The same day, Bayard the Truthspeaker pays a visit and proclaims that Aidan will someday be the Wilderking, the prophesied king who will come out of the forests and swamps.
And so the Wilderking Trilogy begins. This book is a fantasy, but is only so because it takes place at an unreal island. It seemed a little slow to me, but it’s still good. The Bark of the Bog Owl is written well so that it has some adventure, but is not gory.
Posted by Becca
Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Cats, Eleanor Estes, Funny, Good Read Aloud, The Moffats
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The Moffats are very happy in their little yellow house on New Dollar Street. One day, a sign is put up saying that the house is for sale. After going to see the owner of the house, Mrs. Moffat discovers that it is not a mistake. While waiting for the house to be sold, the Moffats have many adventures. These include scaring the neighborhood bully, losing the Salvation Army man out of his own wagon and dancing the sailor’s hornpipe with a dog.
This book is a very good beginning to the four-book series about the Moffat family. Each chapter is a different adventure, sometimes only being connected by the main story line. That is not to say that the chapters don’t go together. In fact, ever since I first read the books in the Moffat series, they have been some of my favorite stories. I think that you will enjoy them too.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Mysteries, Review
Tags:Animals, Award Winner, Birds, Cats, Dogs, Easy Read, Good Read Aloud, Monsters, Natalie Babbitt, Quick Read
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The small village of Instep lies at the foot of Kneeknock Rise. All of the villagers are frightened of a monster that they call the Megrimum, which lives on the rise and howls every time it rains. But the villagers are also proud of the monster, so they have a fair every year to show off the monster. One year, young Egan comes to visit his aunt and uncle at fair time, and his cousin dares him to climb Kneeknock Rise. Is the Megrimum really up there?
Although this story is quite predictable (you probably know how it ends), it is also enjoyable enough to read while waiting for the next book blockbuster. Babbitt spins a tale that will delight readers, which should influence them to read one of her better stories.
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