Entries Categorized as 'Review'
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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Our rating: 
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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Our rating: 
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.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Fiction, Picture Books, Review, Younger Readers
Tags:Animals, Chickens, Cows, David Macaulay, Funny, Good Read Aloud
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Our rating:
A chicken crosses the road, beginning a hilarious chain reaction involving a burglar, an explosion, and stampeding cows.
Macaulay’s genius shines through brilliantly. The adults reading this book will enjoy it more than the children they are reading to. Make sure you look closely at the pictures for speech bubbles, goofy happenings, and the burglar hiding on most pages.
Posted by Rebekah
Categories: Advanced Readers, Adventure, Fiction, Review, Science Fiction
Tags:Animals, Arthur Conan Doyle, dinosaurs, Scary
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Our rating:
Ed Alalone, an English reporter, seeking to distinguish himself in the eyes of one Gladys Hungerton, goes in search of a dangerous adventure and winds up in the wilds of South America. He, two professors of science, and Lord John Roxton (big game hunter) are searching for a conjectured land — one that has been sheltered from outside influence time out of mind, and one where dinosaurs still exist.
And I’ll leave it at that. How to write a book summary in two sentences. On a serious note, though, I really enjoy this book. Granted, the whole thing is based off of the theory of evolution, but setting that aside, it’s great. Very interesting, some very funny parts, and a very large sprinkling of terror. (Imagine yourself in the dark jungle at night, no gun, and you start hearing stealthy noises behind you… Dinosaur noises… Get the picture?) Don’t read it at night and you’ll be fine. I also don’t recommend going outside at night after reading it and hearing the bushes rustle. Oh, and some of you may recognize Doyle as the author of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries.
Posted by Becca
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Dogs, Funny, Jack Stoneley, Out of Print, Sad
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Our rating:
A mixed breed puppy is born in an abandoned house. Its mother had been left, tied to the house, for a neighbor to pick up when her owners moved away. But she chewed her rope and ran back into the house before the neighbor could get there. The puppy ends up as the only surviver of her litter. The house is eventually set on fire to get it out of the way of a building company. After escaping through the chimney, the mother dog and her puppy are found on the roof and rescued by a worker. The man takes the two dogs home for his wife to care for. She immediately falls in love with them and persuades her husband to keep them. But the mother dog has other plans. She is determined to find her way back to her previous owners. On the way back to the old house, she gets lost and ends up getting shot by some shepherds. The puppy is now alone in the world. Throughout the rest of the story, she earns the name “Scruffy,” joins up with a pack of dogs, and unwittingly helps to wreck a car.
This is a great book about a dog who started out as a stray and ended up famous. I’ve read it multiple times and it still remains on my favorite list. The pack of dogs get into many adventures, including blowing up a traffic sign, “guarding” a lady, and rescuing a boot—thought to be a puppy by a deaf collie—from getting run over. The last part of the story is true. Jack Stoneley actually wrote the articles that are talked about in the book. “Scruffy” was originally titled “The Tuesday Dog.”
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