Entries Categorized as 'Review'
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, Mysteries, Older Readers, Review, Science Fiction
Tags:Animals, Jules Verne, Long Read
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One of the biggest rivers in the South America: the mighty Orinoco. Or is it? MM. Miguel, Filipe, and Varinas can’t agree. Which river really is the Orinoco? After much debating, they decide the only way to find out is to take a trip and see for themselves. On the way, they meet Sergeant Martial, a retired military man, and his nephew, Jean de Kermor, who is searching for his long-lost father and has reason to believe that he’s somewhere down the Orinoco. Soon, their party is joined by an explorer and a botanist, Jacques Helloch and Germain Paterne, who have been assigned to an expedition of the Orinoco and its surrounding towns. Together they travel, encountering giant herds of turtles, electric eels, and an escaped convict.
When I first saw this book, I didn’t think I’d like it as much as some of Jules Verne’s other books, but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a little slow in the middle, but it picks up again in time for a nice finish. The characters are well developed and the storyline is very interesting.
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Mysteries, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Funny, Lloyd Alexander
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When Vesper Holly discovers a very old book that her father borrowed from a library in Africa before he died, she determines to return it, dragging Brinnie along with. As usual, they encounter many adventures along the way, including kidnapping, slave traders, and a mysterious blue-skinned man.
I didn’t enjoy this one as much as some of Lloyd Alexander’s other books, but it’s definitely worth reading. A very action packed mystery with a great deal of humor.
Posted by Sarah
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Historical Fiction, Incredibook!, Mysteries, Review
Tags:Animals, Funny, Henry Winterfeld, Lions
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The Xanthos School is back with another adventure! The pupils, Julius, Publius, Flavius, Caius, Rufus, Muscius and Antonius give a slave, whose name is Udo, unable to speak or hear, to Xantippus for his “50th birthday.” Xantippus refuses, telling the boys to take the slave back to the slavedealer, Callon. When the boys get to Callon’s cottage, they find that Callon had sold all his slaves, except for one old slave that nobody would take, and fled! The old slave tells them that an ex-gladiator came and wanted Udo. When Callon told him that he didn’t have him anymore, the ex-gladiator said he was coming back the next day, and if Udo wasn’t there, he would kill him and all the slaves! After the boys leave the cottage, the ex-gladiator shows up and tries to take Udo, which the pupils manage to prevent. Then, Udo discloses that he can talk and hear! He is a slave of Pollino, the famous general! What’s going on? Is Udo to be trusted?
The sequel to Detectives in Togas, Mystery of the Roman Ransom is another enjoyable book.
Posted by Sarah
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Bears, Cats, Freddy the Pig, Funny, Pigs, Walter R. Brooks
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Adoniram, pronounced to rhyme with “Uncle Hiram,” lives on a farm with his uncle and aunt, who make him do all the work. Then, one day, the summerhouse is carried away by a flood, along with Adoniram. On his voyage in the summerhouse, a dog named Georgie and a English rooster called Ronald, also victims of the flood, join him. They meet Freddy the pig and Jinx the cat at a department store, in which they both took refuge in. After having a fine time eating and playing, they all set out to the Bean farm. There they find a visitor to the farm: Mr. Bean’s brother, Uncle Ben, who invents a clockwork boy named Bertram — who looks just like Adoniram! Then the animals, with the help of Mrs. Church, set out to find Georgie’s former owner, Byram.
The first book with Mrs. Church and Uncle Ben! Also, Freginald the bear, Mr. Boom, Louise the elephant, Leo the lion, etc. play a small part in this book. Very enjoyable. I’m not sure if the Georgie in this book is the same one that is in Freddy goes to Florida, so you can figure it out for yourself. Enjoy!
Posted by Sarah
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Historical Fiction, Incredibook!, Mysteries, Review
Tags:Funny, Henry Winterfeld
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The Xanthos School has 7 scholars: Publius, Flavius, Julius, Caius, Mucius, Rufus and Antonius. When Rufus writes “Caius is a dumbbell” on his wax tablet and hangs it up for everyone in the school to see, the teacher of the school, Xanthos, (known as Xantippus to the boys) tells him to leave and that he will talk to his mother about removing Rufus from the school! The next morning, the boys, not including Rufus, find Xantippus locked in the wardrobe! After rescuing him, he tells them that he had been assaulted! Also, they can have a holiday from school until his leg, which was swollen from the long wait in the wardrobe, heals. Then he tells the boys that he was only scaring Rufus when he told him about talking to his mother. Leaving Xantippus to rest, the boys happily go off and decide to go tell Rufus that he won’t be expelled from school. On the way, they find, in Rufus’ handwriting, “Caius is a dumbbell” on the temple of Minerva! Did Rufus get so angry that he desecrated the temple? And who assaulted Xantippus?
A great book! As a warning, they sometimes swear things “by the gods,” etc. This book is set in Ancient Rome and the ending is hilarious!
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