Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Incredibook!, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Animals, Donkeys, Funny, Horses, Lloyd Alexander
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Carlo has been working for his uncle for many years, but his somewhat incompetent nature finally forces Uncle Evariste to discharge him and send him far away with a small purse of money. Carlo is not altogether discouraged, as this provides him with the perfect opportunity to go treasure-hunting with an old, old map he discovered. Baksheesh, the most lazy camel puller who ever existed; and Shira, a young woman bent on facing her past, join him on this topsy-turvy quest through dangers and adventures Carlo never dreamed of.
Loved it! I am extremely fond of first-person style in books when it’s done well, and this one takes full advantage of it. When I wasn’t grinning, I was laughing. Sadly, though, this is Lloyd Alexander’s last book ever, due to his recent death in May of this year. But I think The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio is a fitting end to complete his writings. Well worth reading!
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Animals, Badgers, Birds, Brian Jacques, Ferrets, Foxes, Funny, Hares, Hedgehogs, Long Read, Mice, Moles, Otters, Rats, Redwall, Snakes, Squirrels, Weasels
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The Searat captain Vizka Longtooth captures a young badger, which he decides to tame. But Gorath (the badger) is angry at the rats for killing his grandparents, and he plans to escape as soon as he can. Meanwhile, badger lord Asheye has a dream, telling him that Salamandastron’s new badger ruler will be found defending Redwall Abbey. He sends out perilous hare Mad Maudie to find the badger and bring him back. If that wasn’t complicated enough, Redwall Abbey has also banished a young hedgehog thief, telling him not to come back for a whole season. The resulting tale does indeed end up making sense in true Redwall fashion.
Doing a review of a Redwall book is always a challenge. I have read all eighteen books before this one, and I already have a favorite picked out. That being said, Eulalia! certainly meets expectations. The characters are just as memorable as always, the story just as complicated, and the ending just as satisfying.
Posted by Sarah
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fantasy, Fiction, Mysteries, Review
Tags:E. Nesbit, Funny
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Gerald, Cathy, and Jimmy are out of school for the holidays, and they discover a cave which leads to a seemingly enchanted castle. They awaken a sleeping princess, who shows them a treasure room, and a ring in it which starts a series of adventures.
I like this book. However, like most of E. Nesbit’s other books, there are temples. There are also some statues that come alive that are gods and goddesses and one of the parts near the end with the gods and goddesses is not my favorite. But that being said, this is a pretty good book.
Posted by Ruth
Categories: All Ages, Fantasy, Fiction, Incredibook!, Review
Tags:Animals, Dragons, Funny, Good Read Aloud, Kenneth Grahame, Quick Read
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The Boy isn’t surprised when a dragon moves in near the Downs. After all, he’s read lots of books and is quite knowledgable on the subject. He soon befriends the dragon, who is of the quieter sort, spending much of his time writing poetry. But when the townspeople discover the presence of the dragon, they immediately send for Saint George, pleading with him to fight and kill this monster who has been destructing their town. Of course, the dragon has done no such thing. And when the Boy warns him of the inevitable upcoming battle, he positively refuses to fight. Saint George can’t just up and leave without doing anything, and they both turn to the Boy to fabricate a solution.
A delightful little story! Although it’s not nearly as well known as The Wind in the Willows, I think it deserves equal recognition. Geared toward younger children, but enough to make any adult chuckle. Great fun all around.
Posted by Rebekah
Categories: Non Fiction, Review, Younger Readers
Tags:Animals, Award Winner, Dogs, Funny, Good Read Aloud, Indians, raccoons, Sports, Sterling North
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Just another walk in the woods. A bag of cookies, his dog Wowser, and his good friend Oscar—what else could Sterling North want? Then Wowser finds a den-full of raccoon kits, and the boys decide to take them home. They can’t take them home without the mother, so they determine to catch the treed raccoon . . . with the aid of no more than a pocket knife and their jackets. The results are laughable. In the skirmish, the mother and three kits escape, but one of the kits isn’t quick enough. Sterling takes tiny Rascal home and obtains permission to keep him. Getting the permission isn’t hard, as his mother is dead, his older sisters are living away from the house, and his older brother is fighting in the war. His father lives in a world all his own, only occasionally taking time to be with his young son. He doesn’t mind the raccoon—or the canoe Sterling is building in the living room. Everything progresses wonderfully until Rascal develops a taste for sweet corn. The angry neighbors, robbed of their crops, demand that Rascal be kept in a cage. How can Sterling lock up a young, wild creature? Some tough decisions face him and he has to answer them.
I love this book. It is so interesting and enjoyable. Rascal is such a cute raccoon! Sterling North does a wonderful job of telling the story. There are so many adventures and characters. The memorable incidents with his older sister Theo’s missing engagement ring, the school bully, and the pie-eating contest. Very funny and memorable. Unfortunately, there are a few evolutionary references and, if I remember correctly, a mild bad word or two.
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