Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Incredibook!, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Animals, Donita K. Paul, DragonKeeper, Dragons, Funny, Sad, Scary
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Three years after DragonKnight, Kale and Bardon, now married, emerge from The Bogs to find Amara in upheaval. Crim Cropper and Burner Stox have split, fighting against one another and destroying the country in the process, tossing armies back and forth like so many pots and pans. Kale is paired with her father to find and rescue a battalion of dragons, while Bardon remains to serve as best he can quenching evil and restoring peace. Both will face challenges greater than ever before.
As soon as I got my hands on a copy of this book, I stuck to it with a grip like a bodoggin on its next meal. I devoured it at breakneck pace, and my head spun for a day or two afterward. DragonFire delves deeper into the hearts and minds of Kale and Bardon than any of its predecessors. I felt that something was missing, though, and partway through the book I discovered what it was. No Toopka. No Librettowit and Taylaminkadot. N’Rae is mentioned briefly, but her whereabouts, as well as Granny Kye and Holt’s, are absent. But on the other hand, I think having so many familiar characters would crowd the book. This is an important one in the series to really establish Kale and Bardon and who they are. I’m glad DragonLight is coming, though.
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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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 Becca
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Dogs, Funny, Jack Stoneley, Out of Print, Sad
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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.”
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Advanced Readers, Adventure, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mysteries, Review, Science Fiction
Tags:Animals, Donkeys, Lloyd C. Douglas, Long Read, Sad
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Tribune Marcellus of the Roman army angers a prince and is sent to command a fort in Minoa, a notorious outpost in Israel where military offenders are sent as an “honor.” While there, he is ordered to crucify Jesus Christ — and wins His robe. Afterward, Marcellus is commissioned by curious emperor Tiberius to find out all he can about this mysterious man Jesus, so that he can report the facts to the dying emperor.
Vivid and captivating. Douglas spins a good story that is very intense. All sorts of things have happened by the time you are even a quarter of the way finished. Demetrius, Marcellus’ slave, is a good example of a loyal friend, and I’m very glad he was included in the book. This is a well-written story with many plot twists, but it has a few problems. A few things in here are just downright odd. However, if you can get past a few quirks, The Robe is well worth the time you’ll need to finish such a long book.
Posted by Rebekah
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Incredibook!, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Animals, Brian Jacques, Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, Dogs, Long Read, Sad, Seafaring, Snakes
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Ben and his black Labrador, Ned, becalmed in the Mediterranean Sea, are captured by Arabian slavers. Ned is thrown overboard and left to drown, but he tries to follow his master. Ben and three other young people are sold to Al Misurata, the most feared pirate on the Barbary Coast. Ben creates a strange fascination for Al Misurata, but when Ben speaks out against the pirate’s approval of slavery, he finds himself in very deep trouble. Meanwhile, the almost-drowned Ned is rescued by Herr Otto Kassel, the strongman in the traveling Rizzoli troupe. Fortunately, Al Misurata’s men capture the troupe, reuniting Ben and Ned. Al Misurata keeps up a pretense of just wanting to help the Rizzoli troupe, but Ned uncovers a plot to sell the troupe as slaves. Ben and his faithful hound determine to help the Rizzolis at whatever cost.
Hold onto your hats, friends, this is quite a tale. Like all Brian Jacques’ books, it is packed full of humor, memorable characters and rip-roaring, swashbuckling, edge-of-your-chair adventure. The review only tells about half of the story. So many things happen during Ben’s efforts to save the troupe! Pirates, smugglers, spies, raiders, a shark… This is a great addition to Castaways of the Flying Dutchman and The Angel’s Command.
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