Thursday, January 29, 2009

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling (111 pages)

Cover image for The tales of Beedle the BardAs a major Harry Potter fan, I loved the chance to jump back into the world of witches, wizards, and Muggles!  This book has five classic tales from the wizarding world including “The Tale of the Three Brothers,” which is essential to the storyline in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  Each tale is accompanied by a few pages of notes from Albus Dumbledore and he gives the history of the tale as well as its relation to present-day magic.  This is a fun, quick read that all Harry Potter fans should read!

Miss Simer’s Rating: ***

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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

The Outcast by Kathryn Lasky (209 pages)

Cover image for The outcastBook Eight of the Guardians of Ga’Hoole Series

The book is about an owl named Nyroc who has to go to a place called Beyond the Beyond.  When he is in route he encounters obstacles in his path.  He gets confused and goes away from where he is supposed to go. He finds an owl named Mist who teaches him everything he needs to know.  When Nyroc has to leave Mist he changes his name to Coryn.  He arrived to Beyond and retrieves the ember of Hoole.  After this he arrives to the Ga’hoole tree he receives a special honor.

Drake D.’s Rating: ***

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Saturday, January 24, 2009

Write Me if You Dare! by Emily Rhoads Johnson (194 pages)

Cover image for Write me if you dare!Ever since Maddie’s mom was killed in a car accident, she has been trying to protect her dad and grandpa.  When she finds a popped balloon on the ground beside a tree, she becomes suspicious and thinks it is a sign.  The note attached to the balloon says, “Hello out there!  This balloon was launched on June 30 by Pearl Paradise, 2404 Lincoln St., Hadleyville, New York 12500.  Write me if you dare!” Maddie accepts the dare.  Some of Pearl’s letters are strange and have words in them that aren’t used anymore.  Is Pearl hiding a secret?  Writing to Pearl makes Maddie feel better when her dad meets a woman named Blanche and starts dating her.  Blanche is nothing like Maddie’s mom, so Maddie is feeling uncomfortable.  Maddie and Pearl keep writing back and forth to each other and soon Maddie takes an unexpected journey that leads her to the truth about her mom’s death.  I LOVE this book!  It is so thrilling!  There is also a sad part in the book.  I recommend it because I think every kid that reads it will love it as much as I do!  So grab this book and start reading!

Olivia C.’s Rating: ****

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin (189 pages)

Cover image for A corner of the universeEleven-year-old Hattie is looking forward to spending a lazy summer at home, not going away to camp or trying to make new friends.  But her summer plans change when she finds out that she has a 21-year-old uncle she never knew about.  He has been living at a special school for people with mental disabilities, but the school has closed and he is home for the summer.  Hattie is intrigued by Adam and his spontaneous enthusiasm and she does everything she can to include him in her summer activities.  When she takes him to the local carnival, he panics on the Ferris wheel and things spiral out of control after that. 

Miss Simer’s Rating: **1/2

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Sunday, January 18, 2009

Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams (472 pages)

Cover image for TunnelsAs you can tell from the fact that I haven’t posted a review in almost two weeks, this book took me a while to finish!  At almost 500 pages, it’s definitely not a quick read.  I picked this book up because it is marketed as “an international bestseller” and “soon to be a major motion picture” and I wanted to see if it lived up to its hype.  For me, though, it did not.  It seemed to be a knock-off of other more popular stories including The City of Ember and Gregor the Overlander.  The premise is that a boy and his father enjoy digging tunnels underneath their England town only to discover a hidden city beneath the ground.  The underground city is dangerous and full of evil-doers who do not want to be revealed to the “topsoilers” above.  The boy, Will, and his friend, Chester, delve deep into the underground city searching for Will’s father, who has gone missing.  The story doesn’t move at a quick pace, so I found myself losing interest.  It wasn’t my favorite - but there are a few students who have read this and loved it!  So, you’ll have to read it for yourself to make an informed decision!

Miss Simer’s Rating: **1/2

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Sunday, January 4, 2009

Dragon’s Keep by Janey Lee Carey (302 pages)

Cover image for Dragon's keepWhen Queen Gweneth had trouble conceiving a child, she turned to a local witch to use her powers to allow the queen to have a child.  The witch made the queen drink from a large dragon’s egg, which resulted in the queen’s pregnancy.  The true consequences of her actions were realized when Princess Rosalind was born with one dragon talon in place of the ring finger on her left hand.  The queen did all she could to keep her daughter’s disfigurement a secret, but the dragons discovered Rosalind’s claw.  Captured by the dragon Lord Faul and made to be the nursemaid to his four dragon pips, Princess Rosalind was forced to swear never to speak to humans again or the dragons would kill all in her family.  Soon Rosalind learns to love and respect the dragons and even comes to see her claw as a “pretty part” rather than a hideous disfigurement.  Told in a style that fans of medieval fantasy will enjoy, this book is very entertaining.

Miss Simer’s Rating: ***

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Friday, January 2, 2009

Impossible by Nancy Werlin (376 pages)

Cover image for Impossible : a novelLucy Scarborough is cursed, only she doesn’t know it.  Women in her family have been cursed by the Elfin Knight for centuries.  They are cursed to have a baby at age eighteen and subsequently go crazy.  Lucy’s mother Miranda left her with loving foster parents Soledad and Leo and disappeared, only to reappear every so often as a bag lady whose mind does not allow rational thought.  She constantly sings a unique verse of the folk song “Scarborough Fair.”  Within the song are the clues to three impossible tasks that must be completed before the curse can be broken.  With the help of her foster parents and the love of her childhood friend, Lucy uses today’s technology to try to solve the three mysterious puzzles and break the curse before it’s too late and she loses her mind just like her many ancestors.

Miss Simer’s Rating: ***1/2

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