Month: November 2015

Book Review: The Gingerbrood

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The Gingerbrood
The Gingerbrood by Brent Vernon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I can’t say enough about how much I love this book! The story is perfection itself; I laughed and actually cried a tiny bit and I really cared about those cute little ginger guys. This book puts me in a Christmas mood! Those little gingerbread men are so full of courage and resourcefulness and spunk. I just loved seeing them run for their lives and outwit the hungry people trying to eat them.

The ending was absolutely beautiful! It is rare that I see so delightful and meaningful an ending in a simple children’s book. And all in rhyme too! The rhyme is exactly right, telling the story in a fun and lyric way. (And I’m picky about poetry and rhyme.)

I cannot get over how bright and gorgeous the illustrations are! It really draws you into the story, and makes you love the characters. Each little guy in the gingerbrood has their own personality, their own little voice. They are so adorable!

I can’t wait to read this book out loud to some little kids!

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher/ author in exchange for a free and honest review.

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Review: King Henry VI, Part 3

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King Henry VI, Part 3
King Henry VI, Part 3 by William Shakespeare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was starting to get bored with the Henrys, but this one revived me a bit. There were some especially rousing speeches, and I didn’t completely hate every character.

I feel like every situation and scene was gone through twice. Twice Edward is on the throne and Henry is forced to compromise or flee. Twice Henry is on the throne and Edward is fleeing. Twice they summon all their allies to send soldiers. Twice somebody sends to France for soldiers. Twice Henry is thrown into prison in the Tower, then Edward is thrown into prison as well with the Archbishop. Two big battles where half of everyone is killed. Two different scenes where young boys are killed. So much back and forth. Ugh. I feel like I read the same play twice. Continue reading →

Book Review: Great Stories of Suspense

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Great Stories of Suspense
Great Stories of Suspense by Ross Macdonald
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I only read three of the stories out of this book. One by Agatha Christie, a Miss Marple story I had read before, “What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw”. It’s longer than I remembered, and I think I liked the TV version better. I do love that very iconic scene of the old lady witnessing a murder through the windows of a train into another passing train car.

I read one by Dashiell Hammett, “Fly Paper”, that was the very “shoot ’em up, Joe” type of stuff I have come to expect from the author of The Thin Man. Nobody writes about private detectives like this author! His style is very clipped and to the point, which is perfect for a short story.

Then I read “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl, which was extremely short, rather obvious, but written in his inimitable style. I love how he never actually comes out and says what is happening in the story, but leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions. He really is a master at telling a whole story with half an actual story.

All in all, a great collection of stories!

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Book Review: The Snow Spider

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The Snow Spider
The Snow Spider by Jenny Nimmo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

On Gwyn’s 9th birthday, his grandmother tells him he may be a magician, like his Welsh ancestors. She gives him five gifts to help him–a brooch, a piece of dried seaweed, a tin whistle, a scarf, and a broken toy horse. One blustery day, unsure what to do with his newfound magic, Gwyn throws the brooch to the wind and receives a silvery snow spider in return. Will he be able to use this special spider to bring his missing sister, Bethan, home? THE SNOW SPIDER spins an icy, sparkly web of mystical intrigue that sets the stage for the next two books in this outstanding trilogy!

 

I was absolutely enchanted by this story of a young boy searching for his lost sister. Gwyn discovers that he is a magician, and he can use his magical abilities to call his sister, Bethan, back home. She has been missing for four years, and Gwyn’s family is broken by her loss. Through a series of magical encounters, Gwyn searches for his sister and discovers his own powers.

The setting is in the Welsh countryside, which immediately gives a sense of legend and myth to the story. The magic system that Gwyn learns is very wild and mysterious. The magic seems to work more on instinct than by any rules or definite actions. If Gwyn wishes for something and focuses on what he wants, his magic will go out into the world and bring something back to him that will help him accomplish his goals. That is how Gwyn first releases the Snow Spider, and gains her help in his quest for his lost sister. Continue reading →

Book Review: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library

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Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book about a group of children who participate in a lock-in at their local library and have to solve puzzles to find their way out and win a grand prize! I love books about puzzles, and this one reminded me of The Mysterious Benedict Society, at least in the puzzle and codes aspect of the story.

The codes and mysteries are truly delightful to unravel, and I loved the setting in the fascinating library! This library has holograms and a reading rotunda and a dome that lights up with clues. There are museum displays and game rooms, entertainment consoles and fountains and statues. I could really imagine myself in this incredible library along with the characters! Continue reading →

Book Review: Catch the Zolt

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Catch the Zolt
Catch the Zolt by Phillip Gwynne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the story of Dom, who is told on his 15th birthday that his family owes an ancient debt to the Italian mafia. When every male family member reaches 15 years old, they are forced to do 6 difficult tasks for the Debt or the Debt will cut off an arm or leg, taking their “pound of flesh” in payment.

I loved that the whole “pound of flesh” thing is from Shakespeare, although the Bard is never mentioned.

Dom is a wonderful character with depth and interest. He has a crush on his best friend, the girl next door. He has a fun dynamic of mutual teasing with his siblings. He trains as a runner, and is obsessed with running. He’s just a well-rounded character, and a great POV for the whole story. Continue reading →

Book Review: My Side of the Mountain

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My Side of the Mountain
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Every kid thinks about running away at one point or another; few get farther than the end of the block. Young Sam Gribley gets to the end of the block and keeps going–all the way to the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. There he sets up house in a huge hollowed-out tree, with a falcon and a weasel for companions and his wits as his tool for survival. In a spellbinding, touching, funny account, Sam learns to live off the land, and grows up a little in the process. Blizzards, hunters, loneliness, and fear all battle to drive Sam back to city life. But his desire for freedom, independence, and adventure is stronger. No reader will be immune to the compulsion to go right out and start whittling fishhooks and befriending raccoons.

I am certainly not an outdoorsy person, but I loved this book so much! What an adventure to live off the land all alone in the woods!
The writing is charming, Sam’s character is full of pluck and resourcefulness, and I was completely involved in every little woodsy adventure. Continue reading →

Holiday Children’s Book Gift Recommendations

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Victoria @ A Hermit’s Progress: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxjNYl3oyiIarerhymiNsUg
Books Mentioned and Where to Buy Them:
Child of Promise: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0989775321/
The GingerBrood: http://www.amazon.com/The-Gingerbrood-Brent-Vernon/dp/0983163839/
The GingerBrood website:http://brentvernon.bigcartel.com/product/the-gingerbrood-new
The Twelve New Days of Christmas: http://www.amazon.com/The-Twelve-New-Days-Christmas/dp/097081951X/
God’s Word: http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Word-Making-Him-Known/dp/1596388595
Prayers Works: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1433688697

Continue reading →