book review

Graphic Novel Review: The Ballad of Ronan

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The Ballad of Ronan by John Walsh

The Ballad of Ronan: Part One
by John Walsh, Jim Walsh, Remy Jackson (Artist), Vito Delsante (Goodreads Author) (Editor)

3 out of 5 stars

Aisling is an orphan with no idea who her parents are. She runs away from the orphanage and meets Ronan, who can’t even remember who is he or where he is from. They both seem to have some strange connection to magical energy that they can’t explain. The priest from the orphanage is involved with a secret society, and he seems to know something about the strange creatures Aisling has seen.

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Book Review: Hickory Dickory Dock

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Hickory Dickory Dock by Agatha Christie

Hickory Dickory Dock (Hercule Poirot, #34)
by Agatha Christie

4.5 out of 5 stars

Hercule Poirot’s efficient secretary Miss Lemon is upset and distracted, because there have been some strange thefts at the student hostel that her sister runs. Poirot agrees to investigate the petty thefts to help out Miss Lemon’s sister, Mrs. Hubbard. At first it seems like random little things that have gone missing, but there are a few items that stand out from the list: a valuable doctor’s stethoscope, a diamond ring, a rucksack that was slashed to pieces, and all the lightbulbs in the common rooms. Only Poirot can sift through the clues and find a connection between the missing items. He begins to find out more about the students who board at the hostel, wondering which of them could be thief, or perhaps… a murderer.

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Book Review: As You Like It

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As You Like It by William Shakespeare

As You Like It
by William Shakespeare

5 out of 5 stars

Rosalind sees a young man, Orlando, fighting in a wrestling match and falls in love. Orlando is equally smitten by her loveliness. Rosalind is banished from the court by her uncle who has usurped the dukedom. Rosalind’s cousin, Celia, cannot bear to be parted from her, so the two ladies escape together searching for Rosalind’s banished father in the Forest of Arden. Orlando is fleeing for his life, after his own brother has tried to have him killed, and he also escapes into the Forest of Arden. Hilarity ensues.

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Book Review: Appointment with Death

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Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie

Appointment with Death (Hercule Poirot, #19)
by Agatha Christie

5 out of 5 stars

A family group are visiting Jerusalem, and they make the trip to see the ruins of Petra. Their fellow travelers notice that the family seem on edge, nervous, and even afraid. Their mother, Mrs. Boynton, controls every aspect of their lives, and she takes delight in cruelty, torturing them emotionally and mentally for years until they are almost crazed.
When Mrs. Boynton is poisoned at Petra, suspicion falls on each of her children. They are relieved that she is dead. They must have killed her to escape from her brutality. Only Poirot can discover the true killer and sift through the timeline of events that led to Mrs. Boynton’s death.

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Book Review: Ellie in First Position

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Ellie in First Position by Brian Freschi

Ellie in First Position: A Graphic Novel
by Brian Freschi

4 out of 5 stars

This graphic novel follows Ellie, who is very awkward and clumsy when it comes to sports. Her mother encourages her to try a lot of different sports so that she can make friends with her teammates. However, Ellie only wants to draw and dance. She takes after her artistic father who is a musician. Ellie makes friends with some kids who take ballet classes, and secretly learns a few dance moves, but her mother refuses to pay for ballet lessons, saying all that frou-frou stuff is a waste of time. But Ellie knows that she could be good at dance if only she was given a chance!

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Book Review: The Emperor’s Ostrich

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The Emperor's Ostrich by Julie Berry

The Emperor’s Ostrich
by Julie Berry (Goodreads Author)

3.5 out of 5 stars

Begonia is searching for her lost cow, when she meets a strange man riding an ostrich. There are rumors that the emperor has gone missing with an ostrich from the royal zoo. The strange man refuses to tell anyone his name, so Begonia assumes that he is a traveler like herself. She meets a boy named Key, and they travel together, trying to return the cow home. However, the cow and ostrich have their own ideas, and lead them all into many adventures.

The writing is well done, the plot is wild and hilarious, and the world building is a strange mixture of cultures. The story is very silly and funny, but not quite my style of humor. But I did find it, enjoyable and fun to read!

Begonia is a very responsible character, so it was interesting to see her forced out of her comfort zone, thrown into wild situations where she has to expand her own limited perspective.
I also liked the character of Key, who is whimsical and happy go lucky in any circumstances.

Book Review: Wizard’s Holiday

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Wizard's Holiday by Diane Duane

Wizard’s Holiday (Young Wizards, #7)
by Diane Duane (Goodreads Author)

5 out of 5 stars

In this book, Kit and Nita are participating in a young wizard student exchange program, taking a vacation to a far-off planet to learn how other wizards and species live on other worlds. And there are three wizards from off-world visiting Earth at Nita’s house with Dairine. Although everything seems peaceful, Nita begins to realize that something is wrong with the planet they are visiting. Dairine has trouble with one of the exchange student wizards who is very arrogant, but he is a specialist in a type of magic they will need.

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Book Review: Anne of Green Gables

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Anne of Green Gables by Katherine Woodfine

Anne of Green Gables
by Katherine Woodfine  (adapter),Isabelle Follath (illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

I loved this edited version of Anne of Green Gables! It is simplified for younger readers, but still captures all the charm of the original. It’s still all the same dialogue and basic story, but it has just been shortened and condensed.

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Book Review: Sky Explorer

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Sky Explorer by Elizabeth Jenner

Sky Explorer: A Young Adventurer’s Guide to the Sky by Day and Night
by Elizabeth Jenner, Anja Susanj (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

This book answers a lot of questions about the sky, and stars, and clouds. We learn why the sky looks blue as sunlight refracts when it hits particles in the atmosphere. We learn how clouds form and the different types of clouds. There are sections about solar and lunar eclipses, rainbows, mirages, stars, planets, the phases of the moon, and thunder and lightning. My favorite part was about the northern lights.

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Book Review: Secret Factopia

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Secret FACTopia! by Paige Towler

Secret FACTopia!: Follow the trail of 400 hidden facts (FACTopia!, 7)
by Paige Towler

4 out of 5 stars

This book gives random facts about science, the earth, the universe, animals, trees, and the ocean. We can learn about astronauts, weird plants, and new technology. The illustrations and photos are eye-catching and colorful. Each factoid is short; just one sentence that tantalizes your brain to learn more! The factoids are arranged so that each fact leads into the next with one small thing in common.

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