In My Very UnFairy Tale Life, Jenny is an adventurer—her job is to go into the world of fairy tales and help them solve their problems. Her primary skill seems to be spouting self-described cheesy aphorisms, but the magical critters think she’s wise. She’s apparently the best adventurer they’ve had for a long time. At […]
Hapenny Magick
April 26, 2012 by 4 Comments
Hapenny Magick tells the story of Maewyn, a young Hapenny (they remind me a little of Hobbits) who lives with her cruel guardian, Gelbane. Although Hapenny aren’t supposed to be magick, it turns out that Mae is. When other Hapennies start disappearing, Mae has to figure out how best to fulfill her responsibilities—does she stay […]
George Washington’s Socks
April 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment
I can definitely see why George Washington’s Socks was on a book list for 5th grade book reports. It contains many lessons, just under the surface of the adventure. As an English major and former literature teacher, it felt heavy handed to me, but apparently they weren’t quite so obvious to my daughter until we […]
Witch & Wizard
April 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Witch & Wizard opens with 15 year old Wisty, her 17 year old brother Whit, and their parents about to be publically hanged for being witches and wizards by a modern day New Order. Then it flashes back to when they were first kidnapped by the New Order, which is where the story really starts. […]
Fairy Wings
April 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Fairy Wings: A Fairy Tale is the story of Tamisin, a girl who doesn’t fit in; eventually she learns it’s because she’s actually half fairy. She befriends Jak, another halfling—he’s half cat goblin—and they end up having adventures in the land of the Fey. The story’s take on goblins is interesting—they’re all affiliated with different […]
The Witches
April 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Witches is a classic Roald Dahl novel with an over the top plot that will probably make most parents cringe. It felt at first like a story that the grandma was telling that just got out of control—except it all turns out to be true! Witches are out to kill or otherwise get rid […]
Dinocalypse Now
April 17, 2012 by 1 Comment
Dinocalypse Now isn’t written specifically for younger readers, but with dinosaur attacks, talking apes, Neanderthals, dirigibles, and jet packs, a lot of kids will find it intriguing. It’s set in the world of Spirit of the Century—if you’re not familiar, it’s a bit like the world of Indiana Jones and The Mummy but with even […]
The Fire Within
April 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Fire Within is a story of squirrels and dragons. David, a college student, rents a room in the house of Liz Pennykettle and her 11 year old daughter Lucy. Although he enjoys living there, he begins to notice that things are “weird.” Liz sculpts clay dragons that seem to have a life of their […]
Mockingjay
April 10, 2012 by 4 Comments
Mockingjay, the final book in the trilogy (see my reviews of The Hunger Games and Catching Fire), brings Katniss’ story to its brutal but overall logical end. Katniss becomes the face of the rebellion—the Mockingjay—a tool of politicians on both sides of the conflict. Finally she violently takes things into her own hands and fights […]
Warriors: Into the Wild
April 5, 2012 by 4 Comments
Warriors: Into the Wild is the first in Erin Hunter’s extensive and expanding series. My nine year old son loves these books about clans of feral cats—he read the first six in quick succession, although he got bogged down in the super edition, Firestar’s Quest. Many of his friends have read and loved these books, […]
