Samuel Blink and the Forbidden Forest by Matt Haig

Amazon Product Description

When Samuel and Martha are sent to Norway to live with their Aunt Edna after their parents' deaths, they soon learn her most important rule: NEVER-UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES-GO INTO THE FOREST. She doesn't offer an explanation, but Samuel suspects it might have something to do with a strange guidebook he finds in her attic: The Creatures of Shadow Forest. And when Martha wanders into the trees and is captured by some of the creatures described in the book, Samuel has no choice but to go in after her. What he finds there is an eerie world populated by trolls, truth pixies and other fantastical creatures.

I have to say I loved the narrator for this audio book. Simon Vance does an excellent job of bringing each character to life. He has a wonderful accent that draws the listener into the story.  Yet, I must say that at first I had a hard time with the story. I found it hard to like Samuel in the beginning. He was not a very likeable character. Granted he has just lost his parents in a terrible car accident. He has a right to be angry at the world. However, he seemed to be that way before the car accident.  The charm of this story is that Samuel’s character grows. He becomes concerned about something other than himself and eventually, the anger falls away to reveal a rather likeable young boy.  The subject matter is a little scary. Haig is an excellent story teller and tells a truly scary and somewhat gruesome story. Shadow Forest is a dark and scary place.  Yet the reader/listener can’t help but feel sympathetic toward all the characters that have been forced to give up their good natures to become as evil as the “Change Maker.”  However, I would not recommend this story for the very young.  It is perhaps a little too dark and scary.

Recommended for 3^rd Grade and up.

In Honor of Veterans Day - America's White Table by Margot Theis Raven and Mike Benny

Re-post from November 13th 2008 - I think this book is special enough that we should talk about it every Veterans Day.


America’s White Table by Margot Theis Raven and Mike Benny

The White Table is set in many mess halls as a symbol for and remembrance to service members fallen, missing, or held captive in the line of duty. It is also seen at many military banquets and balls. Solitary and solemn, it is the table where no one will ever sit.

As a military wife of almost19 years, I have seen many White Tables at many functions. They always give me a moment of pause, but their symbolism really hit home when I read Raven’s and Benny’s America’s White Table. In 2008 we were all planning for our Veteran’s Day lessons. Our school district is not closed on Veteran’s Day (which took some getting used to after having worked in a Department of Defense school for many years), but each school is required to do lessons centered around Veteran’s Day.

One of the teachers mentioned she was looking for a copy of this book. She wanted to share it with her students. I had never read the book, but I am grateful she brought it to my attention. Even though the classrooms were all doing various activities for Veterans Day, I decided the library could help with those plans by setting up a White Table in the library. Raven and Benny paint a wonderful story with their words and the illustrations, but sometimes, adults and children alike, need to be able to see and touch something to get its full meaning.

America’s White Table is a beautifully written and illustrated book that explains this touching memorial to our military in words that children can understand. Adults will also be moved by this book. I, myself, can’t read it without crying. (So much for being the tough Army wife.)

This is an excellent book to use for Veterans Day or Memorial Day. It is also a great gift for military families. I not only added it to my school's collection, but my personal collection as well.


AMERICA’S WHITE TABLE

Materials Needed: Small Table with an Empty Chair
White Table Cloth, Black Napkin
Glass (turned over), White Candle
Lemon Slice and Grains of Salt on a Plate
One Place Setting: fork, spoon, and knife
A Red Rose in a vase tied with a Red Ribbon

The table honors the men and women who served in America’s Armed Forces

“We cover a small table with a white cloth to honor a soldier’s pure heart when he answers his country’s call to duty.”

“We place a lemon slice and grains of salt on a plate to show a captive soldier’s bitter fate and tears of families waiting for loved ones to return.”

“We push an empty chair to the table for the missing soldiers who are not here.”

“We lay a black napkin for the sorrow of captivity, and turn over a glass for the meal that won’t be eaten.”

“We place a white candle for peace and finally, a red rose in a vase tied with a red ribbon for the hope that all our missing will return someday.”

"You are not forgotten so long as there is one left in whom your memory remains"

Buzz Off by Hannah Reed

Summary from back of the book:

When beekeeper Story Fischer is on the case, you can run-but you can't hive.

It's September-National Honey Month-in Moraine, Wisconsin, and things are looking up for Story Fischer. Her messy divorce is final; the honey from her beekeeping business has been harvested; and the Wild Clover, the market she owns, is thriving. Life seems pretty sweet until her mentor in the honey business is found stung to death in his apiary.

Story is still trying to explain to the panicked locals that Manny was killed by wasps, not honeybees, when another body is found floating in the Oconomowoc River. This time the evidence points to Story's ex. Sure, Clay's a womanizer and a buzz kill-but a murderer? Desperate to save her bees and her business (and, okay, her ex), it’s up to Story to find a way out of a very sticky situation.

I had hear quite a bit of “buzz” about this book and was worried that it might not live up to all the hype. I shouldn’t have worried.  I loved this first book in a new series.

To put it in terms Story would appreciate:

·      The theme is different from any other series I’ve read. 

·      The characters will keep you on your toes. Their quirks and foibles (from P.P. Patty to Story’s overbearing mother) will keep the hive buzzing. You’ll want to read more just to see how Story handles them all.

·      The fact that Story is successfully following her dreams will serve as an inspiration for all women who want to make it on their own.

·      Readers will want read more to find out what happens between Story and Hunter.

As I’ve said before I already follow many cozy series, in addition to reading a great deal of young adult novels.  My to read list is longer than I am tall and adding a new series to the list is not something I do lightly.  Reed’s solid writing and well-developed characters made adding this to my list of series to follow a no brainer. I’m looking forward to Mind Your Own Beeswax due out in May of 2011.

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

Amazon Product Description

“After saving Olympus from the evil Titan lord, Kronos, Percy and friends have rebuilt their beloved Camp Half-Blood, where the next generation of demigods must now prepare for a chilling prophecy of their own:

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Now, in a brand-new series from blockbuster best-selling author Rick Riordan, fans return to the world of Camp Half-Blood. Here, a new group of heroes will inherit a quest. But to survive the journey, they’ll need the help of some familiar demigods.”

When I first heard that Rick Riordan was writing another series about Camp Half Blood, I prepared myself to be disappointed.  It’s often hard for the next book in a series to be as good as the first one, much less for a sequel to a series (I’m not sure that’s the right phrase) to be as good as the original series.  But Riordan more than meets the challenge.  This new Olympian series is a perfect continuation of the original one.

In The Lost Hero we meet three of the seven mentioned in the prophecy: Jason, who has no memory of his life before he wakes up on a school bus with Piper, who has the gift of persuasion, and Leo who is more than handy with his hands. As is the case with heroes, things get off to a rocky start and the trio soon finds themselves battling monsters before being transported to Camp Half Blood where they will learn their true identities and begin to prepare for their quest.

Riordan keeps things fast paced and suspenseful. The gods, especially Hera, know what is going on, but no one is willing to share that information with our heroes. Never fear, this intrepid trio does not let that slow them down.

If you enjoyed Percy and his adventures or if you enjoy mythology, this new series is a must read.  One of the things I enjoy about Riordan’s work is that it inspires me (and I’ve had students say this is true for them as well) to do a little research to refresh my memory on mythology.  Any book that students not only enjoy but encourages them to learn more is a definite winner.

Recommended for Grades 4 and up. (Even if you are an adult, you might consider reading this series. Not only will you be up to date on what the kids are reading, but you just might enjoy yourself.)

Booklady's rating rating 5 of 5.

Book Blogger Hop - hosted by Crazy For Books

Book Blogger Hop

This is a weekly event hosted by Jen at Crazy For Books. It's a chance to discover new blogs and to garner new readers for your blog as well.  Click on Book Blogger Hop to check it the list of blogs.

Post about the Hop on your blog.  Spread the word about the book party!  The more the merrier!  In your blog post, answer the following question (new question each week!).

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: 

This week's question comes from Vicki who blogs at The Wolf's Den:

"What are your feelings on losing followers? Have you ever stopped following a blog?"

My Answer: So far I've not stopped following any blogs. I do have ones that I visit more often, but there's not any that I've dropped.  As for my blog losing followers, right now I'm just worried about getting followers.

Dear Toni by Cindy Sand-Eveland

Sixth grader Gene Tucks is the new kid at school. Having moved so that her father could find work, Gene is having trouble adjusting to a new school where she feels like a “nobody.” To add to her frustration, her new teacher has assigned the class a journal writing assignment.  The students are to write to a sixth-grader forty years in the future.  At the end of the assignment the journals will be locked in the town museum’s vault.

At first Gene fines it difficult to write someone who hasn’t been born.  The first entries are to Dear Nobody who becomes Dear Somebody and eventually becomes Dear Toni.  As time goes by Toni evolves from a dreaded school assignment to the best friend that Gene so desperately wants.  Gene tells Toni everything: her father’s search for work, her annoying brother, her family’s efforts to dream of owning their own home and Gene’s dream of getting a dog.

This book is not as light hearted or as humorous as the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney. Yet any young student who has been the shy new kid without any friends will fall in love with this book.  

Teachers - this is an excellent tie-in for a unit on writing, in particular journal writing.

Betrayal by Gillian Shields

Product Description from Amazon

“There are the small betrayals: the unkind word, the petty lies. And there are the betrayals that break hearts, destroy worlds, and turn the strong sweet light of day into bitter dust.

When Evie Johnson started at Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, her life changed in ways she couldn't possibly have envisioned: the discovery of her link with Lady Agnes, her special bond with Helen and Sarah, and their sisterhood in the astonishing secrets of the Mystic Way. Above all, Evie's love for Sebastian has turned her world upside down.

Now Evie returns to Wyldcliffe for another term and more danger. Surrounded by enemies, she lives every day in fear that Sebastian will fall into the darkness of servitude to the Unconquered Lords. The Wyldcliffe coven is plotting to destroy Evie and use Sebastian to secure their own immortality. Evie and her sisters must master the power of the Talisman before it is too late. But could it be Sebastian himself who will ultimately betray Evie? “

I found this sequel to Immortal to be even better than the first in the series. Shields seems to have really hit her stride in this second book.  Both main characters, Sebastian and Evie seemed to have grown a great deal from the end of the first book and the beginning of this second book. While Evie’s obsession with Sebastian can at times be troublesome, she is still a strong female character, capable of thinking for herself and making the right choices, particularly at the end of the book.  Readers who enjoyed Libba Bray’s Gemma Doyle Trilogy will enjoy Shields’ Immortal series.