Romance
A Knight in Shining Armor
Jude Deveraux
Pocket Books
©1989
ISBN: 0-7434-5726-9
469 pages
$7.99 US/$11.99 CAN
"Once upon a time… as a fair maiden lay weeping upon a cold tombstone, her heartfelt desire was suddenly made real before her: tall, broad of shoulder, attired in gleaming silver and gold, her knight in shining armor had come to rescue his damsel in distress….
"Jude Deveraux’s dazzling bestseller greets a new generation – with this special edition featuring new material. The thrillingly romantic tale of thoroughly modern Dougless Montgomery, left alone and brokenhearted in an English church, and the sixteenth-century hero who carries her heart away, A Knight in Shining Armor is a story for all time, and for anyone who believes in the power of love…."
I don’t read much romance. Many romance novels (not all) are thinly veiled smut. This book, however, is divine. Deveraux captivated me with her descriptions of England, and her research is impeccable as she catapults the story into sixteenth-century Britain. She perfectly conveys the life of the commoner versus the noble, and weaves through it all a compelling love story, of two people fated to love each other though four hundred years separate them.
Far from being a ‘typical’ historical romance, this book has mystery in it as well, as Dougless and Nicholas investigate the future to find out how to redeem his family in the past. Neither of them are ‘perfect’ people; Dougless has no clue about love, and Nicholas is a womanizer. In the end, they are both healed in the soul.
Even for those who do not read romance, this is a captivating story.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Five Stars)
Children's fiction
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
J.K. Rowling
Raincoast Books
©2000
ISBN: 1-55192-337-8
636 pages
$35.00
"The summer holidays are dragging on and Harry Potter can’t wait for the start of the school year. It’s his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and there are spells to be learnt, potions to be brewed and Divination lessons (sigh) to be attended. Harry is expecting these: however, other quite unexpected events are already on the march…"
It has taken J.K. Rowling an impressive 17 years, but she’s accomplished what no author ever has before. Other than making billions of dollars, she has reintroduced the love of reading to a generation of children (and adults), who now read more than ever before. She has created a phenomenon, and part of her secret is this: her characters, though magical, go through many of the life-changing events as normal children do; the story takes place in a familiar, present-day world; and her characters have magic, literal magic, talents and abilities that all of us wish we had. She has also created a super villain, Lord Voldemort, who threatens to take away all that is good in the world.
This is the fourth book in her seven book series. It is also drastically longer than the three previous novels. Harry Potter is fourteen, and begins to experience true adolescence; terrified of talking to girls, daydreaming of Cho Chang, wishing he were a hero… The story is intricate yet it never loses you. This is storytelling at its finest.
There has been a sharp increase in sales of juvenile fiction in the past few years. This is partly due to J.K. Rowling and a bespectacled boy named Harry Potter.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
J.K. Rowling
Raincoast Books
©2000
ISBN: 1-55192-337-8
636 pages
$35.00
"The summer holidays are dragging on and Harry Potter can’t wait for the start of the school year. It’s his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and there are spells to be learnt, potions to be brewed and Divination lessons (sigh) to be attended. Harry is expecting these: however, other quite unexpected events are already on the march…"
It has taken J.K. Rowling an impressive 17 years, but she’s accomplished what no author ever has before. Other than making billions of dollars, she has reintroduced the love of reading to a generation of children (and adults), who now read more than ever before. She has created a phenomenon, and part of her secret is this: her characters, though magical, go through many of the life-changing events as normal children do; the story takes place in a familiar, present-day world; and her characters have magic, literal magic, talents and abilities that all of us wish we had. She has also created a super villain, Lord Voldemort, who threatens to take away all that is good in the world.
This is the fourth book in her seven book series. It is also drastically longer than the three previous novels. Harry Potter is fourteen, and begins to experience true adolescence; terrified of talking to girls, daydreaming of Cho Chang, wishing he were a hero… The story is intricate yet it never loses you. This is storytelling at its finest.
There has been a sharp increase in sales of juvenile fiction in the past few years. This is partly due to J.K. Rowling and a bespectacled boy named Harry Potter.
The Da Vinci Code (Four Stars)
Adult fiction
The Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown
Anchor Books (Random House)
©2003
ISBN: 1-4000-7917-9
489 pages
US $7.99/CAN $10.99
"An ingenious code hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci. A desperate race through the cathedrals and castles of Europe. An astonishing truth concealed for centuries… unveiled at last."
I devoured this book in a single day. I had previously read ‘Angels and Demons’ by the same author and found this novel just as arresting. From the very first page I was hurled into the story, intrigued by the many layers of symbology revealed through this book. The origin of Friday the 13th, why kids make a ‘v’ of their fingers when taking pictures, the significance of the Star of David. Amazing.
The plot is so intricately detailed yet easy to follow along. Each step proceeds logically to the next and I never felt left behind (which is vastly important in books of this magnitude). The premise of the book itself, that it would reveal a secret so important it would devastate the foundations of Christianity, holds up to its promise.
For thousands of years, the Catholic Church has tried to put down the sacred feminine, to make women less than what they truly are. They have squashed the greatest secret of all time – that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, and established a royal bloodline that extends to the present day. This heir is supposed to be the one to reveal the secret to the world, but the heir doesn’t even know who he is, what his genealogy is.
I don’t want to reveal all the details of the fantastic search for the truth, but I will say that this book not only has an intriguing plot, it has fascinating characters that you truly care about. As a Christian myself, I do not believe in the underlying premise of this book, that Jesus Christ was a mortal and no more. I firmly believe in the divinity of Christ. But it takes a brave man to write a book that would say otherwise.
The Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown
Anchor Books (Random House)
©2003
ISBN: 1-4000-7917-9
489 pages
US $7.99/CAN $10.99
"An ingenious code hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci. A desperate race through the cathedrals and castles of Europe. An astonishing truth concealed for centuries… unveiled at last."
I devoured this book in a single day. I had previously read ‘Angels and Demons’ by the same author and found this novel just as arresting. From the very first page I was hurled into the story, intrigued by the many layers of symbology revealed through this book. The origin of Friday the 13th, why kids make a ‘v’ of their fingers when taking pictures, the significance of the Star of David. Amazing.
The plot is so intricately detailed yet easy to follow along. Each step proceeds logically to the next and I never felt left behind (which is vastly important in books of this magnitude). The premise of the book itself, that it would reveal a secret so important it would devastate the foundations of Christianity, holds up to its promise.
For thousands of years, the Catholic Church has tried to put down the sacred feminine, to make women less than what they truly are. They have squashed the greatest secret of all time – that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, and established a royal bloodline that extends to the present day. This heir is supposed to be the one to reveal the secret to the world, but the heir doesn’t even know who he is, what his genealogy is.
I don’t want to reveal all the details of the fantastic search for the truth, but I will say that this book not only has an intriguing plot, it has fascinating characters that you truly care about. As a Christian myself, I do not believe in the underlying premise of this book, that Jesus Christ was a mortal and no more. I firmly believe in the divinity of Christ. But it takes a brave man to write a book that would say otherwise.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Junie B. Jones and her Big Fat Mouth (Five Stars)
Children's fiction
Junie B. Jones and her Big Fat Mouth
Barbara Park
A First Stepping Stone Book (Random House)
©1993
ISBN: 0-679-84407-4
66 pages
$3.99 US/$5.50 CAN
"Sometimes life is P.U. Junie B.’s having a rough week. First she got punishment for shooting off her mouth in kindergarten. And now she’s in big trouble again! ‘Cause Monday is Job Day, and Junie B. told her class that she’s got the bestest job of all. Only, what the heck is it?"
Barbara Park has accomplished the near impossible. Her ‘Junie B. Jones’ books are written in first person, all the hopes and fears of her protagonist come through a five-year olds vocabulary. This is extraordinarily difficult; but Park manages to weave a story through it all.
Park also manages to capture the true spirit of being a kindergartner; excitement, fighting, yelling, hugging. The reader feels close to Junie B. because she’s a typical kid. Park is a very funny writer as well, and the book made me laugh out loud! A definite buy for anyone raising children.
Junie B. Jones and her Big Fat Mouth
Barbara Park
A First Stepping Stone Book (Random House)
©1993
ISBN: 0-679-84407-4
66 pages
$3.99 US/$5.50 CAN
"Sometimes life is P.U. Junie B.’s having a rough week. First she got punishment for shooting off her mouth in kindergarten. And now she’s in big trouble again! ‘Cause Monday is Job Day, and Junie B. told her class that she’s got the bestest job of all. Only, what the heck is it?"
Barbara Park has accomplished the near impossible. Her ‘Junie B. Jones’ books are written in first person, all the hopes and fears of her protagonist come through a five-year olds vocabulary. This is extraordinarily difficult; but Park manages to weave a story through it all.
Park also manages to capture the true spirit of being a kindergartner; excitement, fighting, yelling, hugging. The reader feels close to Junie B. because she’s a typical kid. Park is a very funny writer as well, and the book made me laugh out loud! A definite buy for anyone raising children.
Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots (Two Stars)
Children's fiction
Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots
The Bailey School Kids #1
Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones
Scholastic
©1990
0-590-43411-X
78 pages
$3.50 US/$4.50 CAN
"There are some pretty weird grown-ups living in Bailey City. But could the new third grade teacher from the Transylvanian Alps really be a vampire? The Bailey School kids are going to find out!
"The third grade at Bailey Elementary was very hard to handle. Most teachers quit – and moved far away – after trying to teach them.
"But Mrs. Jeepers was different. No one ever dared make her mad – because whenever they did, the strangest things would happen…."
I picked this one to read because Transylvania was mentioned. It actually irks me a little that all story-book vampires have to be from Romania. Well, I’ll try not to go off on a diatribe about that.
I wasn’t actually all too impressed with this book. The character development was fine but the story development was a little pedantic and predictable. What bothered me most was the lack of story resolution at the end. I felt as if the writers had written themselves into a corner and didn’t know how to get out, so they just ended the book.
I’m going to try another in the Bailey School Kids series, just to see if the same thing happens.
Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots
The Bailey School Kids #1
Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones
Scholastic
©1990
0-590-43411-X
78 pages
$3.50 US/$4.50 CAN
"There are some pretty weird grown-ups living in Bailey City. But could the new third grade teacher from the Transylvanian Alps really be a vampire? The Bailey School kids are going to find out!
"The third grade at Bailey Elementary was very hard to handle. Most teachers quit – and moved far away – after trying to teach them.
"But Mrs. Jeepers was different. No one ever dared make her mad – because whenever they did, the strangest things would happen…."
I picked this one to read because Transylvania was mentioned. It actually irks me a little that all story-book vampires have to be from Romania. Well, I’ll try not to go off on a diatribe about that.
I wasn’t actually all too impressed with this book. The character development was fine but the story development was a little pedantic and predictable. What bothered me most was the lack of story resolution at the end. I felt as if the writers had written themselves into a corner and didn’t know how to get out, so they just ended the book.
I’m going to try another in the Bailey School Kids series, just to see if the same thing happens.
Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger (Five Stars)
Children's fiction
Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger
Louis Sachar
Avon Camelot
©1995
ISBN: 0-380-72381-6
168 pages
US $4.50/CAN $6.50
"Hooray! Wayside School is open again!
"All the kids from Wayside School had to spend 243 days in horrible schools while Wayside was closed to get rid of the cows (Don’t ask!). Now the kids are back and the fun begins on every floor. Miss Mush has prepared a special lunch of baked liver in purple sauce, and it’s Pet Day on the 30th floor – with dogs and cats and frogs and skunks and pigs, and an orange named Fido causing a terrible commotion. In Mrs. Drazil’s class, they’re throwing a coffeepot, a sack of potatoes, a pencil sharpener, and a light bulb out the window to see which hits the ground first. But the big surprise is Mrs. Jewls is expecting a baby – but one named Cootie Face or Bucket Head – and a substitute teacher is coming – and everyone knows what that means…"
Louis Sachar is one of the funniest writers I have ever known. I own the first ‘Wayside School’ book, and I love reading it. I like the character development; each child has a little quirk that makes them special, and the book is totally about revealing it. This ‘Wayside School’ book comes in chapters that are like short stories, but the entire book does move smoothly down a story line and to the conclusion. He never drops characters or forgets an important reference. As far as writing humour for children goes, Sachar reigns supreme!
Soon I’ll read and review another Sachar favourite, ‘Holes’.
Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger
Louis Sachar
Avon Camelot
©1995
ISBN: 0-380-72381-6
168 pages
US $4.50/CAN $6.50
"Hooray! Wayside School is open again!
"All the kids from Wayside School had to spend 243 days in horrible schools while Wayside was closed to get rid of the cows (Don’t ask!). Now the kids are back and the fun begins on every floor. Miss Mush has prepared a special lunch of baked liver in purple sauce, and it’s Pet Day on the 30th floor – with dogs and cats and frogs and skunks and pigs, and an orange named Fido causing a terrible commotion. In Mrs. Drazil’s class, they’re throwing a coffeepot, a sack of potatoes, a pencil sharpener, and a light bulb out the window to see which hits the ground first. But the big surprise is Mrs. Jewls is expecting a baby – but one named Cootie Face or Bucket Head – and a substitute teacher is coming – and everyone knows what that means…"
Louis Sachar is one of the funniest writers I have ever known. I own the first ‘Wayside School’ book, and I love reading it. I like the character development; each child has a little quirk that makes them special, and the book is totally about revealing it. This ‘Wayside School’ book comes in chapters that are like short stories, but the entire book does move smoothly down a story line and to the conclusion. He never drops characters or forgets an important reference. As far as writing humour for children goes, Sachar reigns supreme!
Soon I’ll read and review another Sachar favourite, ‘Holes’.
Dracula Doesn't Drink Lemonade (Two Stars)
Children's fiction
Dracula Doesn’t Drink Lemonade
The Bailey School Kids #16
Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones
Scholastic
©1995
ISBN: 0-590-22638-X
71 pages
$3.50 US/$4.50 CAN
"There are some pretty weird grown-ups living in Bailey City. But could the new guidance counselor really be Count Dracula, the famous vampire? The Bailey School Kids are going to find out!
"’You won’t be laughing when Count Dracula nibbles your neck while you sleep,’ Howie warned. ‘At least I plan to be safe.’
"’For all you know, he’s a sickly cousin of Mrs. Jeepers,’ Melody argued. ‘After all, who ever heard of a vampire breaking up fights?’
"’And I’m sure Count Dracula doesn’t drink pink lemonade,’ Eddie added."
Well, once again I’m a little unimpressed with the book. Maybe I should try a non-vampire one and see if I like it. This book furthers the vampire myths of no sunlight, hates garlic, has no reflection, and, of course, sucking blood from kids.
I got a little confused with the story line; hoping to hear how a kid named Huey survived his encounter with Counselor Drake, and not hearing at all about it, as the other characters rushed towards an ending that didn’t really make sense.
As far as children’s books go, there are far more educational ones written that still have memorable characters and resolved story lines, such as the Magic Tree House series.
Dracula Doesn’t Drink Lemonade
The Bailey School Kids #16
Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones
Scholastic
©1995
ISBN: 0-590-22638-X
71 pages
$3.50 US/$4.50 CAN
"There are some pretty weird grown-ups living in Bailey City. But could the new guidance counselor really be Count Dracula, the famous vampire? The Bailey School Kids are going to find out!
"’You won’t be laughing when Count Dracula nibbles your neck while you sleep,’ Howie warned. ‘At least I plan to be safe.’
"’For all you know, he’s a sickly cousin of Mrs. Jeepers,’ Melody argued. ‘After all, who ever heard of a vampire breaking up fights?’
"’And I’m sure Count Dracula doesn’t drink pink lemonade,’ Eddie added."
Well, once again I’m a little unimpressed with the book. Maybe I should try a non-vampire one and see if I like it. This book furthers the vampire myths of no sunlight, hates garlic, has no reflection, and, of course, sucking blood from kids.
I got a little confused with the story line; hoping to hear how a kid named Huey survived his encounter with Counselor Drake, and not hearing at all about it, as the other characters rushed towards an ending that didn’t really make sense.
As far as children’s books go, there are far more educational ones written that still have memorable characters and resolved story lines, such as the Magic Tree House series.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Magic Tree House #33 - Carnival at Candlelight (Four Stars)
Children's fiction
Carnival at Candlelight
Magic Tree House #33
Mary Pope Osborne
A Stepping Stone Book (Random House)
©2005
ISBN: 0-375-83034-0
106 pages
"History, mystery, and magic! Merlin has a new mission for Jack and Annie: save the Grand Lady of the Lagoon from a terrible disaster! To find her, they must travel back in time to Venice, Italy, on the night of Carnival. But before long, they find themselves thrown into a rat-infested dungeon! How will Jack and Annie save themselves and the Grand Lady, too? Does their new book of magic rhymes hold the key? Find out in Magic Tree House #33 Carnival at Candlelight."
This Magic Tree House story follows a new story line called the Merlin Missions. Merlin has sent two young sorcerers, Teddy and Kathleen, to Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, to give a mission to Jack and Annie. They are told they must save the Grand Lady of the Lagoon, and they are given a spell book of ten rhymes in order to help them. Jack and Annie are transported back in time to Venice, Italy. But their instructions are hard to follow, and a few wrong turns finds them in a dungeon! They escape and find a painter who will help them. They discover that the Grand Lady of the Lagoon is another name for Venice itself, which is about to be destroyed by a massive flood. They appeal to Neptune, the god of the sea, to help them save Venice.
Once again the research is impeccable. I learned a lot of things about Venice I never knew before. The children are wearing authentic costumes, and they visit places that are so richly described I could practically see them. The plot has enough twists and turns to keep a child wholly enthralled (adults, too, for that matter!). Magic, mystery, adventure, this book has it all! For anyone who wants to write for children, they should study these books carefully, for Mary Pope Osborne has perfected the formula.
Carnival at Candlelight
Magic Tree House #33
Mary Pope Osborne
A Stepping Stone Book (Random House)
©2005
ISBN: 0-375-83034-0
106 pages
"History, mystery, and magic! Merlin has a new mission for Jack and Annie: save the Grand Lady of the Lagoon from a terrible disaster! To find her, they must travel back in time to Venice, Italy, on the night of Carnival. But before long, they find themselves thrown into a rat-infested dungeon! How will Jack and Annie save themselves and the Grand Lady, too? Does their new book of magic rhymes hold the key? Find out in Magic Tree House #33 Carnival at Candlelight."
This Magic Tree House story follows a new story line called the Merlin Missions. Merlin has sent two young sorcerers, Teddy and Kathleen, to Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, to give a mission to Jack and Annie. They are told they must save the Grand Lady of the Lagoon, and they are given a spell book of ten rhymes in order to help them. Jack and Annie are transported back in time to Venice, Italy. But their instructions are hard to follow, and a few wrong turns finds them in a dungeon! They escape and find a painter who will help them. They discover that the Grand Lady of the Lagoon is another name for Venice itself, which is about to be destroyed by a massive flood. They appeal to Neptune, the god of the sea, to help them save Venice.
Once again the research is impeccable. I learned a lot of things about Venice I never knew before. The children are wearing authentic costumes, and they visit places that are so richly described I could practically see them. The plot has enough twists and turns to keep a child wholly enthralled (adults, too, for that matter!). Magic, mystery, adventure, this book has it all! For anyone who wants to write for children, they should study these books carefully, for Mary Pope Osborne has perfected the formula.
Monkey Beach (Three Stars)
Adult fiction
Monkey Beach
Eden Robinson
2000 Finalist for the Giller Prize
Alfred A. Knopf Canada
© 2000
ISBN: 0-676-97075-3
374 pages
"Tragedy strikes a Native community when the Hill family’s handsome seventeen-year-old son, Jimmy, mysteriously vanishes at sea. Left behind to cope during the search-and-rescue effort is his sister, Lisamarie, a wayward teenager with a dark secret. She sets off alone in search of Jimmy through the Douglas Channel and heads for Monkey Beach (a shore famed for its sasquatch sightings). Infused by turns with darkness and humour, Monkey Beach is a spellbinding voyage into the long, cool shadows of B.C.’s Coast Mountains, blending teen culture, Haisla lore, nature spirits and human tenderness into a multilayered story of loss and redemption."
Since I currently live on a First Nations reserve, I love to read books about their culture. This book isn’t just for other First Nation’s to read, but contains enough background information so anyone can read and enjoy. The writing style is witty and rich, with a depth in description and character building that I really enjoyed. I liked the short memories of her life and descriptions of her culture. There was quite a bit of humour, and a few moments where you had to suspend belief – to believe in sasquatches (or b’gwus, as they are called), to believe in the spirit world.
What I didn’t like – the timeline began getting too fragmented for me toward the end. Especially at the conclusion at the book, for I don’t even know for certain whether Jimmy is dead or alive, or if Lisamarie is dead or alive. At the conclusion, the spirit world descriptions weren’t quite enough, and I couldn’t picture exactly what was happening.
This book deals with some pretty hard issues. Smoking, swearing, promiscuity, this book doesn’t glamorise these vices, but neither does it ignore them. I think it actually made the book a bit more real, especially in dealing with teenagers.
Character development was incredible. Here are my thoughts about various characters: Lisamarie – I understood her until she left for Vancouver. At that point the timeline became fuzzy for me and I had to just keep slogging. I believe her dark secret is her ability to see the dead, to speak to the spirit world. I loved her descriptions of Haisla culture, the matter-of-fact way she shared oolichan and cockles and the greengage tree with the reader.
Jimmy – you can tell throughout the entire book what a special guy he is. He seems to have dreams that are larger than life, but can somehow make them happen. He is an accomplished swimmer and even nearly made the Olympics. He made friends with crows, which point came up time and again through the book. When he disappeared, we discover it was because the girl he was going to marry, Karaoke, was molested by her uncle and had an abortion. He went on that uncle’s boat and killed him.
Mick – their uncle. I liked him from the start. Down to earth, he is a result of a residential school and there is a little animosity in the family because of it. He is often more solid to Lisamarie than her own parents. He was the one who taught her a lot of her heritage and culture. It was sad when he died.
Ma-ma-oo – their grandmother. The last character I would call an integral one, even more than their parents. She sent two of her children to residential schools and kept two at home. She could also see the spirit world and knew that Lisamarie could. Like Mick, she was an integral link in the Haisla chain.
All in all, I enjoyed it. I borrowed it from Marnie and I’m not sure if I’ll add it to my collection. Maybe one day I’ll feel a compulsion to really decipher the ending.
Monkey Beach
Eden Robinson
2000 Finalist for the Giller Prize
Alfred A. Knopf Canada
© 2000
ISBN: 0-676-97075-3
374 pages
"Tragedy strikes a Native community when the Hill family’s handsome seventeen-year-old son, Jimmy, mysteriously vanishes at sea. Left behind to cope during the search-and-rescue effort is his sister, Lisamarie, a wayward teenager with a dark secret. She sets off alone in search of Jimmy through the Douglas Channel and heads for Monkey Beach (a shore famed for its sasquatch sightings). Infused by turns with darkness and humour, Monkey Beach is a spellbinding voyage into the long, cool shadows of B.C.’s Coast Mountains, blending teen culture, Haisla lore, nature spirits and human tenderness into a multilayered story of loss and redemption."
Since I currently live on a First Nations reserve, I love to read books about their culture. This book isn’t just for other First Nation’s to read, but contains enough background information so anyone can read and enjoy. The writing style is witty and rich, with a depth in description and character building that I really enjoyed. I liked the short memories of her life and descriptions of her culture. There was quite a bit of humour, and a few moments where you had to suspend belief – to believe in sasquatches (or b’gwus, as they are called), to believe in the spirit world.
What I didn’t like – the timeline began getting too fragmented for me toward the end. Especially at the conclusion at the book, for I don’t even know for certain whether Jimmy is dead or alive, or if Lisamarie is dead or alive. At the conclusion, the spirit world descriptions weren’t quite enough, and I couldn’t picture exactly what was happening.
This book deals with some pretty hard issues. Smoking, swearing, promiscuity, this book doesn’t glamorise these vices, but neither does it ignore them. I think it actually made the book a bit more real, especially in dealing with teenagers.
Character development was incredible. Here are my thoughts about various characters: Lisamarie – I understood her until she left for Vancouver. At that point the timeline became fuzzy for me and I had to just keep slogging. I believe her dark secret is her ability to see the dead, to speak to the spirit world. I loved her descriptions of Haisla culture, the matter-of-fact way she shared oolichan and cockles and the greengage tree with the reader.
Jimmy – you can tell throughout the entire book what a special guy he is. He seems to have dreams that are larger than life, but can somehow make them happen. He is an accomplished swimmer and even nearly made the Olympics. He made friends with crows, which point came up time and again through the book. When he disappeared, we discover it was because the girl he was going to marry, Karaoke, was molested by her uncle and had an abortion. He went on that uncle’s boat and killed him.
Mick – their uncle. I liked him from the start. Down to earth, he is a result of a residential school and there is a little animosity in the family because of it. He is often more solid to Lisamarie than her own parents. He was the one who taught her a lot of her heritage and culture. It was sad when he died.
Ma-ma-oo – their grandmother. The last character I would call an integral one, even more than their parents. She sent two of her children to residential schools and kept two at home. She could also see the spirit world and knew that Lisamarie could. Like Mick, she was an integral link in the Haisla chain.
All in all, I enjoyed it. I borrowed it from Marnie and I’m not sure if I’ll add it to my collection. Maybe one day I’ll feel a compulsion to really decipher the ending.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Magic Tree House #1 - Dinosaurs Before Dark (Four Stars)
Children's fiction
Dinosaurs Before Dark
Magic Tree House #1
Mary Pope Osborne
Random House
©1992
ISBN: 0-679-89233-8
68 pages
"Where did the tree house come from? Before Jack and Annie can find out, the mysterious tree house whisks them back to the prehistoric past. Now they have to figure out how to get home. Can they do it before dark… or will they become a dinosaur’s dinner?"
This first book of the Magic Tree House series has spawned a phenomenon. Jack and Annie (a brother and sister) discover a tree house filled with volumes of books of every subject imaginable. In leafing through the books, Jack finds one about dinosaurs and wishes he could see them in real life. With a spin, the tree house takes them far into the past, into the Cretaceous period. While there they evade a Tyrannosaurus Rex, ride a pterodactyl, and discover a mysterious medallion that obviously doesn’t belong there. Jack and Annie discover that they have to find a book about Frog Creek, Pennsylvania (where they are from) and wish themselves back.
This book has all the makings of a classic. It has two winning protagonists, a brother and sister (thereby teaching children that your siblings can also be your friends). It has magic, a way for the children to access any part of history. It has adventure, in their harrowing escape from the Cretaceous period. The research is impeccable; this book provides a doorway for children to read non-fiction books about the topic at hand. Most importantly, adults should enjoy reading this book nearly as much as children.
Check out this link for more information on the Magic Tree House Series
http://www.magictreehouse.com/
Dinosaurs Before Dark
Magic Tree House #1
Mary Pope Osborne
Random House
©1992
ISBN: 0-679-89233-8
68 pages
"Where did the tree house come from? Before Jack and Annie can find out, the mysterious tree house whisks them back to the prehistoric past. Now they have to figure out how to get home. Can they do it before dark… or will they become a dinosaur’s dinner?"
This first book of the Magic Tree House series has spawned a phenomenon. Jack and Annie (a brother and sister) discover a tree house filled with volumes of books of every subject imaginable. In leafing through the books, Jack finds one about dinosaurs and wishes he could see them in real life. With a spin, the tree house takes them far into the past, into the Cretaceous period. While there they evade a Tyrannosaurus Rex, ride a pterodactyl, and discover a mysterious medallion that obviously doesn’t belong there. Jack and Annie discover that they have to find a book about Frog Creek, Pennsylvania (where they are from) and wish themselves back.
This book has all the makings of a classic. It has two winning protagonists, a brother and sister (thereby teaching children that your siblings can also be your friends). It has magic, a way for the children to access any part of history. It has adventure, in their harrowing escape from the Cretaceous period. The research is impeccable; this book provides a doorway for children to read non-fiction books about the topic at hand. Most importantly, adults should enjoy reading this book nearly as much as children.
Check out this link for more information on the Magic Tree House Series
http://www.magictreehouse.com/
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