After Harry

I finished reading "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" and immediately had to re read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". I think this last one is my favorite book of the whole series and the "movie" in my head was full of excitement and action from the very first page. JK Rowling is amazing in the detail she has woven together from the past with current twists and turns in this last epic. It encompasses many emotions; fear, shock, sadness and, of course, elation. Everyone over Grade 4 should read it and re read it.

So now I can get back to the new "stuff" I still have sitting on my coffee table. The pile does not seem to be getting much smaller! However I am enjoying every book I pick up to read. First one "after Harry" I read is titled "Eleven" by Patricia Reilly Giff. The plot is not intricate at all but it does build in a little suspense and demonstrates the value of true friendship. When Sam is on the hunt for his birthday presents he discovers a newspaper clipping about a missing boy - him. He becomes worried that his grandfather is not his real family and he will be taken away from the only home he has known. He makes a new friend who helps him try to figure out what happened in his past. A good read for middle readers.

"The Castle Corona" by Sharon Creech is a very sweet and beautifully written fairy tale type book about a royal family, rich and spoiled and two peasant children, plucky and proud, and how their lives come together. There is a thief or maybe not, there is a pouch full of wonderful contents, there is a hermit who is wise and knowing. A lovely story that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

What are you reading?

3 More and Counting...

I have decided to reread "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" now that the newest movie hits the theatres today and I do want to see it on the big screen. As I read the first chapter J.K. Rowling's words are creating vivid pictures in my head, my own Harry Potter movie is playing through my mind. The words that describes Snape's house are descriptive, clear and concise and I know my vision and the movies will be similar because of this.

But I did read 3 more books for the YR and actually really enjoyed them. All are the first books of series. Kids today love series and will demand that we have them all in the Library.
"Ivy and Bean" by Annie Barrows is about 2 young girls who are very different. They live on the same street, ignoring each other, till trouble brews and one helps the other then off they go, best friends forever! Well written, exciting and 4 more books follow.

Another series about young girls is "Sisters 8" by Lauren Baratz - Logstad. The first book is called "Annie's Adventures" and it sets the scene about 8 octuplets; 8 girls born 8 minutes apart on the 8th of August (the 8th month) almost 8 years ago. It is New Year's Eve and their parents head out of the room to do some chores and never return. The girls decide to pretend their parents are still there while they solve the mystery of where they are. Notes appear that instruct the girls to each find a power and a gift. Hilarious results as the girls try to feed themselves, look after themselves, even drive themselves and solve all sorts of problems. Entertaining and fun and guess how many books in this series?

And one for everyone is a series called "Melvin Beederman - Superhero" with the first book titled "The Curse of the Bologna Sandwich". Another easy yet entertaining book about a superhero who's a pretty good superhero even though it takes him five or six tries to get up and flying. He is sent off to Los Angeles to do his good deeds but he does have one weakness and of course disaster follows when his cape goes to the dry cleaners! Lots of good fun to read... so read away.

What are you reading today?

3 For You

I don't usually read shorter or easy chapter books... I like the longer stories with more in depth plots and characters. However I have just read 3 and I liked all three! First up "Ctrl-Z" by Andrew Norriss. Have you seen the movie " Groundhog Day" where the main character replays the same day till he gets it right? Well this story is very similar in that our main character, Alex, receives a laptop from his Godfather that has a very unusual function, Ctrl - Z, which has the ability to change time back so that if you make a mistake you can correct it. Alex is advised to make lots of mistakes and he does but in then end he realizes that by making mistakes you grow and learn.
"How to Save Your Tail" by Mary Hanson is a story that has its roots in an ancient tale about "Sheherazade". In the original tale Sherherazade tells wonderful stories to stall the Prince from killing her. Because he loves her stories he allows her to live in order to tell another the next night. In "How to Save Your Tail", the main character, a mouse, has been trapped by two cats. One definitely wants to eat the mouse but our mouse manages to catch their attention by telling amazing stories about his ancestors and so manages to dodge the eating. The stories are so wonderful in that they all have elements of many different fairy tales but all mixed up of course... clever and entertaining...And I have just this minute finished the first of a series called " The Sunken Kingdom" ...this book called "Ghost Ship". For boys and girls in grade 2/3/4 they will find this book very satisfying with two royal children hiding from the evil Emperor who killed their parents and then finding out their baby sister is alive and well living in the far north. A very special ship and some magical powers help them in their quest but they do have some trying times to deal with!

Lots more coming!

What have you read today?

Too Busy Reading

I love it when I have time to read... 3 books in 10 days ....sigh. I have just been down to Vancouver Kidsbooks and picked up a stack of books! I have them in 3 big piles; ones for younger readers, lots for middle readers and quite a few for older readers! If I don't specify it is good for all readers!

For older readers (OR) I read and recommend the second of The Icemark Chronicles called "The Blade of Fire". This book, by Stuart Hill, has it if you are looking for intrigue, violent battles and sorcery but also the coming of age of a young prince whose disability has kept him less sure of himself. As Prince Charlemagne sets off on his own adventure, he exhibits great strengths and forges great friendships. What makes this book so interesting is the relationship of Queen Thirrin of Icemark with her allies; giant snow leopards, werewolves and even vampires. Not for the faint of heart as the fighting is very descriptive. Another sequel is on the way.


For the YR (younger reader) I read and loved "Gooney the Fabulous" by Lois Lowry. Of course I loved the first book "Gooney Bird Greene" and have read it with many of our Grade 3's. This one is just as satisfying as we read about Gooney Bird's fabulous idea, students writing fables about an animal beginning with the student's first initial of their name. Guess what animal Gooney creates a fable about? Let me give you a hint... it is not a goose! Great way to learn about fables and of course Gooney is such an engaging character, very unique and wise beyond her years.And the third book I have just finished is another book in the series about girls learning to be spies at the GallagherAcademy for Exceptional Young Women called "Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover" by Ally Carter. It follows "Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy" and "I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You". Light, entertaining, full of escapades these girl spies get into and, hopefully, out of.

What have you read today?

Couldn't Put It Down

Sally Gardner has written another fascinating piece of historical fiction, "The Silver Blade". Set in the French Revolution it is both intricate and intriguing and beautifully written. It is the follow up to"The Red Necklace" and both stories involve a cast of characters that include a gypsy, a dwarf, a beautiful young girl and of course a very evil character. Magic and mystery will keep you turning the pages well into the night as you read how Yann saves aristocrats from the guillotine but also how the evil Count, who never forgets who wronged him, is seeking revenge. This is especially disturbing as the devil himself has given the count powers that are seemingly unstoppable.

What have you read today?

A Summer to Read

The school year has just about ended and I made a quick trip to VKB to pick up some books to read over the summer. When you all come back in the fall I hope to have some great new books to recommend! But of course I could hardly wait to delve into the bag..... First up "Eye of the Crow" by Shane Peacock. A real thriller about a young 13 year old Sherlock Holmes growing up in the slums of London and accused of a crime he did not commit. He is an unusual character, lonely and independent but always using his brain in order to see the big picture. This is a real page turner with an ending that is shocking. If you like mysteries I know you will like this.

A book I have just finished and one you must read is the Newberry Award winning book by Neil Gaiman " The Graveyard". It starts out with a very disturbing incident - the murder of a family - however one of the family, a toddler, unaware of the danger he is in, heads out the open front door and wanders into a nearby graveyard. The murderer is in pursuit but the youngster is saved and looked after by a very surprising group. Another fantasy situation by the author of "Coraline" but the writing is brilliant and each chapter a story in itself.

And another - "The Wednesday Wars"... no murders in this book! A humourous book about a boy having to spend Wednesday afternoons with a teacher whom he knows hates him and tries to make his life miserable! However he does clean the blackboard brushes right below the window where her pies are setting. Would you eat a pie covered in chalk dust?

What have you read today?

Winter Reading

I love to read and find time every day to read something, even if it is only a magazine or the newspaper. I usually have a book with me as I watch t.v....... those commercials are just enough time to get in a page or two!

I have just finished reading "The Mysterious Benedict Society" and it was an exciting mystery showing lots of good thinking with each twist and turn. Fairly complex for the younger reader, but I think good readers will like it.

I really enjoyed "Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins (recommended by Mr. Naipaul) and devoured it in a day. This is the kind of book that keeps you reading; fast paced, exciting, and you are just not sure what is going to happen next. Read it! Definitely for older readers as it deals with a very unusual concept - a reality show about a survival contest among young people... to the death.

What have you read today?