Most books with boys on the cover don't appeal to my 9 and 6 yr old girls. However this wasn't necessarily a "boys" book. The moral of the story is clear and positive. I now think of Andrew Clements as a sort of modern day Aesop. It is basically about finding boudaries within your personality and in different settings.
Buy it here for $4.99.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416949127/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
The Meanest Hound Around
Authors: Carol Wallace and Bill Wallace
This book begins with a trio of canines: Freddie, a big fluffy mutt, Spike, a smaller black guy, and Tiger, a really mean Junkyard Dog with an even meaner owner. Freddie was recently abandoned and soon makes friends with Spike.
However, they both live in fear of Tiger and his cruel owner. In hopes that he would become a mean guard dog; Spike’s owner, Roy, abused him when he was a puppy. After Tiger attacks Spike, Freddie maintains his positive outlook despite being recently dumped and encourages him to try to escape.
After waiting for Roy to leave and Tiger to be distracted Freddie begins digging a hole under the fence, he’s a fast digger. Spike tells Freddie he can’t dig at all. Freddie encourages him to try. When Spike finally escapes (in the nick of time) he begins taunting Tiger because he’s free and Tiger is still stuck with the bad owner. Freddie reminds him not to be mean and says, “that’s not what you’re about.”
As they travel as quickly as they can away from Tiger and the junkyard they meet geese and cows protecting their families, a man who fires a shotgun blast to warn them to stay away, and strange animals that they soon find out are armadillos. When a pack of coyotes surround them Spike pretends to be Tiger (who once took an ear off a coyote) and sends them running for the hills.
After wandering around for a while they come upon a small house with two dogs in a nice sized yard. After being fed by the loving Bethany, and reluctant-to-have-more-strays Andy they soon meet the six dogs already in residence.
It takes quite some convincing by Freddie to encourage Spike to feel comfortable in this new environment. Eventually they are all one big happy family. Soon, however, Roy catches up with him and it all comes down to one tense afternoon when Roy brings a sheriff out to the house. He accuses Andy and Bethany of stealing Spike but Spike doesn’t act anything like a mean junkyard dog that the sheriff send Roy away.
And, of course, they all live happily ever after.
Conclusion:
This sweet story shows the transforming power of friendship. The many positive aspects of Freddie are sure to warm anyone’s heart. It will probably best be enjoyed by boys and girls ages seven to ten. There is one quote in the book that is worth mentioning, when the dogs are talking about the dogs that used to live with Bethany & Andy one of the older ones says “Just like all living things, new life comes along, and the old have to make room for them.
Buy this book on Amazon.com for $4.99.
This book begins with a trio of canines: Freddie, a big fluffy mutt, Spike, a smaller black guy, and Tiger, a really mean Junkyard Dog with an even meaner owner. Freddie was recently abandoned and soon makes friends with Spike.
However, they both live in fear of Tiger and his cruel owner. In hopes that he would become a mean guard dog; Spike’s owner, Roy, abused him when he was a puppy. After Tiger attacks Spike, Freddie maintains his positive outlook despite being recently dumped and encourages him to try to escape.
After waiting for Roy to leave and Tiger to be distracted Freddie begins digging a hole under the fence, he’s a fast digger. Spike tells Freddie he can’t dig at all. Freddie encourages him to try. When Spike finally escapes (in the nick of time) he begins taunting Tiger because he’s free and Tiger is still stuck with the bad owner. Freddie reminds him not to be mean and says, “that’s not what you’re about.”
As they travel as quickly as they can away from Tiger and the junkyard they meet geese and cows protecting their families, a man who fires a shotgun blast to warn them to stay away, and strange animals that they soon find out are armadillos. When a pack of coyotes surround them Spike pretends to be Tiger (who once took an ear off a coyote) and sends them running for the hills.
After wandering around for a while they come upon a small house with two dogs in a nice sized yard. After being fed by the loving Bethany, and reluctant-to-have-more-strays Andy they soon meet the six dogs already in residence.
It takes quite some convincing by Freddie to encourage Spike to feel comfortable in this new environment. Eventually they are all one big happy family. Soon, however, Roy catches up with him and it all comes down to one tense afternoon when Roy brings a sheriff out to the house. He accuses Andy and Bethany of stealing Spike but Spike doesn’t act anything like a mean junkyard dog that the sheriff send Roy away.
And, of course, they all live happily ever after.
Conclusion:
This sweet story shows the transforming power of friendship. The many positive aspects of Freddie are sure to warm anyone’s heart. It will probably best be enjoyed by boys and girls ages seven to ten. There is one quote in the book that is worth mentioning, when the dogs are talking about the dogs that used to live with Bethany & Andy one of the older ones says “Just like all living things, new life comes along, and the old have to make room for them.
Buy this book on Amazon.com for $4.99.
Say What?
Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
The book opens with Sukie, age six, running through the living room, she knows what she is doing is against the rules but is choosing to do it anyway. When dad catches her instead of, “How many times have we told you not to run in the house.” he says, “If all your friends jumped off a bridge would you do it too?” Then she accidentally spills the glitter she is holding and he says, “Don’t pick your nose, that’s a gross habit.”
Something is up.
At dinner when Sukie eats her peas off her plate with her fingers, Mom says, “You’ll put an eye out with that thing!” And when her oldest brother, Brian who is nine, tattles that Sukie is kicking him under the table, Mom’s reply is, “Waste not, want not.”
When Sukie wants to talk to her brother about this, he promptly shows no interest in his little sister until Sukie promises him her allowance for two weeks and to make his bed for the rest of this month. The children gather with their middle brother, Reed age seven, to have an all-kid meeting. Sukie is upset about her parents lack of reason whereas Reed just says that he “usually doesn’t listen to them. “Brian’s contribution is that he doesn’t pay much attention either because they are always saying the same thing over and over again. His opinion is that Sukie is so dumb because she’s younger that she might actually expect them to say something new. The conclusion is that the children need to misbehave, on purpose.
To that end, Reed begins smudging the walls with handprints; Dad’s response, “Eat your vegetables.” After more intentional rule-breaking with similar results Brian’s first thought is that his parents are robots and need to be repaired.
After sneaking out of bed at night Reed discovers that his Mom and Dad are following the advice of a magazine article from “New Ways of Parenting”. To get their kids attention back they are repeating “Parentspeak phrases” that the kids have learned to tune out. The article states that, “Children secretly crave rules and order.”
So the children go on counter-attack, they make a list of things they say all the time, including: “Make me.”, “Connor’s parents let him.” and “I didn’t mean to.”. After school the next day Brian had accidentally put his muddy shoes on his mom’s favorite pillow. When she says, “Don’t talk with your mouth full.” He retorts, “Sukie started it!” Believing he has won the first battle he goes to tell his brother and sister.
Things escalate from here, the whole family goes around saying phrases that don’t apply to the situation (when Reed leaves his action figures spread out on the floor his mom says, “How would you feel is someone called you stupid?” to which he replies, “Can I have dessert now?” At the end everyone in the family has talked about their differences, tried to understand each other’s points of view and the parents agree to stop telling the kids the same things over and over (reminding them mostly about the safety issues rather than being mad over spilled milk or when they trip and fall). And the kids promise to try harder to remember the things their parents want them to do.
Conclusion:
I was sincerely unimpressed by the brother/sister relationship in this book, even more so with the parent’s relationship with their children. However it would be a good way to open a discussion about parental authority, listening and respect within a family.
Other negative elements include: Brian saying, “Cross your heart and hope to die, stick a needle in your eye.”, he also calls his sister “stupid.” The book constantly refers to the parents “yelling” at the kids, however in reality when the parents correct the children in a fairly normal tone the kids call it “yelling”.
Buy this book at Amazon.com for $3.99.
The book opens with Sukie, age six, running through the living room, she knows what she is doing is against the rules but is choosing to do it anyway. When dad catches her instead of, “How many times have we told you not to run in the house.” he says, “If all your friends jumped off a bridge would you do it too?” Then she accidentally spills the glitter she is holding and he says, “Don’t pick your nose, that’s a gross habit.”
Something is up.
At dinner when Sukie eats her peas off her plate with her fingers, Mom says, “You’ll put an eye out with that thing!” And when her oldest brother, Brian who is nine, tattles that Sukie is kicking him under the table, Mom’s reply is, “Waste not, want not.”
When Sukie wants to talk to her brother about this, he promptly shows no interest in his little sister until Sukie promises him her allowance for two weeks and to make his bed for the rest of this month. The children gather with their middle brother, Reed age seven, to have an all-kid meeting. Sukie is upset about her parents lack of reason whereas Reed just says that he “usually doesn’t listen to them. “Brian’s contribution is that he doesn’t pay much attention either because they are always saying the same thing over and over again. His opinion is that Sukie is so dumb because she’s younger that she might actually expect them to say something new. The conclusion is that the children need to misbehave, on purpose.
To that end, Reed begins smudging the walls with handprints; Dad’s response, “Eat your vegetables.” After more intentional rule-breaking with similar results Brian’s first thought is that his parents are robots and need to be repaired.
After sneaking out of bed at night Reed discovers that his Mom and Dad are following the advice of a magazine article from “New Ways of Parenting”. To get their kids attention back they are repeating “Parentspeak phrases” that the kids have learned to tune out. The article states that, “Children secretly crave rules and order.”
So the children go on counter-attack, they make a list of things they say all the time, including: “Make me.”, “Connor’s parents let him.” and “I didn’t mean to.”. After school the next day Brian had accidentally put his muddy shoes on his mom’s favorite pillow. When she says, “Don’t talk with your mouth full.” He retorts, “Sukie started it!” Believing he has won the first battle he goes to tell his brother and sister.
Things escalate from here, the whole family goes around saying phrases that don’t apply to the situation (when Reed leaves his action figures spread out on the floor his mom says, “How would you feel is someone called you stupid?” to which he replies, “Can I have dessert now?” At the end everyone in the family has talked about their differences, tried to understand each other’s points of view and the parents agree to stop telling the kids the same things over and over (reminding them mostly about the safety issues rather than being mad over spilled milk or when they trip and fall). And the kids promise to try harder to remember the things their parents want them to do.
Conclusion:
I was sincerely unimpressed by the brother/sister relationship in this book, even more so with the parent’s relationship with their children. However it would be a good way to open a discussion about parental authority, listening and respect within a family.
Other negative elements include: Brian saying, “Cross your heart and hope to die, stick a needle in your eye.”, he also calls his sister “stupid.” The book constantly refers to the parents “yelling” at the kids, however in reality when the parents correct the children in a fairly normal tone the kids call it “yelling”.
Buy this book at Amazon.com for $3.99.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Fairy Realm: The Flower Fairies
Author: Emily Rodda
In this second book in the FairyRealm series Jessie returns to the land of FairyRealm once more. This time she is asked to sort out the griffins who are supposed to guard the treasure house but have become overprotective and are now guarding everything. The explanation is that there is an overabundance of magic now in FairyRealm since the renewing of it by the Queen in the last book.
As they travel to the palace, Jessie is swarmed by some busy little flower fairies who want her to come and join them dancing, after they beg she soon agrees. Presently her mind wanders to her own problems. She and her mother have moved to “Blue Moon”, Granny’s house. Jessie feels is working hard to fit in at her new school but her next door neighbor, Irena, who is her age isn’t very friendly. To make it worse, after feeling pressured to be something, Jessie volunteered to be the butterfly in the school concert. She discovered soon after that Irena was the butterfly in the last school concert and is certain to be unhappy that Jessie will play the part this year. To top it off, the butterfly is required to dance gracefully to the music in front of everyone. Jessie believes she isn’t able to dance, at all, let alone gracefully.
When Jessie discovers that there are four griffins who are absolutely huge, immensely dangerous and only listen to the Queen she feels even less able help her friends. While at the palace the housekeeper suggests she borrow a pair of the Queen’s very valuable and treasured wings to dance with the flower fairies. After choosing a set that resemble the ones her Granny made for her mother that she is using in the school concert, she discovers that these magical wings can help you to fly and therefore be graceful and lighter than air.
In the middle of this, an idea comes to Jessie. If the wings are so very valuable then maybe they could trick the griffins into wanting to protect them instead of the other places. As expected, her plan works the guards (interesting note: the lead guard is female) move the wings to the treasure house and all four griffins guard them.
Jessie then asks permission to borrow the wings for her school concert that night. The housekeeper lets her borrow them, although they belong to the Queen who is currently halfway around the kingdom. Jessie can only have the wings in our world for one day or they will begin to spoil.
Trouble brews when the fairies accidentally let the griffins overhear that Jessie has a pair of the wings and cross into her world to get them back. As Jessie races around saving the fairies who came to tell her she runs out of time and barely makes it to her school concert. She performs beautifully (she believes it’s the magical wings) and only on the way home does she find out that her Granny (really an ex-fairy Queen we discover in book one) had sent the griffin home (with the borrowed wings) and Jessie’s mom had taken the homemade wings from the closet to complete her outfit.
Conclusion:
There is very little magic in this edition, magical wings that help you fly are about the extent of it. This story includes the negative element that Jessie and the housekeeper do not ask permission to borrow the wings even though she plans to return them. Other negative parts include: Irena calling Jessie “stupid” even though she doesn’t know Jessie is listening and Jessie sneaking into Irena’s house to save a trapped fairy. The very positive part to believe in yourself and do the best you can is proven much like the magic feather in the “Dumbo” movie. The moral of the story is all’s well that ends well, which leaves the door open wide to ask our children if that’s really the truth. Asking your child if it’s every okay to borrow something without permission from the owner should help put Jessie’s actions in the right light.
Buy the first three of these series on Amazon.com for $9.99.
In this second book in the FairyRealm series Jessie returns to the land of FairyRealm once more. This time she is asked to sort out the griffins who are supposed to guard the treasure house but have become overprotective and are now guarding everything. The explanation is that there is an overabundance of magic now in FairyRealm since the renewing of it by the Queen in the last book.
As they travel to the palace, Jessie is swarmed by some busy little flower fairies who want her to come and join them dancing, after they beg she soon agrees. Presently her mind wanders to her own problems. She and her mother have moved to “Blue Moon”, Granny’s house. Jessie feels is working hard to fit in at her new school but her next door neighbor, Irena, who is her age isn’t very friendly. To make it worse, after feeling pressured to be something, Jessie volunteered to be the butterfly in the school concert. She discovered soon after that Irena was the butterfly in the last school concert and is certain to be unhappy that Jessie will play the part this year. To top it off, the butterfly is required to dance gracefully to the music in front of everyone. Jessie believes she isn’t able to dance, at all, let alone gracefully.
When Jessie discovers that there are four griffins who are absolutely huge, immensely dangerous and only listen to the Queen she feels even less able help her friends. While at the palace the housekeeper suggests she borrow a pair of the Queen’s very valuable and treasured wings to dance with the flower fairies. After choosing a set that resemble the ones her Granny made for her mother that she is using in the school concert, she discovers that these magical wings can help you to fly and therefore be graceful and lighter than air.
In the middle of this, an idea comes to Jessie. If the wings are so very valuable then maybe they could trick the griffins into wanting to protect them instead of the other places. As expected, her plan works the guards (interesting note: the lead guard is female) move the wings to the treasure house and all four griffins guard them.
Jessie then asks permission to borrow the wings for her school concert that night. The housekeeper lets her borrow them, although they belong to the Queen who is currently halfway around the kingdom. Jessie can only have the wings in our world for one day or they will begin to spoil.
Trouble brews when the fairies accidentally let the griffins overhear that Jessie has a pair of the wings and cross into her world to get them back. As Jessie races around saving the fairies who came to tell her she runs out of time and barely makes it to her school concert. She performs beautifully (she believes it’s the magical wings) and only on the way home does she find out that her Granny (really an ex-fairy Queen we discover in book one) had sent the griffin home (with the borrowed wings) and Jessie’s mom had taken the homemade wings from the closet to complete her outfit.
Conclusion:
There is very little magic in this edition, magical wings that help you fly are about the extent of it. This story includes the negative element that Jessie and the housekeeper do not ask permission to borrow the wings even though she plans to return them. Other negative parts include: Irena calling Jessie “stupid” even though she doesn’t know Jessie is listening and Jessie sneaking into Irena’s house to save a trapped fairy. The very positive part to believe in yourself and do the best you can is proven much like the magic feather in the “Dumbo” movie. The moral of the story is all’s well that ends well, which leaves the door open wide to ask our children if that’s really the truth. Asking your child if it’s every okay to borrow something without permission from the owner should help put Jessie’s actions in the right light.
Buy the first three of these series on Amazon.com for $9.99.
Eoin Colfer’s “The Legend of Spud McMurphy”
Author: Eoin Colfer
This story begins with a large, busy family, they have five boys under 10, and how could they not be busy? The boys (and their large crowd of friends who visit) have become a bit too much for Mom. So she ships the older two brothers off to the public library for a few hours each week. The Librarian, however, has a reputation of being overly strict. In fact, it is commonly believed by the children that she keeps a potato gun underneath her desk that she uses to lob potatoes at children who don’t follow the rules (hence the name, “Spud McMurphy”).
The main characters, Will and Marty, have very different personalities. Marty chooses to be a rule breaker, pushing the boundaries on the very first day. The boys test the boundaries again and again and find that every time they cross the lines set in place by Mrs. McMurphy they are held to them. Eventually they learn to be content in the Children’s section (whose lines are drawn by a carpet). However, when they have finally read every single book (twice!) in the Children’s Section, Will is blackmailed when Marty says he will tell him the location of his action figure (whom Will declares to be his best friend) if Will will sneak into the grown-up section of the library to get new books to read.
The new books keep the boys busy for quite some time. Then they get caught by the librarian and the (surprise!) ending is that if Will is willing to break the rules to get additional literature then he should be rewarded with a grown-up library card.
Conclusion:
The Legend of Spud McMurphy is an easy book to read that has Nickelodeon-style cartoons and a storyline that most boys can identify with. The fact that they boys end up loving the library and books is a moral that most parents can identify with. It’s the “getting there” that may cause some parents to pause.
Despite the happy ending that both boys discovered that books were terrific friends, they were not acting “good” in most of this book. The fact that the hero made friends with his nemesis (the librarian) could direct some children in the right direction of choosing to discover new horizons in the library does by no mean excuse the way they got there; sneakiness, lying and a “do-whatever-it-takes-to-get-my-way” mindset. There is also one use of, "for the love of God."
This book could generate a great conversation with your child about the “Golden Rule” and how that applies even to people who have treated us badly in the past. Somehow I think the author believes in the secular mindset, “It doesn’t matter how you get there as long as you end up in the right place.” However, this conflicts with God’s advice in Luke 6:45, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” Overall, a book that had a great moral but came up with a immoral way to get there.
Buy this book (used) at Amazon.com for .01¢.
This story begins with a large, busy family, they have five boys under 10, and how could they not be busy? The boys (and their large crowd of friends who visit) have become a bit too much for Mom. So she ships the older two brothers off to the public library for a few hours each week. The Librarian, however, has a reputation of being overly strict. In fact, it is commonly believed by the children that she keeps a potato gun underneath her desk that she uses to lob potatoes at children who don’t follow the rules (hence the name, “Spud McMurphy”).
The main characters, Will and Marty, have very different personalities. Marty chooses to be a rule breaker, pushing the boundaries on the very first day. The boys test the boundaries again and again and find that every time they cross the lines set in place by Mrs. McMurphy they are held to them. Eventually they learn to be content in the Children’s section (whose lines are drawn by a carpet). However, when they have finally read every single book (twice!) in the Children’s Section, Will is blackmailed when Marty says he will tell him the location of his action figure (whom Will declares to be his best friend) if Will will sneak into the grown-up section of the library to get new books to read.
The new books keep the boys busy for quite some time. Then they get caught by the librarian and the (surprise!) ending is that if Will is willing to break the rules to get additional literature then he should be rewarded with a grown-up library card.
Conclusion:
The Legend of Spud McMurphy is an easy book to read that has Nickelodeon-style cartoons and a storyline that most boys can identify with. The fact that they boys end up loving the library and books is a moral that most parents can identify with. It’s the “getting there” that may cause some parents to pause.
Despite the happy ending that both boys discovered that books were terrific friends, they were not acting “good” in most of this book. The fact that the hero made friends with his nemesis (the librarian) could direct some children in the right direction of choosing to discover new horizons in the library does by no mean excuse the way they got there; sneakiness, lying and a “do-whatever-it-takes-to-get-my-way” mindset. There is also one use of, "for the love of God."
This book could generate a great conversation with your child about the “Golden Rule” and how that applies even to people who have treated us badly in the past. Somehow I think the author believes in the secular mindset, “It doesn’t matter how you get there as long as you end up in the right place.” However, this conflicts with God’s advice in Luke 6:45, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” Overall, a book that had a great moral but came up with a immoral way to get there.
Buy this book (used) at Amazon.com for .01¢.
The Tiara Club: Princess Charlotte and the Birthday Ball
Author: Vivian French
The first two pages of this book describe “The Princess Academy.” Whose motto is “A Perfect Princess always thinks of others before herself, and is kind, caring and truthful.” When Princess Charlotte first arrives she is extremely excited attend that evening’s Birthday Ball but is soon worried to meet her roommates. As it turns out the princesses roommates, Daisy, Emily, Katie, Sophia and Alice, are all very friendly and caring.
When they discover that their luggage has been left on top of their carriage Charlotte is the only one who chases after it. She inadvertently causes a carriage accident where some luggage is dumped in the river. The principal, Queen Gloriana, sends the girls to the Matron, Fairy G. If she can’t persuade Fairy G to help her she and her friends will be unable to attend the ball and they will lose fifty tiara points (if you get to five hundred you are able to move up to the senior level).Charlotte’s first thought is for her new friends, she is willing to miss out if they can go.
When the girls get to Fairy G’s room they see their soggy dresses hanging up. Charlotte begins to plain the situation when a spark jumps out of the fire and lands on the rug. Without thinking Charlotte grabs her wet dress and quickly puts out the fire (ruining her dress in the process). When Fairy G grants Charlotte a wish for her fast thinking, she immediately wishes that her friend’s dresses were as good as new. When Alice sees that Charlotte’s dress is ruined she offers her one of her extras. The Fairy then restores Charlotte’s dress and all the girls declare themselves best friends. The book closes with a happily-ever-after night of dancing at the ball (sans boys).
Conclusion:
Princess Charlotte always put others before herself and is the embodiment of The Princess Academy’s motto. This book is a great beginning read for six-year olds but adequately appealing for girls as old as nine. The most refreshing part of this book is that the many charming illustrations actually look like they are 8 year old girls (not 20 year old surgically-enhanced ultra-thin supermodels). Most girls will find them engaging and creative; most parents will find them cute and very modest (there were only a few with spaghetti straps).
Buy this book at Amazon.com for $3.99.
The first two pages of this book describe “The Princess Academy.” Whose motto is “A Perfect Princess always thinks of others before herself, and is kind, caring and truthful.” When Princess Charlotte first arrives she is extremely excited attend that evening’s Birthday Ball but is soon worried to meet her roommates. As it turns out the princesses roommates, Daisy, Emily, Katie, Sophia and Alice, are all very friendly and caring.
When they discover that their luggage has been left on top of their carriage Charlotte is the only one who chases after it. She inadvertently causes a carriage accident where some luggage is dumped in the river. The principal, Queen Gloriana, sends the girls to the Matron, Fairy G. If she can’t persuade Fairy G to help her she and her friends will be unable to attend the ball and they will lose fifty tiara points (if you get to five hundred you are able to move up to the senior level).Charlotte’s first thought is for her new friends, she is willing to miss out if they can go.
When the girls get to Fairy G’s room they see their soggy dresses hanging up. Charlotte begins to plain the situation when a spark jumps out of the fire and lands on the rug. Without thinking Charlotte grabs her wet dress and quickly puts out the fire (ruining her dress in the process). When Fairy G grants Charlotte a wish for her fast thinking, she immediately wishes that her friend’s dresses were as good as new. When Alice sees that Charlotte’s dress is ruined she offers her one of her extras. The Fairy then restores Charlotte’s dress and all the girls declare themselves best friends. The book closes with a happily-ever-after night of dancing at the ball (sans boys).
Conclusion:
Princess Charlotte always put others before herself and is the embodiment of The Princess Academy’s motto. This book is a great beginning read for six-year olds but adequately appealing for girls as old as nine. The most refreshing part of this book is that the many charming illustrations actually look like they are 8 year old girls (not 20 year old surgically-enhanced ultra-thin supermodels). Most girls will find them engaging and creative; most parents will find them cute and very modest (there were only a few with spaghetti straps).
Buy this book at Amazon.com for $3.99.
Fairy Realm: The Charm Bracelet
Title: Fairy Realm: The Charm Bracelet
Author: Emily Rodda
First in a series of ten books, this sweet, easy-to-read story is sure to charm most girls age 7 to 11. The story begins with the main character Jessie at her Granny’s house, “Blue Moon” with her mother. Granny is almost 70 and has a broken wrist cat and Jessie’s mom, Rosemary, is convinced that she should come live with them in the city. On top of that Granny has lost her charm bracelet and after being overly concerned the first day, seems to have completely forgotten about it.
After searching for two days for the bracelet Jessie wakes in the middle of the night hearing her name called from the garden and soon finds herself in a strange land full of elves, a talking horse, mermaids, and the like that is magically guarded by a dying hedge that protects them from the trolls, goblins, dragons, etc. that live on the other side. Once in a blue moon (every 50 years) the hedge has to be renewed by the true “Queen” saying a spell only she knows. If the hedge isn’t renewed the nasty creatures will overcome and enslave the good ones.
The true Queen is really Jessie’s Granny who decided to live in our world when she fell in love with a human. Her kind sister, Helena, has taken her place as ruler in that time. When she left she took her charm bracelet to keep her memories of the Realm from fading and she promised to return when it was time to renew the magical hedge and pass on the spell to Helena’s daughter. However Jessie discovers that Jessica and Helena’s evil cousin, Valda, who was banished for trying to usurp the throne has stolen the bracelet and is using her evil magic to disguise herself as Jessica, she has also locked all the “Doors” that connect our world with theirs so Jessie can’t return home to bring her Granny back.
When Jessie and her new friends discover that Jessie’s cloak from her Granny is truly a cloak of invisibility they use it to trick Valda into opening one of the Doors. However, when Granny returns to FairyRealm she can’t quite remember the spell. With no time to spare she begins to remember the words, “Blue moon floating, mermaids singing, elves and pixies, tiny horses, dwarves and fairies…” unable to remember the rest Jessie comes to the rescue as the “spell” is the song that her Granny sang to her over and over growing up. “Wait together in the silence, wait for the magic rain. Come down, come down, come down and gather. I, the Queen, command it now!”
After banishing Valda to the Outlands again, anointing Helena’s daughter, Christie, as the next Queen, Granny gives Jessie permission to travel back and forth between our world and FairyRealm. Then the pair return home peacefully.
Conclusion:
The story is sweet and wholesome, upholding values such as loyalty to family and friends, sacrificing for a greater good and caring for others. The usage of magic is clearly defined between good and evil (think “Sleeping Beauty”) and there is no confusion of bad and good. This book has a ton of positive elements combine to make a short and charming happily-ever-after for girls. An additional benefit I found in reading this book was that the illustrations are some of the most beautiful pencil drawings I have ever seen.
Buy the first three in this series at Amazon.com for $9.99.
(The first book alone is out print.)
Author: Emily Rodda
First in a series of ten books, this sweet, easy-to-read story is sure to charm most girls age 7 to 11. The story begins with the main character Jessie at her Granny’s house, “Blue Moon” with her mother. Granny is almost 70 and has a broken wrist cat and Jessie’s mom, Rosemary, is convinced that she should come live with them in the city. On top of that Granny has lost her charm bracelet and after being overly concerned the first day, seems to have completely forgotten about it.
After searching for two days for the bracelet Jessie wakes in the middle of the night hearing her name called from the garden and soon finds herself in a strange land full of elves, a talking horse, mermaids, and the like that is magically guarded by a dying hedge that protects them from the trolls, goblins, dragons, etc. that live on the other side. Once in a blue moon (every 50 years) the hedge has to be renewed by the true “Queen” saying a spell only she knows. If the hedge isn’t renewed the nasty creatures will overcome and enslave the good ones.
The true Queen is really Jessie’s Granny who decided to live in our world when she fell in love with a human. Her kind sister, Helena, has taken her place as ruler in that time. When she left she took her charm bracelet to keep her memories of the Realm from fading and she promised to return when it was time to renew the magical hedge and pass on the spell to Helena’s daughter. However Jessie discovers that Jessica and Helena’s evil cousin, Valda, who was banished for trying to usurp the throne has stolen the bracelet and is using her evil magic to disguise herself as Jessica, she has also locked all the “Doors” that connect our world with theirs so Jessie can’t return home to bring her Granny back.
When Jessie and her new friends discover that Jessie’s cloak from her Granny is truly a cloak of invisibility they use it to trick Valda into opening one of the Doors. However, when Granny returns to FairyRealm she can’t quite remember the spell. With no time to spare she begins to remember the words, “Blue moon floating, mermaids singing, elves and pixies, tiny horses, dwarves and fairies…” unable to remember the rest Jessie comes to the rescue as the “spell” is the song that her Granny sang to her over and over growing up. “Wait together in the silence, wait for the magic rain. Come down, come down, come down and gather. I, the Queen, command it now!”
After banishing Valda to the Outlands again, anointing Helena’s daughter, Christie, as the next Queen, Granny gives Jessie permission to travel back and forth between our world and FairyRealm. Then the pair return home peacefully.
Conclusion:
The story is sweet and wholesome, upholding values such as loyalty to family and friends, sacrificing for a greater good and caring for others. The usage of magic is clearly defined between good and evil (think “Sleeping Beauty”) and there is no confusion of bad and good. This book has a ton of positive elements combine to make a short and charming happily-ever-after for girls. An additional benefit I found in reading this book was that the illustrations are some of the most beautiful pencil drawings I have ever seen.
Buy the first three in this series at Amazon.com for $9.99.
(The first book alone is out print.)
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