Best of Intentions

I normally love reading books for children but lately I've been unable to sink my teeth into any... here are some that look promising. Hopefully I can come back to them later.

The Mousehunter by Alex Milway.

Crows and Cards by Joseph Helgerson.

The Traitor King by Todd Mitchell. ( I like dedication, and I like the acknowledgments) Mr. Mitchell has a new book out, The Secret to Lying, it's got good reviews on B&N, that'll be worth a look at too)

Dedication: For my family, who believed in me even when I said I wanted to be a writer.

To Be Read Later

Gideon Trillogy Book One: The Time Travellers
by Linda Buckley Archer


Here's a book that I want to read... but not right now. I like the cover design. The first few chapters were a good start. I feel a little wary because the cover says 'if you loved Harry Potter, you'll love this book' or something very like. I don't want to be disappointed. Can anyone tell me, is this good?

Maryrose Wood: The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, The Mysterious Howling

One Word Summary: Agatha Swanburne once said...
Summary: Miss Lumley is a governess to three children who have been raised by wolves. Can she help them? Can she learn to dance? Can she thwart Lord Fredrick's diabolical plan?
More Words: I haven't actually finished yet. There are some other novels I'd rather look at just now. What I did read was cute and made me chuckle softly. Maybe later with my daughter, if we ever get through Wind and the Willows.

Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins) 2010

Henry H. Neff: The Tapestry Series Book 2, The Second Siege

One Word Summary: Phaedrus Bull
More Words: I take it all back. This is not a Harry Potter wannabe. Sorry Mr. Neff for the misunderstanding. The world of Rowan Academy is a little more frightening, and immediate. You know how G.I. Joe cartoons aren't scary because the red and blue lasers are just for show (smoke and mist?), well in this story people do get hurt and die. Still it's in the kid section. Not that I believe we should shelter our children over much, but really should they have to confront their mortality (and everyone else's) before age 12. What do the child development experts say? My daughter loves the cover so I put it out of reach, for now. It is pretty fascinating art work. The first book prosed on a little about how wonderful our world is, and how we have to fight to keep it wonderful because the marvelous things in this world are just tools that can be used for good or ill. Neff didn't repeat himself this time, but I agree with him.

Plot Summary: Astaroth (you can say his name out loud) ups the anti. Max and David have to save the world again. While journeying through space and time Max learns how to fight really really good-it takes forever but we don't have to read the boring details. Lives are destroyed mercilessly. Some blood and carnage ensue. The enemy is rebuffed, until next time Gadget.
Quote:

"I know," said the old man. ... "It is hard for the young to believe that
their elders were once foolish and beautiful, too."

Children's Choice Jan 2010

My daughter loves Sylvie by Jennifer Gordon Sattler. The art is remarkable. Really it is a great book, and a great segue to drawing and talking with her. Now I am about ready to burn You Can Name 100 Trucks! My son can't get enough of it. He becomes really upset if I put the book away after 5 times through. Trucks baby touch and feel is another top pick. I think it's odd, but my son also likes The Hymn book. Sometimes he'll even sing with me. Sometimes he just 'reads' it alone.

Katherine Paterson: Preacher's Boy

One Word Summary: The Bucket List

More Words: Katherine Patterson is a great writer. This book is easy and good to read. I bet it would be fun to read with a child so you could talk about it together. It has all the right elements: an adventure, a moral lesson(s), a satisfying ending. Only I seem to remember it taking a long long time to read. It was only 186 pages, which means... I wasn't that into it.

Plot Summary: It's the turn of the century, possibly the end of the world, and the preacher's boy has a list of things he wants to do before he dies and goes to... well it's not up.

Question:
Why couldn't Vile stay in Leonardstown?

This book reminds me of:
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Soup by Robert Newton Peck