The Runaway Dolls by Ann M. Martin

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
At the beginning of this story, the Doll family and the Funcraft family are looking forward to two weeks of freedom as the Palmer's are going on vacation for two weeks. Tiffany, who was downstairs when it arrived, tells Annabelle about a package that was delivered just before the Palmers left. Annabelle and Tiffany decide to go investigate the package and when they get to it they discover that it contains a doll. Annabelle is certain that the doll is the long lost baby sister that was supposed to come with the Doll family when it was first delivered over one hundred years ago. Tiffany and Annabelle tell their families about their discovery, but their parents insist that they cannot let the doll out of the package because they wouldn't be able to return the package to its original state before the Palmers came home. But Annabelle and Tiffany decide to disobey their parents and let the baby doll out of the package. They then decide to runaway and there begins a series of adventures that you will have to read to believe! Brian Selznick's illustrations help tell the story.


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The Meanest Doll in the World by Ann M. Martin

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
In this sequel to The Doll People, Annabelle and Tiffany find themselves in Kate's bookbag and go to school with her. They decide to explore school and then plan to climb back into Kate's bookbag and return to the Palmer's. After several adventures in a kindergarten room, they are almost late, but manage to climb up the coats and drop into the bookbag. Later they discover that they are the wrong bookbag and now in the wrong house and this house is the home of the meanest doll in the world. Read this to find all about Annabelle's and Tiffany's adventures and whether or not they are able to find their way back home to the Palmer's house and Kate's room.


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The Doll People by Ann M. Martin

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Annabelle lives in the doll house with Mama Doll, Papa Doll, Bobby Doll, Uncle Doll, Nanny, and Baby Betsy. Unknown to their owners the Palmer family, the Doll family comes to life and moves about their doll house at night and whenever the Palmers are not at home. Their biggest problem is that the Palmers' cat, Captain, is frequently watching and often peers in the windows of the dollhouse. Annabelle's Auntie Sarah has been missing for 45 years and one night, Annabelle finds a journal that Auntie Sarah had been writing in when she disappeared. Annabelle is determined to solve the mystery of Auntie Sarah's disappearance and to find her and bring her home to the doll house. Read this story to find if she is successful in her quest.


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Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I suppose that after reading Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke, I had an idea that this book was also about dragons, but it certainly was not. Meggie is a little girl who lives with her father, Mortimer, who is a book mender who repairs and recovers books. Their house is filled with books and they both spend as much time as they can reading. One stormy night, Meggie sees a stranger standing outside their house staring up at it and runs to get her father. Her father lets the stranger in and sends Meggie back to bed, but Meggie is too curious to learn why the strange man is here. She hears enough to know that the reason for his visit is a book, and there begins a series of adventures that start with a long drive to her mother's Aunt Elinor's house. Meggie's father is taken from Elinor's house along with the book and Meggie and Elinor set off to try to get him back. Their adventures and misadventures keep you turning the pages until the end. I especially enjoyed the references to other books in this one and plan on reading the sequel, Inkspell, as soon as I can.


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The President's Daughter by Jack Higgins

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a fairly enjoyable adventure story, with the usual elements. I did feel at the end that I did not "know" the characters as well as I would like, but overall the book delivered the type of story that kept me interested until the somewhat expected ending.


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Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life Is Your Hidden Strength by Laurie Helgoe

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was fascinated by the information in this book. After a lifetime of feeling "strange", "weird", and many similar adjectives, I finally saw a reflection of myself and discovered that as an introvert, it is NORMAL to withdraw and prefer solitude to parties. What a relief and how empowering to know that over half of the world feels like I do! Now I know that the time I spend alone helps me recharge and sort out my thoughts. I always knew it on some level, but now I feel validated in my introversion. If you have ever felt like an outsider who doesn't understand the draw of crowds and parties, you might find out why if you read this book.


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The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday by Alexander McCall Smith

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Isabel Dalhousie is once again doing what she does best - choosing to take on a problem that seems to be totally none of her business, but that she feels bound to find a solution to. The title says a lot about this novel - comfortable- with enough intrigue to keep it interesting. It is hard to imagine that a man could write so well about a woman, but Alexander McCall Smith once again leaves me thinking about Isabel as someone I would like to know in real life.


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Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is a continuation of Madeleine L'Engle's Time Trilogy, but in this book the action is focused on Sandy and Dennys, the twins who have always been the "normal" ones in their family. They come home one winter's day and enter their parent's lab, not noticing the note on the door to stay out. While looking for the dutch cocoa to make themselves a hot drink, they decide to play around with the new computer in the lab and type in a message about wanting to be in a warm place that is sparsely populated. The next thing they know, Sandy and Dennys are on a desert being approached by a strangely small man. Their adventures trying to stay alive and find a way to go back home include unicorns, mammoths, seraphim, nephilim, manticores, and names they have heard before only in Bible stories - Noah and Enoch and Japheth. Have they traveled through time or taken a quantum leap? Read this story to find out.


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Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Marley & Me is a well-written, entertaining account of the life of a dog and his family. It is evident that Marley is a member of the family, even at his worst. Marley's many escapades are offset by his loving and loyal nature. I found myself laughing out loud many times while reading this book and crying at other times. This is a must-read for anyone who loves and lives with labradors.


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Murder in Georgetown by Margaret Truman

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Joe Potamos is a journalist for the Washington Post who gets more involved than he would like with the political intrigue attached to a murder he covers for the paper. He tries to discover who committed the murder only to find another murder, journalism students who want to work with him to solve the crime in exchange for partial credit for the story, and powerful men trying to get Joe off of the story. Along the way, he meets a beautiful pianist who gets dragged into the whole mess with him. Before long Joe is without a job and apparently the target of the same people who have already committed two murders. This was a pretty good mystery story, but fairly easy to put down between chapters.


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A Song for Harlem: Scraps of Time 3 by Patricia C. McKissack

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Lilly Belle is in New York City staying with her aunt Odessa because she won a place in a young writer's workshop with her poems. It is 1928 and the change from rural Tennessee to busy New York City is hard to adjust to. This story follows Lilly Belle as she learns and grows through this experience. It gives a look at the culture of the times and the life of an African American in Harlem. It was a good example of historical fiction.


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Molly Moon, Micky Minus, & the Mind Machine by Georgia Byng

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Molly Moon is able to time travel and use hypnosis to control people. She has discovered that she was born a twin and that her brother was taken from the hospital where they were born and all evidence of his existence had been erased, except from the minds of her parents. She makes up her mind to find her twin brother and try to bring him back to their parents. This adventure involves time-travel, time-freezing, hypnosis, and much courage on Molly's part, especially when she travels to the future and finds what seems to be an evil young girl who wants to rule the world. Read this story to find out if Molly is able to find her brother and return with him to their parents or if she becomes trapped in time.


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Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
When Moose, whose real name is Michael, and his family go to live on Alcatraz, Moose thinks he will never have friends or play ball again. Then he meets Piper, Theresa, Annie, Jimmie, and Scout and discovers that all of the laundry on the island is done by the convicts. This means that Moose can truthfully say that "Al Capone does my shirts." The biggest problem is Moose's sister, Nat, who is "special" and then Moose's mother takes a job teaching piano, which means that Moose must watch his sister. Read this story to find how Moose deals with this problem and if he makes any true friends.


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Diary of a Would-be Princess by Jessica Green

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Jillian James is a student in Fifth year (fifth grade) in Australia and is having trouble fitting in. She loves reading and writing, but does poorly in maths (mathematics). The story is told in the form of her daily school journal in which Jillian talks about the problems she is having. Her teacher, Mrs. Bright, reads the students' journals every week and adds comments and encouragement. It was interesting to see how Jillian changed as the school year went along. I really enjoyed this book, even though there were a few Australian terms that I didn't quite understand. It was a lovely surprise at the end of the book to find a glossary which defined these "Australianisms". I will definitely add this to my order list for my school's library.


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Gods Behaving Badly: A Novel by Marie Phillips

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I picked this book up at the public library because I had recently enjoyed reading about the Greek gods in the Percy Jackson series for kids, most recently The Battle of the Labyrinth. The story in this book was much more light-hearted than the adventure stories in the Percy Jackson books. Also, this book is definitely not one you will find in an elementary or even middle school library since it delves to some extent into the amorous activities of the various gods and goddesses as they attempt to pass the time in what has become, for them, a somewhat boring existence. In some ways, the ending reminded me of Tinkerbelle in the Peter Pan stories who needed the belief of people to revive. Overall I enjoyed this story, but it felt like it ended too soon and I was left wanting more.


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Losing It: And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time by Valerie Bertinelli

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this look into the life of a celebrity with the same problem many Americans have - excess weight. It is always interesting to get a look inside the life of those we see in movies and on television. I liked the conversational tone of the book and felt that the author was basically honest about the flaws in her life. The message I got from this book was that no weight loss program will work until you are able to face the problems beneath the pounds.


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The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
The book is more in depth that the lecture itself, with more insight into Randy's life as he faces death. I really enjoyed reading this narrative in Randy's own words. I felt like he gave the world a glimpse into his life and he definitely showed his philosophy of life and death. This book was easy to read and hard to put down. The conversational tone made you feel like he was talking directly to you and that you were his friend.


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Tales from Shakespeare: Children's Classics by Charles Lamb

My review

I have never read any of Shakespeare's plays, and after reading Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire, I got this to learn more about his plays. Rafe Esquith said in his book that you really can't get a feeling for the plays from just reading the plays and that this book is a good source for the stories that the plays tell. I will try it and see how long I can stick with it.


I have read all twenty of the stories in this volume and was very interested to read the stories of Shakespeare's plays. The language was a little complex, but easy enough to understand if read carefully. I think this is an excellent introduction to Shakespeare's plays and that it would make a good addition to school libraries, even at the elementary level. Many of the stories seemed familiar since so much of Shakespeare's work has become part of our culture.


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The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This fourth installment in the Percy Jackson series was just as action-filled as the other three. Percy is attending freshman orientation at yet another private school when he is confronted by what appear to be cheerleaders, but which turn out to be much more dangerous. This begins a summer of dangerous adventures for Percy and his friends as they try to prevent the evil Titan Kronos from coming into their camp and destroying Olympus. I will need to order this one for our school library - the fourth and fifth graders will be clamoring for more of this series.


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Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was a really quick read. Joey is a boy who in his own words is "wired wrong". He is on medication for attention deficit, but it doesn't seem to be working and Joey keeps making bad decisions when he starts to feel wound up. Finally, Joey gets in so much trouble that he has to go to a special school for six weeks. At first that seems terrible to Joey, but it turns into a good thing when they begin to find the right medicine and the best methods to help Joey get along in the world. Joey is a lovable and endearing character and I can't wait to read more about him.


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Igraine The Brave by Cornelia Funke

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a story about a girl who wants to become a knight. She is eleven years old, almost twelve, and her parents and brother are magicians with singing magic books. But Igraine is not particularly interested in magic. She wants to be a famous knight and spends all of her spare time practicing to be a knight. Then her parents make a mistake in one of their spells and the nephew of the baroness next door comes to try to capture their castle and steal away the magic books. Igraine and her brother Albert must find a way to reverse their parents' magical mistake and defend the castle at the same time. If you enjoy adventure and fantasy, this is a book for you.


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The Next Thing on My List: A Novel by Jill Smolinski

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was a recommendation from the LM_NET listserv. It took awhile to get it since it was checked out each time I looked for it at the public library. Then, at last, it was in. The story is about June Parker, a 34 year-old woman whose life seems to be going nowhere. Then she picks up a woman who needs a ride, gets in a car accident which kills the woman she thought she was helping. She finds a list that the woman had made of twenty things she wanted to do before her 25th birthday with only two items crossed off. June knows she should give the list to the family of the victim, but something makes her hold onto it. Then, she decides to try to complete the list. This is a very entertaining and touching story about a woman's journey to find a purpose in life.


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The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Gratuity Tucci is a twelve-year-old girl who has an assignment to write a five page essay on "The True Meaning of Smekday" for a National Time Capsule contest. She isn't sure how to get started, but then her mother suddenly develops a mole on the back of her neck, which seems to be sending messages. Aliens have taken over the Earth and all humans in America are being sent to Florida. Then,on Christmas Eve, Gratuity's mother is abducted by aliens and Gratuity decides to try to find her. Gratuity's adventures in this story are funny and exciting as she learns more about the aliens after making friends with one. Read to find out what happens to Gratuity and her mother as well as the whole human race.


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Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56 by Rafe Esquith

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is an inspirational look at what a caring, dedicated teacher can do with a class of fifth-grade students. Just reading this book makes me want to be a better teacher. I think this would be a great book for a faculty to read to get charged up for a new school year. I found myself reading parts aloud to my husband. There were many great ideas in this book to try with kids. I highly recommend this for teachers to read.


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The Scent of Lilacs: A Novel by Ann H. Gabhart

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a beautiful little story about a preacher's daughter in a small town. Jocie Brooke lives with her father and her Aunt Love. Seven years ago, Jocie's mother and older sister left without a word. Jocie has been praying that her sister will come back and that she will get a dog. Suddenly, both of those prayers are granted. This was really a heart-warming story with many twists that left me feeling glad I had read it.


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The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne Duprau

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
While this book is listed as the third Book of Ember, it is actually a prequel of sorts to The City of Ember and The People of Sparks. The main character in this story is Nickie, a girl of twelve, who is going with her aunt Crystal to help get her great-grandfather's house, Greenhaven, cleaned out and ready to sell. This house is in the small town of Yonwood. One of Yonwood's citizens, Althea Tower, has had a vision of the cataclysmic end of the world, and after falling into a coma-like state becomes known as the Prophet, whom the citizens believe is giving them instructions on how to avoid the end of the world that she has seen. Nickie has three goals when she gets to Yonwood: to convince her aunt to keep Greenhaven, to fall in love, and to help the world. To find out if she achieves her goals, read this fantasy adventure story.


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Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I was unsure whether or not to read this, since I am such a fan of Gone with the Wind. I decided to try it when I learned that the author was chosen by Margaret Mitchell's estate to write Rhett Butler's People. I found the first half of the book rather heavy going. It seemed to jump around with no real connection between the chapters and sections. Some of this made sense as the book continued, but at one point I almost put it down. I did enjoy much of the last half of the book, and I do feel that it helped to explain Rhett's character. What I probably enjoyed the most was that this book extended past the end of Gone With the Wind and continued some of its stories. If you are a fan of Gone With the Wind and/or the Civil War, you might enjoy this book.


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The Uncommon Reader: A Novella by Alan Bennett

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
One day while chastising her dogs for being noisy, the Queen of England noticed a mobile library (bookmobile) parked nearby and went in to apologize for the noise her dogs were making. She then felt compelled to borrow a book. This was the beginning of several years of discovering new books and reading all manner of books, sometimes to the detriment of her duty. This was an interesting book about what a difference reading can make in a life. If you enjoy books about reading, books, libraries, or royalty, this is a good choice.


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The People of Sparks by Jeanne Duprau

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This sequel to The City of Ember continues the adventures of Lina and Doon who lead the people of Ember out of the underground and out into the world. They walk for many hours and come upon the city of Sparks, where they hope to find food and shelter. The people of Sparks are alarmed by such a large number of people since they have only just begun to produce enough for their own townspeople. Will they agree to help the people of Ember or cast them out into the "Empty Lands"? At first the people of Sparks agree to help, but after a time they grow resentful of the drain on their resources and the people of Ember grow resentful from the difficult conditions and scarcity of food. If you read The City of Ember, you will want to read this continuation of the story.


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The City of Ember by Jeanne Duprau

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I want to start this review by saying "WOW!". I really had trouble putting this one down. Lina is a twelve-year-old girl living in the city of Ember. It is her last day of school when she and her classmates will receive their jobs that they will work at for the next three years. Lina hopes to work in the greenhouses or be a messenger, but when she chooses her job from the bag held by the mayor, it says "pipeworker", which means that she will be working in the pipeworks below the city where all of the water comes from. She is disappointed. Her friend Doon receives the job of messenger and offers to trade jobs with her because he wants to do a job that will save the city of Ember. The city is in trouble, because the generator that provides the only light in the city has begun to break down causing blackouts. Lina and Doon must find a way to help the city, but how. I read this book so quickly that I feel that I need to reread to catch all of the details I might have missed, but I am too anxious to read the next book. I will definitely order this one for my school library!


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The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a sequel to Chasing Vermeer. Calder and Petra are joined by Calder's old friend Tommy who has returned to Chicago at the end of the school year. They learn that the Robie House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is about to be cut up into pieces and sent to several museums around the world. Calder and Petra are joined by Tommy to form the Wright 3 as they work to solve the mysteries surrounding the house and the accidents that have been happening around it. This mystery was difficult to put down and I would recommend it for anyone who likes a good mystery or who enjoys learning about art and architecture. It was especially interesting trying to read the code that the Wright 3 used to write about their discoveries.


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The Wish List by Eoin Colfer

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Wish List is the story of Meg Finn, a teenager who is left with an abusive stepfather after her mother dies. She has been a troublemaker, but then she falls in with Belch who gets her involved in a robbery attempt of an elderly man, Lowrie McCall. Things go wrong and Meg and Belch are killed in a gas explosion, but it is not the end for either of them. Meg has a chance to go back and right some wrongs in order to earn her way to heaven, and Belch is recruited to try to stop her. Meg finds herself helping Lowrie McCall complete his "wish list" of things he wants to do before he dies. Will she be able to help him and what will Belch do to stop her? This story was a very interesting afterlife adventure, probably more suited to middle school and older students.


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The Rope Trick by Lloyd Alexander

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Lidi is a traveling magician with amazing skills in sleight of hand and many other fascinating magic tricks, but the one she wants to know, the rope trick, is apparently known only by the famous magician Ferramondo. Lidi sets out find Ferramondo and learn the rope trick, but along the way she finds many other adventures. She meets Daniella, a little girl who seems to be able to see the future, and Julian, a young man on the run from the authorities who has a mission of his own. Read this fast-moving story to find out if Lidi learns to do the rope trick and what happens along the way.


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The Gawgon and the Boy by Lloyd Alexander

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
David has been very sick, and the doctor recommends that he not go back to school for awhile. His elderly Aunt Annie says that she will take him for few hours each day to help keep up with his education. This to David who sees Aunt Annie as a gorgon and develops a secret name for her: The Gawgon. After a short time, he changes his mind about her and together they begin a journey that will change David forever. I really enjoyed this story. It moved fairly quickly, and jumped back and forth between the story and the stories David was making up in his mind.


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101 Ways to Bug Your Teacher by Lee Wardlaw

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
In this book Sneeze, whose real name is Steve, is in middle school. He has a reputation at school from a book he wrote and sold the previous year at school called 101 Ways to Bug Your Parents. He is an inventor with a problem: inventor's block. We meet his friends Hiccup, Hayley, Goldie, Ace, Pierre, and many other interesting characters. While Sneeze is trying to figure out what to do about his inventor's block, his parents spring the news that they have arranged for him to skip 8th Grade and go straight to high school. But what will he do without his friends? Then, suddenly his two best friends, Hayley and Hiccup, are not speaking to him: Hayley because she is angry with him and Hiccup because he seems to developed a terminal case of hiccups. And to top it off, his parents have yet another surprise for him. This is an entertaining story, probably more of interest to middle schoolers than elementary students. It is surprising to find that the author used to be an elementary school teacher. It seems she has gone over to the "dark side" ;->.


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Anne of Windy Poplars by Lucy Maud Montgomery

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Anne of Windy Poplars takes Anne from her college years at Redmond to the principalship of Summerside High. These are the years that Gilbert, her fiance, is going to medical school so much of the story is told through Anne's letters to him describing events in her life. There were many heart-warming incidents in this story and Anne seems to be responsible for the happiness of many people she meets. I would recommend these stories to anyone who enjoys an old-fashioned romantic story about real people who lived a long time ago.


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Anne of the Island by Lucy Maud Montgomery

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a sequel to Anne of Avonlea in which we follow Anne through her college years at Redmond. Some friends from Prince Edward Island are also attending and Anne is growing up and learning to be independent. Anne and three girlfriends decide to rent a house together rather than staying in boarding houses and find the perfect place in Patty's Place, a charming house on the same street with mansions of millionaires. This story has slightly more adult themes than the last, including the death of a friend and the marriage of several friends. It seemed more romantic than Anne of Avonlea, and I had trouble putting it down.


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Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I never read these books when I was young, so I thought I would try one now and see what I think.

Anne of Avonlea was a charming story of a girl of seventeen who is becoming a woman. She serves as the schoolmarm of Avonlea school and continues to live with Marilla, who brought her through the past few years. The descriptions of Anne, her friends and pupils, and of Avonlea were detailed and beautiful. Although the vocabulary in this story is pretty advanced, the storyline itself is unobjectionable. I think that students, particularly girls, who want to be teachers might quite enjoy this story. I think that I may go back and read Anne of Green Gables now that I have read this.


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The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was given to me by a coworker. It is the story of a woman, Abby, who is walking on Ocean Beach in California with Emma, her fiance's daughter. Emma pulls her hand from Abby's and goes ahead, and in a few seconds of distraction on Abby's part, disappears from sight. The rest of the book is the engrossing story of the search for Emma and how life changes for Abby as a result. The book was very descriptive and detailed. Although it takes place mostly in California, Abby is from Alabama and several scenes take place there. The author is a native of Mobile, Alabama and mentions many places that only a native Mobilian would be familiar with, such as the Dew Drop Inn. This is definitely not a book for children, because of the frightening concept of a missing child and many adult themes in the story. It does not really qualify as a romance, but relationships play a large part in the story.


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Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
In this Richard Peck story, we meet Jake and Peewee McGrath when a tornado rips through their community tearing up part of "Beulahland"(the cemetery) on its way. While viewing the damage, which includes several unearthed coffins and their contents flung about, Peewee sees the still intact headstone for the former librarian of their community. Jake and Peewee try to make a living at selling gas and fixing flats at their "garage" by the side of the rutted dirt road. It is the beginning of the automotive age and a paved road will soon be coming along. Next, we see Peewee trying to get out of 8th grade graduation by getting thrown in jail. The only problem is that Peewee's real name is Eleanor. This is an entertaining story about small town life and the beginning of automobile racing, with a sideline in libraries and librarians as well as women's rights.


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Ladies Man by Elinor Lipman

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
The story of a man who left a woman not at the altar, but at the engagement party thirty years ago leads to an introduction to many interesting characters: three unmarried sisters in their forties who live together, an unmarried refloxologist with a yearning to have a baby, an unmarried financial advisor with a soft-heart, a sheriff's deputy who serves court papers when not looking after his unmarried sisters, a gallant doorman, and several others. This story shows how some people can make a major change with a minor push, but some people are what they are and will never change.


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Until the Real Thing Comes Along: by Elizabeth Berg

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a pretty good example of Elizabeth Berg's writing. Patty is in her thirties and the love of her life is Ethan, who she fell in love with in sixth grade. The only problem is that, while Ethan loves her too, he is gay. They decide to have a baby together, since Patty thinks that is what she really needs. This was a quick read, and not very challenging, but quite enjoyable.


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City of Light by Lauren Belfer

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
This adult novel was a recommendation from one of my listservs. It is a historical novel centered on the city of Buffalo, New York at the turn of the last century (1900). The main character is the headmistress of private school for girls. Much of the story involves the use of Niagara Falls to product electricity and the battle between preservationists and investors. I learned many interesting things about the production of electricity and also about President Grover Cleveland and President James McKinley as I read this book. The story tended to drag a bit, and at the end, I find that I feel unsatisfied with the outcome of the story. It didn't really have an unhappy ending, but it definitely was not happy. If you enjoy historical novels, this is probably a good example.


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Rakkety Tam by Brian Jacques
This was the story of Rakkety Tam, a squirrel warrior engaged in a battle against a wolverine, Gulo the Savage, who is seeking his brother and the Walking Stone. The story involves many battles between "goodbeasts" and "vermin", and many lives are lost along the way. We get to know several of these animals, both good and bad. If you enjoy Brian Jacques' Redwall books, you will probably enjoy this one as well. I found that it moved rather slowly and it took me some time to complete the book, but I am not a fan of battle scenes and find them difficult to read about. There was not any real graphic violence in this story, so it does have its place in an elementary library. I just need to find a way to sell it to potential readers.

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
In this fast-moving adventure, we learn about Peter, an orphan from London, and his friends who are put aboard a ship, the Neverland, to become servants to an evil king on a faraway island. Once he is aboard the ship, he meets Molly, a girl about his own age, who befriends him. This book takes Peter and his friends from London to a desert island far out at sea. Along the way, we find pirates, thieves, shipwrecks, mermaids, savages, a crocodile, and a treasure chest. These adventures serve as a prequel to J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan and show us how Peter and the “lost boys” come to be on their island. This was an action-filled story that was hard to put down.

The High King by Lloyd Alexander
Taran Wanderer becomes Taran Warrior in this last of the Chronicles of Prydain. Taran and his companions go to try to reclaim the sword Dyrnwyn from the hands of Arwan Death-Lord before all of Prydain is destroyed. Taran and Prince Gwydion raise an army to march against Arawn and recover the sword even if they must go to the gates of Annuvin, a place of death. In this story, Taran fully becomes a man and shows what he is made of. Read this heroic tale to discover what becomes of Taran’s love for Eilonwy and whether or not good can truly triumph over evil.

Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander
In this episode of The Chronicles of Prydain, Taran is on a quest to find himself. He wants to find out who his parents were and hopefully if he is of noble birth. He sets off with his faithful companion, Gurgi, and travels first to the Marshes of Morva to find out if the three enchantresses who live there can tell him who his parents were. He then travels throughout many realms of Prydain in search for his identity and has many adventures. He hopes to find the Mirror of Llunet, which may give him the answer he seeks. Does Taran find his identity? Is he of noble birth and thus worthy of the Princess Eilonwy? Will he survive this adventure? Read this exciting adventure to find out!

The Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander
Taran, the Assistant Pig-Keeper, and his companions return in another adventure in The Chronicles of Prydain. This time Taran and Gurgi escort Eilonwy to the Isle of Mona, where she will be trained as a proper princess by King Rhuddlum and Queen Teleria. On the ship to Mona, they meet Prince Rhun, the cheerful but inept son of the king and queen. Once on Mona, Taran finds his old friend Fflewddur Fflam, and meets again Prince Gwydion disguised as a shoemaker. It seems that Gwydion has discovered that the evil enchantress Achren is hunting for Eilonwy. Once again, the companions are called on to fight against evil. Read this episode to find out what happens to Taran and Eilonwy.

The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander
In the second of The Chronicles of Prydain, Taran, the Assistant Pig-Keeper, sets off on another quest to help Gwydion and other warriors to steal the black cauldron from Arawn and destroy it before Arawn can use it to create more invincible Cauldron-born warriors. He is joined again by the dwarf, Doli, the princess Eilonwy, Gurgi, and the bard Fflewddur Fflam. In this story, Taran has the opportunity to wear his first sword. He dreams of showing his mettle and being a hero, but once again things do not go as planned. He meets Ellidyr, the young prince with a thirst for fame, and Adaon, a valiant warrior who is both gentle and brave. If you enjoyed The Book of Three, you will enjoy this continuation of Taran’s adventures.

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
This is the first book in The Chronicles of Prydain. We meet Taran, an Assistant Pig-Keeper, who wishes to learn the arts of sword-making and fighting instead of his daily chores of looking after the pig Hen-Wen and assisting with daily chores such as hoeing the garden and feeding the animals. Taran has dreams of being a great hero, but one day when Hen-Wen runs away and he chases after her, he finds that being out in the world on his own is not all that he thought. He meets a rough-looking, ragged man and is surprised to learn that this man is Gwydion, a great war hero. In his adventures as he tries to recover Hen-Wen, Taran meets the Horned King, a part man part beast named Gurgi, Eilonwy, dwarfs, and many other strange and mysterious creatures. He knows that he must return home to Caer Dallben to warn them of the approach of warriors from Annuvin. If you enjoy fantasy and adventure, this is a book for you. There are 4 other books in The Chronicles of Prydain.

Party Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
In another "shoe" book by Noel Streatfeild, we meet Selina and her cousins. Selina has received a gift of a party dress and shoes from her godmother in America. It is near the end of the Second World War in England and there are very few excuses for a girl to wear a party dress. So, Selina and her cousins create a reason: a pageant which she and her cousins will write and produce. As time goes by, the pageant becomes even bigger than originally planned. How will the cousins find costumes for the pageant with rationing still in effect? When the nearby American camp gets involved matters escalate even further. In the meantime, Selina is thinking about her mother and father who are prisoners in Hong Kong, and worrying that she will outgrow the dress and shoes before she has an opportunity to wear them. Read this story to find out how everything works out.

Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
In this book, we meet Pauline, Petrova, and Posy, three orphans who have been adopted by Great Uncle Matthew and placed under the care of his great niece, Sylvia. The girls decide on the last name of Fossil for themselves, since that is what Great Uncle Matthew collected. Unfortunately, Great Uncle Matthew, or GUM as he was known by the girls, left on another expedition and was gone so long that the money he left began to run out. How was Sylvia going to find the money to keep the house and the girls? How was their education to be paid for? The answers can be found in this charming story about three orphan girls growing up and finding their way in the world.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

We first meet Eragon as a poor farm boy on a hunting expedition to provide meat for his family. He finds an unusual blue stone on his way and is gratified to realize that it should be worth enough to buy supplies for the family. The butcher in his village will not accept it in payment, so he takes it home where he later discovers that it is not a stone at all but an egg. He determines to keep the dragon that hatches from the egg a secret from his family and forges a close relationship with the dragon, Saphira. The book details the tragedy and adventure that follow as Eragon reaches maturity and realizes that he is fated to be a Dragon Rider. If you enjoy fantasy, dragons, and magic, you will like this exciting story. It is interesting that it was written by Christopher Paolini after he graduated from high school at the age of fifteen after being home-schooled for his entire life. The story continues in Eldest.

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett; illustrated by Brett Helquist

Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay are two rather unusual children who become involved in an art theft and find themselves working together to solve the case and save the priceless painting from destruction. The painting is A Lady Writing by Johannes Vermeer and is stolen from a museum by someone who claims to want the world to know about Vermeer and that many paintings attributed to him are actually forgeries. Calder and Petra find themselves drawn deep into the conspiracy when it seems that the thief will destroy the painting if his demands are not met. If you like puzzles and mysteries, you will love this book!

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl is a twelve-year boy who has developed a plan to rebuild his family's fortunes with fairy gold. His first step is to obtain a copy of the "Book" which reveals all fairy secrets. Then he must find a way to read the obscure language used in the book. His plan involves kidnapping a fairy, then ransoming her for a ton of fairy gold. But this is no "sugar plum" fairy, she is armed and dangerous. In this story of humans against fairy people, we meet all manner of magical people, including goblins, elves, trolls, dwarfs, and centaurs. Will Artemis Fowl succeed in his quest for fairy gold? Read this book to find out.