Archive for June, 2006

Book review: The Professor and the Madman; A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of The Oxford English Dictionary

Tuesday, June 6th, 2006

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Author:Simon Winchester
Reading Level (Conceptual):Sophisticated readers
Reading Level (Vocabulary):Sophisticated readers
Genre:non-fiction
Year of publication:1998

Fascinating but depressing story of the life of the murderer who worked on the OED (one of our favorite dictionaries.)
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If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Professor and the Madman, The: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of The Oxford English Dictionary

Book review: Owls in the Family

Tuesday, June 6th, 2006

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Author:Farley Mowat
Reading Level (Conceptual):Children 8 and up
Reading Level (Vocabulary):Children 8 and up
Genre:biographical
Year of publication:1961

A boy's adventures with two adopted owls: one orphaned and one abused.

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Book review: The Orchid Thief

Tuesday, June 6th, 2006

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Author:Susan Orlean
Reading Level (Conceptual):Sophisticated readers
Reading Level (Vocabulary):Sophisticated readers
Genre:biography
Year of publication:2000

Study of a man obsessed with orchids.

The language is rough, but the book is well worth reading because of its fascinating descriptions of the orchids and the man and life in this particular stratum of Floridian society, which spans Seminole tribe members to British nobility.
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Book review: More Adventures of the Great Brain

Tuesday, June 6th, 2006

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Author:John D. Fitzgerald
Illustrator:Mercer Mayer
Reading Level (Conceptual):Children 8 and up
Reading Level (Vocabulary):Children 8 and up
Genre:biographical
Year of publication:1969

Second volume in the first person series of one of three Catholic brothers growing up in turn of the century Mormon Utah.

We were amazed at the similarities and differences between then and now. My 9 year old loved this collection of stories at least as much as she loved the first installment.
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Book review: Me and My Little Brain

Tuesday, June 6th, 2006

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Author:John D. Fitzgerald
Illustrator:Mercer Mayer
Reading Level (Conceptual):Children 12 and up
Reading Level (Vocabulary):Children 8 and up
Genre:biographical
Year of publication:1967

First person story of one of three Catholic brothers growing up in turn of the century Mormon Utah.

Warning: Each book in this series veers broadly from (usually) a very cheerful first few chapters, in which the happy life of the narrator's family is depicted to subsequent harrowing chapters in which death, danger, and/or permanent dismemberment often occurs. The books usually resolve relatively pleasantly, but my daughter had difficulty sleeping after reading some chapters. (Although she always insists on getting the next book in the series.)

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Book review: Mairelon the Magician

Tuesday, June 6th, 2006

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Author:Patricia C. Wrede
Reading Level (Conceptual):Children 8 and up
Reading Level (Vocabulary):Children 8 and up
Genre:fiction, magic
Year of publication:1991

My daughter says, "I really, really like the way the characters use magic in the world the author has built."

"Not as good as the Dealing With Dragons books," says my 9-year old. "But I love all the long words the author uses." (We read the first few chapters with the Oxford English Dictionary open on our laps, magnifying glass poised in our hands.) The plot in this one is just a little too complicated for anyone to follow. But we are already searching for a copy of the sequel. In fact, dd is determined to work her way through every book Wrede has ever written
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Book review: Language of Good-Bye

Tuesday, June 6th, 2006

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Author:Maribeth Fischer
Reading Level (Conceptual):For grown-ups
Reading Level (Vocabulary):For grown-ups
Genre:Fiction
Year of publication:2001

A novel about unexpected consequences.
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Book review: Johnny Tremain

Tuesday, June 6th, 2006

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Author:Esther Forbes
Reading Level (Conceptual):Children 8 and up
Reading Level (Vocabulary):Children 8 and up
Genre:fiction
Year of publication:1943

I read Johnny Tremain with my class. It is a good book about a boy named Johnny Tremain. He is living in the time of the revolutionary war. In the book Johnny learns many things. This book has a sad ending. I like it because it is interesting plus it has a lot of true historical facts. Fizzy, age 9

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Book review: Hotel World

Tuesday, June 6th, 2006

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Book review: Gone Away Lake

Tuesday, June 6th, 2006

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Author:Elizabeth Enright
Reading Level (Conceptual):Children 8 and up
Reading Level (Vocabulary):Children 8 and up
Genre:fiction
Year of publication:1957

Newbury Award winning novel. Kind of spooky adventure in which almost nothing happens but in an involving sort of way.
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