June 17th, 2006
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| Author: | Lynne Rae Perkins |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Children 12 and up |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Children 8 and up |
| Genre: | fiction |
| Year of publication: | 2005 |
Newbury-award winning novel. Each chapters unfolds from within the consciousness of a different young person in a group of young teens. It certainly is -- interesting.
One thing that's weird, though. Is that when you are always INSIDE the brains of the characters, it's hard to always keep track of what's actually happening to whom and/or whose brain you are inhabiting, even if it says so right at the beginning of the chapter. Not to mention that, once the novel is over, you still have no idea what the characters look like. |
This is not one of those books that's big on plot, either. So, I guess that means that it's not such a big deal when you realize that you have no idea what's actually going on.
Which isn't to say that we didn't like this book. It certainly is quite creatively written. What it's not is pull-you-in-and-never-let-up exciting.
-- Emily |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Criss Cross |
Posted in Conceptual: age 12 and up, Female protagonist, Fiction, Reading level: age 8 and up | Comments Closed
June 16th, 2006
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Posted in Conceptual: 8 and up, Death is a central theme, Fiction, History, Reading level: age 8 and up | Comments Closed
June 12th, 2006
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| Author: | Ruth Stiles Gannett |
| Illustrator: | Ruth Chrisman Gannett |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Children 5 and up |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Children 5 and up |
| Genre: | fiction |
| Year of publication: | 1948 |
Three whimsical tales; adults may feel that they are so whimsical that the plots become downright arbitrary, but the story involves young readers and the words are not hard. The hardcover presents the intricate black-and-white illustrations beautifully. |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: My Father's Dragon |
Posted in Conceptual: age 5 and up, Dragons and/or mythological beasts, Fiction, Reading level: age 5 and up, Science Fiction | Comments Closed
June 12th, 2006
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| Author: | Edward Ormondroyd |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Children 8 and up |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Children 8 and up |
| Genre: | fiction |
| Year of publication: | 1981 |
My young daughter liked the ending, in which the phoenix does what phoenixes do. The friend who extolled this book to her also warned her that she found the ending horrifying. |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: David and the Phoenix |
Posted in Conceptual: 8 and up, Death is a central theme, Dragons and/or mythological beasts, Fiction, Reading level: age 8 and up, Science Fiction | Comments Closed
June 6th, 2006
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| Author: | Karen Armstrong |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Sophisticated readers |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Sophisticated readers |
| Genre: | Non-fiction: Autobiography |
| Year of publication: | 2004 |
Thoughtful autobiography of a former nun turned writer about religious thought. |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Spiral Staircase: My Climb Out of Darkness, The |
Posted in Biography, Conceptual: highly sophisticated, Culture, Female protagonist, Gifted, Reading level: Sophisticated reader | Comments Closed
June 6th, 2006
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| Author: | Donald McQuade |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | College-prep |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | College-prep |
| Genre: | non-fiction |
| Year of publication: | 2003 |
The Seeing and Writing book is a very different book. It too is a book
for the entry level college (or perhaps advanced high school?) writer.
The over all premise of the book is that we live in a real world where
visual text messages have as much, if not more, sway than a full page
of text. Certainly, it is a much more interesting book to read and look
through and does not pretend to hold the act of writing to a separate
standard... a higher standard... than visual images. Rather, the book
attempts to have the reader ponder the significance of visual images,
text images, and the power of linking the two. |
The "voice" of the text is much more savvy. Perhaps a tad too trendy
for my country bumpkin kids. I am being somewhat selective on which
subjects/essays I will have my two work with in the text. There are
several exercises in the book that I think my highly visual kids will
respond to. The book is also linked to a website
which nicely extends the text. |
| Similar books |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Seeing & Writing 2 |
Posted in Conceptual: highly sophisticated, Homeschool, Reading level: College prep, Reading level: Sophisticated reader | Comments Closed
June 6th, 2006
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| Author: | E.L. Konigsburg |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Children 12 and up |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Children 8 and up |
| Genre: | fiction, historical |
| Year of publication: | 1973 |
Eleanor of Aquitaine and some of her friends hang out in heaven and discuss Eleanor's life and loves.
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Fascinating discussions about the Crusades, British and French history, religion, architecture, and the role of women in Medieval royalty ensue.
Illustrations, by the author, in the form of "miniatures" are lovely and fascinating.
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If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver |
Posted in Biography, Conceptual: age 12 and up, Culture, Death is a central theme, Female protagonist, Gifted, History, Reading level: age 8 and up | Comments Closed
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. |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Owls in the Family |
Posted in Animals, Conceptual: 8 and up, Culture, Fiction, History, Reading level: age 8 and up | Comments Closed
