Posts Tagged ‘religion’
Friday, September 18th, 2009
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| Author: | Khaled Hosseini |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Sophisticated readers |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Sophisticated readers |
| Genre: | fiction |
| Year of publication: | 2008 |
An amazing book, but sooooo sad... I wish Hosseini could have given it a slightly happier ending. I think it is cool that we were able to see an up close and personal view of Afghanistan, even if it was not really a joyful thing to see. It shows how ignorant, I at least, am about the rest of the world.
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I like how we get to see Amir's understanding of his life change as he grows up and figures out his needs and how to solve them (his need for forgiveness, of freedom of choice, and ideas, revenge...)
--Fizzy, age 14 |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Kite Runner, The |
Tags:afghanistan, book review, bullying, consequences of war, History, religion, suffering in war, war
Posted in Conceptual: highly sophisticated, Culture, Dealing with bullies, Death is a central theme, Fiction, History, Reading level: Sophisticated reader | Comments Closed
Monday, July 27th, 2009
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| Author: | Terry Pratchett |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Children 12 and up |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Children 12 and up |
| Genre: | fiction |
| Year of publication: | 2000 |
This was Pratchett's first Discworld book and it's one I have tried to read several times before without successfully finishing it. This past spring, it was just about all-Pratchett-all-the-time for my 14 yr. old and me. After reading and just really loving Nation, I decided to try this one one more time.
My least favorite aspects of Discworld are the elephant-riding-the-turtle parts (its creation myth). And in the first books of this series, that seems to be given a great deal of attention.
Which is why The Color of Magic is still not my favorite of Pratchett's many novels. On the other hand, this is the book in which the walking/attack-dog suitcase debuts, as does Pratchett's very special Death. Funny, scary, absolutely real if mythological, these are arche-typ-ical Pratchett creations.
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While I still did not love this particular story, I am more fond of it than I had been now that I have actually finished reading it.
-- Emily
Note: This novel is in Pratchett's Discworld series, which is not calibrated for young adult readers. |
If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Color of Magic, The (Discworld #1) |
Tags:book review, creation myths, Gifted, mythological beasts, myths, religion, walking suitcase
Posted in Conceptual level, Conceptual: age 12 and up, Culture, Dragons and/or mythological beasts, Fairy tales, Fiction, Gifted, Reading level, Reading level: age 12 and up, Reading level: Sophisticated reader, Science Fiction | Comments Closed
Sunday, July 19th, 2009
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| Author: | Phillip Pullman |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | For grown-ups
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| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | For grown-ups
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| Genre: | fiction |
| Year of publication: | 1999 |
This book is really cool: it doesn't have very much big vocabulary but it really goes deeply into the ideas of what is human or not and how our souls manifest themselves.
It also approaches the question of faith versus science, and blindly following versus scoping out your paths.
-- Fizzy, age 14
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As a parent, I have concerns about the themes and plot of this novel and the others in this series, which involve abuse and murder of children and other adult themes.
Please see The Golden Compass for my thoughts.
-- Emily |
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If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Subtle Knife, The |
Tags:book review, Gifted, Parenting gifted children, religion
Posted in Child-raising, Conceptual: highly sophisticated, Culture, Dealing with bullies, Death is a central theme, Dickensian, Fairy tales, Female protagonist, Fiction, Gifted, Parenting gifted children, Reading level: age 12 and up, Science Fiction | Comments Closed
Monday, March 13th, 2006
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| Author: | Richard Dawkins |
| Reading Level (Conceptual): | Sophisticated readers |
| Reading Level (Vocabulary): | Sophisticated readers |
| Genre: | Non-fiction: Science |
| Year of publication: | 1990 |
Richard Dawkins' take-no-prisoners-style riff on how evolution has made all of us. |
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If you found this review helpful and/or interesting, consider supporting our book habit: Buy this book!: Selfish Gene, The |
Tags:book review, evolution, Gifted, history of science, non-fiction, religion, Science
Posted in Animals, Conceptual: age 12 and up, Conceptual: highly sophisticated, Culture, Dealing with bullies, Gifted, History, Reading level, Reading level: age 12 and up, Reading level: Sophisticated reader, Science | Comments Closed
