Book Review: The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

Tiffany Aching, age 9, is a responsible  and sensible girl. She makes cheese and watches after her sticky little brother. Generation after generation of Achings have been sheep herders.

But Tiffany wants to be something more. She wants to be a witch.

When creatures from Fairyland start invading her farm, she does what anyone would do...arms herself with a frying pan.

Luckily she has a better weapon. The Nac Mac Feegle, also known as the Wee Free Men, are on her side. They're tiny blue men with lots of tattoos. They love to fight and drink strong drink. Their battle cries are hilarious. We laughed out loud when they said, "They can tak' oour lives, but they cannae tak' oour troousers!" They're also always chanting, ""Nae king! Nae quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willnae be fooled again!" ***

Tiffany has mixed feelings about taking care of her brother all the time, but when he is whisked away by the evil Queen of Fairyland, she knows she doesn't have a choice but to save him...and of course, the Wee Free Men are more than anxious to help.

Once they are in Fairyland, the story gets a bit more complicated, with different levels of dreaming and reality.

This story is not only entertaining, but it has a multitude of life lessons. I read it after a friend said that it was a great analogy for becoming a leader. Because of this, I saw many great insights I may have missed. After a series of dreams, Tiffany realizes, "The secret is not to dream. The secret is to wake up. Waking up is harder."

Tiffany is a great character. She wonders about her lack of emotions. She knows she has a seed of greatness inside of her, so she seeks a mentor to help her become what she wants to be. After all, everyone starts small, "like oak trees". She believes in herself and does what she has to do.

In terms of age-appropriateness, I recommend this book for tweens and teens. Like I said, the Nac Mac Feegle love their strong drink. Also, Granny Aching, Tiffany's grandma, smoked cigars. The cigar packaging plays a large part in the story and is once said to look like a naked woman's sillouette if you hold the package just so.

I read it aloud to my kids, skipping the things aforementioned. Use your judgment.

***Funny story. One evening in AZ, the kids, in desperate need of a bath, were marching through the house chanting, "No baths, no showers, no soap. We won't be fooled again!"

Book Review: The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester

Piper McCloud is learning to fly. She has been able to float since she was a baby, but "flying doesn't come easy, even if you're a natural-born floater. Raw talent only gets you so far in this old world and the rest is a whole lot of practice, persistence, and perspiration."

The townspeople of Lowland County aren't too fond of Piper's new skill. Like Piper's mother, Betty, they believe that "If the good Lord wanted things to keep changing all the time, the the sun wouldn't rise up the same way every blessed morning."

Despite her parents wishes, Piper can't stay on the ground. She loves to fly. She was born to fly.

Government officials, Agent A. Agent and Letitia Hellion, come to take her away. They pretend there is a school for special people like Piper, called I.N.S.A.N.E. Unfortunately, the 'school' isn't all it's cracked up to be. It's all about making people (and other organisms) normal.

During her adventures, Piper learns a thing or two. She makes friends for the first time, learns to appreciate her parents, and chooses to fly no matter who is trying to hold her down. Most importantly, she discovers where she belongs. After all, "A person likes to feel like they belong somewhere."

This was an entertaining read, full of interesting insights and metaphors. I recommend it for teens and pre-teens. Toward the end, the 'dang' word is used twice. Other than that, I believe the book was completely clean.

On the cover, Stephenie Meyer is quoted saying, "It's the oddest/sweetest mix of Little House on the Prairie and X-Men. I was smiling the whole time (except for the part where I cried)....Prepare to have your heart warmed."  This quote gave Robby endless amounts of amusement...asking if I was enjoying X-Men on the Prairie...and yes, as a matter of fact, I was.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I recently finished reading Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (on my new Kindle  :) What a wonderful classic! I thoroughly enjoyed it...but I wonder if most teens today would struggle with it. It is long, and it isn't particularly exciting. It's just a picture of life in the 1800's. An idealistic picture full of morals...which might be unwelcome to some...but turned out to be just what I was in the mood for.

Page after page, I found myself drawing welcome advice from Alcott's wisdom. I almost saw it as a manual for motherhood hidden within a fun, romantic story.

Four daughters are being raised by their mother while their father is away fighting in the Civil War. The family struggles with poverty but tries to make the most of what they have. The sisters and their mother are close and loving as can be as they face trials together.

Here are some quotes that stood out to me...

Marmee (mother) was a "tall, motherly lady with a 'can I help you' look about her which was truly delightful. She was not elegantly dressed, but a noble-looking woman, and the girls thought the gray cloak and unfashionable bonnet covered the most splendid mother in the world." The maid said of her, "Some poor creeter came a-beggin', and your ma went straight off to see what was needed. There never was such a woman for givin' away vittles and drink, clothes and firin'."
-Wouldn't you like to have such things said about you? I would.

The girls often put on plays. What could be better, honestly? "It was excellent drill for their memories, a harmless amusement, and employed many hours which otherwise would have been idle, lonely, or spent in less profitable society." Yes! The value in spending time with our families and amusing ourselves together.

When the girls left the house, "they always looked back before turning the corner, for the mother was always at the window to nod and smile, and wave her hand to them. Somehow it seemed as if they couldn't have got through the day without that, for whatever their mood might be, the last glimpse of that motherly face was sure to affect them like sunshine."
-I want to be sunshine to my kids...not the tall person that growls when they don't make their beds.

"For love casts out fear, and gratitude can conquer pride."

When the youngest sister, Amy, is punished for something at school with a strike to the hand, it says, "She had been governed by love alone (at home), and a blow of that sort had never touched her before. The smart of her hand and the ache of her heart were forgotten in the sting of the thought, "I shall have to tell at home, and they will be so disappointed in me!"
-This is ideal, I think...getting our kids to want to do what is right. Not because it will free them of a spanking, but because Mom (and their Father in Heaven) will be disappointed...though always loving.

Marmee tells her daughter, Jo, how their father helped her by saying, "He never loses patience, never doubts of complains, but always hopes, and works and waits so cheerfully that one is ashamed to do otherwise before him...he showed me that I must try to practice all the virtues I would have my little girls possess, for I was their example. It was easier to try for your sakes than for my own." Later, in another teaching moment, she says, "If I don't seem to need help, it is because I have a better friend, even than Father, to comfort and sustain me. My child, the troubles and temptations of your life are beginning and may be many, but you can overcome and outlive them all if you learn to feel the strength and tenderness of your Heavenly Father as you do that of your earthly one. The more you love and trust Him, the nearer you will feel to Him, and the less you will depend on human power and wisdom. His love and care never tire or change, can never be taken from you, but may become the source of lifelong peace, happiness, and strength. Believe this heartily, and go to God with all your little cares, and hopes, and sins, and sorrows as freely and confidingly as you come to your mother."

"I'd rather see you poor men's wives, if you were happy, beloved, contented, than queens on thrones, without self-respect and peace."

I like that Marmee allows the girls to make some mistakes. When they desperately want a week off from their responsibilities, she allows them to make an experiment of it. She says, "I think by Saturday night you will find that all play and no work is as bad as all work and no play." To solidify her point, she and the maid take time off, too. As you can imagine, things don't run very smoothly when no one is cooking, cleaning, and making fires.

"The clocks were striking midnight and the rooms were very still as a figure glided quietly from bed to bed, smoothing a coverlet here, settling a pillow there, and pausing to look long and tenderly at each unconscious face, to kiss each with lips that mutely blessed, and to pray the fervent prayers which only mothers utter." Sound familiar? It's a special time at night, isn't it? Before mother snuggles into her own rest, she checks on her babies, makes sure their warm, uttering silent prayers for them?

Anyway, this post is super-long...but I wanted to share the inspiration this book brought to me.

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Book Review: Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Isn't Anne of Green Gables a perfect classic? We just finished listening to it.

Poor Anne has had a difficult life, moving from one house to another, always taking care of children, and then ending up in an orphanage. Although she doesn't pity herself, she longs for a home (with a large scope for imagination, of course).

Finally, someone wants to adopt her, and her little heart can hardly dare to hope it will work out. She almost falls apart when she discovers that Mathew and Marilla of Green Gables meant to adopt a boy and intend to send her back.

But who can resist Anne with her wild imaginings and endearing ways? She is a great character: well-drawn, imperfect but trying to be good, and quite entertaining.

Don't miss this book!

And now for a different kind of review...

We listened to Anne of Green Gables on LibriVox.org. This website has been a great addition to our homeschooling. Books that are in the public domain (in other words, classics published before 1923) have been recorded by volunteers. You can listen to them for free from your computer or download the mp3 and use it however you'd like!

We are now listening to A Christmas Carol while we do handcrafts together.

The only negative that I have found with LibriVox, is that sometimes you won't like the voice of the reader and sometimes different chapters of the same book are read by different readers. But...what do you expect? It's free!  The most popular classics have been recorded multiple times, so if you don't like one reader, you can always try another.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

Book Review: Heidi by Johanna Spyri

I just finished reading Heidi aloud to the kids. What a sweet story! 

Heidi is a happy, optimistic girl. She loves nothing more than being on the mountain, enjoying the flowers and goats, as well as her beloved grandfather and neighbors.

When she is taken away to live in the city with a wealthy family, to keep Clara company, both Heidi and her grandfather are very unhappy. Still, Heidi is able to form a deep friendship with Clara, who is ill and cannot walk.

Soon enough, though, Heidi is able to return to her beloved mountain air.

This Pollyanna-type book is full of joyful raptures, references to God and why he sometimes doesn't answer our prayers right away, loving relationships, forgiveness, and the joy of simple living.

We loved this book. I have to say, it can get a little slow at times, so I recommend it for experiences listeners (whether young or old) who can delight in passages about beautiful flowers and such.

Palace Beautiful by Sarah DeFord Williams

Palace Beautiful by Sarah DeFord Williams
Book Review by Emily

When Sadie's family moves to Salt Lake City, she discovers a secret room in the attic with a painted sign that says "Palace Beautiful". Inside, she and her new friend, Bella, find the diary of a girl who lived during the flu epidemic of 1918. When the journal ends suddenly, they find themselves caught up in the mystery. Did the girl die of the flu? Is she still alive? Did she lose the people she loved?

Meanwhile, Sadie's stepmom is pregnant, and since her mom died in childbearing, Sadie is afraid.

Palace Beautiful is...well, beautiful. It's a tale of mystery, history, friendship, death, family relationships, and growing up. The best part is this...the characters. Every character is so well-developed that you feel like you are their friend. I particularly got a kick out of Sadie's dramatic friend, Belladona Desolation, known as Bella. I also enjoyed Sadie's unusual color descriptions.

In full disclosure, Sarah Williams is a friend of mine. I actually did some critiquing for her on this story. That said, I know I didn't just love this book because I love Sarah. It. Is. Amazing. (Go Sarah!!!)

I recommend it for kids and up who know where babies come from (or who you're ready to have that talk with), because Sadie makes mention about how embarrassed she was when she found out where babies came from. There is also a little bit of romance. A very little bit, but Bella does kiss a neighbor boy.

People who enjoyed Shug by Jenny Han or A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban are sure to like Palace Beautiful.

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

Book Review: Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
Review by Emily

We recently listened to Island of the Blue Dolphins on CD (read by Tantoo Cardinal). I liked this book as a child, but couldn't remember much about it. The story captivated me and the kids.

Karana's father and many of the villagers on the island are betrayed by a hunting company and killed. After this incident, there are many more women on the island than men. The women take over some of the jobs of the men, but then contention sets in. They decide to leave the island.

When the ship is leaving with the villagers, Karana sees that her brother is still on the island. She jumps out of the boat to be with her brother. Unfortunately, her brother does not live long, and Karana is left alone on the island for several years, with only animals for companions.

Island of the Blue Dolphins is a tale of survival, friendship, and adventure. Karana is a powerful female character, who is brave and determined.

As mentioned, there are many deaths in this book, including that of a beloved dog. The book is appropriate for all ages, but may not be ideal for sensitive readers.

Forest Born by Shannon Hale

Forest Born by Shannon Hale
Book Review by me, Emily

I want to be Shannon Hale. Wow. I love this book. The writing is stunning, powerful, and poetic. Furthermore, the plot is unique and intriguing. I know I'm totally gushing here, but I'm working on a fairytale of my own, and toward the end of this book, I looked up and told my husband, "I want to write like this."

Besides, she's just an awesome human. If you ever get a chance to hear her speak, she's hilarious. Check out my interview with her here.

Okay, I'm ready to get to the story now.

As a little girl growing up near the Forest, Rin always felt comfort from the trees. When the trees stop filling her with peace and seem to reject her, Rin feels lost and lonely.

Her brother, Razo (remember him?) invites her to come to the city to see if it will help, but an unknown evil is threatening the kingdom. Rin follows Isi, Enna, and Dasha to fight an evil sorceress, but will she be able to help? She feels useless, but she'll find her own kind of strength.

All of these books are empowering. They have strong characters that you can identify with, and the unique settings always leave me longing for more.

Here's a short quote that I enjoyed, "No one had ever called her wild before. She was Ma's shadow. But she wanted to be wild now, for him. Wild seemed more enticing than a bowl of berries."

Isn't that cute?

I highly recommend the Books of Bayern for teens and adults who don't want to grown up like me. (There is one scene of kissing in this book-you know, not just a peck, FYI.)

Book Review: The Shakeress by Kimberley Heuston Book Review

The Shakeress by Kimberley Heuston

Review by Me (I could really use some reader reviews!!!)

We've all heard that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but I still do sometimes. I mean, I dive into some review books the moment I receive them. Others (I admit) sit on the shelf for quite some time. I'm afraid The Shakeress is one of the latter. Little did I know, it would be such a treat when I finally got around to it.

The Shakeress takes place in the early 1800's during a spiritual revival. Naomi's parents have recently passed away, and she feels the burden of caring for her siblings. Naomi decides to move in with a Shaker community that will take care of them.

Naomi helps with gardening and doctoring. She enjoys her work in the community, but, as she grows up, she feels the urge to move on.

She finds a position as a doctor, leaving her family and community behind.

What makes this book so great, are the characters. Readers will relate to Naomi, and in so doing, will look inside themselves for answers to life's great questions.

The Shakeress is an interesting glimpse into life during this historical period, and particularly into the lives of the Shakers and early Mormons.

For more historical fiction/non-fiction book reviews, click here.

Winter Wheat by Mildred Walker

Winter Wheat by Mildred Walker

Review by Julie Donaldson

Suggested audience: 16- adult

Winter Wheat is the story of a girl living on a dry wheat ranch in Montana in the early 1940’s. At the beginning of the story Ellen Webb is 18 and looking to her future—a future determined by each season, each crop of wheat, each hailstorm and snowfall.

This is a true coming-of-age story, covering a year and a half of Ellen’s life as she grows from a child to an adult. Raised by her stolid, quiet Russian mother and her frail New Englander father, Ellen knows little about the world and even less about love. She must come to understand her own parents’ relationship in order to understand herself and the world around her. In the process of understanding them, she learns that love, like dark winter wheat, can grow and survive amid the harshest of conditions.

Nature is an integral character in this story, and Walker writes as one who knows the land intimately. The natural world that she paints is full of symbolism and meaning. Walker’s characters are fully drawn—complex but knowable, and her language is almost poetic. Winter Wheat is a beautiful story of growth, understanding, forgiveness, and love.

Primavera by Mary Jane Beaufrand

Beaufrand, Mary Jane. 2008. Primavera.

Review by Becky Laney, frequent contributor.

Becky's Book Reviews
Young Readers
Reading with Becky

The Italian Renaissance. Two powerful families are about to feud--the Medici and the Pazzi--and our heroine, Lorenza, nicknamed Flora, is soon to be caught in the middle. Power. Wealth. Prestige. That's what it comes down to for most of the men and women in both families. Flora, on the other hand is different. Perhaps it is those differences which serve to her advantage when the power struggle plays out disastrously for her family. She, in fact, saves the life of her family's enemy. But while this act of kindness may protect her life--in the moment--her family--her entire family is at risk. When the Medici's strike back, everything she's known, everything she's loved (as well as a few things she's hated) will be stripped away. Does Flora have the strength, the courage to begin life anew? Is she as strong as her grandmother believes? Does she have anything to live for after all?

I loved this book. I did. The setting was remarkable. Okay, maybe that's the wrong word. For me, I found the setting fascinating. I found it rich and deep and lustrous. I'm not that familiar with it generally speaking, and the details swept me away. Maybe that won't be the case for other readers. But for me it was one of those books that was in the right place and the right time to completely capture my attention. Flora is a well-drawn character. She's strong. She's resourceful. She's complex. I was completely taken in by her and her world.

This is Mary Jane Beaufrand's first book.

The story is inspired by Botticelli's masterpiece La Primavera.

I'm Back with a Review--Crispin by Avi

Avi. 2002. Crispin: The Cross of Lead.

Review by Becky Laney, frequent contributor.

Becky's Book Reviews

Young Readers

Reading with Becky

I honestly didn't know what to expect from this one. Not the most clever way to start out a review, but true nevertheless. The cover. I was not easily won over with the cover. It is ugly and unappealing. It doesn't shout out "read me, read me." But I'd heard good things about it, of course, and it did win the Newbery in 2003. So I knew that I had to get past my initial misgivings.

Here's how it begins:

England, A.D. 1377 "In the midst of life comes death." How often did our village priest preach those words. Yet I have also heard that "in the midst of death comes life." If this be a riddle, so was my life. The day after my mother died, the priest and I wrapped her body in a gray shroud and carried her to the village church. Our burden was not great. In life she had been a small woman with little strength. Death made her even less. Her name had been Asta.

Our narrator is a young boy. At first, we only know him as Asta's son. Later his real name is revealed, Crispin. Here is a young boy, a peasant, tied to the land for life. But the day after his mother's funeral everything changes. (Or maybe it's the day of his mother's funeral.)

Told by John Aycliffe (boo, hiss) that he must return the ox to the manor since his mother is dead (and he's now an orphan) he is told that he can starve. His life, his welfare is of no concern for this substitute lord-of-the-manor. Upset, he runs into the woods. He's working out his emotions--anger, grief, confusion, etc., but a fall and a bump on the head changes his life. Or you could say saves his life. He wakes up at some point during the night. He sees two men. One is John Aycliffe (boo, hiss) and the other is unknown to him at that time. What he hears confuses him. He can't make sense of it. But when he is seen, he gets a sick feeling that his life is in danger.

He is able to get away and hide for the rest of that night and the day. But the next night, he makes his way to his trusted friend, the priest, Father Quinel. What the priest tells him doesn't erase his questions. If anything, it just adds to his confusion. He's told that his mother could read and write. He's told that he was baptized (albeit secretly) Crispin. He's told that he MUST flee for his life. That John Aycliffe (boo, hiss) has started spreading lies about him. Accused him of theft. Is offering an award for whoever kills him. The priest gives him a few things to do on his own, and makes arrangement to meet him again before the two part ways forever.

His errand? To go to Goodwife Peregrine's house and pick up a cross of lead. But on his way to meet the priest one last time, the time where all would be revealed, he is met by another man instead. A man who claims he comes in the priest's place. But something doesn't feel right.

Crispin doesn't know who he is or exactly why John Aycliffe (boo, hiss) is out to kill him. Why Aycliffe (boo, hiss) wants him dead so very badly. He doesn't know who he is or where he needs to go, he just knows that his life is in danger and he is being pursued relentlessly.

Crispin's journey could have been a lonely one. But he meets an unusual friend, a man called Bear, who takes him under his protection. Together they try to make sense of it all. But the journey won't be easy.

I loved this book. I can easily see now why it won the Newbery. I definitely recommend this one to lovers of historical fiction. Also for those that love coming-of-age novels.

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

Peck, Richard. 2000. A Year Down Yonder.

Review by Becky Laney.

A Year Down Yonder is the sequel to A Long Way From Chicago. However, this is not a novel in stories. Nor is it narrated by Joey Dowdel. No, A Year Down Yonder is the story of Mary Alice, the little sister that is almost-but-not-quite all grown up. The year is 1937. The Depression is making life difficult both in urban and rural areas. It is economic necessity which prompts Mary Alice's parents to send their daughter away. (Joey is sent away also, but not with Mary Alice.) Mary Alice is being sent to live with the vivacious, one-of-a-kind, sometimes embarrassing Grandma Dowdel. How will this "city" girl fit in with these country bumpkins? Will they accept her? welcome her? Not if the Burdicks have their way!

A Year Down Yonder is a treat. It's rich in detail, rich in humor, rich in heart and humanity. The characters, the place all come alive. Richard Peck is a pro when it comes to capturing the good, the bad, the ugly, and the laughable. Mary Alice does have a few adjustments to make, but this book captures her unforgettable journey, her coming-of-age in small town America.

If you haven't read A Long Way From Chicago, this book does stand alone. In case you're wondering. But I would recommend reading both books. Both books are such a joy, a treat, a delight.

Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

Fisher, Dorothy Canfield. 1917. Understood Betsy.

Review by Becky Laney, frequent contributor.

Becky's Book Reviews: http://blbooks.blogspot.com/
Becky's Christian Reviews: http://stand-firm-then.blogspot.com/
Young Readers: http://zero-to-eight.blogspot.com/
Reading With Becky: http://readingwithbecky.blogspot.com/

When this story begins, Elizabeth Ann, who is the heroine of it, was a little girl of nine, who lived with her Great-aunt Harriet in a medium-sized city in a medium-sized state in the middle of this country; and that's all you need to know about the place, for it's not the important thing in the story; and anyhow you know all about it because it was probably very much like the place you live in yourself.

Elizabeth Ann is an orphan raised by her great-aunt Harriet and her aunt Frances. The first chapter shows the reader just how life as she knew it was for Elizabeth Ann. To say she was coddled would be a bit of an understatement. To say that both aunts and niece were a bit psychologically unsound would be a bit closer to the truth. It's not that they're crazy crazy. It's just that they're anxious, jittery, nervous, worrisome, panicky, fidgety, chicken-little-y type people. They're sweet and docile enough, but they lack gumption and ingenuity and vitality.

Understood Betsy is the story of how Elizabeth Ann transforms into Betsy. It all starts when one of her caretakers gets diagnosed with an unnamed disease. (If they named it, I sure missed it. But I think the main point was to get the two aunts out of the picture.) Elizabeth Ann is sent to live with the other side of the family. Her aunt (Abigail) and uncle (Henry) and first cousin (Ann). They live in Vermont, I believe.

From the very beginning, Elizabeth Ann knew that she was entering the unknown. On her way to her new home--in the buggy--she has her first enlightened moment. "It is possible that what stirred inside her head at that moment was her brain, waking up. She was nine years old, and she was in the third-A grade at school, but that was the very first time she had ever had a whole thought of her very own." (21)

Her awakening, her transformation is entertaining enough and the descriptions of life and family are charming as well. I think some readers will love Betsy, understand Betsy; but I'd be silly if I didn't acknowledge the fact that some readers would find Understood Betsy to be boring or quaint. Anyway, long story short...I loved it. I thought it was great. If I had discovered this as a child--like my mother did and most likely my grandmother did--I'm sure I would have loved it. I'm sure I would have read it over and over again.

You can find the entire book--including illustrations--online.

Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer

Hope was Here by Joan Bauer

“Hope was here.” Those three simple words are how sixteen-year-old Hope marks her presence in a place she is about to leave, and Hope has made her mark in quite a few places as she and Addie, the aunt with whom she lives, travel around the country. The last place they left was Brooklyn, where Addie, a professional cook, was part-owner in the Blue Box Diner. When her business partner skips town with all the diner’s money, Addie and Hope have no choice but to move on. Their destination: Mulhoney, Wisconsin, where a job awaits Addie at the Welcome Stairways Diner.

After the bustle of Brooklyn, Hope doesn’t have high expectations for Mulhoney, feeling sure she will not fit into small town life. But she couldn’t be more wrong. In addition to waiting tables at the diner, Hope gets involved in local politics, helping her boss, G. T. Stoop, run for mayor. In her work on G.T.’s campaign, Hope sees both the best and worst in people, and finds something she has always wanted in an unexpected place. Hope truly is here, in so many ways. This is a heartwarming story, liberally sprinkled with humor. Recommended for age 12 and up.

Review by Lina

Attack of the Turtle by Drew Carlson

Carlson, Drew. 2007. Attack of the Turtle.

Last year, I read a nonfiction book about the invention of the first submarine, the American Turtle. (Bushnell's Submarine by Arthur Lefkowitz) ATTACK OF THE TURTLE is a fictionalized account of the invention and launch of the first submarine. David Bushnell, the inventor, comes to town and his brother and cousin (invented, fictionalized cousin) are there to help him every step of the way. Blending history with fine storytelling, ATTACK OF THE TURTLE is a fine story of a young man's coming of age. Nathan Wade, though tall for his fourteen years, has many fears. He's afraid of the local bully. He's afraid of the water. It's not that he lacks the ability to excel, he just lacks confidence in his ability. He thinks he's not good at farming. He thinks he's not good at fishing. He thinks that he'll never find a place where he fits in. And then the war starts. He thinks that there is nothing he can do. He's too afraid to fight--and too young. He feels lost and confused. His father is fighting in the army. His cousins are preparing to fight. Every day more men are joining the army and preparing to fight for what they believe in. Yet he's scared that he'll be picked on by a few local boys? It just doesn't seem right. Then he decides to fight a war of his own--a war against fear. Can Nathan learn about real courage? Can he make a real difference in his own way?

Attack of the Turtle is historical fiction at its best: a blending of everyday struggles that everyone can understand, and some important 'historical' events.

Posted by Becky Laney, regular contributor.

Becky's Book Reviews: http://blbooks.blogspot.com/

Becky's Christian Reviews: http://stand-firm-then.blogspot.com/

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

Hattie Brooks thinks of herself as Hattie Here-and-There, due to the transient nature of her life since the death of her parents when she was a young girl. Since that time she has been shunted from one relative to another, never finding that which she most wants, a place to call home. Now 16 and living in Iowa with Aunt Ivy and Uncle Holt, who aren’t her aunt and uncle at all, but distant cousins, and where she has made friends, learned to play baseball, and where she writes to her friend Charlie, a soldier about to be sent overseas, Hattie learns that she is about to be sent away yet again. Aunt Ivy has arranged for Hattie to take a job in a boarding house before she has even finished school. In 1917, when education for young women was not thought important, this is not such an unusual arrangement, but it does not please Hattie.

Hattie is saved from the boarding house, however, by an opportunity presented in a letter, a letter from someone she has never met. An uncle Hattie never knew has died and left her his homestead in Montana. Hattie seizes the opportunity to make a home for herself, takes her few belongings and what savings she has in the bank and buys a train ticket. In Montana, Hattie learns that there is still much work to do to prove up her uncle’s homestead, as well as a time limit in which to do the work. Undaunted, she sets about the task of working the land and making herself at home. She makes friends with her neighbors and supports her friend Perilee, whose husband Karl is becoming increasingly ostracized by distrustful residents because he was born in Germany, the country with whom we are at war.

Hattie revels in her successful endeavors and learns from her mistakes, all the while looking to the future when the land will be officially hers. She continues to write to and worry about Charlie, at the same time wondering how Traft Martin, a young man from a nearby ranch, has managed to avoid military service. Hattie eventually comes to think of herself as Hattie Big Sky, no longer Hattie Here-and There, no longer depending on someone else to provide a home, but a strong and resilient young woman who has learned to rely on herself.

Anyone who enjoys historical fiction has read countless novels about homesteading in the American West, but this one is a little different due to the time period in which it is set. It is a time of both horse-and-wagon and automobile, a time when the world is moving forward, yet keeps a firm foothold in the past. It is a story that allows us to see how the far reaching effect of a distant war plays out in a small community and the consequences it brings to everyday life. Recommended for ages 12 and up.


Review by Lina Crowell, Children's Librarian

In Search of Mockingbird by Loretta Ellsworth

In Search of Mockingbird by Loretta Ellsworth. 2007.

In Search of Mockingbird is a new book that feels like an old friend. Erin is a sixteen year old on the run. But it isn't like you might think. She's not running away from something, so much as she's running towards something. Since her mother died when she was a baby, Erin has felt disconnected. She has no memories of her mother, but she's tired of people telling her that she shouldn't miss what she never had. She feels an emptiness, a loss, that is very real. This void begins to be filled when she picks up a tattered copy of To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The book belonged to her mother and is filled with gems like these: "I love this part" and "Scout's father, Atticus, was much more than a man" (7). These notes and markings from her mother are like a tender message to her daughter. Since she first discovered it in the attic, it has become her most treasured possession. That is until her father gives her mother's diary to her as a birthday present. Now, these two possessions and a dream are her way to connect with her mother. Her dream? To go to Monroeville, Alabama, and find Harper Lee. More than anything, she wants to talk with this author who has created a bond between her and her mother. So on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, Erin sneaks out of her house and buys a one-way bus ticket. Along the way, she'll meet interesting characters who teach her some important life lessons. This book is a perfect illustration that sometimes the journey becomes more important than the final destination.
In Search of Mockingbird is beautifully told in poems and prose. Erin is a memorable character who showcases what it means to be human. What it is about--what it is all about--is a young woman's search for a deeper connection with life. She wants more. She needs more. The novel satisfies from cover to cover.
Unspoken lies are the worst kind. Scout said she was young when her mother died, and she never missed her presence. I was preoccupied with my mother at an early age, like a memory long gone that I yearned for. I think Dad missed her, too, even though he didn't say that he did. "Was Mommy pretty? Did Mommy have long hair?" "Yes." "No." Short answers masked in sadness. Did I say something wrong? Finally, I stopped asking. (69)

Posted by Becky Laney, regular contributor.

Becky's Book Reviews

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The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin

The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin. 2006

Call me prejudiced, but anytime the word “dog” is in the title of a book, I tend to regard it with suspicion. Is this another tragic dog story that is designed solely to make you weep??? Fortunately, the reviews (not to mention the cover and flaps) soon persuaded me that this was not that kind of ‘dog’ book. No, THE YEAR OF THE DOG is clearly a book about a Chinese-American family (or to bemore precise a Tiawanese-American family). The bookend events of this book is Chinese New Year. The book follows the life of a young girl, “Grace” (or Pacy) through the course of a year. Along the way she makes new friends, learns some important lessons, and learns more about who she really is. The highlight of the book for me was the character’s transformation as she begins to take pride in who she is and embraces her culture by writing and narrating a book for a contest at school. Another highlight for me--that I absolutely loved--was the storytelling nature of the book. Chapters would be interrupted as family stories were shared. I loved the whole atmosphere of this book.

The author, Grace Lin, has written several picture books. This is her first novel. “I wrote it because this was the book I wished I had growing up.” I consider The Year of the Dog an essential must-have for any collection, and a must-read for every child. It really doesn’t get better than this. And the good news??? I just discovered that there will be a sequel THE YEAR OF THE RAT coming in 2008!!!!

Recommended Readers: 7 and up.

Posted by Becky Laney, regular contributor
Becky's Book Reviews

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

Wow. I just finished Fairest by Gail Carson Levine. I thoroughly enjoyed this clean book. I enjoyed Ella Enchanted when I read it years ago. I enjoyed The Two Princesses of Bamarre recently. For me though, Fairest is the best book to come from Levine’s wonderful imagination so far.

Fairest is a retelling of Snow White, but if you think you already know the story, you are completely mistaken. This take on Snow White is completely original and interesting. First of all, Aza is not a beauty. In fact, people shun her for her ugliness to the point that she questions if she is actually part ogre. Aza does have one redeeming quality though. Her voice. She is the most amazing singer in a land where singing is greatly valued. In Ayortha, they sing more than they talk. They sing their conversations.

Aza is thrown into the middle of all kinds of adventures in Fairest. She fights a bipolar queen, tricks ogres, lives with gnomes, and falls for a prince.

If you remember Areida from Ella Enchanted, she is in Fairest. Areida's sister, Aza, is the main character in Fairest. Although these books are set in the same world, you do not have to read one to understand the other. They both stand alone.

I hope you like this one!
Recommended Readers: 8 and up.

Posted by me, Emily.

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