November 2010

Kidderminster Kingdom Tales

Submitted by Mama Szrama on Mon, 11/15/2010 - 14:47

I bought all 5 Kingdom Tales in one volume, so I will review them as one book, though they are also available as separate hardcover books. The Tales are: Sir Humphery's Honeystand, Mrs. Beaver & the Wolf at the Door, Nicolas & His Neighbors, Cornelius T. Mouse and Sons, and King Leonard's Celebration. Sir Humphery's story tells of the ungrateful servant. Mrs. Beaver is the persistent widow begging for help from an unjust judge. Nicolas the dog learns the meaning of neighbor love at the paws of his Good Samaritan, a cat. Cornelius T. Mouse lives out fatherly love on both of his sons, and King Leonard throws a party which only the sick and poor decide to attend. Sound familiar? Each tale is a retelling of one of Jesus' fairy tales, otherwise known as "parables." Christopher Lane's versions have (very human) animals as their subjects, and all take place in the Kingdom of Kidderminster.

By: 
Christopher Lane
Series: 
Kidderminster Kingdom Tales
Star rating: 
 
 
 
 
 

Kidderminster Kingdom Tales

By: 
Christopher Lane

I bought all 5 Kingdom Tales in one volume, so I will review them as one book, though they are also available as separate hardcover books. The Tales are: Sir Humphery's Honeystand, Mrs. Beaver & the Wolf at the Door, Nicolas & His Neighbors, Cornelius T. Mouse and Sons, and King Leonard's Celebration. Sir Humphery's story tells of the ungrateful servant. Mrs. Beaver is the persistent widow begging for help from an unjust judge. Nicolas the dog learns the meaning of neighbor love at the paws of his Good Samaritan, a cat. Cornelius T. Mouse lives out fatherly love on both of his sons, and King Leonard throws a party which only the sick and poor decide to attend. Sound familiar? Each tale is a retelling of one of Jesus' fairy tales, otherwise known as "parables." Christopher Lane's versions have (very human) animals as their subjects, and all take place in the Kingdom of Kidderminster.

Christopher Lane

Also called "Christopher A. Lane." Author of the Kidderminster Kingdom Tales.

Artemis Fowl

Submitted by Mama Szrama on Mon, 11/15/2010 - 14:07

Follows the first exploit of 12-year-old criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl. He comes from a long line of geniuses who amassed their gold by less-than-above-board means. With his father gone, and his mother so grief-stricken that she is confined to her room, Artemis has free run of the place, and has set his sights on fairy gold. Protected by his trusty bodyguard, the solid, loyal Butler, he cracks the code to a fairy book, and becomes familiar with their underworld's secrets. Familiar enough to kidnap a fairy-- Holly, a member of the elite "Lower Elements Police recon team." He may have bought off more than he can chew by holding her for ransom. Will he manage to have his gold and his life, too? Or will he and his entire family be blasted to nothingness by the fairy's ultra-high-tech "blue rinse" bomb?

By: 
Eoin Colfer
Series: 
Artemis Fowl
Star rating: 
 
 
 
 
 

Artemis Fowl

By: 
Eoin Colfer

Follows the exploits and adventures of the young criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl. He comes from a long line of geniuses who amassed their gold by less-than-above-board means.

Eoin Colfer

Author of the Artemis Fowl series. His first name is pronounced "Owen."

Feedback Needed

Submitted by Mama Szrama on Sun, 11/07/2010 - 21:27

Ok, friends-- I could really use your help! I'm trying to tweak the site's layout to make it more accessible to you, my visitors.

Would more organization by charts be helpful-- perhaps by age? What about having more book lists (linked to reviews as they are written)? These are some ideas from some feedback I've gotten, and I'd LOVE to hear more feedback! Please leave a comment or email me! Even a quick "yes, I'd like more charts" or "no, I really don't like lists" would be soooo appreciated.

Thank you very much!

In the Works...

Submitted by Mama Szrama on Sat, 11/06/2010 - 11:50

Reviews on these picture books:
-- The Big Picture Story Bible (David Helm)
-- The Kidderminster Kingdom Tales (Christopher Lane)

These chapter books for younger children:
-- Tales of the Kingdom (David Mains) & sequels
-- The Princess & the Goblin (George MacDonald)
-- the Charlie Bone series (Jenny Nimmo)

These for older children:
-- the Artemis Fowl series (Eoin Cooper)
-- the Dragon Keeper Chronicles (Donita Paul)

Please leave suggestions and/or comments so I know what would be most helpful! I've got so many books to review, I hardly know where to start!! :) I really want to serve YOU!

Time Cat

Submitted by Mama Szrama on Thu, 11/04/2010 - 21:42

Jason's cat, Gareth, reveals to him the secret of cats' "nine lives." They can visit 9 different lives; any place, any century. He takes Jason with him. Egypt, Rome, Britain, Ireland, Japan, Peru, The Isle of Man, Germany & the almost-independant British Colony in the Americas all are visited, with many lessons learned!

A wonderful overview of world history!

By: 
Lloyd Alexander
Star rating: 
 
 
 
 
 

The Lost Hero

Submitted by Mama Szrama on Wed, 11/03/2010 - 21:45

Jason awakens on a bus in the middle of the Arizona Desert, surrounded by kids his own age and being bossed around by a coach. He has no idea who he is, nor who the people around him are. They are soon attacked by storm spirits, and Jason instinctively knows what they are and how to fight them. He and two other students- Piper, who says she's his girlfriend, and Leo, who says he's his best friend- are rescued by Annabeth & Butch (a new demigod), and are flown to Camp Half-Blood. By order of Zeus, Mt. Olympus has cut off communication with all mortals, including Camp Half-Blood. Something strange is definitely going on. Chiron realizes who Jason is and where he is from, but won't divulge anything. Soon all three friends are claimed by their godly parents, and they are sent off on a quest to save Hera from an unknown super-powerful enemy. All along, Jason is trying to discover who he is, where he's spent the past 12 years, and why each of them has been selected by Hera for this quest. The fulfillment of the second Great Prophecy is being revealed.

I truly savored this book, relishing the slow revealing of the parallel Roman aspects.

By: 
Rick Riordan
Series: 
The Heroes of Olympus
Star rating: 
 
 
 
 
 

The Heroes of Olympus

By: 
Rick Riordan

Set perhaps 2 months after the conclusion of Percy Jackson & the Olympians, this series brings in a new set of central characters (Leo, Piper and Jason), with the advantage of a familiar setting (Camp Half-Blood) and favorite characters in the background. From Book 1's (The Lost Hero) end, it appears that several of our friends --Percy, Annabeth, Rachel & good ol' Chiron, as well as the Olympians-- will play central roles in the coming sequels as well. Other friends are hovering the background, popping in every now and then to help us get our bearings (Thalia, Clarisse & Nico to name a few).