Book Description

Reviews (2)

Suprising Seaman by:JPD grade5
This stunninng book is about a gentle, unique, imprissively large dog named Seaman. This enormous dog was sold to Meriwether Lewis to take on his expodiation. Together,Lewis and Seaman explored the West. They fit together like a door in a doorway. Their friendship was rare. While they explored, they met Indians. The Indains called Seaman, 'Bear-dog.' This phenaminal book is for readers on a 3rd to 5th grade reading level.

A Real Page Turner By:DLS Grade 5
This phenomenal book told a rich about the adventures of a dog with his masters, Lewis and Clark. This volouminous story begins with Seaman, a brave dog, but a young lonsome inexperienced puppy. One day a weary traveler named Meriwether Lewis asks two soldiers on the docks he was stationed at where he could get a dog. To his luck they end up giving him Seaman.
Seaman gets his first trial. The men are starting to get hungry. Seaman spots a large group of beavers down stream. He decides he could help the crew. He succedes, but while the crew is eating they find that Seaman was hurt. They quickly tend to his hurt leg.The next day Indians start coming out of the bushes from all angles and are heading right for Seaman.
This book was a good read and I recomend this book to you! ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Homer's mighty epic poem, The Iliad, is the earliest written literature of Western civilization. Adele Geras, best known for her trilogy based on Sleeping Beauty, takes on the seemingly impertinent task of retelling the siege of Troy as a young adult novel, but manages to carry it off without trivializing the original. The great battles of the bronze-clad warriors and the clashes between Achilles and Hector and Odysseus are seen at a distance from the walls of the city, where the Trojan townsfolk gather to sit each day and cheer the action like spectators at some archaic football game.

The passion of Helen and Paris, Hector's farewell to his ill-fated infant son, and other familiar domestic scenes are seen from a closer perspective, through the eyes of the four teenage protagonists. Marpessa is Helen's young servant, and her sister Xanthe is nursemaid to Hector's baby son, while Iason, who is secretly beloved by their friend Polyxena, tends the horses and yearns for Xanthe, who has a crush on Alastor, who has impregnated Marpessa. These complicated, interlocking infatuations and love affairs work themselves out against a background of siege and bloodshed watched over by the gods. Artemis, Mars, Poseidon, and Pallas Athene appear in visions to reveal their plans to the characters (and to us), but their words blow away like mist as soon as they are gone. Meanwhile, the bawdy gossip of three old serving maids in the kitchen emulates a Greek chorus. The story winds to its inevitable destination with the emergence of the Greeks from the wooden horse and the bloody sack of the city--a suitably violent end to an ancient and violent tale. (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Troy
Troy is a magnificent book depicting life for ancient Greeks and Romans. It required a little homework to understand all of the gods, but it was worth it. After picking apart this book, it did not take me long to realize that this book was truly about love. All that happened in this book had to do with love. The sacrifices, the sisters, and even the war. Adele Geras beautifully depicts what happened in the raid of Troy, and even though it was a bit gory, you could really feel what it would have been like to be there. The author has a terrific way of writing, where you can truly connect to the characters, and you want them to succeed just the way that you would want a close friend to. Because this book has so many characters, it's a little confusing following who the chapter is about, but the scene banners at the beginning of each chapter help. I also enjoyed the gods participation in this novel, foreshadowing the whole time. It just made me want to keep reading even more. I encourage anyone who's looking for an interesting, exciting, and challenging book to pick up Troy.

Side-Story in the Epic of Troy
The book, Troy, was written in a very different style than I'm used to. It centers on two sisters: Xanthe and Marpessa. They live in Troy, Xanthe as nursemaid to Lord Hector's son, and Marpessa, an attendant to Helen.
The story tells of the events of the sisters' lives before and after the Greeks destroyed Troy. Some parts were very evocative, and the plot was very interestingly portrayed. Adele Geras's setting very vivid, and her characterization was well done.
Though I really disliked many parts, the story was well written, and at times leaves you to imagine what's going to happen afterwards, particulary in the end.
I'm still undecided whether this book makes my top ten list of books, but it's still a good read, and I enjoyed it.

Disappointed....
I simply can't tell you how sorry I am that I cannot be one of those who raves about this book. Being a young adult myself, when I found this book in the Young Adult's section of the bookstore I was thrilled. I am sure many people can relate when I say that the Trojan War has always fascinated me. When I bought this book I couldn't wait to dive into the story.
I bought this book fully prepared to be blown away because of all the amazing reviews and awards circling it. But boy, was I disappointed. I realize that because I am young I may not yet appreciate this sort of thing but I was absolutely shocked by the...erm...shall we say...explicit material in this book. Every time I pass this book, proudly displayed in the Young Adult's section in the bookstore, I can't help wondering what some parents will think when they peer over their 11-year-old's shoulder and find them reading some of the worst parts of this book.
Now, this book is like a soap opera in print, which is not always a bad thing, and there are very many parts where the character's feelings hold the largest piece. But for some reason (maybe it's just me) I found that, although the author was writing words that described the character's feelings it all felt surface-like to me. For a book so full of emotions none of the feelings expressed felt as deep as in some other books I've read; they just felt like words on a page.
The characters in this book were all original and the author's imagination and portrayal of some of the best known characters in the Trojan War was something different and there were personalities that I enjoyed discovering. This book could make a great PG-13 or even R rated movie, but as a book it was a little disappointing.

a classic
if you know the story, or have read 'the Iliad' (Troy)...then you must read this! its a neat story. Geras highlighted characters that were hardly, or have never been mentioned within the original epic Troy. She viewed the story from the Trojan's perspective..It all ends the same way- hardly some parts of it was distoredly narrarated if you were to compare it from the original version (on how the war went on). But, the ending kind of left me hanging...what happened to Xanthe? Adromarche? Guys and Gals - This book is WAY better than the movie even if Mr. Pitt was in it!

Best book ever!!!!
This book was amazing! It totally shed new light onto the Trojan War. It was awesome because it's like reading a soap opera, and yet it's historical fiction, so there is some truth to everything. This book is a better way to learn history; more kids would want to learn if every historical event was put into historical fiction like this book was. Troy made the Trojan War real, and made it interesting, instead of reading the entire lIlliad. Even though it is for more mature people due to some explicit parts, Troy is a "two-thumbs up" kind of book! ... Read more

Book Description

Pirates takes youngsters on a high-seas adventure, featuring some of themost notorious buccaneers in history! Full-color illustrations and photographs revealdetails about pirate captains, their crews, and ships. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

educational and fun!
This book was great fun, and educational too. Very nice illustrations on every page, and nice ones too. Book tries to tell what a Pirates life was like, at least the best way you can describe it to an elementary school student. That is the age this book fits best. Has a neat replica of the "pirates Code of Conduct", which really is the warped honor among thieves rules they went by. Examples of real pirate flags. Briefly touches on few famous real pirates too.

If yopu like this one, check the other great book "Cowboys" from this series/publisher. It is even better than this one!

My 6 year old son absolutely loves this book!
The book talks about actual pirates and their adventures. My 6 year old son absolutely loves it.

A Great Pirate Book
I am the mother of two boys ages 3 and 4. They love this book. The story and pictures keep their attention and this is the first book they often ask for. An easy read as a parent. An excellent buy.

PIRATES: A great book for young children !
The book, Pirates, is a great overveiw about the lives the pirates led. It has wonderful illustrations and kept the interest of my 5-year-old son. It has factual places, events, and pirates. Excellent for young children who have an interest in the robbers of the high seas. () ... Read more

Amazon.com

"I look up now into the oval mirror and see barely a trace of the mud-splattered girl tearing through the woodland on her horse, or the barefoot girl wading at Schonbrunn... I have become what Mama set out for me to be. Majestic. A Dauphine and eventually a Queen."

So writes the headstrong 13-year-old Maria Antonia--future Queen of France--in her diary on October 23, 1769. In this engrossing addition to the Royal Diaries series (Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile), Kathryn Lasky invents a diary of the young Marie Antoinette in 1769--the year she is to be married off to Dauphin Louis Auguste, eldest grandson of the French king Louis XV. Arranged marriages were common in that day and age--as the Empress Theresa (of the Holy Roman Empire of the Germanic Nations) sought to consolidate power among nations by marrying off her children. Thus, the future of Austria and France falls upon Maria Antonia's young shoulders.

To prepare her for this awesome responsibility, she must be trained to write, read, speak French, dress, act... even breathe.Things get even more grim as she is shipped off to the court of Versailles and introduced to her puffy, awkward future husband and confronted with the court's ridiculous customs. Marie--an opinionated and insightful young woman--mocks the court of "impeccable etiquette and manners" that makes up nasty rhymes about those they hate, but panics when her hair is mussed. Lasky has done an excellent job of creating a very human character in the young Marie Antoinette--one whom young readers will want to learn more about. Fortunately, her story is given plenty of context with an epilogue describing the history of the young Queen after 1769, a historical note offering an 18th-century context, a Habsburg-Bourbon family tree, and various portraits of the royal family. (Ages 9 to 13) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (82)

A look at Marie Antoinette as a vulnerable young girl.
The year is 1769; the place, Austria. The pressure is on thirteen-year-old Maria Antonia, youngest daughter of the Empress Maria Theresa, to excell so that she will be chosen to marry the future king of France. Antonia, as she is called, must learn French language, fashions, customs, and etiquette so that she can impress the king's messengers. She is given no time to act her age; when she does attempt to enjoy life as a girl should, she is severely punished. When she is sent away to France, her life is little better - she makes enemies of the mistress of the current king, who is the grandfather of her husband-to-be. She is forced to observe customs she can barely keep straight. And she is having a hard time getting along with her fiance. I viewed Marie Antoinette differently after reading this book. It was obvious from the book and the afterword that Marie and her husband were not trained well by their parents and teachers on how to become good rulers, and Marie had been taught from the time she was young that the most important thing was to look good. This is most likely why they became such bad rulers and ended up losing their lives.

The Last Dauphine of France
"Marie Antoinette, Princess of Versailles" is a wonderful edition of the Royal Diary Series. Kathryn Lasky went all out on research and detail.

Born Maria Antonia, Marie Antoniette was the daughter of the Empress Maria Theresa of Habsburg. This book recalls her years before and during the early parts of her marriage with the Dauphin, Louis Auguste (soon to be Louis XVI). She loses many friends on her journey to become the future Queen of France, not knowing she would be the last.

This time in her life, depicts Antonia's (affectionately named by her mother and austrian friends) childhood in a naive carefree way such as it is with many young rich royals. The fussing of her marriage to Louis Auguste. The politics and the resentment given to Madame Du Barry, mistress of Louise Auguste's grandfather, King Louis XV. Lasky tells all, the culture, the fashion, the politics, and the ridiculous etiquette of the court at Versailles.

Marie Antoniette could have been a spoiled child as many thought but she was all too naive about the realistic world. She could have very well turned into that rueful Queen because of the arstictocrats and hypocrites at Versailles. Even though the story has 'happy' beginning, Toinette (affectionately named by Louis Auguste) will lead a tragic life to uprise the revolution of France and to end the French Moncarchy.

Perfectly FUN!
i thought this book was wonderful,very descriptive!! it is a fun,light summer read. It really describeS all the lavish clothes and crazy fashions of the time.

Best book ever!
This is a wonderful story! Is makes a great summer reading chalange! It really gives you a feel for the time, and how you would feel if you were in her shoes. I would recomend this book to any one who was looking for historical fiction. Best for pre-teen to teen

Get this book if you love history
I loved this book! It felt like I was really there and intimately knew Marie Antoinette as a young girl back in time. A great book for young girls interested in history. ... Read more

Book Description

The dogs on Flavia's street have started dying mysteriously, and she is determined to find out why. Her investigation leads her to three extraordinary people: Jonathan, her new neighbor; Nubia, an African slave; and Lupus, a mute beggar boy. The four embark on a search for the killer&150and that's when the excitement begins ... Read more

Reviews (11)

DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!!!!!
The book I am reviewing is a fictional story.
It is an adventure / mystery set in Ostia the port of ancient Rome in the year 79 AD.

The main characters are four children, Flavia Gemmina a Roman sea captains daughter, Nubia an African slave girl, Jonathan a Jewish boy and Lupus the mute beggar boy who become friends. The book is about who is killing the dogs of Ostia.

My favourite bit of the story is when they found that there were only two people that could have done the killings of the dogs but they don't know witch one did it and when they discovered the tomb of the Girl that was killed by a mad dogs bite.

I feel quite sorry for them because they are always in dangerous situations. My favourite character is Lupus because he's the bravest.

I'd really like to meet them in real life because I'd get myself into big scary adventures.

This book is 195 action packed pages long together with maps and my one is signed by the author.

I would recommend this book for age seven and upwards. To Boys and Girls, especially if you are interested in history.

Anyone who is of a nervous disposition, pregnant or if you have a weak stomache or has heart-disorder
DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!!!!!

By
Ollo Weguelin

A CAPTIVATING READING
Bookstores are awash with detective/thriller stories boasting female protagonists. Yes, we have met quite a few brave, clever gals who can solve a mystery without chipping their manicures. However, I venture to say there are none like Flavia Gemina, introduced in Caroline Lawrence's debut novel.

You see, Flavia is a Roman sea captain's daughter who lives in 79 A.D. She's a carefree young miss who lives with her Dad in the port city of Ostia. She's also an animal lover, so when the dogs on her street start dying she is bound and determined to find out who is killing them and why anyone would perpetrate such senseless acts.

Kim Hicks, a very talented Brit who has performed in praiseworthy one-woman shows, gives captivating voice to Flavia and her buddies - including neighbor Jonathan; Nubia, a slave girl; and Lupus, a mute beggar boy.

As the group sets about solving the mystery they uncork a genie's bottle of adventures, escapades, and narrow escapes.

Listeners will particularly enjoy the setting of this tale as they learn something about life in ancient Rome.

- Gail Cooke

the thieves of ostia
the thieves of ostia is a wonderful book.It is part of the Roman Mysteries. The second book is called The Secrets of Vesuvius. The Pirates of Pompeii is the third book. These books are set in the year 79 A.D. The Thieves of Ostia is about four kids. Flavia is the main character. Jonathan lives next door to Flavia and became her friend. Lupus is a boy who Flavia and Jonathan find and he had his tongue cut out, so he can't talk. He can only use signlanguage. Nibia is a slave girl who Fiavia's dad buys her from an ugly slave dealer. Nibia can't speak Engilsh and Flavia dosen't use her as a slave.The mystery in this book is when someone start beheading dogs,and taking there heads.The four kids don't know who did it but there determined to find out.I like this book because I like mysteries and if you do like myteries you will love this book!

The theives of ostia
The Theives of Ostia is the first of an amazing series of 6. It begins in Ostia, port town of rome in about 90 ad. 4 children meet up to solve a mystery, this book contains many cliffhangers and shocks that will send your mind reeling. Secrets and lies tangle up in this book and at the end all ends meet. The Theives of Ostia contains magnificent historical detail, many classic teachers use these books as reference for their teaching. This book also shows how the tension mounted between pagans, jews and christians in the great roman empire. This book is marvellously entertaing as well as educative! The most entertaining part in the books is when you expect something to happen but it always happens in the opposite way that you would have imagined. The theives of Ostia even contains slight humour. But this book is not all about adventure and small children, it has love and the feelings of rejections. Some deaths in this book have brought me to tears, this is a truly emotional novel. The reason I chose this rating is because this book contins a touch of every style of writing possible and merges it together, it combines the best with the best! A competiter worthy of J.K. rowling. A must read for all children intrested in the roman empire!

fast-paced story, but annoying distortions
This fast-paced story leads young readers through an action-packed adventure while
trying to introduce them to Roman life in the first century CE. While the story
grabs the reader's interest from start to finish, historical distortions abound.
Historical objects and their uses are described well in context, and the violence of
everyday life feels realistic. But social relationships are modern and contrived.
Twenty-first century cultural diversity is forced upon the cast of characters so that a
rich sea captain's daughter, a Jewish/Christian convert boy, a black Nubian slave,
and an abused tongueless beggar boy become instant friends to solve a crime.
Unrealistic depictions of human nature, scientific fact -- even dog behavior --
distract from the story at every turn. The special thrill of historical fiction, of
immersing oneself in a different time, is missing here. ... Read more

Book Description

Scagawea, a Shashone Indian, guided and interpreted for explorers Lewis and Clarke as they traveled up the Mississippi, but she had adventures long before that one, like the time she was captured by the Minnetarees, and taken away from her family and everything that she knew and loved....
... Read more

Reviews (20)

My Favorite Scott O'Dell Book . . . so far!
This story took place in the Louisiana Territory during the early 1800's. The main character is a thirteen year old girl named Sacagawea. Other main characters are people in the Lewis and Clark expedition, her French husband, and her baby boy Meeka. Her husband, Charbonneau, was an ugly, cruel man who she was forced to marry because she was a Minnetaree slave. Clark, on the other hand, was handsome and kind and she loved him at first sight. Sacagawea went with the Lewis and Clark expedition so she could help guide them through the Louisiana Territory. They wanted to reach the North Pacific Ocean. Their journey held many difficulties including near starvation, floods, and frost bite. Do they make it? Does Sacagawea marry Clark? This is a great book. You should read it. Scott O'Dell is a wonderful writer. Out of all the Scott O'Dell books I've read, this one is my favorite.

Her Heart was Her Compass
This book is a fictionalized account of two years in the life of a young Shoshone girl, called "Bird Woman" in her own tongue. Kidnapped by a raiding tribe, whose language she must learn, she is enslaved and groomed for the chief's son. Something about Sacagawea excites the interest of several warriors during the course of this story, but she is forced to marry a sly, truculent French trapper named Charbonneau, by whom she has a son at only 14.

While attempting to maintain historical accuracy (based on Clark's journals), O'Dell weaves an interesting tale of suppressed emotions, greed and jealousy, sacrifice and intrigue in wilderness America. The famous Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804/5 was commissioned to explore and document the geography, geology, flora and fauna of the newly purchased Louisiana Territory for President Jefferson. With the presumptuous claiming of Native American land as far as the
Pacific coast. This ardurous journey to the salty ocean, with her infant son on her back, was undertaken in simple faith and steadfast loyalty to the copper-haired captain. Yet the return proved a trail of unshed tears by the devoted young mother, who realized that the famous white man would never marry an Indian woman and be demeaned as a squaw man.

This story will appeal more to girls, since it is narrated in the first person by Sacagewea herself. Fort Clatsop, where the party wintered near the Washington/Oregon border, has been reconstructed for tourists interested in America's Western history. Of note: the courage of this brave Indian girl has been preserved (with son on back) in a recent commemorative coin.

Streams to a little Boredom but Rivers to History
It was a good historical book, but at some parts it was slow. It was interesting to see Sacagawea's side of the story, not just Lewis and Clarks. It is a good book if you are studying the Lewis and Clark expedition, or if you want to find out about it. The story tells of Sacagawea's hardships throught the journey and what happened before Lewis and Clark even hired her. It is very interesting how she comes to love Clark, but she is already married.

Streams to the River; River to the Sea
This is a fantastic book that portrays the life of Sacagawea. It tells about her life from the time she was captured by the Minnetarees to when she leaves the Corps of Discovery at the end of their journey. It is a great read and very informative.

Fiction, but not Historical Fiction
Before I read the book, I saw the PBS documentary about Lewis and Clark. After reading the book, I double checked the information with the journals of the men of the Corps of Discovery. The first mistake the book made was that it said Sacagawea had learned English, and translated for them. However, she had not learned English at this time. The true translation process worked like this: Lewis or Clark would tell someone something in English; a member of the expedition would tell it to Charbonneau in French. Charbonneau would then translate it to Sacajawea's native language, and then she would speak to the Indians they met in their native language (if she knew it.)
One of the many other problems with Scott O'Dell's version, was that he made it sound like Captain William Clark was in love with Sacagawea, and she was in love with him. There is no proof that he was in love with her, but according to the journals, he did show compassion on her by trying to protect her from Charbonneau, who would often beat her.
Overlooking many small mistakes, I also must point out that Captain Lewis's Newfoundland dog was actually stolen, where in the book, it says that Captain Lewis gave Sacagawea the dog.
The end was the most disappointing part of the book. Once they reached the place where Sacagawea and her husband had started the journey, Captain Clark came to speak to her. He basically told her what he thought of her: that he didn't love her, and that he thought of her as a child. This led her to pack up and leave-the book ends with her riding away. Away from her husband whom she hated, and Captain Clark who she thought she loved. Away to the Shoshone people she truly loved.
However, this is not very accurate. It is known that Sacagawea stayed with Charbonneau at Fort Mandan for a month or two. Captain Clark invited the whole family to come to St. Louis so that her son could be educated. It is also known that they stayed there at least five years. In 1811, Charbonneau sold his land to Captain Clark and moved back to the Dakotas. Jean Baptiste, their son, was left in the care of Captain Clark. He became a trapper and guide who worked with Kit Carson, Jim Bridger and other explorers. He was fluent in French, German, Spanish and English as well his native Shoshone. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

My favorite book
I really liked this book. My favorite character was Wolf. I liked the ending part best where something happens to Wolf and Fritha, but you'll have to read the book to find out how it ends. When we started to read it, it became interesting, so I listened and liked the whole thing.

A great introduction for children to this time period
This book centres around Wolf, a boy whose father was a Briton, brought to Rome as a slave in the 6th century, and set free by Pope Gregory. Pope Gregory had a concern for the propagation of the Gospel among the "heathen" Saxons in Britain, so he sent a group of monks, led by Augustine, to Britain. Wolf and his father go with them. They land there in 597, and the story follows Wolf as he returns to the land of his fathers, and as the Gospel is preached in Kent. My children, aged 7 - 13 enjoyed this story being read to them, and it really complemented our study of the time period. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Review
This is about King Spartas and his wife, Helena. Helena runs off with a Trojan man and she falls in love with him. This angers the king so he gathers an army of Greek troops too to go retrieve his wife. The Greeks made a plan to get into the city of troy and take Helena from the Trojans. They built a huge wooden horse and they set it outside the shores of troy. Once it was inside the city, the Greek troops that were hiding inside came out and attacked the city of Troy. They ended up winning the battle and getting the girl back.
I think this book did a really good job at describing the events that took place in the battle to get Helena back. I think it is a good book for children to read cause it can tell them about the story while keeping their attention. I think a lot of books that are about mythology do not good a good job in that aspect but this one did. I think the author was trying to write a book about the Trojan wars that would really grab a child's attention and this one does.

good history resource
This step into reading book is geared for 2-4 grades. The chapters are short and fully illustrated. The sentences are kept short but the story still remains interesting. There is a pronunciation guide at the back of the book for those unusual names like Menelaus. Great reading for a unit study on Ancient Greece. ... Read more

Reviews (140)

The most realistic book ever (so far that I've read).
This book was tragic But adventureous. I felt like I was Hattie. It is about a girl who leaves her hometown in Booneville, Missora and heads out west to Oregon. Their are a lot of deaths in the story but none of Hattie's family members died on the Oergon trail so don't worry. I'm eight and I didn't have nightmares for a week but if I were you I would not let anybody under eight read this. they may get scared. There are great characters like Pepper, Gideon, Wade, Ben, Jake and of course Hattie Campell. If you like adventure and danger I recomend this book to you.

Good Book!!
In the 1800's, many people traveled the Oregon Trail in search of a better life. Hattie Campbell and her family were no exception. While traveling the Oregon Trail, Hattie kept a diary of her adventures she faced while making the long, hard journey. In her diary, Hattie tells of the hardships that the wagon train faced such as disease, theft, and exposure to the elements. This book is appealing to children grades 5 and up. Teachers, as well as parents, can use this book to teach their students about the Westward Expansion of the United States.

We read this book for our education class at the University of Mississippi. Hattie Campbell explains her adventures in such a way that it motivates anyone who is reading this book to become interested in the Westward Expansion. As teacher candidates, we quickly realized that this book could be integrated into all subject areas. This selection is an easy read and once started you will not want to put it down until the last page is read.

Oregon Here We Come!
Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: The Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell by Kristiana Gregory, is a novel about a 14 year old girl and her family traveling west to Oregon. Hattie goes through everything you can think of. She goes through the emotion of love, hate, anger, and sadness. Of course she has a good time sometimes, but it was a hard struggel moving west. Some turned back and some went on. Did they go all the way? You will have to read it yourself and find out. The setting is all the way from Missouri all the way up the Oregon Trail. Tootles from Mayflower.

Yet Another 8th Grade Review
I really liked reading this book. I give it 5 stars because the Donner family are canibles. Anyway it is about this girl who gets excited about moving to Oregon. Her grandpa falls out of his coffin in the begining which causes them to move. Along the way she makes a friend and they make all sorts of plans for when they get there, but something happens and Hattie, the girl's plans are ruined. So Hattie doesn't know if she will make it. Read this book!

A Great book about westward expansion
Across the wide and lonesome prairie was a great book! It was written by Kristiana Gregory. It was full of adventure. Some parts were sad and some were kind of funny. This is great for girls to read. They can connect to the young teenage girl (Hattie) in the story. Hattie faces a long hard journey to Oregon. She deals with a lady in her wagon train that steals from other families. Hattie almost loses her younger siblings and she has to deal with a lot of deaths of friends. This is a great book and full of adventure! ... Read more

Reviews (83)

A young girl observes the events at Valley Forge in 1777-78.
Abigail Jane Stewart, called Abby by her family and friends, is the narrator of this fictional diary. She is only eleven when the American army makes camp near her home in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in December of 1777. She and her older sister, Elisabeth, and younger sister, Sally, are worried about their mother and newborn brother, but they try to help the army in whatever way they can. Abby, her mother, and sisters do laundry for General Washington, and Abby and Elisabeth sew for the soldiers and visit the encampment with Mrs. Washington to help with the sick soldiers. In viewing the horror of war firsthand, Abby matures from a child who views war as an adventure to a girl who, in spite of her young age, understands the sacrifices the soldiers are making to fight for freedom. This was one of the first Dear America books I read, and I still remember how very much I enjoyed it. It started me out on my way to loving this series.

The Winter of Red Snow
The Winter of Red Snow, by Kristiana Gregory, is a great book about the Revolutionary War. It is easy to understand and explains much of the War. Two of the main characters are Mr. and Mrs. George Washington. Therefore, you learn a little bit about them and what they were possibly like.
         This Book is a diary of a young girl 11 years of age, named Abigail. She lives 18 miles out of Pennsylvania duringthe war. Her small town is Valley Forge. The 13 Colony's army has camped there during the harsh winter. Many end up with Small Pox or amputated hands andfeet.
         This story goes along with Abigail for six months. The army helps her life in many ways, although it can also be very frustrating and annoying. Abigail her self lives with her family. She is one of three girls, the middle one. Her mom gives birth to a baby boy on the first page of the book. Her mom although has given birth to six sons before whom all died through terrible winters. Johnny is the new sons name, and he lives through winter and grows to be healthy. Abigail's Father is a shoemaker and slaves all winter long to make shoes for the thousands of soldiers without. Abigail is closest to her sister Elisabeth who is 16. They both sew jackets with their name embroidered on the inside. The two girls eventually give the coats to a soldier to wear. Elisabeth's jacket wearer returns and falls in love with her. The women in her family receive the job of doing General Washington's laundry; because of the weekly visit to his house, they become friends with him.
         In this book, it clearly laid out the important events of this war. It explained them more clearly than the text book and made it come together. It also showed the gruesome but true facts about poor soldiers who fought this war for all Americans. This is a great book to read for a Revolutionary War experience.

winter of red snow
i thought this book is well written and is interesting to know about the revolutonary war. i hope you liked it.

The Truth
I'm going to be honest. I haven't read the book since the sixth grade. Little of the book was good, some parts just didn't seem important to me. This girl was supposed to be telling about what she went through during the revolution. Instead she tells about her family. Though the book did touch my heart at some points, it mostly just seemed like scribbling. So if you would rather read about a messed up family, then read this book. If not then move on to something that pertrays to the actual revolution.

A Revolutionary war Diary???
At first I thought that the book THE WINTER OF RED SNOW was going to be a bore. To my suprise it as actually really good and interesting. the main character is Abigail Stewart. She is living in the 1777's. She lives in Valley Forge. Where General George Washington is quartered. Abigail and her family are hired to wash the General's clothes. after they are hired Abigail and her sister Elizabeth become friends with Mrs. Martha Washington the general's wife. She takes them to the camps of soldiers and they see how poorly the soldiers are doing. Some were getting their legs and arms amputatied and some where just freezing cold and hungry. Afterwards, they feel terrible. They wish they could do more to help. So they make bounty coats for some of the soldiers. Elizabeth puts her name in one she made from her own coat. And a dog named Azor ends up wearing it! She ment for a really cute french man to get it but you can see how that went. they go through many hardships, but they allways seem to find a way out. ... Read more

Book Description

Joe, Sam, and Fred have been thrown back in time yet again. This time the Trio find themselves whisked by The Book from a basketball court in Brooklyn to the main ring ball court in Chich&eacuten Itz&aacute, Mexico. The year is 1000 a. d. and the rules are a little different. Now the boys are playing for their lives with the Mayan High Priest as their opponent. Will they be able to get home before they learn the true meaning of a sudden death penalty?

Illustrated by Adam McCauley. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sam and Company are back again
The time hopping friends are back again, this time they are 1000 years in the past in Ancient Mexico. My kids love the Time Warp Trio. Knights of the Kitchen Table was the first chapter book my 8 year read, and he was hooked.

This book is great for the reluctant readers (generally boys). Sam and company find adventure, play some sports, and have some fun with puns (as usual).

I gave this book only 4 stars because some of the names in the story may be hard to pronounce for young readers. ... Read more

Book Description

A zookeeper recounts the story of John, Tonky, and Wanly, three performing elephants at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, whose turn it is to die, and of their keepers, who weep and pray that World War II will end so their beloved elephants might be saved. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Faithful Elephants
Faithful Elephants by Yukio Tsuchiya, translated by Tomoko Tsuchiya Dykes and illustrated by Ted Lewin, is a very moving picture book story. It describes how during World War II three elephants at the Tokyo Zoo were euthanized by starvation, because of concerns that they might escape during an air raid and become dangerous. I plan to use the story with my 4th and 5th grade reading group as part of a unit about WWII, but one thing that troubles me about using such an emotional story, is that I do not understand where fact and fiction meet here. The subtitle reads "A True Story of Animals, People and War", and the introduction also describes it as a true story. I can't help wondering though why the animals had to be killed in such an inhumane way. Did the army forbid the use of an elephant gun because they did not want to "waste" ammunition? Aren't there ways to drug even animals as large as elephants? How do veterinarians treat elephants? And what happened at zoos in other parts of the world where there were air raid attacks, and similar risks that wild animals might escape and cause problems?
After writing this review two weeks ago, I discussed the book with other teachers in my school and decided that to use it with 4th and 5th graders would be committing a kind of emotional highjacking. We read a number of books together during our WWII unit and I plan to finish up with another zoo story - Hannah's Winter of Hope by Jean vna Leewen, which tells how the people of Budapest saved their hippo from starvation during the occupation.

A moving true story...
The Faithful Elephants is one of the most heart-wrenching stories I have ever read. I use this book to introduce another book -- Hiroshima -- to the high school sophomores that I teach. Adolescents sometimes have difficulty displaying emotion when it comes to others, but that difficulty is gone when animals enter into the picture. Those kids who don't flinch at the thought of the suffering endured by other humans can scarcely hold back tears when it comes to innocent animals. The illustrations have stuck in my mind since I first read it. If you're going to be reading it to others -- read it to yourself first -- it's guaranteed to bring out tears in the least demonstrative of all of us! I highly recommend this book to everyone -- but it may bring out a little too much sorrow in the very young.

This book is HORRIBLE!! DO NOT BUY!!!
I am a 21 year old college student, who was forced to listen to this story in my choldren's lit class (used to illustrate what we should NOT read to children in our future classrooms). This book graphically describes the slow, painful, torturous deaths of three innocent elephants at a Japanese zoo. Yes, it did really happen.. and yes, war is awful... but there is no need for this type of book to be purchased or read by ANYONE. My entire ADULT class sat through this horrible book not only crying but also wondering why if these zoo keepers loved their elephants so much why didn't they quickly end their suffering with a bullet? The book implies that American troops are the "enemy" which is the reason these poor creatures have to die. Great... inaccurate ... message to share!

A difference between the Japanese and English versions
I've read this book in English and recently in Japanese with the help of a Japanese friend. The Japanese version I read was the same story, but written and illustrated by different people (a man named Mamoru Tanabe was the author of the version I read). At any rate, the Japanese version made mention of something that I don't think is included in this English translation. The official reason from Tokyo for killing the elephants was that in the event that Tokyo was bombed, the cages could be destroyed and the animals might be let loose upon the city. But the book also says that although that was the official reason, the underlying reason that government officials probably had in mind was to show the people of Japan that in this war, they would have to be ready to sacrifice anything for their country. If it was necessary, the lives of animals or even other people would have to be given up for the good of Japan. A previous reviewer mentioned the same thing, but as far as I remember the English version of the story doesn't address that idea at all. So for all those people wondering why the elephants had to die in such a cruel way, there's your answer: to show the Japanese people the true horrors of war, and make them feel ready to sacrifice anything in order to bring that war to an end.

The Elephants Story Shoudl Be Read With A Critical Eye
This story is excellent but it is propoganda. The story is laden with historical innacuracies and furthermore does not contain logic. It was used by the Japanese as a form of propoganda and was read yearly to children there. This story is great to illustrate how we can be swept away emotionally into believing things. The elephants were not killed because of the war. As a matter of fact bombs weren't coming down day and nigth at all. Had fear been the real case they could have shot the elephants with the Zoo's pistol. The truth of the matter is that these elephants were killed because they were beloved, and the government knew the people woudl rally behing their cause, thinking it was the Americans fault their beloved elephants were being killed. The elephants in that sense were killed in the name of governmental manipulation and propoganda. Enjoy ... Read more

Book Description

A Civil War drama told in sixteen voices, this ‘is a heartbreaking and remarkably vivid portrait of a war that remains our nation’s bloodiest conflict.… Fleischman’s artistry is nothing short of astounding.’ —Publishers Weekly. ‘Fleischman has done what he does best—create a unique piece of fiction with echoes of his poetry throughout.’ —H. ‘Outstanding… unforgettable as historical fiction… an important book for every library.’ —SLJ.

Notable Children's Books of 1994 (ALA)
1994 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
1994 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)
Best Books of 1993 (SLJ)
1993 Books for Youth Editors' Choices (BL)

1994 Teachers' Choices (IRA)
Notable 1994 Childrens' Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
1994 Notable Trade Books in the Language Arts (NCTE)
1994 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction for Children
1993 Choices: The Year's Best Books (Publishers Weekly)
Children's Books of 1993 (Library of Congress)
1994 Books for the Teen Age (NY Public Library)
100 Books for Reading and Sharing 1994 (NY Public Library)

1994 Silver Medal for Literature (Commonwealth Club of California)
1994 Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award Winner (Westchester, NY Library System) ... Read more

Reviews (23)

The Review for Bull Run
Have you ever read a book about people and their perspectives of war? You would think that reading about history is boring, but the way that Paul Fleischmann describes the characters and writes the story line is great. Bull Run takes place at the battle of Bull Run in Virginia in the 1860s.
There are twelve main characters, all with different views on the war. For example, there is a boy, Toby Boyce, who just wants to kill a Yank. Others think that the war is crazy and does not want any part of it, like a young lady named Lily Malloy. Her brother is sent off to war, and all she does is sit in a spot on the grass and wait for him to return. She thinks that the whole idea of war is wrong. The book contains heartache, drama, and a lot of action.
I recommend this book to readers 12 and older because it would probably make more sense to them since they already know something about the battle. The book only has a few weaknesses, which are that it jumps from character to character, making it hard to remember the last thing they say. Since Fleischmann made the book "short and sweet", it is an easy read, but it could use a little more information about the war and less about what the people think. Everything else about the book is great. The author writes the story line very well, making it more interesting to the reader. I like the way the he writes the book in vignette-like format.
Overall, Bull Run is great and should be read by everyone who wants to be informed about the Battle of Bull Run. Reading this makes me feel more appreciative toward those who help us fight in times of trouble.

Bull Run
My book is Bull Run. It's a historical fiction book about the United States Civil War and the first battle of the bloodiest war in American history - "The Battle at Bull Run". The facts are real, but the characters in the story are not. The reason you should read this book is because you can learn more about the Civil War. Plus, the characters made you know what is felt like during the Civil War if you were either black or white.

I really, really liked this one!!
I really liked this book! I listened to it on Audio, so I don't know how it would be to read it, but I really like this! It's told from about... 5-10 people & on the Audio, they all had very good voices for the people. A MUST READ or a MUST HEAR! LOL

Bull Run a very facinating book.
Bull Run is a very good book. It takes place during the Civil War. At a battle at a river known as Bull Run. The book starts out in the South during a battle in South Carolina. Then the story goes into how the Confederacy (south) and the Union (north) got their troops for battle. Next it goes to the Confederacy and the Union marching to Bull Run. Then the book as the battle at Bull Run in which many men die and the river flows red with blood. Finally after the battle the Confederacy helps all those who are injured even the Union soldiers.
Some of my favorite characters were Gideon Adams a black who sneaks into the army to fight in a battle. Second, is Nathaniel Epp a photographer who becomes famous when he takes a picture of a soul leaving a man's body. Finally, is Toby Boyce a fifer who joined the confederate army band just to get a chance to kill a Yankee.
I like Bull Run because it well written. I like how the author Paul Fleischman put the story into the eyes of many different people. I also like war books. They interest me and I just can't put a book down that is a bout any type of war.
I'd recommend this book to someone who is fascinated by war stories or likes the Civil War. I would recommend this to someone like that because thats what the book is mostly based on. That is my review of the book Bull Run.

Bull Run
This book was about a African American man during the civil war. The man wants to get into the war. He has to sneeck into it because he is African but he has light skin so he coud pass as white. He gets cought a few times but then gets in. But what he finds out about war, he didn't expect.

I thought that this book was a very adventurous
book and I liked it alot because it cought my mind and right when i started reading it.

I would recommend this to anyone because I didnt think that I would like this book but i really did.

A reader that would like this book would be, a adventure-war reader. ... Read more

Amazon.com

On Ellie and Carrie's first day of second grade there's a brand new kidin the class. But when the teacher asks her students to welcome the ultrablond,blue-eyed, pink-lipped, loud-voiced, accent-sporting Lazlo S. Gasky toBrookhaven School, they all mock him instead: "Too different and strange to fitin they all feared." Lazlo grows unhappier by the minute, as he is ostracizedand taunted by his classmates. One day, however, when Ellie sees his sad-lookingmother walking forlornly toward her car ("Her son's having trouble, she mightpull him out, / this school may be wrong for him, she's full of doubt"), thingsbegin to look up for Lazlo. At that moment Ellie begins to wonder what it mustbe like to be a new kid, feeling so "different and strange," and she decides totake steps to get to know him, even at the risk of facing her friends' ridicule.("At school the next day the kids stopped her and said, / 'You were walking withLazlo, are you sick in the head?' / Ellie paused and replied, 'Now I know him,you see, / Lazlo isn't that different from you and from me.'"

NBC News' Today coanchor Katie Couric's rhyming book provides a healthyapproach to treating people who may be perceived as different, and works well asa springboard to discussion. Though the suddenness of Ellie's turnaround inattitude seems a bit unnatural and the rhymes are often forced ("They arrived athis door greeted by his French poodle / and Mrs. Gasky was there with a plate ofwarm strudel!"), the message of The Brand New Kid will certainly not belost on children. As Couric writes in her introduction, "It sometimes takescourage, but I hope this story will inspire all of us to reach out and makesomeone feel a little less scared and a little less lonely." Hear, hear.Caldecott Honor artist Marjorie Priceman's watercolor spreads are positivelydelightful, washing warmly over the pages in a free, buoyant style. (Ages 4 to8) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Well Intentioned But Not Well Written
I was greatly disappointed in this book. The rhymes are forced and awkward - I had to read one page to my son several times and it still didn't have any flow. One review suggests that we shoud give Katie a break because her heart was in the right place. Well I disagree. A book should stand or fall on its own merits, not because of whose name is on the cover. If she is truly concerned about putting the message of tolerance out, why doesn't she become a patron to a young author with some real talent. I'm afraid this is just another example of a celebrity who thinks they can write. 2 stars for the illustrations.

A Winner!
Ellie McSnelly and Carrie O'Toole find lots of fun and surprises in second grade, the first of which is a brand new kid. He's different, very blond and blue-eyed with a funny accent and funnier name, Lazlo S Gasky. Instead of welcoming him to his new school and class, the kids in second grade tease and taunt Lazlo, isolating and ostracizing him. That is, until Ellie sees Lazlo's mother walking out of school one day, looking very worried and sad. At that moment she begins to understand what it's been like for Lazlo, to be "the strange, new kid" and decides to reach out to him. They play together and as she tells her friends the next day, Lazlo's not so different, we just didn't get to know him. He's really just like us..... Katie Couric has written a delightful, thoughtful story of tolerance that should open lots of discussions at home and in school about not belonging and feeling scared and lonely. Though her writing at times is awkward and her rhymes forced, the heartwarming and important message of this book far outweighs its flaws. Margorie Priceman's charming, expressive illustrations really capture the essence of the story and together, these two let youngsters know in a gentle, yet powerful way that our differences are what make us interesting and we all have a lot more in common than we might think at first glance. The trick is to get to know each other.

badly rhymed+badly written+famous author=published!
This is an example of what happens when good people write bad books. I have nothing against Katie Couric herself, and I realize that she had good intentions, but this book is so badly written, the rhymes are so forced, and the moral so obvious that it just overrides any intent she may have had. Books should be published based on the merit of the writing, not on the celebrity of the author. At best, it is a sophomoric effort (and I'm being kind). There are better books for kids about acceptance/tolerance out there. Save your money - it is a waste of paper.

Lack of Research
Couric does not mention one word about Hungarian music, Hungarian language, Hungarian geography, Hungarian cooking, or Hungarian history. However, Lazlo is clearly a Hungarian name.
As a Hunarian-American, I am very disappointed.
A Hungarian played a major role in inventing the computer. A Hungarian invented Holography. A Hungarian, Andy Groves, invented the pentium chip and founded Intel. The list goes on and on!
Hungarian is the most beautiful language in the world. Hungarian sausage is second to none.
Last but not least, Hungarian anti-semitism played a role in the death of a half million Hungarian Jews!

TRUE
A story about a boy, Lazlo, who is new in school. The kids in his class make fun of him. I think we can all relate to Lazlo in all different ways. People have made fun of you, and you have also made fun of other people. But in Lazlo's case, the students in his class mocked him constantly, and that can really hurt. But there is always one person at least who has a good heart, and in this case, it is Ellie. Ellie is the only one who gives Lazlo a chance, and finds out that he really is a great guy. This story teaches you that looks can be decieving. Don't judge someone by what they look like, they could be a really great person deep down. Kids can be really mean to a person, and people are afraid to say anything. Don't be. ... Read more

Book Description

When Senmut's sculpting chisel slips from his fingers, accidentally killing a sacred dove, Egyptian priests exile the 9-year-old boy to a lifetime of hard labor in the gold mines of Nubia. Wrenched from his family, forced to endure brutal guards and unending heat, Senmut turns to the one thing he loves best -- his sculpture.Can it set him free?"The suspense never flags, and details of the period are so smoothly integrated that the action never slows, either." -- Booklist"An exciting and information-filled adventure. The details of the daily life, customs, and beliefs of the people are wonderfully revealed through the words and deeds of the characters. The story has enough excitement to capture the interest of even the most reluctant readers." -- School Library Journal ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Couldn't stop reading this book.
A great read with lots of emotion. This book gave me a really good feeling of ancient Egypt and made me feel like I was there. I felt like I could have been Senmut because he was a boy my age and seemed to be like me. I learned lots about Egypt while enjoying the characters and setting.

I had mixed feelings up until Chp. 5 - Great!
A place in the sun is great. At first you say Mum this is borring. When you have just finised chapter 5 you think this is great. When you have finished the whole book you will say 'thank you Mum & Dad. This is for ten year olds and I am only Eight. You should get it! Tamanna Breen

I liked it; it was a perfect book.
A Place in the Sun is about a boy named Senmut who lives in Egypt. He must go to the mines of Nubia for a serious crime. Read A Place in the Sun to find out what the crime is. I like Senmut's adventures. His adventures can go from roaring in the desert to spying on thefts. I do not like their gross food. I would recommend this to a quiet person or an adventurous person. I would recommend for you to be 9 or up to read this book. Alex, age 9

It's a good book.
A Place in the Sun is about a boy who is named Senmut. He has many adventures. He lives in Egypt. I liked the book because everything turns out OK. There are some hard words in the book. I recommend you should be 8 or up to read this book. But it is your choice. Eric, age 8 ... Read more

Amazon.com

"The call of Antarctica is loud and clear: Go away. You hear it in thegroans of colliding ice floes. In the shriek of 200-mile-an-hour winds hurtlingdown the Transantarctic Mountains. In the thunder of an ice shelf splitting intothe sea. In the hostile silence of a darkness that begins in April and ends inJune."

And yet, for polar explorers like Jack Winslow, the call is irresistible. Daysafter his beloved wife's death in May 1909, Jack, his son Colin, and his stepsonAndrew, along with a motley crew of sailors, doctors, photographers, andscientists, set out on a journey to the bottom of the earth. During theirharrowing expedition, they must confront many horrors in addition to theirpersonal grieving and family disharmony: frostbite, killer whales, deadly icefloes, lack of food, negative-100-degree Fahrenheit temperatures, bottomlesscrevasses, a mutinous crew. Endurance, loyalty, and humanity are tested, and noman can be sure he'll emerge alive.

Peter Lerangis's exciting novel is packed with thoroughly researched informationon the Antarctic and turn-of-the-century ocean travel. While the characterdevelopment is a little hard to follow--each chapter is told from a differentcrew member's point of view--the story itself is thrilling. At the conclusion,the explorers (and readers) are left hanging from the proverbial cliff, as theship becomes trapped between ice floes. (Ages 9 to 13) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A gripping story of a fateful expedition to Antarctica....
Antarctica #1: Journey To The Pole tells the story of a gripping journey to reach the South Pole. A secret expedition hired by the multimillionaire Horace Putney sets out into the harsh circumstances of the Antarctic, with heroic Jack Winslow as the expedition leader. But tensions arise along the journey. Conditions are far more harsh then the crew expected, and the ultimate test of survival will reflect the faith of the crew. The choices are impossible situations, and their only hope is to endure and go on. The author, Peter Lerangis, writes this amazing first part of the story beautifully and with a flare that are portrayed by proffesional writers who know not just how to think up an amazing story, but to write it with the exact spices it needs. This is what we are able to experience when we read the painful story that Peter Lerangis introduced, a story that can't be forgotten any time soon.

a novel for children?
Peter Lerangis presents an exciting and sometimes horrifing novel about a 1909 expedition to the Antarctic. The book centers on Jack Winslow, who, not long after the death of his wife, takes his son and step son to the bottom of the earth. Also on the ship is a mismatched crew with their own reasons for travel. The book documents all the trials and dangers that follow: disharmony amoung the crew, freezing temperatures, ice floes, and sea creatures just to name a few.

Though the story is dramatic, it is hard to follow as each chapter is told from a different characters point of view. The book is also said to be told for ages 9-12 but I wonder if such a dark story will appeal to the younger set. I found the book interesting and even exciting at times but ultimately it failed to keep my attention and I found myself skimming through pages from time to time. I won't ruin the ending by sending that is was a little disappointing. I don't know if I can fully reccomend this story for children unless they have a true hankering for period adventure pieces.

A Thrill Not to be Missed
What a thrill it wasto read this book. Such adventure. I got it for my fourteenth birthday and I can't wait to read the second volume. Thank you, Mr. Lerangis. You're my new favorite author!

Antarctica...COLD,MYSTERIOUS,WHALES...
I think this book is great if you like a adventure based on history.this book is definately not the best adventure I've read but it's interesting though.3 stars.

Not for me
I don't care what the grown-ups say; this book was written for kids 9-12, so me being 12, I read it. It was horrible, gruesome, sad, gross, and I thought it had a strange ending. I'm sorry, but it just wasn't a great kid book. Adults may call it "deep and touching," but I'm sorry I ever read it. ... Read more