Reviews (288)

Bud, Not Buddy
This book is about a ten-year-old orphan named Bud who is searching for his father, who he has never seen. Living on his own during the Great Depression, he meets his old friend Bugs. They decide to ride the rails west on a Hooverville train. Bugs makes it, but unfortunately Bud doesn't. This one event will change Bud's life, because Bud decides to walk to the next town and search for his father. After meeting new faces, Bud finds his believed-to-be-father, Herman E. Calloway, a musician. Although Mr.Calloway is not very friendly, Bud is invited to stay with him. In this book you learn how important communication is between people. Bud, Not Buddy won the Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award. I would recommend this book for forth to sixth graders because some events are hard to understand. I think this book has terrific facts on how people lived during the Great Depression. Something I particularily enjoyed about this book is how much the author described things. She used the five senses, especially the sense of smell. It was like the item was right in front of you. Is Mr. Calloway Bud's real father? Read this book to find out. Just remember to expect the unexpected. A great read for 5th and 6th graders.

A Place Called Home
Bud, Not Buddy tells the story of 10 year old Bud Caldwell, a young boy growing up in Michigan during the 1930's. Bud's mother died when he was only 6 years old, and since he never knew his father, Bud was forced to live in a home for orphans between his brief stays in various foster homes. Bud carries a battered suitcase which contains all the things that are near and dear to his heart; a special blanket and pictures of his mother. Although it seems as if Bud has very little, he has a drive to find his father, using the clues he feels that his mother left for him. After a bad experience at a foster care placement, Bud runs away using the rules he authored "Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself" to guide him. Will the clues really lead to his father? Will Bud finally find a place to call home?

While this plot seems pretty intense, Curtis has truly captured the voice of a 10 year-old boy. The book is filled with laugh out loud humorous scenes that make it a really enjoyable read. Curtis carefully slips in a great deal of historical events through Bud's experiences without disrupting the overall flow of the book. Bud's voice is one that will draw children into the story and this is truly a book that young readers will enjoy. Check out Bud, Not Buddy for a splash of history, a heap of humor and an overall good book.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

A good short story.
I liked this book becuase it was a wonderful story about history(the Great deppresion) and a boy trying to find out who he was. Or rather, who his father was. he ends up traveling with a band and finding more than he bargained for.

Exciting Blend of Mystery, History, and More!
"Bud Not Buddy" is the story of a young boy in the Great Depression whose mother has died, leaving him with what he believes to be a clue to his unknown father's identity: a flyer for a band featuring bass player Herman Calloway. When Bud exhausts other options to finding a happy home, he listens to his mother's advice ("When one door closes, another one opens") and heads to Grand Rapids to find his father. Bud's naive nature and vivid imagination lead to many humorous moments and observations along the way. Readers find themselves constantly guessing about Herman Calloway's relationship to Bud and trying to put the artfully-inserted clues together. While Bud is surprised when he finds out the truth, he ends up learning a great deal about his mother, his past, human nature, and what it really means to belong. The book is an excellent introduction to the Great Depression, while at the same time interesting readers with a likeable character and excellent mystery.

My fav book
bud, not buddy is my favorite book. this book had me laughing and crying. i read it in like, the fourth grade and its still my fav book. i suggest this book to ne1! ... Read more

Book Description

Read by Jan Miner
Two cassettes / 3 hours 32 mins.

Twelve-year-old Claudia Kincaid is restlesses--she wants to do something different, such as running away from her comfortable suburban life in Connecticut for a while.But not just any place will do because Claudia likes her comforts.It needs to be a place with a bit of luxury and some good company.Ans she wants to be gone just long enough to teach her parents to appreciate her.

With careful planning, Claudia stages her own secret live-in at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, taking along her nine-year-old brother, not so much for company, but mostly because he is a miser and will have money.What happens to Claudia and Jamie, and the changes that come about in this sister-brother duo, prove greater than either had bargained for. ... Read more

Reviews (223)

An educational yet exciting book for readers of all ages.
Claudia and Jaime are two very intelligent characters that enlighten the reader as to the workings of a child's mind. Claudia, as the main character, always thinks of interesting ways for her and Jaime to live inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is a fantasy of everyone to be locked in a museum or store after all of the other people are gone. This book is a way for the reader to experience that feeling without the fear of being arrested! I believe that anyone who reads this story will become inspired by the Kincaids and find themselves wanting to learn more. The children have so much fun without hurting others or making fun of others as happens in some children's novels. Claudia is a definite role model for young girls and keeps the book interesting despite the academic undertones of Claudia and Jaime's reasons for visiting Mrs. Frankweiler. PARENTS-read this to your children to get them excited about reading.

This book is definately not 'mixed up'
I first heard about this book on a computer reading game, but I could only read bits and parts of it and when our computer crashed I completely forgot about it.
Then one day I was at the library and I saw this book for sale, but I wasn't sure if it was any good or not. I didn't want to waste my money, so I borrowed it instead. Now I wish I had bought it. This book is fantastic!

It's about a girl named Claudia who is fed up with her boring life, so she decided to run away with her bother Jamie to the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York City. There she falls in love with an angel statue that is rumored to have been made by Michelangelo, but no one knows for sure. Claudia takes it upon herself to find out who made it before she goes home. Her quest takes her to the home of the strange Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, where the statues true maker is revealed.

At first I had been hesitant to read this book because I thought it would have magic or some other stuff and nonsense in it, but I was pleasantly surprised. This story is about Claudia and Jamie's search for the statues maker, and it is also pretty realistic. It's interesting to see how they improvise to make life livable in the great Museum.

I think this book is tops, and it is definitely a must-read.

A timeless entertaining adventure
I read this book almost 30 years ago and loved it, I've bought copies for my friend's children and it's always a hit. Great book for kids who can identify with Claudia, who are intelligent, love art, feel a little misunderstood and crave adventure. Big kids like this book as well!

Simply Excellent
I first read this book in fifth grade. The entire Literature class was assigned to it, so we read it bit by bit during the day, and I couldn't stand waiting to know what would happen next. After three days of the teacher reading the book to us, I ran to the library and bought it for myself.

The characters and their adventures are simply delightful.

A wonderful treat for wild imaginations
Claudia feels underappreciated in her suburban household - a thing all children have most likely felt during at least one time or another. Here, Konigsburgs writes of these feelings with brutal honesty and frankness. Because Claudia is not an only child, it almost seems as if to her, and to readers, that there isn't enough love and attention to go around. Unjustly so, the poor girl frequently gets caught up in chore after chore while her siblings are off the hook.

So she will run away and teach them all a lesson in "Claudia appreciation." The Metropolitan Musuem of Art will become her grandiose and excitingly fantastic home away from home, so to speak. And younger brother Jamie will accompany her, mainly because he has saved every single penny since birth and will have money, just what Claudia needs. Yet to say she's using her younger bro merely for financial purposes would be unjust. I believe Claudia truly wants and needs the companionship.

The highlight of their one-week vacation is a mysterious and ethereal statue of an angel, titled as such. It is oh-so mysterious because everyone is unsure of the statue's creator. Some believe it to be the renown Michelangelo - but it has yet to be confirmed and 12 year-old Claudia is incessantly in awe of thee angel's beauty. She knows she cannot go home until she uncovers the secret of the statue and that will mean having to get in contact with a total stranger, Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, who is the statue's previous owner. And if she refuses to help Claudia solve the mystery on her mind, she and Jamie may never get home.

FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER, first published in 1967, has been capturing the attention of children everywhere. Konigsburg has skillfully woven a loveable masterpiece that seems magical, almost too wonderful to be realistic. Yet it is. Claudia feels what so many of society's children today feel. And like many children, she keeps her feelings to herself and deals with pent up frustrations the only way she knows how, hence her escape to The Metropolitan.

I first read this novel when I was 9. I found myself relating to feeling less love from seemingly uncaring parents, due to having a sister who had no responsibilities and extra TLC because of her young age. I found myself envious of Claudia's grand escape to the musuem and I contemplated a night away from home spent at The Philadelphia Musuem of Art. That, of course, never happened. In retrospect, I realize how wild of an imagination I had. My mind was constantly roaming. Children today are just as creative - or they can be - which is why they'll much enjoy this book. Despite now being seven years older, I still frequently pick it up off my bookshelf, worn and dog-eared, to read it again and again. ... Read more

Book Description

Read by Tim Curry
approx. 15 hours
10 cassettes

Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Abandoned by her mother, ignorant of her father's identity, Lirael resembles no one else in her large extended family living in the Clayr's glacier.She doesn't even have the Sight--the ability to See into the present and possibly futures--that is the very birthright of the Clayr.

Nonetheless, it is Lirael in whose hands the fate of the Old Kingdom lies.She must undertake a desperate mission under the growing shadow of an ancient evil--one that opposes the Royal Family, blocks the Sight of the Clayr, and threatens to break the very boundary between Life and Death itself.With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog to help her, Lirael must find the courage to seek her own hidden destiny. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Really Great Book
Lirael was a wonderful book, I couldn't put it down and i read it twice.Lirael is about a teen who isnt gifted with the ability to see into the future like the rest of the daughters of the Clayr.She wants to commit suicide, but then is given another chance to be a librairian. There she finds many thing sabout herself and discovers some magical objects that help her in a journey. She is called by the Clayr and is told that they Saw she would be somewhere, but it was far away, so she begins a journey to get to that place, and an this lon gjourney she meets some very important friends, and learns more about herself than ever seemed possible. It has awesome action and suspense, great twists,the characters are awesome, and I could go on and on about how wonderful it was. I Couldn't wait to read the sequel, which I did and it was great too.And I read the one before it, Sabriel. Garth Nix is a great author, I became a fan of his when a friend of mine recomended the Seventh Tower series. I recomend Lirael to any fantasy lover, or any book lover for that matter. Definitely a rewarding read.

Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr
Lirael is a girl who lives in the Clayr's glacier. Almost all the Clayr get the Sight, the ability to see the future, by the time they reach their 14th birthday. The story starts on Lirael's 14th birthday. She still does not have the Sight, so she decides to commit suicide, but ends up hearing an important conversation. The Great Clayr see her, and erase her memory, and ask if there is anything she would like to do. She decides to become a Librarian. She finds a cool dog statuette, and then decides to make a sending (a being made of magic who cannot leave the boundaries in which it was made) that looks just like it. When she does, she accidentally transforms the dog statuette into a real dog. Her name is the Disreputable dog. Lirael finds a secret room, and I won't reveal what happens because it's really cool, but she finds a book, some panpipes, and a dark mirror. Lirael has never been Seen by the other Clayr before, but on the day she finds these things they see her at a place called Red Lake. They send her on a mission to stop a terrible thing from happening there. Something is being dug up. She gets a boat, and starts traveling down the river Ratterlin. At the same time this goes on, Sameth, the son of Sabriel and Touchstone, and the Abbhorsen-in-waiting, runs away. He runs into a forest, and plans to travel to see his friend Nicholas. He had been burnt on his wrists by an evil Free Magic sorcerer and necromancer, Hedge when he was coming home from a cricket game. A necromancer is a person who bring dead spirits back from dead, and binds them to do whatever the necormancer wants them to do in Life. Sameth is afraid of the Book of the Dead, and the bells of the Abbhorsen which his mother have to him. He calls himself Sam the traveler. Mogget, a free magic being, bound and enslaved to the Abbhorsen's will, finds him, and they start traveling to find his friend, and rescue him from whatever dangers are sure to befall him in the Old Kingdom. Eventually they are chased by Shadow Hands (fresh, rotting corpses, that are inhabited by dead spirits). They come to the river Ratterlin, and jump into a metal washing tub that sails them down the river, safe from anything dead, for dead cannot cross running water. Of course Lirael and Sam are destined to meet, but how will they save the Old Kingdom from Hedge and his army of thousands of dead, who are even more powerful than the Shadow Hands?
Lirael is an excellent and intelligently written book, about a girl who breaks the normal mold, a misguided and fearful prince, a disreputable dog, and a free magic creature, bound to form and to serve. All of these characters have an important part to play in the exciting and cliffhanging story of their intertwined destinies, and the close save, or the fall, of the Old Kingdom, a land of magic, evil, and the dead. Each charcter has different qualities, and are desendents of the 7. The 7 are the creators of the Charter (the magic that Lirael and her friends use).
Lirael, published by HarperTrophy and written by Garth Nix, is a thrilling fantasy book that involves friendship, courage, and hope. This book is one of the best I have read in a long time. It has a prequel (Sabriel) and a sequel (Abbhorsen). All of these books tell a story about everything that is important, friendship, love, and a will that will never die. The best part of this book is all the twists. You never know what to expect, and that makes it really fun. You should definitely read this book.

A Great Sequel
Sabriel was an awesome novel that left many readers hanging with questions and anticipation. The same can be said for Lirael. I was quite skeptical when it first came out because sequels usually aren't nearly as good as the first one. However, this wasn't the case. It took a while to get used to some new characters, and put the old ones on hold, but the story line was very gripping. Lirael doesn't answer all of the questions left from Sabriel, but it does introduce a new abhorsen and foes. It also creates the same chilling mood with more necromancers and greater dead. By the end I couldn't wait for the third and final novel to be released, which I'm sure will be just as good.

AN IMAGINATIVE TALE EXCITINGLY READ
He's menacing, he's mesmerizing - he's Tony Award nominee Tim Curry reading a fascinating sequel to "Sabriel" (1996).

Imaginative Australian author Garth Nix gives new zest to fantasy fiction with this return to the Old Kingdom. We focus on Lirael and who she is. Unaware of her parentage and abandoned by her mother, she is unlike any other clairvoyant living in the Clayr's Glacier. Moreover, she does not posses what should be her birthright, the Sight, the gift of being able to see into the present and future.

Nonetheless, it is on her young shoulders that the very existence of the Old Kingdom rests. There is much to oppose her, including an age old evil force. Lirael has little to help her save her own heart, courage, and the ever faithful Disreputable Dog.

Those hoping for a neatly packaged and happy ending will not find it. Instead the story concludes whetting appetites for more with hints that there is greater danger and adventure to come in Nix's third in this series, tentatively titled "Abhorsen."

- Gail Cooke ... Read more

Book Description

Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear of pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns 12 he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back. ... Read more

Reviews (2207)

Excellent novel - Worth all the praise & adoration it gets!
After Lois Lowry produced the entrancing 'Number The Stars' it didn't seem possible that she could produce a work, for children, to top it. With 'The Giver' she easily met that goal.

'The Giver' appears to be a rather simple story of a young boy (12 years old to be exact) named Jonas who lives in a seamingly perfect society. He is given the task of becoming the 'Receiver of Knowledge'; an apprentice to the 'Giver of Knowledge'. But that is where the simpleness ends.

The 'knowledge' spoken of in Jonas' job title is all of the memories of pain and suffering that were collected to rid all citizens of uncomfort. The Giver telepathically has to give Jonas all of these memories so he can suffer the pain of famine, war, disease, and death - to spare the community.

The themes in this novel are profound. The thought of a 'utopia' is considered extensively, but it is clearly shown that a perfect world can not exist -- therefore, 'distopia'. The novel also deals with life, death, indivuality, and more; an amazing amount of thought-provoking subjects for a book with a grade 4.5 reading level.

This book, however, may not be suitable for younger readers. Death is a common theme and the murder of an infant is described. There are mild nods to sexuality, but many young readers will dismiss these as benign.

A must read for students as well as adults! Excellent job, Ms. Lowry. You gave America another profound and excellent novel - one that will be on schools' required reading lists for many years to come!

A children's version of 1984, only more entertaining
My own personal grudge against the book comes from the extent of the writing profession, and how it beared so scary and remarkable a resemblence to one of my unpublished ramblings into the SF genre. I had plans of doing a novel where all emotion is stripped away, set in a world much like THE GIVER. Then when I read it, I was somewhat concerned for my own work.

Anyway, this is often comparted to a children's 1984. Yes, while it does bear resemblance to 1984, this book is wonderful on its own terms. The story is the world has been taken down into a utopia, a place with no crime and no feeling, no true feeling. The family establishment is essentially nil with no sexuality at all (this resembles the dominant theme in my own work). Birth Mothers are the source of the population, though it does not give the identity of the fathers. Work and family comes about by selection. Jonas, the hero, has been selected to be the Reciever of Memory. It is here he realises how shockingly sterile and devoid of beauty his world truly is. The ending, somewhat vague, rewards the reader by not giving away to much detail.

For those readers who will be travelling on to Orwell after this, go to ANIMAL FARM, my own personal favorite, and then 1984 for when they're older.

Like all good children's literature, this book deserves to be read by both adults and children alike. Bravo Lowry!

Other significant works by Lowry: Number the Stars.

Mike London

A brilliant dystopian novel
This is a complex, beautiful book that offers a look into a futuristic dystopia in which there is no color, no aberation, no hot or cold, and no personal choices. Drugs are taken to repress sexual urges and even out temprament, and careers are chosen for children based on their aptitude. Children are raised in prearranged family units. There is no privacy and no personal choice, but is this really a bad thing if people have no concept of those things? There is no hunger, emotional pain, violence, crime, war, or sadness.

Growing up in this world is Jonas, a bright 12 year old who is about to receive his career assignment. He is given the important but extremely rare job of "Reciever": the keeper of "memories" of what life was like before the creation of his utopian world. Slowly, he begins to see color, to learn what love, hate, death, and heartbreak are like. He begins to understand that some of the "happy" things around him maybe aren't so happy.

The brilliance of this book is that the world unfolds gradually. Lowry does not hit us over the head with an up-front description: in fact, the place starts out sounding fairly normal if a bit Montesori. Slowly, though, the reader realizes quite how foreign this world is. Lowry is a deft writer with an excellent sense of subtlety.

Ultimately, this book is about the importance of cultural memory. The idea of cultural memory is probably a new one for kids, and some of the concepts of death and destruction might be a little disturbing, so I recomend that parents read this book too so that they can discuss it with their children. This in no way means that I think that it is innapropriate for kids: I just think that it is an amazing starting point for discussion about what makes us human. Please read my review of "A Wrinkle in Time" (also made today) for my thoughts on how these two books are related.

This is a moving, thought-provoking book that is a great read for adults as well as kids. Adults might find it interesting that the idea of a drugged-to-make-them-"normal" population where everyone is encouraged to analyze and discuss every aspect of their lives sounds eerily familiar...

A brilliant dystopian novel
This is a really brilliant book, which everyone should read.

The Giver
Kiddoes, I just finished rereading this book for about the eighth time, but I'll try to transport my mind back in time to when I first read it. I think you'll get a better perspective that way.

It's about a society that wants to be 'perfect'. Well, actually, 'perfect' wouldn't be the best word. I suppose that they want everything to be structured and uniform. They call it in the book 'Sameness'.

There are books and movies about futures that stink, but, let me tell you, this is an especially insane one.

The land is climate-controlled, and completely the same. Flat; no hills, no valleys. No colors, even. And it isn't just the outside that's controlled... The people don't love, aren't sad or guilty... basically, they don't feel human emotions. Only the Receiver is allowed to experience those things, and he is the keeper for the entire community... without him, the memories would be unleashed and the community would revert to chaos.

People have their jobs chosen for them, their mates chosen, even their children. You get to old? You're 'released'. (Releasing is killing, if you haven't figured that out.) A twin, and smaller than your brother or sister? You're released. Make a mistake, like flying in the wrong direction? Released. It's scary about what you can't do...

Jonas is chosen as the new Receiver, and (surprise) he's the character that the book centers around. We read about his life before he is selected, during, and afterwards, and I don't know about you, but it was a major shock to me that there wasn't color.

I'm not sure if I can say that I LOVED this book. Loving would imply that I loved the concepts, and also would imply that I wasn't horrified while I was reading it. Happy little kiddoes in America aren't really exposed to this kind of stuff... not even CLOSE to it.

But I really respect it, and totally understand why it's a classic. Lois Lowry got a fan with this book; Number the Stars didn't quite do it for me.

And another thing I think people need to understand about this book is that even though the text is simple and that youngsters can READ it, the concepts are meant for older kids. ... Read more

Book Description

Yolanda is a great big girl and strong for her age, bigger and stronger and smarter than anyone else in the fifth grade. She is cool and streetwise, too, and afraid of no one. It's easy for her to watch out for her little, first-grade brother, Andrew. But their mother, a legal professional and a widow, is concerned about crime and drugs in her children's Chicago school. She moves them all to a smaller and, she hopes, smaller town.

Yolanda, at first, is scornful of her new town. And Andrew, who never talks much, is having trouble learning to read. What he loves to do is play on the old harmonica given to him as a baby by his father to teethe on and which he's kept blowing ever since. He can imitate any sound he hears, like bacon sizzling, or express any mood he feels, like the freshness of an early morning. Yolanda understands that that's the way he "talks." She is convinced Andrew is a true genius with a great musical gift. But no one else believes it--not her mother, nor Andrew's teachers, not even wonderful Aunt Tiny in Chicago. Yolanda sets out to open up adult eyes, a task whose strategies will call on far more than her physical toughness. Her plans crystallize on a visit back to Chicago to enjoy the great annual blues festival with Aunt Tiny.

Carol Fenner, whose previous book Randall's Wall has reached a wide audience throughout the country, has created a daring heroine in Yolanda and a warm portrayal of an African-American family in a story that moves with mounting intensity to a dramatic, believable, and a wholly satisfying conclusion. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

I enjoyed hearing about all of the Great Jazz Musicians!
It all started in Chicago after a gun firing in Yolonda's School. Her mother was scared that her two children, Yolonda and Andrew, would get hurt. After that incident she insisted that they move. Andrew was a first grader that didn't know how to read. One day Yolonda, being a genius in her own category, told Andrew he was a musical, harmonica, genius. As she said that she noticed that his Marine Band Harmonica was broken. That made Yolonda wonder why would a genius break his instrument. Would Albert Einstein break his chalkboard? Andrew would not believe that he was a genius. Yolonda had to think of a way to prove it to him and the world!

I enjoyed this book thoroughly. I especially liked it because of all of the jazz instruments and artists, such as B.B. King. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to relax while reading.

Musical
Mrs. Fenner's done it again! This story is about an African-American family who leaves the violent Windy City for a quieter town. Yolonda, the daughter, has a hard time fitting in despite her assertiveness. So does Andrew, her LD brother. But Londa sees beyond his lack of book smarts to his musical genius. Can she help him utilize his talents and show people that he is intelligent? The language in this book was beautiful,despite some violence and sex references. Andrew's music is described so wonderfully that you can almost hear it. Like most girls, Yolonda has crushes. Although she and her ironically named Aunt Tiny are large women, their size is celebrated rather than insulted. Aunt Tiny shows that a little(sometimes a lot of) extra poundage keeps a person warm inside. I'm not obese,but I can identify with Yolonda's food addiction. She understands the virtues of chocolate! However,that's not always a good thing. Enough lectures about eating habits, read this book! You're in for a real treat.

OK book
When Yolonda's mother, fearful of drugs and crime, drags Yolonda and her brother, Andrew out of Chicago, Yolonda is teased and starts to feels irritated in the her new town, Grand River. To make life easier, she starts going to the library, where she soon discovers something that is completely astonishing and unexpected. While flipping through the dictionary one day, she finds the word 'genius'. She finds that Andrew fits the description. Determined, she sets forth to convince everyone of her brother's musical talent on his harmonica. In spite of this, no one understands, not even her mother because they think Andrew is stupid, due to his weak reading skills. Then Yolonda's Aunt Tiny comes and whisks them back to Chicago. There they attend the famous Chicago music festivals, and Yolonda comes up with a risky plan to prove that Andrew indeed is a genius. Succeed she does, so Andrew hits the stage and performs for crowds of people. But in the end, he chooses a quiet life with his mother and Yolonda.

I would give this book a four out of ten overall. Carol Fenner came up with a decent story, but I didn't particularly like her style. The story was hard to follow since she switched scenes quite often without making good transitions. Neither was it a very suspenseful or exciting story.

Yolonda's Genius
YolandaÕs Genius is a fantastic and exciting book. In the beginning her family has to move out of their hometown because too many bad things happen. One bad thing that happened was high school kids gave Andrew drugs and the good thing is that Andrew didnÕt take them because he knew better. They moved from Chicago to Michigan. Yolonda doesnÕt really get along with the kids at her new school because they make fun of her because sheÕs different. Her little brother Andrew loves his harmonica that his dad gave him when he was a little baby before the father died. At school Andrew doesnÕt focus in reading and he just kept playing his harmonica. One day Yolonda and Andrew were walking home from school and Yolonda forgets her brother at the park and if you want to know what happen you should read this book.
The reason why I liked this book a lot is because it showed how Yolonda really loved her brother Andrew. And how she cared so much about her family and she watched over Andrew so well. I also liked this book because it had a lot of adventures that Yolonda did and some with her little brother. I think that anybody would love this book and I think you would really enjoy it.

Yolonda Is No Genius
As you try to swin through a see of ... looking for a climax and before you find it its wasted on old, soggy friendships and an ending with no certainty.

They use Aunt Tiny as some superstar really when she only cuts Oprahs hair.

Yolonda is a wannabe, and dont read this book at all costs. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (60)

The Subtle Knife vs Screwtape
Other reviewers have mentioned the Potter series, but this book reminded me more of Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.As in HDM, the world is bleak, the heroes are young and most adults seem oblivious to anyone else, except as they may be used in some grandiose scheme.
Unlike with HDM, I couldn't develop any integrated picture of the KTTK world.Things were described, but the descriptions seemed like prop lists.The author seemed capable of throwing in anything or anyone that we might have read about elsewhere.For example, Prometheus shows up - with a different name.
At times, I felt like I was reading a screenplay, "Hey, this'll look great in the film, (coming soon to a theater near you) and they probably have some on the backlot!"Maybe I should have called this 'Will and Dr. Who vs. Screwtape.'I did want to find out how it turned out, so despite all criticisms, I think it probably works for the early teenager that hasn't already read everything in the genre.

Read this book
If you are a parent and want your kid to get into reading, this book is perfect. It is such a fun read, your child will read it seamlessly. It is even a great read for adults, as I found out while reading.

"Be a Player, Not a Pawn..."
Garth Nix's "Mister Monday" begins a brand new fantasy series in the "Keys to the Kingdom" series. This Australian author is fast-becoming one of the biggest names in fantasy with his reinvention of the genre and his intricate, fascinating plots. Unlike other such authors, who place their heroes in a medieval realm of magical swords, horse-back riding and dragons, Nix follows the example of writers such as Philip Pullman, Susanna Clarke and (to a lesser degree) J. K. Rowling by creating a more contemporary fantasy-world with the flavours and style of the 18th and 19th centuries. Where his "Seventh Tower" book was written for younger readers, and "Abhorsen" trilogy for teenagers (though many adults got in on the act), "The Keys to the Kingdom" are situated smack dab in the centre of these two age groups - though again, I hope this doesn't prevent people of any age group from reading them.

The Epicentre of the Universe is a realm known as "The House" - a labyrinth of rooms and halls and fantastical landscapes, that are ruled over by the treacherous Trustees, or as they are more commonly known, the Morrow Days. Their task was to take over the supervision of our world (or `The Secondary Realms') from the creator - the Architect, who left Her instructions written in a Will, to be carried out accordingly. But the Days tore the Will into seven pieces and scattered the scraps across the known worlds to be guarded forever more, and only now - thousands of years later - has one fragment of the Will managed to escape...

Meanwhile, in the ordinary world, Arthur Penhaligon is coping with the pressures of the first day at a new school. Forced to go on a cross-country run- even though he has severe asthma - Arthur soon finds himself lagging behind, and eventually collapses on the lawn. Whilst his classmates run for help, the strangest thing happens: a young man and his butler appear from nowhere, and bequeath to Arthur something that they call a "Key" (though to Arthur it looks more like a large minute hand from a clock), and a strange book called `The Compleat Atlas of the House and Immediate Environs'. But when a fight emerges between the two figures - Mister Monday and Sneezer - they both disappear without any further regard to Arthur.

And from there, things just get stranger. A giant House has appeared on the block that only Arthur can see, and ugly dog-faced men in bowler hats are coming after him. Worse of all is the outbreak of a mysterious illness that puts the whole community into quarantine and Arthur's own family in danger. Seeing no other way of helping, Arthur travels to the House, uses his key, and enters its domain... Arthur has been chosen by the Will to become Heir to the Kingdom and set right the corruption that is destroying management of the realm.

What follows is an amazing adventure throughout a world chock-full of danger, intrigue, invention and surprises. The House is one of the most colourful places you could ever wish to visit, complete with everything from elevators to dinosaurs to coal cellars. Nix delights in playing with words and concepts, and the phases "got a frog in your throat" and "having a silver tongue" take on whole new meaning here, and things such as books, paper, the written word and language are given a solid, tangible quality here that is thought-provoking and completely original. Old legends are given new life (such as the tale of the Pied Piper and the Greek myth of Prometheus) and concepts and symbols given real form: such as the days of the week in human form, and their angelic-looking (but quite devilish) Dawn, Noon and Dusks.

Throughout, Arthur is a sympathetic, understandable protagonist, who reacts to his adventures in a way that you'd expect a young boy to do, but with extraordinary resilience and courage, as does his young sidekick Suzy Turquoise Blue. All other characters are vivid and interesting, both good and bad, and immensely memorable. Also, Nix sprinkles little hints and clues to the next books throughout the text, so read carefully!

The book suffers little from the amount of ideas and concepts that Nix crams between its covers, which can seem either random or confusing to a first-time reader. By the time they get on to the next books, the general formula of where Nix is going is straightened out and most of the things Arthur sees and hears of in this first book are understandable (which should justify a second reading!) Make sure "Grim Tuesday" is on hand to continue Arthur's story.

Another Escape from the regular genre provided by Nix!
Garth Nix's 'Mister Monday' was a highly clever, creative, and entertaining read that had me up into the wee hours of the morning following Arthur's adventures in the House.Arthur Penhaligon was a believable hero who after strange creatures called Fetchers bring a sleeply plague to his town, with his newly acquired key, Arthur must venture into the mysterious House that only he can see to save his town.Obviously, Nix wrote this book for a younger audience so his writing wasn't as ... mature as it was in his brilliant Abhorsen trilogy.But the sheer imagination Nix brings to this book more than makes up for it.The intricate world of the House was highly entertaing and origional and Nix stuns me every time he writes a new story.'Mister Monday' has everything a hugely popular series needs, loveable characters, a complex plot, and buckets loads of creativity.'Grim Tuesday' is certainly going on my wish list!

Keys for a sleez!!!
This book was pretty good. I would suggest that you be under the age of 1726.Being the old hag of an elf that I am, 14 is pretty old you know,I wanted the pleasure of reading youngster material.So I did. ... Read more

Book Description

In an enchanting performance, two-time Academy Award® winner Sally Field takes us on a topsy-turvy adventure through Wonderland. Irresistibly delightful, fascinating and funny, Ms. Field's stunning interpretation brings Alice, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat and all of Lewis Carroll's remarkable characters to life.

Produced in a simple manner that allows imaginations to soar, Carroll's triumph will charm the entire family. Destined to become an instant classic, this audiobook will help introduce our family to the unique pleasure of classic literature.

A portion of the proceeds from this audiobook will be donated to the National Center for Family Literacy, anon-profit organization that improves the lives of tens of thousands of families annually by creating and assisting programs that teach the entire family basic literacy skills that expand their economic and social well-being. ... Read more

Book Description

Read by the author and a full cast
10 hours 4 minutes, 8 cassettes

A shadow has fallen on the shore of the Eastern sea, a shadow called Marshank.In this cold stone fortress a stoat named Badrang holds dozens of innocent creatures as slaves, part of his scheme to build an empire where he will rule as unquestioned tyrant.

Among those slaves is a mouse named Martin who has a warrior's heart, and a burning desire for freedom—freedom not ony for himself, but for all of Badrang's victims.There is no risk he will not take, no battle he will not fight, to end the stoat's evil reign, and in the process regain the sword of his father, Luke the Warrior—the sword that Badrang stole from him when he was but a lad.

Once again master storyteller Brian Jazques has crafted an epic advewnture and filled it to the bursting point with unforgettable characters, including villians so hilariously evil you'll barely be able to keep from hissing them, and loveable woodland creatures so brave you'll want to stand and cheer as they fight for their freedom. ... Read more

Reviews (225)

Save the sword or read the book
This is another good book from the Redwall series. This book starts differently than the others. It is told by Abbot Saxtos. In one day, he tells the story of Martin the Warrior to some travelers who know a little about Martin.
The book started at Marshank. Martin was a slave to Lord Badrang. Lord Badrang took his father's sword from Martin. One day he and some others break out from the Prison Pit. The few that break out go separate ways. Brome and Fellodoh go with the Rambling Roseship players. Martin, Rose, and Grumm are captured by Pygmy Shrews. They were made to look after the little ones. A seagull took the Queen's baby. So Martin saved him and him and his friends get to leave. They made it to Noonvale. Martin sees how many of them are willing to go and fight Badrang and get the sword back. He gets few. Then heading to Marshank, he get hundreds of animals to help fight. They meet Brome and Fellodoh. That's when the war to get back the sword begins.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes animals and medieval times combined. This is another great book written by Brian Jacques. This is one of the better Redwall books because it has more action and adventure.

Martin the Warrior is amazing!
Zack's Rating: 97%

An excellent tale about a young mouse named Martin who is captured and slaved by the ruthless Badrang the Tyrant. He escapes Badrang's fort, Marshank and joins Rose, Grumm the mole, and Pallum the hedgehog. Martin leaves safety at a peaceful place called Noonvale, and will do anything to win back his father's sword from Badrang's grasp...

Finally got the rankings of Redwall books I have read:

1.Mossflower-99% 2.The Bellmaker-98% 3.Martin the Warrior-97% 4.The Outcast of Redwall-97% 5.Redwall-96% 6.Mariel of Redwall-94% 7.Mattimeo-89%

Mitton's Martin the Warrior
I want to start out by saying that this book had a very good plot. Luke the warrior Martins son wanted to be a warrior. There was an oath he swore of not to give his sword up and he got it taken. Martin didnt want to go back like this so he went on a journey, from being in slavery, from running, his own adventure. He saved people along the way and had a dream to get his sword back. Find out if he did. This book deserves 5 starts because of how the climax worked out. It left you gessing what was going to happen. This was an excellent book for ages 10+.

Martins History
This book all about Martin the warrior. How he became a warrior. Later be a founder of Redwall. This takes place a long time ago I redwall ancient pass before Salamdasron and Redwall.

Martin is captured when he is young by the vile Stoat Badrang. He is forced to helpthe other slaves Build his fortress Marshank. Then throw in captain Clog made rang X Mate coming back for Revenge.

After bit Banrang Martin is sentence to be excuted by goals. Martin swear to take back his father sword. Beautiful rose of Novale lucking for her Brother arrives Marshank. She and Grum a mole drive of the goal and save Martins life.

After Martin, Brome and a young muscular squirrel name Felldo escape. Martin had help Feldo father. The slaves plan to help Martin all but a stuborn youn bank mole Drup. Who is later killed.

After flee the get seperated at sea Feldo and broom meet the Rambling rose Players who agree to help them rescue the other slaves in Marshank.

Meanwhile Martin has temporaly been enslave again by a pigmy shrew and her farther. A long with Rose there they meet polloum the hedhog. Polloum sex differs from the book and cartoon version. After Martin saves the life of one of her kids for a nat they are set free.

The go on have many adventures. They ecounter the Jaba tribe who tried to slaughter them for mere amusement. The meet the beautiful owl boldred. The even meet a creature with some thing sort of like ESP.

Later the meet the Warnden who later one help them in the final battle at Marshank will Martin kill Badrang and what price will be paid find out in Martin the Warrior.

Best Book by Brian Jacques!!
This book was amazing from the first pages -- in which an enslaved mouse called Martin attacks a slave-guard at the evil fortress of Marshank and is sentenced to death by the stoat Badrang the Tyrant -- to the end where...well, I had better not tell.
This book was almost non-stop action, which is rare in many books. You would not want to put this book down!! This book is possibly the BEST book that Brian Jacques has written!! There are a few sadder parts, where the pace slows down a little (but that is typical of all Jacques' books). You can read this book over and over again and find something new, a new implication or piece of irony. Best of all, instead of just two armies battling each other, Brian Jacques creates a third party -- the freebooting stoat Cap'n Clogg -- that battle both the good and bad armies.
I have only one piece of advice for you: GO BUY THIS BOOK NOW, OR ELSE YOU MAY BE MISSING THE BEST BOOK IN PRINT!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Approx. 1.5 hours

2 cassettes

1999 National Book Award Finalist
Parent's Guide to Children's Media Honors
Publishers Weekly Best Books of 1999
Horn Book Honor Book

A Harlem drugstore owner was shot and killed in his store, and the word is that 16-year-old Steve Harmon served as the lookout.Was he involved or was he simply in the wrong place at the wrong time?An amateur filmmaker, Steve transcribes his trial into a movie script, showing scene by scene how his life was turned around in an instant.


... Read more

Reviews (341)

Monster
"Monster" is what the prosecutor called 16-year-old Steve Harmon for his supposed role in the fatal shooting of a convenience-store owner. But was Steve really the lookout who gave the "all clear" to the murderer, or was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time? In this innovative novel by Walter Dean Myers, the reader becomes both juror and witness during the trial of Steve's life. To calm his nerves as he sits in the courtroom, aspiring filmmaker Steve chronicles the proceedings in movie script format. Interspersed throughout his screenplay are journal writings that provide insight into Steve's life before the murder and his feelings about being held in prison during the trial. "They take away your shoelaces and your belt so you can't kill yourself no matter how bad it is. I guess making you live is part of the punishment."
Myers, known for the inner-city classic Motown and Didi (first published in 1984), proves with Monster that he has kept up with both the struggles and the lingo of today's teens. Steve is an adolescent caught up in the violent circumstances of an adult world--a situation most teens can relate to on some level. Readers will no doubt be attracted to the novel's handwriting-style typeface, emphasis on dialogue, and fast-paced courtroom action. By weaving together Steve's journal entries and his script, Myers has given the first-person voice a new twist and added yet another worthy volume to his already admirable body of work. (Ages 12 and older) --... --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Monster
Luis G.
I read the book Monster by Walter Dean Myers. The story is about a 16-year-old boy, Steve Harmon, on trial for felony murder. Steve, who wished that experience were only a movie, writes the story in a movie script format. There only needs to be enough evidence to say he was at the scene of the crime and participated in the drug store robbery, regardless of whether or not he pulled the trigger on Mr. Nesbitt, the person killed. If so, he might spend the rest of his life behind bars. Steve is the only dynamic character in the story; when the movie begins, he is a simple 16-year-old boy who had only seen the world through his somewhat happy life. Towards the end he realizes not all people in this life are decent, or anywhere close to decent human being, but rather there is a mix of good and bad living amongst each other. Steve's movie contains flashbacks that sometimes leave the reader wondering of their significance to the story. In them we see a Steve Harmon prior to him being in jail. We see him hanging out with his friends and family. Readers are able to relate with Steve regardless of whether or not they have experience a jail term. Walter Myers does an excellent job of characterization especially in those flashbacks, because Steve seems so much like a real. Because you are able to relate with Steve you begin to feel sympathy for him just because of the awful place he is at. Myers's imagery of the jail is excellent. You realize the brutality and the perverse minds of some inmates, and also the depressed state Steve is in. as a consequence, you begin to feel sorry for him and wish he be found not guilty. This book is on of a kind because you observe the brutal side of jail through the mind of a 16-year-old boy. I think that all teens might want to consider reading this book, and I also think they are the ideal audience.

MONSTER
Monster

This is one of the best books I have ever read, and I don't usually like reading books. I know you have heard that many times before but when you hear it from me you know its true because I absolutely despise reading.
This book is based on a true story: Three men planned a robbery at the local drug store in which the local drug store clerk was shot and killed. Now these three men are on trial and one of them is innocent, can you tell who? One of the characters is Steve. He was one of the three being convicted of murder. Whether or not he was guilty, you'll just have to see for yourself. Evans was another of the three that were on trial for felony murder. And James King is the last main character that is on trial for murdering the store clerk.
This book is good because all of these characters seem realistic. The author describes how appropriately they dressed for their court trials. The way that the author talks about the characters makes me able to picture the characters in my head. " Cut To: Steve Harmon getting dressed in his cell wearing a tie and button up shirt". The author also makes the murder scene real because the police go through the proper procedure that they normally would at a regular murder scene.
The court case also seems true, Mostly because the book is written in play form, with characters being given dialogue and actions. Its almost like its being written by a court reporter.
The way that this book was written was the first thing that jumped out at me because it is so realistic. You can picture the man or woman who is talking. However there were some flaws to the way it was written because the narrative alternates between third person play form and first person diary format making parts of the book hard to understand. I would get lost while I was reading because I would get so into it I wouldn't bother reading the names of the person who was talking.
In conclusion I think that this was an extremely good book. I recommend this book to people who like mystery books because with this book you never know what's going to happen next.

The master piece
This book is amazing.This book is about a kid on the streets that is accused of robbery and murder .The book can be compared to the movie "juice" .

Book Review
Monster is mainly about a 16 year old boy named Steve. Steve is a very timid kid fighting for his innocence. This book takes place in a Manhattan Detention Center. Steves problem is that he is being falsely accused for commiting murder. Now he has to go on trial and see what happends.

This book "Monster" is basically all dialogue and no actions. There are alot of characters in this book and it is hard to keep track of them since it's written like a movie. This book has alot of realism since it was based on a true story. There really isnt alot of suspense in this novel. "Monster" drags out alot and i wouldnt recommend this book to anyone.

To the peron who wrote this book, I think he should have sold this "script" to a movie maker. This book was a waste of time to read. Thank You. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (115)

The Rise of the High King
The High King was descriptivelywritten as it tells the quest of an Assistant Pig Keeper on his journey to save the most powerful weapon in all of Prydain from the clutches of the evil deathlord Arwan and his hordes of twisted warriors. The High King is truly a great book of good versus evil.

The High King gets high marks
The High King is a book about an assistant pig-keeper named Taran who is living a peaceful life on a farm ...Until the wounded prince Gwydion turns up without the magical sword Drnwyn, that the kings of Prydain wear.Taran assists the prince on his quest to reclaim the sword Dyrnwyn from the Arawn Death-Lord and his army.It has a lot of battles, armys, magic, and death.This book would be right up a boy's alley.This book is easy for 4+ grades.
This book has a bit of talking and romance, but, it's still an awesome book.

"In Their Secret Hearts, Are They No Less Evil than Arawn?"
"The High King" is the fifth and last book in the truly wonderful Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander, preceded by "The Book of Three", "The Black Cauldron", "The Castle of Llyr," and "Taran Wanderer", all of which are necessary reading if you want to fully understand and enjoy this last installment. "The High King" however has the added distinction of being the winner of the Newbery award, as well as being a good deal thicker than the previous books.

Throughout the last four books the allied forces of Prydain under leadership of Prince Gwydion and the enchanter Dallben have waged war against the evil Death-Lord Arawn, whilst the Assistant Pig-Keeper Taran has grown from man to boy. Now returning from his journey of self-discovery in "Taran Wanderer", he is eager to be home, especially since Princess Elionwy has returned from the Isles of Mona. Soon everyone is reunited in the cottages of Caer Dallben, which is a special treat if you've read the previous books as everyone is there: Gwydion, Fflewddur Fflam, Gurgi, Doli, Llyan, Kaw, Hen Wen, Glew, Rhun, Coll, Hen Wen - you name it and they're there. Predominantly among them is the conquered enchantress Achren - a shadowy figure who despises Arawn and has her own secret plans to have her vengeance.

But Arawn has struck sooner than the good guys intended, and the magical black sword Dyrnwyn has been stolen. Now Taran is swept up once more on an adventure that's way over his head. Guided by the mysterious prophesy of the oracular pig and devastated by a betrayal amongst the allied forces, Taran gathers together the people of the Free Commots and begins a dangerous journey through the mountains to reach Annuvin in time to help Gwydion's fleet. On the way we re-met every possible character we've ever met in Prydain - Magg, Gwystyl, Eiddileg, Smoit, Medwyn, Dorath, Melynlas, all the common folk from "Taran Wanderer", and of course Orddu, Orwen and Orgoch - Alexander hasn't missed a single one, and they all have important and meaningful parts to play.

Previously, the books have been told solely from Taran's point of view, but now for the first time we see events through the eyes of other characters - everyone from Elionwy to Dallben to Kaw gets a chance to be in the spotlight. "The High King" is an exhilarating read, as by this stage most readers will be deeply invested in these characters and the land of Prydain, and the author swings us continually back and forth from despair to hope and back again. The fortunes of the good guys are always up for grabs, and Alexander makes sure we know that the stakes are high and the cost of defeat is unthinkable.

As well as Alexander's wonderful sense of humour that is found throughout the series, there are (many) moments of great wisdom, poignancy and bitter-sweetness, not to mention romance, magic and mild horror. There are sacrifices, deaths of major characters, destruction of beautiful things and many a difficult decision to be made. Some of the issues are incredibly deep, and not at all what you'd expect to find in a children's book.

Every story is wrapped up satisfactorily, from Magg's escape in "The Castle of Llyr" to Taran's role to play in `The Book of Three' to the gwythaint fledgling that was saved in the first book. Very few endings to series leave you with a sense of completion, but I believe "The High King" is one of them, as well as having my highest recommendation in terms of a truly worthwhile and rewarding read - a perfect five stars.

Not that great
I think in my own apinion that this book is not really a childern book.I think this book doesn't have one main idea and you get lost in the book , you don't know whats happening because it always switches ideas.This book should ownly get 1 or 2 stars.

May smile at a king
I'm always fascinated by books and movies that are parts of larger series, and yet win major awards entirely on their own.A good recent example of this might be the third part of the "Lord of the Rings" films winning the Oscar.Similarly, the final book in Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles won the coveted Newbery Award.I pity the graduate film and literature students that discover these award winners without having seen/read their predecessors.Fortunately, "The High King" doesn't require too much backstory or catching up.If you are reading this book on its own you'll undoubtedly be annoyed by its continual references to characters or situations you're not personally familiar with.My advice is not to begin with this, the last in the series.Find "The Book of Three" and carry on from there."The High King" is good, butit's best within context.

When we last saw our heroes, Taran and Gurgi were finally returning to Caer Dallben after more than a year of Taran "finding himself" in the classic sense of the term.At last they are coming home, and to their delight everyone has turned out for their arrival.Unfortunately the joy is not for long.Prince Gwydion has been grievously hurt on his way to the party and his sword of Dyrnwyn has been stolen.Needless to say, this is very bad news.Soon the armies of Arawn-Death-Lord are marching and the time for an end to his reign is at hand.With Taran now a wiser steadier fellow, our band of ragamuffin heroes sets off once more towards adventures, traps, and triumphs.Old friends are met, new friends are found, and many good stout-hearted people die.Still, through it all our heroes never give up and the book is a stirring testament to the will of the average joe.By the end of the book Taran must face his greatest decision yet.And, as author Lloyd Alexander points out, "whether the ending is happy, heartbreaking, or both, readers must decide for themselves".

Out of all the Prydain books, this is the one that bears the most similarity to the aforementioned "Lord of the Rings".This is based on a variety of different factors.The types of battles waged.The evil lord's landscaping.The idea that the bad guy has gotten an object of particular power and can now wield it for evil.Even the ending is similar (though Taran makes a surprise decision that is the direct opposite of Frodo's own surprise decision).Don't feel that this book is a weak knock off of Tolkien's (admittedly) better written baby though.Alexander's at the top of his game here, posing as many philosophical queries as he does political jabs.The presentation of a former good guy who believes peace can only come by joining up with bad guys... heck we're talking WWII political theory here.On top of that Taran is at his wisest in this book.He's poised and confident without being cocky.There's the odd inclusion of a terribly annoying fellow named Glew in this book who serves only to create important plot points and a form of weak comic relief, but fortunately he is the sole flaw of the book.I was greatly relieved too.After the meanderings of Alexander's far weaker, "Taran Wanderer", I was worried that, "The High King" might bog down into dreary who-am-I? type speechifying.Fortunately Eilonwy is present and accounted for in this novel.She fights and gets captured, but at least she's a gutsy ball of gung-ho goodness.As the sole female of the novel she's a welcome relief to everyone's serious even toned conversations.Once again, Eilonwy saves the novel.

"The High King" is far longer than its predecessors, but that's fitting since it's the last in the series.Alexander keeps the action constant and upbeat.I doubt you'll find any serious objections to it.It is sad to say goodbye to the characters we've all grown to know so well in the books.I've always had a serious crush on Fflewddur Fflam so I think I'll miss him most of all.Fortunately there's always "The Foundling" and "Coll and His White Pig" to read for fun.They're not officially part of the Prydain canon but they belong squarely in that world.Consider checking them out if you fall into Lloyd Alexander withdrawal."The High King" is rightfully considered the strongest book in its series.I recommend it with nary a reservation in sight.
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Reviews (45)

Needin' the feedin'
I give books a certain amount of credit if, after reading them, I find myself unduly influenced by their message in my daily life. Take "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" for example. Read that book through and then try to watch a pageant on your own without remembering the book's fantastically written scenes. Good writing engenders creative thinking. So a large amount of cred should fall on M.T. Anderson's "Feed". Though it admittedly has a number of strikes against it, I challenge you to walk around a mall or watch television after reading every word of this beautifully thought out book cover to cover. If you don't, consequently, find yourself trapped in the eerie uber-consumerism of this modern day and age, then obviously you were only skimming this clever little novella. And I wouldn't be able to blame you. Anderson has undertaken a very difficult task. First of all, this kind of message has (to some extent) been done to death. Yes yes yes, the world is full of too much advertising and consumerism. Yes yes, it's bad. We know. Thank you. Second, he has placed his book in the future and has invented a kind of futuristic slang that, while interesting and consistent (Mr. Anderson never errs or disobeys his own rules) is nonetheless difficult to get into. Some readers are going to have difficulties dealing with people calling one another "unit" (an upgrade on our currently popular "dude") or saying things are "meg" this and "meg" that. It is meg annoying at first (see?), but keep at it. Read on and this brave little new world becomes incredibly interesting. Here, humans that can afford it are wired directly to the internet. Forget having the web on the brain. Now the web is IN your brain, controlling the human body's daily functions and activities.

Today, teens hungry for futuristic sci-fi can have their fill with such titles as "Jennifer Government", but I give this book, in particular, a lot more credit. The author takes this world to its obvious extreme, making a girl who is a poor consumer into a victim of corporate medical care (or in this case, poor tech support). More importantly, the author never loses sight of certain facts. Our hero is undoubtedly rich and his moneyed family allows him a greater amount of leeway with things like school trips and purchases. His poorer girlfriend suffers from living in a world where consumerism has been literally wired to the brain. It is this character that will readily point out that many Americans do not have access to "the feed", their name for the internal internet link. The poor are always with us. They just don't advertise their existence particularly well. This book is basically the adventures of a very average joe schmoe who doesn't really care for international strife (of which there is quite a lot) or anything particularly unpleasant (his girlfriend's physical collapse being an excellent example). And how different is this charming young man from most Americans today? His is a world where the feed, in Homer Simpson's words, "Isn't afraid to tell the truth. That everything's just fine". Parents please note, this book is chock full of swearing. If that bothers you, fine. But if it doesn't, I commend you. The book will make anyone reading it think. For that reason alone, I recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Feed: It's no 1984...
I just read "Feed" last week and it was, as some readers have said, "interesting". It really makes you realize how vulernable we are to what companies tell us to think. If Abercrombie says, "Jump", half the teenage population is up in the air. As another reviewer commented, I didn't like Mr. Anderson's writing style. It was too immature I thought. I guess because it's Titus saying it, but I'd be interested to see if all his work is in this formatting. Another problem I had with "Feed" was that the main character really wasn't likable. Titus is a moronic, sex-crazed, naive, jackass who has probably never had an original idea in his life. I couldn't identify with him because he was just so stupid and it frustrated me. I liked Violet, although at first I found her pretensious. The whole idea is very creative and thought-provoking though as people don't go to "real" school, dance on the moon, and seem to shop constantly. Their feeds control their lives and since they never seem to think for themselves or actually learn or remember anything, the entire human race is basically incompetent. To get an example, Titus says something along the lines in one of his conversations, "Why do we need to know what battles George Washington fought in during the Civil War?" The end is chilling though. Everything must go.

not crazy about the book
eh. it was alright... however the problem with this book is that the main character doesn't begin to feel real or show emotions untill the last few pages of the book. when its tough to care for a character or at least find somehting to identify with its tough to enjoy a book.

All-too-accurate future distopia
Titus and his friends are bored on their spring break, so they decide to take a trip to the moon. Through their feed, which is basically a hyped-up Schwarzenegger version of the internet that is lodged in their nervous system, they hear about a cool club. They go to the club and meet people with the best clothes, the best hair, and the dj's playing the best songs, all thanks to the feed, which unfailingly supplies all the latest trends and can even make recommendations for Titus based on his past purchases (much like amazon!).

But at the club, something goes very wrong. A hacker working for the Coalition of Pity scams his way into Titus' and his friend's feed, knocking them unconscious. They have to be hospitalized and patched up, and off of the feed for days. Titus recovers, but his girlfriend Violet's feed has been so damaged, it could be fatal.

M.T. Anderson has written a gripping tale of what life in the not-too-distant future could be like, if America and the west doesn't curb it's appetite for more and more. He writes what it could become like for a young person like Titus to grow up without actually thinking and feeling, but being "fed" by corporations everything he *thinks* he needs. This is one of the smartest and most important books I've read this year. If you ever worry about the repurcussions of consumer society, you should check out this book.

Read the Book!!!
I have read many books over my 17 years of life and I would have to say that Feed by M.T. Anderson is one that I would recommend to everyone.
I do not write reviews, so to write this on my own accord should show how powerful this book really is. I was literally blow away by it. This is the first time I have read a book by M.T. Anderson and was delightfully surprised by the emotions this book can cause.
It takes place in the future, how far away I am not sure, but still it brings to life teenage society to a very fine point. It is has first person narrative that was weird at first but one gets used to it fast.
At the end of the book there is a reader's guide and a conversation with the author which I found very helpful to understand where the auther is coming from and the weight that this book has to our every day life.
I will from now on look at advertising in a new light and beware of what it is truely trying to do.
I found it meg cool and ironically funny so...read it and understand why!!! ... Read more

Book Description

When Shasta discovers he is not Arsheesh's son and therefore does not belong in the cruel land of Calormen, he joins forces with Bree the talking horse and flees north towards Narnia, where freedom reigns.

And so begins their hazardous journey, fraught with mystery and danger. Calormen's capital city of Tashbaan must be crossed, a harsh desert endured, the high mountains of Archenland climbed, their enemies overcome. For the young Shasta it is an adventure beyond his wildest dreams and one destined to change his life forever.

This acclaimed BBC Radio dramatization perfectly captures C.S. Lewis' magical world, inviting us to "breathe" the sweet air of Narnia once again and to join the mighty Aslan and his people in defending its most precious borders. ... Read more

Reviews (84)

Agreat book to read, and a mysterious title!
The Horse and His Boy was one of the best books I have ever read.It had little magic in it, but scenes were very gory and intense.Sometimes things were very exciting especially in the beginning which most books don't.During this story many odd things happened to the four adventurers.Those four are Bree, Shasta, Hwin, and Avaris.One of my favorite events in the book is when they four were attacked by lions!So pick up a copy of The Horse and His Boy, by Clive Staples Lewis, to figure out what the title means!

Entertaining story + good theology = classic Lewis
The second book in Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia is a more traditional "heroic quest" story than the previous book. The character of Aslan takes a bit of a different role in the story this time around. Whereas in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe we are introduced to the lion Aslan, the Son of the Emperor-Across-the-Sea, and his sacrifice to atone for a character's sins, in this book His sovereignty is the focus, as it is He, unbeknownst to the reader for most of the story, who drives the events that happen to the main characters. Lewis also throws some important theology into the mix. One of the characters postulates that Aslan can't be a "real" lion, that He must be some other sort of higher being. Aslan Himself quickly corrects this thought, however, pointing out that He is a "true beast," a real lion like other lions in the world. This corresponds to the Christian doctrine that Jesus was both true God and true man. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us."

Escape into Narnia
"The Horse and His Boy" is a bit of an oddity in the Chronicles of Narnia. It is the only book in which the main characters are natives of the fantasy world of Aslan (rather than being from ours), and is set in the era glimpsed in Chapter 17 of "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe".

Shasta lives in Calormen, a very Arabian Knights sort of place south of Narnia, full of beautiful palaces, dark skinned warriors, and citizens who quote their verbose poets and philosophers frequently. Shasta's lived all his life by the sea, treated cruelly by his "father" and made to do all the work. His humble life changes when a Tarkaan (something like a duke) arrives in town, riding a horse named Bree. Through an overheard conversation, Shasta discovers that his father isn't really his father, and that he comes from Narnia, a faraway northern country. Curious of his origins, he decides to run away to Narnia, and so does Bree (who is actually a talking horse, taken from Narnia when young, and forced to act tame). They meet up with runaways Hwin and her girl Tarkheena Aravis, (also headed for Narnia) and together they ride northwards, braving bustlings cities, sweltering deserts, and a wild lion that just won't leave them alone...

I struggled through this book when I was younger (fifth grade), even though I was something of a big reader. There's a lot of wordy dialogue, like the quotes of the poets, and a lot of political intrigue that a kid won't neccesarily appreciate, like the motives for Rabbadash's war and his flirtations with Queen Susan, which go on for quite a bit. I know I didn't really enjoy those parts back then, and kind of scanned over those chapters. There is much to enjoy though. I loved the landscapes. I could feel the heat of the desert, and the balmy, unpredictable climate of Archenland, and the bustle of Tashbaan.

C.S. Lewis was a devoted Christian, and even though it doesn't shine through as strongly as in the other Narnian Chronicles, there is still some allegory to be found. The theme, I think, is something close to Proverbs 16v9 in the Bible: "In his heart man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps". Shasta, Bree, Hwin and Aravis all decide to escape Calormen to Narnia, but it is Aslan who guides their way. Even if it they didn't know it, it was he who brought them together, kept them safe, and got them to where they were going just in the nick of time.

"The Horse and His Boy" was the fifth Narnian Chronicle to be written, and the third chronologically. Well, that's not techincally trueIf you were being really chronological, you'd start with "The Magician's Nephew", go on to "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe", stop halfway through Chapter 17 after the children become kings and queens to read "A Horse and His Boy", finish that, then go back to finish the "The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe", then going on normally until "The Silver Chair", where you'd stop towards the end of Chapter 3, (where "The Horse and His Boy" is told to Jill and Eustace), read "The Horse and His Boy" again, then go back.

But that's being REALLY picky, and probably a little obsessive. It wouldn't be much fun at all to read the series like