Book Description

Volume 35 marks a distinctive return to everything for which Adventures in Odyssey is known - quality story-telling and beloved characters - in this set of 12 new half-hour episodes from the Adventures in Odyssey radio broadcast. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A revival of the series!
The previous years of the show has been a little dry. With Blackgaard dead, Jason off doing mission work outside the US, Jack and Johanne happily married, and Eugene and Katrina virtually Ignored, nothing was really happening on the show. Until now :) Kids' Radio is jammed with the singals of a Big Media Giant, someone breaks into Whit's End, a few kids run into a hacker on the Internet, and Jason returns to Odyssey. All of the sudden, things are ALIVE in Odyssey!! The series has abandoned the idea of split-episodes (the contraversial 15 minutes programs of the last few albums) and has started focusing on it's main characters for the last 13 years -- Whit, Tom and Connie. Plus, it's starting to sound fresh again...and few series, Radio-Tv or otherwise, can sound so alive and full of ideas after so long. So, hat's off to the new, Improved Adventures in Odyssey!! Keep it up!!

Getting Better
Unlike the current trend of Adventures in Odyssey where the quality of the shows were going down, this album presents a small promise of a return to the normal Adventures in Odyssey writing. With the introduction of a new villian, and the start of some long term arc episodes, The Big Picture hopefully will mark the upswing in Odyssey writing. ... Read more

Book Description

Caution: Studies show that this audio causes misery in 4 out of 5 children...

Dear Listener,

Before you throw this awful audio to the ground and run as far away from it as possible. you should probably know why. This audio is the only one which describes every last detail of the Baudelaire children's miserable stay at Heimlich Hospital, which makes it one of the most dreadful audios in the world.

There are many pleasant things to listen to. but this audio contains not one of them. Within it are such burdensome details as a suspicious shopkeeper, unnecessary surgery, an intercom system, anesthesia, heart-shaped balloons, and some very startling news about a fire. Clearly you do not want to hear about such things.

I have sworn to research this story, and to record it as best I can, so I should know that this audio is something best left on the ground, where you undoubtedly found it.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

Performed by Tim Curry

Reviews (100)

The Hostile Hospital/ Series of Unfortunate Events.
In the eighth book of the Series of Unfortunate Events, what else can be expected but woe and mystery? Due to some extremely incorrect publishing in a newspaper, the whole world now believes that the Baudelaire orphans are dangerous murders. However, nothing could be further from the truth since Klaus, Violet and Sunny are no less murders than you or me.
Taking refuge in a hospital, the orphans are forced to disguise them selves as V.F.D's (Volunteers Fighting Disease)! Of course, wherever the orphans go, Count Olaf follows and this time he has devised another disastrous scheme.

As I thoroughly enjoyed all the other books in the Series of Unfortunate Events, I enjoyed this book just as much. All of Lemony Snicket's books seem to follow a certain format, orphans find a new home (and when Mr. Poe is there he hardly stays to say hello to the orphan's unfortunate guardian,) Count Olaf makes his stinking appearance, none of the adults can see through Count Olaf's stupid disguise and the Baudelaires are forced to get out of their dilemma on their own.
I hear this book contains ' misleading newspaper headlines, unnecessary surgery, an intercom system, anaesthesia, heart-shaped balloons, and some very startling news about such things, ' as Mr. Snicket so kindly put it.

As well as telling the woeful tale of the Baudelaire orphans, Lemony Snicket slowly is revealing his own life's tale. Such as how his dearly beloved Beatrice died, something horrible that still makes him cry at night about Count Olaf, and something I am dieing to know about, the mysterious Jacques Snicket who was killed in 'The Vile Village'. As well as the mysterious V.F.D, and whether the Baudelaire orphans will ever see the Quagmire triplets again! Perhaps the last book in the series will explain all these loose ends!

I congratulate Lemony Snicket on producing such an intriguing tale when his when life is filled with misery. I recommend this book for all ages- anyone who would find it interesting!

The not so Hospitable Hospital
In the 8th book,The Hostile Hospital is an extrodinary book that has lots of action and mystery. The only thing the Baudelaire children have left from their friends, the Quaqmires, is a notebook with a page that says V.F.D. What does it mean? When Violet gets into the greedy hands of Count Olaf what is Klaus and Sunny going to do? Is she going to be rescued or stay forever in Count Olafs hands. In this book, Lemony Snicket gives us more information about how the Baudelaire children became orphans. He also hints that they may not be orphans after all. Yet, do not start with this book if you have never read books one through seven first. Lemony Snicket continues to make each book more mysterious then the one before it. I would recommend this book because it gave me a lot of information about the kids but also left me wondering. When the children find a paper related to their family in the hospital records, I thought that they would get the chance to find more family but instead they find the papers gone except for one page (13). This starts them on a new quest but first they must survive Count Olaf who plans to kill Violet and Klaus. To do this they must also figure out the mystery of the fire that was supposed to have killed their parents.

The Hostile Hospital
The Hostile Hospital is a great and exciting book. It is about three children named Violet, Klaus, and Sunny who don't have parents anymore. Their parents died in a fire and now our living with relatives. These children also have a evil man after them named Count Olaf who is after their fortune. When ever they are with another person Count Olaf always shows up. The Hostile Hospital keeps you interested the whole time you read it.Can Violet, Klaus, and Sunny survive Count Olaf?

Suspenseful and unpleasant
This is the eighth in a series of stories about unfortunate events that happen to the Baudelaires, three siblings who live by themselves after their parents die. They encounter many different adventures and misfortunes. I particularly liked this story because the plot kept me really interested and enthusiastic about reading more! This is a great option for readers who have not read any of the stories in this series. In this story, "The Hostile Hospital," one of the Baudelaires is held hostage in a hospital while her siblings try to save her.

The Hostile Hospital
The Hostile Hospital
By:Lemony Snicket
Reviewed By: M. Diaz
Period: 6

LIke all the other books it all started when a fire had killed their parents. So their parent's fortune was sent to them. They were sent to Mr.Poe who, then sent were sent to a guy named Count Olaf. In this book there is a murder a guy got killed. Then Count Olaf frames it on the three children. The Children ran away they didn't bother telling anyone because they knew no one would believe them. As the police were chasing them in the middle of no where they come across a store called the last chance general store. Because it was really the only store left. So they went in and there were so much stuff. They asked the storeowner if they could send a telegram. The storeowner said yes, and said do you have money they said no it's an emergency so he said ok it's for free. They telegrammed Mr. Poe telling him what had happened. Then a newspaper called the Daily Poncho. The children knew that they were in the front page. So they ran for because they knew they wouldn't believe them. They were saved because a group called the V.F.D came and they went in the van. The V.F.D. is an organization the sings for sick people in the hospital. When the V.F.D notices them Violet says her name is Sally. But the leader of the group says we don't need names we just call it other brother and sister. They go to the hospital and they were looking for volunteers to work in the file room. You're going to have to read the book for the rest.
I loved the book so much. This is my favorite book out of the whole series. It always keeps you guessing until the end. Here is one of the quotes "Oh no they've captured Violet" that's were the book gets really interesting. Here's another quote "Sunny please open the alphabet soup", I know it sounds weird but here it gets really interesting. This book will make you be at the edge of your sit till the end. I love this book because it never gets dull. After each book you just want to read more.
My favorite part of the whole book is in the operating room. In that scene you don't know what, going to happen. Also you can't believe what's going to happen. That scene is just the start of it. That's why it's my favorite part. ... Read more

Book Description

Unabridged, 2 hours, 31 minutes, 2 cassettes
Performed by Julie Harris

For decades, E.B. White's charming, bittersweet tales of friendship and adventure have enchanted audiences young and old alike.Now the magic of this beloved classic comes to life in a delightful and completely unabridged recording, read by award-winning actress Julie Harris.

Stuart Little is a shy, philosophical little mouse with a big heart and a taste for adventure.In spite of his diminutive stature, barely two inches tall, Stuart sets forth into the world wtih some mighty big plans:to ride a Fifth Avenue bus, to win a sailboat race in Central Park, and to teach school for a day.But Stuart's greatest adventure begins when he decides to find his best friend, Margalo, a pretty little bird who once lived in a Boston fern in the Littles' house in New York City.Climbing into his tiny car, Stuart hits the open road, sure he's heading in the right direction, only to find himself in for a big surprise.

Filled with warmth, wit and wonder, Stuart Little, is a timeless tale that speaks to the heroic spirit in all of us - no matter what our size. ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Stuart Little
Stuart Little by E.B. White is a classic story.I never knew what was going to happen to this courageous little mouse.In the book it is like you are reading through the eyes of a mouse as you go through some of his adventures.
This book follows the life of a city family called the Littles.They adopt a son and name him Stuart, but the catch is Stuart is a mouse! So why would you want to read a story about a mouse?You would want to read this book because it is packed with adventure! You never know what is going to happen next! The story goes from Stuart befriending a bird named Margolo, to sailing a sailboat,to trying to drive his own car!Oh, and did I mention the CATS? It was interesting to imagine in my mind what the world looked like through a mouse's eyes.
Any person who likes adventure and little animals will love this book. It also doesn't take very long to read. I read it in two days because I liked it so much! I can't wait to read more of E.B. White's books and stories.

Stuart Little: still as much fun as ever
I re-read this story a few months ago after about an 11 year gap. What a delightful experience! It`s a great book for kids, but reading it as an adult is fun, too, and you understand a lot more of the author`s tongue-in-cheek wit and his lyrical descriptions. Child readers will be entranced by Stuart`s clever adaptions to a world that is always bigger than he is: details like his matchbox bed, paper clip skates, and toy sailboat that he commandeers quite well are very original. I do recall thinking as a kid that it was weird that he was born looking so much like a mouse and everyone just takes it for granted, but you tend to forget about that as you get absorbed in the adventures. Stuart is also born with an enormous capacity for wit and a novel take on life- witness his verbal sparring with Snowbell the cat and his hilarious turn as a substitute teacher. Others have noted that the primary reason he appeals so much to kids is because they, too, have to cope each day with a huge, often bewildering adult world. I agree with this, while also offering the idea that another reason he`s easy to like is because he is a true individual who likes to do things in his own special manner. He does`nt mind if big people and animals find his custom-built car or tiny clothing and suitcase strange! By the end of the story, you`re really rooting for him to find his lovely little bird friend, Margalo, and you`re also quite disappointed that the tale ends so abruptly! If only White had written a Stuart sequel. I can`t say enough good things about Stuart, and re-discovering him has inspired me to both rent the movie and look for a copy of White`s essays.

Dull family classic
The second son of the Little family turns out to be a mouse, whom they nevertheless name Stuart and raise as their own. I was somewhat underwhelmed by this family classic. Stuart's "adventures," such as riding on a toy boat and going down a drain, are related briefly and dully, without developing much tension or excitement. The characters are unfailingly stiff and polite with each other; even the interaction between family members often comes off like conversations between strangers at a cocktail party. The Little family's treatment of Stuart seems quite neglectful as well. Mr. Little, in particular, seems to think nothing of sending his little son into potentially dangerous situations, such as down a drainpipe to fetch a ring. At one point, the book describes how it becomes Stuart's job to go inside the piano while it is being played and hold on to a key that sticks, even though doing so subjects him to loud noises that affect his hearing for hours afterward.

Cute but strange ending
This was a cute book about litle Stuart the mouse in NYC. I listened to it in my car a week ago. Its a great book for kids, but I kept thinking how bizarre some of the events were. The voice of the cat in the book is agravating, like fingernails on a blackboard. The book kind of trails of in the end when Stuart starts looking for his lover, the little bird Margolo. Then it ends. Odd. But a great book to read to kids at bedtime. .

Stuart Little
This book was about a family with the last name Little. One day the parents go out to adopt a brother for their son. When they arrive, a mouse starts speaking to them. They are so confused thinking of what kid they can take home with them. The mouse starts speaking to them of how much he would love to have a family. He would have loved to have a family like them.So afterall they adopt him. when they take him home the real son of theirs does not believe them that the rat is their brother. He also gets very dissapointed. One of the mouse's fears was that, big mean white sharped nailed, cat Snowball. Many times Snowbell tried eating him. Later on in this story he and Snowbell make good friends. Snowbell starts protecting Stuart from all of the street cats. Stuart sleeps in a match box. It's very hard for him to get around the city because he is so small and anyone may step on him. There is a movie and a book mad of him. The both brothers are put on a soccer team. ... Read more

Book Description

Reader t.b.a.
approx. 6 hours
4 cassettes

Samantha Madison is just your average disenfranchised sophomore gal living in DC when, in an inadvertent moment sandwiched between cookie buying and CD-perusing, she puts a stop to an attempt on the life of the president.Before she can say “MTV2” she’s appointed Teen Ambassador to the UN and has caught the eye of the very cute First Son. ... Read more

Reviews (182)

All American Girl
This was a great book. Any of you that have read Meg Cabot's "Princess Diaries", I assure you, its not as gross.

Samantha Madison lives in Washington DC with Lucy her popular cheerleader sister and Rebecca, an annoying genius. She's in love with her sisters boyfriend and ever since the "celebrity drawings" she has to take Susan Boone's art class. To top it all off, she saved the President of the United States from an assasination attempt. Now everyone thinks shes a hero.

Her life definetly changes. She is appointed teen ambassador to the UN and she meets the presidents son-David. Who also happens to be VERY cute.

This is a story where Samantha, or Sam learns how to truly "See" and learns about true love. I highly recommend it. A good book for teens. Its funny and touching. Read it!

Excellent
Samantha Madison is what you would call an outcast. She's somewhat of a goth/artist. Her best friend, Catherine, wears clothes from like the 1800's, she's in love with her older sister Lucy's boyfriend, and her younger sister is a certified genius.

When Lucy tells their parents that Samantha is charging people to have their picture drawn with their favorite celebrity her parents enroll her in art class, where she meets David, and is humiliated on her first day, which causes her to ditch her next art lesson, and end up being in the right place at the right time to save the president's life. Which immediatley throws Samantha into a whirlwind of popularity and press conferences. Not to mention that the president's son may be falling in love with her. How could someone's life go from so normal to so crazy?

Meg Cabot has another hit with "All American Girl." Obviously she can write on any topic, and this one was original and refreshing compared to the other teen/young adult books out right now. This is a must read for all fans of "The Princess Diaries." A lot of teenage girls will be able to relate completely to Samantha.

All About All American Girl!
This book is one of those books that I could NOT put down. The story moves at a nice, quick pace, but doesn't go too fast where there are a million different plots going on. Meg Cabot gives the reader so much imagination on deciding how the character acts and looks like. This is one of my favorite books to read on a lazy, summer afternoon. It's like Meg Cabot stepped back into the world of being a sophomore in high school! With witty remarks and clever irony, this book will make you stay up til 3 AM reading it!!!

Hard to buy storyline¿
As someone who has read many YA books, I have to admit this one doesn't stand out, except maybe for the sheer outrageousness of the storyline. Samantha Madison is teenage artist living in Washington, D.C. One day while skipping her art classes her parents force her to attend she inadvertently saves the president's life. Along with her newfound celebrity comes...yup, you guessed it, a romance with the president's son. I could see most "twists" in the story from a mile away. I do like the minor plot about art however.

This Book Rocks!
Meg Cabot is a really good writer for teenagers and young adults. Like most of her books, it stars a girl around most of the readers age. This is good, because it means that some of us can relate to the main character of the book.

After saving the presidents life, she this young lady is confused. Suddenly, everyone wants to be her friend! It is a big change from how she lived before. The only good thing about being Teen Ambassador for the United States is...the presidents son!

This book mixes a defiant teenage girl's ultimate horror story and a taste of love.

One of the best books that I have read! 5/5 ... Read more

Book Description

The Newbery Honor Classic

In the more than thirty years since The Cricket in Times Square was first published, it has become a classic for all ages, passed down from generation to generation. Georg Selden's whimsical tale of a little Connecticut cricket named Chester, whose entrapment in a wicker picnic basket leads to never-before-dreamed-of adventures upon his arrival in Times Square, in its original, unabridged form, becomes a delightful performance as retold by Rene Auberjonois.

The Cricket In Times Square

After Chester lands, in the Times Square subway station, he makes himself comfortable in a nearby newsstand. There, he has the good fortune to make three new friends: Mario, a little boy whose parents run the falling newsstand, Tucker, a fast-talking Broadway mouse, and Tucker's sidekick, Harry the Cat. The escapades of these four friends in bustling New York City makes for lively listening and humorous entertainment. And somehow, they manage to bring a taste of success to the nearly bankrupt newsstand. ... Read more

Reviews (73)

The Cricket in Times Square
I read The Cricket in Times Square and thought it was a fantastic book. I enjoyed the book because the author, George Selden, used good vocabulary words to describe his characters and settings. The story was easy to follow and fun to read.

The Cricket in Times Square is about a cricket named Chester. Chester lived in Connecticut. One day he smelled some food from a picnic and went over to investigate the smell. While sniffing, he got caught in a bag with sandwiches. The family eating the sandwiches got on a train to New York City. When he got to New York City, one of the main characters, Mario Bellini, found Chester outside. Chester was next to Mario's parent's newsstand so Mario picked him up and put him in a matchbox. While at the newsstand, Mario asked his mom if he could keep the cricket. After a few days Mario took Chester to buy a cage at a Chinese store. The cage was shaped like a Chinese building.

At the newsstand Chester met a mouse named Tucker and a cat named Harry. Chester became good friends with them. Chester became a very famous cricket and played his beautiful music at 8:00AM and 4:30PM for all the people at the newsstand.

If you want more details about Chester's exciting adventures, read this book or other books by George Selden! I hope this review makes you want to read The Cricket in Times Square, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

A Review On The Cricket In Time Square
It all started when Mario found his new best friend in a pile of dirt. He met Chester, Chester the cricket. Mario lives with mama and poppa, but they don't have a lot of money. They own a newsstand in Grand Central Station. Chester meets two other friends besides Mario. He meets Tucker, a mouse and Harry, a cat. Quickly these four learn a lot about each other and become best friends. The four friends work hard to bring success to Mario's newsstand. I think this book is great. When I was reading I couldn't put the book down because you never know what's going to happen next so you have to read on. I think many other people should read this book too. It so detailed so you can see every little part in the book happening in your head. This book is one of my favorite books I have every read in my whole entire life. There's nothing good missing in this book, it's great. I would most certainly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read. The four friends work hard to bring success to Mario's newsstand. Read the book to find out what happens in the end of this great, Newberry award winning book.

By:Jake Soffer

The Cricket in Times Square
Can you guess what book I read; well if you guessed The Cricket in Time Square you were right. George Seldne really gets you interested in the book. I didn't want to put the book down.
Mario owns a cricket named Chester. He picked him up by the family owned newsstand in New York.
The mother of Mario doesn't want the cricket in the house or in the newsstand, but Mario makes a little deal with her so he can keep the cricket as a pet.
This book reminds me of The Todd and Frog because in both books they develop good friendships. Chester is an outrageous friend that helps out this family by chirping famous songs. He also helps out these two friends in New York.
If you're a person that likes fantasy, where animals tell the story, then you should really enjoy reading this book.

By Tara Curry

Emily's Review of The Cricket in Times Square
I really liked The Cricket in Times Square because there are lots of funny and unusual characters! It is about a small boy named Mario who finds a very unusual pet - a cricket! The cricket, Chester, ends up takinga subway to New York, and meets two other friends, Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat.
This was a hilarious book as Chester tries to manage in the city,which is unlike his Conneticut home.
This book is realistic fiction which means that everything in the book didn't happen, but it could happen. The author created many interesting characters at very unsual times. I like the way George Selden made the characters come to life. He described every character, so that I could visualize them in my mind, even without the pictures.

I would recommend this book to people who like adventure stories.Younger kids,and most adults would like The Cricket in Times Square.

The Crickets in Times Square
This is a fiction book.I read ths book in the summer.I would recmmend this book to others because its really fun and exciting.I could read this book all the time.If you like funny,exciting,and clever you should read ths book.at the end does chester go back to his home town,Kansas if you want to Know this great seceret?Does he live with his owner?Unravel this great seceret and pickup the adventures of the Cricket in Times Squares. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Once you start reading, you cant stop
Hardy Boys, Hunting for Hidden Gold is one of the best books I have read in my life. It combines mystery, adventure, and suspense all crammed in one book. The Hardy Boys series is a really great series. I usually don't like mystery books but this one is really good.Unlike some books that have boring parts. Hunting for Hidden Gold doesn't have any boring parts. That is very good. I really don't like parts where they just talk and talk about boring things that don't interest me. The Hardy Boys have been around for awhile and people still read them. Hardy Boys can be read by all ages. it is not really hard to read. In the whole Hardy Boys series there are 58 books. I am looking forward to reading more books from the series. Hunting for Hidden Gold is a sort of long book. It is about 150 pages long. That is not too long but it is not very short either. Since it is long, it gets lots of action in it. If it was any longer, it would have some boring parts in it. In conclusion, this book deserves five stars.

A book review of Hunting for Hidden Gold by Alyssa Laspesa
Recommendation - This book is an exciting thrill packed mystery novel. I recommend this book to anyone 13 years or older. It contains thrills, suspense, and many unpredictable close calls. If you are adventurous this book will hold your interest. "She may drown" Frank thought fearfully. The boys were very adventurous and brave to swim after the drowning animals. Another reason would be that the Hardy boys are heroes. "Look out!" Frank cried out. He grabbed Joe's arm and both boys leaped ahead in the nick of time. No matter difficult the situation, they never get hurt. They always come out the good guys. The Hardy boys think over each clue carefully so they out smart everyone. In conclusion, if you like a mystery novel where the main characters end up heroes, read this book.

Will Frank and Joe find the gold before the crooks do?
This review is of the 1963 Revised Version of "Hunting for Hidden Gold". The first 38 titles in the series were revised over the course of 15 years (some with minor changes, others were completely re-written). "Hunting for Hidden Gold" is the fifth Hardy Boys mystery. This edition is said to be drastically altered from the original. What this means, according to the Hardy Boys Unofficial Home Page, is that the text and plot have both been changed.

Frank and Joe Hardy become involved in another mystery when their father calls them out west to help with a case. They are searching for a gang that is involved in robbery, and even on the way out west, they are kidnapped and attacked and it is only with great luck that they even are able to meet up with their father. They find him hurt badly, but begin the investigation on their own and learn about a mystery about gold that was stolen from a prospector years ago. Can the brothers keep out of harm's way long enough to solve the case?

"Hunting for Hidden Gold" is another solid offering in the Hardy Boys series, though I would not say this is one of the best. It is a bit of an adventure story and it gives the sense of really being out west (as opposed to a story set in Bayport). There is a definite sense of place in this book. As usual, this book is recommended for kids of all ages (even the 25 year old kid).

-Joe Sherry

The book is like gold!
This is my second favorite Hardy Boys book.I think this is one of the best and thrilling book ever.Out of all the books I've read this is the second best.I like when Frank and Joe were getting chased by the wolves.I loved reading it.

Incredible!!
... This book is excellent; definately one of the top three of the series. The action starts on page 1 and doesn't let up until the book is finished. Hunting For Hidden Gold has perhaps the best mystery out of all of the books in the series and is written quite well unlike most of the books put out after the early 1950s. The book is very exciting, as quite often Frank and Joe are chasing, or being chased by, the criminals. Definately one of the best, no Hardy Boys fan should miss this one. ... Read more

Book Description

Within Cole Matthews lie anger, rage and hate. Cole has been stealing and fighting for years. This time he caught Alex Driscal in the, parking lot and smashed his head against the sidewalk. Now, Alex may have permanent brain damage'and Cole is in the Biggest trouble of his life.

Cole is offered Circle Justice: a system based on Native American traditions that attempts to provide healing for the criminal offender, the victim and the, community. With prison as his only alternative, Cole plays along. He says he wants to repent, but in his heart Cole blames his alcoholic mom his, abusive dad, wimpy Alex -- everyone but himself -- for his situation.

Cole receives a one-year banishment to a remote Alaskan island. There, he is mauled by Mysterious white bear of Native American legend. Hideously injured, Cole waits for his death His thoughts shift from from Anger to humility. To survive, he must stop blaming others and take responsibility for his life. Rescuers arrive to save Cole's but it is the attack of the Spirit Bear that may save his soul.

Ben Mikaelsen paints a vivid picture of a juvenile offender, examining the roots without absolving solving him of responsibility for his actions, and questioning a society in which angry people make victims of their peers and communities. Touching Spirit Bear is a poignant testimonial to the power of a pain that can destroy, or lead to healing

Reviews (67)

Touching Spirit Bear
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen is a compelling story of a teenager's struggle with anger. He is beaten by his father, ignored by his mother, and struggles to understand how he fits into "family". His anger gets the best of him. He beats a classmate so severely that he has brain damage. This time his father can not buy him out of trouble.
Cole's only hope of avoiding a prison sentence is to enter into an alternative program known as Circle Justice. Banished to an isolated island off the coast of Alaska, Cole secretly vows that he will escape and return to civilization, and beat the system. He didn't plan on the mysterious, legendary white bear. Mauled almost to death, Cole awaits his fate and begins a life long journey of controlling his anger from with in. He learns humility and respect for those he once took his anger out on.
Ben Mikaelsen once again writes for the young reader, speaking to them from life experiences. Touching Spirit Bear calls to those readers who are struggling to find acceptance and respect among their peers.

"Touching Spirit Bear"
Cole has a really big anger problem. He is a Juvenile Delinquent and his anger has taken him way too far. After beating up his fellow 9th grade student, Peter Driscol, he was sent too many detention centers. Cole is about to be sentenced to a 'real' prison when his Native American friend comes to his rescue. Cole has two choices, to be sent to a prison or be sent banished to an isolated Alaskan island for a year. Cole has heard the horrible stories about the things that can happen in prison and he decides to try the circle justice thing that his Native American friend had told him about. Cole experiences good and bad changes while being banished that just might change him for the rest of his life. I rate this book a 5/5 stars. The reason is, because think that this book has great description and it could 'hook' anybody. This book is a great book and I recommend it for anybody.

Wow! This book is really amazing!
Touching Spirit Bear is one of the best books I have ever read. It all starts out with a juvenile delinquent who brakes into a store. He was bragging about it in school and a guy named Peter tells on him. After school Peter is badly beaten, he was punched many times and had his head smashed into the concrete. This causes Peter to have brain damage. Then Peter's parents sued Cole for the damage.
Cole isn't a very good kid. He seems to think that everything is below him and he is the dominant person of all the creatures on the earth. Cole really doesn't want to go to jail for the bad things that he has done so he decides to go to the Circle of Trust. The Circle of Trust is a program where instead of going to jail it's a chance for the people to sit and talk about what the person's punishment should be. Cole's and Peter's family went to the Circle of Trust meeting. They decided that Cole's punishment is to go to an island for one year without contact to anyone to find what he really is. He went to the island and as soon as the people who took him out on the island were gone he set the house they had built on fire. His plan was to swim back to the mainland and of on with his life with no one knowing. He soon finds out that it's not that easy and looses all of his energy. He then makes a spear. All of a sudden out of nowhere a huge white bear appears and Cole charges at him, the bear then started to beat Cole up. After the attack Cole lays there with a broken arm, broken hip, and shredded stomach. About a week later people came to bring him supplies, finding Cole lying there almost dead. After a while in the hospital they let Cole go. He wanted to go back to the island because he still didn't want to go to jail. He has to sell all of his belongings to pay for it. Also he has to build his own cabin this time.
If you want to find out what else happens to Cole you have to read the book! I would recommend thins book to anyone. I think the author did a very good job on this book. It doesn't matter if you're a girl or a guy you would both love this book.

Touching Spirit Bear
The book that I am reviewing is Touching Spirit Bear and it is about a fifteen year old cole gaets beaten by his father.Just as cole's father was beaten by his father. Now cole himself is turning violent. He robbed a tool store and he got away with it for a couple of days. until peter his classmate told on him so cole beat him and peter was hospitaized. So cole's parents send him to angermangment classes that didn't help so he gets sent to an island in alaska. They give cole a little hut and supples to survive for a month. He goes walking around the island and he see's the spirit bear and think's that he can beat up the bearlike he did peter the bear broke his arm and leg. Then a few days later the two guys come back and find him on the beach and immedalty take him to a hospital and after he recovered they sent him back to the island for another month and survived.

Touching Spirit Bear
Touching Spirit Bear is a spectacular book. The book was about a boy, Cole Mathews, who has a very hard time controlling his anger. Cole Mathews steals possessions from stores a lot. One day Peter Driscal, a kid from Cole's school, found out that he had broken into the store that the police were trying to find a suspect for and reported it. When Cole found out who told on him, he chased Peter down after school and beat him very harshly. It was so bad that Peter now has problems thinking and has mental problems. When Cole got arrested, he went to court and the judge gave him a chose. The chose was either he could go to jail or Justice Circle and wouldn't have to serve as much time. Like any other kid would he decided to go to Justice Circle. The Justice Circle had some meetings and finally Garvey convinced them to send him to an island for one year so that he could think things out by himself. As he is left at the island he decided he would try to swim island to island and try to get to the United States again. After he was a ways out and starting to cramp up he turned around. At the island he now had no shelter since he burned it down before he left. After a nap he decided to go get some food. He then saw the Spirit Bear and Cole tried to kill it. Yet the bear ripped him to shreds. In fact Cole couldn't move. So when the guy that brings him his supplies saw what had happened he took him back to a hospital. Finally, after he recovered, the Justice Circle had some more meetings. They had to meet with each other to see if they should allow Cole Mathews to return to the island. If you want to see if Cole Mathews gets another shot at the island or if you want to see if Cole can change his life around. Read Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelson. ... Read more

Book Description

Read by Alex Jennings
Approx. 8 hours
6 cassettes

The first volume of Susan Cooper's brilliant and absorbing fantasy sequence known as The Dark Is Rising.

On holiday in Cornwall, the three Drew children discover an ancient map in the attic of the house that they are staying in.They know immediately that it is special.It is even more than that—the key to finding a grail, a source of power to fight the forces of evil known as the Dark.And in searching for it themselves, the Drews put their very lives in peril.

... Read more

Reviews (63)

Darn good, consarn it.
The first book in the "Dark Is Rising" series and, in many ways, the most readable. In this story, three siblings struggle to follow a series of clues leading them to the Holy Grail. Aided by their mysterious guardian, Merriman, the kids solve riddles and try to escape the clutches of the Dark. This is undoubtedly the most engaging book in the "Dark Is Rising" series, though the later books are certain more sophisticated. Oddly bereft of magic, it taps into a lot of plot elements that kids love. Mystery and escape. A summer free of parents and school. And a treasure to be found, thanks to a map in a dusty old house. Heck, it even has an abandoned attic full of junk. What's not to like?

The kids themselves are particularly engaging. Cooper has a good ear for dialogue, and the kids never sound like an age that they aren't. Too often I'll read books about eight year-olds that talk, walk, and act like they're thirty-five. Here, an eight-year-old is eight, and the reader never doubts the author's tongue. As for the story, who could complain? Susan Cooper knows how to instill fear. Her villains are always most villainous when they're cool and collected. Her plots are carefully planned and rarely forced. And her writing is melodic. She does suffer from a dire need to often put rhymes and poems in her books that the heroes must solve. But otherwise, one cannot complain. If you've kids looking for something in a Tolkein vein, this is the book for them.

Weakest, but not bad
"Over Sea Under Stone" is perhaps the weakest of the "Dark is Rising" books, though in itself it's quite a good book. The writing is a bit flat and the concept of the Dark is underdeveloped, but it's a good mixture of good-evil fighting and traditional treasure-hunting.

Simon, Jane and Barney Drew have arrived at their great-uncle Merriman's seaside house for a vacation -- and rapidly become quite bored. But when exploring the attic, they unearth a very, very old map that is somehow connected with the legendary King Arthur. As anyone else would do, the kids begin the search to find a golden grail.

But they soon find that they are not the only ones who want the map. A seemingly genial pair of vacationers are being slightly too inquisitive, and someone breaks into Merriman's house in search of the map. And Merriman reveals the origins of the map -- and an ages-old conflict between good and evil that hinges on who finds the grail first.

Taken alone, "Over Sea Under Stone" is a solid, even excellent fantasy story. But it's a little out of sync with the rest of the series. However it sets excellent groundwork, has an intriguing storyline and a good mix of folklore and Arthuriana, and offers us one of the most mysterious and likable "magic mentors," Merriman Lyon. (Say "Merry Lyon" really fast and see what you get) It starts off with every kid's fantasy -- treasure maps and ancient kings -- and rapidly blossoms into something much more.

One of the most noticeable differences between this and Cooper's later books is the writing; the writing later becomes much more verbose and descriptive and magical. Here it's quite stark and plain. And I had a bit of trouble connecting with the Drew kids, because they really didn't have much difference in their personalities. And people hoping for a mystical, mind-blowing experience like "Dark is Rising" will be disappointed; "Over Sea" is mostly very prosaic and very rooted in our world, and many important concepts in the series aren't even touched on.

Despite this, the Drew kids are overall quite likable -- they have very little idea what they're getting into, but they're determined to succeed anyway. Merriman is pleasant, humorous, but at the same time you get the sense that still waters run deep; he's more aware than anyone else of what's going on. And she does a wonderful job with the sense of evil and foreboding -- Mr. and Miss Withers are initially very jovial and kindly, but you can sense something rotten underneath. Same with the solemn vicar who is pursuing the kids.

"Over Sea Under Stone" is perhaps the most "standalone" of all the Dark is Rising books, an entertaining though not outstanding fantasy adventure. Highlu recommended.

The subtle, mysterious beginning of a great series.
This book starts the classic five-volume fantasy series "The Dark Is Rising Sequence." Although listed as books for teenagers, adult fantasy fans will also find much to love in these novels. Author Susan Cooper writes with intelligence and respect for her readers, and fills all the books with fascinating layers of history, folklore, and mysticism. This first book establishes the conflict that will continue through the remaining books in the series: a group of modern-day English children find themselves embroiled in the hidden battle between the forces of good and a mysterious force known as The Dark, a battle that has its roots in the shadowy legends of King Arthur.

"Over Sea, Under Stone" differs from the other books in the series in that it avoids the overtly supernatural. This is an unusual fantasy novel in which nothing obviously fantastic occurs. The terrors of The Dark and the workings of magic remain subtle hints and hidden undertones beneath the action, as if they are occurring just out of sight of the main characters. This gives the novel a spooky sense of reality, and the reader can easily imagine him or herself in the place of the three children who, during a vacation in Cornwall, slowly discover the battle with The Dark that has existed for centuries. The novels that follow, especially "The Dark is Rising," plunge headlong into the supernatural, but "Over Sea, Under Stone" provides a perfect, gradual introduction.

The story introduces us to the three Drew children, Simon, Barney, and Jane, and their mysteriously knowledgeable Great-Uncle Merry, all who will play major parts in the saga. While the Drew children are on vacation in Cornwall (a land steeped in legends), they discover a map which may lead to the Grail of the King Arthur stories. With Great-Uncle Merry's help they start to unravel the clues on the map. But The Dark will do anything to seize the Grail first, for it contains a power that can defeat them. The story unfolds as a fascinating mystery as the Drew children unravel clue after clue while the danger from mysterious individuals grows greater with each stride they make toward the final goal.

Few young adult fantasies offer such intelligence and subtlety as "Over Sea, Under Stone." Readers of all ages will become entwined in its mysteries and read swiftly to the tense conclusion. After that, they will definitely want to continue to the epic next book in the sequence, "The Dark Is Rising," where the hidden magical forces of this book burst through the surface to start their titanic battle. The story continues in "Greenwitch," "The Grey King," and concludes in "Silver on the Tree."

Lewis
The story begins when a family moves to a new house and they find a manuscript in there atic.And the manuscript has words and symbols that they can not under stand on it. And they have to get clues from there map to get from one clue to the next clue to find a tresure they think is at the end of the clues that they follow. But along the way people are trying to catch them so they can get the map and go to the tresure when they are going clue to clue. The people are first shadowy so you can not think or visualize of what they look like. will not tell you who is tring to catch them you will have to read the book to find that out. I liked the book because there is a lot of adventure in the book and because it is not that hard to read because it does not have big words. It does not get boring
bacause of the adventure. In the front of the book it says a fifth grader can read. It has two hundred and fifty two pages.

And the auther is Susan Cooper.

Horrible...
I've currently read the first three books in this series. I love the other two, they read like "Dark Shadows", with a lovely mysterious feel to them. But this book seems more like "Hardy Boys", with only one instance of any real use of supernatural abilities. ... Read more

Book Description

"The sixth horse shall be a bay -- not a dark bay, but a clear bay -- whose coal is touched with gold. When he flees under the sun he is the wind."

When the Sultan of Morocco selects six horses to send as a gift to the King of France, Agba, a young horseboy, is honored to have his stallion chosen. Sham, a beautiful golden bay named for the Arabian sun, is meant, along with the others, to sire a stronger race of horses throughout Europe. As his escort, Agba must protect Sham's pedigree and present him before the King. But when they arrive, poor Sham is seen as no more than a carthorse and is sent away. Bound by bonds of love and honor, Agba and Sham soon make their way from the streets of France to the racetracks of England and into the history books forever. Readers will be swept away by the riveting story of the world's most renowned Thoroughbred horse ever.

King of the Wind has captured the hearts of readers for more than fifty years. In this glorious, finely wrought gift book, readers will find a heartfelt introduction by Marguerite Henry's first publisher, manuscript notes from the author's private collection, and a painting of Sham, the Godolphin Arabian by Wesley Dennis. Lovingly written and beautifully illustrated, this keepsake volume details the creation of this remarkable story for a new generation of fans. ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Great historical fiction for kids
This book was given to me when I was barely eight years old, almost thirty years ago. I learned how to read books that took more than one sitting with "King of the Wind".

The story is of a mute Morrocan stable boy, Agba, and a foal, Sham, who is born to one of the royal mares Agba cares for. Sham...and Agba...are selected to be part of a gift to the King of France. Their adventures in Europe are filled mostly with despair and cruelty, until Sham sires a foal that becomes the beginnings of the Thoroughbred breed we know today (this part is true; Sham was renamed "The Godolphin Arabian"; all Thoroughbreds must include in their pedigreeone of the three specific founding sires, and the Godolphin Arabian is one of them).

There's a lot here: adventure, triumph over adversity, a respect for other cultures, the care of the creatures that share our lives, and a healthy dose of humor about the absurdities of the powerful or elite.

As a kid, I eagerly devoured any Marguerite Henry book I could find. It's well worth it to get hard-cover editions that include the wonderful full-color illustrations by Wesley Dennis.

Excellent book for kids who love horses
I am now 32 years old, and this book remains vivid in my mind as one of my all-time childhood favorites. The story of the mute stable boy Agba and his travels with 'his' beloved horse Sham exposes young readers to a variety of cultures and stressses the value of faithfulness and loyalty without being at all preachy. Sham, sent as a gift from the Sultan of Morocco to the King of France, is mistreated during the voyage and arrives looking like an old nag instead of the young, well-bred Arab stallion he is. The king's rejection of the horse is the beginning of a new journey as Sham -- with Agba always there to care for him -- passes from one owner to another, eventually becoming "The Godolphin Arabian" one of the three founders of the Thoroughbred bred. This book is worth buying in the hardback form, especially if that means getting Wesley Dennis' gorgeous illustrations in color

"The king of the wind is loes."
King of the wind is a great book. I am not a hores book person but I really liked this book. Sham was born with a singh of bad luk witch was the weat ear but he was also born with a white spot on his hind leg withc was good luk and that he would be a fast running hores. Sham, Agba,(is the mute boy who takes care of him) and a cat. Thoes three go through many things to gether and live many places. The book has a pretty happy ending and you should read it. I am going to give you about ten words of advice, GIVE THIS BOOK A TRY AND GO READ IT.

A Book For All Ages!
This will touch your heart in so many ways. It brings you into the life of a small boy and his special bond with a horse. You will follow their journey that goes many places.

The first time I picked up this book and read it I fell in love with it. I even now in my read this book at least once a year.

Could have told more of the real story...
Marguerite Henry took great license in telling the story of the Godolphin Arabian, but it's likely there were two reasons she did so; first, because she based the majority of her novel on heavily romanticised reports like that which appeared in Western Horseman in 1949; second, to illustrate to young children what could happen to perfectly good horses that were considered worthless because of prejudice or unwillingness to see what was there.

The real Sham was born in Tunis and given by the Bey of Tunis to King Louis XV with a group of other horses. But there's no evidence that he was reduced to pulling a cart in the Paris streets before rescue by Edward Coke. Coke probably got him from the Duke of Lorraine, who'd gotten him from the King.

A contemporary described Sham as "beautiful but half-starved", so the rough sea voyage with the greedy staff is likely true, even if the cart-horse story is not. He also said that Sham (he spelled it Shami, and other accounts have "Scham") was temperamental and generally disliked by the stable hands. A vet who cared for Sham in his last years said he was built to sire champions: "his shoulders were deeper, and lay farther into his back, than those of any horse ever yet seen. Behind the shoulders, there was but a very small space ere the muscles of his loins rose exceedingly high, broad, and expanded, which were inserted into his hindquarters with greater strength and power than in any horse I believe ever yet seen of his dimensions, viz fifteen hands high."

Agba was real; there are portraits of the little horse with a handsome dark-skinned young man in flowing Arab dress and turban. Whether or not he was mute is debatable. Again, many of the later accounts have been greatly romanticised. But Grimalkin the stable cat was real too, according to early records which report his presence in the famous portrait.

There is no record of the apocalyptic battle with Hobgoblin. We can look at that, and Sham's subsequent exile to Wicken Fen, as symbolic of the prejudice felt by the complacent English toward this relatively small, strange-looking newcomer. The truth is that Sham did mate with Lady Roxane and sired Lath. He sired 116 others in his long lifetime.

With all the interest in Seabiscuit of late, one would like to point out that as a direct descendant of Man O'War, he was also a direct descendant of the Godolphin Arabian. Just another horse who seemed worthless, but was not, and came from behind to prove the superiority of Arabian blood.

Look up "Davenport Arabians" to learn more about this proud line. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

New Beginnings
Laura Ingalls tells about her childhood experiences as her family travels from Minnesota to settle in South Dakota. She gives an account of how their lives changed from living in a more settled area in Minnesota compared to living in unsettled land which later becomes De Smet. Mary, Laura's older sister, has lost her sight to scarlet fever, and Laura hopes that she will someday be able to attend a college for the blind. Although Laura works very hard she rarely complains. She enjoys singing with her father as he plays the fiddle. Ingall's gives clear pictures of what life was like for a girl growing up in early American History. As an adult this was my first experience reading one of Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books; I found it most informative and enjoyable. This book is a great way for children to learn what life was like during the pioneer era.

I liked the title of the book because I like silver.
I liked the book because it was interesting the way Laura described everything to Mary because she was blind. I liked when Laura went horseback riding. It sounded fun. My Mom read these books when she was young and back then this was her least favorite when when she re-read it as an adult she found it much more interesting. Now she is reading the series to me. It was sad when Jack died. I cried because I liked Jack. Pa said he would go to dog heaven. Mom's favorite part of the book was when the family lived in the surveyor's house for the winter and they had a nice Christmas with the Boasts, and she liked the part when the family learned about the blind college, and they had hope that Mary could one day go there.

By the Shores of Silver Lake
I thinks This is the graatest bok I has evver reed. It was AUSOME!!!! I ca'nt thinks of a diffarent bokk I wuld love to reed!

Emma's Review
This book is probably the best book for kids other than Holes! It is about a girl named Laura and her sisters Mary,Carrie and baby Grace also Ma and Pa. She has to move to a new homested on Silver Lake. Her family has just gone through a very hard time-Mary got blind! She has many adventures-one of her scariest would be when a wolf almost atacks her! This is one of MY personle favorites!

A really great book!
When the book starts out, Laura's aunt comes, and Pa decides to move. Laura is 13. I really like this book because Laura puts detail in what pioneer life was like. It is a well-written book. You just can't miss a book like this. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (31)

Everyone, this is truely a wonderful book
I read this book in the sixth grade, and I thought I should just read it because my teacher, Ms. Aperribay, had us and I didn't want to get a "F" for this work. So I read it, bored with it in the first chapter. Then... I thought it was wonderful! Juan de Pareja is a true story of a slave of the famous painter, Diego de Silva y Velazquez, and he studies, just by watching, the arts of true painting. Secretly, he does his own pieces, and they are beautiful! He wishes he could share it with someone, but if he tells, he will be sinned because slaves aren't supposed to paint! This book disserves a 100 thumbs up, but I guess there is no such thing. I read this in spanish, and even though I didn't understand it well, I loved it.

Supremely Intelligent and Well-Done
Based on "thin threads" of truth, "I, Juan de Pareja" explores the relationship between famous 17th-century Spanish painter Diego Velazquez and his black slave, Juan de Pareja. Written in first person as if Juan is really telling his story, it is the chronicle of much of Juan's life and and his colorful experiences as apprentice to a master painter.

There are many excellent aspects of this book, yet I think that the "strength" of the character of Juan is the book's biggest asset. Many books that are simply first person narratives are dry and boring, yet one could never complain of boredom while reading "I, Juan de Pareja." Juan's intelligence shines through in every page and his intuitiveness fills the book with detail. Also, his struggle to paint (because Spanish slaves at the time were forbidden to practice the arts) is fascinating, suspenseful, and ultimately inspiring. This book would not be a 5-star read without a strong character like Juan.

Historical detail also adds great richness to the book. Author de Trevino has captured the mood of 17th century Spain perfectly, and her accounts of Juan's Italian travels fascinate the reader as well. Art facts and descriptions are well-placed, and the reader will find themselves interested in the rich history presented in the book, rather than bored by it.

Furthermore, supporting characters are excellent! The portrayal of Diego Velazquez was well-imagined by the author, and the master painter's comments ring with insight and truth. The nobles, the painter's family, the Spanish king, Dutch painter Ruebens...they all come to life in "I, Juan de Pareja."

Finally, the end of the book is triumphant and fitting. I can't say much more without spoiling the book, but trust me, it's one of the most well-done endings you could find. It is hard to find a single flaw in this book. Vibrant history, excellent characters...why aren't more people reading this book?

This book is a pathetic attempt for a novel
The theme of this novel I believe is something around equality or injustice. But the author poorly displays the emotions and feelings, but the storyline about a poor painter who commits crimes weakens its affect. The life of a painter has little to do with injustice, and being deprived of splashing ink onto a canvas isn't a powerful topic, nor injustice in large quantities. If the story were something of higher stakes, the message would have been brought better. The works of Dalasquez have been forgotten in the snap of a finger. As stated before, the irrelavent topic of art is constantly replaced. Art is a fad, and I, Juan De Pareja is the tale of a painter being deprived of being part of a fad. If the author wants a tale of injustice involving fads, he could just capture the diary of a teenager.

Before *Girl with a Pearl Earring*, there was Juan de Pareja
Putatively aimed at a younger audience, this book is in reality directed at a wider audience.

One of the deep pains of knowing something about art is the realization that paintings you know and love aren't a part of today's "Cultural Literacy." This makes books like *Girl with a Peal Earring* and *I, Juan de Pareja* a particular joy. Once you have read these books, the paintings will haunt (and enrich) your subconscious. I read first read *Juan de Pareja* as a child, during a recent trip to the Prado in Madrid, flashes of this book were still with me as I looked at Velasquez's masterworks.

This book, deservedly, has stayed in print through many, many editions, and I hope there will be more to come.

We all enjoyed it.
My daughter read this book first a few years ago and enjoyed it so much she read it twice. Then her brother and sister and I each read it. We all enjoyed it. We had been studying this time period and I found this book to be realistic and informative. The story line is about Juan's life as a slave and an artist, and that in itself is quite interesting if you enjoy learning about how people lived in other times and places. The fact that Juan was a real person in history, and that much of the story is based on truth makes it even more enjoyable to read. The book is well written and descriptive, but not bogged down in description. We liked it. ... Read more

Book Description

Dear Reader,

If you have just picked up this audio, then it is not too late to put it back down. Like the previous books in A Series of Unfortunate Events, there is nothing to be found in these pages but misery, despair, and discomfort, and you still have time to choose something else to read.

Within the chapters of this story, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire encounter a darkened staircase, a red herring, some friends in a dire situation, three mysterious initials, a liar with an evil scheme, a secret passageway, and parsley soda.

I have sworn to write down these tales of the Baudelaire orphans so the general public will know each terrible thing that has happened to them, but if you decide to read something else instead, you will save yourself from a heapful of horror and woe.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

Reviews (97)

ups and downs
If you scare eaily,skip this book. The Ersatz Elevator is one of the books in a series of Unfortunate Events, Wich features count olaf as a villain.Count olaf is a really mean guy who does very nasty, mean things to the Baudelair orphans.
This book starts out with the three Baudelair orphans Violet, Klause and sonny in a penthouse at 667 Dark Ave, near where the baudelairs lived before there parents died. Many strange things happen during this story. There is a secret passage, a door man who helps Count Olaf, welding torches, an auction with unusual items, and an elevator shaft(but that's no surprise given the title of the book)
Despite the nasty, mean things that that count olaf does to the Baudelairs,there are some funny parts. For instance the penthouse is so large that when they went looking for Count Olaf they droped bread crums in each room so they new they had alredy been there.
Read this book to find out if Count Olaf will be caught and be put in jail, or get away again! There are loys of twists and turns and like the title, plenty of ups and downs.

The Elevator is Out
After "The Austere Academy", I wondered whether this series of books could get any better. They can and they did. In "The Ersatz Elevator", the sixth book in this series, the Baudelaire orphans move in with a non-relative in a penthouse apartment. While you might think that a penthouse apartment (which has something like 71 bedrooms) and kitchens, and sitting rooms, and on and on, would be a lovely place to live, you would be thinking wrong, because this is one of the books in "A Series of Unfortunate Events", and those of you that have read the previous books know that little good comes to pass concerning the Baudelaire orphans.

This time the problem is that Esme Squalor (the sixth most important financial advisor in the city) and her husband Jerome are way too hung up on what is "in". Esme must go to only the "in" restaurants; she must wear only "in" clothes, which includes the children, and on and on. Unfortunately, being "in" also means multiple compromises in terms of comfort. For example, the penthouse is on the top of a building with 66 stories, and elevators are "out". So the Squalors and the Baudelaires must walk up and down the 66 stories each time the go in to and out from the building. They certainly received sufficient exercise. Before I forget, orphans are also "in".

Of course, we know that Count Olaf must eventually show up, and he does. However, there is a mystery. We find that Count Olaf went up to the apartment and did not later leave the building. Therein lies the crux of the mystery for this story.

This story climaxes with the children running briefly into old friends, and then losing them again. They also nearly catch Count Olaf, again. In the end, the children are forced to find a new home once again. Unfortunately I am unable to tell you more, because Lemony Snicket, should he ever escape from his current predicament, would hunt me down and provide me with agony should I reveal the end of this Baudelaire tale. Suffice it to say that the Baudelaires have their best adventure yet, with even better to come.

This series has had its strong points and its weak points. In general this book is one of the better ones in the series, readily matching "The Austere Academy". In addition to the direct lessons provided in the book, the children once again are masters of their own fates, and are forced to get themselves out of their predicaments with minimal adult help. I also enjoyed the moral tale provided by Lemony Snicket regarding people that must always keep up with everyone else in style or fashion. For this last point alone the book is a must-read for every teenage child.

The violence in this story is a bit more muted than in some of the previous books, and I think that an 8 or 9 year old child should be able to handle the story well. Certainly Esme could generate a great deal of family discussion of status and whether status is sufficiently important to cause people pain or to break laws.

In keeping with the trend of the last book, this book continues to expose the children to new experiences and to challenge their abilities to take care of themselves. Once again, while there are certainly negative aspects to the story, the positive aspects outweigh the negatives. This book is easily a good successor to "The Austere Academy", and sets a standard for the next books in the series. I will tell you now that the next two books are just as good as or better than this book and "The Austere Academy", thus continuing the excellence of this unconventional children's series. 5 stars again!

The best book I ever read
This book is unlike any other book i've ever read.It is hard for me to say if I like Violet or Klaus more.Beacause they both really help geting away from danger (or Count Olaf).I recomend this book entirely.

book the sixth rules!
this book is the best yet.it has a new badie. some traped triplets.and v.f.d.

Perhaps my favorite of the entire series!
The sixth book of Unfortunate Events is probably the most enthralling of the lot because of the unbelievable creative and brilliant portrayal of its characters by Lemony Snicket.
Sunny is a real cutie and she is the greatest baby in the whole world as it's clearly portrayed in this book. My heart beat so hard when I was reading one of the fantastic encounters between the a villain and the 3 children. It was like reading a very fine mystery novel by the fireside-- only better! Wow! If you want to find out what it is I'm referring to, you'll have to read this book. It's undoubtably a rollercoaster of events here as you will find out. ... Read more

Book Description

There are winners everywhere... The sidewalks. The backyards. The alleyways. The playgrounds. Except for Zinkoff. Zinkoff never wins. But Zinkoff doesn't notice. Neither do the other pups. Not yet.

Zinkoff is like all kids -- running, playing, riding his bike. Hoping for snow days, wanting to be his dad when he grows up.

Zinkoff is not like the other kids-raising his hand with all the wrong answers, tripping over his own feet, falling down with laughter over a word like Jabip. The kids have their own word to describe him, but Zinkoff is too busy to hear it.

Once again, Newbery Medal-winning author Jerry Spinelli uses great wit and humor to create the unique story of Zinkoff as he travels from first through sixth grades. Loser is a touching book about the human spirit, the importance of failure, and how any name can someday be replaced with hero.

Reviews (68)

An Inside Look At Bullying
Donald Zinkoff is one of the coolest kids you could ever want to meet, and the absolute coolest kid to hang out with. He loves school, wants to be friends with everybody, has a great laugh, he's just an all-around great guy. That is, until he hits fourth grade. Suddenly Zinkoff is no longer cool, he's a loser. Yeah, his sloppy handwriting, uncontrollable giggling, bad grades, clumsiness, etc. were pretty much unnoticed when he was younger. But suddenly, in fourth grade, everyone notices every single mistake he makes. And it only gets worse when he begins doing things that affect the other kids in his class. Sure, everyone has the name LOSER to describe Zinkoff, but that's not him. He thinks he's just like everyone else, and he really is, until a fateful winter night when Zinkoff suddenly becomes a hero.

Out of every book that I have read so far this year, I will admit that I believe Donald Zinkoff is my favorite character of them all. His love for life, and learning is incredible, and the way that he keeps his head up even when he learns what his classmates think of him is a great lesson for all kids who are going through the same thing that Zinkoff goes through. Readers as young as the age of five-years-old will enjoy this book, as it follows Zinkoff from kindergarten all the way through fourth grade, and gives you an inside look at how his LOSER status evolved. Spinelli has accomplished greatness with this book, and I hope to read more from him in the future.

Erika Sorocco

One teacher's review of Loser
As a fifth grade teacher, I picked up Jerry Spinelli's Loser to preview whether it would make an appropriate read aloud selection for my students. Loser tells the story of Donald Zinkoff's childhood. At first, Donald appears to be an average elementary school kid, but as he grows older, his classmates begin to view him differently. Before, Donald was silly and clumsy, but in fourth grade, suddenly he is seen as weird and strange. An important turning point in the story happens when Zinkoff's poor coordination causes his fourth grade classmates to lose an athletic contest. By the end of the day, Donald has a new name-"Loser." Spinelli spends the rest of the book discussing Zinkoff's move to middle school and hinting that somehow, Zinkoff will change from "zero" to "hero." When a neighborhood girl is missing, Zinkoff sees his chance to become popular. When she is finally found, will Donald Zinkoff still be a "Loser?"

I enjoyed reading Loser for a number of reasons. First, the plot of Loser is a simple one that I think every human-young and old-can relate to. Everyone's been teased one time or another. I think it would be an interesting experience for all readers to see how one character deals with being teased. Zinkoff is such a complicated character because he doesn't even realize that others see him as a loser. Most people would feel hurt and embarrassed (maybe even angry) if they were in Donald's shoes, but not Zinkoff.

Because he is so oblivious to his classmate's taunts, I started to believe that there was more to Zinkoff than Jerry Spinelli was saying. Is Zinkoff just clumsy and weird or does he suffer from real learning and behavioral disabilities? I kept hoping Spinelli would explain more about Donald and his condition. My class and I just finished Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos, which is about the life of a young boy with ADHD. I think that book was better for younger readers because it explained WHY some kids behave as they do. In Loser, we never actually learn why Zinkoff acts like such a "loser."

My favorite part of the book happens late in the story when Zinkoff tries to rescue a missing girl. I predicted that he would find her, return her to her thankful family, and become the most popular boy in middle school. I was excited to see that Loser doesn't have a happily-ever-after ending. If you are a fan of realistic fiction books for children, Loser would be a great choice.

Still, I have mixed feelings whether I would share this book with my class. The writing is mostly simple sentences, but there is more complicated language that I think they would appreciate better when they are a few years older. I would recommend this book for middle school students through adults because they can all relate to the story and they'd be able to answer many of the questions that come up in Loser. Whether or not I decide to use Loser, I still think all elementary school students should be exposed to Jerry Spinelli (Maniac Magee, Wringer, Fourth Grade Rats, The Library Card) because he writes abo