Book Description

DESCRIPTION: A gripping YA fiction debut by bestselling author Walter Mosley. Walter Mosley is one of the best known writers in America. In his first book for young adults, Mosley deftly weaves historical and speculative fiction into a powerful narrative about the nature of freedom. 47 is a young slave boy living under the watchful eye of a brutal slave master. His life seems doomed until he meets a mysterious run-away slave, Tall John. Then 47 finds himself swept up in a struggle for his own liberation. ... Read more

Book Description

Since childhood, Sabriel has lived outside the walls of the Old Kingdom, away from the power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who refuse to stay dead. But now her father, the Mage Abhorson, is missing, and Sabriel must cross into that world to find him. With Mogget, whose feline form hides a powerful, perhaps malevolent spirit, and Touchstone, a young Charter Mage, Sabriel travels deep into the Old Kingdom. There she confronts an evil that threatens much more than her life'and comes face to face with her own hidden destiny. . . Garth Nix's first young adult novel, Sabriel was recently nominated for the Aurealis Award for Excellence in Science Fiction in Australia.

Notable Children's Books of 1997 (ALA)
1997 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
1997 Books for the Teen Age (NY Public Library)
Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror 1996 (VOYA)
Books in the Middle: Outstanding Books of 1996 (VOYA) ... Read more

Reviews (419)

2 good 4 words - who likes Harry Potter anyway?
Don't be misled by my title - I am an avid Harry Potter fan. But for crying out loud, why does IT get all the attenton when absolute JEWELS like "Sabriel" are around?

This book is AMAZING. As 170odd people have said already it's about a 18-year-old girl named Sabriel who has to destroy Kerrigor and free her father, the Abhorsen - except it might be HER turn to be Abhorsen!

Reading past reviews people say that she's a very typical teenage girl, and I agree. She is normal (as it goes) enough to symphathize with but weilds EXTRAORDINARY power. PS The charter mark-stuff is AWESOME! I wish Nix had explained that in greater detail.

So this book is a must-read for all you fantasy people out there. Others like it are His Dark Materials (Philip Pullman), any thing by Tamora Pierce, and of course MY books when they come out, which I HOPE is soon. Also, duxrox.

Garth Nix owns you. Yes, YOU.
When I first saw this book in my school library, when I was 12...

I blew it off.

Sure, it looked cool. The cover art is amazing, but the summary seemed too typical. Finally, though, I gave in. I checked it out, totally skeptical.

4 pages, and I was hooked. My mother yelled at me for trying to read it during dinner.

Now 15, I've read it over again, and I **still** go back to my favorite parts.

The main character is a strong, yet serious teenage girl named Sabriel. Normally, I hate that sort of character, but she was great. The characters are all amazing and VERY well thought out. Sabriel is the heir to the title of Abhorsen. An Abhorsen is a necromancer (thats a person who can raise/control the dead) of sorts, a holy one. Their job is "to bind and destroy" any 'problematic' spirits or necromancers. One night in her school, Sabriel recives word from her father that he is indeed trapped in death, a second dimension of sorts. Setting out to find his body and free him, Sabriel soon discovers there are darker things brewing. She meets up with Mogget, an all-powerful spirit...

stuck in the form of a cat. Definetely my favorite character. There is also Touchstone, a berserker prince who was sealed as a wooden figurehead. With these strange companions, the young woman travels in the Old Kingdom, fighting the dead and unraveling the tangled strings that are all tied to her fate.

There is also a sense of modernism. There is Ancelstierre, the New Kingdom, which is like a modern-day city. Then there is the Old Kingdom, an almost empty area where the dead don't tend to stay dead.

There is so much in this that is so original. The above wall,death being represented as "gates" (there being 9 in all), her weapons being bells...it's fantastic.

Buy this. You will not regret this.

If you're like me, you like happy endings and lighthearted books. While this is pretty heavy sometimes, it's so good you won't give a flying crap.

This book made me laugh, it made me cry, and it **SCARED** the heck out of me. Seriously!

Most likely one of the GREATEST fantasy novels I have ever read.

Also, read Lirael and Abhorsen, which are the sequels! They're JUST as good!!!!

The Ultimate Fantasy
Sabriel is the kind of fantasy book that glues your hands to the book. It draws you in further and further as the plot undergoes bumps, surprises, and spectacular twists. At times it can cause chills to run up your spine.
It's about an 18 year old girl who is just graduating college, but she's far from normal. She dwells in the dark and dangerous art of necromancy. Her family line is one known as the Abhorsens, who unlike most necromancers, who raise the dead, put those that should not walk in life, back to death. When her father doesn't show up for his monthly visit, Sabriel gets a disturbing message from a dead servant, telling her that his life is in danger, as he is trapped in the dark depths of death, itself. Sabriel ventures into the mystifying and dangerous Old Kingdom, where she grew up when she was little, in search of her father. Sabriel learns along the way a disterbing amount of information about necromancy, charter magic, and the dark world known as the Old Kindom.
Sabriel finds more then she ever thought she would while journying through the Old Kingdom, including deep love, dark magic, and an unspeakable evil.

(vomiting) if only there was 0 stars
This book got really good reviews so i thought, "humm this must be a worth while book." Oh, how wrong was I. The plot gets sluggish and lame and really predictable. I love fantasy books, they are the best category but this book had some strange ideas and I dont know. This was the biggest waste of time. I hope someone will take my advice and when you see this book just run away.

A page turner without much literary merit
First, the good news:

This book is very hard to put down. The suspense never lets up.

It's also quite creative in its own way. it posits a world with two countries side by side. In one country there is magic, but technology doesn't work. In the other country, there is technology, but magic doesn't work. Now, curiously, the magic country is *not* where you want to be. In the magic country, the place is being taken over by zombies (called "Dead"), since all dead bodies come back to life unless the Abhorsen properly disposes of them. Totally gross. It's kind of like "Night of the Living Dead." Also, most of the magic people are mysteriously devoted to bringing back more and more zombies and killing the living. It's very hard to understand their motivation to do this, but there it is.

The few people on the border in the non-magic country are constantly fighting to keep the zombies out of their territory.

Now the negatives:

I mean really, why would you want to have a magic country if almost all the magic is bad? This isn't escapist at all. It's makes you feel pretty good about your own life.

Also, the thing reads like a video game. Every time the main characters turn around there's another zombie or other bad, magic creature bearing down who has to be killed instantly, otherwise, you know, the boogie man will get you if you don't watch out. There's just no respite. I don't like even looking briefly at that kind of video game.

There's also precious little character development. It's all rushing around from one violent encounter to another.

Now some people seem to think that if you're only killing zombies, magical creatures, and wicked necromancers who are possessed baddies, it's not really killing somehow. I disagree. It's still violence, violence, and nothing but violence.

Then, the ending ... I won't give it away entirely, but this might be a bit of a spoiler. Anyway, you don't really get to enjoy it. It's awfully abrupt.

Another bad thing. It's so suspenseful that you have to get the other two, so just grit your teeth & get all three. ... Read more

Book Description

In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch of the Waste was another matter.

After fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the country again. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was the Witch. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the souls of young girls.

The Hatter sisters--Sophie, Lettie, and Martha--and all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets alone. But that was only the beginning.

In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. The Witch has placed a spell on Howl. Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl's castle?

Diana Wynne Jones's entrancing fantasy is filled with surprises at every turn, but when the final stormy duel between the Witch and the Wizard is finished, all the pieces fall magically into place.

Reviews (90)

A Must-Read
This book is absolutely fantastic! I read it after feeling depressed about having finished all of the author's Chrestomanci series, and it cheered me up. Sophie Hatter worked in her parents' hat shop in the small town of Market Chipping in a fantasy world. Her whole life revolved around her fears of the notorious Witch of the Waste and Wizard Howl, and her fear of failing because she is the eldest of three sisters. Then, the Witch of the Waste came into the hat shop and turned Sophie from a pretty young woman into an old lady. Feeling she had nothing to lose, Sophie goes to work as a cleaning lady in Howl's moving castle. There she meets Howl's apprentice, Michael, and his fire demon, Calcifer. Calcifer realizes that Sophie is under a spell, and offers to break it if she could break his contract with Howl. Sophie soon discovers that Howl, although vain and selfish, isn't evil, and is actually fighting against the Witch of the Waste. It all rolls together to make a wildly entertaining story. The plot, which basically defies classic fairy tale motif, is one of the most original, fresh stories out there. The characters are intelligent, funny, and uniquely memorable. Anybody who hasn't read this book yet should. It's highly reccomended for the advanced young reader craving a story that's more on their level of thinking and wondering than other books.

Light and Entertaining
I first read this book in sixth grade, years ago, and I have loved it ever since. For anyone looking for a synopsis/summary, it is about the eldest of three sisters, Sophie, living in a land called Ingary. Sophie thinks that her life will be boring and predictable, but the introduction of a castle, a temperamental wizard named Howl, a fire-demon named Calcifer, and the Witch of the Waste ensure the opposite. Sophie becomes directly entangled in the whole business by a curse put on her by the Witch of the Waste.

I think that I have given away too much already, so I'll only say now that Jones does a fine job of pulling together an intricately and beautifully woven plot. If you read it, you will enjoy it, and I recommend Castle in the Air (title correct?)afterward if you want to see a little more of Sophie and Howl, though Howl's Moving Castle was the better of the two. If you like fantasy with a twist, you'll like this book.

Um, YEAH!
Well then. Since you are reading this review, I can only assume that you are on the book's page. My advice to you is: Scroll up, add it to you cart, and buy immediately! I got it at the library a couple of days ago, along with Castle in the Air, knowing by now that it's best to get any Diana series all at once or you will be itching for the next one as soon as you're done with the first. I swear to you, I have not laughed so hard or read so avidly over a book in a LONG time. The humour is perfectly placed to make you give a shriek of laughter at just the right moments. My family was looking at me rather strangely by the time I had finished. I liked the atmosphere of Howl's Moving Castle, and the characters just seemed to mesh so well with the surroundings and plot that if it weren't for the regrettable nessecities of meals and sleeping, it's quite probable that any reader would jump into the book headfirst and not come up until it's over. Anyone who liked Charmed Life or any other of the Chrestomanci books will love this and the sequel!

Exciting Adventure
Howl's Moving Castle is an excellent fantasy story. It deals with Sophie, the oldest of three sisters. She believes, as the oldest of the three, she is doomed to a bad fate. One day her father, a hat seller, dies and leaves the girls with their step-mother. The youngest goes to live with a witch to learn magic. The second sister goes to work at a bakery. Sophie is stuck with the hat shop. One day, an evil witch, the Witch of the Waste, comes in and without explanation turns Sophie into an old woman. Sophie decides to leave the hat shop and find her own destiny. After leaving the town, she runs into a huge moving castle. This castle belongs to Wizard Howl who is know to steal the souls and eat the hearts of young girls. Believing herself to be too old for Howl's morbid tastes, she decides to enter the castle. Perhaps Wizard Howl can lift the spell she is under. This begins Sophie's adventure.

For fans of fantasy, this is an excellent book. Diana Wynne Jones is an excellent storyteller. Also, for fans of Japanese animation, Hayao Miyazaki's next film will be based on this book. Be sure to read this before watching the movie. I'm sure you'll love reading it as much as I did.

Absurdly Wonderful
Hold on a second while I tie my gaping-in-awe-and-amazement mouth shut. Howl's Moving Castle is by far the best book I have read of Diana Wynne Jones. Though it may lack the depth of books such as Dark Lord of Derkholm or the intricasies of plot as Hexwood, this book is an absolute blast to read. This book that so obviously ridicules fairy tales had me in stitches. Sophie's stubbornness and Howl's mockery of Prince Charming among other things made me love them. And who could forget such a notorious character as Calcifur who reminds me of a pouty child but endears himself to you nonetheless. Incredibly surprising and absurdly wonderful, I will love this book forever. ... Read more

Book Description

January 1916:Henry Yewbeam and his younger brother, James, have been sent to stay with their cousins at the Bloor's Academy. It is one of the coldest days of the year, and all Henry wants to do is hide from his mean cousins and play marbles. He finds a nice, long hall and begins to roll his marbles. Then he discovers a marble that doesn't look familiar to him. Suddenly a series of strange events takes place. Henry begins to disappear. He quickly scribbles on the floor Give The Marble To James, and then he vanishes from the year 1916. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Time Twister
Charlie Bone returns in Charlie Bone and the Time Twister. In this book, like that last one, everything fits together just so perfectly, it's unreal. Charlie Bone is an endowed descendant of the Red King. It's known that the Red King had magical powers, so did his sons. Later, the Red King gone to live in the forest and never to be heard from again. His sons all leave to other places too. There are 12 children that are the magical descendants of the Red King, At Charlie's school, the Bloor Academy, which is a boarding school like Hogwarts, all of the endowed children go there. Instead of being with the regular gifted students at all times, the last couple hours of the day, the descendants of the children of the Red King would gather to do homework. Henry Yewbeam, great uncle of Charlie, was sent through time with a marble called the Time Twister which is a evil act of Ezekiel Bloor, Henry's cousin. Charlie found Henry lingering around the halls of Bloor Academy and Charlie hid Henry in the northern tower of the school. But Henry is caught by Ezekiel Bloor's people and thrown in a dungeon. Like all other stories, Charlie rescues his cousin and they live happily ever after.

This book was a great sequel, most sequels aren't as good as first but this is an exception. It was surprising to found out that the mean cook was actually a really nice person with many secrets. Her living quarters were tidy and clean. "'What a place,' Gabriel murmured, gazing around at the bright pictures and gleaming antique furniture. 'You'd never guess that all this was right under that gloomy old building.'" (140-141, Nimmo). I imagine this place as a mini-heaven under a stack of gloominess.

The over all theme of this book is that age don't matter. You can be old and young at the same time according to Henry. Henry is like 90 some years old and actually he is 13 years old.

Charlie Bone and the Time Twister
In this book, Charlie Bone and the time twister, a kid named Henry Yewbean is sent hurtling through time in 1916 and lands somewhere in the future where almost all of his relatives are dead. In the future, Henry meets a boy called Charlie Bone. Charlie finds Henry first and after realizing that Henry was in grave danger because his evil cousin is still alive, Charlie sets out to hide Henry until he and his friends can send him back. This book takes place mostly in a school for kids who excel called Bloor's Academy.

My favorite part in this book is when Henry wanders away from safety and gets captured by his old cousin's workers. Charlie and his friend, feidlo, have to go on a secret rescue mission to try and save Henry from his uncle's wrath. When Charlie gets to the place where Henry is, he finds a large rock in front of the entrance. When he and his friend can't move it, Charlie uses a wand he stole from a magician. The wand works and Henry once again is free.

I liked this book for many reasons. First of all, I loved the first book in the series, Midnight for Charlie Bone. Midnight for Charlie Bone was a great book. I loved the plot and it was written very well. Once I got into this book, I found out that this book was just as good, if not better, that the first book. I loved the suspense and the way the climax was set up. Near the end of the book, Henry is about to try and use the time twister with a exiled lady. You would think that that would be the end of the book but at the last moment, Henry pulls out and the story continues.

In this book the part that confused me the most was that in the beginning of the story, Henry accidentally uses the time twister to bring him into the future. Later in the book, when Henry first comes to the future he tries to use the time twister again. Since he left the past during one of the coldest days in history, Henry tries to get in a freezer and travel backwards in time. This doesn't work and instead Henry gets trapped in the freezer and barely survives. When he is rescued he is informed that the time twister doesn't take you to the past. It takes you only to the future. Near the end of the book though, an old lady uses the time twister to travel backwards in time so she could escape a catastrophe that happened to her hand.

I think that this book is mostly about courage and determination. I also think that this book has great quality writing in it and that everyone should read it.

As Great as the first one
I have just finish this book and it is great. Someone gets hit by a hit and run. Also one lost pair of lost brothers ae reunited.

Considerable suspension of disbelief, but that's OK
Young Charlie Bone's "endowment" is an interesting and, at first, seemingly ineffectual one (compared to, that is, endowments that have immediately obvious benefits like divining from people's clothing what they feel, and if they're dead or alive; mind control; the ability to change into a bird of any shape or size; conjuring up one's spirit's ancestors, or the ability to summon violent storms of wind, rain, thunder, and lightening). Charlie can look into portraits and hear people talk. In the first book in this installment, we get a few examples of that, and what he hears is mainly of the garden variety: "Sit straight," "you're too fat in your bikini," etc. But we are also told in that same book that after Charlie's father died that Charlie's Grandma Bone (his father's mother) took down every picture of him in the house. If that isn't a smidgeon of foreshadowing, then I'm unfamiliar with the word.

Here we have the second installment in the series. Back in 1916, the horribly cruel Zeke Bloor sent his cousin Henry Yewbeam into the future - Charlie Bone's future, of course - using a magical device called The Time Twister. Now, it's somewhat unbelievable that Zeke, a person whom we know craves power, would let something so valuable out of his reach merely to send off a cousin for whom he cares little and whom poses no immediate or distant threat to him, but this is where suspension of disbelief comes in. Without this occurrence, there is no story. So we must accept it, and while it's somewhat glaring, the suspension of disbelief can be honored, mainly because Ms. Nimmo is writing for a younger age group than the Potter crowd.

Fast forward to present day, and we find all of the malevolent forces at Bloor's academy aware of Henry's arrival, and Zeke - now Ezekiel Bloor, a crustaceous, horrid beast of a man - is still intent on doing away with his cousin. This is the second major time where we are asked to suspend disbelief. Why in the world would a 100 year old man care what a 10 or 11 year old boy does? Again, especially when that boy is, himself, not one of the endowed, and poses no threat to Ezekiel. The answer is spite. And evil people tend to possess a few common qualities: avarice, paranoia, and spite. Still, I had a much more difficult time understanding the motive behind the Bloor's and their cronies making poor little Henry Yewbeam's life so miserable. Why were the Yewbeam aunt's and Grandma Bone so concerned with where he was?

Regardless of this, Ms. Nimmo is a gifted storyteller and pacer, and, as before, she has created a story that is populated with believable and likable characters (mostly on the good side - the bad side is slightly less believable, if only because we don't spend much time with them so little character development is possible), all of whom any reader would have great affection for. So the story, even accepting this suspension of disbelief, is a thoroughly enjoyable one.

Because Henry is a relative, and because Charlie is the quintessential good guy who will do whatever he can to help his friends (a marvelous quality, really), they try to rescue poor Henry from the clutches of the Bloor's. Their attempts make for a terrific and blazing read. We also see a little more of Charlie's gifts. Anyone who read the first book must have asked themselves: "If he can hear portraits, what about paintings?"

A final thought to ponder: when will the Tree and the flames - if ever - reveal their true identities, and give the Bloor's and the nastier Yewbeam's their comeuppance? Or will that task reside entirely on Charlie Bone's shoulders?

A wonderful sequel!
Nimmo is really picking up speed with this second book. She has fleshed out the past of the lineage fromt he Red King. Characters are becoming more developed and the Aunts are becoming even more evil. Unlike the first book which WAS good. This takes off from the start line follows and twisted and winding path and comes to a logical conclusion. I sat logical conclusion in response to the Library School Journal review that said that the ending was a let down. My response is where else would you put an eleven year old boy from 1916, he can't go back to the academy and they can't send him back in time.

All in all a wonderful, exciting, thoughtful tale that has plenty going on to keep you interested. ... Read more

Book Description

In 2194 in Zimbabwe, General Matsika's three children are kidnapped and put to work in a plastic mine while three mutant detectives use their special powers to search for them. ... Read more

Reviews (238)

anonymus reviewer
She has woven into this book a story with unmatchable characters villains and creatures. It starts out in a boot camp like household in which a military-like father forces his kids to take his path and go into the army. A kind person called the mellower happens to hypnotize there parents into handing over there I.D's and credit cards excess money e.t.c. And the children escape into a future (2194)Zimbabwe city. Soon after they get kidnapped and turned over to an evil old queen who turns them into slaves. The mother of the kidnapped children after hearing her children escaped, called 3 detectives called the ear the eye and the arm. They all have been gifted supernatural powers in which to slueth with. Will they find the children and rescue them or be turned into slaves themselves? You'll have to buy the book and read on to find out.

THE EAR, THE EYE, AND THE ARM
THE EAR, THE EYE, AND THE ARM takes place i futurisic Zambabwe, 2194 to be exact. The story is about Tendai, Rita, and Kuda, the children of General Matiska. The children are not allowed to leave their prison-like home, due to te fact that their father is afraid of their kidnapping. The children sneak out, and, as expected, ARE kidnapped. Mrs. and General Matiska hire Africa's most unusual detectives to find their children, The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm. Ear has excellent hearing "he can hear a bat burb in the basement", Eye has incredible sight "he can see a flea cling to a hawks feathers in the sky", and Arm can feel others feelings, kinda scary, eh?? The children go from slaves in a plastic mine, to an old Shona village from the ancient past, to a seemingly ally's house, to the top of a mile high building. Although this story takes place in the future, it brings up ancient conflicts and uncovers the most dangerous gang in Zambabwe...........

Nancy Farmer has developed very srong characters and some of the things that happen are a BIG suprise. In this book, you kind of have to expect the unexpected, and keep an open mind. Even if you usually read science fiction books, this story will grip you and make you want to read it over and over again!!!

The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm
When three children of a very important general run away from their machine-runned home in futuristic Zimbabwe, they are kidnapped by gang members, Knife and Fist. They are now at the mercy of the monstrous She Elephant, the leader of an underground world. The children, Tendai, Rita, and Kuda are made to mine for plastic, a now hard-to-come by material.

When the childrens father learn of their kidnap, he and his wife hire The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm, three dectectives with a business of the same name. The Ear has great hearing abilities, the Eye can see from far away distances, and Arm has a strange pyschic power. Ideal detectives, right?

Join Tendai, Rita, and Kuda in this suspensful and sometimes comedic book. Nancy Farmer is by far my favorite sf/fantasy author(Along with J.K. Rowling, Susan Cooper, Tolkien, and Ursula K. LeGuin

the best book ive read
three kids traped in there house. never seen the world beyond there robot runed manchen, ecscape away from there high in power general dad, to see the world in there own eyes.
I think that this book shows corage, stupidedy, and how it is when you are suddenly in a whole differnt world of people. I would recomend this book to anyone and everyone. Nomader what age you are you will learn something new about life and its strugles in this book. You can read it over and over, and never want to put it down. I would put this book into my favoret book collection and i think that you should too.

The Arm Is Awesome
This is an excellent book I read a couple of weeks ago. It takes place in futuristic Zimbabwe. 3 kids of an important politician in the country decide to go on a field trip to explore the outside world and end up disappearing. Now it's up to the Ear, the Eye, and the Arm to track them down. But it won't be as easy as they thought. On their journey they'll encounter a woman the size of an elephant, people who still believe that evil monsters lurk in their forest, and a greedy woman who hosts a lot of tea parties. Not to mention the REAL bad guys...

This is an excellent read for HS or MS students. Although older people may like it too. It's very well-written. I especially love Nancy Farmer's bio in the back... She seems like quite a character. I checked this out from the library, but I'll probably buy it, I'd read it again. ... Read more

Book Description

The fabulous powers of the Red King were passed down through his descendants, after turning up quite unexpectedly, in someone who had no idea where they came from. This is what happened to Charlie Bone, and to some of the children he met behind the grim, gray walls of Bloor's Academy. Charlie Bone has discovered an unusual gift-he can hear people in photographs talking! His scheming aunts decide to send him to Bloor Academy, a school for genius's where he uses his gifts to discover the truth despite all the dangers that lie ahead. ... Read more

Reviews (79)

Read it and be amazed!!!!!!!
This book it full of action. Readers who enjoyed Harry Potter will be amazed by this book. It takes you deep to where Charlie Bone discovers he's endowed, or a desendent of a magical king and has inherited some of the Kings powers. He is sent, by his evil aunts, to Bloors Academy, a school for kids powereful in music, drama, or art. But, the school also takes endowed children. Soon, Charlie, and his new friends are of to solve the mysterious past of on of the endowed, Emma Tolly.

Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo
Midnight for Charlie Bone is an exciting, magical adventure, similar to Harry Potter but not as long.

The book starts when the main character Charlie Bone hears voices and he soon learns these voices are coming from a photo which he mistakenly picked up in a switch up with a picture of his best friend's dog, Bean. In the picture the voices tell of a baby girl who was traded for a long silver case. Soon after his unique talent is discovered, his mean Grandma Bone sends him to a weird school called Bloors Academy. Bloors Academy is a school for very smart kids and those who are endowed with the red kings gifts who are his descendents. Charlie soon discoveres he is a descendent to the Red King and that is why he can hear pictures. The descendent of the Red King part comes from his father who is thought to be dead, but Charlie soon discoveres that may not be the whole truth, and his aunts try to see to it that Charlie will never see the whole truth.

This book is exciting and perfect if you enjoyed Harry Potter. But if you are looking for an exciting adventure to unfold before your eyes, this book may disapoint you. The book is very well written but lacks a closure so it makes you want to continue the adventure and read the second book.

Is Charlie Bone, not Harry Potter
When I brought this book at my school library book fair, and read the description, I thought, "Oh, is just a copy of Harry Potter." Well, since my curiosity took me, I brought it anyway. So now after lefting the book in the bookshelve for an year, I finally read the book and thought, "Hey this is nothing like Harry Potter!" This book is like, completely different from Harry Potter; although Charlie Bone did go to a different school after discovering that he can hear people's thought through pictures. In this book, Charlie goes through advantures discovering mysterious that beholds inside a inventures case, that's remain locked. Charlie and friends finds more clues while he attends to Bloors Academy for the genius'. So this book is basically a different story from any other story that I have read. I don't know know why they always put Harry Potter next to it, but it just doesn't have anything to do with Harry Potter, I mean, the whole theme is different, and Charlie is not a wizard, as far as I know. So I do recommend you guys this book. I rated this book a five star 'cause it is a good book afterall. Though I would say Harry Potter is a better series. But do read Charlie Bones advanture!

Brilliant and original!
How clever! How daring! The plot: an awkward, messy-haired British orphan in the care of his evil relatives discovers that he has magical powers, and is sent off to a special boarding school for other kids with magical powers, where he and his new friends get into all sorts of wacky misadventures while battling the forces of evil. Isn't that genius? Finally, somebody came up with an original idea.

Harry Potter Knock ON
My first impression was that Midnight for Charlie Bone was a cross between Harry Potter and some Roald Dahl books (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, etc...) - which any good British author ought to be familiar with :-). In addition, MFCB seemed somewhat simple. As I realized, however, that the book was geared towards a younger audience than Harry Potter, its enchanments began to surface. The story is very imaginative and if a few bits are borrowed here and there, I am willing to overlook them for pure enjoyment of the read! ... Read more

Amazon.com

When asked, Maurice Sendak insisted that he was not a comics artist, but an illustrator. However, it's hard to not notice comics aspects in works like In the Night Kitchen. The child of the story is depicted floating from panel to panel as he drifts through the fantastic dream world of the bakers' kitchen. Sendak's use of multiple panels and integrated hand-lettered text is an interesting contrast to his more traditional children's books containing single-page illustrations such as his wildly popular Where the Wild Things Are. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

God Bless Milk and God Bless Me!
Maurice Sendak is one of my very favourite children's authors and illustrators. However, I wasn't introduced to "In the Night Kitchen" until my husband insisted we buy it for our child. He loved it when he was a kid and loves it still (by the way, and this may be irrelevant, he's a great cook).

The story is about a little boy whose dream takes him to the Night Kitchen where the bakers are making the morning cake. The bakers have a glitch and Mickey is able to come to the rescue. And of course, Mickey is the reason why there are delicious things to eat in the morning (hooray for Mickey).

The whole idea of bakers working in the wee morning hours creating yummy things for our breakfasts is an intriguing idea and one that isn't talked about very often. However, those croissants, bagels, and delicious pastries are made in "Night Kitchens" the world over. This book, besides being entertaining, is actually educational.

The illustrations are vivid and are reminiscent of big cities (like NYC). The style is bold and engaging. Yes, Mickey is nude sometimes but I don't feel the drawings are graphic. Unless you have strong feelings against any portrayal of nudity, don't let that put you off. The book is certainly is worth a read (and you can always preview it before you share it with your kids). You may love it as we do.

I liked it
I remember reading this book as a child and I have to say that I was neither disturbed by the nudity nor frightened by anything in the book. we must remember that Sendak is writing for children and as much as we hate to admit it adults often have no idea what will or will not frighten a child, at the same time each child is very different and what may frighten one child may not affect another in the least. From what I can tell children at a young age do not think being naked is a bad thing and the idea of playing in cake batter is a pleasent idea.
When it was read to me I was not at all embarrassed that Micky was naked in fact to me that was just part of the fun.
A children's story should be written for the audience and I think that Sendak possesses an incredible talent for telling the stories that children will love. And the really important part after all is that the child loves it.

we bake cake! and nothing's the matter!
Mickey is a fantastic throwback to the lovely lovely adventures of Little Nemo In Slumberland, an illustrated comic in American newspapers during the early 20th century. Like Little Nemo, Mickey's adventures drift from panel to panel in a dreamlike trance. The cooks who look like Oliver Hardy always struck me as the best part of the book; as well as Mickey floating in the giant bottle of milk as his little dough plane disintegrates.

Why do people find this book controversial? They are the same people who fear and have stifled the powers of their own imaginations. We have all had strange dreams like this, and Sendak has beautifully captured those sleepy moments. Why are they bothered by Mickey's state of undress? Who cares?

This is a wonderful book!!
My mother read this book to my sisters and I many times when we were children. I still love it! I have bought it for all of my friends who have children. Lesser known than "Where the Wild Things Are", but just as wonderful.

Neat story and great illustrations
I bought this book for my yet to be born child because my husband and I love cooking and we liked "Where the Wild Things Are". I really liked the story and the illustrations are wonderful.

It was noted in the other reviews, but I will mention it here as well that in select frames, Mickey is naked and does have a penis. If anyone has any concerns about this with reading it to their children they should probably find a different book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

My Father's Dragon--a favorite of young readers since the 1940s and a Newbery honor book--captures the nonsensical logic of childhood in an amusingly deadpan fashion. The story begins when Elmer Elevator (the narrator's father as a boy) runs away with an old alley cat to rescue a flying baby dragon being exploited on a faraway island. With the help of two dozen pink lollipops, rubber bands, chewing gum, and a fine-toothed comb, Elmer disarms the fiercest of beasts on Wild Island. The quirky, comical adventure ends with a heroic denouement: the freeing of the dragon. Abundant black-and-white lithographs by Ruth Chrisman Gannett (the author's stepmother) add an evocative, lighthearted mood to an already enchanting story. Author Ruth Stiles Gannett 's stand-alone sequel, Elmer and the Dragon, and her third volume, The Dragons of Blueland both received starred reviews in School Library Journal and are as fresh and original as her first. (Ages 4 to 8) ... Read more

Reviews (35)

My Father's Dragon
My Fathers Dragon is the first book out of a series of three. It is a fiction story about a kid named Elmer, who loves to go on adventures. One of his adventures is rescuing a baby dragon that has been captured by animals, and taken to Wild Island to be used as a way to get across the river there. Elmer hears this news from a stray ally cat that he finds one day, and decides he's going to run away and go to Wild Island to free this dragon. Elmer has to outsmart a bunch of animals to get to the dragon, but it's easy for him because he's really clever. I thought the book was very exciting and fun to read. It's the kind of book you don't want to put down and want to read it over and over again. I gave this book such a good rating because it was fun; I never got tired of it. It was a great book!!!! I would recommend it to anyone that likes thrilling and adventurous books. I liked this book because it was easy to understand, it's funny, and exciting. It's a fun book to read to your self, or to a little brother or sister. No matter how old you are you will always enjoy it. This book is ten chapters long with about 5 to 6 pages each chapter and the chapters are very easy to read. This book would be good for kids that are starting to read chapter books because the words in it are easy to understand and it has pictures in it and they are very detailed. Also in every book there is a detailed map showing where things are and where Elmer went and it's really fun to look at them. I had a great time reading the book.

an unexpected new favorite
I've been expecting my seven year old son to become, like the rest of the world, an addict of the Harry Potter books, but no dice.

Instead, he came home from his multi-age class rhapsodizing about a book I had never heard of...My Father's Dragon. And although I haven't read it (yet), I can tell you for sure what happens in the first five chapters, because my son tells us all with such verve and enthusiasim about the adventures that take place there! How the narrator's father gets out of the tigers, and builds a bridge with the crocodiles are two of his favorite parts, and the words "Bome Cack! Bome Cack!! have entered our vocabularies probably forever.

I think the three books in this series will be entering our household at Christmas time, and I can't wait to read them myself!

My Father goes on....
This book is about a boy named Elmer Elevator. The story is told by his child, his daughter, we think. He goes on a big adventure, trying to rescue a baby dragon. We think it is fiction, because dragons are not really real and animals can not talk. A cat told Elmer about Wild Island and Tangerina, and the dragon who was there that was tied up in a rope. But he also told the father, Elmer Elevator, that there was ferocious animals on the island. Elmer Elevator frees the dragon because he was a very smart boy.
We liked this story because it is a really good story about a dragon and a father when he was a nine year old boy. It was a LITTLE funny and it was a really BIG adventure.

Dragon Rescue
This book is by Ruth Stiles Gannet. It is fiction because a dragon is in it and animals talk in it. Ruth Stiles Gannet wrote My Father's Dragon a couple years after finishing college in 1944. This book was a great success and won a Newberry award.

The main character is a boy named Elmer. Elmer wishes he could fly. He finds a stray cat that knows a dragon that can take him on a flying ride. Before he can do that, Elmer has to free the dragon from Wild Island that has an extremely thick forest. The dragon is a slave of the animals in the jungle and is used to fly them across the river on the island. To free the dragon, Elmer has to get by vicious animals that want to eat him.

My Father's Dragon makes me feel that I'm in a jungle getting chased by ferocious animals. I loved reading this book because Elmer goes on a gigantic adventure. I recommend this book for people who like reading adventurous stories. Also, it won the Newberry award.

My Father's Dragon
My Father's Dragon, a Newbery Honor Book, has been a favorite among young readers since it was written in 1948. This book, first in a series of three, engages a child's imagination in a story that is complete make-believe. The story begins when Elmer Elevator (the narrator's father as a boy) runs away with an old alley cat to help rescue a flying baby dragon that is being mistreated on faraway Wild Island. While at Wild Island, he encounters tigers, a rhinoceros, lions, gorillas, and monkeys. Elmer uses the things he carries in his backpack to fight off all of the wild animals on his way to save the dragon. A few of the items that he uses are pink lollipops, rubber bands, chewing gum, and a fine-toothed comb. It is through these crazy adventures that Elmer eventually rescues the dragon from its torment. My Father's Dragon is a hilarious tale that will keep children laughing and will induce creativity. This book allows the children's imaginations to run wild. The author, Ruth Stiles Gannett, continued this style of writing in the last two of the trilogy, Elmer and the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The Adventures of Tintin Volume 1
Tintin in America:
The first well known Tintin book "Tintin in America" begins where reporter Tintin and his trusty canine companion Snowy get off of a train in Chicago in order to solve a new mystery. They come to investigate the doings of the largest gang in Chicago. On their way the gang finds out they're being investigated and try to stop Tintin. Tintin has many close calls and chases, and on top of that some very good luck. I reccomend this book to anyone who loves mystery, suspense, and a great comic.

The Cigars of the Pharaohs:
The second Tintin story begins where Tintin and Snowy stumble on a new mystery on a cruise ship. A man claims to know where the temple of an Egyptian Pharaoh is and Tintin and Snowy go along with him for fun. This temple had been visited before by someone else and Tintin had to find out who made the visit and why not all come out. This book gives the same suspense and mystery as most of the other Tintin books and I reccomend it just as much as all the others.

The Blue Lotus:
After a few days in royalty in India, Tintin is summoned to a new mystery in China. This time he has to investigate the doings of a secret drug dealer, the only problem is that they are too secret. Ofcourse this book has mystery and suspense and I reccomend it to any person who loves the genre.

This 3 volume book is classic Tintin and I love it so much. It's the best.

Tintin and Snowy rock!
I love Tintin books and this one is no exception. I like the size of the book, the hardcover has a good binding so that it doesn't come apart and with three adventures in one you are getting a great deal.

Want to keep your boys quiet? Give them the book!
I gave this book along with vol. 2 to my nephews at 5th grade and 1st grade and they can't put them down after the 1st page. So I decide to buy the whole collection for them.

(...);-P

Great gifts for kids at the age to open their mind and explore the world!

Watch out - Small Size
Watch out, this 3-in-one comes in a smaller size than the regular single adventures. Makes it harder to read and harder to enjoy the graphics.

Tin Tin- comic extrodinaire'
Tin-Tin is comicbook creation the way it should be!
Tin-Tin is NOT political correctness, it depicks human beings, events as they are, whether evil or good.
You'll be surprised comparing of todays wishy-washy P.C. comics to Tin-Tin..
It has morals, values, perhaps a bit over the top sometimes since black & white issues were more defined years ago..
The artwork is extremely good, even when some panels only have 1 sentance. Tin-Tin will take you to another time & place.
Before there was Indiana Jones, there was Tin-Tin! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Spurred on by another mysterious rhyme from Morgan le Fay, the magicallibrarian of Camelot, siblings Jack and Annie climb into their magic travelingtree house once again, this time on a journey to Merry Olde England--andShakespeare's theater. Their quest? To find "a special magic" that will,"without wand, spell, or charm / turn daytime into night." Armed only with theirbackpacks and a book about 16th-century England, Jack and Annie manage to solvethe riddle, save a bear from a cruel fate, and make their stage debut in "AMidsummer Night's Dream."

Following the wildly successful formula of her Magic Tree House series (Earthquake in the EarlyMorning, Twister onTuesday, etc.), Mary Pope Osborne delivers another exciting chapter bookfor young readers (and read-aloud listeners). Additional information aboutShakespeare is included, plus a partial list of the more than 2,000 words andexpressions he invented. As always, illustrator Sal Murdocca's appealingblack-and-white drawings are well matched to Osborne's story. (Ages 5 to 9)--Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Mary Pope Osborne's insightful look into Shakespeare's Time
Once again Mary Pope Osborne delights her readers as she offers them a spectacular trip back in time to the Elizabethean Age and Shakespeare's theater. As Osborne lures readers in with her captivating tales, the illustrations by Sal Murdocca add to the book by showing readers what "Olde England" looked like. Stage Fright on a Summer Night gives vaulable historical data, while allowing Jack and Annie to experience the stage life and a personal encounter with Will Shakespeare. This book provides a great introduction for young readers to Shakespeare's plays and to common problems experienced by young actors. This Osborne book reminds me of King of Shadows by Susan Cooper, but Osborne focuses on a younger audience and shows us that youngsters,too deserve to know about one of the greatest writers ever known.

Stage Fright on a Summer Night
Stage Fright on a Summer Night by Mary Pope Osborne is a wonderful book for children. In this Magic Tree House book Jack and Annie travel back in time to Olde England and meet William Shakespeare as they are look for the magic to turn daytime in to night. In the book they the children learn about the city of London, the London Bridge and the theater in William Shakespeare's time.
Mrs. Osborne has a great way of making her readers feel as if they are actually in Olde England with Jack and Annie. She also gives her readers just enough just enough historical facts that the readers are learning without know that they are. They think that they are just having fun reading a good book. I also liked the way Mrs. Osborne included quotes from Shakespeare's plays and then at the end of the book told in what plays the reader could find these. A long with the quotes Mrs. Osborne also included a list of words that Shakespeare had invented and that we still use today. I think that this is a great for young readers to see. With both the quotes and the word list in the back of the book I think this would be a great book for a teacher to use in his/her classroom to introduce both London and William Shakespeare to students.

Children love reading these books and they are educational
My seven year old loves reading these books over and over again. While she is enjoying the books, she is learning about different places and times in history. She's learned about the Amazon, the wild west, hawaii, the civil and revolutionary wars, the middle ages, ocean mammals, and so much more. I highly recommend the whole series.

Stage Fright on a Summer Night
I loved Stage Fright on a Summer Night.It's about to kids,Annie andJack who go back in time to London.While they're in London they meet William Shakespear who askes them to cover for to faries(who are really two boys.)Jack and Annie agree to cover for two faries.But Jack gets stage fright and tries not to show it,but in the end he forgets his fear and was fabulous! William Shakespear thanked them and said good bye.

it was coolllll
I gave my book five stars ***** because Jack and Annie go back to old England when William Shakespeare time. Morgan Lefay has this magic tree house they go back into time. When they were there this man came up and wanted them to be in a play. The man was William Shakespeare. I really recommend this book for you to read. ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Solid, but ultimately disappointing, Batman murder mystery
This graphic novel gathers together all 13 issues of "Batman: The Long Halloween", written and drawn, respectively, by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. The story revolves around Carmine "The Roman" Falcone, the ruthless head of Gotham's fiercest gangster empire. The Roman is responsible for countless murders, hijackings, and crimes throughout Gotham, but authorities have never been able to convict him (most of the graft-ridden city is either on his payroll or bribable). Batman, along with a young Captain Gordon and headstrong District Attorney Harvey Dent, is determined to rid Gotham of Falcone's corruption, but he soon learns that a mysterious figure may have already beaten him to the punch: a serial killer, known only as "Holiday", is currently on the loose in Gotham and preying on members of Falcone's extended "family". Batman, Gordon, and Dent now face a combined problem: bringing Falcone to justice, while also ending Holiday's deadly spree.

One of "The Long Halloween"'s primary goals is to provide backstory on Gotham's crime lord past, and this is where the novel truly shines. Readers finally get to see the crime organizations that controlled much of Gotham in the early days (this dark past was hinted at in other Batman stories, but it's more fully explored here). In addition, "The Long Halloween" contains a fascinating retelling of Harvey Dent's past, which will be warmly welcomed by fans of this sometimes morally-dubious friend of Batman's. Unfortunately, readers hoping for a significant glimpse into Batman's own psyche will be sorely disappointed; Batman remains a cipher throughout most of the novel, speaking always in a terse, stacatto rhythm and providing little in the way of a glimpse into his mind's inner workings.

While "The Long Halloween" is competently written, it suffers from a lack of originality and a workman-like narrative drive. The ideas explored here (Italian gangsters and serial killers) are mildly intriguing within the larger context of Gotham, but Loeb doesn't infuse them with many new twists, so they remain tired cliches in this story. Also, in an attempt to give an "epic" feel to this saga, Loeb introduces many of Batman's most infamous foes into the mix (The Joker, The Riddler, The Scarecrow, and The Mad Hatter are just some of the villains on display here). However, the characters are introduced and then dispatched so quickly by Batman, that they don't provide any real sense of drama (in fact, at times, they almost seem to be there for comic relief, which doesn't seem quite right). I think this story would have benefitted from focusing on a much smaller handful of villains, rather than the scattershot approach it takes.

I similarly found the ending of the story and the mystery to be somewhat unsatisfying, although I acknowledge that this is a matter of individual tastes. While it's interesting to see Batman (and Gordon and Dent) involved in such a bizarre murder mystery, the story doesn't play fair with the standard "rules" of the genre--some may say this makes for a breath of fresh air in the Batman universe (and the mystery genre itself), but I think it amounts to a bit of a cheat for trusting readers. In the end, it's difficult to tell just how ambiguous Loeb intended certain elements of the mystery to be; in fact, there's a convincing argument to be made that some of the ambiguity is merely due to sloppy storytelling. Gotham and the larger Batman universe provide fertile ground for this style of mystery, but "The Long Halloween" ultimately fails to deliver on that promise.

Fantastic early-career Batman story
Long Halloween works on so many levels. I went into this book knowing how it was going to end and it still captivated me. It is both a murder mystery and a story of a fall from grace. The main plotline-the mystery of the identity of a serial killer who murders members of the Falcone and Maroni crime families every major holiday-almost takes a back seat to the tragic transformation of Harvey Dent, who starts out as Batman and Captain Gordon's partner and friend and becomes one of their greatest foes by the end of the story. This series ranks alongside the Killing Joke as an important piece of Batman continuity as well as examining Batman's relationship with his enemies. Loeb's writing is good minimalism, packing so much power into so little dialouge. Tim Sale's artwork is just beautiful. He is one of the most talented pencilers ever, and breaths new visual life to several Batman characters. The series is lenghty but it is also fast paced and can be read in a relatively short amount of time. The pacing of the artwork is near-perfect, save for the unsettling abundance of splash pages. This series also well balances Batman's foes between pyschologically and physically deformed supercriminals and regular human gansters. After reading this and the first issue of its follow-up Dark Victory, one can only wonder why team Long Halloween does not work on a regular Batman title.

My favorite Batman book, part 1
This is the book that got me back into graphic novels/comics. A lush, noir-esque story with great twists and turns as well as a new take on a classic villian that retains the basic origin while expanding it slightly.

It's set early in Batman's career, before Robin and before his role was clear in the eyes of police. The only person who believes in him and what he's doing is Jim Gordon, at this point only a lieutenant in the police force.

Fantastic art and a brilliantly written story. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale have quickly become my favorite tandem in graphic novels. Brilliant work! Brilliant!

Great Two-Face Story, Terrible Batman Story!
Here's another offering from the kings of retro, Jeph Loeb (writer) and Tim Sale (artist), reexamining Batman during his mythical "Year One" period. If you believe the intro to this volume, this story was meant to be a sequel to Frank Miller's classic retelling of the Dark Knight's early days in "Batman: Year One" (1986/7). As a story, this work is pretty weak in many areas; as a sequel, is simply falls short of the tight, mature storytelling of Frank Miller's original.

The story centers on the Roman family (originally introduced in "Batman: Year One"), a serial killer who offs people in creative ways during holiday seasons and the trio out to stop the crimes - Batman, Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent. Tim Sale is especially suitable for a work like this - his moody, atmospheric and splash-pages art are truly a sight to behold. You feel yourself being sucked into Batman's Gotham. My primary complaint is with Jeph Loeb's writing. Like my previous review of "Superman for All Seasons", my views of the man's writing hasn't changed. I like HOW he writes - I just dislike WHAT he writes! He's a great scripter, providing witty, timely and simply apt dialogues and caption boxes that the whole thing read very smoothly even though it runs into 300+ pages. The problem is with his insipid plotting. He should have someone else plot his tales and script over them. For example, in order to maintain the novelty of "holiday-themed killings", the story is stretched across THIRTEEN months and countless murders - and finally Batman catches the killer (but we are told that he got the wrong guy). And this is the "World's Greatest Detective"? Meanwhile, Batman consults a Hannibal-Lecter-like Calendar Man who is incapacitated in prison but seemingly knows the identity of the killer (?!?). See the problem? Batman, Gordon and Harvey are supposedly super-cops and they run around like madmen without a clue to the killer and you have this locked-up guy knowing the truth behind everything? Granted, Loeb was trying to set up a "Silence of the Lambs" scene with Calendar Man but therein lies the weakness of the whole thing. It is a scene set up for its own sake and doesn't contribute anything to the STORY. We live in times wherein comic writers are a lot more influenced by TV and movies than literature. And Loeb, former screenwriter, epitomize this new breed of writers who set up cool scenes, writes clever dialogue, provides the atmosphere with the right artistic collaboration but ultimately delivers something very hollow and shallow. "The Long Halloween" is often compared to the pulp classics of Chandler and Hammett. I disagree vehemently. Loeb and Sale gave us "mood" and "cool scenes" but ultimately the story is without gusto, the characters lack the machismo and grit of true noirish anti-heroes, and though the atmosphere is there, it lacks the tight, all-encompassing claustrophobia of the great noirish works.

The only redeeming factor in this work is the retelling of Two-Face's origin. Loeb is especially great in the quiet "character" moments and here, the tragic story of Harvey Dent's transformation into Two-Face is beautifully retold. But Loeb's strength is often his most-glaring fault at the same time. For example the book begins with a full-page drawing of a grim-looking Bruce Wayne muttering, "I believe in Gotham City" - a scene I found to be laughably out-of-character for the flamboyant playboy persona of Bruce Wayne! This kinds of out-of-character scenes abound throughout the story. All in all, this story should have been better written by a more gritty writer like Greg Rucka or Ed Brubaker (both of them have written far better Batman stories than Loeb here).

My favorite Batman book, part 1
This is the book that got me back into comics! I've been a Batman fan for years but these two guys reeled me in to the comics.

This story takes place early in Batman's career. How early? No Robin, Harvey is still "Apollo" Harvey Dent, and James Gordon is still married to his wife. It's essentialy a murder mystery involving the Falcone crime family, back when there were REAL criminals running Gotham as opposed to the classic Bond-villians-on-acid criminals! Members of this family are being hit and the killer leaves macabe souveniers related to the holiday on which the murder occurs. Everyone is suspect, the conclusion is startling; everything I love in film noir murder mystery!

The art is more realistic than other Batman books. My only quip is the way catwoman was designed. They reached the design apex on the animated series. But in this book she has large eye holes, large ears, and whiskers in a attempt to make her more cat-like. Selina Kyle is WONDERFULLY done! The best drawn character is the Joker, he's my favorite anyway!

This is my favorite book because it's back to the essentials: Batman kicks the crap out of criminals, no supernatural stuff, and a great emotional comples for our hero! Bravo! ... Read more

Book Description

In their first adventure as Master Librarians, Jack and Annie go to the

city of Pompeii to bring back an ancient story that is in danger of being lost

forever. Little do they know they are saving the myth of Hercules! But before

they can find it, the town's volcano erupts in a mighty explosion.Just when

things look hopeless, Jack and Annie get some unexpected help from a certain

mythic hero - and the rest, as they say, is history.




... Read more

Reviews (8)

Excellent
I read the Magic Tree House series when I was eight or nine, and I loved them! This was one of my favorites, since I love studying ancient Rome. Jack and his sister Annie are wisked away to ancient Rome in the magic tree house so they can get an ancient story that is in danger of being lost forever. Soon they find out that they are in Pompeii the very day Mount Vesuvius will erupt! Can they escape and get the story?

Magic Tree House is Magically Magnificent!
I discovered these books in my work as a teacher of reading to 2nd grade students. And students just love them!
Let me start by saying this is an excellent series of books. The way that Mary Pope Osborne incorporates: science, social studies(history/geography) and many other important academic elements into her stories is phenomenal!
The stories are exciting and well written. They have a way of drawing kids in and keeping them wanting to turn pages.
In our guided reading groups we usually read a chapter or two per day and the students frequently beg me to read more! That is how much kids love these books! Isn't that refreshing?
This particular installment in the Magic Tree House series finds Jack and Annie traveling back to ancient Rome! They happen to land in Pompeii in A.D. 79 on the day that Mount Vesuvius erupts!
This book incorporates two very popular elements for young children: volcanos and magic. It is undeniable that young students are intrigued by the power of volacanos. They love to read about them and this particular book is a great way for them to start researching.
Jack and Annie's adventures never fail to thrill readers and keep them interested.
I highly recommend these books for students in early elementary school. They are excellent for students in 2nd grade. Enjoy!

The Amazng Kids from the magic tree house
This book is about two kids named Jack and Annie. One day a magic tree house sends them back to the Roman times to the Roman Empire. When they got there they feel a tremble. After that they knew there was a Volcano. They fought and saved the Roman Times.
I gave this book three stars because it shows Annie and Jack were determined. And it was easy to understand. I recommed it because it is a nice story and there is a good message.

Children need fantasy
The purpose of fantasy is to enable children (and adults) to experience what they never could in reality. Every child knows that no adult would send him to the vicinity of a rumbling volcano--which is exactly why they love stories in which things like that happen. Seeing make-believe heroes in danger and seeing them get out of it is one of the ways children learn to be brave and optimistic. If a 4-year-old loves these books, then he's getting something useful out of them. My 8-year-old loves them, and I will happily keep reading them to him as long as he wants!

My son (4) loves it, I hate it!
My 4 year old loves to have the Magic Treehouse books read to him. My husband and I hate them and will not be getting more. My biggest complaint is that the children in the books are put into real danger (in this book, they are trying to get out of Pompeii while Vesuvius is erupting!) and the adult who sends them into the danger (Morgan le Fay) knows it! No adult with a brain would send two children back to Pompeii while Vesuvius is erupting just to get a scroll! The lives of the children are worth more than a book! The books are not very well written and very formulaic. I realize my son is younger than the target age for these books, but I don't think I would be too happy with him reading them at 7 or so, either! ... Read more

Amazon.com

After a brief breather in book three (Lucinda's Secret), the Spiderwick Chronicles heat up with doppelgangers, then dwarves, then a dastardly double-cross, as this five-part series approaches its dramatic end.

The Grace kids (9-year-old twins Simon and Jared, and 13-year-old Mallory) might think that things have finally quieted down for them, but the nefarious faerie world has many more surprises in store. In the second chapter, titled, "IN WHICH the Grace twins are triplets," a mysterious and menacing shape-shifter shows up at Mallory's fencing match--and before Simon and Jared can suss out what's up, their sister disappears, presumably kidnapped. Eager to recover Mallory, the two descend into a strange subterranean world beneath a nearby quarry, only to find themselves prisoners and then privy to a wicked (and almost unbelievable) plan. The twins do end up tracking down Mallory, but only in very peculiar circumstances--not the least of which that she's wearing a dress.

Author Holly Black once again skillfully manages to weave in plenty of creepy details (including a bloody final chapter) without whitewashing or leaving young readers feeling too creeped out--and she gets able assistance from Tony DeTerlizzi's ever-evocative pen-and-ink drawings (especially in the looming menace of the Mulgarath). Fans of the serieswill have a hard time waiting for the final installment, titled fittingly, ominously, The Wrath of Mulgarath. (Ages 6 to 10)--Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (15)

going strong and holding the suspense...
Well, I bought it the second day it was released and had it finished, in a few hours. That's the great thing if you have a few hours you've finished the book, that's also the sad thing... now I have to wait for book 5 til Sept.

This series is fun and charming and exciting, regaurdless your age. I teach school and don't always make time for myself. These books are perfect fits into a hectic day and the small amounts of time I save for myself. Since that time is cherished I like making the most of it and Spiderwick books fit into my precious time ... so they have to be good for me, to recommend them.

Grandma's do you want a fun read that is as exciting as Harry Potter, that will impress your grandkids and help them remember your activities, something you can do in a few short hours together. This is it!

Excited Teacher in Nevada

The Spiderwick Chronicles
this series of books is amazing i am 13 year olds and i love it once you read the first page you go to another world of fantasy and go crazy with all the things in the book I really,really recomend it. yesterdsay i read the first page and I got involved in to page 50 and if it wasn't for my mom I would have already finished it.

(...)

"The Stones Tell Me...The Stones Know All..."
"The Ironwood Tree" is the fourth of the five books in the "Spiderwick Chronicles", concerning the Grace children (the eldest Mallory and the twins Simon and Jared) and their involvement in the faerie world. In previous books they have gained some general knowledge on how to deal with these faeries (which is based on real fairy folklore) thanks to the "Field Guide to Faeries", written by their great uncle Arthur.

The "Ironwood Tree" delivers on the previous book's promise of dwarfs, with a journey underground and the first appearance of Mulgarath the ogre, mentioned in "Lucinda's Secret". When the twins accompany their mother to Mallory's fencing meet, Jared notices a young girl rummaging through his sister's bag. Going to investigate, Jared confronts a shape-shifting faerie that immediately turns into a terrified little boy when Jared threatens him with a knife - just in time for the principal to catch him.

Despite being faced with suspension, the twins discover that Mallory has been kidnapped by the dwarfs, and must venture into the abandoned quarry in order to rescue her. From there comes encounters with the dwarf king, the hoardes of dwarfin treasure, an enchanted Mallory, a knocker, and finally the terrible Mulgarath, leaving this particular reader longing for book five.

After a brief lull in the action in "Lucinda's Secret" (which was still a good read) Holly Black picks up the action once more, with more faery encounters, captures and escapes, and a rather bloody final chapter. The detail of the dwarf kingdom is wonderful, with a myraid of mechanics and treasures that the dwarfs have created (including the famed Ironwood Tree), and Black effortlessly sprinkles in touches of fascinating faery lore. Some things I didn't quite agree with: the dwarfs prove themselves to be quite stupid, considering - 1. They didn't check to see if they had the real Field Guide, 2. They let the twins escape so easily from their cage, and 3. they actually gave weapons to Mulgarath (and their reasons for allying themselves with him are never explained). I've always quite liked dwarfs in the fantasy genre, but these ones are just too idiotic to be likeable.

Also, I was a little disappointed in the children's mother: I would like to think that if my child was accused of threatening a younger child and he pleaded innocent, I would give him the benefit of the doubt and stick up for him. Mrs Grace however is all to ready to believe that her son would do such a thing - shame on her!

However, Tony DiTerlizzi's illustrations just keep getting better and better. The shapeshifter in particular is downright creepy - and Mulgarath is just fantastic. He is obviously evil, but the skill of DiTerlizzi's pen makes you appreciate the work that went into creating him: he is huge, magnificent and regal - and therefore looks quite appealing. The dwarfs are fairly unoriginal in their appearence (short, squat, long beards, etc), but their treasure trove and the frog/bug-like knocker is wonderful.

Even though there sadly are some characters missing (Thi