A short and entertaining read about a dragon princess who must be hidden and protected from the war in her realm until she reaches maturity. Her guardA short and entertaining read about a dragon princess who must be hidden and protected from the war in her realm until she reaches maturity. Her guards, Kuri and her son Rexajon, take Solana to Earth where she goes to school like a normal human girl. That is until Kuri is kidnapped and the two teenagers must try to find her abductor and bring her back.
Solana is a typical 16-year old girl, a fact that makes Rexajon’s job that much more difficult. As she learns more about the dragon magic that’s been withheld from her, it becomes urgent that Solana make up for the lost years of her magical education. When the public becomes aware of Rexajon and Solana’s true nature things spiral out of control. Without the cover of anonymity, the two find it difficult to move around and complete their quest.
Not the most clever dragon novel, but this is definitely a fun and quick read....more
In the final book of this series, Cyrus must capture the Hune Gabriel, a giant sea turtle the size of an island, and sail it south to save the villageIn the final book of this series, Cyrus must capture the Hune Gabriel, a giant sea turtle the size of an island, and sail it south to save the village he was forced to leave behind. The Hune is in the hands of an army of Clops, evil creatures created by the Sea Zombie to serve her will. But this group of Clops have equipped the Hune as a battleship and intend to use it to fight against the witch.
The Sea Zombie attacks the Hune shortly after it’s launched, but Cyrus and his friends Fabian the Froskman and Edward the spider manage to fight their way free and sail south to his homeland. Along with an army of poisonous blodbad spiders and clops that have turned to his cause, they rescue the villagers that formerly declared Cyrus a traitor and condemned him to death.
Cyrus must convince his kin to join him, but the same evil villagers that were responsible for his banishment continue to cause trouble with the clops and blodbads. When the Sea Zombie arrives the final battle ensues. Will Cyrus succeed in earning the respect of his people and end the evil witch once and for all?
An exciting read from start to finish, I would recommend all three books in this series. I would, however, suggest they be read in order for clarity and enjoyment.
In the second book of the Cyrus Longbones series our hero becomes a true warrior in the fight against the Sea Zombie.
Cyrus and his companions, Fabian In the second book of the Cyrus Longbones series our hero becomes a true warrior in the fight against the Sea Zombie.
Cyrus and his companions, Fabian the Froskman and Edward the Blodbad spider, locate the island of the Yetis. They must seek the Yetis help to locate the long-lost Hune, a giant sea turtle that is the twin of the dead island Cyrus’ village was founded on. But the Yetis are a shadow of their former glory. Most of their kind have been enslaved by a mysterious Queen in an iron mine far to the north.
The trio of friends manage to find the mine and at the same time find the Hune, although not as they would have expected. Cyrus drinks forbidden blood and becomes a giant with super-human healing powers. But in becoming physically powerful he loses sight of his own humanity, and his lust for revenge threatens to overpower his good nature.
Cyrus learns to fight and kill, but is it at the price of his soul? I can’t wait to dive into book three and find the answers....more
I liked this book and would have given it a higher rating had Cyrus been a more identifiable character. For a “hero” this guy was a disappointment. HeI liked this book and would have given it a higher rating had Cyrus been a more identifiable character. For a “hero” this guy was a disappointment. He was often “frozen in shock,” with his “mouth hanging open.” When stuff went down, Cyrus was guaranteed to run away, if he didn’t faint first.
I know, he’s only 16, but he forever proclaims his incapacity to do anything, even as he watched his stepmother (granted, a nasty piece of work) and stepbrother falling into the earth. He stands by stupidly as the crafty old Mayor of his village blames him for all the disasters that are occurring, choosing to (surprise!) run away.
When a sea creature saves Cyrus and Edward from the Sea Zombie (a really bad old hag), Cyrus is his usual useless self. Edward does more to help them escape than Cyrus.
Now that I’ve trashed Cyrus, understand that the story itself is really interesting and well crafted. It’s only in the last few chapters that our hero steps up and shows what he’s worth. I’m looking forward to reading book two, now that I can count on the characters to be active in their own destiny....more
A lyrical and magical tale told in verse for young readers. Caramath is such an admirable character; brave, honest, caring, and ethical. He leads the A lyrical and magical tale told in verse for young readers. Caramath is such an admirable character; brave, honest, caring, and ethical. He leads the villagers to safety when their cowardly King refuses them refuge in the castle. He encourages them to believe they will make it through the Forest of Shadows where only those who can’t see their way through the trial will be transformed into trees. He bravely sets sail with the evil mariner and faces the fearsome siren. He finds and befriends a baby dragon and, finally, leads his villagers to the Land of Snow where the fairies help them return home.
Even the villagers that he saves time and again doubt his word and are willing to abandon others for their own safety. Caramath alone acts like a true hero.
This is the kind of story parents should be reading with their children. The lessons are positive and inspiring. The verse flows smoothly and middle grade children will have no trouble reading it themselves, while younger readers will need a parent to read with or to them. Either way, well worth the time....more
Annabel Pickering is a plucky young heroine that every reader can root for. She manages to keep her cool throughout this adventure where her parents aAnnabel Pickering is a plucky young heroine that every reader can root for. She manages to keep her cool throughout this adventure where her parents are abducted by the Queen’s Guard for no apparent reason, she falls under the protection of the neighboring spinster she’s always believed to be one square short of a quilting bee, she’s transported aboard a pirate dirigible into hiding, and stumbles into a veritable whirlwind of other unexpected and unpredictable events. Any ordinary 15-year old young lady would be paralyzed with fear, but Annabel pulls herself together and maintains the stiff upper lip someone of her background would be expected to exhibit.
The story is full of wonderful steampunk devices and the action is non-stop. The writing is witty and engaging, keeping the reader turning pages for the next new development.
This book is a rare treat and leaves the reader hungry for the next installment. Can’t wait to get my hands on book two....more
A well plotted adventure where two young boys are transported to a parallel universe to help right a grave wrong and bring the multi-verse back into aA well plotted adventure where two young boys are transported to a parallel universe to help right a grave wrong and bring the multi-verse back into alignment. I loved the setting on a remote ranch in Australia, which evoked references to the Aboriginal people and their connection to the land.
There’s plenty of action for middle-grade readers, as well as some lessons in leadership and cooperation. Mark is a good kid who steps up and helps his friends in their time of need.
The only thing that kept me from giving this book a 4 rating was the writing style. I found the author’s prose rather flat, and at times a bit dull. There was a lot of unnecessary description that could have been handled better. The story is very dynamic but at times it just failed to keep me interested.
Nevertheless, this was a good read that most kids will enjoy....more
What’s better than a children’s book about friendly pirates? A book about pirates and a cute baby dragon!
The story is fun and perky, just perfect for What’s better than a children’s book about friendly pirates? A book about pirates and a cute baby dragon!
The story is fun and perky, just perfect for first-readers. The illustrations are wonderfully colorful and attractive, just what it takes to keep youngsters’ attention.
I recommend this highly to all beginning readers and their parents....more
I was excited to start this book. I love Disney’s Aladdin and was expecting s smart and sassy YA version of the tale. Sadly, I was wrong.
Ms. Braswell I was excited to start this book. I love Disney’s Aladdin and was expecting s smart and sassy YA version of the tale. Sadly, I was wrong.
Ms. Braswell is not an impressive author: not insightful or quirky or even mildly amusing. Her book is so derivative of the cartoon version that I felt like I was reading the movie script. The characters are exact replicas of the movie. The dialog is also the same, sometimes word for word. I had hoped for Gregory McGuire-like plot twists and clever character turns. I got a stilted version of the children’s book.
I listened to the audio version of the book on Audible. One would expect an audio book produced by Disney to be good quality. Unfortunately, I feel sure I could have done a better job of reading the book than their narrator. His voice was lackluster and dull. His inflections were all wrong; his statements sounded like questions and vice versa. All the characters sounded the same. Action scenes were read as if he were describing ordinary events. Overall impression: BORING.
If you’re looking for a fun new series of twisted tales, keep looking. This is not the book it’s made out to be....more
The core of this book is William Bannister, a merchant seaman turned pirate in the 17th century. Bannister's story is unusual in the annals of pirate The core of this book is William Bannister, a merchant seaman turned pirate in the 17th century. Bannister's story is unusual in the annals of pirate lore. He is not famously recognized as a pirate in the Caribbean like Henry Morgan or Blackbeard. He had a lucrative career and future which he threw away for the rewards and adventure of larceny. He was an anomaly about whom little is actually documented.
The pirate hunters of the title are deep sea divers who originally came to the Dominican Republic to cash in on one of the few places left on earth where treasure could still be claimed by anyone who had the cajones to go down and find it. It was only on hearing of Bannister and his lost ship, The Golden Fleece, that they began to search for it.
Bannister's story is intriguing; the story of the pirate hunters is not. The more information the author gives us about the two divers, the less I liked them. They came off as egotistical hotheads who abandoned their families and sunk their life savings (both men are over 50 and unlikely to ever recoup the funds to support their families in retirement) on a whim based on a meeting with an old treasure hunter looking for his last score. The decision is made in a matter of hours without consulting, or even notifying their wives. Obviously not a very well planned operation and showing a shocking lack of respect for the future of their families.
Unfortunately, this book contains little information about Bannister, his ship or his crew. Page after page documents the suppositions and hunches of the two treasure hunters. Details of every futile search become mind-numbing after a hundred pages. It is not until the very end of the book that we are told of the wreck they believe to be the Golden Fleece and the few artifacts on which they base this supposition. I was never quite convinced that they had in fact found Bannister's ship and was disappointed in the pausity of details of the items recovered or their disposition.
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway hoping to read an exciting account of the sinking of an actual pirate ship. I found it to be more of an homage to the greed of three men who found it impossible to agree on much of anything other than they craved the fame associated with an important historical discovery without any of the academic expertise that would have confirmed the veracity of their find.
Occasionally an interesting story but mainly rather boring and slow....more
This is a hilarious book about the daughter of Admirable Westfield, a Royal Navy officer devoted to tracking down pirates and bringing them to the QueThis is a hilarious book about the daughter of Admirable Westfield, a Royal Navy officer devoted to tracking down pirates and bringing them to the Queen's justice, who has decided that she is destined to be a pirate herself!
Meet Hilary, a girl from High Society sent to the finest finishing school in the land to learn to be a lady. When the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates refuses to even consider her for membership in their order in spite of her skills at tying knots and treading water, Hilary resolves to run away from Miss Pimm's Finishing School for Delicate Ladies and join the crew of the nearest pirate ship. With her trusty Gargoyle, a magical creature crafted by the Enchantress herself, Hilary sets out to find the Enchantress' lost cache of magical items.
This tongue-in-cheek tale is full of adventure, pirate talk, and zany characters. Ms. Carlson has sandwiched between chapters correspondence between characters, articles from the Illustrated Queensport Gazette, and pages from the Official VNHLP Guide, all of which are completely ridiculous and add to the fun. Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down. It is one of the most original and entertaining children's stories I've ever read.
I highly recommend this book to children and adults alike who want a laugh-out-loud reading experience.
I am a huge fan of Chris Grabenstein's fiction for children, but I must admit this one was a bit of a dud.
The premise pulled me in: a boy visits an iI am a huge fan of Chris Grabenstein's fiction for children, but I must admit this one was a bit of a dud.
The premise pulled me in: a boy visits an island where characters from literature come to life. They interact with Billy, the reader, but also with each other. This makes the story far more interesting.
Billy is joined by the boy next door, Walter, and together they form a bond. Both are awkward in their own ways, but they complement each other.
My only complaint is the character Dr. Libris. He's pretty much out of the picture until the end of the book, when he appears for two pages and takes off again. While there he proves himself to be a real jerk, not the brilliant inventor of technology to revolutionize reading. I would have rated the book a 3.5 if Dr. Libris wasn't such a disappointment.
Final thoughts: this is a cute story and a fast read, but it just didn't grip me in the end. ...more
I did not read the first book in this series (yet), but this story stands alone quite well. Mr. Lemoncello, the eccentric billionaire with a passion fI did not read the first book in this series (yet), but this story stands alone quite well. Mr. Lemoncello, the eccentric billionaire with a passion for books and libraries, is one of the most entertaining characters to come along since Willy Wonka. His high-tech, kid friendly library is the stuff of dreams to anyone whose idea of a good time is to wander around among shelves of books and browse.
Mr. Lemoncello loves books, but he embraces learning in all forms. He designs video games and encourages youngsters to enter his contests to test their skill at solving problems through knowledge and research. But there are those who feel a library must be a silent, dusty space where patrons are constantly shushed and "certain types" of books should never be allowed.
The author takes a lighthearted look at the serious subject of book banning. The children competing in Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics are called upon to use all their skills to uncover a plot by the town fuddy-duddies to take over the library and impose their own narrow-minded standards.
This is a great, fun story with plenty of puzzles and games to inspire young readers to enjoy learning. A must-read for children and adults alike....more
This is the most exciting children's book I've read in quite a while! An astronomer/mathematician, his two sons, and two young girls are drawn into a This is the most exciting children's book I've read in quite a while! An astronomer/mathematician, his two sons, and two young girls are drawn into a race to find twelve ancient relics hidden by Copernicus centuries ago. The artifacts have been secreted in locations worldwide to keep them out of the hands of The Order, a group who will stop at nothing, including murder, to gain the relics and the unimaginable power that comes with them.
The kids each bring a unique skill and viewpoint to the clues pointing the way in this deadly serious scavenger hunt. They are special in their own ways, but completely believable and realistic characters. The beautiful young woman leading the team of villains and her German physicist lackey are the embodiment of greed and evil. They are constantly a half-step behind the kids in locating and securing the prizes.
This book is non-stop action from beginning to end, where we're left ready to pick up the next volume in the series. A terrific read for children and adults alike, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good mystery....more
An absolutely delightful story-within-a-story (literally) where young Bethany, whose father is a fictional character, can jump in and out of books as An absolutely delightful story-within-a-story (literally) where young Bethany, whose father is a fictional character, can jump in and out of books as she pleases. Unfortunately, she becomes so frustrated with her life and her mother's restrictions on books that she indiscreetly chooses to dive into Charlie and the Chocolate Factory while in class and is caught by another student.
Owen is amazed and excited when he discovers his classmate's ability. As a HUGE fan of the Kiel Gnomenfoot series, his greatest wish is to visit the story and meet his hero in person. And possibly perform some heroic deed to become famous. He convinces Bethany to take him into the book with her and ignores her warnings that under no circumstances should he interact with the characters, do anything to influence the outcome of the book or, most of all, to never tell characters in a book that they are fictional creations.
Of course, Owen immediately breaks all the rules and unleashes events with repercussions back in the real world. It's up to Bethany to try to undo the damage while Owen lives out his fantasy of being a fictional hero. He soon finds that daring, life-threatening adventures are far more fun to read about than live through.
Riley has come up with a creative and unique approach to the typical fantasy novel, with characters moving back and forth from fiction to reality and causing an uproar wherever they land. Fast-paced doesn't begin to describe the action as we move back and forth between Bethany and Owen struggling to keep moving and stay alive in alternating chapters. I had a hard time coming up for air; I wanted to keep reading until the story was done.
I'm looking forward to reading more from Mr. Riley and I recommend that you all pick up his books as soon as you can lay hands on them....more
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