Alexandria: In Which the Extraordinary Correspondence of Griffin & Sabine Unfolds (v. 2) (Hardcover) Review

After reading The Gryphon last year, I was instantly frustrated that I was going to have to wait a year for the next installment.About two days into the agony, I realized that the true bummer was that this new story line seemed to be preplanned to leave off in order to pre-sell the next book.After reading Alexandria, I feel that my conclusion has more basis.Alexandria IS an amazingly beautiful book, and some of the letters are absolutely inspired, but it lacks the storytelling power of the original trilogy.Instead of the letters slowly revealing a relationship, they are starting to resemble gimmicky plot devices.The revelations seemed more trite and some of the more interesting occurances are glossed over in a single postcard. Part of the wonder of the first three books is that each could stand nearly alone.The end of each book did not instantly suggest a followup.Alexandria, like The Gryphon before it, kind of stops that narrative because there are no more pages in the binding. Grrr.
If you are considering this book as your introduction to Nick Bantock, please go elsewhere (Either start with Griffin and Sabine, or maybe even The Forgetting Room).Alexandria is kind of an odd duck for me.I thoroughly enjoyed reading and savoring each of the letters, but felt let down and even kind of patronized by the way the story line was delivered.The "flow" is just very different from the first half of the Griffin and Sabine saga.Not completely bad per se, just very different.Soa four star kind of a let down rather than an outright rejection.

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Sunshine [Paperback] Review

This is a first-rate book. Won the Children's book Council Children's Picture Book of the Year Award in 1982.
Ormerod's textless illustrations of a family's early morning activities is superb. The little girl,creepsinto mum and dad's bed in the morning (the alarm closck tells us it is7.20, kisses dad, and then helps him prepare breakfast (the toast burns ashe reads the paper). They take breakfast into mum, still in bed. mum goesback to sleep, and dad gets lost in the paper. Our heroine gets herselfdressed and toileted. It's now 8.25, and a rush ensues as Mum and dad leapout of bed to get going.
Absolutely delightful. Lots of fodder forchildren's imagination, and sequencing skills - some of the pics are instrip cartoon format.
There is a sequel, moonlight, about activities atthe other end of the day, which is just as delightful.
A timelessclassic; thoroughly recommended. It was a firm bedtime favourite in ourhouse from about age 2 1/2 on.

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The Shards of Morning [Paperback] Review

In The Shards of Morning, E.K.Martens has created entire worlds with their own languages, landscapes, peoples, and customs.The reader cannot help but love the main characters.The ending was a complete surprise to me.An amazing work from a young, new author.We're sure to see lots more from her!

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Product Description:
A desperate pact. A dying world. A debt in blood. Helena of Equanes longs for adventure beyond the dull, secluded life on her father's estate. When she receives an otherworldly stone with unimaginable power, she is thrust into the heart of a centuries-old conflict embroiled with shape shifters and other worlds, tribal wars and ancient curses. With only the stone's fleeting visions to guide her, Helena embarks on a perilous journey through untamed jungle, frozen mountains, and savage desert, little suspecting that the salvation of her world rests on the one sacrifice she cannot make.

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Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 1-4: Dinosaurs Before Dark, The Knight at Dawn, Mummies in the Morning, and Pirates Past Noon [Box set] (Paperback) Review

When My son was younger these were among his most favorite books.He made sure we saved these so he could pass them on to his little brother to read to him once he is old enough.These are simple chapter books.They range in page count from about 68 to 96 pages I believe so they are relatively quick reads that can be read in a few nights depending upon your child's reading level.This set contains the first four books in the series:

Book #1, DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK

Book #2, THE KNIGHT AT DAWN

Book #3, MUMMIES IN THE MORNING

Book #4, PIRATES PAST NOON

The First, Dinosaurs Before Dawn tells the story of how jack and Annie (the series stars) first find the Magic Tree House and learn how the books can transport them to magical lands and worlds.The first takes them to the Cretaceous period. Through clues and reading the book in hand they learn and discover things about dinosaurs.

In the "Knight at Dawn", jack and Annie are transported back to medieval times.They find a castle and go exploring and find themselves on the run from the castle guards and worry they will never get back to the magic tree house.

"mummies In the Morning" Jack has always been fascinated by and pick up a book that has them traveling back to ancient Egypt.Jack and Annie enter a pyramid and get lost inside.Inside they find the ghost of an Egyptian queen whose been trapped inside the pyramid for ages and Jack and Annie try to set her free.

"Pirates Past Noon"Jack and Annie picture a wonderful beach and are transported to the times of Pirates where they are capture by Captain Bones who is seeking the treasure of Captain Kidd.

These books are geared for kids from the 2nd to the 5th grade I would say.They are entertaining, imaginative reads that help teach kids about history while being fun to read as well.Some have commented that the writing, technically speaking is weak.That may be in some spots but I feel this is mostly intentional as they are writing for 6 - 10 year olds.

These books are really a joy to read and I loved reading them along with my son.I'm glad we saved them!

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Product Description:
Ten years ago, Jack and Annie found a Magic Tree House in the woods and the world of reading was changed forever. Millions of letters later (from children, parents, and teachers around the world!)the exciting and inspiring four books are available together in a keepsake-worthy boxed set. The perfect gift to encourage a struggling new reader or remind old fans of the way they first discovered the magic of books.

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Confession (Z Graphic Novels / Hand of the Morning Star) (v. 3) [Paperback] Review

These graphic novels have captured my kids interest.They are also subtling teaching us something.Satan is referred to as the star of the morning in Isaiah.I do not believe that the Morningstar is Jesus, but Satan masquerading as an angel of light.I believe that in the books to come Zondervan will reveal this more fully.Clues, such as not praying to Jesus, but Morningstar, evolutionary comments, killing just to kill, these are not how Jesus operates. The missionary & his daughter in Argentina are seeing this also.I love the books,as do my kids, and I believe that it will show us not to just blindly trust in those who claim to be of God.

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Product Description:
When Michael reveals himself as the Tempest, he will find out whether the one he loves and the larger public will embrace or reject him.

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Star of the Morning (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 1) [Paperback] Review

I'm not usually a connoisseur of fantasy novels, as I often find them to be either too dark, or too hard to relate to the characters.But, since I love Lynn Kurland's historical novels and characters, I had to try this one out.

And it is fabulous.

Yes, it is fantasy, with the darkness of evil... yet you are not dragged down with lurid descriptions of the evil.Rather, you experience the emotions and thoughts and feelings of the characters as THEY deal with the evil that is thrown at them.And you share in their victories, just as you share in the conversation and laughter they share when they are warm and safe around the fire.

And of course there is magic... but it is a silvery ribbon that winds through characters that are still so human that it is easy to relate to them.They have magic and know spells... but they use them in the same utterly human ways that you or I use our knowledge and skills.

And then there's the romance.It is there, running beneath the surface and threatening to spill over any moment... yet it never does.That has been saved for future books.But its sweetness draws you into the story until you, also, have fallen in love with the shieldmaiden and the mage.

So read of Morgan, an orphan who has learned to shun magic in favor of the more visible and tangible skills of swordplay... while she slowly begins to find that magic is in her, she cannot run from it, and it does have its uses.

Read of Miach, the archmage of the powerful kingdom of Neroche, as he quietly defends the kingdom against far more danger than anyone realizes... as he is tempted the mis-use the power that few know he holds... and as he discovers a love that is more powerful still.

And escape to a world where men and women alike answer to the calling that has been laid upon them... to save the innocent masses that are unaware of the danger that threatens them.

(Number two in the trilogy, The Mage's Daughter: A Novel of the Nine Kingdoms, is now out, and it makes this book even better!Don't miss it!)

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Product Description:
From the USA Today bestselling author comes the first in a magical romantic fantasy trilogy.

Darkness covers the north, since the black mage has begun his assault on the kingdom of Neroche. Legend has it that only the two magical swords held by Neroche's king can defeat the mage. Now the fate of the Nine Kingdoms rests in the hands of a woman destined to wield one of those blades...

In this land of dragons and mages, warrior maids and magical swords, nothing is as it seems. And Morgan will find that the magic in her blood brings her troubles she cannot face with a sword-and a love more powerful than she has ever imagined.

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Summer Morning, Summer Night [Paperback] Review

Ray Bradbury loves to write stories of small American towns in the Midwest, swathed in colour, magic and sunlight. And that's basically the entire content of "Summer Morning, Summer Night" -- exquisitely written little nuggets of ordinary experiences, with an element of magic and mystery woven into them like golden threads.

A number are vignettes without much actual plot -- a young woman going for a nighttime stroll meets a lover, a loaf of bread brings back memories of childhood summers, a teenage girl have has first kiss with a new boyfriend, an aged woman looks through old calendars full of forgotten memories, old people recount important deaths, and a middle-aged man falls in love with a beautiful young woman he sees in passing.

Then there are the full-blown short stories. Here a chaste romance blossoms between a teacher and her brilliant young student, a beautiful woman's memory lives on long after her death, an elderly woman's long-lost lover may have returned, a spinster seeks perfume, and two old sisters make a secret "love potion" with some unwanted results.

There's no straightforwardly fantastical elements in this book, but there are moments of horror and comedy. On one hand, we have stories where a young girl hears a woman shrieking underground, and a serial killer's excited chase of a woman he's stalking. On the other, a family's scheme to get a pretty cousin married off backfires, and a couple of sweet old people have a day out shopping and having fun.

"Summer Morning, Summer Night" is sort of a Ray Bradbury mosaic -- lots of little fragments making up a sun-filled, warm, shimmering summertime filled with shady trees and warm nights. It's a little like visiting Bradbury's nameless small town for a week at its most lovely, absorbing some of the history of the people there, and then drifting back out.

One thing has never changed is Bradbury's vivid, lush prose ("they were a trio of black velvet and white ermine conspirators, half moon, half shadow"), which is steeped in nature metaphors ("as fine as a maple leaf between winds that blew just right"). His writing is precise enough that he can tackle a taboo subject -- such as love between a teacher and student -- without inspiring outrage.

And he drops in plenty of symbolism -- new shoes, dismantled porches, ribboned hats, first kisses ("it tasted like apricats and fresh apples and as water tastes when you rise at night...").

As the final touch, Bradbury's characters are a colourful, varied lot -- teenage girls, serial killers, legendary beauties, middle-aged men and small children vowing to never forget this summer. Bradbury seems a bit preoccupied with mortality, since many of his characters here are troubled by life and love in their middle or twilight years -- except maybe the Alexanders, who seem happy to frolic into old age together.

Warm, mellow and sweet as an apple, "Summer Morning, Summer Night" is a series of tiny portraits of small town life. But Ray Bradbury manages some surprises along the way.

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