Family Reads

Quick Pick: The Time Paradox (Artemis Fowl, Book 6)

The Time Paradox (Artemis Fowl, Book 6)

by Eoin Colfer
© 2008, 432 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox is about a teenage, male, cunning genius named Artemis Fowl, an elf who is a LEPrecon officer, and a dirt-loving dwarf. Artemis' mother has contracted a deadly disease, and the only cure is found in the brain fluid of the Silky Sifaka Lemur. It would be easy to get the cure-if the animal still existed. Due to a heartless deal Artemis made many years ago, the lemur is extinct. Artemis, Holly Short, the elf, and Mulch Diggums, the dwarf, must go back in time and steal the lemur from the younger Artemis. This book is one of the best I've read in a while, and won't dissapoint fans of the previous Artemis Fowl books or people who enjoy science fiction or fantasy.

(P.S. In order to get the most enjoyment out of this book, I highly recommend you read the first 5 before diving into this one).

What-the-Dickens

What-the-Dickens

by Gregory Maguire © 2007, 295 pages Level 4 (all about levels) Read Amazon Reviews

 

Gregory Maguire, the author of Wicked and The Hamlet Chronicles, now treats us to a brand new story about a rogue tooth fairy called What-the-Dickens. Orphaned at birth, this skibberee bumbles his way through his first days of life and tries to find out where he fits in. He'd really like to become the pet of McCavity, a cat who unfortunately lacks a soft spot for winged creatures. He knows he doesn't want to be adopted by the bird who sings off-key.  But when he meets Pepper, a tooth fairy on a mission, he thinks he must be on to something.

But skibbereen are suspicious sorts, and Pepper's colony isn't receptive to this stranger. Can he learn enough about their ways and prove himself worthy of belonging to their ranks?

The tale of What-the Dickens is a story-within-a-story and is told by Gage, an older cousin who has come to stay with three children during a natural disaster that cuts them off from power, food, and civilization. Their story runs parallel with the events in What-the-Dickens' life, and eventually intersects in a satisfying twist.

Lori

The writing in this book is truly delightful. As I read to Ben, we stopped often to appreciate Maguire's work—amazing descriptions, clever wordplay, ironic coincidences, etc. It was a teensy bit challenging as a read-aloud, only because of the frequent passages of dialog that don't indicate the change in speaker. It's no problem when you're seeing the pages, but a little trickier if you're only hearing it. However, in the hands of a skilled artist, I imagine that this would be a fantastic audiobook!

What-the-Dickens is wonderful modern-day fairy tale. Don't expect to get carried away by the plot, but instead enjoy the humor, the interesting characters, and the unique look at the world of a tooth fairy.

Ben

This is a great book. The plot moves along quickly, making for an easy read. The characters are charming and unforgettable—children and tooth fairies alike. Though easy to read, this novel is very exciting. I would recommend this to both young and old readers.

Maximum Ride: A Series Review

The Maximum Ride Series

by James Patterson
Level 5 (all about levels)

 

The Maximum Ride books are some of the best I have read. It took me five days to read the first two books, The Angel Experiment and School's Out - Forever (the fourth was just released). Try out this series and you won't be able to stop reading.

The Maximum Ride series is about a group of six kids. They are normal, except for the fact that they are 2% bird. The "flock" grew up in a lab where they were experimented on. Avian DNA was injected into them as babies, and they grew wings.

The flock escaped from the lab and lived peacefully in the mountains until one day Erasers (other lab experiments who can morph into wolves), attack them and kidnap Maximum's sister, Angel. Thus begins the Maximum Ride series.

I highly recommend the Maximum Ride series to anyone who likes the Pendragon series, enjoys adventure or has dreamed of flying.

*I was excited to find that a Maximum Ride movie will be released in 2010!

Maximum Ride Sites: Official Site and Fang's Blog

Letters from Rapunzel

Letters from Rapunzel

by Sara Lewis Holmes
© 2007, 184 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Learn More on Amazon

 

I devoured Letters from Rapunzel in a few quick gulps. Written as a series of letters, lists, and short essays; the format deserves partial credit for my speedy reading.  But the honest, funny main character and her quest are really why I raced through the pages.

The story begins with a girl who calls herself Rapunzel, because as a twelve-year-old stuck in the Homework Club, she feels trapped. Rapunzel uses her time there to start writing letters to a mysterious post office box number she found on a ripped up piece of paper in her father's favorite chair. She hopes this unknown recipient can help her in her quest to free her father from the evil spell that has seized control of his life.

In reality, the evil spell is clinical depression and Rapunzel's letters chronicle her initial refusal to accept her father's illness and then her struggle to understand its hold on him. The story never reads like an after-school special; instead, it moves along like a mystery. And the answers Rapunzel finds have just as much to say about her as they do her father.

The frank and humorous tone of the letters keep the mood of the book lighthearted despite its weighty subject matter. Rapunzel is a clever girl and it's easy to identify with her point of view as she points out just how ridiculous school can be.  "And it's the only thing keeping me sane while we review how to set up word problems again. Except Mrs. Seisnek says we should really think of them as word OPPORTUNITIES. Ha!"

Though our library categorized Letters from Rapunzel in its Juvenile Fiction section (and not Young Adult), I'm still calling this a Level 5 book, because an older reader might be better equipped to understand depression as well as some of Rapunzel's behavior which shouldn't be imitated.

Letters from Rapunzel is Sara Lewis Holmes's debut novel. I can't wait to read what she writes next! Until then, I'm looking forward to digging around in her blog.

The Pilgrims of Rayne (Pendragon, Book Eight)

The Pilgrims of Rayne (Pendragon, Book Eight)

by D.J. MacHale
© 2007, 547 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

 

The Pilgrims of Rayne is the eighth book in the spectacular Pendragon series. It is even better than the book that precedes it, The Quillan Games. I mentioned much of the format and basics of the series in my review linked to above.

The Pilgrims of Rayne is set on the idyllic territory of Ibara. Idyllic except for the fact that the government is keeping secrets from its people about the territory's past. This book is a very important installment in the series, and focuses more on the battle for all of Halla and the Travelers than just Ibara. The Pilgrims of Rayne is a must-read book for any Pendragon fan or anybody who likes fantasy. I'm looking forward to the next part of this series-Raven Rise-which is set to be released this May.

Once Upon a Marigold

Once Upon a Marigold

by Jean Ferris © 2002, 266 pages Level 5 (all about levels) Read Amazon Reviews

 

Once upon a Marigold describes itself accurately with the subtitle, "part comedy, part love story, part everything-but-the-kitchen-sink." It's daunting to describe the plot of this wonderful novel in any sort of concise manner. Check out the summary provided by the Library of Congress: "A young man with a mysterious past and a penchant for inventing things leaves the troll who raised him, meets an unhappy princess he has loved from afar, and discovers a plot against her and her father." This fun storyline unfolds itself in surprising twists and exciting turns.

But the characters are the real treasure in this story. They are endearingly quirky and a large part of what makes this book so funny. Consider: Ed, a troll who is waging a campaign against the tooth fairy, can never get his cliches quite right as he mixes together sayings like, "That cup of tea is definitely not down your alley, if you know what I mean." Christian, the boy Ed finds in the forest and raises, creates crazy inventions and trains carrier pigeons to carry "p-mail" message. Marigold, the princess Christian admires from afar, has been given a fairy birth-gift gift of reading the minds of anyone who touches her...so no one touches her except her loving father. Even the dogs, Bub and Cate, kept us laughing with their antics.

After reading the ominous ending, were were excited to learn that Twice Upon a Marigold is on the way! You should have just enough time to enjoy Once upon a Marigold before the sequel is released this May.

Lori

This was such a fun book to read aloud! It's a great choice if you're looking for something to keep children of multiple ages entertained. Once upon a Marigold reads like a movie, and I couldn't help being reminded of The Princess Bride at times, since it has a similar sense of humor and spirit of adventure. Highly recommended!

Ben

I really enjoyed this book. The author strings words together in elegant ways I've never thought of. My favorite character was Christian, the main character. In my opinion, the best part of the book was when Marigold and Christian are p-mailing back and forth. The most humorous parts were probably Marigold's bad jokes that she picks up: "On what side are the scales of a dragon on? The outside of course!" I recommend this book to anybody who enjoys a story about "everything-but-the-kitchen-sink."

Epic

Epic

by Conor Kostick
© 2004, 364 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

 

A book is truly amazing if it inspires you to write your own book just like it. Only a few books have done that to me: Warriors, The Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter. And now Epic.

Epic is a game the people of the New Earth play to settle disagreements and to gain wealth in the real world. When you play, Epic recognizes most of your motions and words and makes your character do them in the game. You can also input commands into the system such as #smile.

When Erik, a young teenager, loses once again to the evil Inry'aat the Red Dragon, he decides to take a different approach to the game. He creates a new character and spends all of his starting points on beauty, which most players consider a waste. Then, he picks an almost unheard of class of Swashbuckler and names his character Cindella. Erik notices an odd thing happening: other characters are noticing him and waving, which doesn't usually happen.

Erik and his friends, Injeborg, Bjorn, B.E., and Sigrid, want to challenge the evil government, Central Allocations, to a duel to help the world, but their characters don't have enough money to buy good enough equipment. The main way to get loads of money in Epic quickly is to slay a dragon, an event that has only happened twice in the history of Epic. Erik has found a loophole in fighting Inry'aat though, so he and his friends set out to kill the dragon.

Epic is definitely a Best Read. I am very excited about the sequel that's coming out in May, Saga. Now, I'm going to go work on my book!

The Sisters Grimm - The Fairy Tale Detectives

The Sisters Grimm - The Fairy Tale Detectives

by Michael Buckley
© 2005, 284 pages Level 4 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

 

Two sisters find themselves launched into a strange new world following the seemingly inexplicable disappearance of their parents. After fleeing from a series of freaky foster families, Sabrina and Daphne are taken to their long, lost grandmother. This is confusing for the girls since their parents had told them their grandparents were all dead. So who is this weird old lady with strange habits? And what does she want to do with them? Just as the girls begin to think this is one more bizarre home to escape from, Granny and her friend Mr. Canis are captured by a giant. The girls come to learn about their Grimm heritage and realize they must rescue the only family they have left. And that's when The Sisters Grimm become Fairy Tale Detectives.

Fractured fairy tales certainly aren't scarce these days (I kept finding similarities to Shrek in particular), but it's hard not to be charmed by this book, which keeps you laughing while eagerly turning the pages to find out how the girls solve this case.

The occupations of the Everafters (as the fairy tale characters are called) are particularly amusing as they try to fit in to our world. Jack works at a Big and Tall Clothing store, the Three Little Pigs go into law enforcement and Prince Charming suffers a string of business failures such as a failed diamond mine partnership with the seven dwarfs and a wholesale carpet company poorly managed by his business partner, Ali Baba.

After the exciting climax, the book paves the way for future adventures in the Sisters Grimm series, as Sabrina and Daphne are given brand-new, cloth-bound journals to continue the family tradition of recording the events in the Everafters' lives.

"As your father and generations of Grimms before him did, it is your responsibility to put on paper what you see, so that future generations can know what you went through," Granny said. "We are Grimms. This is what we do."

I'd highly recommend checking out some of the original tales before you dive into this fun variation—more on that tomorrow!

The Pinhoe Egg

The Pinhoe Egg

by Diana Wynne Jones
© 2006, 480 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews and Search Inside

 

The Pinhoe Egg is yet another book by Diana Wynne Jones. This one, along with The Lives of Christopher Chant, is part of her Chrestomanci series. I feel that this book flows along more easily than Jones' other novels, and it is a bit easier to read.

The Pinhoe Egg stars a  young girl with strong magic named Marianne Pinhoe. She belongs to a group of witches who live near the castle. It also features a young enchanter, Christopher "Cat" Chant, who was the main character in Charmed Life. The book switches between the stories of these two characters, but they also meet one another throughout the novel.

Marianne, during one of her meetings with Cat, gives him an old egg that has strong magic coming out from it. She only later finds out that the egg was very special to the Pinhoes, as it contains a baby _______. She finds she has accidentally betrayed her whole family.

While all of this is going on, Gammar Pinhoe, the leader of Marianne's witch group, is going mad, or so everybody assumes. The Pinhoe's are at war with another witch group called the Farleighs. Marianne believes this may be because of Gammar, but no one will believe her, except for Cat.

In The Pinhoe Egg, Diana Wynne Jones creates another beautifully written novel.

Howl's Moving Castle

Howl's Moving Castle

by Diana Wynne Jones © 1986, 212 pages Level 5 (all about levels) Read Amazon Reviews

 

Ben and I have watched the animated Japanese classic Howl's Moving Castle twice and enjoyed it immensely. The movies of Hayao Miyazaki are unlike any other animated films, featuring very strong and interesting characters (particularly females) and out-of-this-world moments. When we came across the book in our library, we were very curious to see how it would compare to the film, and what questions it would answer. While we were reading it together, our family was actually reading three books by Diana Wynne Jones at the same time! Here is our first father/son co-review.

Brian

Howl's Moving Castle is such a unique book that I would actually recommend seeing the movie first if possible. The two are actually very different, but the movie gives some context and imagery that can make it easier to grasp the story, particularly the moving castle itself.

The book tells the story of Sophie, the oldest of three sisters, who works in a hat shop until she is placed under a spell by the Witch of the Waste. The spell turns Sophie into an old woman and causes her to flee her home. She eventually comes to live in the moving castle with the infamous young wizard Howl and an interesting cast of characters. It seems nearly everyone is under a spell of some sort, and the book tells the story of each character's attempt to be free.

As in the movie, there are any number of odd things going on, but the characters shrug their shoulders and accept the strangeness, without investing a lot of energy in trying to understand it all. There are many delightful moments in the book, but to truly enjoy Howl's Moving Castle, I recommend you do the same.

Ben

This was a good book. Although there are some very strange parts in this novel, it is still fairly easy to understand. You should not read this book to a younger child, because it does have a few scary parts. If you want to read this book, you need a large attention span, as the writing is very complex, and sometimes takes a while to digest.

This book is quite different from the Dianna Wynne Jones books we've read so far, but still has all of her charm and wit.