Secrets of a Christmas Box by Steven Hornby

by Carol7 Comments
Secrets of a Christmas Box by Steven Hornby (Suggested reading level: Ages 9-12) This book is a magical read for December. One of the tree-dwellers, Larry, a glass snowman, has waken up on the tree after a long sleep only to discover that his brother is missing. Larry, his girlfriend Debbie, their pet Tinsel and a new-comer to the tree, break the rules, leave the tree and set off to find Larry's brother. On their journey through the house they face many dangers, not the least of which is the cat, and learn a deadly secret about their safe world on the tree. Amber (9) and I read this together and both enjoyed it. To use Amber's words, "Larry and Splint rock! It's awesome." It was a fun read, with lots of adventure for the pint-sized heroes and Amber definitely did not see the twist coming at the end. I did, but that's partly because I had to peek ahead, just to make...
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You Wouldn’t Want to Be Sick in the 16th Century! by Kathryn Senior

by Carol6 Comments
You Wouldn't Want to Be Sick in the 16th Century! by Kathryn Senior, illustrated by David Antram (Suggested Reading Level: Ages 9-12) This is the first of the You Wouldn't Want to... series that I've read, but I was definitely impressed. Fun and factual history go hand in had in this short book, and parts are just downright gross, which is always attractive to kids. The introduction sets the stage. Your name is Nicholas Knight, and you are a barber surgeon in the 16th century, known in England as Tudor times. (pg. 5) We then learn about how patients were diagnosed, "surgery" techniques, infections and the plague. We travel to a battlefield in northern France and aboard a ship during the Spanish Armada. We're even present at the bedside of Queen Elizabeth I. This is not always a pleasant experience—she becomes bad-tempered and bitter as she gets older. (pg. 28) To be honest, I learned a lot about medicine in the 16th century, most of which I...
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Completed – What’s in a Name?

by Carol8 Comments
I completed the What's in a Name Challenge? a little while ago, but forgot to post a wrap-up. Don't Call Me a Crook! by Bob Moore (profession) Companions of the Night by Vivian Vande Velde (time of day) The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent (relative) Phantom Limb by Theresa Kishkan (body part) The Monsters of Morley Manor by Bruce Coville (building) The Light of Burning Shadows by Chris Evans (medical condition) I might be stretching it a little with "burning" as a medical condition, but it works for me. Looking at the list, it's an odd selection of books. The Monsters of Morley Manor was probably the one I enjoyed the least, but I'm not sure what my favorite of the lot was....
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P is for Persuasion

by Carol13 Comments
Vicki of Reading At The Beach hosts A-Z Wednesday. Today's letter is P. I'm going with a classic this week. I read Persuasion in November of 2007 and rated it 5 out of 5 stars. At the time, I said that one reason I really enjoyed this book was that the main characters  had some life experience that they were bringing with them. Anne was almost too perfect, but I still liked her and was rooting for her. This is not the edition I read, but I really like this cover. Persuasion by Jane Austen Anne Elliot, heroine of Austen's last novel, did something we can all relate to: Long ago, she let the love of her life get away. In this case, she had allowed herself to be persuaded by a trusted family friend that the young man she loved wasn't an adequate match, social stationwise, and that Anne could do better. The novel opens some seven years after Anne sent her...
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