From Amber’s Sketchbook

by Carol6 Comments
Today we have a painting that Amber (9) did for her book report this week. Painting is not her forte, but she was pleased with how it turned out. It's the Boxcar Children looking up a staircase. They hear a ghost singing upstairs in The Mystery of the Singing Ghost. Of course, it turns out that it's not actually a ghost. A neighbor is using a tape recorder and other tricks to try to scare the kids away. I love that Amber's teacher encourages so much creativity for their book reports. I think it makes it funner for the kids, both to do the reports and to listen/see what the other kids did. Our copy was purchased. I am an Amazon Associate....
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Angels by Chuck Fischer

by Carol35 Comments
Angels: A Pop-Up Book by Chuck Fischer Whether you consider angels to be divine messengers, spiritual guides, or the stuff of legend, you will find Angels breathtaking. It may be a pop-up book, but it is definitely not for children. The pop-ups are intricate and simply gorgeous. Angels brings to life the some of the most captivating stories of these celestial beings, from the angels of the zodiac to Biblical angels to angels in the arts and popular culture. The text, which really is secondary to the illustrations provides some fascinating information about angels, historical, religious and in the arts. Many believe that the angels who have inspired us for centuries date to Mesopotamian and Egyptian cultures, which told of winged celestials sent from above to deliver messages and fulfill heavenly commands. I almost wish that the information and pop-ups were on separate pages. It was hard for me to concentrate on the writing beside the stunning art. This would be a beautiful gift for...
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The 13 Days of Halloween

by Carol4 Comments
The 13 Days of Halloween by Carol Greene, illustrated by Tim Raglan We've been reading some Halloween books at bedtime this week. I won this enchanting book at Lit*Chick. Thanks, Melanie! When it first showed up in the mail, Amber (9) immediately sat down  look through it. The cover must have caught her attention. I complained, jokingly, that she should wait for me to read it with her, but she, of course, said we could read it together later. We did read it the next night. She is one of those kids who will read books over and over and enjoy them every time. On the first day of Halloween, my good friend gave to me: a vulture in a dead tree. A ghastly ghoul gives his ghostly love a collection of perfectly creepy gifts, from broomsticks to cauldron, cats to bats. The repeating verse is almost impossible to read aloud without singing and the illustrations are the perfect compliment, eerie enough to...
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The Guns of Avalon by Roger Zelazny

by Carol6 Comments
The Guns of Avalon by Roger Zelazny I picked up The Great Book of Amber a while ago. It has the entire series in one book, but I'm reading them one at a time.I read this book during the read-a-thon last weekend. It was a perfect choice, actually- quick, fairly short, and lots of adventure. The Guns of Avalon picks up where Nine Princes in Amber left off. Corwin is determined to fight for the throne of Amber. He has some supplies he needs to collect which takes him to Avalon. While there, he must help fight the creatures of the Circle of Evil, a part of the Dark Road to Chaos that he unleashed on the world, both Amber and Shadow, by his curse. Once again, Corwin doesn't know who to trust and how far to trust them. I enjoy the action in these. they're just fun. Traveling through Shadow plays a big part in this one, with some really interesting descriptions...
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L is for Looking

by Carol11 Comments
Vicki of Reading At The Beach hosts A-Z Wednesday. Today's letter is L. I'm going back to one I read in May 2008. At the time I was also reading Alice in Wonderland with Amber, who was 8. It was interesting to see how Beddor took bits of the original tale and transformed it into a good fantasy adventure. This is the first in a trilogy, but I did not read the others. The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor The Myth: Alice was an ordinary girl who stepped through the looking glass and entered a fairy-tale world invented by Lewis Carroll in his famous storybook. The Truth: Wonderland is real. Alyss Heart is the heir to the throne, until her murderous aunt Redd steals the crown and kills Alyss' parents. To escape Redd, Alyss and her bodyguard, Hatter Madigan, must flee to our world through the Pool of Tears. But in the pool Alyss and Hatter are separated. Lost and alone in...
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