Moonlight on the Magic Flute by Mary Pope Osborne

by Carol1 Comment
Moonlight on the Magic Flute (Magic Tree House #41) by Mary Pope Osborne Description: Jack and Annie head to 18th-century Austria, where they must find and help a brilliant artist. Decked out in the craziest outfits they’ve ever worn—including a wig for Jack and a giant hoopskirt for Annie!—the two siblings search an entire palace to no avail. Their hunt is further hampered by the appearance of a mischievous little boy who is determined to follow them everywhere. But when the boy lets the animals out of the palace zoo, Jack and Annie have to use the only magic at their disposal to save themselves and the naughty little fellow. My thoughts: Amber and I read this together, like we have all the Magic Tree House stories. I'm going to be sad when she gets too old for them. Heck, I might just have to keep reading them on my own. In this one, Jack and Annie are off on another great Merlin mission....
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Game Night – Pirate’s Cove

by Carol2 Comments
Pirate's Cove Designers: Paul Randles, Daniel Stahl Manufacturer: Days of Wonder Artist: Julien Delval Year: 2003 Players: 3 - 5 Time: 60 - 90 minutes Ages: 8 and up Description: Come aboard and sail to Pirate's Cove... the legendary hideaway of thieving pirates and cutthroat buccaneers. The tales of those legendary pirates of old who've fought and survived these mysterious waters still haunt all those who yearn for a life at sea. Armed with a secret map and starting with a modestly outfitted sloop salvaged from last winter's storm, you set sail to Pirate's Cove -- your eyes filled with visions of treasure and fame, your lungs filled with the salty air of the High Seas. Your objective: to battle for the rights to plunder and become the most famed and feared Pirate the world has ever seen. To do so, you will need to navigate shrewdly, fight recklessly and pillage mercilessly. You will gain fame by winning battles; burying gold and treasure; and bragging about your exploits at the...
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The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick

by Carol2 Comments
The Perfect Poison (Arcane Society #6) by Amanda Quick From the dust jacket: Plagued by rumors that she poisoned her fiancé, Lucinda Bromley manages to live on the fringes of polite society, tending her beloved plants — and occasionally consulting on a murder investigation. For the notorious botanist possesses a unique talent: she can detect almost any type of poison, especially ones that have their origins in the botanical kingdom. But the death of a lord has shaken Lucinda to her core.  To keep her name out of the investigation and to find the murderer, Lucinda hires a fellow Arcane Society member. Caleb Jones runs a psychical investigation agency. A descendant of the founder of the Society, he is very good at protecting its secrets — and frighteningly good getting at the truth. But as a nearly overwhelming desire blooms between Caleb and Lucinda, they are drawn into the dark heart of a deadly conspiracy that can be traced to the early days of...
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Wondrous Words Wednesday

by Carol6 Comments
I found a few new words this week, at least words that were new to me. ikona-icon stavro- tried to look it up, but I still don't know. Apparently I need some Greek friends. He kissed the ikona, did his stavro, and looked down at the corpse of Lou Cachoris. (-pg. 213, The Turnaround by George Pelecanos) mootrah- the closest I can seem to find is "faced down" or "pulled a face" (from Pro Z.com). he would be on the receiving end of the mootrah, the whispers, long faces, and stares (-pg. 213, The Turnaround by George Pelecanos) tisane- an herbal infusion or similar preparation drunk as a beverage or for is medicinal effect In addition to something for the pain, I have another tisane for you. (-pg. 79, The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick) To join in the fun, head over to Bermudaonion's Weblog....
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The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

by Carol5 Comments
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster,illustrations by Jules Feiffer From the dust jacket: Readers of all ages will find much wit and wisdom in Norton Juster's beguiling, offbeat fanatasy about  a boy named Milo "who didn't know what to do with himself." Through the Phanotm Tollbooth lies a strange land and a series of even stranger adventures in which Milo meets some of the most logically illogical characters ever met on this side or that side of reality, including King Azaz the Unabridged, unhappy ruler of Dictionopolis; the Mathemagician; Fainly Macabre, the not-so-wicked Which; and the watchdog Tock, who ticks. In his quest fo Rhyme and Reason, Milo helps settle the war between words and numbers, visits the Island of Conclusions , and ventures into the forbidden Mountains of Ignorance. My thoughts: This is my brother-in-law's favorite childrens book, and he's the one who bought it for Amber. It's a classic and I'm definitely glad we read. Amber gave it 5.9 out of 5 starts...
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Teaser Tuesday

by Carol2 Comments
Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page. Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from...that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given. Please avoid spoilers! My teaser: He got the door open, gripped her arm, swept her inside and closed the door again before she could finish the sentence. "Well, I suppose a little breaking and entering is nothing compared to the risk of being arrested for poisoning Lord Fairburn," Lucinda said. -130, The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick Tuesday Teaser is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along....
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