Young Reader in the Making

Young Reader in the Making

Monday, February 29, 2016

Book 518: Toothiana, Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies

Toothiana, Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies, by William Joyce, Simon & Schuster, 2012.

I really enjoyed the Rise of the Guardians movie; so much so, that I went out to find these books.  The books and movie, however, are very different.  Toothiana is even better in the book than she is in the movie because not only is she as beautiful as a hummingbird, she is as fierce as a warrior.

Monday, February 22, 2016

Book 517: E. Aster Bunnymund and the Warrior Eggs

E. Aster Bunnymund and the Warrior Eggs, by William Joyce, Atheneum Book, 2012.

On very rare occasions, I watch a movie before I read the books.  In my defense, I didn't know about the books when I bought the movie The Rise of the Guardians for my son.  And, after the movie, I wanted to learn so much more about the characters.

I am LOVING this series.  E. Aster Bunnymund is rather different in the book than he is in the movie, but, in my mind, he still talks like Hugh Jackman.


Saturday, February 20, 2016

Book 516: The Day Our Teacher Went Batty

The Day Our Teacher Went Batty, by Gervase Phinn, Puffin Books, 2002.

I'm not sure where I picked up this little book.  Or when.  I do know the "why", though.  I picked it up because the humor seemed charmingly British -- Yorkshire, in fact.

So, however long it has been sitting on my shelf, I read it last week when I was feeling quite "poorly".  I can't say I loved, or even understood, every poem in this book, but the poems I loved, I loved very, very much.


Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Book 515: The Trumpet of the Swan

The Trumpet of the Swan, by E. B. White, illustrated by Fred Marcellino, HarperCollins, 1970.

My first grade son and I were reading this book a few chapters a day for a class project.  It is actually a rather lengthy book to read in seven day -- there were about ten pages per chapter -- but my son was enthralled.  At the end of each day's reading, he would illustrate his favorite part of what he had read.
I do love this book, but it also makes me a bit sad.  It is about sacrifices for love, and, although everything worked out fairly well at the end, I was still sorry for some of the things that had been given up along the way.


Monday, February 15, 2016

Book 514: Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King

Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King, by William Joyce and Laura Geringer, Athenium Books for Young Readers, 2011.

I bought this book because my son and I love the movie The Rise of the Guardians and wanted to know more about the central characters.

What a great book, and what a great start to a series.  I want more, more, MORE.


Saturday, February 13, 2016

Book 513: Tales of Amanda Pig

Tales of Amanda Pig, written by Jean Van Leeuwen, illustrated by Ann Schweninger, Puffin Easy-to-Read Books, 1994.

My first grade son read this book for a Literature unit on family life.  He liked this book for two reasons:  1.  He could read it on his own, and 2.  It was funny, so he wanted to read it on his own.  

And those are two very good reasons for buying a book. 

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Book 512: The Saint in London

The Saint in London, by Leslie Charteris, 1934.

These stories are ridiculously fun, and it is easy to see how The Saint could have paved the way for the just-on-the-right-side-of-the-law James Bond.  By the way, if you had the misfortune of seeing the movie The Saint starring Val Kilmer, put that right out of your mind because these stories and that movie are in no way related.