Ugly by Donna Jo Napoli

7 Stars

Based on Hans Christian Anderson's classic tale of "The Ugly Duckling", this book tells of a young bird who just doesn't fit in with those around him. Set in Tasmania and written for a young audience, Ugly introduces the reader to both the classic tale and a realistic view of wildlife in an unusual setting.

This was a surprisingly good read. As I started it, I was a little afraid that it would be so over-simplistic that it would come across as inane. But, actually, Donna Jo Napoli does an excellent job of getting down the rhythm of the animals she's writing for and about. They all use a simpler thought process--more direct, anyway--but surprisingly large vocabulary. She's obviously put a great deal of thought into how animals would realistically interact with their own kind and other species, as well as the things they would have deeper knowledge about. They are simple, not stupid. This would be a great read for younger children interested in animals, and I could happily recommend it to anyone that likes the original tale, as well.

Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey

8 Stars

"The Princess Aurore has had an unusual childhood. Cursed at birth, Aurore is fated to prick her finger at age sixteen and sleep for one hundred years--until a prince awakens her with a kiss. ... On her sixteenth birthday, Aurore learns that the impending curse will harm not only her, but the entire kingdom as well. Unwilling to cause suffering, she will embark on a quest to end the evil magic. The princess's bravery will be rewarded as she finds adventure, enchantment, a handsome prince, and ultimately, her destiny." (Taken from the back cover.)

Okay, so as you can tell, this is a retelling of the fairy tale "The Sleeping Beauty." I know several of you have already read this book (and many of Cameron Dokey's other fairy tale re-tellings), but thought I'd throw this one up here as I just re-read it. This book is probably not my favorite of Dokey's fairy tale books, but I can say it is a great version of Sleeping Beauty. One of my favorites. I am impressed at Dokey's ability to take the predictability out of a well-known tale while still leaving the bones intact. She follows the story and sticks to it, but you are somehow still left in suspense about the ending. And, while her writing is not EXCELLENT, it is good and she has some really beautiful and poetic moments. In this book in particular, I also enjoy her ability to take a princess that in many versions of the tale really doesn't do much, and turn into someone that has heart, bravery, and intelligence. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is a romantic or who likes the tale of "The Sleeping Beauty."

Gossamer by Lois Lowry

7 Stars

"Where do dreams come from? What stealthy nighttime messengers are the guardians of our most deeply hidden hopes and our half-forgotten fears? Drawing on her rich imagination, two-time Newbery Medal winner Lois Lowry confronts these questions and explores the conflicts between the gentle bits and pieces of the past that come to life in dream and the darker horrors that find their form in nightmare. In a haunting story that tiptoes between reality and imagination, two people--a lonely, sensitive woman and a damaged, angry boy--face their own histories and discover what they can be to each other, renewed by the strength that comes from a tiny, caring creature they will never see." (Taken from inside cover.)

This was a very imaginative, if very brief, read. The concept of tiny fairy-like people bestowing dreams--as well as their awful, sweating and snorting counterparts, the Sinisteeds, who inflict nightmares--was very unique. And Lowry's treatment of it, if a tad over-simplistic, is interesting. This is a book that I would feel comfortable recommending to a fairly young audience (as young as 8, I think), though there are some intense references to a physically abusive husband/father. It is a simple book, but I have to admit that I totally cried in a couple of spots.

The Book of Dragons by E. Nesbit

8 Stars

"Who doesn't love dragons? In this exciting collection, E. Nesbit unleashes a flock of these mysterious, wild, and unpredictable creatures. Here you will meet a dragon who flies out of an enchanted book and swallows an entire soccer team; two children who try to wake St. George while dragons of all shapes and sizes descend on England; and wicked Prince Tiresome, who trades half his kingdom with a pigkeeper to catch a raging dragon. ... Featuring eight of E. Nesbit's best stories, ... [The Book of Dragons] returns...to delight and enchant a new generation of readers." (Taken from the inside cover.)

I happened across this apparently classic children's literature in the same secluded corner as Pat O'Shea's, The Hounds of the Mórrígan. And I have to say, Edith Nesbit's stories are just plain fun! They are each very unique, and while I liked some more than others, the collection feels complete in a way that a lot of short story books just don't. Her writing style reminds me very much of A. A. Milne's (she was British and wrote around the turn-of-the-century), especially in her ability to draw in the young reader with innocent humor. Her characters are delightful (bad and good are both lots of fun), and the book as a whole probably only took about two days to get through (at a VERY leisurely pace). I would definitely recommend this to anyone that likes imaginative fantasy with a "folk tale" feel. (I might recommend reading the last story first, though, as it was probably my least favorite in the collection. It left me feeling slightly less satisfied than many of the others. Still worth a read, but I would save one of the others for last, personally.)

The Anthony and Amanda Show!!!

So... Did everyone else forget to post anything, or are people just so busy they haven't read anything to post about? I feel a little domineering here...

Oh! And anyone smarter than me--how do you invite new people to post!? (What I tried the other night didn't work, after all, Anthony. It just invited them to FOLLOW the blog, which they are already doing. Lame.) Ashley and Ivan have both expressed interest in posting (and I, for one, would love to get bookish input from more sources), but I've no idea at all how to make that happen. That is all.

I should probably have a catchy tag line or some cheesy theme music to bow out here. Unfortunately, my writer (Ivan) is unable to post!!! *grumble, grumble*

I Shall Wear Midnight by: Sir Terry Pratchett

7 stars

I Shall Wear Midnight is a discworld novel by my fantasy favorite Terry Pratchett. The main character, Tiffany Aching, is a young witch in training. This is Pratchett's fourth novel about Tiffany Aching. In this particular novel Tiffany and the Nac Mac Feegles (tiny angry blue faeries) must battle an ancient ghost of a witchhunter.

Like all of Pratchett's novels, it is filled with fun, humor, and has an excellent point. Since it is the fourth Tiffany Aching novel, I wouldn't recommend it to those who haven't read any of the other Tiffany Aching novels. I will say that the Tiffany Aching novels are great read for both adults and children. They were written with a young audience and will be easy for kids and adults to enjoy.

Of this book in particular, I think that I liked the other three Tiffany Aching novels more than this one. However, I still greatly enjoyed it and can comfortably give it a 7.

Finally, I was pleasantly surprised when reading the bio of Terry Pratchett on the back cover to learn that last year Terry Pratchett was knighted for his "contributions to literature". He is now Sir Terry Pratchett. I couldn't agree more.

Life of a Colossus by: Adrian Goldsworthy

8 stars

Life of a Colossus is a biography of Julius Caesar. Though I have not read any other biographies of Caesar, I am tempted to call it the authoritative biography. It chronicles everything we know about Caesar, from his early years on the run from the dictator Sulla to his conquests in Gaul and Britannia as a proconsul to the civil war against Pompey to his assassination at the hands of Brutus. In short, Caesar lived a very exciting life during an exciting time in history.

Adrian Goldsworthy manages a good balance storytelling and historical accuracy. He has no qualms admitting when our knowledge is limited or missing, but he doesn't bogged down in scholarly quagmires. Goldsworthy focuses on Caesar, but you will also learn a good deal about the Roman Republic in its last years, as well as several other famous Romans, including Pompey, Crassus Curio, Cicero, Cato, Mark Antony, Brutus, and Sulla. Though the book is long, it is well paced and there is always something interesting happening. I thoroughly enjoy it all, and often I found myself wishing I was a Roman aristocrat rubbing elbows with these men.

I would add a small warning. At a little over 500 pages of nonfiction, the book is not for the faint of heart. Those who love history, especially ancient history, will enjoy it, but it is surely not a causal reading.

The Hounds of the Mórrígan by Pat O'Shea

7 Stars

Ten-year-old Pidge picks up a worn, discarded book in an old second-hand bookshop in Galway, Ireland, before returning home. This unwitting action eventually leads him to become the unlikely hero on a quest against the Mórrígan (pronounced MOR-ree-an), the Irish goddess of death and discord. As Pidge, and his younger sister, Brigit, traipse across the realms of the Fey, they encounter both good and evil, learn to trust themselves and each other, and enjoy the kind of adventure all children dream of. The Hounds of the Morrigan was published in 1985, having taken O'Shea ten years to complete. Many characters in the book are culled straight from Celtic mythology. (Taken partially from Wikipedia. And I apologize for the lousy synopsis. I really wanted to just copy the back of the book, but apparently there are NO copies of that description anywhere on the internet. Perhaps I will re-write when my brain is more prepared to do so...)

This book was most definitely worth a read! It pulls you in perfectly. The setting is enchanting and Pidge is just lovable and charming from the outset. The plot's exciting, the history/mythology is unique, the baddies are both truly awful and knee-slappingly funny, and it's just an overall great read. The only reason this was a 7 and not a 9 for me is because it is quite long, and, unfortunately begins to feel its length before too long. Every encounter Brigit and Pidge have would be fascinating on its own, especially if you are at all interested in Celtic or Irish mythology, but taken all at once, it's drags a tad. I almost wish the author had somehow managed to make it into more than one book... Don't really know that that would have worked, but the point is that I want to love this book, and ended up just really liking it, instead. You should definitely read it once, though! It was especially fitting as a Halloween read. (Look at the cover with a little more depth; you'll see what I mean...)