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Carnival at Candlelight is an awesome book. It takes place in Venice, Italy, 260 years ago on the night of the annual Carnival celebration. It starts out when Jack and Annie recieve a note from Merlin that says they have to save the Grand Lady of the Lagoon from a terrible disaster!

When Jack and Annie get to Venice, they travel to the Carnival in a gondola. Then they walk around and get into trouble from guards and go up flights of stairs, look at maps, and see statues, all the while thinking about their crazy mission. It isn't making any sense!

They go out into Saint Mark's Square and look in their research book for help. The note from Merlin says to find a tower with two men and a bell, climb it, and get on a king of a jungle. Wandering in the crowd, they spot the tower and race up it. Then they spot the lion and use one of their magic rhymes to make the lion come to life. Then they go out over the sea to spot Neptune, the god of the sea.

They learn that the Grand Lady of the Lagoon is Venice, Italy, and they have to save it from a flood. They spot Neptune and tell him to stop the flood. He does and their mission is over.

I am just a kid, but I recomend this book for any fans od the Magic Tree House series. I got this book for Easter of 2005 and read it that day and enjoyed it.

Magic Tree House #33: Carnival at Candlelight is the book for young readers.

I think the author, Mary Pope Osborne, states things clearly in her books and the pictures explain them better. Mary Pope Osborne, in my opinion, is the best author in the world.

Want to hear a book that's really cool? Well, the book Magic Tree House Carnival at the Candle Light will do the trick! This book is amazing. It's about two Aencheris kids Jack and Annie who goes to Venice to save a mysterious person the Grand Lady of the lagoon. But, once they found out about that person it wasn't what they had expected! Jack and Annie figured that this job was getting harder and harder.

Jack and Annie have some wild stuff happening in this wacky book. That's why I'm telling you to read this book! What I most really like about this book is when Jack and Annie said a spell and got to ride on a Golden, shinning, flying, lion. That part was Awesome!

I would recommend this book to someone who loves and who totally enjoys mysteries, because this book has spells, a mystery, and Magic stuff. Well, that's all. I hope you will adore this book.

Mission: to save the Grand Lady of the Lagoon. Place: Venice Italy. When: 260 years back in time on the night of 'Carnival'.

Jack and Annie of Frog Creek are off again on a new mission in the Merlin Series #33. Odds of surviving a dungeon: Fair to Good... i.e., if the 'book of magic' has something to help them, and Merlin's apprentices Kathleen and Teddy, too.

Mary Pope Osborne never fails to create magic in her stories, with backgrounds of historical places, and supporting the suspense that follows Annie and Jack as they follow the instructions in a letter from Merlin -- "...When waters rise beneath the moon,/Visit the Grand Lady of the Lagoon." The heroes meet grouchy guards, a son of a famous painter, climb the Giants' Stairs, fly the sky on a Golden Lion, and meet Neptune.

Osborne visited Venice and of the city she writes: "...no photographs can truly do Venice justice. No notes or diagrams can truly capture her. Venice lives best in memory, stirring the deep waters of the imagination."

Other Recommendation: Night of the New Magicians by Mary Pope Osborne

Carnival at Candlelight is a funfilled book. It all starts when Jack and Annie of FrogCreek has the same dreams. (Which was sent by Teddy and kethleen). They decide to go to the TreeHouse
and finds teddy and kethleen fast asleep. 'Then later they wake up and they said that they will not be going with them on their adventure.' 'Oh No!' Said Annie 'But what if we need your magic?' Teddy Said 'Morgon thinks that you are ready to use magic your own.''Really?' said Jack 'Yep'. Said Teddy 'But we don't know any magic.' said Annie 'Remember what I said if we work together we can do anything.' said Teddy 'Anything is possible but you just said you were'nt coming with us'. said Annie 'Thats true thats why we give you this Wow a 10 magic rhymes book!' said Jack 'Yes,they are ment to last for your four journeys.' said teddy 'Each line is in Teddy's language, and one in mine the language of the seal people.' said kethleen. my opinion is that this is a fantastic adventures book.

"Carnival at Candlelight" by Mary Pope Osborne was a delight to read. I generally don't like the fantasy genre but I absolutely love the "Magic Tree House" series. One of the things that I love about this series of books is the author's ability to blend factual knowledge with adventure and excitement. As a teacher I appreciate this ability because I believe that students will learn a lot of facts from these books plus they will be enjoying a grand adventure too.
"Carnival at Candlelight" is the fifth book in a group of Magic Tree House books called the "Merlin Missions." Jack and Annie (the main characters) have a fantasy adventure in real places in real times. In this book they travel to the city of Venice, Italy. There they discover the mystery and magic of Venice.
This book is filled with factual informations such as, "Instead of roads, Venice has waterways called canals. People glide along the canals in shallow boats called gondolas."
Not only is this book filled with adventure and factual knowledge but it also has great illustrations. The illustrations in this book make the story come alive. The illustrations really give you an idea of how Jack and Annie feel during key moments in the story.
This is a great book for second graders as a read-aloud. Third graders could read it by themselves.

Has learning about parenting every been so inciteful, delightful and informative and inspirational? Probably not! At least not for me. Not only did I already learn plenty from reading this book (and plan to refer to it again and again) but it offers great ideas and guidance in an area and age that most parenting books don't even touch--TEENAGERS and the tough road we parents face with them. Although it goes from babies (even before they are born) and every stage in between there are some really excellent sections about teen challenges. It speaks of challenges faced on every level from education to "pushing unable off the table" without excuses and offers great strategies on what to do.

The stories from the Rock children and friends are fun, touching and really give a picture of "Mama Rock" and her family in an interesting way. It goes beyond the amazing bio of Rose Rock with her 10 children, 17 foster kids and loads of children whom she's helped plus her child advocate experiences.

I also liked the bullets at the end of the chapters which solidify the information and remind me how to keep on being the "mama." (Even though the books talks lots about daddys, especially Rose's special late husband, Julius) The book is well organized and well written and I love the clever chapter titles, the MAMA MOJO advice and section heads like the "cookie contract" or "Don't Lie Down with Anything You Don't Want to Live with Forever" or even "The Need to Belong is Sometimes wrong" which talks about not bowing to the power of the peers. The curfew capers section really is helpful in the whys and hows of that parental danger zone, the curfew enforcement problem. "Send your Biscuits to Hollywood" really made me laugh and tear up in memory of my family's home cooking (namely, strudel) that had been sent to me when I went away to college and how much it meant. The whole family dinner importance is brilliantly presented.

I marvel at how it kept me entertained while deep level parental wisdom was being shared. That is worth it alone. Honestly, I think this is a classic for every parent, grandparent or future parent. Dr. Spock, move over for Mama Rock's Rules! Here is the handbook for the current and coming generations full of wisdom for the past, understanding of our problems in the present and a positive view of how important our children (as the authors say, "all children and each and every child") are for our future and our society. To authors Rose Rock and Valerie Graham, thank you and I'd love to meet you.

P.S. Have you figured out that I highly recommend this?

I picked up Mama Rock's Rules by Rose Rock and Valerie Graham for my daughter who is faced with the challenge of raising two kids; my first response was I wish I'd had this thoughtful and entertaining guide to help me through some of those tough times when I was raising my daughters. Down to earth, with an emphasis on the importance of rules and respect, always balanced with a large dollop of love, the book provides a unique and meaningful approach to handling sex, love, and self respect in the chapter, "Don't Lie Down with Anything you Don't Want to Live With Forever." Another of my favorite chapters is "Feed Them and They'll Tell you Everything." Filled with warmth, Rose gives us great ideas about making the family dinner a special time for sharing and learning more about what's going on with our kids. Every chapter gives an original take on important issues that affect how we raise our children to be respectful, confident, successful people. I highly recommend this book for parents and grandparents alike.

As a long time fan of comedian Chris Rock, I was excited to get the chance to review a new book by his mother, Rose, Mama Rock's Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Household of Successful Children.

Assuming that the apple didn't fall far from the tree, I figured there would be some straight, no-nonsense talk from this woman who not only raised her own children, but opened her home to the neighborhood kids, as well as a host of foster children through her life. She's got way more patience than I do, that's for sure!

And I was right! The title of Chapter 1 will give you a sense of where Mama Rock is coming from -- I Am Your Mama, Not Your Friend. A lot of us moms struggle with striking the right tone and balance in our mothering lives, but Mama Rock is here to tell us to let go of our worries about whether our kids will like us, and focus more on instilling the respect they should have for parents.

She's not saying we can't have fun and enjoy our children, but Mama Rock takes a 'trust, but verify' approach to child-raising which made a lot of sense to me. I do know one thing -- I'm glad I never had to find out about her mystery can of whup-a$$!

But Mama has a soft side, too -- she's got lots of advice on creating memories for our children and the gratification we can all get from make more time to gather around the dinner table, something that we struggle with here at Chez PunditMom because of overlapping work and activity schedules.

I'm going to try to heed some of Mama Rock's advice which is the kind we need more of these days -- non-nonsense talk from a mama who's raised a group of amazingly successful kids.

Personally, I think there are some Hollywood celebrity families who could use this book right now!

This is probably the only CD you'll need for child rearing. It is marvelous.

As the parent of a 5-year old I was looking for a sensible, straight-shooting book on discipline, teaching sound values and preparing a child for life as an adult. Several parents/teachers suggested 'Love and Logic'. After several unsuccessful tries to read it, I gave up. Then the local newspaper had a favorable article on Mama Rock's Rules. It was easy to read, made a LOT of sense, reinforced the lessons my parents had taught me and was fun to read. As another reviewer mentioned, this is a book to return to over and over again. I usually borrow books from the library. The classics I buy. This is a classic.

It will extend your life by years. That's what the joy of this piece and the laughs will do for you. All hail Hugh Taylor.

really, this is a laugh out loud piece! i thoroughly enjoyed it. can't wait for more.

This witty, clever excerpt introduces Havelock and Adam. Both are comically, drily cynical in a way that calls to mind the essays of David Sedaris and David Rakoff. Adam's lengthy analysis of a beverage ad, and his deconstruction of the pretty-but-shallow lives of the people in it, is hilarious, and college-aged Adam is bitter beyond his years in a way that's reminiscent of Holden Caulfield. This is more talky than plot-driven, but with characters like these, that's not a bad thing.

Looking forward to Hugh Taylor's next book as this one left me wanting to read more. The characters were intriquing and the story plot kept my interest until the end.

Rarely does a piece operate on so many levels as this. It can be read as just a fun rompy character piece. But also conveys a lot of social commentary on what our society and those who teach us really value. And the relationships really pulled me in. Loved it!

I am not a particularly polished reviewer, so I'll make this short. Larry Brown's final book, even unfinished, is a stunning work of fiction. This is the rare book that will have your heart breaking for a child who loves his daddy when the man is unlovable, have you worrying about the welfare of a giant catfish AND give you some insight into Tourrette's syndrome. That doesn't even tell you about the beautiful, perfect writing that will have you seeing, feeling, hearing and even smelling the land that his characters, his beautifully drawn and tangible characters, live in. I never met he man, and I didn't even read him until he passed, but I miss Larry Brown tremendously. When you finish this book, you will, too.

A Miracle of Catfish is an unabridged audiobook presentation of a countryside novel by Larry Brown, which he completed and sent to his editor shortly before his unfortunate death in 2004. Young Jimmy feels alienated from his cold and distant father, and tries to find a friend in next-door neighbor Cortez who has started to truck in catfish for his new pond. But Cortez is plagued with a tangled mess of difficulties: his contentious daughter has a son with Tourette's; his farm hand might be a murderer; and he keeps a terrible secret hidden away in the barn. Additional notes on the story's ending are included, in this modern-day classic that continues Brown's traditional themes of coping with isolation and loneliness, as narrated and performed by professional actor Tom Stechschulte. 15 CDs, 17 1/2 hours.

This book is THE book fans of Larry Brown had been waiting for. Brown's style is fully realized with this book (a book that unfortunately was never finished--Brown died suddenly before that could happen)and every one of his dented and warped characters step off the page and into the readers head fully formed--and then they don't want to leave. And while an ending would have been nice, this plump novel is worth reading (and rereading) and it proves not only Brown's vision and purpose but also that life is one unpredictable trip and that we'd best do what we need to/want to NOW. Thank God Larry Brown did!

Another reason to mourn Larry Brown's untimely death is the fact that we will never know just how the lives of the people he created in his final masterpiece would have turned out. Would Cortez have become the father little Bobby deserves, replacing the hapless and clueless daddy who can think of no one but himself? Would we ever know any more about the fish man? Perhaps we already know enough about all the living, breathing, all-too-real characters Larry imagined for us by the time we come to the page where we are left wanting to know more about them and about the others living in his imagination, waiting for future books that won't be written. It's a rare talent who can keep us interested in and even hopeful about the fates of some pretty unlikeable and apparently unredeemable people. Bobby, Bobby's daddy, and Cortez are among Larry Brown's finest creations.

'A Miracle Of Catfish' was unfinished when author Larry Brown died unexpectedly. Because the book was almost finished, publication of Brown's last offering to his fans was possible. The book uses ellipsis to show where editing was done, and though unfinished, includes the notes that Brown left behind as to how he planned to wrap up the novel.

In Brown's languid southern prose, he explores the lives of several people living in the quiet, countrified outskirts of a small town. Cortez Sharp, a 72 year old man who's wife is disabled, decides to dig out a large pond on his property and stock it with catfish. He lives a solitary life, preferring to be left alone with his vegetable patches and herds of cows. His daughter Lucinda lives in Atlanta with her boyfriend Albert, who suffers from Tourettes Syndrome. Cortez calls Albert 'The Retard', driving a wedge between him and his only surviving child. Cortez carries a dark secret with him, one of horrible proportions.

There's Jimmy, a ten year old boy with bad teeth, who lives near Cortez's farm in an old trailer. Jimmy struggles with his father's temper, his two half-sisters Evelyn and Velma, and his desire to fix the go-kart his daddy built for him. Jimmy's Daddy (known only in the book as 'Jimmy's Daddy') is a typical redneck loser. He drives around in his old '55 drinking beer and smoking cigarettes, fights with himself over trying to treat Jimmy better, and has an affair with a woman at the stove factory where he works that turns out bad (in pregnancy) which threatens his life and marriage to Jonette.

And then there's Cleve, an old black man who used to work for Cortez, mean as a polecat, and murderous to boot. He's been in prison twice and though he swore he'd never go back, he's not quite done committing crimes.

Typical of Brown's unhurried and languorous prose, there's lots of smoking, beer drinking, and driving around. There's surprises like DUI's, tractor accidents, unwanted pregnancies, affairs, fishing, hunting, and a young boy worried about having puppies.

These aren't exactly people you would want for neighbors, but Brown brings them out fully fleshed and alive, and you know there are people out there just like Brown's characters. Everyday folk struggling with everyday problems, inner monologues that both repulse and enchant, and scenes that will suck you into the story despite their slowly building climaxes.

While I highly recommend Brown's work, I would recommend 'Joe', 'Fay', and 'Father And Son' as a warm up to 'A Miracle Of Catfish', simply because this is an unfinished work and may leave the novice Brown reader feeling flat at the abrupt end. It's sad that this is the last time we will hear Brown's voice in the literature world. Enjoy!

Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller's teacher and lifelong friend, tells her own story for middle grade to high school readers in this fictionalized autobiography. Each chapter begins with an excerpt from Sullivan's letters to Sophia Hopkins, a mentor and friend (as well as housemother) from Perkins Institute for the Blind. Annie was sent to serve the Keller family after her own hero journey from Tewksbury orphanage to Perkins, half blind most of the time. While the story will be familiar to anyone who has seen The Miracle Worker with Patty Duke and Ann Bancroft, the details of Sullivan's first teaching job, counter pointed by details from her personal history (sent to the almshouse, the ensuing loss of a brother, her blindness, her trepidation hidden carefully from the Kellers about not being able to help Helen at all) will ring true. The courage and determination of a young woman triumphs in the face of family reluctance and interference which made her efforts to teach Helen Keller the "true meaning" behind the fingerspelled words very difficult. Annie's emphasis on civilized behavior despite disability is remarkable in our own "anything goes" world where comportment has fallen into the world of archaic concepts. The author's afterword is perhaps the heart of the book, telling the story concisely of how 20-year-old Sullivan broke through Helen's shell in a month, and for the next fifty years accompanied her on the incredible journey into the wider world. 11 photographs, an extensive bibliography including books, articles, films and videos plus online resources will help readers continue inquiry if they desire. A two-page chronology of events is also included. The cover includes Braille rendition of the title and subtitle.

While most people have at least heard of Helen Keller, few know much about her teacher, the dedicated and passionate Annie Sullivan. Sarah Miller's MISS SPITFIRE may change that. The novel gives a fictionalized but well-researched narrative, in Annie's own voice, of the first month Annie spent with Helen. Her struggle to reach this wild, blind, and deaf child and overcome the obstacles presented by Helen's family makes a riveting read.

Miller delves deeply into her subject, letting readers in on Annie's early life through memories and flashbacks--of her abusive father, of the horrible years she spent at a state almshouse, and of the better but still difficult years in a school for the blind. Readers will find it easier to sympathize with and relate to her loneliness and longing for affection. It's wonderful to see the parts of her personality that had long been considered flaws--her stubbornness, her fierce temper--become assets in dealing with Helen. More than just a historical figure, in MISS SPITFIRE Annie Sullivan becomes a fully realized human being.

It's clear from the novel that Annie's success didn't come easily. It details every setback and every triumph, no matter how minor, until readers will be racing through the pages waiting to see how she will finally break through to Helen. They may be a little disappointed to discover that the novel ends shortly after that major breakthrough, wishing to read on and continue the journey with Annie. A sequel would certainly be welcome!

MISS SPITFIRE is everything a historical novel should be--richly imagined, true to its period, and providing an engaging story that will feel completely relevant to modern readers.

Reviewed by: Lynn Crow

I love this book! When I first read it, I was reminded of reading the play, The Miracle Worker. Ms. Miller has written a wonderful book for children about Annie Sullivan, the teacher who helped Helen Keller connect to the world. I have shared the book with my students and other teachers. Some of my students have commented that they never knew about Annie Sullivan, and how important she was to Helen's education.

"My heart is singing for joy this morning."
-Anne Sullivan to Sophia Hopkins, March 1887

So begins one of the chapters in Sarah Miller's debut novel Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller, and her quote from Annie Sullivan describes just how I felt when I finished this magical book.

Last spring, I issued an invitation to authors of historical fiction, to send me information about their books for a presentation I'm doing this fall at the New York State Reading Association Conference. I heard from wonderful writers -- some whose works I knew and some who were new to me. But one title REALLY caught my eye: Miss Spitfire by Sarah Miller. First, it got my attention because the titles of our books are so similar(Mine is called SPITFIRE). When I opened it up to start reading, it got my attention in another way -- a sweep-you-away-in-the-story kind of way.

Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller tells the story of Annie Sullivan, the young woman who battled beliefs of the time and fought with every ounce of energy she had to give Helen Keller the gift of language. Sarah Miller tells the story in Annie's voice -- and tells it with a passion that speaks to the depth of her research and her pure love for this historical figure. Miss Spitfire not only tells the story we see in The Miracle Worker -- the story of Annie's time with Helen -- but also plunges into Annie Sullivan's past, and in doing so, provides a deeper understanding of the commitment and determination that led to her success.

The portrayals of Annie's emotional, psychological, and physical struggles with Helen were so vivid that I found myself reading with my brow furrowed in determined solidarity with Annie as she plunked Helen back into her seat at the dining room table for the tenth time. Truly, Annie had to be a spitfire to survive this monumental challenge when she was little more than a girl herself.

The minor characters in this novel sparkle, too. One of my favorite scenes brought Helen together for a lesson with the Kellers' servant boy Percy. I felt like I was about to burst with pride right along with Annie when Helen began to turn from a student into a teacher, helping Percy with some of the letters. Mr. & Mrs. Keller, too, are painted with a tremendous depth of understanding. It would have been easy to portray Helen's parents as one-dimensional characters who got in the way of Annie's work, but instead, Sarah Miller helps us to see their complexity and feel some of their anguish at having a beautiful, broken child.

Early in the book, Annie tells Helen's mother why her lessons are so vital to Helen.

"Words, Mrs. Keller, words bridge the gap between two minds. Words are a miracle."

Indeed, they are. And Miss Spitfire will have you believing in that miracle all over again.

Authors that try to tackle any aspect of Helen Keller's life in a children's literary format are simultaneously blessed and cursed. On the one hand, talk about God's gift to authors. The emotional ups and downs of Helen's tale, the (dare I say) hope of her life, I mean she's a great historical character. Loads more interesting to a nine-year-old than your average everyday biographical figures. So there's that. On the other hand, none of this is a secret. As a result, my library's Helen Keller section of biographies is rivaled only by Martin Luther King Jr. So when I saw that someone had done a middle grade work of fiction regarding Helen and Annie Sullivan's early days, I hardly gave it a thought. Why read what we already know? I mean, if everyone knows a series of facts about someone, can there be any worthwhile reason to read yet ANOTHER story about her life and trials? The answer, as it happens, is yes. Debut author Sarah Miller shows us that even the most familiar story can become edge-of-your-seat gripping when the writing's cool and collected.

There's a reason this book is called "Miss Spitfire". Turns out, that was the nickname bestowed on Annie Sullivan when she attended the Perkins Institute for the Blind. Irish, alone in the world, half-blind, and with guts galore, Ms. Sullivan is terrified at the prospect of her very first job. She's being sent to work with one Helen Keller, a blind, deaf child. The hope is to work a "miracle" on her and teach her to bridge the gap between signing and the use of words. The task turns out to be more than she gambled for, however, when it appears that Helen has had the run of her household for years. Uncivilized, uncouth, and unrepentant, her wishy-washy parents have failed to discipline, thereby allowing Helen to always get what she wants. If Annie didn't see Helen coming, though, you can be darn certain that Helen didn't see Annie either. Now the battle between the two firebrands has begun and it's time to see whether or not the stubbornness of a child who has always had her way can compete with the stubbornness of a woman as tough and smart as Annie Sullivan.

The reason the Helen Keller story works is because Helen is hell on earth. She's not the angelic creature just waiting for a helping hand. No dewy-eyed, saintly personality-challenged naïf she. She's not Little Eva or Little Nell. No she was, to use my grandmother's phrase, a pistol. So for a book like this to work you need to really feel for Annie Sullivan. When Helen cracks her in the jaw with a hardheaded doll, you have to want to strangle the child with your own bare hands and not just Annie's. As an author, Miller's smart enough to know how to tease out the dramatic elements of this tale. Seeing Ms. Sullivan's background, you are all the more impressed at her restraint around Helen. Considering that the girl has enough crafty qualities to try the patience of a saint, and considering that Ms. Sullivan's own father was abusive, you would think such tendency towards violence might easily pass down from father to daughter. Instead, the opposite is true. She does not hit because she knows what it is like to be on the receiving end of a blow. I was very taken with the moral in this story that rules and order breed love. It is Annie's restraint and discipline that in the end manages to tease out that love.

Annie's loneliness and need almost becomes their own characters in this book. Right from the start we learn that "The loneliness in my heart is an old acquaintance." Yet Miller plays Annie as increasingly desperate for human affection. She constantly looks for love from Helen, even though the child has little to no interest in forming any kind of a relationship at first. And when a baby gives Annie a kiss (lunging at her, as the text says, "like a lecher"), the woman says that, "Warmth ripples down to my toes," and that she is "Woozy with pleasure." The writing here, as you can see, is good.

Technically I should probably have a copy of The Miracle Worker in front of me for reference. It would allow me to note whether or not the emotional beats in both the play and Helen's story are identical or not. Then again, maybe it's better this way. It's clear that "Miss Spitfire" is a story of Helen's teacher, not just Helen herself. I'm sure that if Miller had wanted to she could have written the book from Helen's point of view, but as far as I can tell that way lays only tears. Seeing Annie's past allows us to note how much she and her young pupil have in common. It's a clever motif. So clever, in fact, that I feel certain that the kids who read this story will have little difficulty getting inside of the mind of an adult. Sometimes there's a disconnect between the protagonist and the reader, particularly in children's novels, if the hero is fully grown. Here I have no qualms.

The book is meticulously referenced, much to my relief. There's an author's note, photographs of the characters and locations, books for further reading, a plethora of websites and videos to visit for further info, a timeline, and even a list of sources (print and online). Better still, Miller knows enough to point out the elements of her tale that jar with the narrative. At one point Annie sing-signs the words to the song "Bessie's Song to Her Doll", because they fit the situation so well. In her Author's Note, Miller is quick to point out that the poem was written some years later by Lewis Carroll and could not have been used as it is here. It just happens to fit the book well.

I did have some questions here and there. As I've said, you get the feeling that Miller was a stickler for historical accuracy. So much so that there is no cleaning up of the real Annie's references to the "little negro boy" who worked in the house. So it was interesting to me that at no point does Annie go about wearing dark glasses ala Anne Bancroft. I assume that this was a theatrical flourish in the stage production of Helen's story that didn't accurately occur at this point in time. I did wish for a mention of it somewhere in the book, though.

And I had some other confusions elsewhere. Miller's book never really clarifies how Annie got out of the almshouse and into the Perkins school for the blind. How was her way paid? We see a brief encounter between her and a man in charge of Perkins, but there's never a full explanation of how that led to her acceptance into the school. I had hoped that maybe the author's note in the back would offer some background, but the only mention of the incident is a cryptic sentence reading, "Annie enters Perkins Institutions for the Blind" without any attention paid to the "hows" behind the sentence.

For me, the book is summarized nicely in the real life quote taken from Anne Sullivan's letters to a Ms. Sophia Hopkins, appearing at the beginning of Chapter Six. "The greatest problem I shall have to solve is how to discipline and control her without breaking her spirit." In the solution we find the heart of the novel. I've read very little historical fiction this year that stayed with me. I like to think that Ms. Miller's book is one of the few worth keeping close at hand. A really enjoyable story.

Rule #1- Dont stick a spatula down your best freind's throught.
Why not? I could cause serius crying from a person like Mary Kay, and could make you loose your best friend. Unless that is what you are aiming for.

Allie Finkle is moving into a "haunted house"( or at least that is what her neibor's older brother says). Allie has a hard time ajusting to her new surrounings. She does many odd things, including rescuing a turtle from becoming turtle soup at a resturant, avoiding her new basement because there might be a hand up there, and leting a pedegre persian cat out of a suitcase and out into the streets. That results pretty good, considering the fact the cat met up with a male cat, and had kittens! Allie actually gets to possibly have one, but soon gets that privledge taken away from her. If I were you, Id read this book to find out the rest of what happens to Allies kitten, her attic, the turtle, and her new best friend.

Read this book and loved it? Read the second one: Allie Finkles Rules for Girls 2: New Girl. And what if you cant get enough of Allie? Go to www.alliefinklerules.com for fun games and message boards!

Rules..... rules.... rules. What do you think of when you here that word, be quiet in the library or always wash your hands before dinner. Not to Allie Finkle, to her, rules are really exciting, in fact she actually writes rules in a book.
Allie Finkle has a lot of stuff hanging over her head like, having a best friend who cries a lot, two annoying little brothers, promises to keep with her Uncle Jay and possibly MOVING into a HAUNTED house! Some of her rules are kind of funny like "don't stick a spatula down your best friends throat", if that's not funny then I don't know what is. Allie has a HUGE imagination(as you can see). This book has a ton of cliff- hanging chapters.
My favorite part in this book is when Allie saves the Lung Chung turtle, Wang Ba from getting eaten! Allie has to be really smart about hiding because a waitress, her dad, her mom and her Uncle Jay are chasing her. But when her Uncle Jay finds her he doesn't make Allie give the turtle back, he makes a deal with her! I love this part in the book because I am an animal lover and I love to see people stick up for animals.
These are only a few of the characters in Allie Finkle's rules for girls:

Brittany Hauser-the meanest girl in Mrs.Myers class
Mary Kay- Allie's "best friend"
Courtney Wilcox- Brittany Hauser's "best friend"
Uncle Jay-Allie's awesome uncle
Erica- the girl who lives next to the HAUNTED house

Out of all of the details in this book I would probably pick, "Lady Serena Archibald was beautiful. She had long, silky gray fur and big blue eyes. And when I went over to pet her, Lady Serena Archibald turned those big blue eyes up to look at me and she opened her tiny mouth, mrow in the cutest way you could possibly imagine." I think that is funny because it's nothing like the rest of the lines in the book.
I would definitely recommend this book to girls who like realistic-fiction or just a great book!

Allie Finkle is nine years old, but she has issues --- serious issues. First of all, she accidentally touched her friend's uvula with a spatula, and now Mary Kay is barely speaking to her. She also must think about the bombshell her parents recently dropped on her --- that they are moving from their lovely suburban split-level to a haunted fixer-upper in another town where she faces the prospect of having to attend a new school and make new friends. Add two bratty little brothers and the possibility of a new pet kitten into the mix, and you have fourth-grade chaos!

Allie, however, is a resourceful and intelligent girl. As she states herself, "I like rules. The reason why is, rules help make our lives easier. That's why I like science and math. You know where you stand with them, rulewise. What I'm not so crazy about is everything else. Because there are no rules for everything else." And so goes Meg Cabot's opening installment in her first series for tweens, Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Book one is subtitled MOVING DAY, and it's a joy to read.

Allie manages to override her every disappointment (her relocation to an ancient Victorian house, the unwanted specter she insists is living in their new dilapidated attic, the loss of her beloved and hard-won rock collection at her old home) with a measure of both grace and bravado that will have young readers cracking up. She is a great heroine --- plucky and snarky as well as resourceful and honest --- though she is not above the kind of annoyance that most girls her age would experience, especially sharing a house with two younger brothers. But she isn't snotty or a gossip, and her interests are not limited to fashion and Bratz-oriented activities. In short, Allie is an honest-to-goodness all-American kid.

Cabot has created Allie so that there are a million and one different things that can happen to her in order to make a complete book series (and perhaps a TV program or the occasional film adaptation, which the author is used to watching her work morph into, ala The Princess Diaries). Like Harriet the Spy or Henry Huggins, Allie is a typical kid with a normal life that is heightened just enough to make good drama, teach some lessons without feeling moralistic, and bring the reader into occasional convulsions of laughter. Not a bad prospect.

Allie's interest in math and science is a great addition to her other "kid" things. Since there is a push in education to make these pursuits more amenable to girls, especially at this age, Cabot does everyone a favor by highlighting them. But Allie is no geek. She's not some genius blowing things up in a home-basement lab, which is a relief. This is a trend that I hope becomes a popular one for other writers in this genre.

Cabot's winning tone and characterizations will make Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls a surefire hit with its target audience as well as parents who care to provide their children with role models you can't find in other media created for this age group. Long live Allie Finkle!

--- Reviewed by Jana Siciliano

Allie has always been good about knowing life's rules, just not always following them. Her life is filled with turmoil as her family announces their attention to move, something Allie is not excited about and which causes a huge fight between her and her best friend. Filled with Meg Cabot's typical humor and keen insight into life as a girl, this book is great for readers who enjoyed the movie of the The Princess Diaries but aren't quite ready for the book.

Never be a catcher when Brittany Hauser is up to bat, you can't let your guests starve, and don't stick a spatula down you best friend's throat are three out of the many rules from the book Allie Finkle's Rules For Girls.
Allie Finkle is a spunky nine-year old girl who collects geodes, writes rules, and loves animals. Her life is going pretty well until her parents drop the big news on her. She's moving! Even with the promise from her parents to get a new kitten and there is neighbors with a nice girl her age she is still not convinced. But one thing she is convinced about is that there is a zombie hand living in her new houses attic. Once her parents tell her she is moving her life starts going down hill. Her so called "best friend" Mary Kay is no longer her best friend and when Brittany Hauser tries to get them to be friends again she ends up making it even worse then it already is. Will Allie ever be happy? Will she actually move into the "haunted house" ?
My favorite part of the book is when Allie saves a turtle at the Lung Chung restaurant from being made into turtle soup. Allie hides in the back of a car while people including the staff at the Lung Chung restaurant and her own family runs around looking for her.
I like that part the best because I love animals and if I were Allie I would probably do the same thing. Also because it was really funny.
There is only one part in the book that I didn't like. It was when Brittany played lady business executive and shoved her mother's fancy show cat into a suitcase and ran around while swinging it.
Some of the characters from this book are:

Brittany Hauser- a spoiled brat that abuses animals and throws bats.

Mary Kay Shiner- Allie's "best friend" that cries when things don't go her way.

Courtney Wilcox- a nice girl that's gets dumped by her best friend for somebody else.

Scott Stampley- A annoying boy in Allie's class that ruined her friendship with Mary Kay.

Erica Harrington- Allie's could be new best friend.

I would recommend this book to girls about the ages of 11-14. It was really good and I could not put it down. I know others would feel the same way if they read this book and maybe be able to relate to Allie like I did!

I have partially read so many bad romance novels recently (e.g., boy meets girl & saves the day). The plot of this book was unique and kept me reading straight through. The characters were very likable (the hero was not the overbearing Alpha male so often written into a romance novel). I did not read the other books yet in the trilogy - this was my first Holling book. Not having read the other two was not a problem for me. I hope her other books are as entertaining.

I truly enjoyed this series. There is so much depth and emotion in all three books. My Shadow Warrior concludes the story of the three sisters; Isobel, Gillian and Rose. Rose is a strong heroine, intent on saving her dying father at any cost. She seeks out the Wizard of the North, William in hopes that he will be able to save her father using his powers. After a rocky start he agrees to travel home with Rose to heal her father. The story is romantic and dark with lots of sexual chemistry. Deidra, William's daughter who is the heroine of My Immortal Protector (my favorite Holling book) is introduced in this book.

The fascination with the paranormal implies a big dose of imagination; Jen Holling is creating three heroines of different mystical powers: Isobel, Gillian and Rose MacDonell; in My Shadow Warrior, they merge the powers toward solving the mystery of the illness of Allan MacDonell, their father, and the fate of Lilian MacDonell, their mother.
Must read the entire trilogy

I am a die hard fan of romantic novels. I have all three of the series and I absolutely love them they are all really good.

This is the third installment of The Brides of the Bloodstone trilogy. It's the story of Rose, youngest of the three MacDonell sisters. While they were little girls, their mother, a powerful witch, was burned at the stake. In fear for their lives, their father hid them separately. Now many years later, and on his deathbed from a mysterious illness, the MacDonell has summoned his daughters home.

Their lives are still in danger so he has arranged each of them to be married to men he can entrust with their safety. Rose, the youngest and blessed with the healing touch, is betrothed to Jamie MacPherson, a childhood friend she hasn't seen in years. Her wedding, however, has been postponed so she can devote herself to discovering the source of her father's illness.

Despite her many efforts, her father continues to deteriorate. To Rose's mind, her only hope is William MacKay, a gifted healer also known as the Wizard of the North. Since her many letters to him have gone unanswered, Rose decides to travel to his fortress to see him in person.

William is determined to shun the girl who has traveled many miles to see him, but curiosity forces him to disguise himself and seek her out. What he finds is a beautiful woman who is dedicated to helping others, even at risk to herself.

His fascination with her finally forces him to see her and eventually agree to travel to MacDonell castle to see her father. But in truth there is a sinister plot behind the MacDonell's illness and his wife's death and this mysterious enemy will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

This was such a great ending to a wonderful trilogy. The plot of the MacDonnell's illness and the mother's death at the stake is woven throughout all three books. It is finally resolved in this last tale but what an ending. Jen Holling has done a masterful job weaving several storylines together to create an enchanting tale of love, treachery, and greed.

I enjoyed this book. The characters were realistic and likeable.

The cat was a riot-"Big Whoop". He was so neurotic at first(peeing where he shouldn't, hiding under the couch , destroying clothes, etc.). After he was given a little understanding and that hilarious name, he softened up.

The story was very entertaining with many plot twists.

Nice to Come Home To is based on Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, but it's easy to forget that the story is a retelling as Pru (Prudence) navigates her way through the realities of family trials and dating past thirty. Pru is always the voice of reason and when her sister Patsy (Patience) visits DC with her quirky, disorganized personality that is the polar opposite of Pru's, she knows she must continue to be the strong one for Patsy. Unfortunately for Pru, family visits are never orderly or predictable. Readers will laugh and their hearts will ache with Pru as she tries too hard to keep her feelings about men and her family bottled up inside.

Peopled with colorful Characters and set in the neighborhood of Adams Morgan in Washington, DC, a setting that Rebecca Flowers seems to know inside and out, Nice to Come Home to is an exceptional read. This funny, witty novel will likely keep readers up past midnight to see if Pru will ever be able to let go of taking care of everyone else and finally let someone else walk beside her.

I absolutely loved your book. It was a truly fun read. I love your detail, wit, compassion and the characters. The scene with the pet psychiatrist had me laughing out loud. What a vivid moment. I felt like I was right there in the room, and that cat definitely is alive and well far beyond the pages. The suspense of who would stay in love, fall in love, end up happy etc. kept me turning the pages. As a matter of fact, I read much of it while flying to Florida for a week of performances, and finished it en route home. In all my years of flying as frequently as I do, a trip has never gone so fast because time was suspended as I was absorbed by Pru and her crew of unique family and friends. Great Read! From Judy Gail Krasnow, author of the memoir, "Rudolph, Frosty, And Captain Kangaroo."

This wonderful novel kept me engaged from the first line and drew me in throughout. The characters come to life with all the comedic lumps, twisted flaws and sincere beauty we find in our own lives. Rebecca Flowers' unique voice as a storyteller, her clever, witty phrasing and insights left me very satisfied as a reader. You know you have read a great book when you don't want the story to end because you will dearly miss the characters. Might we hear more from these characters in the future? I hope so. I will definitely follow this author and I anxiously await her next novel. I recommend Nice to Come Home To to anyone looking to read a thoughtful, intelligent novel from an aspiring new author. A great read!

When I read a book, I'm looking for a lot--a great sense of place, characters that I actually care about, and a story that feels like it's going somewhere. I like to feel that these characters mean something to me, going about their lives in an interesting place, doing interesting things, and that stuff is going on.

Pru and her sister seem real, seem like women I've known, have hopes and desperation and humor the likes of which I know, and their lives don't seem like programmed steps in a novel-writing formula of what-should-happen-next, but instead unfold with the real, gentle grace of real life ... only a bit wittier, a bit snappier, and with a bit more style. The writing is really smart, funny, and has such a great voice--if you don't know exactly what that means, read this book--you'll start to see and hear the world through Pru (and Flowers's) gimlet eye--sharp, whip smart, and with a tangy wit.

And the story goes on in two fully realized places, both DC and the beach ... I've read a lot of fiction with a great sense of place--from Marcus Sakey's Chicago to Elmore Leonard's Detroit and Miami, Lehane's Boston, and Pelecanos's DC ... and while Flowers isn't hard boiled like those guys, she creates a DC that is real and lived in and immediate, just like Pelecanos and the rest ... a really lovely, meaningful, and intelligent book, that stayed with me long after I put it down. Good stuff.

The Night Flyers book is now one of my favorites! If you love mysteries... or History Mysteries, I suggest you read this! When Pam Lowders' father is a soldjer in World War 1 in her mind,comes a replacment. When a strange person with a Brittish accent comes to town every one says... SPY! When the stranger offers her an amazng amount of money for her most precious belongings, her pigeons,(her night flyers) and she objects, her birds start to dissapear. Pam has only one suspect... the stranger! She must find her precious birds, before its too late!

WARNING- This book may be very addictive. The book The Night Flyers is by Elizabeth McDavid Jones. This book is very suspenseful.
The Night Flyers is about a girl named Pam. This takes place in Currituck, North Carolina 1918, when the World War I was occurring. Pam gets an offer for her pigeons from a German, and she thinks he's a spy, so she says no. A couple of days later her pigeons star to disappear. Then she suspects it's the German man named Arminger. One day she sees Arminger's truck, while letting her dog, Bosporus, out. She follows the truck. She goes through the back and sees all these pigeon's lofts. When about to go into another loft someone captures her....... Read and find out what happens next.
I would give this book a 10, out of 10 stars because I LOVE to read mystery books and it's very suspenseful. You should read it because it is REALLY good. It also leaves you hanging and you just don't want to put it down. Now get up and go pick it up at your local bookstore. Find out what happens next to Pam in The Night Flyers.

A mysterious man shows up at Pam's loft wanting to buy her pigeons. He says he'll give her $200 for all her pigeons.Pam said "No." The next night,he shows up again wanting her pigeons. He said he'll give her $200 for two pigeon but Pam still won't sell them. Then her pigeons start to disappear. Pam gets in some trouble trying to find her pigeons. Read this book to find out who stole Pam's pigeons.

I read this book in about 3 1/2 hours. I had previously read one other "History Mystery" book about 3 years ago when I was in 4th grade. The plot of the story is this:
12 year old Pam Lowder hates school. She especially hates her worst enemy, Henry. When she discovers that her prize winning pigeons with the rare ability to "home" at night are missing, she is furious, and the mysterious Mr. Arminger, a new man in town with a German accent, is a prime suspect. (The whole town believes that he is a German spy, it is World War I) Pam must collect her wits and, well, do something about it.

It's 1918 and Pam's dad is in the army for WW1 he gives Pam pigeons before he leaves to go to the war. She takes excellent care of them but when a mysterious man comes to her farm that talks like he's a German and he wants Pam's pigeons Pam believes that her dad's pigeons are in danger.
I really enjoyed this book and I've read almost all of the history mysteries and this is one of the best ones there are!

No Talking by Andrew Clements is a great book set in fifth grade where the students have challenged each other to a contest...boys versus girls. The rules of the contest are simple but can be very hard to follow. Students may talk at school only when an adult asks them a question, but then they can only answer using three words at a time. Students can not speak at home, on the playground, or in the lunchroom. The students keep track of their words and use the honor system to report them. When the principal demands that the contest must end, the students join together to silently face a new opponent in the competition. Clements does an excellent job of showing the voice of these students through their dialogues with one another. Their personalities shine through the pages.

Teachers will love the ideas and discussions that stem from this book. The book sparks conversations about peaceful ways to settle arguments like Mahatma Gandhi did in India. The teachers in the book complete many activities that allow students to follow the contest rules and still learn. One my favorites includes creating a story as a whole class where all students add to the story using only three words at a time. Students will love completing lessons that follow these from the book. It may even inspire a contest.

"No Talking" is a realistic and entertaining book that describes a competition between the boys and girls at Laketon Elementary. Each team tries to go untill the end of the week without talking. Commotion occurs as a result of the silence. The teachers and the principle are getting annoyed by the constant silence to they decide to take action on the nonsense. Does the teachers stop the competition or do the children pull them into the fun? Read to find out!

Working in a public school, I am around children every day. Here are two facts that I feel I can state from experience:

1. Kids like to talk

2. There is nothing that gets the youngsters going like boys vs. girls competition

In No Talking, Andrew Clements manages to merge both of these eternal truisms.

At Laketon Elementary, the 5th grade class has a reputation for embracing the spoken word - so much so that they earned the nickname "The Unshushables" from teachers. On top of all this noisiness, the boys can't stand the girls and the girls aren't all that keen on the boys.

One day Dave Packer attempts something that surely has never been done by anyone in his fifth grade class - to make it through the school day without saying a word. He fails, but his experiment leads to a challenge between the boys and the girls: Two days of school. Whichever group talks the least wins.

This book has all kinds of classroom implications, and the rivalry between boys and girls will immediately draw kids in. No Talking is an entertaining story and a quality fiction selection

No Talking is a good book about girls versus boys war with no talking. The war started when a boy did his report on India and he heard about this man who tried not talking to clear his head. This book has a good moral and teaches kids a good lesson. I would say third - 5th grade should read this.

This book, "No Talking", was pretty good, though when you read the breif explanation of the plot on the back of the book, it sounds better than it really is. It is also a short book, and I finished it in about 30 minutes despite its catagory: "chapter book". I thought it had a fairly nice plot, and it did teach a lot, but it also wasn't as funny or as great as it sounded. As I said, it was short with an alright plot.

I loved the humor it did have, though, and I thought the ending was interesting and heart-warming. You also had to love some parts with the only three-word answers the kids gave the teachers' answers. However, I thought the beginning was written in a confusing way. Also, there were so many characters, I woke up the morning after I finished the book and couldn't even remember half the names.

FOR PARENTS: (Scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the highest/worse)
bad language - 0 there was no bad language
sexual content - 1
1. one example of sexual content was that a girl kissed a guy on the cheek
violence - 0 there was no violence
adult content - 2
1. one example of adult content was that the main character, Dave is yelled at by the principal and he yells back, which shows rebellion.
2. another example of adult content was that the book is based on what Dave read in a book on India about the well-known Muslim, Gandhi, and Dave seems to think Gandhi is very wise in not talking, which may come off offensive or confusing.

Overall this was an okay book.