Young Adult Books

I think that this book has an OK storyline; a boy has lived for his first five years of life with a maid of the Alacrans, a very rich family that rules a land between near the USA. One day, he ends up in the house of this family and gets locked up by the housekeeper. Later he is released and is allowed to live in the house under the permission Matteo Alacran (El Patron). Everyone except El Patron seems to hate him and later he discovers why: he is a clone. El Patron's clone. But there is more to it than that...and I won't give it away.

I didn't really like the time settings of this book- it would go really slowly in some points, then skip a few months, then go slowly again. Other than that, it was written well, even though most of the characters weren't totally developed 'till the end which confused me in some situations but also gave the story mistery.
I found it cool that I couldn't figure out in what time the book was set- I was thinking 1500s til someone said "...over a hundred years ago when Aztlan was called Mexico". Gave me the shivers.

Recommended for sci-fi readers of 11 and up.

As both an author and reader of fiction I was impressed with (The House of the Scorpion." The characters seemed real and the story line was a good one. I guess I have always enjoyed books that could hold my attention and make me think at the same time. I recommend this book. But I thought it could have been more.
Tommy Taylor
Author - The Second Virgin Birth

She writes very well and I was hooked, reading without a break. In the end I felt disappointed because the plot didn't come together. The finale felt improvised - with the author trying to somehow tie all the strands together and doing a less than stellar job. So this taught me that being a good writer is not just a matter of writing darn good sentences; you must also put them together in a story that hangs together all the way.

A real page turner, I can see why its now on many schools summer reading lists.

The House of the Scorpion was an enrapturing story of a clone boy named Matteo Alacr'an or Matt. He grew up on the poppy fields of Opium, with the "big House's" cheif cook Ceilia. He had a happy childhood until a few kids found him in the house at the edge of the poppy fields. He desperatly wanted to become friends with the kids so he broke one of the windows that was nailed shut and jumped out. In jumping out of the window he severly cut his feet and the other kids instictivly brought him to the "big house."

When they discovered he was a clone he was thrown into a back room and treated like an animal. When El Patr'on (the person he was a clone of) found out about how he had been treated he gifted him with his own body guard. Matt was taught to read, write, play the piano , and do anything he desired. (Matt was an unusual clone, unlike any other clone Matt's brain had not been destroyed.) Though he suffered greatly throughout his childhood and was gifted with many talents and people.

Matt was the nineth clone that was to keep El Patr'on alive. He eventually realized his death sentence and fought for his "unimportant life." Though many people hated him, there were many people who loved him.

Ceilia, had been like a mother to Matt and loved him greatly. When Matt was about fourteen El Patr'on began to die, again. She steadily fed Matt poisinouse herbs, not enough to kill him but enough to kill an old feble man. Eventually El Patr'on did die and his relatives wanted to get rid of Matt. Matt's life was in danger yet again, the only way out are the glowing scorpions in the closets, that only El Patr'on and Matt can touch.

His body guard, Tam Lin who also had cared for him, had taught him survival and sent him off into Aztlan (where he might be safe). Matt had to climb a gigantic mountain, escape immigrant catchers, and hide his identity all at once. In Aztlan Matt made it safely into Aztlan and was soon shipped off with a few other orphaned boys to a shrimp camp. Because of his spoiled chilhood MAtt often said things he should've kept to himself, which pushed many people to dislike him. He withstood torchurouse situations and finally escaped the shrimp farm, with his new found friends.

Matt and his friends were on a search to find their families and old friends. But, I can't tell you if they succeed or not, you just have to read the book to find out.

This book combines adventure with friendship and science fiction. The entire book is exciting and you won't want to put it down. I think this is one of Nancy Farmer's best books not that any of them are bad their all good.

The book is extremely entertaining. Cimorene is certainly the kind of princess you don't often see in fantasy. And Kazul is not the typical dragon either. The book is really funny and is guaranteed to make you laugh

In the book"Dealing with Dragons"there are lots of enjoyment you can get. For example:during the story, a princess who thinks being a pringess is dull, runs away to become a dragin's princess for a very powerful female dragon. Somehow she finds cooking and cleaning facinating. While reading this book you can find alot of adventure. Some adventures you can find are challenging a Death-Dealing Bird, a Witch, A Stone Prince,a Jinn, lots of Wizards and alot of Dragons, both good and bad. Read this book and dive into adventure with Cimerene and her new best friend Alianora on her journey to complete a very important mission to save the Dragons. The thing i liked about this book is when Kazul became a King because i think Kazul was one of the most powerful Dragons. The thing i didn't like about this book is when a dragon betrayed his own kind just to help out some evil wizards.

In the book"Dealing with Dragons"there are lots of enjoyment you can get. For example:during the story, a princess who thinks being a pringess is dull, runs away to become a dragin's princess for a very powerful female dragon. Somehow she finds cooking and cleaning facinating. While reading this book you can find alot of adventure. Some adventures you can find are challenging a Death-Dealing Bird, a Witch, A Stone Prince,a Jinn, lots of Wizards and alot of Dragons, both good and bad. Read this book and dive into adventure with Cimerene and her new best friend Alianora on her journey to complete a very important mission to save the Dragons. The thing i liked about this book is when Kazul became a King because i think Kazul was one of the most powerful Dragons. The thing i didn't like about this book is when a dragon betrayed his own kind just to help out some evil wizards.

The book Dealing with Dragons is one of the most fantastic books I have ever read. It held my interest and made me feel good. Between adventure and happiness, Patricia C. Wrede catches your attention and makes you want to read it over and over again.
In the book, the characters were really willing to go and figure out why wizards have been snooping around the Mountains of Morning. That's one of the reasons I liked this book so much. My favorite characters are Cimorene and Kazul. As Cimorene runs away from the castle she meets a kind dragon named Kazul, who lets Cimorene live with her. Later in the book wizards secretly working with a dragon named Worag, who wants to be the king of dragons and is trying to get rid of Cimorene and her friends. In this it was a wild adventure for princess Cimorene.
The book Dealing with Dragons was not a boring book. The author Patricia C. Wrede was able to hold the interest of the reader throughout the story. The description of scenes was really descriptive and you could picture them in your head. There were sad and funny parts throughout the book. One of my favorite parts was when Cimorene and Kazul visited Morwen the witch. Cimorene rode on Kazuls back while she was flying over the tall trees. I was imagining that I was on Kazul too.
After reading this book, I learned many different things. I also couldn't believe how good this book was. The major situation was trying to figure out what the wizards were up to. This book will leave you wanting to read it over and over again.

Princess Cimorene is the daughter to the king of Linderwall...where the knights keep their armor polished for show considering nobody's seen a dragon there in years...

Cimorene HATES it at Linderwall. And she wants to do things, not learn exactly how and when she's supposed to scream if someone decides to come and kidnap her. Cimorene takes classes behind her fathers back for extreme fun. She tries fencing...until her father makes her stop. She tries cooking...until her father stops her. She tries magic...until her father stops her. You get the pattern. If things aren't already bad enough her parents are making her marry Prince Therandil. YUCK!

"I'd rather get eaten by a dragon," Cimorene muttered.
"That can be arranged."

With the advice of a "not" enchanted frog she ends up at a dragons cave and before you know it she's the dragon Kazul's princess. And also before ya know it she's on an adventure.

What happens on that adventure? Well...

She meets a powerful witch, a stone prince, snotty princesses, a kind princess, annoying wizards, mean dragons, and a talking frog.

She finds plants that hurt dragons, a dragons magical stone, and a fire proof spell...she's found A LOT of adventure!

This is the most disappointing thing I have ever bought online. Actually, I don't know because it hasn't come yet. I ordered it over a week and a half ago and it still hasn't come. Why sell when you don't deliver?

Wild Magic, a book by Tomora Pierce and the first book in the series The Immortals, is about a girl named Daine. Daine was always good with animals. Then she leaves her home and realizes she is more than good with animals; she has magic. Her magic allows her to talk to them and they obey her. Her magic is about to run away with her when her new job sets her in the company of a kind mage named Numair. Numair helps her learn how to control and use her magic.
My favorite part was when all the birds in the story help Daine fight off several Stormwings. Even though they all die, Daine's powers seep out and bring the birds back to life, fix broken wings, and heal their wounds. This book would be great for anyone in to fantasy and fiction books, more for someone in 6th too 8th grade. I don't really know, older groups of people might like it as well. I give this book a 10 on a scale of 1:10.
This book has sparked my imagination. I am always thinking about how life would be if we had magical powers. This book is very entertaning and keeps the adventure going. I hope you read the other books in the Immortals series. This book captivated me. I hope you enjoy/ enjoyed it as much as I have.
-- Skylar Rowan

This is an excellent book. Tamora Pierce is a great author. I just bought another copy of this book because I misplaced my first copy.

The story is fantasic, and the audiobook really brings it to life. There are different voices for everyone and it keeps your intrest. It also keeps at a good pace, but not too fast.

Not only is this an EXCELLENT story but it's also the best audiobook I've ever heard. The casting is EXCELLENT (OK, I'm wearing that word out, but I can't help it. LOL); I've heard many audiobooks, but never one with so many actors. A full-cast is new to me, and it felt like listening to TV, a statement I intend as a compliment. Sarge's bellows and Onua's gleefully saying that she was going to "torture some trainees" were so realistic I had to laugh. I had some difficulty understanding the boy playing Tom (a 6-year old character), but, then, young kids' speech isn't always easy to understand anyway. The music adds to the presentation, unlike being a distraction in other audios. I'm not 10, 42, in fact, but I VERY highly recommend this audiobook to other adults who enjoy good fantasy.

*Remember that I am not the target audience for this book, so younger adults will enjoy this novel.

For die-hard Redwall fans, or even the casual readers who've picked up any Redwall book would know who Martin is. He is the source of prayer to the Redwallers, the mouse that annoyingly sticks his snout in other's dreams, giving riddles to the would-be-warrior. He is also featured on a tapestry that hangs at the Great Hall. And what you are holding in your hands, or are probably about to, are the story behind the warrior, and how he was so well honored among the Redwallers and all free good woodland critters.

In the book, Martin is a young mouse who is slave to a wicked stoat named Badrang the Tyrant. He has gathered up a large horde of every evil stereotypical villain except for stoats like himself, and plenty of slaves who mostly do the work of enlarging his fortress called Marshank. He is a sly, wicked beast, like any Redwall villain, stuck with a 'friend' (I say this term loosely because you know there is never any deep relationship between vermin buddies) named Clogg, a corsair stoat, and backstabbing one another to get control of Marshank. Martin defies Badrang, escapes with a few slaves, and then he gathers up an army to attack Marshank and end Badrang's tyranny.

For the pros, this book is up there as my rare Redwall favorites simply because you got at least two characters who are woodland good but turn bad like the bankvole named Druwp, who acts as a spy among the slaves, and a tribe of squirrels who give in to Martin and help him fight.

It's a decent Redwall novel that I do enjoy and that's saying something, since most of my Redwall reviews have been negative. Perhaps I have taken this book as it is (finally): a good childhood story. Well, it's a good story, when you get down to it.

This book is supposed to be about 'Martin the Warrior'. About how his legacy lived on in so many creatures when all other heroes have been forgotten. So this book must be special, and it is.

The characters were mostly one dimensional, with exception to a few villains like Clogg and Badrang, who were very neat, twisted villains with good motives. Rose was put up there to serve as a very weak love interest for Martin that I wished could've been a tiny bit more developed. Felldoh was a very interesting character, and I can admit that I did like him, and I would have liked him a lot more hadn't he fallen through the same path of wickedness as a vermin, or from what the kind, peace-loving woodland creatures call them. I mean, this guy kills off the rats and weasels without blinking, always using revenge as a motive to not care, or because these guys are wicked, that they don't even have souls or lives. The fact that these runaway slaves are so good at handling weapons, far better than any rogue who's had many years experience using swords and such, can also be bending some reality rules here.

But there really isn't much realism here, I'll admit. I mean, when a mouse is the same size as a fox as a fox is to a squirrel, and when all the bad guys act like dumb idiots who have no idea how to keep pecking order, there isn't much room for reality left. How can a couple of dimwitted morons like Badrang's horde even be in a horde if they're always backstabbing one another and running away from woodland creatures in fear?

Adults and those with older mentalities will say these questions, but this is a children's book. And I actually did like it, even with those questions in mind. Skeptics will have a hard time reading it, like myself, but I really did like this book, no matter what insane flaws, and I did get a good few laughs from the bumbling villainy idiots.

If you're looking for a legend, you will actually find it here, and it is better than 'The Legend of Luke'.

I pretty much said it all in the title! This book is awesome! It's got the most action, battles, and the coolest bad guys! It's great! Read this book!

A fantastic story from the Redwall series, Martin the Warrior, is a mix of friendship and battles against a ruthless rat clan. This "National best seller" from Brian Jacques is about a mouse named Martin, who gets captured in the rat's prison. This story is full of foxes, lizards, moles, rats, and of course, mice. Most fantasy lovers and animal lovers will keep rereading this fantastic book about how friendship can help others in times of conflict. As most good stories are, all Brian Jacques books are well more than worth reading. And all animals have human characteristics.

I have to admit that when I first heard of the Redwall series, I had my doubts. I mean, a book about animals? However, I decided to give them a chance and now they are my favorite books of all time.
Martin the Warrior is my favorite out of the series. I love how the characters interact with each other in a way that makes you want to be more like them. They stuck together through everything, and in the end the slaves were freed and the sword that once belonged to Luke was returned to it's rightful owner, Martin the Warrior.
I recommend this book, as well as the whole series to kids of all ages. If you like the Redwall books, you will probably also like Brian jacques' other series, the Castaway series.

Great series for young and old looking for a mental shut-down for bed book.

i read this book as a child and i loved it. it made everyone i know who read it cry.if u like lurlene mc daniel, you will love this book it was one of my favorites.

okay i know it's been said a thousand times but thus was a great book. it is so far my favorite lurelene mcdaniel book. It tells the story of Julie and her boyfrien Luke and his struggle with leukimia.i won't spoil the ending but it was a real tear jerker. i reccomend all of her books.

The book is called Don't die,My love.It is a tear jerking story.If one likes romance they will like this story.A good romance always pops out
some people and to some it does not and it always captures people in the moment. This certain romance is a realy, really good one and it really popped out to me.When people die it tears people apart.

This was my second time reading Don't Die My Love by Lurlene McDaniel and it made me cry just as hard. This book explains the struggles of going through cancer treatments. Luke and Julie fall in love and their relationship starts to deteriorate as Lukes health takes a turn for the worst, Julie struggles to help and slowly Luke pushes her away. Alot of parts in this book can make you cry because its detailed so well that you can almost see it going on in your head its a touching love story and a MUST READ in my book i will defaniatly be reading it again <3 Lurlene McDaniel is also my favorite author

This is my second time reading this book and what can I say, I cried both times..I love it!!! One of the BEST books I've ever read!!!It is probably one of the saddest book out there as well. Don't Die, My Love is about Luke and Julie who had been childhood lovers and now is in high school and has a love bigger than anything..Luke is the football star quarterback and is madly in love with Julie and she is madly in love with Luke..One day what seems to be a little bump on the neck turned into a serious illness and soon Luke is put into the hospital. Julie, with nothing to do, but be by his side all the way despite of everything..Their love is so powerful and so sweet..This book is definitely GREAT and SAD, it makes your heart wrench..I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone!! It is one that you won't regret reading!!!
P.S. Don't forget the Kleenex box=]

Excellent story plot for both the young and old.... A story to be passed down from generation to generation

This book is a childhood favorite and even to this day at the age of 21 I absolutely love this book. The adventure and writing style is absolutely irresistible.

One thing I wanted to mention about this particular book is that although it alternates between worlds (earth and Fantasia) and might seem difficult for young readers to handle...the print color changes depending on which world Bastian is in. Makes it easier for kids to handle...not to mention we adults!

I have been looking for this book for years and finally I have it!

Its a wonderful and enchanting story, you get to meet many charming characters along the way, discovering the fantasy world of Fantastica.

A beautifully written story tale for both young and old.

This is perhaps the greatest - certainly one of the most well-known - works of German juvenile literature in the last century. And it is so much more than simply a fantasy adventure, although it certainly doesn't lack in entertainment value.

The book is actually imaginative literature that makes the imagination itself its main subject. It is about the proper handling of one's imagination and how to SAVE the imagination as an essential part of being human. The English reader might not immediately notice this, but the German reader will. In the German original, Fantastica/Fantasia is called "Phantasien," which is derived from the German word for "imagination." Thus, Fantastica could be called "The Realm of One's Imagination."

For a full appreciation of the book, it is important to recognize this. When Bastian, the main character, steals The Neverending Story from an antique book store and starts reading it, he doesn't enter (within the fictitious world of the story) a real place such as Narnia or Hogwarts. Rather, he enters his own imagination and needs to learn to handle his imagination well.

Being an outsider in school, Bastian is tempted to use his imagination in a bad way, namely for egoistical daydreams in which he imagines himself doing whatever he likes and taking revenge on others. Slowly, he learns that this is not the proper way of handling his imagination - that self-absorbed daydreaming is harmful.

So he learns to save his imagination from the threat of "Nothing," which is eating up Fantastica.

The intended parallel isn't hard to find. Michael Ende was a man deeply concerned about the loss of people's imagination in modern culture (about the "nothingness" eating it up), and both his novel "Momo" and "The Neverending Story" deal with this.

Whether you are young or old, whether you intend this book for yourself or your children, it is ideal for growing one's imagination as well as reflecting on its precious realm.

- Jacob Schriftman, Author of The Crack Beneath the Worlds and Other Books

Yo! It's me, StoryMaker. My Mom was doing this Book-It homeschool program where we have to read a certain book or amount of books in order to get a coupon for a free Pizza Hut personal pan pizza. I'm not always thrilled about this, though. Unlike my sisters, I'm not such a huge reader. Sometimes, however, if a book is just right, it's possible I could get hooked. I usually like books more when they have a style or tone that is readable for the modern kid. I also like a nice, exciting plotline. A plotline is especially good for me if I can understand what the characters are feeling and why they do what they do and if I can feel for the characters. I also sometimes like books more if they aren't "chronicles" - that isn't to say I don't like a series that is chronicles, I just don't always favor a single book where the storyline is in little pieces (i.e. when it just goes from a single event to another single event - it isn't a single, smooth storyline, so it's harder to get hooked because the ending is not as anticipated because, well, there are lots of endings, so there's less of an urge to get to the end). This month, my sisters said this book (Warriors: Into the Wild) should be my goal and my Mom agreed. So, I ended up reading it. Turns out, this is a just-right book.

What twolegs (clan-cat speak for "humans") do not realize is that clans of feral cats dominate the forest beneath their nose. The original four clans are ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan - and there's trouble within the clans. ThunderClan cats have fewer and fewer kits, which means fewer and fewer warriors. The clans are constantly fighting for food, so ThunderClan's lack of warriors makes it weaker. Plus, ShadowClan is being leaded by a fierce tyrant called Brokenstar, adding to the turmoil. Eventually, a group of heavenly cats called StarClan send a message to ThunderClan. The message is, indeed, the phrase on the back of the book: "Fire alone can save our clan." Then, a daring kittypet (clan-cat speak for housecat) named Rusty ventures into the forest. Strange...his fur happens to be the color of fire. It isn't long before he gains his ThunderClan name, Firepaw...and then the adventure begins.

One of the great things about this book's tone/style is that it seems good for the modern kid and for someone who likes classic books. This book really seems like it would be good for many different people. It's full of adventure and it really has all of the good-book requirements I've listed. Of course, I can't say it's perfect. It was a bit annoying that Firepaw didn't tell Bluestar, the clan leader, important information for feeble reasons. I'd also like to note that there is some somewhat detailed violence. Also, some folks (especially parents who ban Harry Potter) might believe the whole StarClan thing to be astrology. I don't really think the idea of StarClan is really harmful, though; after all, #1: It's just a fiction book and #2: It don't really think it's like they worship StarClan. Parents, if the violence and "astrology" worries you, simply read the book before you let your kid read it. When Harry Potter was new and folks complained about it being against religon, my Mom read it for herself in order to approve of it.

I also really like the idea behind it: clans of wild cats, with the cats having different ranks and positions. This makes it great for RPGs and Fan Fiction. It's fun to make up your own forest with your own clans and members. In fact, we first heard of it on a message board where people were doing an RPG for it.

Overall, I think that you should really give this book a try. Due to the violence, I think it's probably best if you are at least 9 if you read this. (Just BTW, at least 3 cats die in it.) Seriously, somebody who isn't such a big reader plowed through chapters in it...give it a chance. Signed, StoryMaker. "Gotta trust the kid's review!"

A couple days ago when I heard of this book I thought, eww it looks terrible, a book about cats who are warriors. They turned out to be really good. These books are action packed with adventure, and really show you the story. I'm now on the third book and can't put it down.

Ok, we know some of the best books ever, Robin Hood, Hoot, Shilho, ect. This book makes all of those books BORING! I'm not to big on cats, but still this book has everything. Drama, action, happiness, everything. I recomend this book to even non- cat lovers. But if will cry every time a cat will die (and I mean burst into tears and have it ruin you're whole week)then this book is not for you. The first one is the best. It is about a kittypet (house cat) named Rusty who just doesn't feel happy with his twolegs (humans). Soon he meets Graypaw, a ThunderClan apprentice, and is given an offer to join ThunderClan. Now, I'm not telling you any more. If you want more info, just go to warriorcats.com. They have a dictonary there that helps you learn any cat language, and understand more. NOTICE: If you don't like spoliers, stay away from certain places on that site! So like I said, this book makes every book seem like boring garbage! I highly recomend it.

I think it's just a travesty to classify this book series as just for ages 9-12. Just as the Harry Potter books have become loved by people of all ages, this book series has the same potential. As a longtime fan of the book Tainchaser's Song by Tad Williams, I was always saddened that I could never find more books like that one...until now. Whereas, as a cat lover and protector, I had some initial issues with the message that cats resent being housecats and the gorifying of feral life, I was quickly able to remind myself that this is a fictional fantasy and should be read as such. I do suggest parents who do buy this book for their children remind them of that fact. With that said, after getting into the book I didn't want to put it down. And I can't wait to get the next one in the series. An adult reading this book will not feel as if it has been written for children - anything but. It is exciting, emotionally gripping, and superbly written.

As an adult, I feel that I have to tell you that this series will pull you in and make it extremely hard to put down. This is an emotional series where you get to know the characters and you will laugh, cry, get mad, and hope. Don't laugh, but I actually cried as I read the last few lines of this first series because it was like saying goodbye to all my friends. (At that time, the New Prophecy Series wasn't out). If you can believe it, you get so attached to these cats and you forget that you are reading.

This isn't a childish book series (I was actually surprised to see it marketed in the children's section after I read it). It has love, murder, betrayal, honor, courage, friendships lost, and other aspects of life.
There are twists and turns that keep sucking you into the plot. Actually, there are many plots going on, but they are well written and do not get confusing.

Also, It is a series with good values represented, but in a naturally occuring way. I mean Rusty has to make some hard choices in the course of these books.
Please try this series, I have yet to read another of its kind as no book can compare.
Don't forget, though, they must be read in order.

Oh, and you don't have to love cats to read them!

This is either the best or the second best Redwall book. It's the direct sequel to the Original Redwall, so there will be a lot of familier characters. Complete with 3 huge battles, a cruel monster that lurks in the dark, and an evil slaver named Slager, this book is ultimate, and I highly reccomend it!

Why are the most known and far better books of the Redwall universe the first ones done? Well, they're the first ones done, and they were actually pretty good. 'Mattimeo', along with 'Mossflower', and possibly maybe even 'Salamandastron', were one of the best Redwall books. To me. I don't know if it applies to the rest of you readers, but I stick by my comment. 'Mattimeo' was a well done book. It was also one of the biggest, probably the biggest Redwall book. It's actually a quest I'd actually look forward to reading, and for once, the Redwall creatures are showing emotion that is actually true rather than just coming out strained and downright terrible like in Jacques' recent works.

'Mattimeo' takes place seasons and seasons after the 'Redwall' book, the true sequel, and it focuses on Sela's supposedly dead son, Chickenhound. He is now called Slagar the Cruel, has his band of wicked beasts that we know will probably be weasels, ferrets, rats, stoats...those guys. Slagar is noticed as one of the most intelligent, wicked, and more insane of any warlord that came before or after him. His face is horribly disfigured, cause of a snake's bite and painful venom, and he hides his deformity using a skull mask. Believing his own lies of how the Redwall creatures had betrayed him, he plans to seek revenge by stealing the children of Redwall under the Redwaller's noses and selling them to Malkariss, a warlord who dwells in the underground, building an empire, made from the paws of many slave children.

This story works well, extremely well, as Mattimeo, Matthias' son, slowly becomes a hardened warrior during the time of his capture and how he is forced to endure harsh beatings, cruel words, and many deaths as he is led to Malkariss' kingdom. And while the warriors of Redwall chase after Slagar, the Redwallers are having troubles of their own back at the abbey. General Ironbeak and his birds are set on seizing it. The techniques that Slagar uses to outsmart his pursuers are classic and clever, but for some reason I do not like Ironbeak's part in how he tries to conquer the abbey. Either he's really dumb or the Redwallers for some reason are extremely well trained to handle an aerial attack--either one or both, I just don't like how he tries to conquer it when there were dozens of simple solutions, like a total ambush. Grabbing them and flinging them from a range of thirty feet would have done it, but I'm not the writer. When there's a more awesome story going on, I don't care about the weak side story. I just love Slagar and his twisted schemes. This is truly one of my favorite Redwall books of all time.

I would recommend this book because it is full of action and intensity. When I started reading this book, I never wanted to put it down. After every page, it just got better and better. There were many surprises in this book, like if there is a battle or new enemy; it was just full of surprises. I would and have read a book by Brian Jacques, which was Redwall, the first book in the series. Now I am reading the prequel to Redwall, Mossflower. Overall, Mattimeo was a terrific book.

Tis book tells the story of Mattiemo, a young mouse who is captured by Slagar the fox in a break in at Redwall. He and all of his friends are taken to an evil land but Mattiemo's father Matthias is hot on this trail!!!!!

This is a good book for those that have read the series before (Expecially Redwall). It brings back our favorite characters, including Basil Stag Hare, Jess Squirrel, Matthias, Cornflower, Tim and Tess, plus many more.
It has a good plot, plus many emotions including sadness, romance, courage and a huge fighting spirit.

"Mattimeo" tells the story of the son of Matthias the Warrior, who happens to be named Mattimeo. The plot is compelling and whimsical, great especially for younger readers, and I enjoyed it even more than "Redwall". There were only a couple of minor things that kept me from giving it the full five stars.

First of all, there are the numerous (that may well be an understatement) descriptions of Slagar's mask. Believe me, if you don't know what material that mask is made of by the end of the book then you have some serious attention problems. Quotes such as "Slagar grinned from behind the silken mask" and "The silk mask sucked into a hideous grin" are okay when used in moderation, but when we are bombarded endlessly with these nearly identical descriptions, it detracts from rather than adds to the story. I'm sorry, *what* was the mask made from again?

The other thing that bothered me was the apparent lack of attention to proportion. For example, at one point, Slagar gets angry at an impudent Mattimeo and starts beating the young mouse with a cane. And yet, according to Brian Jacques, Mattimeo does not feel the blows at all. Am I the only one who thinks this is simply absurd? A fox beating a mouse with a cane would be like King Kong beating a human with an uprooted tree - that's how big foxes are compared to mice. Forget feeling the blows, Mattimeo should be crushed by them!

But despite these things, I really enjoyed the story of Mattimeo, and I would recommend it to anyone who has read other books in the series or who just loves animal fantasy. I also recommend the fantastic "Guardians of Ga'Hoole" series by Kathryn Lasky and the "Warriors" books by Erin Hunter.

This is the ultimate Simpsons fan's book. It has all of The Simpsons seasons 1-8 in air-order, so you won't have any problem finding them. There are a lot of pictures and colors as well. There are even a list of Homer's D'ohs, Couch Gags, and Chalkboard Gags for every episode. This is well worth the money you pay for it; definitely should be bought by any simpaholic.

I bought this book when it first came out, and have re-read it often (fully, and partially) since then. It is an excellent reference for any "Simpsons" fan for the first eight seasons of the show. The pages are full of episode summaries, quotes, and trivia facts from the show. It also offers profiles of characters, and a list of who does what voice. A great source if you cannot remember what guest celebrity voiced a character or any other information like that. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the "Simpsons" and wants to know more about the episodes.

Almost everything you could ever think to ask about The Simpsons is in this book. What was Bart writing on the chalkboard in "that one episode"? It's in here. The plots, inside jokes, behind the scenes tales and more await in this excellent resource for fans. This book harkens from the Conan O'Brien-era prime of the series, up to about the late 90's, when the quality (sadly) slipped big time. This was the golden age of The Simpsons, back before the series "became a cartoon." (Anyone who was a fan back in the day knows just what I mean.)

The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family is probably the best book on the Simpsons that I've read. It includes, and I am taking this right from the cover, characters, episodes, and secret jokes you might have missed from seasons 1 thru 8. The book was created by Matt Groening and edited by Ray Richmond. It details each episode and even has extras: The Shorts; Homer Says, "D'oh..."; Homer Says, "Mmm..."; Couch Gags; Seen around Springfield; An Itchy & Scratchy Filmography; Who Does What Voice; and Merchandising, Thy Name Is Krusty.

The books dedication even reads:
TO THE LOVING MEMORY OF
SNOWBALL I:
WE HOPE THAT
THEY CHANGE YOUR CATBOX
IN KITTY HEAVEN MORE OFTEN
THAN WE DID DOWN HERE.

My favorite saying in the book is on p. 64, "When Flanders Failed":
"Hey, Barteleeboobely, care for a steak-a-rooney?" Homer, to Bart as he cooks on the grill that used to belong to Fladners.

I definetly reccomend purchasing this book.

It is hard pressed to find anyone who does not like the animated series "The Simpsons". "The Simpsons" is one of the longest running tv series and one of the funniest tv series in history. Unfortunately the last few seasons have been rather inconsistent and lacks the creativity and magic of the earlier episodes, nevertheless the show is a lot smarter and cutting edge than most tv series nowadays. Thank heavens I can relieve the earlier episodes with this official guide to the popular tv series. "The Simpsons: a complete guide to our favorite family" covers the first eight seasons. This is a really excellent comprehensive guide to the show. As a big fan of the first several seasons, I love this book. I loved reading all of the couch gags from the first eight seasons. I didn't realize there was so many until I read them all. I also dug reading the highlights of each episode. I also loved reading the brief bios on the lesser known but equally funny characters like Cletus, Tattoo Annie, and Lionel Hutz. There is a great list of the actors and the cbaracters that they give life to. If you love "The Simpsons" and the first eight seasons, this book is a must have. It is a true testament to Matt Groening as well as the legacy of the show.

A review from my teenage daughter:

"A Ring of Endless Light" is one of my favorite books!

I've read it five times since I first found it at the library last summer, and since then, I have also read "A Wrinkle in Time," "The Moon by Night,"and "An Acceptable Time".

What I really like about it is the characters. They are so interesting!

The movie, on the other hand, was nowhere near as good as the book. (Characters they left out: John, Leo, Grace, Binnie, Nancy Rodney, Jeb Nuttley, and probably somebody else, too...) And after I read the book, I was rather upset with the Disney Channel.

Although this is a wonderful novel, I would not recommend it to anyone under the age of thirteen because of some mature content.

Lastly, I want to include my frequent rant ( more of a whine, really) about that Zachary Gray person: I never understood why Ms. L'Engle kept putting him in her books. He never changes, and he's just as much of a jerk in "An Acceptable Time" as he was in this book. I don't know what Vicky sees in him. He kept saying that he "needed her" but she can't be his psychologist; Earth to Vicky, Earth to Vicky! Not a good reason to go out with him!

As always, Madeleine L'Engle delivers a stunning piece of fiction with `A Ring of Endless Light.' Although the main character, Vicky Austin, gives off a distinctive mary-sue air, the book (especially the guys!) are very enjoyable. Pieces of poetry found in this book are beautiful and elegant; they alone would be cause enough to read the book. `A Ring of Endless Light' also offers the reader an insight into the emotions and thoughts of a teenage girl in a fantastical setting. I would recommend this book for ages 13 and up. If you enjoyed this book, I would recommend Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume, Father Figure by Richard Peck and With You and Without You by Ann Martin as well as the rest of L'Engle's books.

Once again, Madeleine L'Engle has constructed a masterpiece. All her books are superb, but this one stands out to me as my absolute favorite. I understand its a Disney Channel movie now as well. I remember reading this book when I was about middle school aged and thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I took notes. There are several wonderful quotes that are worth remembering, and I think by the end I was left with some 10 pages of notes. I was a bit of a nerd as a kid, I guess. Still have all the papers filed away somewhere. Also memorized one of the poems to recite in my english class in about 7th grade. Fantastic book. I need to read it again.

In Madeline L'Enlgle's A Ring of Endless Light, 15-year old Vicky goes out to visit her sick grandfather to spend some time with him. During her stay, an old family friend, Commander Rodney, dies because he was trying to save another person from dying. On top of this, three young men are trying to get her adornment. Leo, Commander Rodney' son, is the nervous and puppy like young man who needs Vicky's attention. Although he may be nice, Vicky just wants to be his friend. Adam, a young man working at the marine biology center, confuses Vicky because he likes her, but pushes her away at the same time. Zachary, the rich, young man Commander Rodney died saving, wants Vicky back and claims that he needs her. Even though she has to deal with her love life, she has to help her grandfather, and other family members. During this vacation, she learns a lot about herself, death, life, her friends and family.

I really liked this book because it is very insightful. It gives me a lot of insight about living life. I want to live my lifelike Vicky and think like her because she lives her life to her fullest poetical and is moral, unlike me. She put phrases and lessons to heart and has a way of putting things into the right words. I liked how the author also wrote about death because I know that everyone is confused about tins subject. Some people firmly believe in one thing while other people are confused and wobbling. I remember what the Madeline L'engle writes about death whenever I come across one because her words sooth and help the soul.

I dislike the fact that the characters are a bit to perfect. The Austins are a bit like robots. There is the housewife mom that loves her husband and doesn't seem to have any arguments are all with him. The father is a strong man that supports his whole family. The oldest brother, like his father, is strong and smart. The youngest sister is beautiful and smart. The youngest brother is cute and innocent. Although Vicky seems more human than her family, she is still robotic. She always tries her hardest and it seems that everyone is drawn to her. Everyone trusts her with his or her secrets and everyone in the story has a longing to be with her. She is the person that people always want to be.

My favorite part of the book is hard to decide, but I think that my favorite part is when Vicky goes and visits the dolphins. I think that this is really interesting because Vicky learns that she can communicate with dolphins. In the beginning, she is really scared, but then she realizes that there is nothing to be afraid of. Soon, she feels comfortable with Basil. She can play with the dolphin and communicate freely. Even though people can't communicate with dolphins, Vicky can because her mind is somewhat childish, open, and free. I think that this is my favorite part because Vicky's relationship with Basil is much like my relationship with my friends. When I first made my friends, we were scared and shy, but once we knew each other, we had a lot of fun. When I am with my friends, I become childish, open and free, just like Vicky.

I loved this book and I would recommend it to girls from the ages 10 and up. This was a good story to connect to your life or the lives of the people around you. The things that happen to Vicky in A Ring of Endless Light might happen or may have happened to the reader. Therefore the plot of the story is believable. I would like to read another story by this author because I loved how thorough she was when describing Vicky's thoughts and feelings. When she was explaining how Vicky was seeing only darkness after a friend died in her arms, she painted a very vivid picture in my head. I thought that a Ring of Endless Light was truly a great book.