Children's Books

I read this book as a child and wanted to share it with my grandchildren.

I loved this book when I was a junior high teen, and at 57 I find I love it still. I have chortled for 40+ years over the mental image of the Irish Wail (tied up in a cardboard box, sealed with a bit of wax)voraciously devouring cabbages and growing in size, volume, and, of course, degrees of harmony.

THIS BOOK IS AN A++++ WINNER. Buy it for your kids, and if you can pry it away from them, read it for your own pleasure. Your life will change--for the better--after you meet David and the Phoenix.

Hallelujah!!! This book was in desperate need of a reprint. I just bought it, again, and let my children read it. With the original artwork included, this is a must have. People say if you like Harry Potter, but that doesn't do the book justice. This is the Holy Grail here. You will laugh and cry and fear for the characters and fall in love with them too. And sadly, you won't want the book to end, but it will. When will we see David and the Phoenix again?

I was thrilled to see this wonderful classic reissued. It is the result of a master writer with a fertile imagination. the intrigue that results as David tries to save the Phoenix from the scientist makes it hard for one to put the book down. Love the ending. I would also recommend "Moonspins and Widdershins" for those who love fastasy.

Before there was Harry Potter, there was a boy named David. This book helped me through some very hard times in my childhood. I discovered this wonderful story when I was 10 years old and read my book club copy until it fell to pieces. As the years past, I never forgot this wonderful story. Over 40 years have gone by since I last joined David and his friend on their magical adventures. I am purchasing a new copy for myself and for my adult son. And, no, dear readers. This is a story for girls as well as boys. After all, we all love a grand tale that helps us forget our mundane lives.

My boys and I love this book. It starts a series that is hard to put down. Highly recommend it for young and old alike that like to escape into another world in their books.

My 12 year old daughter is not a big reader, but this story she read quickly and did not want to put down. When she takes a book to read in the car, you know it is good. She's not a big fantasy reader and doesn't like it when there are too many characters and story lines to keep straight, and truthfully, it took her a few starts to get going in this book, so I hope it is kind of a break through book. She is on the second book in the series now and reads it whenever she gets a chance, guess I should order that 3rd one too. I realize it isn't much of a review of the book, but it lets you know that if your kid isn't a big reader, one good book can make a difference.

I purchased the audio version for my husband who listens during his commute. This one was a hit because I would call him and he would say "I'm listening to the book. Can I call you back?" I've read all three books and they are wonderful. I plan on sharing the cd's with my 10 yr old next.

A die-hard Harry Potter fan, I am having to move on to new series... And I have found one in Fablehaven! Although they may be a little too dark for younger kids, I thoroughly enjoy them! And the third (which just came out in April)is even better than the last-- his writing, the characters, and the plot is getting better with time (much like my beloved HP's!!!).

This is a good book for children. It is very imaginative. I don't really know what to say because the comments already pretty much summed up everything. Kids will enjoy it especially the vivid descriptions.

But, I do have one problem with the writing skills. The entire book is full of dangling and misplaced modifiers. For example, "Pulling herself out of the water, Kendra grabbed a towel." Instead it should be written "Kendra pulled herself out of the water and grabbed a towel."

Fantastic story, great for these turbulent times. Also recommend The Great Hippo Migration, fiction, for kids. William James Reece.

Bought this book for my wife for christmas. She heard the story on the news and really wanted to know the whole story.

The well-written book portrays a heart-warming story about friendship. Mzee's love and guidance, along with Owen's resilience, proves that Science can't always explain what brings species together. The book contains factual material, as partially told by the general manager of Haller Park, Dr. Paula Kahumbu. Photographer Peter Greste brings this story to life with his photos that capture all the main events leading to the remarkable friendship of Owen and Mzee. Further, they capture the amazing bond the two share. The pictures do a well job of telling the story. The vocabulary of the story is geared towards an average intermediate reading level, and can easily be modified to tend to a younger audience's level of understanding. Following the story are maps with facts about Kenya and Malindi, as well as facts on hippopotami and aldabra tortoises. The last section of the book also further discusses the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami. Lastly, this wonderful addition includes websites where teachers and parents can download discussion guides and take a virtual visit of Haller Park. This is a must for any parent and/or teacher to share with students of all ages.

The story of Mzee and Owen is a beautifully written story of two friends. The message of friendship and the bond of love shared between two souls makes this a must read for all ages.

I purchased this book after hearing something about their story. I believe it is intended to be a children's book, but I enjoyed the story and the pictures of the two together. It's a touching story of two misplaced creatures bonding together - gives you warm fuzzies. I pass it around to others who might enjoy reading it as a "pick me up". It is always returned with a smile.

I've never read a book so gripping or heart wrenching. My condolences to you and your family Mr. Walsh; my heart breaks for you.

John Walsh has decided he is the voice for victims everywhere. The problem is, fewer and fewer people want him to be. Why? Because of things like this book.

He seems to ignore reality in favor of what he wants us to think.

I agree that this book is very sad and heart breaking. I can only begin to feel the sadness and heart break that this man and his wife went through. This book reveal that. I could only somewhat feel his pain because I have never been through it. This book proves that something good can come out of tragic happenings.

This book is more political then I thought. This man has accomplished a lot Worth the buy.

AS A MAN YOUR NOT SUPPOSED TO CRY, BUT I DID, READING WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS SON AND THINKING OF MY OWN SON I JUST COULDNT HELP IT! ITS A GREAT BOOK AND MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT YOU WOULD DO IF IT HAPPENED TO YOU!

Tears of Rage is such a brilliant book. It is very touching, tragic, and even insightful. Not only did I truly enjoy it, but also I found it hard to put down. Such hard times for this fellow after the sadistic murder of his lovely child Adam. Yet he does not give up and he battles and battles for justice for Adam. It was not easy and the police unit were not very helpful and competent with handling his son's case. And it broke John's heart. But he never ran out of fuel to find justice for his beloved son. I admire that. I fully admire his heroic deeds in becoming the host of AMW and has been contributing immensely to snatching sick predators that cannot linger around in the world any longer and especially caring about missing children. If John Walsh have not audaciously fought for our safety, how much worser will the country be in right now? Thank you John Walsh. And I am glad that Adam Walsh bill was successful and was made into law recently.

Wise Child, a spoiled girl orphaned by the death of her grandmother and abandoned by her gorgeous and powerful witch mother, is taken in by the village witch and healer, Juniper. Wise Child quickly overcomes her fears and--despite the hard work--becomes Juniper's protégé. Wise Child is stuck between the pull of the easy life with her powerful mother and the love and satisfaction of life with Juniper. This simple and magical tale is powerful because of the beautiful prose and the well-drawn and fascinating characters. Wise Child's voice is clear and powerful. Grade: A-

Wise Child was one of my favorite books growing up. It is a simple, but powerful story that is really enjoyable for young adults and regular old adults. The characters are very unique and compelling. Monica Furlong has a great writing style that is enjoyable in itself.

Furlong's novel, set in medieval Scotland, is a hidden jewel, well-written and extremely descriptive. Wise Child's narration, though perhaps a little mature for her age, is believable and poignant, and the novel proceeds well from one event to the next. The author's portrayal of magic is unique and genuine, and historical details add credibility to the novel. I would definitely recommend this likable novel for all ages; 10/10.

There aren't any good books anymore; that's what I thought before Wise Child. This is my favorite book, it is so detailed that I could see the village and the white house in my mind.
The book starts off excellent; explaining what is going on.
It gets a tad slow at the very end, but I don't mind.
The cover is so beautiful as well; because you can see Junipers kindness right there.
Wise Child is great and I reccomend it for anyone!!!!!

One of my favorite books from my childhood and still a joy to reread, Wise Child is the story of one magical child's coming of age. Spoiled but abandoned at a young age, Wise Child is taken in my a woman named Juniper. Juniper lives apart from the small, poor Christian village that Wise Child comes from, and she is a fair but tough mentor, making Wise Child work hard and learn much. In her house on a hill, Juniper teaches Wise Child languages, math, and astronomy, how to grow, harvest, and use herbs, and how to heal the sick in the village below. Slowly, Juniper begins to initiate Wise Child into the way of a doran, a class of magical women who live in the rhythm of nature and use their magic to help those around them. Wise Child's powers blossom, but dark shadows hang over her peaceful life with Juniper: her beautiful, powerful, dangerous mother calls to her from afar, and the close-minded town threatens their safety up on the hill. The book is a magical story of the hard work of coming of age and the love and power than can result from it. Wise Child must find confidence in herself, faith in her future and her powers, and love for her others in order to grow, creating a life-affirming, strong, true message. Furlong's writing style is smooth, her characters are easy to identity with and to love, and the magic in her story is both realistic and exciting. I highly recommend this book to readers of all age groups, and I love coming back to it myself.

The best thing that a coming of age story can do is show us not only the trails and tribulations of adolescence but also the good things about it and the wonders that we reap from it. This book does exactly that. In Juniper's house, Wise Child works hard, learns to do things she doesn't necessarily want to do, and is tested, but her abilities and successes are also celebrated. Juniper is perhaps the idea parent-figure: she coaches, supports, loves, but also forces Wise Child to be strong and stand on her own two feet. As such, Wise Child's story is easy to identify with but also uplifting and promising--the reader comes away knowing that they are not alone in their difficulties, but also that there is something to be gained from it all. The balance between sacrifice and gain is perfect, making this a wonderful read for adolescents and the still-maturing of all age.

Not only is the basis of the story a strong one, the actual aspects of it, including characterization, writing style, and details such as the role of magic are all incredibly well done. Juniper is a mysterious, open-hearted, independent woman, a real role model and inspiring character. Wise Child is realistically selfish and doubtful, but also shows realistic growth and strength that the reader can imitate. Wise Child's POV is in character without being limited, aggravating, or immature, and the overall writing style is smooth, clean, and incredibly fluid and easy to read. The role of magic in the story is well thought out: Furlong makes it quite clear, through Juniper, that there are different realms of what it means to be "real," and her conception of magic manages to make sense in the visible world while still containing enough fantasy and originality to sweep the reader away. Truly this is a skillful book, perhaps the most skillful that Furlong as written. In holds up well when reread and works well for any audience.

I highly recommend Wise Child. To the adolescent, it is a story they can identify with and be inspired by; to those chronically out of adolescence, it is a way to look back and reassess our own journeys, and also a reminder than learning, maturity, and increasing strength is a never ending, never easy, entirely worthwhile journey. The book is a quick read, engrossing, and enjoyable. I'm happy to own it and return to reread it every year or two.

My son was able to read an entire book on his first try. These are great. I know it is helpful for teaching reading and that it is helping my four-year olds learn how to read. I would highly recomment this series.

My 5 yr old son starts kindegarden this fall and my goal is to get him to read before school starts. While going through flash cards to get him to know the sounds of every letter in the alphabet, it got boring and he started to get frustrated. To make this experience more exciting for both of us, I brought the the Sesame street "Alphabet Jungle game" and Bob books. He watched the Alphabet Jungle game on Sunday, which reinforced all the sounds of the alphabet to him. On Monday we went through the first 3 BOB books and I couldn't belive it...my son can read the first few book now...only after one sitting.

Wow these books are amazing. Crafty and to the point. My son started these about 1 year ago and began reading 1 and 2 syllable words within the 1st two times of reading through the series. The boos can be colored by children since the drawings are just outlined pictures. I loved them, they beat hooked on phonics for me!

The series has been renumbered yet again. The new ISBN for the first set is 0439845009.

Bob Books come in 5 sets on 3 levels, and they cover the fundamentals of reading through about half of the Kindergarten level, which is lower than either of the other programs. Each set contains 8-12 books for the child to read, with a line or two of text per page.

Unlike many programs, there is little to no direction for the parent. However, they are carefully crafted to introduce the sounds in a systematic and maximally rewarding way, as well as carefully choosing sight words. The very first book requires that the child know the sounds of only four letters (M, A, S, T) and one sight word (on). The rest of the first set of 12 books (12 pages each) introduces the rest of the alphabet and short-vowel sounds, carefully reviewing everything learned, as well as a handful of high-untility sight words. The second set of 12 books (12 pages each) reinforces what was learned in the first set with more text per page, more plurals, ore sight words, and a few blends. The second level begins with the third set, which has 10 books (16 pages each) and introduces more text, more blends, and some compound words, while the fourth set (4 with 16 pages and 4 with 24 pages) has more blends, more sight words, and long compound words. The final set, in the third level (4 with 16 pages and 4 with 24 pages), has longer stories and introduces long vowels.

The thing my son likes most is that I'm not telling him what to do most of the time, and he doesn't have to repeat books!
Some parents find that the level of progression slows after the first set, but we're going to do them all. It helps my son acquire speed and fluency painlessly.

The only bad points: The words are handwritten, which means that despite the excellent handwriting, there is some inconsistency in spacing and letter shapes that will give some readers problems. Also, if your child likes to gaze for a l-o-n-g time at every picture, painless swifty becomes agaonizing. For that case, I recommend McGuffey's Eclectic Readers
This isn't sufficient to bring a child to the end of the Kindergarten level, but it gets them reading basic books very fast! Many people like the later part of Nora Gaydos' series to follow up. I will use an out-of-print series that I got from my aunt for free :-) called Scholastic Phonics Ready Readers (ISBN 0439325099 and others) starting with books 37. Afterwards, there are many classic early reader books that he can read, like Little Bear and Frog and Toad.

Generally I thought these books were good. After months of struggling, my son suddenly "broke the code", and these were the first books he read. Because of their simplicity, he could immediately read them straight through, with very few errors, which felt like a much-deserved and much-appreciated reward after all that hard work. The two of us were both laughing with relief and delight.

However, one thing that bothered us was the occurrence of "words" that aren't really words. What are those for? Examples:

"The vet ran zip zap."
"ZAM!"

When my son read those words, he thought he was reading incorrectly, since the "words" didn't make any sense to him. I was annoyed because the books made him feel uncertain at those points, though he was reading perfectly.

There were a couple of sentences that were unnatural, too. For example, "Dot did nap." Normally we say, "Dot napped," do we not? Of course, "napped" is a more advanced word and would have been unsuitable for the first series. But my son scratched his head over some of these sentences because the wording was not natural.

I thought the downside should be stated, even though the high praise the books have received here is well deserved.

I bought this for my child and have bought it as a baby gift for friends many times since. Everyone loves it. Very endearing.

Our son was born at night, which is why I bought the book - just for the title. We read it to him everynight, and even now, 6 months later, I still get choked up while reading it.

We love the message of it - that there is only one YOU ever - and will read this to our son as long as he lets us.

Best book we have in his library - by far.

My daughter absolutely LOVES this book! It's her favorite. It is a wonderful reminder to all children that they are loved, unique and special. The illustrations are gorgeous and the book reads like a lullabye! Buy one for every special child you know. It makes a great birthday gift!

This is a nice (mostly)picture book. Some of the drawings are a little abstract for a toddler. The more I read it to my child, the more I like it. I guess it's growing on me. Nice message -that the child is special.

This is a wonderful book! It is my favorite book to give as a baby gift. I have given it to grandmother's to read to their new grandbaby. The illustrations are beautiful.

In this book, Merlin must return the dark hills to normal and restore all the land in Fincayra with the flowering harp. He is aided by his friend Rhia and Bumblewy, a pathetic jester. His longing for his mother soon takes priority over restoring the land. With the help of the wisest shell he is able to bring his mother from Earth to Fincayra. But she quickly catches the death curse and the only way to cure it is by traveling to the otherworld to retrieve the Elixir of Dagda. In order to do this he must find the souls of the seven songs of magic, travel through the otherworld well, fight a Cyclops named Balor, retrieve the Elixir and return it to his mother. With the help of his two companions, he will have to do this in one month before his mother dies.
This second book of the Merlin series was good. It was well written and interesting. The only thing I didn't like was how easily everything fit together, and how something always happened to break Merlin's way when he was looking for the souls of the songs. I think T.A. Barron did a great job of expressing the emotion of the characters. This book is filled with magic. I would recommend this for people of all ages.

The Seven Songs of Merlin is the second book in the Merlin series written by T.A. Barron. This is a story about a young boy who is discovering himself and what's within him. It is an adventure including mystical creatures, distant lands, and eccentric characters. This series of five books tells the adventures of a well- known wizard before he was famous. It is prologue to the stories King Arthur. The Merlin series is a great series and I do recommend it.
For you to understand some things I will explain about the Seven Songs book, you must know a little about the previous book. The first book starts out with Merlin waking up on a shoreline not knowing who or where he is. A woman takes him in and claims to be his mother, but he is not sure that she is. Merlin discovers he is not an ordinary boy and goes to the mystical land called Fincayra. On this island he finds out that the woman is his mother and discovers his fate. He has powers and is destined to become a greater wizard than his grandfather Tuatha. He goes on an exciting adventure and finds a new friend Rhia. When the first book ended it left me hanging and wanting more, and that is what led me to read this book, The Seven Songs of Merlin.
The book starts out with Merlin missing his mother and wanting her to be with him on Fincayra, so he finds a way to bring her to him. This way is to find the talking shell and tell it what he wants most. When he does this his mother arrives on the beach. When she arrives she is enticed by a cursed flower and the second she touches it she becomes extremely ill and weak. Merlin is filled with guilt and rage. Then he is told that the spirit Dagda has an elixir to cure the disease, but the only problem is Dagda is in the otherworld which is where all spirits live and Merlin is in Fincayra, the middle world. Fincayra is neither mortal or spirit; it is called the in- between place. Merlin is told he must follow the seven songs of wisdom left for him by his grandfather. He must get through all seven songs in time to save his mother. This journey will prepare him to face the giant vile ogre Balor guarding the entrance to the otherworld. Merlin finds these songs on the inside of an ancient tree and sets off on his quest. These tasks are not easy and they take him all over the land. He learns many things about magic as well as things about himself.
Will he make it to the otherworld in time, will the ogre, whose smallest glance can kill, be Merlin's end, or will he prevail and accomplish the task he set out for? Read this fantastic book to find out. I really enjoyed this book. It never had a dull moment and I just couldn't put it down. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good adventure or fantasy. The character development was great and it had an intriguing plot. Free time is not something to be wasted, so have a good experience by reading this book. Plus, when you're done reading this one, there are three more books left that are just as good, if not better, that you can read which also tell the story of an interesting adventure.
There are only a few drawbacks that I was able to come up with. The first one that came to my mind is that you have to read the first book to read the second one so you will understand the plot. So, if you want to read the third one you must read the first and second. Its not a drawback if you like to read, but if you're looking for a book that you can just sit and read without wondering what happened in the previous book or what is going to happen in the next book, then this is not the book for you. Another drawback is this book isn't very short and takes a while to read. It is around 300 pages. I think the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, and have personally read 4 of the 5 books and consider them all to be well written and excellent books. Once more I would like to say I personally recommend this book and series to anyone, but mostly fantasy fans.


John F.

This is a wonderful sequel to the already great 1st book, the lost years of merlin.


After merlin topples stangmar, his father, he needs to "revive" the land with the flowering harp. however, he decides that he wants to bring his mother to Fincayra 1st. Using the wisest shell from the shore of speaking shells, he summons his mother to the island. when merlin's mother tries to smell a flower, a death shadow slides out and forces her to swallow it. A death shadow is Rhita Gawr's most painful way of killing someone.It gives the victim a month to live in which the victim will begin to suffer more and more pain. at the end of the month, he or she will die while enduring almost unbearable pain. Merlin finds out that to stop his mother from dying he must retrieve the elixer of Dagda. that means that he must journey to the otherworld to get it. However, the only way of getting to the Otherworld(apart from dying)and returning to the real world alive is to master the seven songs that Tuatha himself carved into Arbassa, Rhia home, a tree. After mastering all of the songs he must defeat/slay Rhita gawr's most fearsome servant, Balor, the one-eyed ogre. While merlin is quickly trying to get the elixer of Dagda, he discovers some thing abouut Rhia that leaves him in a great shock but only makes him triple his efforts to finds the elixer.

This is truly the best book that i have ever read and i think it deserves seven stars out of five. I hope you enjoy it as much as i do.
COMPLIMENTS TO YOU MR. BARRON!!!!!!

This is a wonderful sequel to the already great 1st book, the lost years of merlin.


After merlin topples stangmar, his father, he needs to "revive" the land with the flowering harp. however, he decides that he wants to bring his mother to Fincayra 1st. Using the wisest shell from the shore of speaking shells, he summons his mother to the island. when merlin's mother tries to smell a flower, a death shadow slides out and forces her to swallow it. A death shadow is Rhita Gawr's most painful way of killing someone.It gives the victim a month to live in which the victim will begin to suffer more and more pain. at the end of the month, he or she will die while enduring almost unbearable pain. Merlin finds out that to stop his mother from dying he must retrieve the elixer of Dagda. that means that he must journey to the otherworld to get it. However, the only way of getting to the Otherworld(apart from dying)and returning to the real world alive is to master the seven songs that Tuatha himself carved into Arbassa, Rhia home, a tree. After mastering all of the songs he must defeat/slay Rhita gawr's most fearsome servant, Balor, the one-eyed ogre. While merlin is quickly trying to get the elixer of Dagda, he discovers some thing abouut Rhia that leaves him in a great shock but only makes him triple his efforts to finds the elixer.

This is truly the best book that i have ever read and i think it deserves seven stars out of five. I hope you enjoy it as much as i do.

The second installment of the Lost Years of Merlin finds him fighting not only for his own life, but also the lives of 2 people close to him. He must solve the mysteries of the seven songs and come to understand their meanings before he can be of any use to those who desperately need him. The perils are many, the rewards are spectacular.

T.A. Barron writes another winner as he continues his saga of Merlin, before Camelot and King Arthur. The characters in this book are full of life and begin to feel like old friends as you read the story. There are appearances from past friends also and Barron makes certain they remain true to their character. These books are intended for a younger audience, but the story is so engaging and wonderful, readers of any age will find them hard to put down.

Join Merlin and company as they journey to exotic lands full of strange creatures, friend and foe. Cheer over their triumphs and feel saddened by their losses.

I highly recommend this series to all ages and interests. This is rich story telling at its best. It's also fun to discover where Merlin came from and how he became such a powerful wizard. The books are short and easy to read.

In this book, the Animorphs and Ax morph misquitoes to get blood from a govermental official the Yeerks will try to infest so they can aquire him. They end up in Z-space and an Andalite ship picks them up. The ship is headed for Leera (remember book 15) and the pilot turns out to be a tratior! One of the officers kills the captain and self-distructs the ship, because it landed behind enemy lines. The Animorphs start disapering. Two have disapered by the time they reach the sea. The remaning Animorphs morph sharks and go into the ocean. Finally Ax and one remaning Animorphs are on a mission to destroy some Yeerk thing. Only Ax is left and he does it. What will happen next? Read the book to find out!

For a good synapsis of the actual story, I suggest you read the reviews before mine. They give an excellent overall idea of the story, so I don't want to repeat it in this review, as well.

As another outlook of someone way over the target audience, I've been reviewing the Animorphs for other adults who might be curious. This is another very well written and interesting story which introduces us to the earlier mentioned Leeran race which the Yeerks were attempting to make shark controllers for. Ax faces some very tough decisions in this particular story. Although the main theme is action packed alongside humor, we again have a story about a very lonely young boy who is growing up to fill the shoes (or hooves, as it were) of an older brother who was a legend, serve his people according to his beliefs, and yet where does that put him with the humans, who are almost a foster family? His loyalties are put to the ultimate test when he faces fellow Andalites, who are mortified to think humans have been given the morphing technology. The secret shame of the Andalites in unleashing the Yeerks on the galaxy because of a well-meaning Andalite has made the race very strict about offering anything to another race ever again. Ax was forced with the burden of accepting responsibility for giving the Animorphs their power to keep Elfangor's name cleared so his people can have a hero to look up to in a dark time of war in an earlier book. He has to face that again, this time to his own people, who he's wanted to see for a very long time. Ax also finds himself tail to tail with Visser Three once again, leaving the young cadet to wonder about fear, how to overcome it, and the real meaning of a coward. All of this is rolled into an exciting story about the Animorphs finding themselves swept up into a war between Yeerks and Leerans on a far distant planet due to a Z-Space fluke and a tiny morph. Ax's loyalties are questioned by himself, but also by the rest of the Animorphs. Is he one of them, or isn't he? What is he, really, Andalite or in his hearts, partially human? Ax is able to find his peace by the end of the story, and learns some very harsh realities about his own people, himself, and the world around him.

Animorphs: The Decision By K.A. Applegate

Ax is an andalite stuck on earth because of the horrible Visser Three, a monstrous Yeerk that is the only one to control an andalite's body. Visser Three destroys the andalite dome ship and kills Ax's brother, Elfangor. Now Ax is left with the task of avenging his brother's death and helping his human friends to beat the Yeerks and save Earth. I think the story was excellent and really portrays being a newcomer to a new place.

In this book you will find a new twist on the Z Space Theory. Hint: Just keep in mind how small mosquitoes really are. If you're into aliens you'll love this book. Psychics can be a problem when you're trying to keep a secret. If you're an Animorphs fan you definately need this book.

I like when two different breeds of aliens have war. Animorphs #18 provides an excellent source of science fiction literature. If you enjoy down-right wonderfully written sci-fi this is the book for you!

If you like funny comics, then read "Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2". It has all sorts of comics. There is a boy named Rodrick, who has a brother named Greg that gets himself into some funny situations. For instance, in the first chapter, Greg wraps himself in toilet paper so he does not have to go to swim class. Greg's mom has bought him swim trunks and he thinks everybody will laugh at him. Greg also had to go home with his brother Rodrick in his band's car. Rodrick would not let him sit in a seat, so he had to sit with the band equipment. I loved this book. It is really funny and it will make you laugh. You will not want to wait to read the next Wimpy Kid book.

My kids (boy 8, girl 11) were THRILLED when I surprised them with these books. I actually had three days of silence - in the car, at home, you name it! They read one book, traded and read the other. Too bad there wasn't more in this series.

Wow, what a read. This is the sequel to the 1st one, which I bought I for my 5-year old daughter, it turned out I liked it more than she did. So I bought this one for her again, but I 1st finished it in two days.

I am a reading specialist for an elementary school. The hardest thing I have is getting kids into a book. Diary of a Wimpy Kid has done it. One student in my class read and bragged about and now all of them want to read it. I read it before letting the kids after it. I was one of the funniest adolescent books I had read in a long time. We all loved it.

Do you think your life is hard? Then you can relate to this book. Enter the world of Greg Heffly by Jeff Kinney. This funny cartoon book explains Greg's life with his mom, dad, big brother (Rodrick), and little brother (Manny). Now you can enter Greg's Junior high years of seeing girls. One day Rowley Jefferson (Greg's friend) has a cute girl over to babysit Rowley. She is the most popular girl in her school. Greg falls in love with her.

Each chapter,(day),is different. Learn how Greg explains his family. Rodrick is in a band called Loaded Diaper. This book is organized. It explains the days, feelings, and characters really well. I think you should really read this book.

In the end, Rodricks dream to be noticed happens.