Young Adult Books

My daughter and I both loved this book. Traditional Greek myths are retold through the eyes of Atalanta, Andromeda, and Psyche. The tales are fairly true to the originals, with a few slight departures. The mortal characters are wonderfully human, and even the gods and goddesses are rendered as multifaceted beings. These are love stories but there isn't any overt sexuality. I enjoyed the author's notes at the end, as Ms. McLaren provides information about the myths, ancient Greek culture, and women's roles. If you are considering this book for a young reader, you may wish to know that these notes do refer to homosexual relationships, which were a well documented part of the ancient Greek culture.
I recommend this book most highly to all myth lovers at a 4th grade or higher reading level.

McLaren's other book "Inside the Walls of Troy" is better than this one, but I really enjoyed this short book.

Atalanta has been raised since birth to be her a son to her father, rather than a daughter. So when her father proposes a marriage, she is furious. She outruns all her suitors in a marriage-or-death race, but one.

Andromeda is betrothed to someone whom she wants nothing to do with. Her mother makes the mistake of proclaiming that both she and Andromeda are more beautiful than the goddesses. Andromeda is sent to death, but something happens that changes that.

Psyche is one of the most beautiful women alive. One day, a nameless immortal asks for her hand in marriage. Psyche goes to the man's home and is never happier, until she makes a horrible mistake.

I LOVED Psyche's story and I wish that McLaren had made Psyche's story a book alone. While this is not my favorite Greek myths book, it is worth reading.

~Atalanta

I loved this when i first read it back in 8th grade. Now that i bought it and re-read it again, i love it even more! I have loved greek mythology and romantic stuff for a long time and this book provides both. It first inspired me to write my own greek mythology love story back in 8th grade. But now that i have re-read it and another one of the author's books, i'm going to fix my story and make it better.

This book was pretty good. I definitely enjoyed reading it. Aphrodite's Blessing is a book about three Greek myths. In these myths, Aphrodite plays a main role in the lives of the main characters: Atalanta, Andromeda, and Psyche.

In the first myth, Atalanta is of an age to marry. But she doesn't want to be married off and to get out of it, she races against her suitors. If Atalanta wins, her suitors will be executed. If she loses, she will be married off to the winner. Atalanta ends up winning most of the races and tying only one time. She stays unmarried, until Aphrodite decides to change all that.

In the second myth, Andrommeda is going to be thrown in a loveless, arranged marriage. Until her mother brags about them being more beautiful than the water nymphs. In consequence, Andrommeda must be sacrificed to a sea monster. Until her secret hero comes and saves her.

The third myth is my favorite out of the book. It's about Psyche, who's beauty is enough to make Aphrodite herself jealous.
A prophecy has been made that Psyche is not to marry any mortal being and so she's ends up being married to an immortal. But there are sacrifices she must make. Psyche is not allowed to see the face of her husband and must trust him. But thanks to the meddling of her sisters, she breaks that trust and finds out he is Eros, a.k.a. Cupid. Now she must complete three tasks for jealous Aphrodite, Eros's mother, to ever see him again.

These are great stories and it gets more in depth than the original myths. I found out that some of the stories contradict the original myths, but i liked them anyway.

This book has got to be one of the best books I've ever read, and I liked it so much that I'm now absolutely obsessed with all Greek myths! My favourite has got to be Psyche's story, for it's the story with the most feelings. When I read retold myths, they are somehow rather vague. I recommend waiting for Oddyseus too.

Great Book. It's a wonderful comparison of the manga and the Anime as well as a great reference for how each character is developed. Also makes a great picture book for my 2 year old. She sits with daddy and looks at the picturers.

This book has lots of interesting info on all the characters and enemies throughout the first part of this great anime/manga series Inuyasha. It has many full colored pages and director, voice actor,etc, commentary. It also features sketches of important characters and enemies in the series from Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku to Kaede, Seshomaru, Jaken, Yura, Mistress Centipede, and many others. I found the sketches useful for learning how to draw. Anyways, this is definetly a must have for all Inuyasha fans.

First of all, let me say my daughter is a complete InuYahsa addict. :) She loves the serial tale. That said, this book is marvelous! It has drawing examples, story snippets, voice character interviews.... very informative.

Beautifully colored drawings and detailed black and white work.

My only complaint refers to the hardbound version..... The spine of the book broke down the back very quickly and had to be taped. Otherwise the book is very well constructed.

Be aware the book is made to read from back to front in the typical Japanese manga manner. A little difficult for me, but my 9 year old daughter grasped the concept immediately....

Well worth the money for reference value alone.

Other reviewers have given accurate particulars about this volume, and I agree with their high ratings. This book is really a delight and a perfect way to spend a couple hours in Inuyasha bliss. I was incredibly impressed with the color panels from the manga, taken from Shonen Sunday Jump. The beautiful printing job brings out the quality of Takahashi's art, and I find myself going back and studying these pages again and again. There is also a nice section at the beginning (short but sweet) about the difference between manga and animation when it comes to storytelling techniques. As it's been said elsewhere in these reviews, if you're a fan of Inuyasha, this is a must-have. Keep in mind this isn't a voluminous book with tons of text ... you can read the whole thing in just two or three hours. But the art in it, and its A-plus presentation here, offers many more hours of enjoyment and you may, like me, find yourself returning to this book repeatedly and feeling like you've picked it up for the very first time. The art in it is that good.

I am actually over 13 years old , however I didnt want to give my email address out so I said I was younger. This is a great book. I bought it for my 16 year old son and he absolutely LOVES it. He is into drawing japanese animation and this book was a great inspiration. All of his friends who are mostly the same age want to get the book to. I did see it at Borders also , for the same price , and you dont have to pay shipping and handling charges, also you dont have to wait for it to show up. Borders also had a huge selection of other Inuyasha books and other Japanese animation characters.

First book to a spell binding series.

At first when I started the book I thought it would be all about a teenage outcast trying to fit in at a new highschool.

Soon I found that it was not the case.

I absolutely love the way she uses a totally realistic teenage life senario and adds her dose of gothic fantasy.

Obbie, the main character, is one of the Sons of Dark in a ancient legend. He is also the historically oldest of the group.

This book is all about his life.

Known throughout highschool as a 'loner' he is also apart of a band, finding that music is the only real escape from this time.

As the book progresses, we find out that he will remain the same age forever, he is eternal, moving around when he graduated from highschool and then going to another, imagine stuck in highschool forever.

As strange and mysterious events are put into place, he finds out the truth of his father murder and knows he must avenge his death...what will befall this mysterious youth and his gothic adventure...

You find out...

Book:

It starts out with your average teenage boy, or so you may think.

Obie isn't just any teenage boy, he comes from the third century of our earth and was part of a people called the Visigoths. Obie can't stand where he is and the only realease he seems to have is music. He plays in a band with guys much older than him but, he doesn't care.

He takes a specail intrest in Alison a girl that has it all, the popularity, the friends, and the star football player.

In the end Obie finds out who killed his father and he has been seeking revenge every since. He was inslaved a alternate dimentio called Nefandus and thats where he was made imortal.

Obie and his friends set off to destroy the one that murdered his father.

Read and find out...
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My opinion:

This book was easy reading and I couldn't ever put it down. The story is so unique and theres so much to it you think that you'll never get it but the infromation fits together so perfectly and it makes you root for the heros.

I really enjoyed this book and I definately recoment it thats why I give it five out of five stars.

Ok i am really behind in my reading... this book came out in '04 and I got it in '05 and didn't finish it until '06 LoL ~~ Anyway about the book: This is a great book. It really is a fun read and the situations Obie gets into are quite funny. Since he's from a different time he doesn't exactly fit in in the modern world. I enjoyed Obie's courage in the story, Berto's recklessness and Kyle's protection over them both. LoL I also liked that Catty was slightly mentioned, but it was a bit sad to know what happened between her and Kyle. Well anyway I reconmend this book to everyone guys and girls! Thanks to DOTM i met a great guy... yes he actually reads DOTM haha... This was a great book and i can't wait to get started on the others. If you wanna chat AIM: yugi naruto girl ~ Lata

I liked Barbarian and how it started a new plot and concept in the same world that Daughters of the Moon took place in. Ms. Ewing has managed to write a story from the male perspective quite well. Good book, I recommend it if you liked the Daughters of the Moon series.

A very good book. It explains a lot more about Nefundus and it's kind of cool how Lynne Ewing connected the Daughters of the Moon to The Sons of the Dark. It was a enjoyable book.

A series has to be something special for me to invest in buying the manga... particularly when, at cover price, the cost will ultimately be over $250. O_o
Basara is that special. It is an epic story with believeable characters that you really become attached to. It moves quickly, but not so fast that it sacrafices the details and moments that flesh out the feeling of a scene. With a healthy mix of action, intrigue, and romance, one is easily caught up what is an amazing and beautiful story.

Although the art isn't your typical fluffy art, it is by no means ugly or unattractive. I think the people reviewing this comic have spent too much time eating sugar-coated candy and reading over-decorated comics. Calling Tamura's art anything short of "amazing" is insulting and inaccurate.

Also keep in mind that this comic was made several years ago, meaning there's a generational gap in artistic trends. The art style is raw, skillful, and radiates the epic tone of this series. I hope to see the rest come out here in the US. The story is great and not a single volume falls flat, not even up to volume 27.

If you want a story that hits you deep in the heart, BASARA is for you. There is deep social, romantic, political, and even spiritual commentary and meaning in this comic. It is a masterpiece and truly exceeds the medium it is written in.

Basara is perhaps my absolute favorite manga. The art may not be the most stunning, but the characters and story are excellent. I had seen the anime series years ago before the manga was released here. I enjoyed the series bu forgot about it until I was watching the movie 'Whale rider', I was reminded of Basara. I immediately went out and bought the available volumes and have been addicted ever since. I will not go on to describe the series here, but I would highly recommend Basara to anyone who enjoys a good story (also a great love story). The main character is neither whiny nor weak and Yumi Tamura weaves her tale so wonderfully.

How can i convince you: the purchaser of manga, the one with a credit card to begin colleting this manga? What if i just said...OMG THIS MANGA IS FREAKIN AWESOME YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!!!

Maybe you need more convincing than that. i mean it is atleast 26 volumes. and there are so many options these days it's hard to know what to buy, i've made mistakes lately too based on the exuberant exclamations of reviewers on this site. but i can honestly tell you who will love this book and who wont.

If you;re an older audience you will appreciate this manga.
If you like fantasy adventure you wil like this manga.
If you like complicated romances you will like this manga.
If you like strong, intelligent female leads who fight their own battles you will like this manga.
If you don't mind older works you will certainly not mind this one.
If you like manga that pulls you in, grabs your heart and never lets go...you will like this manga.
One of the most popular manga's of 90s and for a reason.

I HIGHLY RECCOMEND THIS BOOK.

Basara is not your typical shoujo manga, and Sarasa is a very atypical shoujo heroine. I was initially attracted to this series through the anime. I had read a review in which someone mentioned that it was a shame that not all of the manga volumes were animated. Having seen the anime, and now having started on the manga, I find that I am in agreement. When Sarasa and her twin brother Tatara were born in their village, the prophet Nagi declared "here is the child of destiny". Of course, everyone assumed they meant Tatara. Sarasa grew up in his shadow, with nobody expecting very much from her, and everyone expecting Tatara to lead them to salvation.

When Tatara is killed and Byakko village decimated by the forces of the Red King, Sarasa takes up Tatara's name and guise to exact revenge. This volume chronicles her attempt to reclaim the sword of Byakko, which had belonged to Tatara and which her female hand was previously never allowed to "defile", as well as a couple more attempts to strike at the Red King's forces.

The supporting cast, particularly Ageha and Shuri, is interesting, and the secrets concerning their histories are doled out very sparingly. The art is sometimes a little odd (I find the blurry eyes rather distracting), but I completely adore how Tamura-sensei draws little kids. This series (and the anime if you can find it) is highly recommended.

hello readers! i love katherine applegate!ive been tring to find a good book series for years!i use to read baby sitters club but now im older and i need books i can relate to!i pick zoe fools around out by pure chance and i read it and now im on book 11 and i cant stop!my mom says i should go to the libary to read them but i refuse because the money you spend on these books are worth it!i cant put them down!i wish i would of found this seires a long time a go! when i get older i wanna be a writer and i wanna be just like her(apple gate)but i wish i knew who michael was that name is always in the front in the decication page but other wise i love these boooks and i will read them in till the day i die or ms.applegate stops writting them!

I would really recommend this book to anyone looking for a goodbook to read. You might have to read the books before it in the seriesto get a better feel for the characters but you do get the whole story in one book.

Aaron is quite sneaky. He wanted that confrontation between himself and Lucas to take place. Lucas is so blinded by the anger that he doesn't see it. However, I am sure that Claire knows what it really going on for she plays games more than a little bit.

I am pulling for Benjamins surgery to be a success. I do not know what to say about Jake or Lara.

And, oh yeah, please be believe Aaron wants Claire every bit as much as Claire wants him. He likes Zoey cause she is naive and untouched.

This whole series is great!I finish each book in about 2 1/2 hours.I can't put them down!And Ben is by FAR my favorite character!If you haven't,I definately suggest reading these books.

For supposedly being a book about 19-year-old Benjamin Passmore (one of my favorite characters in the Making Out series), "Ben Takes a Chance" seldom revolves around him. Instead, it follows the various love problems brewing among the other Chatham Island teens. For starters, Zoey Passmore was found making out with Aaron Mendel in "Nina Shapes Up" (#10) while she was still dating Lucas Cabral (major déjà vu here; remember her cheating on Jake McRoyan at the beginning of this series in "Zoey Fools Around"?). Next is Aisha Gray and Christopher Shupe. He's recently proposed to Aisha and has been pressuring her to give him a yes or no answer before he ships out in January. (He's in the army.) Personally, I don't think they should marry, but we'll see.

And, although Benjamin had been debating for the past couple of books whether or not to proceed with the experimental laser surgery that may or may not restore his sight, the actual operation doesn't start until the end of this book. Major disappointment! From what I assumed from the synopsis on the back of this book, it should have occurred within the first dozen or so pages. Perhaps the result of his operation will be in the succeeding book, "Claire Can't Lose" (#12). I hope. (fingers crossed)

So, overall, this was a pretty good book (thus my 5/5 rating). However, I was a little bummed Benjamin was rarely the star of this book. I would think something as important as regaining one's sight would entail a few more pages or chapters than what was allotted. Still, "Ben Takes a Chance" is worth reading if you're into the Making Out series.

This book is part of the Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace, a heartwarming saga featuring Betsy Ray, a girl growing up in small town Minnesota at the turn of the twentieth century. The books follow her from kindergarten to marriage. In this particular book, Betsy is twelve and on the brink of high school, but she and her friends Tacy and Tib are still enjoying childhood and all that comes with it. Betsy's interest in writing is blossoming, and her world is expanding yet still endearingly safe, composed of seeing plays in downtown Deep Valley, seeing the town's very first automobile, meeting a long-lost uncle, befriending a lonely former actress whose daughter died, and visiting the new Carnegie library. Visit Deep Valley if you want a refreshing respite in the innocence and charm of Betsy's world.

We first meet Betsy, Tacy, and Tib's school friend Winona Root in this book, and the four of them make a wonderfully real crowd of friends. I especially enjoy Winona's addition to their group.
Where the first two BT books were almost little collections of stories, from Big Hill on, there are larger themes to them. Betsy's writing and her uncle, Keith Warrington, are tied up together along with her friendship with Mrs. Poppy in this story, giving a great purpose to the book.

These are the perfect books to read with my granddaughter. The times they lived in were much like my childhood. My granddaughter still relates to their adventures and it givbes her a glimpse of the world I grew up in.

I first read Betsy Tacy Go Downtown over 40 years ago. This book and all the Betsy/Tacy books have had a huge impact on my live. Imagine, finding out I was not the only one. Through the wonders of cyberspace I have found a whole communinty of Betsy/Tacy fans. There have been trips to "Deep Valley" and discussions of the books and characters. It is wonderful to find others who love the books as much as I do.

Betsy Tacy Go Downtown is a sweet book and colorfully paints a picture of a simpler, gentler time. These books have stood the test of time and are a wonderful read for all ages. I read them out loud to my daughter when she was 4, over 17 years ago. She enjoyed them and I am sure most people will.

I first read the "Betsy" books 4 years ago and am currently re-reading the series. Is there not a more delightful set of books for any age? 'Downtown' is my favorite of the younger Betsy books. So many plots and subplots wind their way around in this wonderful book. For those who love the theatre there several chapters on that theme. Do you enjoy Christmas traditions? A chapter on that. And how about Betsy's short story in chapter 9 "The Pink Stationery"? Hey, Robert Ludlum--move over! The relationship between Mrs. Poppy and Betsy is my favorite theme of the book. How mercy and compassion can transend the difference between age, cultural upbringing and social status. A sweet, sweet book. If you read only one Betsy book (and that will be impossible!!!!) this is the one to read.

Jonah Black's, The Black Book is a very educational, but exciting book. Everybody loves to hear about the funny teenage stories in high school, and this is just what this book is. Jonah is a junior in high school and loving it. This book goes along with the Black Book series, but it may go by itself. It is Jonah's first had experience with high school. Jonah runs into many problems and many celebrations, so be ready to ride the emotional and ego filled lifestyle of a teenage boy. I am not one to talk though, because I just explained myself.

These books were some of the best book I've ever read. They're so realistic and keep you wanting more. The fourth book pretty much ties up all the loose ends the first three books made, except for one. The author never reveals who the mysterious "Watches Boys Dive" is. This was one of the mysteries throughout the book, and we never find out? Did I miss something? Jonah found the matchbook she dropped, but it leads nowhere. Anyone have any clues as to who she is?

I thoroughly enjoyed all the books in the Jonah Black series, right up until the end of the fourth and final one. The author introduced several problems and never resolved them, and I personally don't like books like that. If you do, then this is an amusing and interesting series to read, it just doesn't end the way it could've.

Ok, so let me just say that I just finished reading Volume Four of the Black Books series and I loved it just as much as I love all the others. I received the first one as a present and had to rush and get the rest just so I could find out what happens. If you are reading this, than you are probably like me and want to know if the answers to all the questions that have been buildng up over the first three installments will ever appear and all I can say is "Yes, definitly, Yes!!!" If you have a doubt in your mind about getting this book then you should erase it immediately, because in the end you finally understand everything. I'm not saying that you won't still be wishing for a fifth volume once you are done reading, but all your big questions will be answered, and in my opinion they are answered in a good way. So in short I loved it!

For some reason, I always have a knack for buying books out of order, like I did with this one. But when I found "Faster, Faster, Faster" the other day in a used bookstore, I had to buy it, remembering it was one of the titles Amazon.com had recommended to me. (Amazon.com rarely lets me down.) Now, after just finishing this book, I'll certainly be looking for the other three.

Anyway, Volume IV takes place in Pompano Beach, Florida, where eleventh-grader Jonah Black currently lives with his sexually liberal mother and scary-but-genius sister, Honey. This book/series is set up to read like a diary with date logs instead of chapters, but, as I've mentioned in other reviews about teen diaries, it's obvious this book/series isn't a real one. For starters, it's too coherent. Conversations and details are written in-depth, which would be nearly impossible to do if you were really writing in a diary. But the first-person viewpoint does create a closeness to Jonah, and the use of AOL chats and e-mails are a nice touch, which most young computer-savvy readers will like.

About halfway into the book, Jonah and Honey make a road trip to Pennsylvania to visit their father and his new wife, plus check out dorm rooms at Harvard for Honey. Jonah uses the trip as the perfect opportunity to visit his old school and "save" Sophie O'Brien from herself, an institutionalized girl friend who has been plaguing his mind for a long time. It's no real surprise that he's attracted to her; he's a little out there himself, which is obvious right from the first chapter, where he's daydreaming about her while taking the SATs.

Jonah is just your typical spaced-out, horny teenage boy, which should probably appeal to the same crowd. I, however, didn't care much for Jonah, probably because 1) I'm not in this age or gender group, and 2) Jonah and his friends reminded me a lot of the guys I knew back in high school, as well as a few that I know now--and, no, they rarely mature past puberty (though Jonah does mature somewhat by the end of this book).

Despite these character flaws I complain about, they are what make this book/series work. It's realistic, truthful, and quite refreshing from most of the other teen books out there. The ending is fairly good as well (Jonah finally discovers who Northgirl999 is), but it does leave you hanging a bit, especially since this is the last book in the series.

Blue, by Joyce Hostetter is a magnificent book that made me think about life and its challenges in the 1940's. This piece of historical fiction, copyright and published in 2006, is inspiring and factual. It tells a great story while illustrating life during WW2 including the polio epidemic, segregation, and life for families whose fathers were in combat. Main character, Ann Fay lives in North Carolina where a polio epidemic has just hit. Her father is away fighting Hitler and she is home being "the man of the house." When the epidemic scoops up her younger brother her life becomes a whirlwind of emotion. Ann Fay's bravery and maturity are never ending when the polio forbids her from being near family friends. I would give this novel four out of five stars, because it attracts the reader and bestows upon them empathy for the characters. Anyone who is interested in polio or its effects would enjoy this excellent book. Also, many who enjoyed Small Steps: The Year I got Polio, by Peg Kehret would fancy this book. They both inform the reader about polio and paint a picture of the characters and their life.

Ann Fay is the man of the family since her father has gone off to the war in Europe. Mama's hands are full with the twins and little brother Bobby. Then Bobby comes down with polio and is sent to the hospital where Mama stays with him. After Bobby dies Mama is not herself and Ann Fay takes on the role of mother to the twins and Mama. With help from her neighbor, Junior, she is able to cope. When she comes down with polio, Mama snaps out of her grief. There is so much packed into the pages but nothing seems to want for it. This is a poignant look at a difficult time but so very well written. A fifth grade student of mine said it best, "This is the best book I've ever read." For those who have read Peg Kehret's Small Steps, try this one.

Ann Fay Honeycutt is only thirteen, but she's already the man of the house. This is thanks to her daddy leaving to fight in the war against Hitler and leaving his blue overalls for Ann Fay to fill.

Trying to keep the wisteria she loves from choking the vegetable garden she's been charged to tend is nearly a full-time job, and that's without counting the extra work of taking care of her baby brother and twin sisters.

Ann Fay thinks these will be her greatest challenges while her daddy is off at war. But then a polio epidemic hits their hometown of Hickory, North Carolina, and Ann Fay learns what real challenge is.

This is a remarkable story of courage and of a spirit that cannot be broken. The flowing language this author uses is just gorgeous, and the voice of Ann Fay is as unique as they come. I stayed up late to read the next chapter and then the next -- one of the highest compliments I can give a book.

Reviewed by: Julie M. Prince

I don't know if this book has won any of the children's literature prizes.But it should!
The tough,funny,true-to-the-South characters, make this a heart tangling story of a young girl's toughness in the face of her father's absence in World War II, the terrifying polio epidemic that sweeps over her home town and her first heart-to-heart sense of what segregation has done to girls just like her, except that they are black.
The story is beautifully written giving a sense of the red clay, the wisteria and the natural environment. Research notes look extensive, but this story reads to the heart.

Ah, historical fiction. Though it was the bane of my youth, in my old age I'm finding the subject infinitely more interesting that I ever did as an actual kid. I was always the child who'd rather eyeball the latest Anne McCaffery rather than choke down an Elizabeth George Speare. Now I almost look forward to delights like "Blue". Especially when they have covers as engaging as this one. Evoking more than a few "To Kill a Mockingbird" feelings through its cover art, Joyce Moyer Hostetter brings us a tale of racism, polio, and war. It's also a story of love, sheer will, and small acts of heroism. And though I'd some problems with Hostetter's methods, this is one of the best-researched thoroughly engaging tales of 1944-45 you'll find this year.

Ann Fay Honeycutt's father's going to war. It's 1944 and American troops are constantly shipping out. Before he leaves, Ann Fay's daddy hands her a pair of overalls and informs his eldest daughter that she's going to have to be the man of the house while he's gone. Ann Fay feels up to the job, taking care of her siblings and tending the family's garden in her dad's absence. Unfortunately, there's a polio epidemic in this part of North Carolina and before anyone knows it the dread disease grabs ahold of Ann Fay's little brother Bobby. Now Ann Fay has to deal with a horribly depressed mother and twin little sisters all in the midst of remaining under a quarantine. When Ann Fay herself comes down with polio, however, she makes the acquaintance of a colored girl and begins to accept what has happened to her with a kind of grace.

Now I have a low down-home-folksy-goodness-mixed-with-hopeful-wisdom tolerance. It's why I'll never be able to join in with my children's librarian brethren in loving books like, "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan or anything by Joan Bauer. And for a minute there, "Blue", had me seriously worried. There are occasional moments that gave me real pause. Imogene, the African-American girl Ann Fay befriends, has a section on "God's bottle collection" that teeters on the edge of preciousness. And I never could quite get used to Hostetter's choice of having Ann Fay's narration written in a kind of southern dialogue. Sometimes she'll be talking in the past tense but put a word in the present (ex: "... ever since his daddy's heart give out a few years ago"). But by and large the book's emotional impact is true and packs a wallop. I won't give anything away plotwise, but there's a moment on Ann Fay's porch when she's watching a fly land and take off that positively wrings the stuffing out of you. For a moment I wondered if this book would be classified by some kids as "depressing". But for all the sad moments in the tale there are just as many cheery or upbeat ones. Of course, this isn't a happy-go-lucky tale of how great it was to be alive in 1944. There were problems and "Blue" takes them all into account. As for North Carolina 1940s colloquialism, it's hard to find phrases any more authentic than, "Your momma always said I spit you right out of my mouth".

And boy, oh boy, you have NEVER seen polio better represented than it is here. I've always had a vague sense of what the disease did to you. I knew you could lose the use of your legs, just as FDR did. What I never considered was how painful that process could be. It's just awful. And Hostetter's well-researched encapsulation of the treatments for it are enough to make your blood run cold. Having recently read Gary Paulsen's fictional biography, "The Legend of Bass Reeves", which didn't have any bibliographic information whatsoever, you can imagine my delight when I came to the end of "Blue" and found all kinds of fascinating facts. There's an Author's Note that separates the truth in this story from the fiction. There's a list of books about polio, books about FDR, books about WWII, videos on the subjects, and novels for kids that's so in-depth and pleasant, I've little doubt that teachers everywhere will be creating luscious lesson plans out of Hostetter's hard work.

And Hostetter isn't just talented at factual information. She knows how to write a good scene and pull together a host of thematic ideas. In many ways this book is about how unpleasant it is to have to make the cross from childhood into adulthood. Between her mother's incapacitating depression, her brother's illness, having to look after her sisters, her father overseas fighting a war, and the quarantine placed on her by her neighbors, Ann Fay has to be the resident adult. It sounds fun when your dad, leaving, hands you a pair of overalls and tells you to be the man of the house. It's not so fun having to do adult chores and having adult worries when you're only thirteen. This thought really coalesces when Ann Fay is facing a patch of particularly gruesome wisteria head on. Until now wisteria has always been her friend. She has a little hideaway in the midst of its roots she calls Wisteria Mansion. Now it's threatening her victory garden and she has to fight it as hard as her father did. "Wisteria used to make me feel nothing but happy. But suddenly I saw why it put my daddy in such a blue mood. I hadn't wanted to see it his way. I wanted to think of it only as the beautiful wall to my mansion. I wanted to hang on to sunny days with sweet purple petals raining down on me and Peggy Sue". This, better than anything, is the tragedy of what happens to Ann Fay. She hits adulthood head-on and can't afford to look back.

To be blunt, I think Hostetter was doing just fine without bringing the issue of racism into the forefront of her story on page 121. When Imogene suddenly pops into the tale, her presence is fine, but it felt like the story was suddenly switching gears. Now the growing up too fast tale was turning into a tale of Southern racism... sorta. I mean, let's examine the facts here. Ann Fay is a lower income resident of North Carolina in 1944 and she has absolutely no opinions on the African-Americans she's seen all her life? Her parents have never expressed any opinions one way or another? It took a bit of stretching of my credulity to get around that particular thought. Not that Hostetter doesn't cover her bases well. Ann Fay's father isn't exactly receptive to the idea of his daughter hanging out with a colored girl when they're both well again. I'm not saying she doesn't do a fine job with that particular storyline. It just seems extraneous. Like a sudden feeling of "Oh! I should be talking about racism too!", kinda deal. It was a tale that didn't fit in with Ann Fay's previous struggles.

Well, there's strength and weakness to "Blue", but I'm just pointing out the small things that bugged me because the good things were so strong. Hostetter's got a mess of talent at her disposal, and I certainly hope that alongside her previous book, "Best Friends Forever", she continues to write up a storm. This is one of the finer titles of the year, no question. Well-researched, well-written, and certainly bound to be well-loved. Problematic in the best possible ways.

I had read many of Cameron Dokey's books since I was 16. I'm 20 now and am still hooked. I had read Eternally Yours, Blue Moon, The Talisman and Heart's Desire all in the month of my 16th birthday. I have been trying to remember the author for a while now- I can't be more happy I found these books again! Now all I have to find is an elusive (for me) book by Norma Mazer, and I'm good! ahh, yay Amazon.com! I have my friends back!(books)

I first heard of Ms. Dokey when I got "Love Me, Love Me Not" and loved it. I just now found Blue Moon and I liked it as well. It's shorter then the first and I found the pacing to be a bit too fast, but I still enjoyed it and finished it in a day. I look forward to the next in the series.

I honestly can't remember when I had read this novel, perhaps back in 8th or 9th Grade, but I do remember the story ever so clearly and the fact I stayed up reading it all night! From 10 PM to 6 AM in the morning, I read the entire novel and didn't feel bored at all! I also clearly remember the fact that I had a song stuck in my head throughout the read... The Cranberries - Promises, but it suited it well at the time...

This is an amazing story, and simply sweet and loving all at the same time. Recommended for all ages if anyone is looking for a romance story with a bit of a magical quality to it.

I fell in love with the characters! Everything they went through I went through. I lost the book and it's been years since I've read it but my love for the characters and the writers words haven't faded from my mind, or my heart! I would recomend this book to any one with a romantic heart and a love for happy endings!

Chance Davies wanted to marry Sarah Anderson for just one reason: she was the sole heir to her father's vast estate, an estate that would provide Chance with the wealth and prestige he never had because he was the son of a Yankee in South Carolina on the eve of the Civil War. But a jealous former lover, angry over Chance's abandonment of her, curses him, turning him to stone. Not even Sarah's love for him can stop the curse. In the present day, seventeen-year-old Kathleen leaves her Seattle home to move with her family to the Anderson estate. Although suspicious of the oddly human statue in the garden and the mysertious secret admirer who sends her letters and gifts, Kathleen dismisses rumors that the houes is cursed as little more than fairly tales. Little does Kathleen know that she is the only one who can break the curse and save Chance from eternal torment. But the one who cursed him, given eternal youth and beauty because of her worship of darkness, will do anything to stop Kathleen from freeing Chance, and time is running out. I thought this was a very good romantic suspense novel, and I really enjoyed the ending, which certainly proved that what goes around comes around!

We used this book for an Englsh and a Second Language class, works well, but there is a lot of dialect that is difficult for ESL people

Thirty years after its initial publication, Walt Disney Pictures spat out a sanitized version of Paterson's powerful novel, stripping it of almost everything that made Bridge to Terabithia one of the defining childhood experiences of my generation. Issues of class, gender nonconformity, religious blasphemy, and defiance of American patriotism (all made deftly pint-sized by Paterson's incisive pen) are scrubbed from the Disney film, transforming it from a story about the social upheaval of the `60s reaching rural America into a smarmy tale of kiddie friendship and removing the significance of the fantasy world the children create as an empowering sanctuary from their real-world fears.

Katherine Paterson, with vividly beautiful prose, tells a story about the friendship between a young boy and a young girl, and how that friendship transforms the life of that boy from something dull and normal to something as spectacular as a imaginary fantasy land. The book itself is short and an easy read, but what the book really says to the reader is quite a bit bigger than its page count. Much like growing up, this book is both sweet and painful, and Paterson truly has a great handle on what its like to be a ten year old, fifth grade boy. So for all those readers who aren't afraid of a book that will make them cry (for both sad and warmer reasons) than I recommend this book. It doesn't matter if you're a child or an adult, "Bridge to Terabithia" is universal.

10/10 Classic.

Its Jess's first day back at school, and he is ready to run. He had practiced every day all summer for this, races every recess between all the boys in his grade. Every thing seems to be going well, until a new girl at school out-runs all the boys. After this, running just wasn't fun anymore. Although Leslie (the new girl) and Jess are almost completely different, and Jess has "disliked" Leslie for ruining the fun of racing, the two of them seem to become good friends, best friends. And then there was Terabithia. A magical land that Jess and Leslie created, with good and bad creatures. When tragics occur, Jess remembers what Leslie has taught him about imagination.

This is not a book I would read over and over agian. It is a well written story but sad, very sad. My husband read it in 4th grade and didn't care for it and I just recently at the age of 29 read it, I cried. I couldn't believe the ending, I wish I had stopped in the middle of the book. If you want a true touching tear jerker, you've got it in this book. Do not read if you want a happy childrens book.