A lot of new challenges!

I'm joining a ton of new challenges this year! I only have two books left for the Four-legged Friends and two for the Book Awards Challenge, so I should have plenty of time for these new challenges! I'm not posting my list for the What's In A Name Challenge here because I already have a separate post for that.


First, there's the Sci-Fi Experience, hosted by Carl. This isn't really a challenge, but I'm looking forward to reading lots of good sci-fi books!






Second, there is the Mythopoeic Award Challenge, hosted by Lenneth. Here is my list:



Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

Tithe by Holly Black

Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson

The Giver by Lois Lowry



Third, there is the Young Adult Challenge, hosted by Joy. Here is my list:


Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Swan Sister edited by Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow

Beauty by Robin McKinley

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

Finishing Becca by Ann Rinaldi

Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever by James Patterson

Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce

Underworld by Catherine Macphail

Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan

Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt

The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison



Fourth, there's the Back To History Challenge, hosted by Shannon. This is my list:





Finishing Becca by Ann Rinaldi

Number The Stars by Lois Lowry

The Coffin Quilt by Ann Rinaldi

On The Edge of Revolution by Deborah Kent

Air Raid Pearl Harbor by Theodore Taylor

Amelia's War by Ann Rinaldi

Seeds of Hope by Kristiana Gregory

The Plague by Philip Wooderson

Burning Issy by Melvin Burgess

I Am Regina by Sally M. Kehn

West To A Land Of Plenty by Jim Murphy

What Was Watergate? by Pamela Kilian

Alternates:

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution by Ji-Li Jiang

11,000 Years Lost by Peni R. Griffin

Two Girls Of Gettysburg by Lisa Klein

Robert E. Lee by James I. Robertson Jr.

Ulysses S. Grant by Steven O'Brien

The Seer of Shadows by Avi

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

Lucy and Her Times by Paseal Pieg and Nicole Verrechia


Fifth and finally, there is the First In A Series Challenge, also hosted by Joy. Here's my list:



So You Want to Be a Wizard by Diane Duane

Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce

Sandry's Book by Tamora Pierce

Larklight by Philip Reeve

The Fire Within by Chris D'Lacey

Northlander by Meg Burden

Triskellion by Will Peterson

Terrier: The Legend of Beka Cooper by Tamora Pierce

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

The Divide by Elizabeth Kay

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper


That's all!

All I got for Christmas was books (not really!)

I can not believe how many books I got for Christmas!

These are the ones I got from Santa (aka Mom and Dad):


These are the ones I got from Mom and/or Dad:


This is the really cool book I got from Jean (thanks Jean!):


I received these books from my Uncle John and Aunt Susan (and cousins Sean and Cole):


These are the books I received from our friends Aaron, Kara, and Bryn:


And last but not least, I got gift cards from both my uncle Butch and Carl (thanks Carl!). This is what I got with them:


It looks like I've got a ton of good reading ahead of me!

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (book review)

I read this book for both the Newbery and Four-legged Friends challenges.


Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, by Roberta C. O'Brien, is the story of Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse, and her four young children. Mrs. Frisby is faced with a terrible dilemma. If she does not move from her winter home to her summer home, the farmer's plow will destroy both the house and her family. However, her young son Timothy is ill with pneumonia and if they move, he will surely die on the journey. One day, after saving a crow from the jaws of a hungry cat named Dragon, Mrs. Frisby learns about an intelligent breed of rats who call themselves the "Rats of NIMH". The rats may be the only ones who can help her... but will they?

This was a great story about a mouse who risked her own life to save her child. I liked the way the author compared Mrs. Frisby to a human mother in some ways. There was a lot of adventure in this story, and it was hard to put down at times!

I give this book 8 out of 10 stars.

Julie of the Wolves (book review)

I read this book for the Newbery Challenge.

Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George, is the story of 13-year-old Miyax (Julie, as her pen-pal in San Francisco calls her), whose father disappeared years ago. Miyax is running away from her Inuit village and a marriage gone wrong. However, finding her way on the tundra is not as easy as she had thought. Soon Miyax is lost in the wilderness with only a pack of wild wolves to help her survive. Slowly, she is accepted into their small pack as she learns what it truly means to love and to be a family.

This was an incredible story of adventure, coming-of-age, and family. Miyax is a very realistic character, as are her wolves. I liked how the author gave each pack member its own unique personality. I can't wait to read the sequels!

I give this book 9 out of 10 stars.

The Cat Who Went Bananas (book review)

(I read this book for the Four-Legged Friends Reading Challenge.)

The Cat Who Went Bananas, by Lillian Jackson Braun, is the story of Qwilleran and his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum. In the story, Qwilleran investigates the theft of a rare and valuable book and the suspicious death of an out-of-town actor. He also tries to figure out the mystery behind Koko's strange behavior. Has the cat gone bananas, or is he trying to give Qwilleran an important clue? Read the book to find out!

I loved this book because it was a mixture of humor, suspense, and bonding between people and animals. The funny and clever cats provide a twist to the typical mystery scene.

I give this book 8.5 out of 10 stars.

Wolf (book review)

Wolf, by Gillian Cross, is the story of Cassie, a young girl who has always lived with her Nan. That is, until she hears mysterious footsteps one night. The next day she is sent to live with her mother in a slum. Cassie helps her mother and her mother's friends with their traveling show about wolves, but she never really feels like it's something she enjoys doing. Then, a threatening note appears on the side of their van. It's signed, The Big Bad Wolf. Cassie leaves on a journey to save her Nan, who is in danger from the note's author. In the process, she learns more about wolves and her long-lost father than she ever wished to.

This isn't the typical coming-of-age story. It is the story of a young girl maturing over time, but also packed into the plot are wolves, traveling shows, plastic explosives, and terrorists. It's a story of suspense that will have you wanting to stay up all night to finish!

I give this book 9 out of 10 stars.

The Moorchild (book review)

The Moorchild, by Eloise McGraw, is the story of Saaski. She is half Moorfolk and half human, and she threatens the safety of her Moorfolk companions because she cannot shape-shift or disappear at will. She is swapped with a human child as a changeling. Saaski is treated unfairly by all the village children because of her strange looks. The only place she feels at home is on the moor with her bagpipes at hand. But when memories of her life with the Moorfolk resurface, Saaski feels that it is her duty to bring back her mother and father's real child.

This book is different from the other stories I've read about changelings. They are usually portrayed as ugly or dumb children whom the Fairies have swapped for a real human child. I never thought about how a changeling would feel. Saaski didn't understand emotions such as love or hate, but she did feel sadness and happiness, as well as anger and jealousy.

I give this book 8.5 out of 10 stars.

Up for a challenge? ***Sticky Post***

(Scroll down for more recent posts.)

UPDATE: I decided to set up a separate blog for the challenge. Head over to What's in a name?" for future info. You can sign up either here or there--I'll try to check both sites. Thanks!

I hope you answered "yes!" and that you'll join me in my reading challenge! I've been wanting to host a reading challenge for a while now, and finally decided to just take the plunge. Be patient with me though, since I've never done this before, o.k.?

This is a challenge that anyone can join, no matter what types of books they like to read. You should be able to find books from any genre that will work.

I'm sorry I don't have a banner for the challenge. I just don't know how to make one.
Update: Thanks to Court, we now have a couple of buttons to choose from. They're wonderful! Thank you, Court!










Update: Angela has also created some great buttons you might like. Find them at her icon journal. Thanks, Angela!


"What's In A Name?" Reading Challenge

Dates: January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008

The Challenge: Choose one book from each of the following categories.

1. A book with a color in its title. Examples might include: The Amber Spyglass, The Red Pony, Blue Blood

2. A book with an animal in its title. Examples might include: The Hound of the Baskervilles, To Kill a Mockingbird, Julie of the Wolves

3. A book with a first name in its title. Examples might include: Jane Eyre, the Harry Potter books, Anne of Green Gables

4. A book with a place in its title. Examples might include: From Russia with Love, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Out of Africa

5. A book with a weather event in its title. Examples might include: The Snows of Kilimanjaro, Red Storm Rising, Tornado Alley

6. A book with a plant in its title. Examples might include: Where the Red Fern Grows, The Name of the Rose, Flowers for Algernon

--You may overlap books with other challenges, but please don't use the same book for more than one category. (For example, you can use The Red Pony for either a "color" book or an "animal" book, but not for both.)

Prizes: Yes. There will be some small prizes (unless someone can convince my parents to raise my allowance!) awarded throughout the challenge, and a larger grand prize at the end. More details about this later.

To join in, simply leave a comment on this post with a link your list. I will post a list of participants here as they sign up.

Once the challenge has begun, I'll make a new post where I will link up everyone's reviews.

See, isn't this easy? Just six books in one year!

Have I left anything out? If so, please feel free to ask!
Answers to questions:
1. You don't need a blog to participate. Just put your list in the comments, and I'll post it here.
2. Feel free to change your list throughout the year, if something new pops up that fits the category.

***A big thank you to Chris for teaching us how to make this a sticky post!

Participants:
--Annie
--Debi
--Raidergirl3
--Diane
--Joy
--3M
--Jean (her list: COLOR--The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, ANIMAL--The Cheese Monkeys, FIRST NAME--Maisie Dobbs, PLACE--The Road, WEATHER EVENT--Isaac's Storm, PLANT--The Bean Trees)
--Maria
--Chris
--Court
--Lynne
--Angela
--Handyfemme
--Daphne
--Nyssaneala
--Athena
--Framed
--Tinylittlelibrarian
--Michelle
--Lightheaded
--Sam
--Melanie
--Christina
--Lenneth
--Kara
--Booklogged
--HoshiChan
--Susan
--Rebecca
--Michelle
--Paula
--Callista
--Nymeth
--Gautami Tripathy
--Rich
--Workingwords100
--Rhinoa
--Lizzysiddal
--Melody
--Dana
--The delinquent debutante
--Alison
--Stephanie
--Lisamm
--Mimi
--SomeReads
--Carl
--The Biblio Brat
--Ennavic
--Shelley
--Juli
--Cath
--Lake Oz Fic Chick
--Karen
--Kristi
--Grammy (her list: NAME--The Redemption of Sarah Cain by Beverly Lewis, ANIMAL--The Wolf and the Dove by Katherine Woodiwiss, COLOR--The Silver Touch by Rosalind Laker, PLACE--Texas by James Michener, WEATHER EVENT--Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson, PLANT--A Dinner of Herbs by Catherine Cookson)
--Stefanie
-- The Book Fiend
--Sam
--Mos Stef (Stephanie)
--Booksplease
--Beastmomma
--Lesley
--Iliana
--Steve-o
--Caroline
--Stephanie (Happy Medium)

I DID IT!!!

I'm so excited that I finished NaNoWriMo! I'm so glad I decided to try. There were times when I was worried that I wouldn't make it. But now I'm definitely doing it next year!

Thanks, Jean, for all of your support and encouragement! I don't think I could have done it without you!

Obviously, I need to do a lot of editing to whip my story into shape, but I'm going to paste my prologue here, since no one could get to my site:

Winged Wolf’s Cry

Prologue

In a land far away, past rolling hills and dense forests, a winged wolf stood on a ragged cliff. His searching eyes scanned the horizon worriedly. “Talia,” he muttered to himself, “where are you?”

He had been waiting for days, standing there, yearning for that flashing smile and those gleaming eyes. But it never came.

“You never should have let her go alone!” he silently cursed himself. “She never could have made it.”

He remembered all too well those dark pits of torture, where the Enemy captured winged wolves and took them, where his Daemons tortured them until they could stand it no longer…

He could stand it no longer. He howled out loud. The piercing cry echoed off of the cliffs and the caves around him.

“Jalon, you know where you have to go,” the wolf told himself, “before it’s too late…”

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (book review)

This book was for both the Book Awards Challenge and the Four-legged Friends challenge.

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, by Terry Pratchett, is the story of a sly, talking cat named Maurice and his companions, a bunch of rats and a stupid-looking kid named Keith. Maurice is the mastermind behind the biggest pied piper scheme in Discworld. But when he leads Keith and the rats to the town of Bad Blintz, he doesn't know what trouble it's going to cause. Bad Blintz isn't like a normal town... something evil hides here, something that could destroy Maurice's scheme for good.

This book was suspenseful, funny, and dark. It was also a quick read. The characters were well-developed. This was the first book I've read by Terry Pratchett, and I can't wait to read more!

I give this book 10 out of 10 stars.

Guardians of Ga'Hoole Book Eight: The Outcast (book review)

This book is from my Four-legged Friends Challenge list.

Guardians of Ga'Hoole Book Eight: The Outcast, by Kathryn Lasky, is the story of a young Barn Owl named Nyroc. He has fled from his mother, Nyra, a tyrant who rules the Tytonic Union of Pure Ones. This is a group of evil owls who long to take over the owl world. Nyroc yearns to go to the Great Ga'Hoole tree, where noble owls study and fight the Pure Ones. However, first he must fulfill his destiny by heading to the dark place filled inhabited by warring dire wolf clans and volcanoes spewing fire--Beyond the Beyond.

This was the eighth book in the series, but only the second one that featured Nyroc. I enjoyed some of the books more than others. This was one of the better ones. Maybe I feel that way because there were wolves in it, and wolves are my favorite animal. The wolves had a little Macbeth theme going; a lot of their names were characters from the play. I thought that was interesting since I just read Macbeth!

I give this book 9 out of 10 stars.

2 more for the Newbery Challenge (book reviews)

Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry by Mildred D. Taylor, is the story of a black family living in Mississippi in the 1930's. Nine-year- old Cassie doesn't understand why she is humiliated in public by a white girl simply because she is black, or why the night men ride each night to the houses of black families. But after each horrible day, she always has a home and a family to return to. Will it stay that way?

I loved Mildred D. Taylor's moving story! Cassie had to go through many hard times, but she always had the support of her family, no matter what happened, so while this book could be very sad at times, overall, there was a real joy expressed.

I give this book 9 out of 10 stars.


The View from Saturday, by EL Konigsburg, is the story of a group of four very different 6th graders who come together in a pattern of strange events to form the Academic Bowl team for their school.

This book was actually more like four short stories that intertwine to become one big story. I really enjoyed this one!

I give this book 9 out of 10 stars.

The Best of Poe (book review)

The Best of Poe, by Edgar Allen Poe, is a collection of short stories and poems including The Raven, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Black Cat, The Pit and the Pendulum, and many more. Some of my favorites were The Gold Bug and A Tale of the Ragged Mountains. There were also a few a few I didn't like. I found The Black Cat disturbing! Hop-Frog Or The Eight Chained Ourang-Outangs was very weird! Overall, I enjoyed the book very much! It was a fun introduction to Poe.

I give this book 9 out of 10 stars!

Something Wicked This Way Comes (book review)

Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury, is the story of two boys who discover an amazing carnival with a calliope that plays by itself, a tent full of freaks such as The Lava Sipper and the Skeleton, and a carousel that, depending on which direction you ride it, can make you younger or older. Jim, one of the boys, longs to ride the carousel and become older. His friend, Will, is wiser than that. However, one night Jim runs off with one of the carnival's keepers, Mr. Cooger, who has become young again by riding the carousel. Will reluctantly follows. But when Jim accidentally kills Mr. Cooger on the carousel, the boys get caught up in a whirlwind of nightmarish events having to do with the carnival, their families, and the constant battle between good and evil.

I loved Bradbury's fantastic writing! The book was full of vivid descriptions and wonderful writing. I can't wait to read even more of his books!

I give this book 10 out of 10 stars.

My List for "What's in a Name" challenge

Here's my list for the "What's in a name" challenge:

1. Black Beauty by Anne Sewell (a book with a color in its title)

2. Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt Harlow (a book with a weather event in its title)

3. Molly Moon, Micky Minus, & the Mind Machine by Georgia Byng (a book with a first name in its title)

4. The Tulip Touch by Anne Fine (a book with a plant in its title)

5. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (a book with an animal in its title)

6.Two Girls of Gettysburg by Lisa Klein (a book with a place in its title)

The Kingdom Keepers (book review)

The Kingdom Keepers, by Ridley Pearson, is the story of five teenagers who find themselves transported to Disney World at night whenever they go to sleep. The five are the chosen people to battle an evil group of Disney villains who've come to life! Can Finn, Maybeck, Willa, Philby, and Charlene save Disney World... and the whole country as well? You can find out by reading this book!

This story's plot was full of twists and turns. The characters were very well developed. I wish there was a sequel...and I wish I could be a Kingdom Keeper!

I give this book 9 out of 10 stars.

The Shadow Thieves (book review)

The Shadow Thieves, by Ann Ursu, is the story of 13-year-old Charlotte, an ordinary girl who lives an ordinary life. But her life transforms to anything but ordinary when she notices the yellow-eyed, white-faced men in tuxedos following her everywhere, she finds a very smart kitten, and her cousin Zee arrives from England. He believes he is the cause of a mysterious disease afflicting his friends in England. When Charlotte's friends start getting sick as well, Charlotte and Zee set out to find a cure. They find themselves in the Greek Underworld, where the angry grandson of Poisedon, Philonecron, kidnaps Zee. Charlotte marches to Hades himself to protest. She learns that Philonecron wants Zee to enchant his army of evil shadows so he can take over the Underworld. Zee is forced to obey. Can Charlotte and Zee save the Underworld in time? Read this book and find out!

I loved this book and I can't wait for the sequel! It was fast-paced, spine-tingling, and funny!

I give this book 8.5 out of 10 stars.

The Sight (book review)

(This book was on both my RIP challenge list and my Four-Legged Friends challenge list.)

The Sight, by David Clement-Davies, is the story of a young wolf named Larka, and an ancient prophecy about her and her pack. But an evil wolf named Morgra hunts Larka down, because she knows that Larka has a power beyond her own. Both wolves have a gift called the Sight, but Larka is the key to unlocking a greater power, and perhaps controlling all wolves in the world. Now her pack is on the run, and Morgra follows their every step. Will Larka ever be safe?

The characters in this book were very well-developed, even though there were a lot of them! It was a page-turner and I finished it in two days. I can't wait to read his other book, Fire-Bringer.

I give this book 9.5 out of 10 stars.

The Halloween Tree (book review)

The Halloween Tree, by Ray Bradbury, is a book about eight boys who, with help from a sinister man, embark on a fantastical journey through time and space to save their friend. They meet witches, mummies, gargoyles, and more as they search for the lost boy. Each boy is dressed in a different costume, and the boys visit the places and times where that "costume" was important (ancient Egypt and mummies, for example). The book sort of tells about how Halloween came to be.

I enjoyed the story and loved the author's way of writing! I can't wait to read more of his books!

I give this book a 9 out of 10 stars.

In other book news:
We went to Borders and I got three new books last night! Thanks to Jean, Mom bought me The Historian. Mom and Dad also bought Air Raid- Pearl Harbor! The Story of December 7, 1941 for me, and I bought Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean, which I'm reading right now.

Midnighters: The Secret Hour (book review)

Midnighters: The Secret Hour, by Scott Westerfield, is the story of a group of teenagers who live in a town called Bixby, Oklahoma. In Bixby, there are 25 hours in a day instead of 24! However, only people born at midnight can move freely during this time. Everyone else is frozen in time! Only these teenagers know about the secret hour. They call themselves the midnighters. But when Jessica Day moves to Bixby, she realizes she has the powers as well. But something is wrong. Creatures of the secret hour that have always left the other midnighters alone openly attack Jessica. Can Jessica and the other midnighters find out what it is before the creatures get her?

This book was fast-paced and frightening. The characters were both well-developed and believable. I really enjoyed the unique premise of this book; it definitely made me wish I was a part of it! I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

I give this book 9.5 out of 10 stars.