The Golem's Eye (book review)

The Golem's Eye, by Jonathan Stroud, is the sequel to The Amulet of Samarkand. It is the story of a fourteen-year-old magician named Nathaniel, who is trying to tackle the break-ins that are troubling London's magician population. However, just when Nathaniel seems to be getting somewhere, a series of more violent and vicious break-ins starts. Nathaniel knows he won't be able to solve this problem alone, so he calls on the very being he hoped he would never, ever see again.

This book was very suspenseful and it seemed as if there were a surprise waiting on every page. I certainly didn't expect what happened during this one! I can't wait to read the final book in this trilogy!

I give this book 9 out of 10 stars.

Walking: A Dog's Point of View (writing assignment)

The squat beagle, hovering on the edge of obesity, lay in his bed in a tired heap. His eyes were rolled back into his head and the occasional snort slipped out of his mouth. Nothing could possibly wake him.

“We’re heading out on a WALK!”

Except for that.

Jumping out of bed, the dog padded over to his master, his tail wagging so hard that his behind was shaking like an old jalopy.

“DOWN, boy.”

Not the old down trick! Did he have to? The dog sat, hoping this would satisfy his master.

It failed to make his master glow with pride as the dog had hoped. His master pulled him down by his collar until he was lying below him. He was supposed to be ashamed, but he felt nothing but frustration.

“CHILL!”

Huh? The dog hadn’t caught that last part. Did he say chill? What else could he have said? Still, in case he was wrong, the dog lay on the floor.

“CHILL, BAKER! GOOD DOG! CHILL!”

Now that the dog could understand. He leapt up and shoved his head into his master’s leg.

“Calm DOWN, boy!”

This time the dog was too excited to pay any notice to the down word. The sun was shining, everyone was happy, and he had the world out there to explore!

Then, clouds rolled across the sky to cover up the sun. Darkness descended upon everything, and the world became a dangerous place. For out of the gloom came the most horrible monster anyone could imagine. The Choker.

The Choker was a black fabric winding its way around the dog’s muzzle. If the dog wanted to chase something, all his master had to do was pull the leash and… ouch! His face was pulled back and his throat tightened. The dog hated the Choker, and the Choker apparently hated him back.

His master slipped the Choker onto the dog’s face, managing to maneuver past the dog’s twisting and turning head. After that, they set out.

So many scents! So many sights! The dog was immediately overwhelmed. He should chase that stray cat. No, the squirrel would be easier to catch. Sniff. Sniff. The unmistakable scent of dog wafted towards his nose. The dog’s head was spinning. Ignoring all the confusion, he went on.

Soon after he had left his house, the dog spotted a little rabbit in the hedges. A deep, threatening growl escaped his throat. His would-be prey, now aware of his presence, dashed away. The dog was determined to follow it, but before he could, pain shot through his head. Not the Choker again!

Then, the dog had an idea, perhaps the best of his lifetime. He twisted his head to nearly unreachable angles, rubbed it on the grass, and escaped the Choker’s grip. Yet as soon as he freed himself, his master’s foot was on his leash.

“DOWN,” he commanded.

The dog didn’t want to obey, but he had no choice. He sat placidly as his master reacquainted him with his old nemesis. Then, his master turned around and dragged the dog home.

As soon as he set foot inside the door, the dog felt sleep approaching and retired to his bed. He would have to tolerate life with the Choker, or life without walks.

Four-Legged Friends List

I'm so excited to join the new challenge! Here's my list:

White Fang by Jack London (wolf)
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Outcast by Kathryn Lasky (owls)
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The First Collier by Kathryn Lasky (owls)
The Cat Who Went Bananas by Lilian Jackson Braun (cat)
Poppy and Rye by Avi (mice)
Cat House by Michael Peak (cats)
Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata (dog)
A Dog Called Scholar by Ann H White (dog)
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett (cat and rats)
Watership Down by Richard Adams (rabbits)
The Sight by David Clement-Davies (wolves)
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM by Robert C. O'Brien (mice and rats)

The animal I'm reading in honor of is our family's beagle, Baker. We got Baker on October 28, 2006, as a birthday gift for my brother Gray. On that day, everyone was so excited. When Mom, Dad, and Gray headed off to Lollipop Farm, everyone at home was anxious to see what kind of dog we would get. They came home with a nervous and excited beagle who came with the name of Baker. What we didn't know was that Baker had thyroid problems, so we had no clue why he kept gaining weight. By January, he weighed a whopping 43 pounds, which is a lot for a beagle! Now, Baker takes a pill for his problem, is on a diet, and now weighs only 38 pounds. Everyone is so happy that Baker became a part of our family (except maybe Aldo, our cat)!

The Beasties (book review)

The Beasties, by William Sleator, is the story of fifteen-year-old Doug and his sister Collette, who discover an underground city of strange creatures who call themselves The Family. Collette and "The Family", known by most humans as the Beasties, take an instant liking to each other, but Doug isn't so sure about them. The Beasties have never killed anyone before, but they've left a trail of mutilated victims through the wilderness. But as time passes and strange things start happening, Doug has to make a choice: side with the Beasties, or face the fact that he'll never be safe again...

This was a great book! Full of unexpected twists and turns, the book never bores you. Each suspenseful page is better than the last! And I loved the rich, believable characters!

I give this book 10 out of 10 stars.

an update

I've decided to change my reading list a little bit. I read nearly 100 pages in The Beast of Noor, and I couldn't get into it. I'm going to substitute it with Midnighters: The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfield instead.

So here's my updated list:
*Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
*The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
*MacBeth by William Shakespeare
*Scary! 2 edited by Peter Haining
*The Sight by David Clement Davies
*The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
*Vampire Plagues Book One: London, 1850 by Sebastian Rook
*The Best of Poe: The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, The Cask of Amontillado, and 30 Others
*The Bartimaeus Trilogy Book Two: The Golem's Eye by Jonathan Stroud
*The Bartimaeus Trilogy Book Three: Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stroud
*The Beasties by William Sleator
*Midnighters: The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld
*The Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson
*The Cronus Chronicles Book One: The Shadow Thieves by Anne Ursa
*The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
*The House with a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs

Lost Hearts (a short story review)

I read Lost Hearts, by MR James, for Short Story Sunday. Stephen is your average 11-year-old boy in England. He is excited about his new life with his uncle. But when strange things start happening, he is not so sure. First, he dreams about a strange figure upstairs, behind a locked door. Next, strange scratch-marks appear outside. Then Stephen learns about two children who met a nasty fate with his uncle, and now they want revenge...

This story is very well-written, and very scary! The author meant to put fear in your heart, and he definitely succeeded with me!

The Silmarillion (book review)

The Silmarillion, by JRR Tolkein, is the story of the Elves of Middle-Earth and how they came to be. The book goes into vivid detail when explaining all the battles and activity, and the reader can visualize clearly what happens. There were many characters and groups, and many events took place at once, in different places. The book starts with Iluvatar(The Creator), making the world. Then, Iluvatar created Elves, and later, Men. There were also less powerful, yet still very strong smaller gods, the Valar and the Maia. Unfortunately, one of the Valar turned to evil purposes, and this was Melkor. Throughout the book, Melkor (also known as Morgoth), plagued the lives of the Elves and Men. When Morgoth stole an Elf's most prized creations, which were three brilliant jewels, the Silmarils, it was too much for them to accept. Some of the Elves went to war against him, and soon others were caught up in the struggle. After many battles and deaths, finally the Elves, Men, and Valar were victorious against Morgoth.

I enjoyed this book very much, but it was considerably harder to read than Lord of the Rings. It also took me much longer to read. The first couple chapters reminded me a little of a creation myth, but that resemblance left as I got further into the book.

I give this book 8.5 out of 10 stars.

Wolf Country (book review)

In Wolf Country, John Theberge tells the story of he and his wife Mary's adventures tracking the Algonquin wolves. Through his writings one learns a lot about a few of the wolf packs, such as the Jocko Lake and the McDonald Creek packs. You also get to know some individual wolves. The book describes the wolf-killing ban and the "winter of hate" that followed. It also talks about predator and prey relationships between wolves and deer, and the problems of coyote-wolf hybridization.

I enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in wolves or in the wildlife of Algonquin park. I hope that sometime I can read his other books and that they are as well-written and interesting as this one!

I give this book 9 out of 10 stars.

Video Nasty (Short Story Sunday Peril review)

Video Nasty, by Philip Pullman, is the story of three unsuspecting boys, a gruesome video, and a ghost...

Martin, Kevin, and David don't know what they are dealing with when they let the strange and mysterious boy watch their new video Snuff Park with them. At first they are just having fun, but then things start to get very scary. Just how does the weird boy know so much about Snuff Park?

I could tell straight away that this story was written by Philip Pullman. The dialogue was very similar to that of His Dark Materials. This was a very spooky story and I enjoyed every second of it. In fact, I can't wait to get to the next one!

This story gets 9 out of 10 stars.

(This story was from Scary! 2 edited by Peter Haining.)

Sounder (book review)

Sounder, by William h. Armstrong, is the story of a faithful coon dog named Sounder. Sounder is extremely loyal to his master, so when his master is taken away by the cops for stealing food to feed his family, Sounder tries to protect him. In the process, he nearly dies. Sounder helps his master's son live through the hard times ahead, but can he help the boy get his father back?

This was an extremely well written book, and I definitely enjoyed it. However, the story was so tragically sad that left me feeling a bit depressed.

I read book for the Newbery Challenge. (Four down, four to go.)

I give this book 8 stars out of 10.

The Penderwicks (book review)

The Penderwicks, by Jeanne Birdsall, is a story of friendship and adventure. The four Penderwick sisters: Batty, Jane, Rosalind, and Skye, are off to Arundel Mansion in the country for a great adventure. Once there, Skye accidentally runs into the owner's son, a boy named Jeffrey. Skye introduces Jeffrey to her sisters, and they become great friends. The sisters and their friend have many adventures they will never forget!

This book was OK, but I just couldn't really get into it. The sisters were very believable characters, but their personalities were not especially unique. It seemed as if the story was meant to be believable, but at times their adventures just didn't fit the bill. I have a feeling I would have enjoyed this book more when I was younger.

I give this book 6 stars out of 10.

Other books read since my last post:
*The Haunting of America by Troy Taylor (8 stars)
*Avalon Circle of Magic: All's Fairy in Love and War by Rachel Roberts (6 stars)
*The Sisters Grimm: The Problem Child by Michael Buckley (9 stars)
*His Dark Materials: The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (9 stars)
*The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (9 stars)
*A Break With Charity by Ann Rinaldi (8 stars)
*The Bartimaeus Trilogy: The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud (9 stars)
*Sabriel by Garth Nix (9 stars)
*Stravaganza: City of Masks by Mary Hoffman (9 stars)
*Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors by Jenny Nimmo (9 stars)
*Catamount by Michael Peak (9 stars)
--That's a lot of good books lately!

Spooky Titles

I'm so excited that the R.I.P. II Reading Challenge is finally starting!

Here's my starting list, but I may add more. (Probably later today, since we're going to the library.)

*Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
*The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
*MacBeth by William Shakespeare
*Scary! 2 edited by Peter Haining
*The Sight by David Clement Davies
*The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
*Vampire Plagues Book One: London, 1850 by Sebastian Rook
*The Best of Poe: The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, The Cask of Amontillado, and 30 Others

Updated to add:

*The Bartimaeus Trilogy Book Two: The Golem's Eye by Jonathan Stroud
*The Beasties by William Sleator
*The Beast of Noor by Janet Lee Carey
*The Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson
*The Cronus Chronicles Book One: The Shadow Thieves by Anne Ursa
*The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien

a couple more reviews

Mysteries of History, by historian Robert Stewart,explains some of the greatest mysteries of the world's past. The book starts with mysteries from prehistory and ends with modern times. A few examples include Stonehenge, Marco Polo, El Dorado, and J.F.K.'s assassination. Stewart goes into great detail and includes vivid, interesting pictures in each chapter. If you are particularly interested in a certain chapter, there are recommendations of good history books at the end.

I really enjoyed this book and I recommend it for anyone who is curious about the unexplained or anyone who is interested in history.



Shadow of a Bull, by Maia Wojciechowska, is the story of Manolo Olivar, the son of the famous bullfighter, Juan Olivar. The entire Spanish town of Arcangel is waiting for the day Manolo will fulfill his destiny and enter the ring. But Manolo has a secret he can't risk sharing with anyone: he is a coward and dreads the day he must start his bullfighting career. When the fateful day finally comes, Manolo must decide whether he wants to follow in his father's footsteps or live the life he truly wants.

This book was the sad and moving story of a boy coming of age and pursuing his destiny. If you are interested in Spanish culture or bullfighting, I highly recommend this book to you. The characters were interesting and you could easily believe they were real people.

Also read in the last two weeks:

*Flyte by Angie Sage (9 stars)
*Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Hatchling by Kathryn Lasky (8 stars)
*Ida B by Katherine Hannigan (8 stars)
*The Children of the Lamp: The Cobra King of Kathmandu by P.B. Kerr (8 stars)
*Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (9 stars)
*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (10 stars)

and pictures by Annie, too

(Annie--I hope you don't mind that I snuck onto your blog and posted your drawing. Just really loved this one. Love you! --Mom)

first 3 for the Book Awards Challenge

King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian, by Marguerite Henry, is the story of a stable boy, Agba, and his prized horse Sham. Together with a spunky cat, they have many adventures together and face many dangers.

This book was interesting, but sad. Sham lived with many cruel owners and no one except Agba appreciated his speed. It is a classic story that horse-lovers should definitely read. (7 out of 10 stars)

Caddie Woodlawn, by Carol Ryrie Brink, is the true story of the author's own grandmother. Caddie is not like other pioneer girls. She likes plowing, gathering nuts, and going on adventures rather than sewing and baking. Caddie gets in lots of interesting situations. Come along with her and explore the frontier!

This book was a humorous story of courage and coming-of-age. Caddie is only 11 in the book, but when she gets older, she knows she'll have to learn about being a housewife. Though the characters were real, the author changed Caddie's story a little. It still has a very authentic feel. (7 out of 10 stars)

The House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer, is the story of a boy named Matteo Alacran who doesn't know why everyone else looks at him with scorn. That is, until the fateful day when Matt finds out that he is not a human...he is a clone. Matt is the clone of the lord of the country Opium, a monster named El Patron. Matt thinks he is safe, until the horrible day when he finds out what clones are really used for. His only chance is to escape across the border into Aztlan, what was once called Mexico. It is dangerous though. Will Matt make it?

This was a suspenseful fantasy about coming-of-age and destiny. The characters were interesting and very believable. The book moved along at a smooth pace. There were sad parts and happy parts, and I'd say this book was just right. In fact, this was my favorite book of the three. (8.5 out of 10 stars)

Also read since the previous post:
*Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (9 stars)
*First Kisses: Puppy Love by Jenny Collins (7 stars)
*The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau (8.5 stars)
*Whittington by Alan Armstrong (7 stars)
*Wolf Moon by Charles De Lint (8.5 stars)
*The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford (9 stars)
*Children of the Lamp: The Blue Djinn of Babylon (8 stars)
*Varjak Paw by S.F. Said (9 stars)
*Sixth Grade Secrets by Louis Sachar (8.5 stars)

3 from the Newbery Challenge (book reviews)

Over the last couple weeks, I read the first three of my Newbery Challenge books (as well as several non-challenge books). The first of these was The Tale of Despereaux...

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo is the story of a mouse with remarkably big ears named Despereaux. Despereaux does something that sends him deep into the dungeons of his home castle: he lets a human touch him! It's true that Despereaux has fallen in love with the human princess and he will do anything for her. So when she disappears, what will Despereaux do?

This was a heartwarming story that would be a wonderful book for families to read together. Despereaux is an unlikely, but courageous hero. This book will be sure to leave you with a smile on your face.

I give this book 8.5 out of 10 stars.

The next book from this challenge that I read was Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes...

Jerry Pye has always wanted a dog, so when he saves up enough for Ginger Pye, he is so excited. Ginger knows all sorts of tricks and he can track Jerry down wherever he is. Ginger is soon the talk of the town. Ginger lives a pretty good life...until he is stolen!

Ginger Pye is a funny, yet sad animal story with another unlikely hero. I thought this book was very enjoyable and I want to read the other books by this author as well.

I give this book 8.5 out of 10 stars.

The next book in the challenge I read was Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech...

Salamanca Tree Hiddle is excited when she gets a chance to see her mom again. Sal hasn't seen her since she moved away. On the trip, Sal's grandparents are entertained by Sal's story about her friend Phoebe, Phoebe's disappearing mother, and a lunatic. Although they enjoy their trip, nothing can prepare Sal for the tragedy that awaits them at the end of their journey.

This story was actually two separate stories interconnected: Pheobe's which is funny, and Sal's which is tragic. This is a good family story and one that adults and kids would enjoy.

I give this book 9 out of 10 stars, my favorite of the Newbery Challenge books so far.

Other books read in the last couple weeks include:
*Warriors: The Sight by Erin Hunter (my favorite series) -10 stars-
*The Horse Charmers by Terri Farley -8 stars-
*Letters from Wolfie by Patti Sherlock -7 stars-
*The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein -9 stars-
*Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin -9 stars-
*MayBird: Among the Stars by Jodi Lynn Anderson -9 stars-

another challenge

The Book Awards Challenge hosted by 3M sounds like a fun one. You just need to read 12 award winning books in 12 months.

I think these all of these qualify...

1. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Pulitzer Prize 1961)
2. The Borrowers by Mary Norton (Carnegie Medal 1952)
3. The Moorchild by Eloise McGraw (Golden Kite Award 1996)
4. Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink (Newbery Award 1936)
5. King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry (Newbery Award 1949)
6. Shadow of a Bull by Naia Wojciechowska (Newbery Award 1965)
7. The Penderwicks by Jeannne Birdsall (National Book Award-Young People's Literature 2005)
8. The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer (National Book Award-Young People's Literature 2002)
9. The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett (Carnegie Medal 2001)
10. Wolf by Gillian Cross (Carnegie Medal 1990)
11. The Ghost Drum: A Cat's Tale by Susanna Price (Carnegie Medal 1987)
12. Watership Down by Richard Adams (Carnegie Medal 1972)

The Cat's Mind (book review)

The Cat's Mind, by Dr. Bruce Fogle, is the key to deciphering your cat's behavior. It explains the problems of spraying, wandering, and fighting, and it debates about whether neutering is the best thing for your cat or not. The book shows you step-by-step how your cat catches prey. At the end, there are also graphs explaining how neutered males, females, neutered females, and males compare in subjects like hygiene, friendliness to other cats, loudness, etc.

Although this was a highly scientific book and there were some things I didn't quite understand, I still learned a lot from this book and hope to read Bruce Fogle's other book, The Dog's Mind.

I give this book 8 out of 10 stars.

Non-Fiction Five Reading Challenge: 2 books down, 3 to go.

a final wrap-up

I'm so happy to have finished
the Spring Reading Thing reading challenge. I wasn't sure if I would make it, especially since I had 15 books to read for the Once Upon a Time Challenge at the same time. Here's my list of 30 books for this challenge:

1. A Rat's Tale by Tor Seidler (library book)
2. On the Wings of a Dragon by Cora Taylor (library book)
3. Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan (library book)
4. Danger After Dark by Ellie McDonald
5. One for Sorrow, Two for Joy by Clive Woodall (re-read)
6. The Naked Mole-Rat Letters by Mary Amato (re-read)
7. Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
8. Trixie Belden: The Gatehouse Mystery by Julie Campbell
9. Blue Jasmine by Kashmira Sheth (re-read)
10. The Keys to the Kingdom: Drowned Wednesday by Garth Nix
11. Nancy Drew: The Wrong Chemistry by Carolyn Keene
12. Nancy Drew: Out of Bounds by Carolyn Keene
13. Nancy Drew: Flirting with Danger by Carolyn Keene
14. Dear America: The Journal of Jasper Jonathan Pierce-A Pilgrim Boy by Ann Rinaldi
15. Dear America: The Winter of Red Snow-The Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart
16. Shiva's Fire by Suzanne Fisher Staples
17. Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo
18. Charlie Bone and the Time Twister by Jenny Nimmo
19. Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy by Jenny Nimmo
20. Clara Barton and the American Red Cross by Eve Marko
21. The Little People: Stories of Fairies, Pixies, and Other Small Folk by Neil Philip
22. Meet Kit by Valerie Tripp
23. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan
24. Unearthing the Dragon by Mark Norell
25. Girl in Blue by Ann Rinaldi
26. Dragon: Hound of Honor by Julie Andrews Edwards and Emma Walton Hamelton
27. Time Cat by Lloyd Alexander
28. Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man by Wendelin Van Draanen
29. Pendragon: Black Water by D.J. MacHale
30. Tai Shan of the Dead by Jean Lightner Norum

It feels good to have met this challenge. Not only did I read a lot of good books, but now Mom and Dad owe me a new book for finishing! A few of my favorite reads from this list would have to be Diary of a Young Girl, Dragon: Hound of Honor, Blue Jasmine, and Tai Shan of the Dead. Anyway, I hope I can do as well on the
Non-Fiction Five Reading Challenge, The Newbery Challenge, and the Book Awards Challenge (which I haven't finished making my list for yet).

The Journal of Jasper Jonathan Pierce (book review)

The Journal of Jasper Jonathan Pierce is a Dear America book written by Kathryn Lasky. It is the story of a young orphan who comes to America as an indentured servant on the Mayflower. Jasper is exposed to a whole new world full of "savages", strange beasts, and hidden worlds. When two boys threaten Jasper after he bravely stops their duel in the village, he has no choice but to run away into the wild. Jasper is taken in by the Native Americans as one of their own, but he dreads the day when they must return him back to the village.

This was one of the best Dear America books I have read. The plot was interesting and you never knew what adventure Jasper was going to run into next!

I give this book 8.5 out of 10 stars.

The Spring Reading Thing reading challenge: 30 books down, 0 to go!