Category: Star Rating

The five-star rating system.

Posted on

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper Book 2 of 5

 Synopsis:

Will Stanton, seventh son of a seventh son is turning eleven and this birthday marks the beginning  of his awakening as the last of the Old Ones. The Dark is Rising tells how Will, met by Merriman Lyon, comes to power in the modern world and must accumulate the six “signs” to help fight the rising Dark.

Pros:

  • This is a basic story about Good versus Evil and how everyone must at some point make a stand for one or the others.
  • The pros in this book is stunning example where art and popular stories merge into one well done novel. Susan Cooper is hitting her stride after book one and doesn’t seem to look back.
  • This was one of the first fantasy novels to break into the Newbery Awards, which was no small feat back when it was originally written.
  • The story is well paced and full of suspense and creepy backdrops, but that might fall under the Con category.

Cons:

  • I really can’t think of any, but if you have a problem Arthur tales and the legends of Cornwall England, this may not be the book for your reader.
  • Like in the review for Book One of the series, I don’t find this story antithetical to anyone’s beliefs unless you’re an atheist. Since this is only fiction, I can’t imagine anyone taking a story so literally that it would cause them problems.

Final Word:

I cannot say enough good about this novel. This was one of two novels responsible for turning me into a reader.If you have any qualms as an adult, I recommend you read it first before you turn it over to your young reader.

 

Posted on

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Published in 1943, The Little Prince is still in print today. Why? Because its characters are ageless.Synopsis

 

The Little Prince leaves his tiny planet and explores several other planets, including Earth, and it is on Earth where most of the story takes place. Told from the point-of-view of a pilot stranded in the desert, he relates his tale of meeting this strange little prince who becomes his companion as he struggles to fix his plane and return to civilization.

Doesn’t sound like much, but listen to what the Little Prince has to say. “Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.” His statement reminds me of the words from the author of Hebrews: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. In natural conversations, the Little Prince is full of deep wisdom, which reminds me of Jesus’s words, “Let the little children come to me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Thus, it is far more than a cute little story about a cute little prince.

Pros

Saint-Exupéry zeroes in on what is important in life, and children have no problems getting to the heart of a matter (see my Pinocchio post from a while back).

The author also pokes fun at adults’ eccentricities, always returning to the premise that the soul of an innocent child sees Truth.

Cons

I had a hard time getting connected to the story. By the end, I was fascinated, bit it took time, and time is what most readers in today’s world refuse to give. Not only does the story lack shoot-‘em-up action (which isn’t quite true at the climax), it’s difficult to gauge the author’s intent among the seeming disparate stories of the minor characters as each is introduced. Maybe I’ve lost my child’s sense of wonder—I’ll see what my grandchildren think and report back.

Discussion Questions

NONE.

Because of my own reactions to this story, I don’t believe it’s a book meant for the classroom. It seems “sacredly family.” A parent can ask a dozen questions per page—there are so many possible avenues to follow, which is why it’s a classic and still available almost seventy-five years later.

Let Mom and Dad direct any discussions as they see fit.

Final Thoughts

The Little Prince was published in the middle of World War II. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was a pilot for the French resistance. His plane went down during a reconnaissance mission in 1944. I wonder what other jewels he might have created that this world will never read.

Posted on

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper: Book 1 of 5

Synopsis

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper is a  middle grade fantasy novel and the first of five in The Dark Is Rising series. It features the Drew children: Simone, Jane, and Barney vacationing with their parents in the fictional village of Trewissick.

The  children find an old manuscript with a map of the Cornwall coast in the ttic of the mansion they’re renting for the summer. When Barney discovers the map is related to King Arthur, they turn to their Great-uncle Merry. He confirms that the map is a reproduction of a much older map to an ancient relic of Britain, the children decide  to withhold the information from the adults and set themselves to treasure hunting. Merry does warn the children that there adults looking for the artifact, especially and organization called The Dark. Soon the summer activity turns dangerous as they are pursued by agents of The Dark, bent on possessing the relic for themselves.

  • Pros:

The book will be enjoyed by boys and girls since the protagonists are a sister and her brothers. The book isn’t spooky, but it is thrilling and has a lot of action that utilizes the supernatural as the backdrop of story.

Susan Cooper is a wonderful writer and took advantage of all the English folklore from the Cornwall region and uses it as a backdrop for all five  books. Of all the books, Over Sea, Under Stone is probably the weakest of the stories, but it was also the first of the series. This means that if you like book one, the next four only get better.  If you don’t like book one, try the next one because it gets better.

  • Cons:

The series is a fantasy series and will get darker as the books progress on, though in defense of Ms. Cooper, you will never find her books without hope or dreary. Some children might not enjoy the darker aspects of the story.

While the whole series takes advantage of the Arthur legend, the first book utilizes the Holy Grail legend as a backdrop.  While I don’t believe they are antithetical to Christian, or any other belief system (with the exception of Atheism), the Arthur legend does run parallel with Christian beliefs: so be warned, or encouraged.

  • Final Word

Susan Cooper is the reason I fell in love with reading fantasy as an eight year-old. Though I didn’t start with book one in the series, I still found this book fun to read. Two of her books in the series won Newberry Awards, which in the sixties and seventies, was unheard of because of the general disdain for fantasy.  Having said that, her work has continued to win acclaim and readers across the genres, which speaks volumes to the quality of her writing.

 

 

Posted on

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

“Everyone knows a Wanda.” I stole that from a recent Amazon review of The Hundred Dresses. Winner of the 1945 Newbery Honor Award, The Hundred Dresses has never been out of print. Why? Because it’s an ageless story about bullying.

Nineteen-forties America wasn’t familiar with cyber-bullying, but every generation has had to deal with sinful human nature, bullying being one of those sins. In this case, the bullying is among girls.

Wanda is a from a Polish immigrant family, she has a single father who’s doing his best to keep her clothed and clean and fed. But the wealthier girls in class notice Wanda wears the same blue dress every day. Wanda claims she has one hundred dresses in her closet, and of course, everyone laughs. The ringleader never lets her off the hook and baits her constantly.

The book is written from Maddie’s point-of-view. She’s one of the more popular girls in class, and she wants to keep it that way, so she never crosses the bully. But she feels guilty about not standing up for Wanda, especially when Wanda suddenly moves away.

Based on a true story from Eleanor Estes’s childhood, The Hundred Dresses teaches children the world over the painful lesson of causing someone else’s hurt.

Pros

  • The entire story is a lesson in empathy. Our world needs more of it!
  • While targeted for girls seven to ten years old, it’s a great story to read to younger children, or to read aloud in a small group of upper elementary students. And while considered too juvenile, even junior high and high school students will get the universal message of “Love your neighbor.”

Cons

  • Because it was written more than half a century ago, the illustrations and style of language are dated. That’s not a bad thing in and of itself. The language is perfectly understandable to any reader at a third-grade level (unlike Elizabethan English!), but if your child will only read a book with bright colors and high action, The Hundred Dresses is not his or her cup of tea.

Discussion Questions

  • Have you ever known a person like Wanda who was new and different and didn’t fit in with your classmates?
  • Maddie felt badly for Wanda. Why didn’t she do anything to help? Were her reasons good or bad? Why do you think so?
  • What did you think when Wanda sent Maddie one of her dresses?

Final Word

As you may have guessed from the last discussion question, Wanda really did have a hundred dresses! Each one was a beautiful creation.

 

Posted on

Stepping Stones, A Refugee Family’s Journey by Margriet Ruurs

Stepping Stones, A Refugee Family’s Journey is a story from a Syrian girl’s perspective about having to flee her country.

Rama loved playing with her dolls and her brother Sami, going to school, drinking tea with her neighbours and buying produce at the market. Life was peaceful and fun in her Syrian village. But her grandfather, Jedo, complained that they were not free to sing their favourite songs, or dance, or to pray the prayers of their choice. Then a few neighbours started to leave. When bombs began to fall near her village, the birds didn’t sing, and there was not enough to eat. More people left, fellow villagers in search of a place where they could be safe from bombs and enjoy life. The day came when Jedo told her family they had to pack up and join the rest leaving their village, their pets, and their life in Syria. They walked for a long time, carrying blankets, food and clothing.

They finally came to the sea and boarded a boat with many others. The ocean tossed and punished their boat and some people didn’t make it. Prayers were said for those they had to leave at sea. When they landed, again they walked, but this time they walked without the fear of war. New friends helped them and gave them food and clothes, and a doll for Rama. She and her family were called the lucky ones, the ones with hopes and dreams of peace.

Pros:

  • Margaret Ruurs has stayed away from politics, and has simply told a story from a child’s perspective. The child neither understands why the conflicts happen or when it will stop.
  • The Syrian illustrator, Nizar Ali Badr, has achieved so much with so little. He gathers stones from the seashore where he lives and creates amazingly powerful and expressive illustrations that are truly inspiring.
  • Children will love the details of the story, and feel for Rama who merely wants the security of having family and friends around and to live in peace.
  • Terrible things happen, but they are written in such a way so as not to scare small children.

Cons:

  • Frankly, I couldn’t think of a single thing to put here! I felt it was a powerful and moving story, and one that should be told.

My Personal Opinion: 

As an artist, I was pulled into the story because of the sincere understated style and the expressive and sensitively portrayed figures. The fact that the illustrator is also a Syrian who used local materials in such an ingenious way was a bonus. I always appreciate artists who think and work outside of the box, and the illustrations in this book showed amazing imagination. I also loved the story from a child’s perspective. Being a parent, her plight hit home. Their predicament will also help children see how lucky they are to live where they live.

Discussion Questions: 

  • Before the war, how did Rama’s lifestyle compare to yours?
  • Rama had to leave her home and bring very little with her. Have you ever been sad to leave a home? If so, what could you not leave behind?
  • The illustrator did not draw or paint the pictures. How do they differ from most of the illustrations you have seen?
  • Have you ever created pictures using something out of the ordinary? If so, what did you use?
  • When Rama and her family landed in a new country, they had to learn a new language. Have you met or played with someone who either didn’t know English at all, or knew only a little? If so, were they shy and scared?
  • If you know of someone who doesn’t know English, what are some ways to help them learn and to feel welcome?

 

Posted on

Painting the Rainbow by Amy Gordon

Painting the Rainbow is a beautiful, multi-generational story of the Greenwood family’s summer reunion. The Greenwoods appear healthy, supportive of one another, ideal—except for the mystery of Jesse’s death more than twenty years earlier.
Thirteen-year-old Holly narrates, but a neat twist is added. Her cousin, Ivy, also thirteen, provides point-of-view through her diary entries. The girls stumble upon various clues about their Uncle Jesse’s past, but no one will discuss it. Ivy’s dad, Jesse’s twin, goes ballistic if Jesse’s name is mentioned, and even their beloved grandmother Gigi refuses to enlighten them.

North Vietnam Flag 1965 By Lưu Ly
Japanese Flag World War II

Set in 1965 as the Vietnam War gears up, parallels between the generations become more and more focused, and the girls learn of an unusual connection between Uncle Jesse and a young Japanese man who came to their town shortly before World War II started.

Dozens of threads of the individual characters’ personalities and actions intertwine, and Amy Gordon weaves them skillfully into a sublime story tapestry—one I’ll read again.
And I rarely read a book twice.
Pros
1. The voice, the prose, the style—they all drew me in immediately. I didn’t want to put down the book. Forget lunch, dinner, housework, or writing tasks.
2. The story is a great vehicle to teach the issues of the 1960’s. We can see the results of those issues fifty years later.
3. Some books deal with dark subject matter and make me feel soiled by the end. Not with Painting the Rainbow. Every character, while containing a flaw, or two or three, is a realistic, valuable human being, and none of the flaws compromise a Christian reader’s values.
Cons
1. As per number three on my Pros list, the Greenwood family isn’t particularly Christian; however, they reflect moral values of the Golden Rule.
2. My own little pet peeve: the choice of Holly and Ivy for names of the main characters. Too cutesy of a combination!
Discussion questions
1. What were the repercussions of keeping a secret for twenty years?
2. How were the Japanese camps in America in 1942 similar to Nazi concentration camps? How were they different?
3. How was Jesse’s attitude toward war with Germany and Japan the same or different from Randy’s attitude toward the Vietnam War?
4. If you discovered a mystery about your family’s past, would you keep searching for answers like Holly did no matter if people got upset with you, or would you back off like Ivy wanted to?

Posted on

Killing the Rising Sun

Killing The Rising Sun

Killing The Rising Sun is an excellent historical account of the Pacific theatre during WWII. While the other books in this series that have been reviewed, Killing Jesus and Killing Lincoln, have been rated as suitable for middle grade up. Like Killing Patton, Killing The Rising Sun should categorized as new adult because the book was not written for children.There is a bit more mature content in Killing the Rising Sun. There is some language and content that is not appropriate for younger and more sensitive readers. Along with this, the violence and graphic descriptions, especially with respect to the aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Pros

Killing the Rising Sun goes into detail about the end of WWII, particularly the Pacific theatre. General Douglas MacArthur, President Truman, the end of WWII, specifically the sinking of the Indianapolis, the siege on Okinawa, and dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the focus. O’Reilly and Dugard go into great detail to put General Douglas MacArthur’s military career, particularly his role in the Pacific theatre.

The book focuses not only on General MacArthur but also President Truman and the difficult decision to drop the atomic bomb. The premise of the book is that the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan wasn’t an easy one but considered the option that would save the most lives of both the Allied soldiers and Japanese civilians. Robert Petkoff instead of Bill O’Reilly narrates the audio version of Killing the Rising Sun, and I highly recommend it. He is an excellent narrator and does a good job of including the footnotes to make them fit seamlessly into the text.

Cons

There are a few, which is why I categorized Killing the Rising Sun as New Adult. There are several colorful characters. With this there are some swear words, innuendo, coarse language, and discussion of extramarital affairs are discussed. While not graphic, this makes the content more mature. This is a book set during a long and bloody war that might bother some sensitive readers or listeners. Even compared to Killing Patton, Killing the Rising Sun is even more graphic. The damage from the atomic bombs is described. While not gratuitous, it doesn’t shy away from description. The same goes for the sinking of the Indianapolis and the siege of Okinawa.

Rating

4 Stars. Overall, Killing the Rising Sun is well-written and engaging. Like Killing Jesus and Killing Lincoln, the book rates 5 stars on the content and execution. New Adult allows for a bit more mature content, but even with this caveat, there is some coarse language and innuendo, even more than in Killing Patton. As with the other books in the series, the historical details are the highlight of this book. My husband and I listened to the audiobook. Robert Petkoff narrates and has an engaging voice. However, I suggest reading or listening to the book before deciding if it’s appropriate for your children, students, etc.

Personal Opinion

We have listened to all of the O’Reilly-Dugard “Killing” books, and this is the fourth in my series on these books because I think each of them offers fantastic insight into the social and political climate at the time. However, not all will carry 5-star ratings even though the writing quality and level of detail are the same. This is the first one that I would not call entirely family friendly due to some objectionable content cited above. There is some language that might be objectionable to some people. Battles, extramarital affairs, and the brutality of war are discussed. There is some innuendo/coarse language mostly in the context of quotes and correspondence.

Discussion points for parents & teachers:

  1. What did you know about Harry Truman? Did your opinion of him and his actions change after reading this book?
  2. What did you know about General MacArthur? Did your opinion of him and his actions change after reading this book?
  3. Did you learn something new about General MacArthur?
  4. Name some good things about General MacArthur?
  5. Name some of General MacArthur’s character flaws?
  6. Did you learn anything new about Hirhito?
  7. List some things about Imperial Japan that are different from the United States.
  8. Discuss the decision to use the atomic bomb.

Parents will appreciate the historical account of this time in history. For teachers and librarians there are so many great topics that can springboard from this book.

Posted on

King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard

 
King’s Cage is the third installment of the bestselling Red Queen series. Fans and readers of Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha Trilogy or Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes will enjoy this book. Recommended with reservations. May not be appropriate for younger YA due to sexual content (see Cons).
 

Synopsis

 
In our distant future, nuclear war has changed our world. A mutation gave rise to Silvers – people with silver blood and amazing abilities. Now in power, Silvers subjugate Reds (normal people with red blood and no abilities). Then Mare Barrow arrives: a Red with the ability to control electricity.
In King’s Cage, she is the prisoner of mentally unstable King Maven.
 

Pros:

 
  • Victoria Aveyard has created a rich world full of conflict.
  • Mare’s character learns that pushing people away is a mistake. This makes her more likeable in King’s Cage.
 

Cons:

 
  • King’s Blood is not the end of the series. To some extent, it reads like a bridge novel.
  • The story contains other POV characters, such as Cameron and Evangeline. I enjoyed getting inside Evangeline’s head, but Cameron seemed an odd choice.
  • The author has an LGBTQ+ agenda that becomes evident in this book. One of the characters is a lesbian and there is a brief bedroom scene with her girlfriend. While not descriptive, it made my 12-year-old uncomfortable.
  • [spoiler alert] Mare and Cal begin a sexual relationship. When Farley is having her baby, she convinces the nurse to give Mare the equivalent of a morning-after pill.
 

Final Word

 
Conservative parents should be aware of the sexuality aspects in King’s Cage.
 
I read it after my daughter, so she was interested in my reaction to the lesbian characters and the fact Mare and Cal had sex. Both scenes made her uncomfortable. We were able to discuss authors’ agendas and whether these aspects were integral to the story.
 

Discussion Questions

 
  1. What kind of character is Maven? How did Maven’s mother contribute to making him into the King he becomes? Do you like him or not? Why?
  2. What new things did we learn about Evangeline in King’s Cage? Do they make you like her more or less? Why?
  3. How does Mare and Cal’s relationship evolve over the course of the series? How do you feel about it?