Book Review The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Book 5)

The Last Olympian is the long-awaited fifth and final volume in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. The series focuses on “half-blood” children of one mortal parent and one Greek god, who are targeted by monsters from Greek mythology which they must fight in order to save themselves and, occasionally, Western civilization. (Kids whose makeup includes dyslexia and/or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder will be pleased to learn that, in Riordan’s world, these are hallmarks by which one may recognize a demigod or hero.) The series begins with The Lightning Thief, which was reviewed by our blogger Lauri, … Continue reading →

The Dangerous Book for Boys – Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden

The Dangerous Book for Boys isn’t really that dangerous. It’s a fun book, though you may have a bit of trouble convincing the kids of that. At first glance, the book seems a bit old fashioned and looks a little like a history book. On the other hand some of this stuff is questionable, and a bit dangerous. Matches, a Swiss army knife, and a fishhook are considered essential gear. The authors, Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden, are brothers. They are encouraging boys to get out an play, explore, and learn about the world. The book is a great resource … Continue reading →

The Breadwinner – Deborah Ellis

I hesitated to read The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis, knowing that it was the story of girl in Afghanistan. I was afraid it would be horribly depressing. Parvana is a young girl living under the rule of the Taliban. She remembers when her family had a nice house, when she and her sisters attended school, and being able to shop for clothes and books. Now, under the Taliban, women and girls are forbidden to leave the house unless they are completely covered and escorted by a man. In order to make money her father sells things on the street along … Continue reading →

The Prophet of Yonwood

The third book in the Book of Ember series by Jeanne DuPrau, is actually a prequel to the others. The Prophet of Yonwood takes place hundreds of years earlier than the other books. Nickie is an extremely curious eleven year old girl. Her world is scary; there are threats of impending war. Everyone is jumpy and nervous. Her father is off somewhere on a secret mission. (He’s actually involved in the building of Ember). Her worried mother busies herself with work. When her family inherits an old mansion from her great-grandfather, Nickie and her aunt travel to Yonwood, North Carolina … Continue reading →

The People of Sparks – Jeanne Duprau

The People of Sparks is the second book in the Book of Ember series by Jeanne DuPrau. When the first book, The City of Ember, ended twelve year olds Lina and Doon had just discovered a way out of their underground city. In this second book, they wait anxiously hoping that the rest of their city will follow their lead and find their way out. Lina and Doon are overjoyed when their friends, families and neighbors pour out of the underground. All the people are amazed at the world above the ground. They follow a road to a town called … Continue reading →

Born to Rule – Kathryn Lasky

“Born to Rule” is a cute book written for girls ages 8-12. Our main character is Princess Alicia, a young lady who is leaving behind her castle home to attend Camp Princess for the first time. Camp Princess is a fun summer camp designed especially for princesses. Each year, the girls learn how to work tapestry and to train songbirds. They do archery and other royal-type sports, and they sleep in every morning and have their breakfast in bed. It’s a break from the rigors of castle life (you know, where they have to have breakfast in bed and sleep … Continue reading →

The City of Ember – Jeanne DuPrau

The City of Ember is a very popular book with fourth and fifth graders. It’s also an ALA Notable Book. I’ve been hearing about it for years. The brief prologue explains that when the city of Ember was built, the builders wanted the people to stay in the city for 200 years. The builders provided instructions for eventually leaving the city in a special box with a timed lock. When the story begins, two hundred and forty one years have passed. The city of Ember is dying. The stored food is coming to an end. Everything is reused and remade. … Continue reading →

How To Make Pop-Ups – Joan Irvine

How To Make Pop-Ups by Joan Irvine is one of those craft reference books that I can’t imagine not having. This book not only a great introduction to making pop-ups, it has lots of ideas pop-up fans can build upon to make complicated projects. I’m always amazed how a simple cut and a bit of glue can turn paper into moving, three-dimensional cards. The book begins with easy explanations on folding and scoring. Detailed illustrations accompany directions. Some of the projects use an X-acto knife for cutting in the center of the page. Most of the projects can be done … Continue reading →

Toys! Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions – Don Wulffson

Have you ever wondered who invented the bicycle, or who came up with kites or Silly Putty? Toys!: Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions by Don Wulfson will answer those questions. Toys! explains the strange histories and accidents behind some of our most familiar and popular playthings. Slinkys were a mistake. They were originally an invention that didn’t work. It was meant to counterbalance Navy ship instruments during rough times at sea. Slinkys didn’t work for that, but as a toy they made their inventor a millionaire. During the Vietnam War the Slinky did end up serving the military as … Continue reading →

Smash It! Crash It! Crunch It! – Rain Newcomb & Bobby Mercer

Smash It! Crash It! Launch It!: 50 Mind-Blowing, Eye-Popping Science Experiments is not a book for the timid. Be brave though, and keep reading, it’s a great book for introducing scientific principles. The introduction talks about “descructology” – the study of how different items like fruits and vegetables explode when they hit the ground. The introduction also says that if you follow the instructions the messes “won’t provoke a freak-out by your parental units”. I don’t know though. The first experiment involves dropping old tomatoes and melons out the window onto the driveway. The mom in me says no way, … Continue reading →