Category Archives: literacy
Book of a Thousand Days – Shannon Hale
Dashti is a determined young woman. In becoming the maid of a distracted and frightened princess, she unwittingly becomes a prisoner with her in a darkened tower. Dashti remains positive and industrious during her confinement. Her mistress is unpredictable and … Continue reading
Filed under children's lit, library, literacy, reading
Torrie and the Dragonslayers
Author: K.V. Johansen Copyright Date: 2009 Torrie is not the prince or the princess, not the sorcerer or witch. It takes a bit to figure out what Torrie is. Torrie is an Old Thing, a furry, short creature, more human … Continue reading
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GPS: Website Gold
Today I ran across an astonishing blog of book reviews, Becky’s Book Reviews. What makes this website gold? Becky read. She reads a whole lot. She reads everything and then she writes about it. I feel I am reading a … Continue reading
Filed under children's lit, gps, library, literacy
House of Many Ways
Author: Diana Wynne Jones Copyright Date: 2008 “A chaotically magical sequel to How’s Moving Castle” quoth the cover of this book. It is exactly as it says magical and chaotic. It vaguely reminds me of Piers Anthony in its apparent … Continue reading
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The Mealworm Diaries
Author: Anna Kerz Copyright Date: 2009 Jeremy and his mother have moved from rural Nova Scotia to Toronto. Jeremy has some major adjustments to make in life and in school. Funny and poignant, this story is a marvelous read. The … Continue reading
Special Edward
Author: Eric Walters Copyright Date: 2009 Special Edward is a simple and straightforward story. Written for the pleasure reading of students with reading difficulties, it recounts the experiences of a high school student who decides his life would be easier … Continue reading
Filed under children's lit, learning, library, literacy, reading
Impossible Things
Author: Robin Stevenson Copyright Date: 2008 I like impossible things and I love them in this short novel. Robin Stevenson creates a cast of lovable, quirky characters and allows them to triumph over their trendy and cool nemeses. I must … Continue reading
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Dear Jo
Title: Dear Jo Author: Christina Kilbourne Copyright Date: 2007 Dear Jo has an action driven plot line told through a reflective diary format. Kilbourne’s characters are well-developed and consistent with the exception of the police officer whose behaviour feels a … Continue reading
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War Brothers
Author: Sharon E. McKay Copyright Date: 2008 War Brothers is an outstanding piece of realistic fiction. We follow the lives of several boys and a girl as they survive being captured by Northern Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army. Sharon McKay is … Continue reading
Tweaked
Author: Katherine Holubitsky Copyright Date: 2008 Gordie Jessup is just trying to survive as his family falls apart in the face of his brother’s addiction to crystal meth. A compelling story which never lets you go. Told in a diary … Continue reading
Filed under children's lit, library, literacy, reading
