the Edge Chronicles : Beyond the Deepwoods

by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

Twig has always known he was different from the other wood trolls, so when his  mother tells him she found him as a baby he begins a journey that will put aside everything that he has ever been taught about the Deepwoods where he lives.  Straying from the path Twig encounters many weird and wonderful creatures, (some of which are even friendly) in his perilious journey of self discovery and soon learns that even the rocks and trees can be dangerous.  Pursued by the fearsome Gloamglozer who haunts the wood,Twig perseveres in his quest to find where he fits in and a place he can call home.

Riddell’s wonderful drawings bring to life the strange characters from this first book in a series. A fantastic book that young readers will love and they will laugh aloud at the terrible, comic and inventive adventures that Twig falls into one right after the other - from being enslaved as a pet to falling in a huge pot full of honey being cooked for the goblin’s meal, just to name a few!   

Part of my 100 + reading challenge

Children of the Lamp : Eye of the Forest

by P. B Kerr

Continuing the marvelous adventure in this 5th installment, twin djinn, Philippa and John Gaunt, find themselves in the midst of a new adventure! Along with their Uncle Nimrod and his unhappy butler, the twins must go deep into the Amazon on the trail of the greedy wizard Virgil Mccreedy in search of the eye of the forest, a fabled gateway to the lost Inca City of Gold.

But all is not what it seems. Clues suggested that the way to the city is booby-trapped or false trails have been left by the Incas and what about that prophecy that twin djinns will destroy the world?

Part of my 100+ reading challenge

Fantastic Mr Fox

by Roald Dahl

This is a delightful children's tale by the renown author, Roald Dahl, perhaps best known for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Soon to be made into a movie, this story of a wily hero and three dastardly farmers is full of fun and daring deeds.

Boggis and Bunce and Bean

One short one fat, one lean.

These horrible crooks

So different in looks

Were nonetheless equally mean.

Mr. Fox and his wife and his small children have been living off the chicken and geese and ducks owned by three greedy villains: Mr. Boggis, Mr. Bunce and Mr. Bean. All three farmers are quite aware of Mr Fox's thievery and are extremely angered by it. But are hero is far to wily for them to catch.

One night, the mean old farmers decide to get rid of Mr. Fox once and for all. Mr. Bean devises a cunning plan. They will wait for the fox right outside his hole on the hill and shoot him when he comes out. But when Mr. Fox, outsmarts them at the lose of his tail, the villains are so enraged they decide to dig him out. The more they dig the fast the foxes dig, until the hill becomes a crater. The farmers are sure they have him now and again lay siege to the den. And that is when Mr. Fox has an idea. An idea so, clever, so wonderful, so fantastic that if he can pull it off it will mean he, his family and all the other animals will have as much food as they want and be able safe from the farmers forever.


Part of my 100+ book challenge

The lightning Thief

by Rick Riordan

Percy (short for Perseus) Jackson is a 12-year-old kid living in New York. He has ADHD, dyslexia and a bad temper, and has been expelled from many different schools, despite his good intentions. But when Percy’s Math Teacher turns into a monster and tries to kill him on a museum trip, Percy begins to realize that he really is different from other kids – in fact he is a half-blood offspring of one of the Greek gods!

Sent to Camp Half-Blood where he meets the other children of the gods and Percy finally learns who his father really is. But the knowledge comes with a price as Percy must make his way across America, helped by his new friends, Annabeth the daughter of Athena and Grover a satyr, on a terrifying quest to find Zeus’ missing lightning bolt. Dealing with Furies, monsters, other gods and immortals, Percy must return the bolt to Mount Olympus (the 600th floor of the Empire State Building!) before Midsummer’s Day or a war will break out in the heavens that could destroy the earth.

A funny, adventurous tale of a reluctant hero, with a fascinating blend of classic mythology and present day. The only let down for me was the story lacked imaginative deviations from the classical quests.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

A photographic memory, circus abilities, puzzle solving skills and extreme stubbornness.  Four abilities, four children, one dangerous mission.

Encouraged by his tutor, Reynie Muldoon responds to an advertisement in the newspaper for "gifted children looking for special opportunities". After a series if weird and wonderful tests Reynie, along with Kate Weatherhill, Constance Contraire, and George (Sticky) Washington, is selected for a dangerous mission – to go undercover at L.I.V.E, the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, and discover what is really behind the strange messages broadcasting from the school.

Reynie, Kate, Constance, and Sticky must use all their special talents to solve the mystery and uncover Mr. Curtain’s dastardly plan before it is too late.  But close knit as the four become, will their bond, courage and talents be enough in the face of real danger?


Part of my 100 + Reading challenge

Cave of the Dark Wind by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Written for a younger audience than “Peter and the Starcatchers”. Barry and Pearson tell tall tales of life on Mollusk Island while Peter is away.

In this first book of three, the lost boys learn of a strange and deadly cave and are told by their friend, Shining Pearl, the terrible tale of the monster “Goat Taker” that lives in the cave and eats the Mollusk tribes goats every full moon. Wanting to impress Peter when he returns, the lost boys, led by James, decide to find out what or who the “Goat Taker” is.

Spied upon by the ever present pirates, who also hear the tale and when they see the boys come running out with a skull with gold for eyes, one greedy look turns the pirates blind. When Hook learns of this he is convinced that the lost boys have stumbled upon the Blind Luck Gold that was taken from South America and cursed to blind all those who look on it with greed. Despite the danger, Hook sets about to get the gold. Can Shining Pearl, James and the other Lost Boys find out what the Goat Taker is and stop the pirates from getting the gold? Read “Cave of the Dark Wind to find out”!

Read by the award winning Jim Dale, whose amazing talent for voices gives extra life to the bumbling Smee, added evil to Hook and further spunk to the boys and their friend Shining Pearl.

Part of my 100+ book challenge

The Tiger Rising by Kate Dicamillo

12 year old Rob Horton can hardly believe his eyes when he finds a caged tiger in the woods near the Kentucky Star Motel where he and his father live. That same day a new girl gets on the school bus, a girl by the name of Sistine (as in the chapel) Bailey.

A tenuous friendship grows between the two when Rob tells Sistine about the tiger and she believes him. As the days pass Sistine teaches Rob be honest with her and express his hidden “not-wishes and not-thoughts” about his mother’s death and in doing so comes to terms with her own troubles. The tiger becomes a symbol of liberty and accountability for the two children, as they learn that memories and tigers can not be locked up forever.

This touching short story of friendship and loss conjures up vivid imagery and metaphor is weaved expertly throughout.

Part of my 100+ book challenge

The Gypsy Crown by Kate Forsyth

17th Century England, Oliver Cromwell and the puritans are in power. Dancing, music and even Christmas has been banned. Times are hard on the gypsy who makes his trade in music, dance and magic.

One gypsy family, the Finches, has been working on an estate, but when the daughters is betrothed, to raise money for the dowry they all decide to go to the town of Kingston on market day and ply their gypsy trade. All goes well until they become involved in an accidental death and only young Emilia and Luka escape being thrown in prison.

With the help of a horse, a monkey, a dancing bear and a fiddle the children make their way across the south of England searching for the five gypsy families to find the charms of power each family owns for legend states when the charms come together the luck of the gypsies will return. But everywhere they go they are pursued by Rom hating Puritans and Cromwell’s spies. The children must give up everything they hold dear and trust to the charms if they are to free their family before they are brought to trial that will lead to a death sentence.

Portrayed with gentle humour to counter loss, this fast paced, historical novel woven with magic and mystery is an enjoyable story. The time period has been well researched and there is extra, easy-to-read information in the back for those wishing to know more. However it isn’t a patch on one of my old standing favourites – Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat.

When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke

From the author of Inkheart and Dragon Rider comes a tale of magic, humour and the spirit of Christmas. So, sit back with a mug of hot cocoa, some gingerbread and prepare to be entertained!

On the run from Gerold Geronimus Goblynch, the evil new leader of the Santas’ council in Yuleland, Niklas Goodfellow’s wagon comes crashing to earth after a storm and his unreliable, invisible reindeer, Twinklestar, bolts. Now, with the help of two children from the town, Niklas Goodfellow, two angels and a crew of grouchy elves face danger and adventure in an effort to find Twinklestar, rid Yuleland of the wicked tyrant and his nutcrackers and to return the magic and spirit of Christmas.

To request this wonderful Christmas story from our catalog click here!

Librarian’s night before Christmas by David Davis

Having been introduced to the "Cajun Night before Christmas" years ago, I was pleased to come across another in this wonderful series. Brilliantly thought out, smoothly worded and packed with superb illustrations by Jim Harris making this charming book a must have for any library, library goer or librarian!

Our librarian finds herself feeling like “Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol” on a cold yuletide night. Because of lack of funding and low staffing alone she stacks shelves, mends books and wonders if the age of reading has come to an end. Just then St Nick appears driving a bookmobile with six elves to help out. The elves stock the shelves with classics like Hawthorne, Steinbeck and Hemingway, redecorate the library with Christmas cheer, while Santa signs Newbery, stars Caldecott books and tells the children stories. Then with a yell of “Happy Reading, you bibliophiles!”, St Nick is off with one last demand “Have a real merry Christmas--teach someone to read!”

To request your copy from the JCLC catalog just click here!

Kit Kittredge, An American Girl

Kit Kittredge: An "American Girl" is not just another movie with childish charm, it contains a lot of wonderfully mature based subject matter that I found to be very interesting and really held my attention throughout the entire movie. The characters delicately, but boldly display the desperately hard times experienced during the Great Depression. I was expecting a flighty almost boring movie, however I was pleasantly surprised. Great friendships are formed, important lessons are learned and the characters have a lot of fun in the process of both. I recommend that you watch this movie. It is worth your time.

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves a children’s picture book, by Julia Rawlinson is beautifully illustrated, by Tiphanie Beeke. A story that will melt the hearts of young children from toddlers to grade three, Fletcher’s concern for his best friend, a tree, is most compelling.

With warm hues of autumn, mix delicate, creative artwork that children will love. The story is worded in such a way that Fletcher and the Falling Leaves is a pleasure to read to groups of children.

Fletcher, is a small young fox, experiencing the seasonal change from fall to winter for the very first time. His notices a change in his very best friend, a tree. His poor tree is losing its leaves, and feraing it is sick, Fletcher sets out to save it. Soon other animals from the forest collect the tree’s leaves for their own needs, upsetting Fletcher terribly. But in the end, he is amazed by the change of seasons and understands and embraces the beauty of winter as well.

Author Julie Rawlinson has been writing children’s stories for three years. Illustrator Tiphanie Beeke is also the illustrator of Book! Book! Book!, by Deborah Bruss. Both Rawlinson and Beeke live in England.

Written By Lou Ellen Nichols

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George

When Miyax, a 13 year old orphan, runs away from her unhappy marriage, she plans to go to her pen pal in San Francisco but she had not counted on the vast Alaskan tundra.  Once out of the village she is soon lost and starving.  Relying on the Eskimo knowledge imparted to her by her father, Miyax approaches a wolf pack.  Copying the ways of the puppies and learning patience Miyax is accepted by the leader, who she names Amaroq – “Wolf”, and befriended by a feisty black pup she names Kapu, after her father.  Miyax becomes part of the pack as she and the wolves make their way across the tundra to new hunting grounds.  But as they get closer to civilization, Miyax must look hard at who she really is:  Miyax of the Eskimos or Julie of the wolves.

Charlie Bone and the Time Twister by Jenny Nimmo

The year is 1916. Henry Yewbeam and his brother Jamie have been sent to stay with their uncle, Sir Gideon Bloor, headmaster of Bloor’s Academy and father to the hateful cousin Zeke, for the winter holidays to avoid being infected with diphtheria. While playing marbles he finds one that doesn't belong to his collection. But this is no ordinary marble, this is a time twister. Suddenly Henry begins to disappear.

Charlie Bone is beginning a new term at Bloor’s Academy, the boarding school for gifted children. He and his friends are hoping this term will better than the last, but when his ancestor Henry Yewbeam appears at Bloor’s, twisted through time and not a day older than when he left. Charlie must find a way to protect Henry and himself from old Ezekiel Bloor and escape the clutches of the Red King's less savory descendants.

The Children of the Red King series, although aimed at a younger crowd, will please Harry Potter fans and new readers alike.

To reserve your copy of this book or others in the series from the JCLC catalog click here

Puck of Pook's Hill by Rudyard Kipling

“The children were at the Theatre, acting to Three Cows as much as they could remember of Midsummer Night's Dream.”

So begins a time of magic for Dan and Una. It was Midsummer’s Eve and the children have performed the play three times, unwittingly, inside a fairy ring near their home in Sussex. The summoning calls up the mischievous Puck, the last of the People of the Hill left in merry old England. Puck gives them the gift “to see what they shall see and hear what they shall hear, though it should have happened three thousand year;” through which they witness a host of characters who tell, through their stories, the making of England.

Kipling’s adventurous tales and accompanying poems, including the well-known “If-” and “A Smuggler’s Song”, blend familiar accounts of history with fresh and unique insight for the enjoyment of adult and child a like.