The Ranger’s Apprentice Series by John Flanagan
I have read 3 of the books from this series in quick succession and have thoroughly enjoyed them all. They are the story of Will, an orphan who dreamed of becoming a knight but becomes the apprentice of the local Ranger instead. It turns out that small, quick-witted Will is much better suited to the life of a Ranger than he ever would have been as a knight. Halt teaches him courage and self-reliance along with his lessons on woodcraft and archery. The books are very well written. Will’s world, his thought and emotions, and the problems he faces are all interesting and believable. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that there are plenty of adventures to keep you turning pages. So far, there are 5 books in the series. Bk 1 is The Ruins of Gorlan.
The Wednesday Tales by Jon Berkeley
Bk. 1 – The Palace of Laughter & Bk. 2 – The Tiger’s Egg
These are the tales of Miles Wednesday, an orphan who lives in a barrel, and his friend, Little, who is 400 years old and used to have wings. The night that the Circus Obscuro came to town was a bit unusual. Miles meets a talking tiger (he thinks) and rescues a little girl who can fly (he thinks). It soon becomes apparent the there is something seriously wrong going on at the circus. The two friends have to face many challenges in order to put things right.
These books kept me reading. There is plenty of lighthearted humor salted in among the difficulties of the children’s journey and plenty of shadowy villians too. Kids who like fantasy and smart, feisty heroes should try this series. The third book is coming in July 2009. (grades 4 – 7)
The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie King
First book in the Mary Russell series. What did Sherlock Holmes do after he retired? Apparently, he bought a cottage in Sussex and became a beekeeper. There, he meets a girl named Mary and soon “the game’s afoot.” I liked this one so much, I immediately read another. In The Moor, our heros visit Baskerville Hall to investigate sightings of a hound and a ghostly couch. (Adult)
The Anybodies by N.E. Bode
Fern has been raised by a truly boring family, the Drudgers. One day, 2 men show up at her door to tell her that she and a strange boy had been swapped at birth. After the two kids are unswapped, Fern learns that her real parents are Anybodies, people who can shapeshift to look like – well- Anybody. This is just the beginning of the adventure as Fern and her father, the Bone, meet a series of strange people (creatures?) and try to outsmart the evil Miser.
This book is light and silly but a good read. Fairies fall out of books. Nuns turn into lampposts… was that the white rabbit? Lemony Snicket fans will like the narrator. (grades 4 – 7)
100 Cupboards by Nathan Wilson
Twelve-year-old Henry York goes to live with his aunt, uncle and cousins at the old family farm. He wakes one night and finds that bits of plaster have fallen from his wall. He chips away the plaster and discovers 99 cupboards each of which leads into another world. Henry and his cousin, Henrietta, can’t resist exploring. Unfortunately, things can move both ways through the cupboards. By opening the cupboards, the cousins have opened a path for evil creatures to travel into their world.
I really enjoyed this story. It is a little dark and spooky in places but never too spooky for the intended audience. The characters, with all their flaws, are interesting and believable. Check it out! (grades 4 – 7)
Intro
I’ll be using this page to talk about some of the books I’ve read recently. Most of the books that show up here will be ones that have appealed to me but I’ll let you know if I find any really bad ones too. Since I’m a bibliophile and a children’s librarian, I read books meant for all ages from preschool to adult so this page will be bringing you a really mixed bag.
