Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The Legend of Luke

Title: The Legend of Luke
Author: Brian Jacques
Genre: Fantasy
Reviewer: Kyle

Though this book it titled The Legend of Luke, the main characters at the beginning are Gonff the Mousethief (a mouse), Martin the Warrior (a mouse), Trimp the Rover (a hedgehog), and Dinny Foremole (obviously, a mole). The book starts with Trimp wandering and finding a partly built Redwall Abbey. There, she is welcomed in. She tells everyone that she is from the northlands. Martin then remembers that he was raised on the northland shores. He asks about it, and soon he is always in thought for days. Eventually, the rest of the creatures get worried, and allow him a journey to his homeland. Gonff and Dinny go with him on his quest. On his way there, he meets Log-a-Log Furmo, a shrew, and Krar the Woodwatcher, a goshawk. They travel to the northland shores, where Vurg, a mouse, and Beau, a hare, tell Martin the story of Luke, Martin’s father.

The second part was about Luke trying to get revenge on a stoat named Vilu Daskar, because his horde killed most of Luke’s tribe. Most of the story is about Luke riding a ship called the Sayna, named after his wife, to find Vilu.

I enjoyed reading this book because I just like to read stories that use swords, shields, bows and arrows, spears, and javelins for wars and fights.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Reviewer: Kimberly

Harry is running out of time. Lord Voldemort, the most powerful dark wizard the world has ever known, has infiltrated The Ministry of Magic, the wizarding world’s government. People are dying. Nobody can be trusted. Everyone is terrified, people are forced into hiding, and the truth is kept well hidden. Harry, Hermione, and Ron are the only ones who can stop Lord Voldemort, known to his loyal followers, the Death Eaters, as the Dark Lord. They’re running out of clues, of hints to follow, and tensions run high between them. Ron has left his family, expecting Harry to have a plan, and Hermione has bewitched her non-magical parents into believing that they are completely different people who don’t have a daughter in order to keep them safe from the Death Eaters and in order to join Harry on his quest. To win the war, they must find Voldemort’s seven Horcruxes, parts of his soul, ripped from his body through his terrible evil, that are sheltered within valuable objects and carefully guarded. There were originally seven; luckily, two have been destroyed, the diary and the ring, and they’ve found the locket, however, they still have to locate and destroy five more. However, the trail runs cold, they’ve no means of destroying the Horcrux they already have, and Harry begins to seethe with anger at Dumbledore, who died and sent them on the seemingly hopeless task. He wants to find the truth that Dumbledore seemed so keen on keeping from him. However, their efforts go unrewarded as their only clue is that the sword of Godric Gryffindor. Finally, Ron walks out of them, on a night when tempers run high, out of pure frustration.

However, their luck is about to turn. One night, Harry is led away by a mysterious silver doe to a frozen pool. To retrieve the sword, Harry must prove he has the qualities of a true Gryffindor, which includes bravery and chivalry. When Harry uses magic to crack the ice and dive into the pool, he almost drowns and Ron rescues him and grabs the sword. He then proceeds to stab the Horcrux, and with it, another bit of Voldemort’s soul. Ron has returned through use of the Deluminator, an invention Dumbledore had left him in his will. Perhaps this proves that Dumbledore had a plan after all, though Harry still nurtures doubts. Their quest continues, as Ron’s arrival seems to coincide with, or perhaps trigger, a sufficient amount of information and hope. Their adventure is filled with far more peril and danger, but progress is far better than before. Along the way, Harry, Hermione, and Ron suffer tragedies, and occasionally, hear amazing tidings and stumble upon unlikely encouragement. Will they be able to defeat Voldemort? The fate of the entire world will depend on the answer.

I would recommend this book to others because it balances the amazing and impossible feats with crushing reality and conflict between friends. However, comprehension of the book’s theme and plot is easier if you have read the first six books. It isn’t completely necessary, as the book explains things along the way, but it allows the reader to better understand the bonds between characters and their feelings of attachment and fondness or hurt and betrayal. The book was very emotional and sometimes became depressing, but it was also extremely witty with excellent word choice and unexpected twists, which is why I personally enjoyed it and think others will too.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

The Report Card

The Report Card
By: Andrew Clements
Genre: Fiction
Reviewer: Anon

Do you ever think someone may strive to get bad grades? That seems like the silliest thing ever, well Nora Rose Rowley didn’t think so. She didn’t get bad grades for no reason she did it for a friend, her best friend.

You see, everyone was so obsessed over good grades, her family, teachers, and almost all of the students except Nora. Nora was a complete brainiac but don’t tell anyone because all her life she has been in disguise as only an average, old person. If anyone knew she was so smart she could never prove her point. She didn’t know her little plan would become a huge deal but it did. She started getting treated differently, she had many conferences with her parents and teachers, and worst of all she got grounded. All of Nora’s doings became a huge commotion among all the students at her school. Did all of her hard work pay of or at least prove her point?

I do highly recommend the Report Card. It is a very funny book with many hooks to make you want to read more. I think many type of readers would enjoy this book.

The Long Patrol

Title: The Long Patrol
Author: Brian Jacques
Genre: Fantasy
Reviewer: Kyle

The book’s main character is Tamello De Fformelo Tussock (Also called Tammo), a young hare who dreams of being on the Long Patrol. The Long Patrol is an army of hares from Salamandastron, a gargantuan mountain where badgers rule, and hares live. As the name suggests, the Long Patrol Patrols the area of Mossflower, a large forest where the woodlanders are free and live together. Tammo travels away from his home, Camp tussock, with his mother’s friend Russa Nodrey, a squirrel. Tammo joins the Long Patrol, and they head off to defeat the Rapscallion army, a horde of rats, weasels, stoats, ferrets, and foxes.

This is a great book because you really never expect some of the things, while you can also guess the answers to some of the riddles. It’s easier to understand the book if you read Mossflower, also by Brian Jacques, first.

The Year of the Rat

Title: The Year of the Rat
Author: Grace Lin
Genre: Fiction
Reviewer: Sidd

This book is a sequel to the book The Year of the Dog. Once again, it is written and illustrated by Grace Lin. In this book, the main character Pacy must deal with many frustrations. They are, such as, the possibility of Melody moving away, painstakingly trying to find her true talent, and learn that change can actually be a wonderful thing.

Written as if the person is on a day-to-day basis, this book is perfect all readers. It also has many interesting illustrations. Be sure to check those out. Singularity and happiness fill the pages of this book from beginning to the end.