fantasy – Page 3 – One Chapter

Dogtown by Katherine Applegate

4.5 stars Children’s Chapter/Middle School

Welcome to Dogtown, a shelter for all abandoned dogs. Whether you are a four-legged fluffy fur ball, a three-legged survivor, or a robot dog, this was the place for you. Chance really should have been at home with his owners but unfortunately, he finds himself at Dogtown. As Chance tells us about his touching journey from a loving home to living inside a cage at Dogtown, you can feel his emotions and confusion. I felt a fire within Chance that I hoped he would use to help himself, as much as he was using it to help the others that were around him. He definitely deserved it.

Metal Head was a unique robot dog at Dogtown. Metal Head looked different than other robot dogs and I liked that about him. I was hoping that by being different it would work to his advantage and not work against him. In a place like Dogtown, everyone is eyeing for the same prize. Metal Head had the perfect home until one day his owner didn’t think he was perfect anymore.

All dogs have dreams of finding a forever home, even robot dogs. And so it is….Metal Head was chosen. Was it because he was a robot dog? A unique robot dog? Was it because he was located in the basement? Or did it have something to do with the book, Green Eggs and Ham that brought Metal Head and Quinn together. A withdrawn child, Quinn grabs the book out of the basket, trots down the basement steps, sits beside Metal Head and the two of them enjoy the book together, day-after-day-after-day. This could have been it! This match might have been destiny but then, one day, it all ended.

With determination, a group of friends search for their happily-ever-after for they know that it’s out there somewhere. This is a cute, entertaining adventure that will have you smiling and grabbing the tissues. With short chapters, the story moves quickly with simple illustrations that complement the text. I can’t wait for more adventures at Dogtown. 4.5 stars

“After the seventh time though. Metal Head began slowing down. Management had forgotten to charge him. He was saying the words slower and slower and s.l.o.w.e.r.”

“I wasn’t just a lame dog to them now. I was a dog who could read and had a mouse as a friend. A book and a friend…..what could be better than that?”

Coyote Queen by Jessica Vitalis

5 stars Middle School/ YA Fiction

There’s something about these stories that draws me in repeatedly. Fud and his mother lived with Larry in his trailer. Fud doesn’t know much about her father except that he returned to Spain after learning her mother was pregnant with Fud. Mom thought their life would be better with Larry and I guess if living with fear and anxiety is better, then she is right.

See, mom tries to be the perfect woman for Larry, but nothing makes him happy. He’s demanding, he likes to yell, and he likes his drink. Fud tries to block out the yelling but sometimes it gets to be so loud. Fud is worried about their future with Larry, but her mother doesn’t see it that way. Larry has been physical with her mother, yet Fud doesn’t understand why her mother keeps hanging onto Larry, doesn’t she see the danger that lies up ahead? Larry was a boxing champion and he’s a big talker about his days in the ring. He’s determined that he’s headed back into the ring. Those dreams are suddenly taken away and Larry pulls a massive, defeated boat into the yard.

Larry new plans are to rehaul this shipwreck. He plans to create a new houseboat for his new family and set sail. Warning lights immediately go off inside Fud! This cannot be happening! Out on a boat, in the open waters, alone with mom and Larry, this sounds like a horrible situation! Can’t mom see this? Fud starts to calculate how long it will take Larry to overhaul this boat and what she can do to prevent them from boarding it.

Meanwhile, new neighbors move in, and Leigh seems like a nice girl which is too bad. Fud knows that Ava will add her to her posse the minute she walks into the school. It’s a shame too as Fud needs a friend. It’s surprising how much Fud and Leigh have in common and how well they get along, considering Ava influence on Leigh. Leigh ends up being the branch that Fud needs when she mentions a pageant with a cash payout as the prize. If Fud could only win that pageant, it just might be their ticket to freedom. Their ticket away from Larry.

I enjoyed how realistic this book felt and how quickly the story moved along. Great relationships and the dramatics between the characters created powerful connections with the characters that made me feel like I was part of the story. Leigh was a neutral character when she arrived, and I liked how she tried to fit in. Leigh saw individuals for who they were, even though others were trying to influence her. Fud wanted/needed a friend yet when she found Leigh, she was reluctant to really embrace her. I feared the day that Larry would finish his boat and what that would entail and as Leigh and Fud’s pageant day crept closer, these days seemed to be on a collision course. There were a lot of factors playing into Fud’s future and as the pages of this book started to dwindle, I just didn’t expect this book to end the way that it did. Such a powerful story about status, acceptance, family, friendship, poverty, and abuse. 5 stars

“To Leigh, this was plain old hair cream. To me, it was friendship in a bottle.”

Wilfred by Ryan T. Higgins

5 stars Children’s Picture Book

What a gem of a book! Wilfred is a humongous, hairy giant who lives all alone and he wants a friend so badly. One day, Wilfred discovers a little town that has a lot of little people in it. Wilfred notices that all these individuals have no hair on their heads. Wilfred wants to join in with the kids who are playing but when they see him, they run. Well, all of them run except for one boy. This boy is curious about Wilfred and after getting to know each other and playing, they decided they would play together tomorrow too. Finally! Wilfred has a friend!

I loved how this boy was cautious at first but then he accepted Wilfred for who he was.

Returning the next day, Wilfred is met with resistance. The townspeople now want something from Wilfred. What?!? This is just crazy that they expect Wilfred to abide by their wishes! Wilfred wants to play with his friend, so he gives them exactly what they want. As the young boy waits for Wilfred, he waits and waits. When the young boy sees some townspeople, he notices that they have changed. I mean they have really changed! Panic stricken, the young boy knows his new friend is in danger and races to save him. The ending of this book is sweet, and I loved all the messages this book has in it.

Wow, I think the more I read this book, the more I love it! Wilfred just wanted a friend, and, in the end, he got much more but he sacrificed a lot to get it. I loved the facial expressions on the characters in the book and I loved the character of Wilfred. Although Wilfred was huge, he was a tender loving soul. 5 stars

Pretty Ugly by David Sedaris

4.5 stars Children’s Picture Books

Wow, that was some story! Anna is an ogre and lives with her family. She does things that typical orges do: stomp on flowers, make the house dusty, and talks with her mouth full. Her family loves her so much! Like all children, Anna likes to make faces and try on masks, but her family doesn’t like it. They’re afraid her pretty ogre face might be replaced by something Anna creates and they warn her to be careful.

The day came when it happened, she made the most “scariest face of all…..and it stuck!” Unfortunately, no one could help her, and she was forced to wear that face forever. Anna hated her new face, but her family accepted her because they knew who Anna really was and that her “real beauty is on the inside.”

People made fun of her now and Anna decided she needed a break so she locked herself up in the woodshed for a while to think.

You’ll never guess what came to her while she was thinking and what she did. What an ending!!

An interesting read and one that will have you thinking. The illustrations are simple, as is the colors they used on them. I liked the message the book has but for some children, you might need to explain the message. It’s a book where you’ll need to read it a couple times – you really will. 4.5 stars

Are We There Yet by Dan Santat

5 stars Children’s Picture Book

Interesting and unique picture book. I wasn’t prepared for the journey this book took me on. It’s grandma’s birthday and they’re going to her birthday party which is in another city. For the child, the car ride there takes forever and no matter how many toys or activities he brings with him for the car ride it is NEVER enough. As he sits in the back seat, his mind takes over and soon, he is off into another world.

A world where they’re being overtaken by pirates, racing a speeding train, fighting a knight, in Egypt, and even in the Jurassic Era where they’re faced with dinosaurs!

The boy wants the ride to be over with so he can be at his grandmother’s house yet, he starts to enjoy some of the experiences he’s having in the backseat.

When he arrives at his grandmother’s house, he’s glad to be out of the car and embraces his grandmother and after some attention from the other adults at the party, he’s ready to go home – ha!

I liked how some of the pages of the book are flipped and how some of the text boxes are turned so you must turn the book to follow the script on the page. It’s a fun and entertaining book to read. The illustrations are beautiful and full of detail – make sure you stop and look at them. I loved looking at the facial expressions of the individuals on the pages. 5 stars

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

4 stars Fantasy Fiction

Wow! When I received this book, I was overwhelmed by its size, 620 pages was a lot for me. Yet, when I started reading it, the pages fell away, and I was swept away by the story that unfolded in front of me. This is definitely a story! An interesting story to say the least. This adventure is filled with many fascinating characters whose lives you won’t forget.

Once I got used to the language of the book, I started to understand the individuals in the story and the flow of the story. The language felt choppy to me, the words direct and tight. The atmosphere was dark and isolated as Tracker led the chase. It was the bizarre stories along the way that I found myself enjoying as I read this book. The individuals for which Tracker found himself up against, I found I enjoyed the most. It didn’t matter who or where these encounters were, Tracker was always ready for them. Would there be conversation or fighting first? It didn’t matter, Tracker was ready. I do feel that Tracker enjoyed fighting these individuals as he was a fierce fighter. From the depth of the language in the book and the intensity of his fights, Tracker loved a good fight! Lives were lost and he’d continue, with his search. With the addition of demons, vampires, and witches, I never knew what to expect as Tracker hunted down the child. All of these characters made this book such a whirlwind of activity and adventure, some aiding tracker and some just getting in his way.

I thought after reading this book that I would listen to it and the audio of this book was fantastic! I had to laugh a few times as Tracker fought different individuals as the details in the book, when spoken, sounded more energized and intense. The stories that occur while Tracker is on his mission are captivating and engaging and make this an entertaining book.

I want to thank Goodreads and Riverhead Books for a copy of this book that I had received from them, in exchange for this honest opinion.

Exerts

“Smelled like he butchered a goat. Kicking his chest was kicking stone. He held me up as if admiring a precious jewel. I kneed him in the jaw so hard his teeth sliced his tongue. He dropped me, and I charged for his balls like a bull. He fell, I grabbed his knife, razor sharp, and cut his throat. The second grabbed for my arms but I was naked and slippery. The knife-“

“A piece of blue cloth torn from something bigger. The boy was wrapped in white. I put the cloth to my nose and one year of sun, night, thunder, and rain, hundreds of days of walks, dozens of hills, valleys, sands, seas, houses, cities, plains. Smells so strong it became sign, and hearing and touch. I could reach out and touch the boy, grab him in my mind and reel from him being so far away. Too far away, my head rushing and jumping and sinking below sea then flying higher and higher and higher and smelling air free of smoke. “

Audio:

Weyward by Emilia Hart

4.5 stars Historical Fiction

They relied upon Altha and her mother when they needed them. Now, Altha fate lies in the hands of those who once called upon her when they needed her help. As I read her thoughts, I felt for her. She was torn by the events that transpired and now, all she could do was wait. Altha had relied upon the knowledge that her mother had taught her, the world that was around her, and her own skills and now, they want to call her a witch. A witch for which her fate would be death.

Violet’s mother died when she was 6. Violet doesn’t remember much about her, so her father tells her what she needs to know. When a relative visits, Violet is told to be on her best behavior, yet the visiting relative forgot to follow the same rules. What transpires between these two can never be reversed and leaves a harmful impact on Violet forever.

Kate ran. She thought she was safe and although she didn’t have a clear picture of where her life was headed, she knew it had to be better. As she made Weywerd her home, she discovered things about herself, her past, and her future. Tensions were high as I read about her journey for, I feared something was coming, something that she was not prepared for. Kate’s running was not over. This time, there is more at stake, and she can’t just run away from everything, Kate must fight to end the battle.

I really enjoyed all three of these stories and how they all tied together. I’m glad that I went into this book blind and knew nothing of it except of it’s genre and how popular it has been, I had listened to this book on audio. 4.5 stars

Big Tree by Brian Selznick

5 stars Children’s audio

As I child, I remember thinking my stuffed animals would come alive while I was not in the room. I imagined they had conversations and they’d all play together while I was away. When I returned, I’d find them sitting there waiting for me and I would sometimes think, that some of them had forgotten where I had placed them and now, they were out of order. Authors now give voice to a variety of items and I shouldn’t be surprised to find a voice attached to a tree seed. What I am surprised to find is, how much I adore these stories and what these stories have to offer their readers.

Imagine being a tree seed waiting to for the seedpod to burst open and be free? To be released and unrestricted. To fly. Leaving the security of your mother and poof, off you go! You can now go find your place in the world, be strong. The wise words of your mother are running through your head. Sounds easy yet it’s scary as the world is a big place.

I wasn’t ready for the moment when Louise and Merwin were released from their mother, it’s hard to tell if these siblings were ready either. I wanted to hear about their life with their mother, I wanted to hear more of their mother’s wisdom, and how she had prepared them for the world beyond her reach. As they started their new life, Louise was the one who was looking at the world around her, admiring all that she could see. Her eyes were open: what her mother had told her was instilled inside her and she dreamed. She wanted it all and she wanted the best of it. Merwin was the safe one, I thought. He was the protector and he would settle for what would work. Louise is fascinated about the world around them and she has lots of questions for her brother. You can feel the frustration mount in Merwin as the questions continue. Will they ever find their own place?

This was a fantastic audio; I love the voices and how the story progressed. Wow! Definitely one that should be listened to. 5 stars

The Skull by Jon Klassen

5 stars Fiction Folklore Middle School/ Children’s

What a clever story! I have always enjoyed Jon Klassen stories even though I know that I’m not his target audience. His stories, along with his art, are creative, moving, and they’re not over the top. I like the simplicity of what he does. He doesn’t try to put on a circus performance for his readers. He takes them on a journey. A journey of discovery, of wonder, and one that makes them want to keep flipping the pages.

Just opening The Skull, I knew I was in for a treat. The paper, the fonts and the colors used in the illustrations were setting the stage for this Tyrolean Folktale. Part One: Young Otilla has been running all night. Dressed in a hooded cape, Otilla pushes herself through snow that’s past her knees. What she is running from, I have no idea but her walking stick has kept her upright so far. As the dark, thick forest begins to crowd in on her, she begins to hear it call her name. Pushing herself, she makes her way through the trees and she discovers a huge, old house. Hope!

With a locked door, Otilla knocks and calls out. Yes! Someone immediately answers her call. Looking up, Otilla discovers that there’s a window above her and a skull had answered her call.

My mind was going as I turned the page and saw that I was going into Part Two of the book with three (3) different sections. There were so many different possibilities as to where this story might go. Otilla and the skull reach an agreement and they meet (I loved the creativity here and the illustrations were amazing). Seriously, I would love to share how the two of them conversed and discussed the house that the skull lived in but I feel that it would give away part of the story. I was enjoying their innocence, the tenderness, and the grace the two of them had with each other and how they accepted each other as they talked. The ballroom……..oh, the ballroom. You couldn’t knock the smile off my face at this point as I read.

Part Three: As the day winds down, the skull makes an offer to Otilla but it comes with a warning. Again, these two discuss everything and they come to an understanding, as friends should. The ending was fantastic!!

From the paper used in this book to the large print of the text, this book just didn’t think of the storyline and the illustrations. I liked how the author broke up the book into parts to give it an older audience appeal yet the story also appeals to younger children. Using a skull, there is a creepy tone to the story yet the folktale is not haunting or horrific. The illustrations were wonderful, I loved the color scheme used and it complimented the text. 5 stars

The Measure by Nikki Erlick

5 stars Dystopia/ Science FIction

Would I really want to know this? What would I do any differently if I did? The implications of what this information can and do to a person was immense. It’s worldwide, who would know these things and why did they do this? The implications of this information could do to a society was monumental. Imagine you open your front door one day and you find a box lying there. Inside this box, is a string that could tell you how many more years you have left to live. Would you want to open this box? Would you tell anyone if you did? Would you live your life any differently, if you did? If you didn’t open your box, would anxiety be eating at you because you do not know?

Oh, my friends, I’ve read this book over a week ago and I still can’t stop thinking about it. The conversations I’ve had with individuals over this topic, let alone the book itself. I think I could read this book again and I would need to slowly read each sentence as I feel I inhaled the book the first time I read it. I was surprised at the impact that these little strings brought to the individuals, their families, relationships, communities, and the world. Holy Moly! As I read this book, I kept interrupting my husband and giving him the latest update on the book’s details yet after a while, he began asking me as I became absorbed and he started to feel left out. I guess I can say that we read this book together and we had some great conversations about it. I’ll admit that I’m not one into science fiction but this little gem of a book got me thinking and following the lives of the characters was a huge wake-up call.

As for me, I’d look at my string. I couldn’t handle the anxiety of not knowing. Would I change my life? Perhaps. I do try to enjoy each day now and luckily, I don’t have to worry about a string, at least for now. Read this for the thrill but don’t get too stressed out about it. 5 stars