Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

I have succumbed! My son Hunter has been trying to get me to read Fablehaven.  I finished 2 days ago finally.  What a JOY!  I really like Fablehaven.  The stories are really fun.  There are fun parts in the story.  Yet, I am very impressed with the overall lessons taught in the book.  I especially like the questions in the back of the book.  It helped me realize what great lessons were taught.  That is impressive.

This is a book about a place called Fablehaven.  Fablehaven is tended by the grandparents of Kendra and Seth.  It is fun to sit charmed through the book as it helps learn what kind of place Fablehaven is.  Seth is the sly, mischievous adventurer and Kendra is the more thoughtful type adventurer.  Fablehaven is a place for all kinds of adventurers. 

I really enjoyed reading this book.  I am looking forward to book two.

Missing by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

This book is a quick, light and fun read.  It is a mystery about a girl named Stacie Cox.  She is on a BYU-Idaho choir tour in Brtish Columbia.  She spots a girl from Rexburg that was reported missing.  This book is about what she does after that.  She lets Matt Brennan help her in her adventure.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

I really enjoyed Inkheart.  Meggie is a little girl who LOVES books and so does her father. They both read a lot but her dad never reads out loud to her.  Mo’s job is repairing books and he has taught a deep respect of books to his daughter Meggie. Life as Meggie knows it changes as a mysterious acquaintance arrives at their home and gives a warning about someone named Capricorn. Meggie has never heard that name before.

This book is so full of adventure! The author is really good at building her characters. At first, I thought it ran a bit slow because she was building her character. I think she is wise though because I felt like I knew and could relate with her characters and feel she build a strong foundation for her story. It was great to get lost in the story. Once I got into the story, I couldn’t put it down.

Calamity Jack by Shannon & Dean Hale, Nathan Hale

This book is like one big beautiful comic and I don’t even usually like comic books. It’s technical name is called a graphic novel. The story here is fun. It is also a bit of continuation of “Rapunzel’s Revenge.” It also tells about Jack’s life before he met Rapunzel. The book is basically Jack and the Beanstalk with a twist. I thought this was such a fun book and the illustrations are wonderful. It was easy to just sit and read such a fun tale.

For some fun little paper dolls about the book: http://www.squeetus.com/stage/books_rap.html and also on Dean Hale’s site for newer ones for this book about Jack: http://spacestationnathan.blogspot.com/ look in the right column under Activities for Calamity Jane Paper Dolls.

The Monster in Me by Mette Ivie Harrison

I loved this book. I enjoyed the description of running and I don’t even like to run. Natalie is such a great character. She often says things that are not what she is feeling inside just like the rest of us. Natalie is put with loving foster parents with two children. Natalie is not quite sure what to hope before since she has only known her mother and the ups and downs that comes with a drug addicted mother. This book is wonderfully written. I really enjoyed reading it.

Pingo by Brandon Mull, illustrated by Brandon Dorman

Chad has an imaginary friend named Pingo. He has so much fun with Pingo, but then tries to say goodbye to Pingo but Pingo won’t leave him. This is such a fun book. I loved the beautiful pictures and the storyline was great.

The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison

This book is a lot like the Princess and the Hound. I really am surprised Mette is not a guy. The details of Hunting and killing and the unmagic are very clear in my mind and sometimes a bit shocking to me.

Mette knows how to write. She is a great writer. I've never read books like hers before. They to me are in a category of their own. I do like her books but I find myself pausing for a while when asked to describe them. I think her background really helps these books to be well written. Mette is a unique author but a good unique. I really think I like her writing.