Children Books

I got this for my 19 month old son and he loves it! he has so many books to choose from and i bought this for him for christmas and he picks it out of his bookshelves and runs to me to read it to him.
great book. 5 stars.

This is a classic book that teaches children to repeat and learn some of their colors. When the book is published properly, the colors match the words. Sometimes I have seen this book printed a bit off and purple looks like blue - confusing to kids still learning colors. Plus, not all animals in real life are the colors they are in the book.

This book was a gift from family, for our baby daughter. We started reading it to her at around 12 months. She LOVES this book. She is actually a very curious girl now at 18 months, and will grab books all evening long for me to read to her.

Your little ones will be able to identify the different animals and even the colors soon after reading this book. It has a nice pentameter, thats just right for the developing LAD.

I am here to order more from this author, and I am sure you will too.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear is a classic for babies and toddlers. They may go through more than one copy. It's the first book that they memorize and that's the first step in beginning to read.
I buy it often for young children.

I remember reading this charming story to my own kids and also to my preschool class. Now it's been reissued in board book format, artistically illustrated, and every bit as enjoyable. This is a perfect book for teaching color and animal names, in a catchy rhyming format. Each page foretells what the animal and color will be on the next. Recommended for reading to babies and for beginning readers to tackle on their own.

From the very first pages of this wonderful, well constructed tale to the very last page, I was hooked. This book is amazing. The story is well developed and definitely worth reading. If you get this I recommend getting the second book too so you know how it all turns out. To immerse yourself in the expansive fantasy world created by the author, I also recommend Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ruin Mist: The Essential Reader's Guide and Keeper Martin's Guide to the Fantastical Beasts and Faerie Peoples of Ruin Mist. All I can say is WOW! BRAVO!

I don't like much fantasy anymore and set out to hate this but it was better than I thought it'd be. Different than I thought too, so who knows maybe this'll be one of those where I actually read the second one too.

This book pulls you in from the first few pages. The writer does an excellent job of getting the reader to immediately empathize with the main characters - Vilmos, Adrina, and Seth. The story is interesting and intriquing, and the author develops many of the other characters fairly well.

The book was enjoyable, and even several years later remains as one of the few fantasy series that I often recommend to people who are not devoted fantasy readers.

We follow Vilmos, Adrina, and Seth through his many trials and tribulations. Throughout most of the book, the author gets the reader involved in all aspects of their life and makes us care about them. They become like friends.

I also found the end notes about the peoples, places and things in the world interesting. Without giving too much away about the ending, be prepared to listen to -- or read -- Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches #2.

I am a reader. I read 4-5 books per week. My children are finally adults and I can return to my love of reading. I am always looking for new authors and research and google to expand my author lists. I did this before buying The Kingdom and The Elves of the Reaches books. Even with this research I did not discover I was duped until I purchased all 4 books through Amazon. Since I purchased these books from Amazon, and have acually read them all, I believe I have the right to make this post.

These books were so awful, after I read them I HAD to research them. With over 300 positive Amazon reviews, I just could NOT figure it out. I have read fantasy off and on for years, and these books are not good. No one reading them could even begin to consider them good. They are not even coherent, just when you think you will learn something about the story, another character interrupts the first. I even considered they were a type of quasi-intellectual-clique that was escaping me, but I don't think so.

Research these boooks yourself on google with certain words that may occur to you, and you will find many articles referring to this author. Also keep in mind, that among his non-fiction listed at geocities.com is "Increase Your Web Traffic 3rd Edition (2000)".

DO NOT BUY THESE BOOKS.......THE "STORY" IS SIMPLY NOT THERE.

No redemption, no growth of loveable characters, children could not possibly care one way or another because there is no cohesive story to follow. It is like gaps of conversations at the end of a telephone game. I am intelligent enough to follow a book that jumps around with its characters, I enjoy those books. These do not do that successfully. I am totally amazed at how truly awful they are.

I normally would not post a review like this, some books are simply not to my personal liking, and I appreciate that. However, I feel I need to dispute the inordinate amount of positive postings that would lead others to buy these titles. I certainly fell for it. These books are really, really not deserving of all those five stars. I should have listened to my instincts, even my favorite authors have a variety of reviews and stars, but for some reason these do not.

Buy at your own risk.

I started reading this author's books a while back and now my kids have started The Kingdoms and the Elves books. With excellent writing, a strong plot and great characters, this is a great read. I enjoyed the marvelous illustrations as well, the rich detail made it feel like a graphic novel at times.

The books tell the story of Great Kingdom and the Reach Elves. The main characters are Adrina Alder, Vilmos Tabborath, and Brother Seth. In the early books the main villains are evil shapeshifters called wolmerrelle. Their queen is vile and cruel and has an evil plot in the works against mankind. The evil shapeshifters aren't the only villains, however, and as the story continues the full details emerge of the great change taking place.

I'd also recommend Keeper Martin's Guide to the Fantastical Beasts and Faerie Peoples of Ruin Mist and The Art of Ruin Mist: Heroes and Villains. The best editions of this book are The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 1) (Keeper Martin's Tales), The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches II (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 2) (Keeper Martin's Tales), The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches III (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 3) (Keeper Martin's Tales), and The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches IV (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 4) (Keeper Martin's Tales).

I did not enjoy this book.

Why?

Because I purchased this book thinking it was YOUNG ADULT fiction.

(a) It was not young adult fiction. Look again. Young adult fiction = TEEN fition.

(b) This story seemed to be written for CHILDREN ages 6-9.

(c) It FAILED to be exciting in any way. I was bored half the time and the other half I was drifting away in my mind to escape the boringness of the book. i.e. "I wonder what book I should read after I'm finally done with this one?"
or "Hmmm I wonder how many more chapters I have to go?" or "Oh wow we have a new president!"

Anyway...

A story with a feminist as the protagonist: check.

A story that failed to be entertaining: check.

A story that made wizards out to be bad when Harry Potter fans are reading it: check.

A book that is now listed on ebay to try to get my money back from buying the whole set?

CHECK.

This is an enchanting story that once again captures the spirit of the perky princess who had no desire to be the traditional damsel-in-distress. So, what's a contemporary woman trapped by royal traditions to do? Offer herself up to the dragons in the first place.

It's a whimsical tale that gives fairytales sly winks and twists at every corner. The characters are rich, and move the story along with their quirks.

This is not just parody, either. Ms. Wrede had managed to create her own intelligent, dragon-and-knight infested tale that creates as much fairy tale as it borrows.

I enjoyed this story, and the sequels, as a young girl. Wrede creates a magical world that has a unique feel while incorporating common elements from fairytales. I've read in several times since and still enjoy it. Dealing with Dragons is very much a girl power book - almost all of the good main characters are female, Princess Cimerone rejects the staid life society thrusts upon her and charts her own course, and the King of the Dragons ends up being a female (King is just the title of the job, designating nothing about gender). It is well written, something that can certainly not be said of all fantasy novels written for this age group, and the story is fun and engaging.

An excellent book for young children that enjoy fantasy with an odd twist. Highly recommended.

I loved this series in middle school and would highly recommend it as a fun leisure read for children in that age bracket.

YEAH, WHOO! Kill em! Yeah!
Oh, sorry, I was reading this AWESOME BOOK. Maybe you've heard of it, Mossflower? What? You are still debating on reading it? I'll slap you if you don't read it this instant! Go on, do it.

I don't know what it was about this book that made me want to read it over and over again. It didn't have any colosal {I don't know if I spelled that right} battles or anything. I guess it was just the amazing storyline! The adventure was fantastic, but I honestly like whats going on with the woodlanders better than Martin the warriors journy, more action happens with them. In all, this is one of the best Redwall books, complete with an awesome one on one battle at the end. Read this book!

This is about Martin the Warrior , a heroic mouse, the self-appointed Prince of Mousetheives (and best friend to Martin), Gonff, the totally evil wildcat Tsarmina, and sundry other animal characters. The plot is that (1) Martin is (after a sidetracked problem) questing for Salamandastron, (2) the woodlanders defending themselves from Tsarmina until Martin returns, and (3) what's happening in Kotir, the moldy, falling-down castle where Tsarmina and her horde of vermin (stoats, rats, foxes, weasels and so on). This is a good series because it never ends on a cliffhanger at the very end. Mr. Jacques is a wonderful author, and I've read all his books except Eulalia!, because it isn't out yet. :(

The Redwall series was recommended to me by my own readers, who recognized a similarity between the writing style, animorphism, and medieval setting of my own debut novel "The Other Side of Yore" and of Brian Jaques' famous books. As I learned more about the books, I was amazed that the books had escaped my attention for so long. Sure I had heard the name in passing, but I really didn't know what the books were about, and had probably passed them over as too child-oriented when I was a young blossoming fan of fantasy. Boy, had I been missing out!
Mossflower may be the best YA fantasy book I've read since "The Hobbit," maybe even surpassing "The Chronicles of Narnia" for imagination, superb writing skill, literary worth, and sheer reading enjoyment!
Far from being just a book for young adults, I am well over thirty and highly critical of most fiction books, and was unable to put the book down. Not only does Jaques write in an incredibly skillful and beautiful style, but his plots and subplots are nothing short of genious. The character developement of the animorphed creatures is far superior to even the average bestselling book of fiction starring realistic human characters. Jaques is a master of dialogue and dialect, and I especially enjoyed the strange coloquial mole-speech;
"Hurr, Oi be liken it moiself better'n any deeper-n'-ever pie oive et, stan' on moi hole!"
The triumphs, determinations, and gallant speeches of Martin the Warrior actually brought tears to my eyes a few times during the tale, and the antics and humorous songs and poems of Gonff made me laugh out loud more than once.
What's more, Jaques created a complex villian to be copied by fantasy authors for centuries to come in the characterization of the wicked cat Tsarmina, and painted a thoroughly believable array of personalities and attitudes in the various soldiers of her army.
Like Tolkien's work, Jaques has also done his homework thoroughly, and has created a vast history to support his tales, which I think is a trait missing from many of the more fly-by-night and commercial fantasies of today.
By the end of this novel, you will have forgotten that mice can't talk and that badgers don't wield swords, having become intimately familiar with some of the most realistic personalities ever to grace the pages of literature. I cannot recommend this book enough, and am sure that the others in the series will be equally delightful!
J. Lyon Layden
The Other Side of Yore

It is all you want in a good book.It has just the right amount of action,
peril,valor,and humor. If you want a book that is good for everyone, you just found one!

This book is not a how-to; it's a story of one person's attempt to deal with her aging father. I did NOT find it useful to wade through all the stories to try to find the nuggets. There are plenty other good how-to books out there.

I did enjoy reading this book, at first because it made my own foray into the world of caring for aging parents seem tame by comparison, and then because of the author's obvious commitment to her parents' well-being (at times at the expense of her own) and her tenacity in navigating the maze of doctors, caregiver options, and other aspects of this journey. I feel inspired to perhaps hang in there a bit longer and give it all I have out of love for parents who perhaps weren't perfect, but they ARE dear, and it feels good to be able to assist them in their most vulnerable time of life.

This book is a valuable resource to anyone who is caring for an elderly family member. While reading the often funny, always touching, occasionally horrifying memoir, I learned so much about caring for my aging mother. This is rich with advice, examples, and brilliance. Thank you, Jackie, for sharing your story with us. I will buy more copies and give them to my friends whose parents are approaching the age where they'll need some care. I am also now taking assessment of my own behaviors as I get older; I don't want any of my bad habits following me into my golden years! It is clear from your Jake Tales that these habits may become exaggerated as we get older and I don't want my kids to have to deal with me if I'm going to be difficult

This is an excellent book for those who find themselves frustrated by the behavior of elders who are suffering from just enough dementia to be wreaking havoc, but not enough to be institutionalized. I read the book in one evening because I was desperate to learn how I might deal with an elder's belligerent outbursts, illogical thinking and unwillingness to accept help. The author faced similar issues with her father and her examples rang 100% true to me. At the end of the book, the author provides specific techniques and tips for modifying the elder's behavior. I tried some of her suggestions the very next day, and it worked! The sense of calm that I gained, knowing that I now had a "toolkit" of resources and ideas from this book, was invaluable to me. Save your sanity - get this book if you are dealing with demented elders now, or think you might be in the near future!

As a professional caregiver coordinator for a local Area Agency on Aging I read a lot of books on caregiving and Alzheimer's disease. This is the best book I have read on the subject. The story is told with humor, but it is full of excellent tips and education on the subject. A must read if you are a caregiver caring for an Alzheiemr's loved one.

I bought this book for my 8 year old daughter but read it first myself. There is a lot of good info in terms of general care and keeping of your body. There's a lot to be said for giving a young girl that type of ownership. That said, I haven't given her the book yet. I know that every kid is different but I would say that my 8 year old (9 in six weeks) isn't ready for this info. She'll get the book when I feel she is.

great book to use with girls as an intro to your body and how it works. child friendly pictures and very basic concepts.

This is a terrific ice breaker for parents who need a little help with discussing the changes that young girls must go through. Loved it!! My daughter loved it as well--she carried this book around like a bible. This is a must have resource!

This book provides much detail across all areas of growing up. It is not easy to figure out the best timing for giving this to your daughter. Mine is almost 10 and has many physical signs of puberty except for her actual period. She was very upset that I presented her with the book and I offered to go through it with her together. We covered a couple of very easy topics to get through and then she said 'no more'. She is just not emotionally ready so the book will be there for her when she needs it. On item to note: the section on tampons is pretty graphic and I think suited for a true teenager with some experience with menstrual cycles. Certainly not for a young girl entering the early stages of puberty.

... but that also depends on your child.

I heard a lot of recommendations for this book, and I checked it out of the library as well to look over it myself first. It is listed as for ages 8-12. I feel most of the book is geared towards the younger end, 9 or 10 years old. It talks a lot about hygiene, proper nutrition and exercise. Here is where it might seem young for an 11 or 12 year old. Some people on here seem to think it's even going too basic, comments like "most kids know how to brush their teeth and hair!" Yes, but I knew reading it in this book would motivate my daughter to be more dilligent about it -- she's that type of kid!

The book talks about upcoming changes in a girl's body as she matures. It does not go into too much detail here, just enough for a younger girl to digest. However there are a couple pictures that are kind of surprising, and I had to think about whether my (almost) 10 year old would be "weirded out" by it, name a two-page set of drawings showing how a girl will use a tampon. I decided to not worry about it, and when she came to it in the book she seemed okay with it but asked me some questions. I can see a sensitive child being shocked or "grossed out" though. Other than that, I was very happy with the book and felt my daughter would get a lot of positive information out of it. I think I'd still recommend a parent looking through it first and seeing how they feel about the information in the book, if it will be beneficial to his/her daughter.

This product was sent to me in perfect shape. I am very happy with the product because the shipping was very fast also.

Beautiful book, great going away present or changing life/adventure present. I find the book to be a realistic view on life, it doesn't sugar coat the turmoils of life's experience. However, it gives a great sense of when life doesn't go to plan everything will be good in the end and encourages us to embrace life's curve balls.

This book is great for ALL ages! I originally read this book when it was given to my dad by a friend as he was starting his own business. And now I read it to my 18-month old, who seems to love it. Maybe it's the rhymes and the pictures that my little one loves so much right now, but the message of the book is great for ALL ages.

This classic Dr. Seuss book is not just for kids. It's probably not even especially for kids. This classic book is the perfect gift for transitions: graduation, weddings, adoptions (my favorite paired with Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hatches An Egg"), new job, getting fired from a horrible job, ....)

And this deluxe edition is especially perfect for that gift at a special landmark occasion.

Ted Geisel might have crafted a book that gets shelved in the Children's Section in libraries and book stores, but he was writing especially to those of us who periodically forget, and want or need to remember, how magical and special every day of life can be.

Oh, the Places You'll Go! is a very good graduation gift, and my traditional gift for such occasions. But in regular bookstores, the cost usually averages at $18. Now, used books are great ideas, usually about $5, but not for graduation gifts. So when these $12 per arrived in perfect NEW condition I was thrilled. Go Amazon.

Like many people, I first knew about The Neverending Story through the movie. At first, I didn't even know about the book. Then I didn't really care. After all, how many of you actually care to read the book of every movie you might have seen?

But lately out of a bit of nostalgia, I went back through my video library and watched the first and second movie. Still craving more, I decided to bite the bullet and order this book. I'm glad I did.

As I'm sure you've read from other reviews, the first movie barely covers half of the book. Even then, at the end of the movie it started to stray way off of what the book had. The second movie just borrowed a few characters and one or two of the plot devices and went its own way. As much as I may love the movies, they pale in comparison to what is in the book. The book is richer and a lot deeper than the movies. There are key concepts and morals that never made their way into the films, too many to go into in this review. But over all, the first movie seemed to try to just get the story that was in the book while missing the whole point of why the story is important in the first place. The second movie didn't even bother to do that much. If you like the movies you really owe it to yourself to read this book.

I would also suggest getting this hardback version. I've seen the paperback at a local bookstore. The cover is nowhere near as pretty. It's missing all of the beautifully drawn illustrations that this one has. Above all, the duo-colored lettering adds so much to the reading. Michael Ende does a lot of clever little things that help draw the reader into experiencing this book more than simply reading it. A lot of what he does includes the lettering and the many illustrations that are found in this book. It's worth getting the hard cover version just for the way it deepens the experience. You won't regret it.

I first read this book at about 9, or 10, years old, and, I have to say, I thought it to be the best book I had ever read (and I read a lot). Now, after reading it for the third time as a 13 year-old, I wish I had waited so I could enjoy it as I did while also appreciating the plot and character development. The author did a very good job with portraying how man becomes corrupted by what he wants (the Gem is a bit like Tolkein's Ring) and that the world of our imagination is more important than we think, while entertaining the reader, its just amazing. If you like Tolkein, you'll definently like the Neverending Story (which gets very close to being as good as LOTR at times).
That said, lets talk a little about the story. I don't want to reveal too much, but I'l give you a basic summary of the story to motivate you towards buying it.
The cool thing about it is this: the main character is not what you would imagine a hero to be. He's fat, pale, bowlegged, and nerdy. But when he finds a book called the Neverending Story with the image of two entertwined snakes on the front, (Hmm, isn't that familiar), he is launched into an adventure that changes him completely. And even when he does become a real hero, (handsome, skilled, smart), his problems aren't over.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Through the eyes of Bastian, we read about Fantasia and its many wonders, and how the Nothing is destroying everything. The Nothing is complete absence of matter: when you look at it, it's as if you were blind. The Childlike Empress, ruler of Fantasia, is sick, and if she dies, everything dies. So Atreyu, again an unlikely hero, being a ten-year old and all, but more likely than Bastian, embarks on a quest to find the cause for the Nothing and the Empress's sickness and how to stop both. This all seems pretty typical, but, as it turns out, the Neverending Story is anything but. And, actually, Atreyu's quest alone is enough to make anyone atleast like it.
But it doesn't stop there. Bastian then goes into the Neverending story and saves Fantasia from utter destruction by the Nothing. He becomes renowned throughout Fantasia as a savior and creator. However, the Other World, Earth is still corrupted. Bastian sets about trying to return in order to tell people about Fantasia and ultimately restore mankind to the people they were meant to be. He travels using AURYN, the amulet which grants wishes given to him by the Childlike Empress, and he's always wanting different things which causes conflict. Through a series of plot twists, physical and spiritual battles, and interestingly philosophical encounters with Fantasia's peoples, Ende then goes on to weave a story of adventure, conquest, betrayal, suspense, and neverending creativity through Bastian's constantly changing quest. It features epic battles, bizarre imagery, likeable characters, mindbending settings, and, really, everything I always imagined the best book ever would have. The world of Fantasia is so immense, you just wish you go could there and explore it all. Micheal is possibly the most creative perspn I'v ever come across, up there umong Neil Gaiman, Jim Henson, and all the greats. I'm surprised he managed to pack so many creative ideas into one book. (For instance, there is a race of people who are born as old men and die as children.)
Anyway, the underlining point is this: The Neverending Story is not just for kids. I know, technically, I am a kid, but I'm sure adults would agree with me. Of course, there are quite a few slightly corny or childish names and creatures, but, being a story about the world of imagination, Ende coulden't really avoid this, and, anyway, I don't think it hurts the rest of the book at all. The movies are another matter; compared to the book, their all cheesy, unrealistic, poorly peiced together imitations of good fantasy. Do yourself a favor and press the "Add to Shopping Cart" button, or atleast head to your local library, as soon as possible. You'r in for a treat.

The Never Ending Story by Michael Ende is a terrific fantsy book. I enjoyed it very much. My only complaint is that it seems to drag on for far too long. This made the story confusing becuase I had seen the films and had not anticipated the way the story continued past the original film's ending. For some people this could be a bonus. But for me it was a detraction. Througout most of the second half of the book, I just found myself wishing it would end. But I guess if it did, it wouldn't truly live up to its title.

What I admire most about The Never Ending Story is the wonderful fantasy creatures and beings that appear within its pages. In my opinion, The Never Ending Story is the most creative and imaginative book I have ever read. It's simply mindblowing the kinds of zany and exotic biings that Ende conjurs up out of his wild imagination.

I am still enamored of this book, but I must admit that I still prefer the 1984 Wolfgang Petersen film. To me, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing, and this book is a clear example of that.

Still, I recommend this book to all children and fantasy fans, especially that it's a classic.

My German friend recommended this book to me 22 years ago and I instantly fell in love with the world Ende had created. I was sad to leave the characters when I finished the book and promised them I would be back when I had my own child.
I bought the book when my daughter became 7 and she also fell in love with this world. We shared favorite parts, funny parts, and sad parts, and that was the best part of coming back to Fantastica to me. My daughter is in high school now, but it's still her favorite.

Years ago I inattentively watched the (first) movie of this on TV and found it too cute by half. This put me off reading the book for years. One weekend I happened to have a copy by me, so I picked it up and began to read. After 3-4 pages I wasn't that impressed. After 10-12 pages I was absolutely hooked.

When I had finished it, I stood up, sighed, put the book down on the chair, and felt a kind of startlement like being struck with a bucket of cold water. I looked down, picked up the book again, glanced at the cover... then I sat down and began to read it all over again. When I was through, the process repeated and I read it a third time. This is the only time in my life I have ever read a book three times in a row uninterruptedly.

Does anyone out there still need to be told that this is one of the best books ever written, and that not having read it is a truly tragic deprivation, like not liking music or never having eaten strawberries? If so, consider yourself told.
It is one of those rare children's classics that can be read by anyone, of any age. Once you've read it, you can no longer imagine the Universe without it. You don't feel that Michael Ende ever needed to write it; you feel that he must have just Found it somewhere.

His inventiveness is limitless, stupefying: enough material here for dozens of ordinary children's books. Certain scenes, like the part halfway through about the lion Grograman and the Night Forest Perilin, are so truly astonishing that you're left at a loss, not merely for words but for anything at all: your mouth hangs open and your mind goes blank.

At the same time this is the most profound investigation ever made into what a Story is, and what Imagination is, their value and their dangers. Just when you think the author has gone as far as he'll dare, he goes further, then even further, and then still further. At least one copy of this wonderful book should be in every home.

Book 1 in the Immortals series
This starts a new series for TP where Daine is the main character (although don't worry as Alanna, George and Jonathan will feature!).
This book is set several years after the first TP series and Thayet has had time to set up the Queen's Riders and make it possible for everyone to go to school.
Daine is from Galla, a neighbouring country, and travels to Tortall with her pony Cloud to seek work after the loss of her family. She is fortunate to be quickly discovered and taken up by the Riders and along the way discovers more about herself as well as about animals and birds and other people.
A nice setup for the new series, the passage of time has allowed lots of things to change without having to explain how they happenned. In some ways an easier character to relate to for young girls who are not so tomboyish, although less real-life possibilities as Daine quickly becomes the magelet with the wildlife magic - a great fantasy.
Suitable for reading without having read the Song of the Lioness quartet but nicey follows on for TP fans.

I read this before I read the other series (Song of the Lioness)so I really had no background info on the setting. The plot is intriguing and the details back it worthwhile.

Daine is a young girl, newly orphaned who applies for work at a horse fair. The horse trainer, Onua doesn't want to take on such a young girl but gives her a chance and sets her in among the horses she has already purchased. It's not a problem for Daine that those horses are wild, untamed and unruly because Daine has wild magic and can speak to the animals.

Onua takes her on and they set off for the capital of Tortall because Onua is the horse-mistress of the Queen's Riders. Daine makes herself invaluable on the way by keeping the horses in line and fighting off immortals.

She meets Numair who plays a huge role as her teacher in the rest of the series. Numair is 27 at the start of the series and Daine is 13 so there is a huge age gap there.

Daine's magic grows leaps and bounds under Numairs tutelage and Daine's wild magic becomes instrumental in saving Tortall from Carthaki invaders.

Daine is probably my favorite character in the Tamora Pierce world of Tortall. She's got this natural thing with animals that I would love to have... She's not overly stubborn (like Alanna) or boring (like Kel - she was my least favorite heroine) or mischievous (like Aly, who is my second favorite (^_^) ) or even determined (like Pierce's newest heroine Bekka). Daine is just nice and has a lot of common sense and is brave.

This is the most disappointing thing I have ever bought online. Actually, I don't know because it hasn't come yet. I ordered it over a week and a half ago and it still hasn't come. Why sell when you don't deliver?

Wild Magic, a book by Tomora Pierce and the first book in the series The Immortals, is about a girl named Daine. Daine was always good with animals. Then she leaves her home and realizes she is more than good with animals; she has magic. Her magic allows her to talk to them and they obey her. Her magic is about to run away with her when her new job sets her in the company of a kind mage named Numair. Numair helps her learn how to control and use her magic.
My favorite part was when all the birds in the story help Daine fight off several Stormwings. Even though they all die, Daine's powers seep out and bring the birds back to life, fix broken wings, and heal their wounds. This book would be great for anyone in to fantasy and fiction books, more for someone in 6th too 8th grade. I don't really know, older groups of people might like it as well. I give this book a 10 on a scale of 1:10.
This book has sparked my imagination. I am always thinking about how life would be if we had magical powers. This book is very entertaning and keeps the adventure going. I hope you read the other books in the Immortals series. This book captivated me. I hope you enjoy/ enjoyed it as much as I have.
-- Skylar Rowan

that mainstream entertainment has been cookie cutting everyone with since I was a kid. Guess what folks! you can be a poor kid living in a small home out in the boonies with two parents as in a male Dad and a female Mom and not only be happy and normal or nondsysfunctional, but magically blessed by a voodoo Princess. This is counter to the usual characters of the parents mostly one parent these days) al being a white collar profession something or other and everyone piled into the large in square footage home smack dab in America's hybird
of coroporate, commie, regimentally fascist Communes aka suburbs.

This book is not only wonderfully pro second amendment but sells that basic and necessary to free society right with an unforgettable character that goes by the name of The Candystick Kid.

I've read this book several times over the years, actually I've read three different copies of this story for I've always given a copy away in the hopes of turning someone on to an excellent read.

This is quite honestly one of the best books I have ever read. If you read, read it.

James Roy Daley, author of The Dead Parade.
The Dead Parade

I purchased this book at a thrift store for $1. I had read one other of McCammons books "Swan Song" which I thought was excellent so I figured I would try "Boys Life". It seemed like a dumb title but for $1 I figured I could pitch it if the book was no good. I am the type of person if a book does not grip me in the first 50 pages I move on. Was I ever surprised. Right off the bat the story gripped me. I would stay up late at night wanting to see what would happen next. McCammon writes in such a way that you can feel the emotions of Cory the main character in the story. I could see how the boy thinks as I once used to when I was boy many years ago. McCammon makes this story come alive. The pictures he draws of this small town are clear and you are drawn in and can't put the book down. McCammon is an excellent story teller. It is almost like you are there. It takes place in the early 1960's when the world was a different place than it is now. The death of Cory's best friend, his dealing with some bullys, his relationship with his parents, and a host of other odd characters that Cory deals with come alive. There is also an odd mystery he tries to solve that weaves through the entire story. These all come alive in the story and at the end they fit together. Excellent book. Definitely five stars. If his other books are this good, I can't wait to read them.

Boy's Life by Robert McCammon was a pretty good book. It starts out in a little town in AL with a twelve year old boy (the main character) named Cory Mackenson is with his dad at "work" and a mystery begins to unfold right in front of his eyes. It catches the reader's attention. But as the story continues, I think that is gets a little confusing to follow as there a lot of "mini-stories" that make the plot somewhat strange. Some stories were interesting, but some just did not make any sense in my opinion. At the end of the book, grown-up Cory talks about his new life- this is a nice touch at the conclusion of the book. Overall, it was a pretty good book. Not a five-star for me though.

It's been 17 years since I first read this book and it's still my most favorite book of all time. Before "Boy's Life" it was Stephen King's "Different Seasons" that held the spot and I thought that it would never be knocked from number one. I still think about how I felt after I first read this book. It was a combination of awe, hope, and anticipation. McCammon wrote in such a way that I just prayed that he'd come out with another book really soon. Which he didn't, but that never took away from the quality of "Boy's Life."

Do yourself a favor and read this book, and then read it again, and then a third time. Read it to your kids; a few pages at a time each night, and they will be hooked on reading forever. Do ya'all remember what it felt like after watching the movie "The Titanic"? Yeah, that's what I felt like after I first read this book. Awesome.