The Castle in the Attic
by Elizabeth Winthrop
Edition: Audio CD
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Great Fantasy, October 15, 2008
I enjoyed this book so much, I have read it twice.
William is ten-years-old when he finds out that his house-keeper/nanny is going to leave him. Mrs. Phillips says,"He is old enough to take care of himself now." William is afraid that with busy parents he will be left alone.
Before she parts for England, Mrs. Phillips gives William a very special gift. She takes him up to the attic and shows him a very large, fully functional castle. He has to be brave, in order to have the castle, which has been in Mrs. Phillips family for many many years. There is only one knight that comes with the castle, the silver knight. Mrs. Phillips tells William that there is a story passed down through her family, that the silver knight is under a spell, and that one day he will come back to life.
There is magic, spells and trickery within the walls of the castle. Not only will William need to be brave and stand on his own, but he will need to help end an evil curse.
You will enjoy reading about the life and times of the silver knight, as you join William on an adventure, back to the times of knights and ladies.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood
author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug 2 : Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The Ghost of Fossil Glen
The Ghost of Fossil Glen
by Cynthia Defelice
Edition: Paperback
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Young Adult Mystery, October 15, 2008
Living in Fossil Glen, nothing exciting ever happens. Allie Nicols is a seventh grader who has always used her imagination to make life more interesting. She loves to invent stories about her lunch lady and her teachers.
When she is rock climbing in Fossil Glen, Allie has climbed up too far, in order to retrieve a fossil. Not knowing what to do or how to get down, she hears a voice. The voice guides her gently down from the ledge, saving her life. Allie wants to tell others what she heard, but her 'friends' are claiming that Allie is a liar, because of her imagined stories. No one would believe she has heard a ghost, not even her parents.
Allie has many experiences with the ghost of a young girl, who has died in Fossil Glen. While searching out the truth, Allie is led into the dangerous path of a mad-man. Although frightened, with no one to help or believe her, Allie is determined to help the young girl's ghost to solve the mystery and expose the truth.
This is a fast moving, young adult mystery. I really enjoyed the story telling and suspense in The Ghost of Fossil Glen. The only thing I didn't like, was to read about the death of a young girl, who is the ghost of Fossil Glenn.
This book is more suitable for young adults, than for children.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood
author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug 2 : Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
by Cynthia Defelice
Edition: Paperback
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Young Adult Mystery, October 15, 2008
Living in Fossil Glen, nothing exciting ever happens. Allie Nicols is a seventh grader who has always used her imagination to make life more interesting. She loves to invent stories about her lunch lady and her teachers.
When she is rock climbing in Fossil Glen, Allie has climbed up too far, in order to retrieve a fossil. Not knowing what to do or how to get down, she hears a voice. The voice guides her gently down from the ledge, saving her life. Allie wants to tell others what she heard, but her 'friends' are claiming that Allie is a liar, because of her imagined stories. No one would believe she has heard a ghost, not even her parents.
Allie has many experiences with the ghost of a young girl, who has died in Fossil Glen. While searching out the truth, Allie is led into the dangerous path of a mad-man. Although frightened, with no one to help or believe her, Allie is determined to help the young girl's ghost to solve the mystery and expose the truth.
This is a fast moving, young adult mystery. I really enjoyed the story telling and suspense in The Ghost of Fossil Glen. The only thing I didn't like, was to read about the death of a young girl, who is the ghost of Fossil Glenn.
This book is more suitable for young adults, than for children.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood
author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug 2 : Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls (American Girl Library
The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls (American Girl Library)
by Valorie Schaefer
Edition: Paperback
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Where Was This Book When I Was Growing Up?, October 7, 2008
The Care & Keeping of You:
The Body Book for Girls
Where was this book when I was growing up? What a great book for girls. As a mother of three girls and a grandmother of four girls, I give thumbs up to The Care & Keeping of You.
I began reading this book with my nine-year-old granddaughter, Autumn. She enjoyed learning about how to brush her hair, and her teeth. She loved the illustrations and the advice. We each took a turn reading. When it came to the chapter about her period, she said, "Please don't make me read that part, right now. I want to read the rest of the book, but I want to wait until I'm around 12 to read that part."
I told her, "Sure, we can wait. But at least you know the book is here, if you need to know about it." She is growing up in a home with a mom and two older sisters, and her mom as already had "the talk" with her.
The chapter about developing is great. All girls don't develop at the same rate. Some are uncomfortable because they aren't developing, while others are unhappily, developing too fast. It tells the girls that they are all different and that they have many other great things about them. They should focus on their smiles, or their talents, not what others think about them. Above all, hold their heads up and keep good posture.
I think a book that answers all the questions a girl will have, growing up, is a great idea. This book also encourages the girls to talk to their mothers or an adult they can trust.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood
Through the Rug
Through The Rug 2 : Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
by Valorie Schaefer
Edition: Paperback
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Where Was This Book When I Was Growing Up?, October 7, 2008
The Care & Keeping of You:
The Body Book for Girls
Where was this book when I was growing up? What a great book for girls. As a mother of three girls and a grandmother of four girls, I give thumbs up to The Care & Keeping of You.
I began reading this book with my nine-year-old granddaughter, Autumn. She enjoyed learning about how to brush her hair, and her teeth. She loved the illustrations and the advice. We each took a turn reading. When it came to the chapter about her period, she said, "Please don't make me read that part, right now. I want to read the rest of the book, but I want to wait until I'm around 12 to read that part."
I told her, "Sure, we can wait. But at least you know the book is here, if you need to know about it." She is growing up in a home with a mom and two older sisters, and her mom as already had "the talk" with her.
The chapter about developing is great. All girls don't develop at the same rate. Some are uncomfortable because they aren't developing, while others are unhappily, developing too fast. It tells the girls that they are all different and that they have many other great things about them. They should focus on their smiles, or their talents, not what others think about them. Above all, hold their heads up and keep good posture.
I think a book that answers all the questions a girl will have, growing up, is a great idea. This book also encourages the girls to talk to their mothers or an adult they can trust.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood
Through the Rug
Through The Rug 2 : Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
Monday, October 13, 2008
The Collard Patch
The Collard Patch
by Mary Lou Cheatham
Edition: Paperback
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
A New Cooking Adventure, October 6, 2008
The Collard Patch
By Mary Lou Cheatham
Paul Elliott
What a great idea for a cookbook, with stories and recipes. This is a beautifully written book, with details on growing, and preparing collard greens.
I live in Utah. I didn't even know collard greens from spinach, kale or turnip greens. I looked for frozen collards, with no luck. Next, I looked for the fresh variety, still no luck. I did find some at the Whole Foods store. I later saw collard greens at Walmart, as well. They looked fairly sturdy, compared to other limp varieties of greens.
I have been reading the stories in the cookbook each night. Finally, on Saturday I began my chopping and freezing. It is very simple to remove the inner tough stem, and twist like a cigar. Then you slice at an angle and chop each section. Quick and easy.
Did you know there are two ways to soften the collard greens? One is by freezing, and the other is by adding a pinch of baking soda.
On Saturday, I picked out four recipes: Cherry Chocolate Cake, Apple Collard Raisin Pie, French Onion Collard Soup, and Collard Corn. The cake, although you need to note the missing ingredient, cherry pie filling, is a supper tasty and moist cake. Beware, it would be a very good idea to have company over. As a family of three, now, we ate and ate on the cake. Now it's time for some exercise. I walked the dog all over town, trying to fit back into my clothes.
The Collards Corn went very well with the Lasagna, I made for dinner tonight. I admit that I cut the garlic in half. My husband isn't a big fan of garlic. I thought this dish was great and very tasty, as a side dish.
The French Onion Collard soup is great. I embellished it, a little, by adding two packs of onion soup mix to the four cups of water. I also added two whole onions, to get the real onion texture. I added the chopped collard greens on top of each cup of hot soup, browned the French bread rounds with a little butter, and added cheese, mine was mozzarella. It tasted just like Mimi's. Do they have Mimi's in the south?
Tomorrow, I will make the Apple Raisin Collard Pie, with the remaining 5 cups of collards, in my freezer. It sounds good, as well. I don't know why I picked two deserts. I guess I was just curious. If I like the desserts, I will surely like the collards. I remember the time my mom made cookies out of mashed potatoes. They were good, with a strange texture. Now that I have tried collard greens, I will try to keep some in the freezer, for any future taste treats.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood
Through the Rug
Through The Rug 2: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
by Mary Lou Cheatham
Edition: Paperback
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
A New Cooking Adventure, October 6, 2008
The Collard Patch
By Mary Lou Cheatham
Paul Elliott
What a great idea for a cookbook, with stories and recipes. This is a beautifully written book, with details on growing, and preparing collard greens.
I live in Utah. I didn't even know collard greens from spinach, kale or turnip greens. I looked for frozen collards, with no luck. Next, I looked for the fresh variety, still no luck. I did find some at the Whole Foods store. I later saw collard greens at Walmart, as well. They looked fairly sturdy, compared to other limp varieties of greens.
I have been reading the stories in the cookbook each night. Finally, on Saturday I began my chopping and freezing. It is very simple to remove the inner tough stem, and twist like a cigar. Then you slice at an angle and chop each section. Quick and easy.
Did you know there are two ways to soften the collard greens? One is by freezing, and the other is by adding a pinch of baking soda.
On Saturday, I picked out four recipes: Cherry Chocolate Cake, Apple Collard Raisin Pie, French Onion Collard Soup, and Collard Corn. The cake, although you need to note the missing ingredient, cherry pie filling, is a supper tasty and moist cake. Beware, it would be a very good idea to have company over. As a family of three, now, we ate and ate on the cake. Now it's time for some exercise. I walked the dog all over town, trying to fit back into my clothes.
The Collards Corn went very well with the Lasagna, I made for dinner tonight. I admit that I cut the garlic in half. My husband isn't a big fan of garlic. I thought this dish was great and very tasty, as a side dish.
The French Onion Collard soup is great. I embellished it, a little, by adding two packs of onion soup mix to the four cups of water. I also added two whole onions, to get the real onion texture. I added the chopped collard greens on top of each cup of hot soup, browned the French bread rounds with a little butter, and added cheese, mine was mozzarella. It tasted just like Mimi's. Do they have Mimi's in the south?
Tomorrow, I will make the Apple Raisin Collard Pie, with the remaining 5 cups of collards, in my freezer. It sounds good, as well. I don't know why I picked two deserts. I guess I was just curious. If I like the desserts, I will surely like the collards. I remember the time my mom made cookies out of mashed potatoes. They were good, with a strange texture. Now that I have tried collard greens, I will try to keep some in the freezer, for any future taste treats.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood
Through the Rug
Through The Rug 2: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
Five Children and It
Five Children and It (Puffin Classics - the Essential Collection)
by E. Nesbit
Edition: Paperback
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
A Fan Of Magical Adventures, September 20, 2008
Five Children and It
While their mother is away, caring for their ailing grandmother, Cyril, Anthea, Robert and Jane find a sand fairy, called a Psamead. He hadn't been uncovered since the days of the dionsours, and had no idea about modern children, and their wishes. The sand fairy, the childern call `It', says he will grant the children's wishes. The already peculiar looking fairy, puffs himself up, before granting wishes. He reluctantly agrees to grant one wish, per day, for one week.
When wishes aren't planned out, they don't tend to go so well. With a wish for gold, a pile of gold appears, so large, it fills the sand pit. Although the children have pockets full of gold, they have to use their own pocket change, to make their purchases.
An off-handed wish for everyone to like their baby brother, who they call the Lamb, results in a near kidnapping of the baby. A wish for a castle comes with guards carrying swords. Other wishes include Indians, who want to scalp the children, and jewels that are really stolen property. Lucky, or not, all wishes disappear at sunset.
Five Children and It will both entertain you, and have you making your own wishes, that you are sure won't be revoked at sunset.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood
children's author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug 2: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
by E. Nesbit
Edition: Paperback
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
A Fan Of Magical Adventures, September 20, 2008
Five Children and It
While their mother is away, caring for their ailing grandmother, Cyril, Anthea, Robert and Jane find a sand fairy, called a Psamead. He hadn't been uncovered since the days of the dionsours, and had no idea about modern children, and their wishes. The sand fairy, the childern call `It', says he will grant the children's wishes. The already peculiar looking fairy, puffs himself up, before granting wishes. He reluctantly agrees to grant one wish, per day, for one week.
When wishes aren't planned out, they don't tend to go so well. With a wish for gold, a pile of gold appears, so large, it fills the sand pit. Although the children have pockets full of gold, they have to use their own pocket change, to make their purchases.
An off-handed wish for everyone to like their baby brother, who they call the Lamb, results in a near kidnapping of the baby. A wish for a castle comes with guards carrying swords. Other wishes include Indians, who want to scalp the children, and jewels that are really stolen property. Lucky, or not, all wishes disappear at sunset.
Five Children and It will both entertain you, and have you making your own wishes, that you are sure won't be revoked at sunset.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood
children's author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug 2: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
The Bungalow Mystery (Nancy Drew, Book 3)
The Bungalow Mystery (Nancy Drew, Book 3)
by Carolyn Keene
Edition: Hardcover
A Creepy Feeling, September 8, 2008
The Bungalow Mystery
Book 3 Nancy Drew
I have read this book several times in my lifetime. My first time was as an eighth-grader. Next, I read Nancy Drew while raising my girls. I'm now on the third-go-around. This time, I listened to the book on CD, and found it as exciting as ever.
Nancy and her friend, Helen Corning, are on vacation at a resort. When they take a boat out on the water, a storm capsizes their boat. Nancy and Helen's calls for help, bring a sixteen-year-old girl, Laura, to their rescue.
Helen and Nancy are concerned for Laura, who has lost her mother and is planning to meet up with her new guardians. When Nancy is called home, to care for her housekeeper, Hannah, who has a broken leg, she makes a mental note to check on Laura.
Laura finds out that her guardians are trying to steal her mother's jewels. She runs away, to Riverheights, where Nancy lives. Nancy Drew sets out alone to investigate Laura's guardians.
Nancy stumbles upon a securities theft, and a stolen identity, when she sets out to solve the Bungalow Mystery.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood
author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug 2: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
by Carolyn Keene
Edition: Hardcover
A Creepy Feeling, September 8, 2008
The Bungalow Mystery
Book 3 Nancy Drew
I have read this book several times in my lifetime. My first time was as an eighth-grader. Next, I read Nancy Drew while raising my girls. I'm now on the third-go-around. This time, I listened to the book on CD, and found it as exciting as ever.
Nancy and her friend, Helen Corning, are on vacation at a resort. When they take a boat out on the water, a storm capsizes their boat. Nancy and Helen's calls for help, bring a sixteen-year-old girl, Laura, to their rescue.
Helen and Nancy are concerned for Laura, who has lost her mother and is planning to meet up with her new guardians. When Nancy is called home, to care for her housekeeper, Hannah, who has a broken leg, she makes a mental note to check on Laura.
Laura finds out that her guardians are trying to steal her mother's jewels. She runs away, to Riverheights, where Nancy lives. Nancy Drew sets out alone to investigate Laura's guardians.
Nancy stumbles upon a securities theft, and a stolen identity, when she sets out to solve the Bungalow Mystery.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood
author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug 2: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand
Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand
by Gail Carson Levine
Edition: Hardcover
Amazon.com
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Wand Madness, September 8, 2008
Fairy Haven and
the Quest for the Wand
By Gail Carson Levine
Soop is a mermaid in Neverland. She is threatening to flood Neverland, unless the fairies get her a wand. Tinkerbelle, and the other fairies are sent on a quest to get a wand from the Great Wandies. The wandies are willing to give up the wand to help save Fairy Haven. The wandies decide it would be best if they put the wand to sleep.
Each fairy is allowed to have one wish, on the way back to Fairy Haven. One fairy wishes to have wings, so she can fly, and then turns around and wishes for Soop to be her friend. Tinkerbelle wishes for Peter Pan to fall in love with a clam shell. The fairies get carried away with wishes and they all get `wand madness'. This means, they can't stop using the wand. The magic of fairy dust has always been enough for the fairies, until the wand takes over.
The mermaid, Soop, turns one fairy into a bat, by singing her song, before she can warn the mermaid that wand wishes are permanent. Soop makes it so her mermaid friend cannot speak, or read, the friend wishes that Soop can't be heard. When the fairies sneak in and take the wand from the mermaids, the wand is in a dream state. The wand makes the fairies grow and shrink, grow and shrink.
Tinkerbell tries to tame the wand. Will she be able to control the wand, without getting wand madness, again? Will the fairies be able to return to their normal size? How can the fairies return the wand and return to their calm, peaceful kingdom?
Although, this book is very fast paced and exciting, at first, it was a little hard to follow. It took awhile before I realized I was reading about Tinkerbelle and Neverland. I think it would be best to read Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg, first.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood
author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug 2: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
by Gail Carson Levine
Edition: Hardcover
Amazon.com
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Wand Madness, September 8, 2008
Fairy Haven and
the Quest for the Wand
By Gail Carson Levine
Soop is a mermaid in Neverland. She is threatening to flood Neverland, unless the fairies get her a wand. Tinkerbelle, and the other fairies are sent on a quest to get a wand from the Great Wandies. The wandies are willing to give up the wand to help save Fairy Haven. The wandies decide it would be best if they put the wand to sleep.
Each fairy is allowed to have one wish, on the way back to Fairy Haven. One fairy wishes to have wings, so she can fly, and then turns around and wishes for Soop to be her friend. Tinkerbelle wishes for Peter Pan to fall in love with a clam shell. The fairies get carried away with wishes and they all get `wand madness'. This means, they can't stop using the wand. The magic of fairy dust has always been enough for the fairies, until the wand takes over.
The mermaid, Soop, turns one fairy into a bat, by singing her song, before she can warn the mermaid that wand wishes are permanent. Soop makes it so her mermaid friend cannot speak, or read, the friend wishes that Soop can't be heard. When the fairies sneak in and take the wand from the mermaids, the wand is in a dream state. The wand makes the fairies grow and shrink, grow and shrink.
Tinkerbell tries to tame the wand. Will she be able to control the wand, without getting wand madness, again? Will the fairies be able to return to their normal size? How can the fairies return the wand and return to their calm, peaceful kingdom?
Although, this book is very fast paced and exciting, at first, it was a little hard to follow. It took awhile before I realized I was reading about Tinkerbelle and Neverland. I think it would be best to read Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg, first.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood
author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug 2: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
