Kids Korner: A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin

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• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (January 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439717000
• ISBN-13: 978-0439717007

Genre: Children, Realistic Fiction

Synopsis: This story is written from the view point of the dog, years later looking back on her life. The reader starts following her as a puppy and it's all given from the view point of the dog and she loses family members, tackles starvation, packs of vicious dogs, cars, and the ultimate enemy --- human beings.

Our thoughts: My children decided this was a riveting journey as they followed the life of this poor dog. Parts of it made the kids very sad and other parts made them to be very happy. They loved this book and moaned any time we had to stop and do other things in our life. Her name changes several times throughout her life depending on who she lives with. She started off as Squirrel though. It's the name her mother gave her. It is an emotional journey for children though... be warned.

Author:  (info from Goodreads) Ann Matthews Martin was born on August 12, 1955. She grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, with her parents and her younger sister, Jane. After graduating from Smith College, Ann became a teacher and then an editor of children's books. She's now a full-time writer.

Ann gets the ideas for her books from many different places. Some are based on personal experiences, while others are based on childhood memories and feelings. Many are written about contemporary problems or events. All of Ann's characters, even the members of the Baby-sitters Club, are made up. But many of her characters are based on real people. Sometimes Ann names her characters after people she knows, and other times she simply chooses names that she likes.

Ann has always enjoyed writing. Even before she was old enough to write, she would dictate stories to her mother to write down for her. Some of her favorite authors at that time were Lewis Carroll, P. L. Travers, Hugh Lofting, Astrid Lindgren, and Roald Dahl. They inspired her to become a writer herself.

Since ending the BSC series in 2000, Ann’s writing has concentrated on single novels, many of which are set in the 1960s.

After living in New York City for many years, Ann moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York where she now lives with her dog, Sadie, and her cats, Gussie, Willy and Woody. Her hobbies are reading, sewing, and needlework. Her favorite thing to do is to make clothes for children. 


For more info on Ann Martin visit her websites http://us.macmillan.com/author/annmmartin and http://www.scholastic.com/annmartin/


Rating: According to my 6 and 4 year old -- ***** Five Stars

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 A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray

Eutopia: The Discovery by Kathy Motlagh

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Genre: Children, Fantasy, Fiction

Synopsis: A mythical world is ruined and all the virtue guardians fall asleep from a poison that is released. The creatures and plants are killed and the world is destroyed. The task is then given to three Earth children to awaken all the virtue guardians and find the virtue stones by living the virtues and using the gifts given to them by Hermes, the leader of the guardians.

My Thoughts: This was an interesting story. The writing isn't my favorite -- I have a lot of questions after reading it that were not answered. The book also ends with the foreboding words of "To Be Continued". It has a good message though and one that should be taught to children today.

 Author: (info from insert author sent) Kathy Motlagh is the writer and creative force behind the Eutopia book series and products, and managing director of Think Virtues. Motlagh, a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago, has taught art at the Montessori School of North Hoffman for the past twelve years and been an active board member of the school since its inception twenty years ago. Motlagh's business experience includes eighteen years in the mortgage banking industry, where she has been featured in business publications as one of the top female financiers in the country. Motlagh resides in Chicago and involves her family, including her sic and seven year old sons, in community service and fund raising activities for many non-profit organizations and causes. Check out her facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/kathymotlagh

Virtues: What virtues are included in this book?  Hope, peace, enthusiasm, cleanliness, honesty, forgiveness, love, grace, courtesy, helpfulness, empathy, and humility.

Destined by Aprilynne Pike

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• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (May 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061668125
• ISBN-13: 978-0061668128

WARNING: This is a Spoiler if you have not read the other 3 books of the Laural series.  For a review on the other three then click here. If you have not read those three first then do not read this review. :)

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy - Romance

Synopsis: Book three ended in a very bad spot, Luki is captured and they discovered she is a Winter Faerie... the strongest and rarest of all fae. Laurel and her friends must figure out what to do with her. When things don't go quite as planned, Avalon is in danger and Laurel, Tamani, Chelsea, and David are their only hope. Okay, that's kind of all I can say with giving away any spoilers.... trust me, this is hard. :)

My Thoughts: I know, being a Laural Series fan, it took me a really long time to finally get to this book. I just had so many other books that I needed to read. I finally could take it no longer and bought this book. Of course, I had to re-read the previous 3 so that I would know exactly what was happening. This book was just as good as the other three in the series and Pike was able to wrap up all the loose ends. She did leave it open for another story (oh, I hope she does!) or you get to use your imagination and figure it out yourself. I know that doesn't really make sense -- wrapped up loose ends but left it open too but, trust me. She did! Read it and you'll get it.
The biggest question I and most of my friends had was, "Does she choose David or Tamani?" I loved both of the guys but, I won't tell you who she ended up with. hehe!
The first thing I noticed about this book is the beautiful cover. I just love it! I loved re-reading the previous three books. I was able to see the amazing growth in the characters throughout the series. I love that they didn't just stay the same through out. They grew and evolved and learned from their experiences. The characters at the end of book four were not the same as the characters at the beginning of Wings. This book made me laugh and cry. It was such an emotional ride but still amazing. The story is just amazing! The writing is very simple and there is a lot of mushy romance stuff in it but the story is just so awesome that I am able to look over those. I thoroughly enjoyed this series and was sad to finish and end my adventures in Avalon.
Author: (from Goodreads) Aprilynne Pike has been spinning faerie stories since she was a child with a hyper-active imagination. At the age of twenty she received her BA in Creative Writing from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. When not writing, Aprilynne can usually be found at the gym; she also enjoys singing, acting, reading, and working with pregnant moms as a childbirth educator and doula. Aprilynne currently lives with her husband and three kids in Utah, and dreams of warmer climates.


Rating: ***** Five Stars

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Destined (Wings)

Kids Korner: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

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Genre: Fiction/Suspense/Horror

Synopsis: A very smart college student named, Victor Frankenstein, has this amazing idea to create life. So, by attaching body parts from the dead that he scavenged from graveyards he creates a.... monster? Well, that's what everyone thinks. He's hideous and the immediate reaction from everyone is fear and hatred. The creature only wants to feel loved. The hate he receives in return for his kind actions is enough to turn anyone in to a murderous monster.

Our Thoughts: Surprisingly, my children really liked this story. Often my four year old was the one who wanted me to keep reading. We'd read four or more chapters a night because of her. ;) There is murder in the story so you'll have to decide for yourself if you want your child reading that. It gave us lots of opportunities to discuss judgment and how important it is to get to know someone before we decide if we're going to be friends with them or not. This story really has a great message of a man who just wants to be a friend and feel love but because people don't like his looks he can't have that love and acceptance that he is in search for. My kids did not like the ending or several parts throughout. By the end of the book my six year old son was SO angry at the monster and at Frankenstein. I kept having to remind him that it is fictional. haha! So, there are intense emotions in this book so take that into account when you decide if this would be an appropriate book for your child to read.

Author: (info from Google)
Mary Shelley was an English novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus. WikipediaBorn: August 30, 1797, LondonDied: February 1, 1851, BournemouthSpouse: Percy Bysshe ShelleyChildren: Percy Florence ShelleyParents: William Godwin, Mary Wollstonecraft
Rating: My kids had a hard time with rating it. They said it was a really good book and they want to give it 5 stars but because of all the sad parts in it they didn't like it as much so it should get 4 stars. But then, my son said, "No, it was still really good with the sad parts. Give if 5." LOL! So.... We'll go with 4.5 Stars!! :) hehe!

Angels and Warriors The Awakening by Dawn Tevy

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This guest post is by Heidi Angell, author of Creative Exercises to Inspire and Royal Prince Vince. For more on Heidi, visit her website at http://angellslife.com/
Genre: Fantasy

Synopsis: Angels and Warriors The Awakening is the first book in a fantasy series following Princess Tynae as she finds her entire world turned upside down when Arona, a villainous charge of Tynae's father, plots her assassination. In Tynae's flight from death, she finds herself rescued by Prince Béo of the Greer, a sea-living mythical people. She discovers that she is a special being who will directly effect the outcome of the major battle of good and evil raging in the world.

My Thoughts: I absolutely love this book and am eagerly awaiting the rest in the series! I have a personal attachment to this book, because I helped Dawn with editing this story. I love Tynae! She is so real, despite the fact that this is a fantasy. I could relate to her shock at discovering her destiny. Her thought processes are reasonable and realistic. The passion and the emotional responses are downright visceral. Dawn has a way of painting with words, very reminiscent of Dickens (though not so dry!) Also, if you buy the book from Dawn's Website, the first 100 buyers get some awesome extra goodies, including an autographed copy!

This is a great book for older teens and adults. There is very little language, the violence is more emotional than detailed descriptions, and the romance is done tastefully.

About the Author: This is Dawn's first book, and she has worked very hard to produce a quality, independently published masterpiece. She is a very busy young woman. She runs a blog, has a blog talk show, and is eagerly working on the next books in the Angels and Warriors series!

Rating **** Four out of five stars