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467 reviews
Heather the Violet Fairy by Daisy Meadows
3.0
This book worked well as a satisfying conclusion for the series. It was fun seeing all the fairies again, all together!
I like how even though these stories are formulaic - in each book, the girls find a fairy while goblins try to stop them - there is still a respectable amount of variety to make each story unique. In this one, when the girls find Heather the Violet Fairy, goblins are nowhere to be seen. It's not until all seven fairies are reunited that Jack Frost himself causes trouble.
Surprisingly, this book provides some background on Jack Frost, which is interesting if you've ever wondered why he has a place in Fairyland at all. We even see a bit of a soft spot in him!
I like how even though these stories are formulaic - in each book, the girls find a fairy while goblins try to stop them - there is still a respectable amount of variety to make each story unique. In this one, when the girls find Heather the Violet Fairy, goblins are nowhere to be seen. It's not until all seven fairies are reunited that Jack Frost himself causes trouble.
Surprisingly, this book provides some background on Jack Frost, which is interesting if you've ever wondered why he has a place in Fairyland at all. We even see a bit of a soft spot in him!
Amy The Amethyst Fairy by Daisy Meadows
4.0
Another great location for a fairy / goblin encounter! This time, Rachel and Kirsty visit an adventure playground with a fun and elaborate tree house. "Daisy Meadows" is actually the pen name of a group of authors who ghostwrite these Rainbow Magic books, and I have to say, I think the actual author(s) of the last few Jewel Fairies book have done an especially good job.
For the first time that I have noticed, this book makes evident that books within a sub-series should be read in order. In the last book (Chloe the Topaz Fairy), the goblins ran into some trouble because the warmth of the jewel burned their icy hands. Having realized that, the goblins in this book now wear gloves! Interestingly, the use of the gloves are not explained, and it's up to the reader to figure out why the goblins are wearing them. I liked that; the author didn't spell it all out, and the reader is expected to think. I think it's fun for young readers to make connections to previous books, and they can even feel a bit of pride for having figured out the purpose of the gloves without being told.
I was also glad to see that the characters in this book exhibited positive characteristics like cleverness and bravery. (Too often in the Rainbow Fairies books, magic simply saves the day.) In this book, when trying to re-capture the amethyst from the goblins, a little bit of magic helped, but Kirsty also came up with an idea that required some physical daring on her part. And when they needed to hold the goblins at bay, Amy the Amethyst Fairy came up with a pretty clever solution! Plus, an added bonus: Amy thoughtfully made sure that her magic, which altered the real world, would not compromise the safety of humans.
I think it's worth noting that I read part of this book out loud to Sebastien, and he enjoyed it! He liked hearing about how the goblins would be defeated, and he liked looking at the pictures, too. I know these books are geared towards young girls, and I don't know if Sebastien will be interested in fairies once he gets old enough to read on his own, but for now, I think these books - or excerpts from these books - can serve as good read-aloud options that are longer than our usual picture books.
One final note: While reading this book, Isabelle asked something about the drawings, something about letters. I really didn't understand her question at all, and it wasn't until after we later read Shannon the Ocean Fairy that I realized what she was asking. It turns out, each series book has a hidden letter in it! The seven letters of a sub-series can be unscrambled to make a word. There are no instructions describing this activity, it's like a secret game for readers "in the know"! I think that's fun. Going back, Isabelle found letters in all the series books except the first Rainbow Fairies series.
For the first time that I have noticed, this book makes evident that books within a sub-series should be read in order. In the last book (Chloe the Topaz Fairy), the goblins ran into some trouble because the warmth of the jewel burned their icy hands. Having realized that, the goblins in this book now wear gloves! Interestingly, the use of the gloves are not explained, and it's up to the reader to figure out why the goblins are wearing them. I liked that; the author didn't spell it all out, and the reader is expected to think. I think it's fun for young readers to make connections to previous books, and they can even feel a bit of pride for having figured out the purpose of the gloves without being told.
I was also glad to see that the characters in this book exhibited positive characteristics like cleverness and bravery. (Too often in the Rainbow Fairies books, magic simply saves the day.) In this book, when trying to re-capture the amethyst from the goblins, a little bit of magic helped, but Kirsty also came up with an idea that required some physical daring on her part. And when they needed to hold the goblins at bay, Amy the Amethyst Fairy came up with a pretty clever solution! Plus, an added bonus: Amy thoughtfully made sure that her magic, which altered the real world, would not compromise the safety of humans.
I think it's worth noting that I read part of this book out loud to Sebastien, and he enjoyed it! He liked hearing about how the goblins would be defeated, and he liked looking at the pictures, too. I know these books are geared towards young girls, and I don't know if Sebastien will be interested in fairies once he gets old enough to read on his own, but for now, I think these books - or excerpts from these books - can serve as good read-aloud options that are longer than our usual picture books.
One final note: While reading this book, Isabelle asked something about the drawings, something about letters. I really didn't understand her question at all, and it wasn't until after we later read Shannon the Ocean Fairy that I realized what she was asking. It turns out, each series book has a hidden letter in it! The seven letters of a sub-series can be unscrambled to make a word. There are no instructions describing this activity, it's like a secret game for readers "in the know"! I think that's fun. Going back, Isabelle found letters in all the series books except the first Rainbow Fairies series.
A Girl from Yamhill by Beverly Cleary
4.0
*** Warning: This review contains spoilers! ***
I picked up this book to read aloud with Isabelle because I really, really enjoyed reading the Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins series with her. We both thought it would be fun to learn more about the author together.
This book was just on the verge of holding Isabelle's interest. It does not have a strong narrative flow besides being told chronologically. The author basically very matter-of-factly recounts a series of choppy remembrances from her childhood. While there is an occasional bit of self-analysis, mostly there isn't a lot of depth. But, there are plenty of interesting anecdotes, and overall, this book is a good read for any Beverly Cleary fan.
Some of the stories about the author's childhood on a farm, and the histories of her ancestors who ventured out west in covered wagons, were reminiscent of the Little House series, which Isabelle loves. It was fun to draw connections between Beverly Cleary's family's life and Laura Ingalls Wilder's family's life.
Every so often, especially in the earlier chapters, we were treated to childhood experiences that clearly served as inspiration for Ramona Quimby's behavior or other aspects of Beverly Cleary's books. Isabelle and I enjoyed making those connections, too.
It was fascinating to read a first-hand account of how different life was back in the 1920's and 1930's, particularly during the Depression. I like that Isabelle was exposed to a whole different way of life that was part of the American experience. Schools especially have changed quite a bit. The author really had quite a difficult childhood after her family moved to the city. She frequently felt out of place among her peers, she and her family constantly worried about money, and her parents seemed unhappy and were not demonstrably affectionate with each other or with their daughter. In some ways, it was sad to realize that the author of so many happy children's books felt so much unhappiness in her own childhood. I actually think the book showed Isabelle that she has a lot to appreciate, though I don't know if she really got that message.
This book is appropriately categorized as "Young Adult". I do think Isabelle got a lot out of this book, even though I ended up not reading every word verbatim. I had assumed that the categorization was based predominantly on the length of the book, vocabulary, and sentence structure; it didn't occur to me that this book might contain "mature content", which it does. Besides having to explain to Isabelle the meaning of concepts like "mortgage" and "the Great Depression" (suitable topics, but mostly above her head), I also had to gloss over, or skip entirely, parts that included ideas that she just isn't old enough for. In one case, I did read the questionable material (ad-libbing when necessary), and then used the author's experience as a springboard for discussion.
Specifically, these are the "Young Adult" a.k.a. "not for children" topics that are mentioned in the book:
- The book talks explicitly of Santa Claus's non-existence.
- The author had a creepy uncle who made sexual advances towards her. For the most part, this chapter remained "PG-rated", though the word "sex" did appear a couple times throughout the book.
- There is a brief mention of the fact that one of the author's friends had a father who committed suicide.
- One of the author's friends innocently uses the word "chippy" as short for "chipmunk", only to find out later that it is slang for "prostitute".
A couple times, Isabelle realized that I was not reading the book word for word, and apparently, that really bothered her. She felt like she was missing out on something. I just had to remind her that the book is for "Young Adults", and some ideas or words in the book just aren't appropriate for a child her age.
This book ends with Beverly Cleary going off to junior college. To learn about her adult life, I will have to read her other autobiography, My Own Two Feet. That book is also categorized as "Young Adult", and I plan to read it on my own, though Isabelle has already expressed that she would like me to tell her the highlights!
I picked up this book to read aloud with Isabelle because I really, really enjoyed reading the Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins series with her. We both thought it would be fun to learn more about the author together.
This book was just on the verge of holding Isabelle's interest. It does not have a strong narrative flow besides being told chronologically. The author basically very matter-of-factly recounts a series of choppy remembrances from her childhood. While there is an occasional bit of self-analysis, mostly there isn't a lot of depth. But, there are plenty of interesting anecdotes, and overall, this book is a good read for any Beverly Cleary fan.
Some of the stories about the author's childhood on a farm, and the histories of her ancestors who ventured out west in covered wagons, were reminiscent of the Little House series, which Isabelle loves. It was fun to draw connections between Beverly Cleary's family's life and Laura Ingalls Wilder's family's life.
Every so often, especially in the earlier chapters, we were treated to childhood experiences that clearly served as inspiration for Ramona Quimby's behavior or other aspects of Beverly Cleary's books. Isabelle and I enjoyed making those connections, too.
It was fascinating to read a first-hand account of how different life was back in the 1920's and 1930's, particularly during the Depression. I like that Isabelle was exposed to a whole different way of life that was part of the American experience. Schools especially have changed quite a bit. The author really had quite a difficult childhood after her family moved to the city. She frequently felt out of place among her peers, she and her family constantly worried about money, and her parents seemed unhappy and were not demonstrably affectionate with each other or with their daughter. In some ways, it was sad to realize that the author of so many happy children's books felt so much unhappiness in her own childhood. I actually think the book showed Isabelle that she has a lot to appreciate, though I don't know if she really got that message.
This book is appropriately categorized as "Young Adult". I do think Isabelle got a lot out of this book, even though I ended up not reading every word verbatim. I had assumed that the categorization was based predominantly on the length of the book, vocabulary, and sentence structure; it didn't occur to me that this book might contain "mature content", which it does. Besides having to explain to Isabelle the meaning of concepts like "mortgage" and "the Great Depression" (suitable topics, but mostly above her head), I also had to gloss over, or skip entirely, parts that included ideas that she just isn't old enough for. In one case, I did read the questionable material (ad-libbing when necessary), and then used the author's experience as a springboard for discussion.
Specifically, these are the "Young Adult" a.k.a. "not for children" topics that are mentioned in the book:
- The book talks explicitly of Santa Claus's non-existence.
- The author had a creepy uncle who made sexual advances towards her. For the most part, this chapter remained "PG-rated", though the word "sex" did appear a couple times throughout the book.
- There is a brief mention of the fact that one of the author's friends had a father who committed suicide.
- One of the author's friends innocently uses the word "chippy" as short for "chipmunk", only to find out later that it is slang for "prostitute".
A couple times, Isabelle realized that I was not reading the book word for word, and apparently, that really bothered her. She felt like she was missing out on something. I just had to remind her that the book is for "Young Adults", and some ideas or words in the book just aren't appropriate for a child her age.
This book ends with Beverly Cleary going off to junior college. To learn about her adult life, I will have to read her other autobiography, My Own Two Feet. That book is also categorized as "Young Adult", and I plan to read it on my own, though Isabelle has already expressed that she would like me to tell her the highlights!
My Own Two Feet by Beverly Cleary
4.0
This book literally picks up where A Girl from Yamhill leaves off, with the author on a bus heading for junior college in California.
I enjoyed this book and found it more personal than A Girl from Yamhill, which I thought was written rather matter-of-factly.
We follow the author as she attends college, goes to librarian school, and finds employment, all the while making friends, meeting men, and learning and striving to stand "on her own two feet". Her naivete, and her retrospective self-awareness of it, is amusing.
I think this book would make a good read for a teenage girl who was a fan of Beverly Cleary's books as a child. Even if many of the references are old-fashioned, the author makes for a good role model. She shows integrity, perseverance, and diligence while also making time for an active social life.
Much of what I found interesting in this book was the author's first-hand account of life during the Depression and World War II. Her experiences as a librarian during a time in which reference questions could not be easily and conveniently Googled and carefully maintained card catalogs were the backbone of libraries was fascinating. Perhaps I am showing my ignorance or my age, but I will mention that the author used the acronyms NYA and WPA without explaining them; one quick Google search told me that NYA = National Youth Administration and WPA = Works Progress Administration.
While A Girl from Yamhill offered sporadic connections to Beverly Cleary's books in the early chapters, it is only in the very last part of the final chapter of My Own Two Feet that we are given a satisfying glimpse into the author's writing of her first book, Henry Huggins.
As a fan of Beverly Cleary's works, I wish the book had provided even more background on her life as an author, like where she found her inspiration for other characters besides Henry Huggins, and what anecdotes in her books came from incidents in real life. By the time she wrote this memoir, she had already won awards (she makes a very brief mention of one in particular), and I would have loved to read about how she felt when she received her first award, and what it was like for her to meet and/or receive letters from fans. Her strained relationship with her mother was a theme in both her autobiographies, and I found myself wondering how that relationship might have affected the way she mothered her own children. This book, however, only briefly mentions that she had twins later in life, and the narrative stops right after Henry Huggins was published, before she becomes a mother. As a mother myself, I further wondered how being a mother might have affected her writing, or how her experience as a children's librarian and author might have affected her parenting.
I enjoyed this book and found it more personal than A Girl from Yamhill, which I thought was written rather matter-of-factly.
We follow the author as she attends college, goes to librarian school, and finds employment, all the while making friends, meeting men, and learning and striving to stand "on her own two feet". Her naivete, and her retrospective self-awareness of it, is amusing.
I think this book would make a good read for a teenage girl who was a fan of Beverly Cleary's books as a child. Even if many of the references are old-fashioned, the author makes for a good role model. She shows integrity, perseverance, and diligence while also making time for an active social life.
Much of what I found interesting in this book was the author's first-hand account of life during the Depression and World War II. Her experiences as a librarian during a time in which reference questions could not be easily and conveniently Googled and carefully maintained card catalogs were the backbone of libraries was fascinating. Perhaps I am showing my ignorance or my age, but I will mention that the author used the acronyms NYA and WPA without explaining them; one quick Google search told me that NYA = National Youth Administration and WPA = Works Progress Administration.
While A Girl from Yamhill offered sporadic connections to Beverly Cleary's books in the early chapters, it is only in the very last part of the final chapter of My Own Two Feet that we are given a satisfying glimpse into the author's writing of her first book, Henry Huggins.
As a fan of Beverly Cleary's works, I wish the book had provided even more background on her life as an author, like where she found her inspiration for other characters besides Henry Huggins, and what anecdotes in her books came from incidents in real life. By the time she wrote this memoir, she had already won awards (she makes a very brief mention of one in particular), and I would have loved to read about how she felt when she received her first award, and what it was like for her to meet and/or receive letters from fans. Her strained relationship with her mother was a theme in both her autobiographies, and I found myself wondering how that relationship might have affected the way she mothered her own children. This book, however, only briefly mentions that she had twins later in life, and the narrative stops right after Henry Huggins was published, before she becomes a mother. As a mother myself, I further wondered how being a mother might have affected her writing, or how her experience as a children's librarian and author might have affected her parenting.
Saints at the River by Ron Rash
3.0
This is my first novel by Ron Rash, but I did read Burning Bright, a collection of short stories, and I can't help but compare the two. My 3-star rating for this book is relative to my 4-star rating for Burning Bright.
Overall, this book just seemed lacking. The dialogue frequently seemed to me too formal and forced, not natural enough. It took almost the entire book to draw me in, and once I finally felt invested in the characters - right at the climax - everything was wrapped up a bit too quickly. The main character, Maggie, did grow on me, but her character was developed so slowly, mostly through intermittent flashbacks, that for most of the book, I found her uncompelling. Aside from Maggie and a couple other supporting characters, there were too many named characters that ended up playing only minor or passing roles, and I was kind of annoyed for having tried to keep track of them.
There are really two stories in this book. On the surface, the book is about a father trying to recover the body of his 12-year-old daughter, who drowned in the Tamassee River. The opening passage is heart-wrenching to read, particularly for a parent who can't help but imagine, "What if it were my child?" Unfortunately, recovering the body means disturbing the natural course of the river, and environmentalists protest the means of recovery. This particular controversy, while it does have merit, seemed exaggerated. The engineer who tries to bring in a portable dam is remarkably - and unreasonably - unwilling to heed the recommendations of the locals, who have valuable knowledge of the river, nor does he bother to make any concessions to appease the environmentalists.
Another story that runs like an undercurrent is the emotional upheaval Maggie feels upon returning to the river, where she was born and raised. Besides trying to figure out where exactly she stands on the river controversy, she also needs to come to terms with her strained relationship with her father. On top of that, there is a budding romance, which I found superfluous, but not actually as distracting as it could have been, except for the repeated references to "the small of my/his/her back".
I really liked the way the river and the mountains were prominent in the story, and as a reader I did feel like I could be immersed in the location. Apparently, the Appalachian South is a specialty of the author's, and I wouldn't mind reading another one of his books.
Overall, this book just seemed lacking. The dialogue frequently seemed to me too formal and forced, not natural enough. It took almost the entire book to draw me in, and once I finally felt invested in the characters - right at the climax - everything was wrapped up a bit too quickly. The main character, Maggie, did grow on me, but her character was developed so slowly, mostly through intermittent flashbacks, that for most of the book, I found her uncompelling. Aside from Maggie and a couple other supporting characters, there were too many named characters that ended up playing only minor or passing roles, and I was kind of annoyed for having tried to keep track of them.
There are really two stories in this book. On the surface, the book is about a father trying to recover the body of his 12-year-old daughter, who drowned in the Tamassee River. The opening passage is heart-wrenching to read, particularly for a parent who can't help but imagine, "What if it were my child?" Unfortunately, recovering the body means disturbing the natural course of the river, and environmentalists protest the means of recovery. This particular controversy, while it does have merit, seemed exaggerated. The engineer who tries to bring in a portable dam is remarkably - and unreasonably - unwilling to heed the recommendations of the locals, who have valuable knowledge of the river, nor does he bother to make any concessions to appease the environmentalists.
Another story that runs like an undercurrent is the emotional upheaval Maggie feels upon returning to the river, where she was born and raised. Besides trying to figure out where exactly she stands on the river controversy, she also needs to come to terms with her strained relationship with her father. On top of that, there is a budding romance, which I found superfluous, but not actually as distracting as it could have been, except for the repeated references to "the small of my/his/her back".
I really liked the way the river and the mountains were prominent in the story, and as a reader I did feel like I could be immersed in the location. Apparently, the Appalachian South is a specialty of the author's, and I wouldn't mind reading another one of his books.
Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards
4.0
I came across this book at my uncle's house. He had two boxes of books to be donated, and we rummaged through them looking for keepers. It was actually Isabelle who salvaged this book. She liked the cover and read on the back that "Julie Edwards" the author is the same as "Julie Andrews" from The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins! I think I vaguely knew that she wrote children's books, but I imagined them to be picture books for young children, not novels. Anyway, what a find!
As it turns out, this is a lovely book. Mandy is an orphan who finds an old abandoned cottage on the property adjoining the orphanage. Having always felt an aching loneliness from not belonging to a family, she finds that having a secret cottage all to herself - a place to take care of and to call all her own - makes her really, really happy.
Mandy is a sweet, polite, and thoughtful girl. At one point, she does resort to "borrowing" items from the orphanage to help her efforts at the cottage, but she is riddled with guilt and vows to return the items when she can afford to buy her own. (She diligently helps out in a local general store for pocket money.) Though only 10 years old, she uses matches and makes her own fires at the cottage, though these events are mentioned only in passing, as if a child starting fires is not out of the ordinary. And perhaps it wasn't in the English countryside in 1971, when the book was first published? Well, I'll just be sure to remind Isabelle, if she reads this book, that these days, kids aren't allowed to use matches by themselves. :P
Anyway, the book is predictable, and though it makes for a nice story, it doesn't really offer anything especially new or different. Still, an enjoyable read, and I even shed a few tears at the end. The sentences are simple and straight-forward, yet well-written. The reading level might be a little above Isabelle now, so maybe we will read it together as a bedtime read-aloud book, or maybe we'll just keep it on the shelf until she feels ready to read it on her own.
As it turns out, this is a lovely book. Mandy is an orphan who finds an old abandoned cottage on the property adjoining the orphanage. Having always felt an aching loneliness from not belonging to a family, she finds that having a secret cottage all to herself - a place to take care of and to call all her own - makes her really, really happy.
Mandy is a sweet, polite, and thoughtful girl. At one point, she does resort to "borrowing" items from the orphanage to help her efforts at the cottage, but she is riddled with guilt and vows to return the items when she can afford to buy her own. (She diligently helps out in a local general store for pocket money.) Though only 10 years old, she uses matches and makes her own fires at the cottage, though these events are mentioned only in passing, as if a child starting fires is not out of the ordinary. And perhaps it wasn't in the English countryside in 1971, when the book was first published? Well, I'll just be sure to remind Isabelle, if she reads this book, that these days, kids aren't allowed to use matches by themselves. :P
Anyway, the book is predictable, and though it makes for a nice story, it doesn't really offer anything especially new or different. Still, an enjoyable read, and I even shed a few tears at the end. The sentences are simple and straight-forward, yet well-written. The reading level might be a little above Isabelle now, so maybe we will read it together as a bedtime read-aloud book, or maybe we'll just keep it on the shelf until she feels ready to read it on her own.
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
4.0
I remember loving this series as a child. I even have a specific memory of looking for books in this series on the library shelves - up high on the last shelf before the windows in the children's area.
Somehow, though, I managed to forget every single detail about them except that there are four children, and they live in a boxcar. Re-reading this book for the first time since I was a kid, I was surprised to learn that the children were reunited with their grandfather! I honestly didn't remember there being any adult supervision at all. I also remember the books being "mysteries", and was surprised that this book wasn't.
The sentences are very simple, and they have a kind of wholesomeness that I associate with the 1950's. (Actually, it looks like this book was first published in 1942.) Except for the baker's wife in the beginning, every character is "good", and all the children - even 5-year-old Benny - are well-behaved. Besides being kind and polite, they are also hard-working and resourceful. Their good-naturedness might be a little unrealistic, but since this is a book for children, I rather like that they are good examples for behavior.
I don't know if the characters get fleshed out more in subsequent books, but in this one, none of the children has much of a personality besides what might be expected from each child's age and gender. But honestly, I don't mind when characters in children's books lack personality, because I wonder if that makes them more appealing and relatable to a wider audience of young readers who might like to imagine being one of the characters themselves.
I was a little put off by how matter-of-factly the children stated that their parents "are dead". And though their death must have been recent, the children didn't seem to miss them at all. Moreover, I really didn't understand how the grandfather fit in. He seemed so good and kind, and he lived nearby, so why didn't he ever see his grandchildren before? Did he really dislike their mother, and basically held a grudge against the parents until they died, at which time he realized the error of his ways and sought to make things up with his grandchildren? Well, whatever. I guess it's really not important to the story. It's about the kids, and their adventures with the boxcar, and everything else must be filed away under "suspended disbelief".
Somehow, though, I managed to forget every single detail about them except that there are four children, and they live in a boxcar. Re-reading this book for the first time since I was a kid, I was surprised to learn that the children were reunited with their grandfather! I honestly didn't remember there being any adult supervision at all. I also remember the books being "mysteries", and was surprised that this book wasn't.
The sentences are very simple, and they have a kind of wholesomeness that I associate with the 1950's. (Actually, it looks like this book was first published in 1942.) Except for the baker's wife in the beginning, every character is "good", and all the children - even 5-year-old Benny - are well-behaved. Besides being kind and polite, they are also hard-working and resourceful. Their good-naturedness might be a little unrealistic, but since this is a book for children, I rather like that they are good examples for behavior.
I don't know if the characters get fleshed out more in subsequent books, but in this one, none of the children has much of a personality besides what might be expected from each child's age and gender. But honestly, I don't mind when characters in children's books lack personality, because I wonder if that makes them more appealing and relatable to a wider audience of young readers who might like to imagine being one of the characters themselves.
I was a little put off by how matter-of-factly the children stated that their parents "are dead". And though their death must have been recent, the children didn't seem to miss them at all. Moreover, I really didn't understand how the grandfather fit in. He seemed so good and kind, and he lived nearby, so why didn't he ever see his grandchildren before? Did he really dislike their mother, and basically held a grudge against the parents until they died, at which time he realized the error of his ways and sought to make things up with his grandchildren? Well, whatever. I guess it's really not important to the story. It's about the kids, and their adventures with the boxcar, and everything else must be filed away under "suspended disbelief".
Houseboat Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner
4.0
I would have preferred to read the books in this series in order, but instead I just picked up whatever was available at our library. I am reading this book right on the heels of Book 1, and I was surprised to find that Henry could drive! That was kind of fun, to see that the children had aged.
I almost gave this book 3 stars, but I settled on 4 stars because the whole idea of vacationing on a houseboat was just fantastic! What a great concept, and what fun!! And I love how the children (though perhaps Henry is too old to be called a "child" now) continue to be so self-sufficient and resourceful.
All the characters are still rather one-dimensional, except for Benny, who seemed remarkably well-developed in contrast with his brother and sisters and grandfather. In this book, he was funny, enthusiastic, inquisitive, thoughtful, friendly, sensitive, compassionate, and not at all shy. Much of this book was so focused on Benny that at times it almost seemed like this was his adventure, and the rest of the family just tagged along.
The mystery involved two strange men, and it did seem a little too coincidental that the Alden family just happened to be in the right place at the right time to get involved in this case. But that's okay, that's just how mystery stories are, I guess. The mystery also turned out to be a bigger deal than I expected, involving policemen and real "bad guys" and everything.
I almost gave this book 3 stars, but I settled on 4 stars because the whole idea of vacationing on a houseboat was just fantastic! What a great concept, and what fun!! And I love how the children (though perhaps Henry is too old to be called a "child" now) continue to be so self-sufficient and resourceful.
All the characters are still rather one-dimensional, except for Benny, who seemed remarkably well-developed in contrast with his brother and sisters and grandfather. In this book, he was funny, enthusiastic, inquisitive, thoughtful, friendly, sensitive, compassionate, and not at all shy. Much of this book was so focused on Benny that at times it almost seemed like this was his adventure, and the rest of the family just tagged along.
The mystery involved two strange men, and it did seem a little too coincidental that the Alden family just happened to be in the right place at the right time to get involved in this case. But that's okay, that's just how mystery stories are, I guess. The mystery also turned out to be a bigger deal than I expected, involving policemen and real "bad guys" and everything.
Snowbound Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner
4.0
Another exciting adventure for the Alden family! This time, they are snowed in at a hunter's cabin. I really think their little getaways must be so much fun!
So far, each book has given me one new piece of information about Henry. In Houseboat Mystery, I learned that Henry was now old enough to drive. In this book, he's in college! Everyone else is pretty much the same. Benny is funny, Jessie is the cook, and Violet picks up the other household duties. (She does the sewing in the first book, the laundry in Houseboat Mystery, and the interior decorating in this one.)
The "mystery" in this book is pretty innocent. The Alden children meet a nice family, the Nelsons, who seems to act a little weird, as if they're hiding something. What are they hiding?! The Alden children talk over the Nelsons' strange behavior and do a lot of wondering. This book is an enjoyable read, and it's fun seeing how everything falls into place.
So far, each book has given me one new piece of information about Henry. In Houseboat Mystery, I learned that Henry was now old enough to drive. In this book, he's in college! Everyone else is pretty much the same. Benny is funny, Jessie is the cook, and Violet picks up the other household duties. (She does the sewing in the first book, the laundry in Houseboat Mystery, and the interior decorating in this one.)
The "mystery" in this book is pretty innocent. The Alden children meet a nice family, the Nelsons, who seems to act a little weird, as if they're hiding something. What are they hiding?! The Alden children talk over the Nelsons' strange behavior and do a lot of wondering. This book is an enjoyable read, and it's fun seeing how everything falls into place.
Mystery Ranch by Gertrude Chandler Warner
4.0
*** Warning: This review contains spoilers! ***
I love how each book takes the children to a new and interesting location. This time, it's an old family ranch out west! What fun!
This book starts out in a pretty amusing way. The children all freak out because Grandfather "banged the door, and all he said was 'Hello.'" Oh, my! Violet even turns white with concern. Hahahahaha! What propriety in this family!
So in this book, the adventure starts when the children meet their Aunt Jane (Grandfather's sister), and we finally get a glimpse of a possible reason for why the children never met their Grandfather until after their parents died. We don't learn much, but it sounds like Grandfather used to be pretty arrogant.
We also get to know Violet a little better. We knew she was kind (as all the Alden children are), but now we see that she is also gentle, she likes to take care of other people, and she wants to be a nurse when she grows up.
Interestingly, while other books in the series had the children eating common foods like hot dogs, hamburgers, and baked potatoes, this time, we see a few unusual foods being fed to Aunt Jane, who is not feeling well. She drinks orange juice mixed with a beaten egg, and she eats "milk toast", which is hot milk poured over a piece of toast with a little salt. Is it just me who hasn't heard of these foods? Or has the American diet had some drastic changes in the last 50 years?
Anyway, as for the "mystery" itself. I guess it was a little thin in this book, mostly centered around the identity of a Mystery Man. It started to get good when the children discovered the make-shift hut in the woods, but that was resolved so quickly that there was hardly much time for any suspense to build. Still, there are probably enough questions floating around to keep young readers interested, and that's the whole point, after all.
Finally, I can't help but feel a little worried about the Alden family, now that we know a bit more about uranium than they did back when this book was written. Clearly the value of uranium was known, but apparently not the health risks. With uranium in the chimney, everyone in this house has an increased risk of developing cancer! At least we know that Aunt Jane is still in good health at age 70, which is comforting.
I love how each book takes the children to a new and interesting location. This time, it's an old family ranch out west! What fun!
This book starts out in a pretty amusing way. The children all freak out because Grandfather "banged the door, and all he said was 'Hello.'" Oh, my! Violet even turns white with concern. Hahahahaha! What propriety in this family!
So in this book, the adventure starts when the children meet their Aunt Jane (Grandfather's sister), and we finally get a glimpse of a possible reason for why the children never met their Grandfather until after their parents died. We don't learn much, but it sounds like Grandfather used to be pretty arrogant.
We also get to know Violet a little better. We knew she was kind (as all the Alden children are), but now we see that she is also gentle, she likes to take care of other people, and she wants to be a nurse when she grows up.
Interestingly, while other books in the series had the children eating common foods like hot dogs, hamburgers, and baked potatoes, this time, we see a few unusual foods being fed to Aunt Jane, who is not feeling well. She drinks orange juice mixed with a beaten egg, and she eats "milk toast", which is hot milk poured over a piece of toast with a little salt. Is it just me who hasn't heard of these foods? Or has the American diet had some drastic changes in the last 50 years?
Anyway, as for the "mystery" itself. I guess it was a little thin in this book, mostly centered around the identity of a Mystery Man. It started to get good when the children discovered the make-shift hut in the woods, but that was resolved so quickly that there was hardly much time for any suspense to build. Still, there are probably enough questions floating around to keep young readers interested, and that's the whole point, after all.
Finally, I can't help but feel a little worried about the Alden family, now that we know a bit more about uranium than they did back when this book was written. Clearly the value of uranium was known, but apparently not the health risks. With uranium in the chimney, everyone in this house has an increased risk of developing cancer! At least we know that Aunt Jane is still in good health at age 70, which is comforting.