The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis (1950)
189 pgs
Age 12 and up
part 2 of 7

It’s WWII and the Pevensie children have been sent to away from their family to Professor Kirke for safe keeping. But what are four kids supposed to do in a house without much supervision? During a game of hide and seek Lucy hides in a word-robe, but the wardrobe is not ordinary it is a portal into the world called Narnia. Here she meets a faun named Mr. Tumnus who tries to get her to fall asleep and then hand her over to the evil White Witch, but he can’t go through with it. Lucy returns and attempts to tell her story, but no one believes her. One night she travels back to Narnia this time Edmund follows her except he meets the White Witch who entices him with some Turkish Delights and tells him he can have more and be a prince if he brings his brother and sisters to her. Lucy and Edmund meet up and Lucy is so thrilled she tells the others that Edmund has been to Narnia, he denies it which causes a stir. Eventually they all end up in Narnia where their real story unfolds.

Many of you have probably seen the newest movie version but have you seen the 1979 cartoon version? If not you should check it out.

101 Freaky Animals by Melvin and Gilda Berger

101 Freaky Animals by Melvin and Gilda Berger (2010)
112 pgs
Age 11 and up

This book features 101 freaky animals from puffer fish to Shoebills.  I don’t really agree with the order, but it is still fun and informative to look through.  Number one is  Aardvark that live in Africa and eat ants and termites that it eats with its super long and sticky tongue.  Number 101 is a Viper Fish which has super deadly teeth. The Tarsiers is number 94 but I think is is very cute in a creepy kind of way.  Its eyes are huge.  Have you ever seen an Okapis they look like a gray giraffe and a zebra were mixed together they are very cute but very shy so it took a long time for them to be discovered (they are number 66) .

Tarsiers

Another Cinderella Story (Movie 2008)

Another Cinderella Story (2008)
Age 11 and up

This movie is number two in “a Cinderella Story” series.  But it is not really a squeal as much as it is another girl’s story.  This Cinderella’s name is Mary Santiago and she lives with her guardian a has been pop star and her two daughters. She is basically their unpaid under-appreciated assistant.

Enter new pop sensation and heartthrob Joey Parker and things start to get interesting.  Mary wants to dance and Joey is holding a talent show, the winner gets to dance with him in his new video.  But hold up, there is a dance before this talent show and guess what, it is a masquerade.

Who dances with Joey Parker and sweeps him off his feet?  Yup, your right Mary Santiago, and of course she has to race off before her wicked guardian finds out she is missing, but she leaves a clue for her prince charming; her Zune.   This starts the search. Watch to find out how things unfold.

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937)
305 pgs
Age 12 and up

With the release of the movie fast approaching, I felt it was time to read The Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins is an ordinary hobbit, that is until a wizard named Gandalf nominates him  to play the role of burglar for a group of dwarf that are planning to steal back their treasure from a dragon named Smaug.  The road ahead is full of dangers including; trolls, goblins, wargs, and a giant spider.  This is the prequel to the much loved Lord of the Rings books and movies and it is where we learn some back story of the Ring, Gollum, Gandalf, and  Bilbo.  The descriptions can be a bit intense at times, but I encourage you to hang in there to the end; it is worth it.  This is definitely a book for the die heart fantasy story  lovers.

Here is the trailer for the movie that comes out December 14th:

The Karate Kid (Movie1984)

1984
Age 13 and up

Daniel Larusso has just moved with his mother to a new town.  Mr. Miyagi is the maintenance man at the apartment complex where Daniel now resides.  They become friends after Daniel gets in trouble with some bullies because of his intresr in a girl named Ali.  These bullies are learning how to do karate and in a desperate attempt to learn how to defend himself Daniel begs Mr. Miyagi to teach him.  Mr. Miyagi ends up teaching much more. T

he bullies and Daniel enter a karate tournament. Watch to find out what happens.  May the best man win.

There are three Karate Kid movies that have Daniel in them,  as well as one with a girl (Hilary Swank) called The Next Karate Kid, and a new one featuring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith.

I Am Number 4 (Movie 2011)

2011
Age 13 and up

John Smith who has gone by many other names is not from this planet. He and his guardian move from town to town trying to avoid a run in with Mogadorians.  There were nine  kids like John who were sent to this earth all with powers and they can only be killed in order John is number 4.  After getting a vision that number three has been killed things start to heat up.  He and his guardian move to a small town in Ohio where John meets Sarah. Things only get complicated from here.  The Mogadorians catch on to where John is.  Will he end up like number three?  Where are the others? Watch to find out.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (2005)
498 pgs
Age 14 and up

Bella Swans is the new girl in Forks, Washington and she is not exactly thrilled about it, that is until she meets Edward Cullen.  There is something strange about him and her suspicions are heightened when he saves her from being crushed by a car.  This gets her asking questions and she finds some answers from Jacob a family friend who tells her about the legend of the cold ones.  This does not slow down our narrator, oh no, she has fallen too hard for Edward.  The two form an attachment that shakes the foundation of both their worlds. James a fellow Vampire, but the human blood sucking kind, has developed a crush on Bella, and not the good kind. He wants to hunt her down and suck her blood. The Cullens try to protect her but will it be enough? Read to find out.

This book draws you in and you will be hooked in no time but, I feel that it is important to remind girls that the intense obsession between Bella and Edward is part of a vampire motif.  That does not mean that it is a healthy example of real relationships.

Here is the trailer to the first twilight movie.  Just a heads up the movies get better so keep watching the series.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not: Enter If You Dare!

Ripley’s Believe It or Not: Enter If You Dare! (2010)
242 pgs
Age 14 and up

Oh, I dared to enter the world of Ripley’s Believe it or Not and found it quite fun.  This book has all the strange and interesting things in our history.  For one they mention this really creepy bug that attaches to the tongue of a fish and sucks on all the blood and nutrients until the tongue dies and if that is not enough it stays there and continues to steal nutrients from the food that the fish eats.  But my favorite part was the art section. the artist came up with such inventive pieces. It is AMAZING!!!! Check out;  Master of Light and Shade, Mona Easel, and Phonebook Faces.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling (1998)
309 pgs
1st in a series of 7
Age 11 and up

Harry Potter is an orphan who, unfortunately, lives with his horrid aunt, uncle, and cousin.  They have be hiding a very important secret from him.  On Dudley’s birthday at the zoo Harry gets a taste of what the secret is when the glass of a snake’s cage disappears and his cousin falls in.  After that strange letters keep appearing and this uncle will not let Harry have them. The whole thing drives his uncle mad, he packs up the family and takes them to an island thinking that this will solve the problem. But Late at night on Harry’s birthday they get a visit from the huge and strange man named Hagrid who hand delivers the letter to Harry.  Hagrid then takes Harry away and prepares him for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Once there Harry becomes friends with Ron and Hermione.  The year begins and many adventures await.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945)
112 pgs
Age 14 and up

Old Major a boar on the Manor Farm gets things in motion by teaching his fellow animals a song called Best of England.   This fills the hearts for the animals with a yearning to live in a society where they are free from humans.  Old Major dies shortly after.  Napoleon, Snowball,  and Squealer pick up where Old Major leaves off.  The animals take the farm over.  They create Animalism Which has seven rules or commandments basically declaring humans and human behavior as unacceptable.  all starts off well but as history tells us ideas set on the ideal society has a way of going askew.  Napoleon gets power hungry and set a plan in motion to get rid of Snowball.  Once Snowball is gone things just keep going downhill. Read to see what power trips Napoleon goes on.

Fun facts:

George Orwell is a pen name the author’s real name is Eric Blair

This book was banned in the USSR because it is anti-Communist until the 1980s

It was at one point also banned in the USA

The book was made into a movie in 1954 and 1999.  Here is a trailer for the 1999 version: