Hands down, Cornelia Funke is one of the best authors I have ever read. In fact, I've always thought of her as a modern day Charles Dickens. Her writing is poetic, filled with imagery and beautiful language, and her stories are fun and memorable.
The first of hers that I read, The Thief Lord, is a really cool story that takes place in Venice, Italy. Never before have I read a book that has made me long to travel so badly! Cornelia Funke paints the images of Venice - from riding boats on the canals, ducking into hidden alleyways, gargoyles staring down at you, and the ways that she is able to make the city architecture come to life with her words - this author is top notch with some serious skills.
Now, the storyline to this book is quite good. You can paint all of the pretty images and sound nice and fancy, but you've got to have a storyline that hooks the reader in and is engaging throughout to make for a good book. Here, Cornelia Funke delivers.
In The Thief Lord, Prosper and Bo are two orpans on the run from their aunt and uncle. They fear that if they're caught, they'll be split up through adoption or sent to different orphanages. So, rather than face this fate, they take matters into their own hands and run away, hiding in the shadows and nighttime of Venice, Italy.
Who is the Thief Lord? Well, a runaway can't always make an honest living, right? Not all thiefs are bad, though, and just maybe the Thief Lord can help young Prosper and Bo stay out of trouble and together.
For more information about Cornelia Funke and her books, visit her website at: http://corneliafunke.com/
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Travel Team, by Mike Lupica
A while back, I used to coach the 6th and 7th grade school basketball team. While I was coaching, Travel Team was still a relatively new book that Mike Lupica had written, and I got into reading it.
As the story was unfolding, my season was running parallel to what was happening in the book. In the book, the main character is a short kid named Danny that could handle the ball well and is the heart of the team. On my own basketball team, my point guard and captain was also a short guy named Danny, and he was a great kid (I'd imagine he's much older now, and is still probably a really good kid). As the team in the story improves from terrible to pretty good, my own team was stringing together a few wins and we were making a push for the playoffs ourselves. The similiarities between my season and this book were uncanny, and it made for a great read and an amazing year coaching.
Looking back, I loved coaching that basketball team, and I really did love reading this book at the same time. When it comes to sports books, I think Mike Lupica is one of the best in the game. It doesn't hurt that he's a New England sports fan, either.
If you play basketball and live for sports, if you've ever dreamed of making the team and being in the spotlight but have just come up short, if you're a point guard and you wish you were just a few inches taller - then perhaps this book will be right up your alley. And, if you'd like to learn more about this book and many others that Mike Lupica has written, follow this link: http://www.mikelupicabooks.com/index.html
As the story was unfolding, my season was running parallel to what was happening in the book. In the book, the main character is a short kid named Danny that could handle the ball well and is the heart of the team. On my own basketball team, my point guard and captain was also a short guy named Danny, and he was a great kid (I'd imagine he's much older now, and is still probably a really good kid). As the team in the story improves from terrible to pretty good, my own team was stringing together a few wins and we were making a push for the playoffs ourselves. The similiarities between my season and this book were uncanny, and it made for a great read and an amazing year coaching.
Looking back, I loved coaching that basketball team, and I really did love reading this book at the same time. When it comes to sports books, I think Mike Lupica is one of the best in the game. It doesn't hurt that he's a New England sports fan, either.
If you play basketball and live for sports, if you've ever dreamed of making the team and being in the spotlight but have just come up short, if you're a point guard and you wish you were just a few inches taller - then perhaps this book will be right up your alley. And, if you'd like to learn more about this book and many others that Mike Lupica has written, follow this link: http://www.mikelupicabooks.com/index.html
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo, is one of my favorite books of all time. This is one of those books which I have read a few times, and I LOVE reading it aloud with my family and my students. In fact, I have read this book aloud on three separate occassions, in school and at home with my wife and oldest child.
The star of the story is Edward Tulane, a China rabbit that has been lost by his owner - young Abeline. The adventure starts on Egypt Street, in Abeline's care. Edward is then lost at sea, where he sinks to the bottom of the ocean with eyes painted open. Eventually, he ends up caught in a fishing net, traveling with a hobo on the railways, into the arms of a sick a fragile child, and the story continues. Along the way, Edward learns of love and life.
Over the course of the story, Edward learns a great deal. If only he had loved Abeline more when he was in her arms or sitting at her dinner table, when they were lying awake at night and he watched the stars glow and the sun rise each day from where she tucked him into bed. If only he could talk, walk, or even blink...
Kate DiCamillo shows the world through the eyes of a China rabbit. This heartwarming and rich story is one that I will highly recommend, again and again.
For more information about this book, visit the following: http://www.katedicamillo.com/books/edward.html
The star of the story is Edward Tulane, a China rabbit that has been lost by his owner - young Abeline. The adventure starts on Egypt Street, in Abeline's care. Edward is then lost at sea, where he sinks to the bottom of the ocean with eyes painted open. Eventually, he ends up caught in a fishing net, traveling with a hobo on the railways, into the arms of a sick a fragile child, and the story continues. Along the way, Edward learns of love and life.
Over the course of the story, Edward learns a great deal. If only he had loved Abeline more when he was in her arms or sitting at her dinner table, when they were lying awake at night and he watched the stars glow and the sun rise each day from where she tucked him into bed. If only he could talk, walk, or even blink...
Kate DiCamillo shows the world through the eyes of a China rabbit. This heartwarming and rich story is one that I will highly recommend, again and again.
For more information about this book, visit the following: http://www.katedicamillo.com/books/edward.html
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flammel (series), by Michael Scott
Having just finished the last book in the series, The Enchantress, I find it fitting that this should be the first of a long list of books that I recommend to middle school readers. Fans of the Percy Jackson series should definitely leap for these books, as famous gods and well-known figures throughout history play a significant role in helping the twins of legend save the world.
This story unfolds with the first book, The Alchemist, in which young Josh and Sophie Newman are the long sought-after gold and silver twins - one to save the world, one to destroy it. Good and evil try to lure the twins and train them over the course of the six novels, leading to one tremendous ending endured by many memorable characters. Josh and Sophie - the twins of legend, Prometheus, William Shakespeare, Billy the Kid, the Shadow, Abraham the Great, Dr. John Dee, Perrenelle and Nicholas Flamel, and a slew of other characters - play a huge part in the creation and survival of the world as we know it.
Imagine learning to manipulate fire from Mars Altar. Or learning the history of the world and the magic of air through the Witch of Endor. Wouldn't it be cool to yield the powerful sword of Excalibur, or one of its three companion blades? Definitely it'd be an amazing experience to slip through way gates, move from San Fransisco to Paris, back in history 10,000 years ago, en route to saving the world by defeating elders, famous bad guys, and hideously evil monsters. Sounds like an epic journey, right?
If you enjoyed at all the Harry Potter series and the strength and endurance of Harry and his friends with the magical, heroic and epic adventure. If you loved the Percy Jackson series as Percy fought alongside and against gods that have been worshiped throughout our own history. If high action and adventure, a little bit of violence and a scare, fight and survival - if these elements of a story are appealing to you, then The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flammel series is one which you will surely love. It's one of my favorites!
For more information about this series and the author, Michael Scott, please visit the following:
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