Thursday, March 06, 2008

For your queue



If you are looking for a good book to read just by yourself or with your kids, here are 2 I'd highly recommend.

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

This is not your typical Dave Barry writing. It is the story of before Peter Pan, and how he became the flying boy he's known to be. The chapters are short and action packed. My book group read it (before I showed up) and it's fun for adults, but is technically a children's book. It stirs the imagination. It is recommended for 10 and up because the bad guys are bad (though with comic relief, of course) and scary things do happen (how could they not with pirates and such). I know I would have loved, loved, loved it as a kid. At the end of each (short, kid friendly) chapter you wonder, what next?!! I give it 2 thumbs up. *As a side note, the next 2 books after this one have a much darker bad guy. If your kids are nightmare prone like I was, I'd say stick with book 1, it's fun and has closure.

The other recomendation is for Alcatraz Verses the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson. Again a kids book, but Wood and I read it together. It's a quick, fun read and while it's definitely aimed at kids, some of the jokes are pretty funny for adults too.

So there you go, if you have no good books on your queue, here are two. But you don't have to take my word for it (bud-duh-dump-dump.)

7 comments:

John Robinson said...

Awesome Jody La Forge reference Woodine!

zippy said...

We LOVE the Peter series. We began the first on with M on our cross-country rode trip when moving from NY to AZ, and since have finished #2 and are currently working on #3. Although M is three years from the recommended age, he's done well with reading and comprehending the story; fortunately, even though #2 and #3 are darker he's not had any nightmares. I would absolutely recommend #1!!

Glad to hear you're all doing well.

Pooka said...

Brandon Sanderson's first (?) book, Elantris, was introduced to our family by the author's relations in our Frozen Valley Ward of yore. Our whole family population over ten has fallen in love with it over and over. It's an incredibly clean, fabulously creative, gripping fantasy novel about a 'natural' phenomenon blessing-turned-curse-turned-blessing
You could read the entire first few chapters online at Brandon S.'s website last I checked.
Anyway, I wasn't aware he'd since written a children's book! Off to the bookstore we go!

I stinketh not!! said...

you are too funny. Thanks for the recommens. I'm always on the look out for a good ( quick) read.

Aaron said...

I read Elantris, and Woodine started it when we were in CT. I really enjoyed the book. I also read Mistborn and enjoyed it too. Sanderson has a way of putting great twists in the plot.

Anonymous said...

I've got both these books on my bookshelf along with about thirty other things I'm meaning to read. I'll have to move them up based on your recommendations, though.

Cougarg said...

I got the original Peter Pan, and started it the other night. I need to get used to the language in it, because there are some moments when I struggle more than I am used to when reading. I've heard good things about the Barry Prequels though. And since Mr. Sanderson is joining a series that I am in to, I'll have to check him out.