Review: The Journey of the Noble Gnarble

The Journey of the Noble Gnarble by Daniel Errico

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



(Free e-book found here: http://www.magickeys.com/books/noblegnarble/index.html )

This is the tale of the noblest Gnarble of them all-- unlike his fellow gnarbles, who are content to stay on the ocean floor, this fellow decides that he has to see the sun before he dies. In spite of his nay-saying friends and neighbors, who say that he just isn't built for such an adventure, he sets off. He meets a host of other creatures on his journey to see the sun, most of them with ridiculous names, and most of them eager to eat this gnarble who is so far from home. The meter and ludicrousness of the names of all the creatures brings Lewis Carroll to mind, and the poem is very fun to read out loud. The paintings that accompany the text are brightly colored and imaginative, full of made-up animals (with their silly names), making this a good book to share when people are in a silly mood. Recommended for grades K-2.



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Review: Life As a Knight: An Interactive History Adventure

Life As a Knight: An Interactive History Adventure by Rachael Hanel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be a knight? This book allows you to choose your own path through many different possibilities as various kinds of knights. You can be a French knight in 1096, an English knight in 1346, or a German knight in 1525. From that initial decision, you are given more choices to make, each with consequences that might not be exactly what you think. Scattered throughout the text are pictures in varying styles with captions containing facts about the knighthood or the time period. Each path you choose is relatively short, but there is always the option to go back and try the other fork in the road, making this an entertaining and educational diversion for those interested in the knighthood or battles in various European countries. At the end of the book is a final section on the state of knighthood today: now an honorary and symbolic gesture, not at all the same as it used to be. This is followed by a brief timeline of European wars, and questions to aid in thinking about knighthood in its various forms, such as Joan of Arc being a female knight, samurai being a different type of knight, and knights of legend, such as the Knights of the Round Table. Finally, there are print and internet resources for learning more, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index. Recommended for grades 3-6.



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Review: Serenity: Those Left Behind

Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



If you are a fan of Joss Whedon's TV series Firefly and its cinematic follow-up Serenity, then this is a comic that is right for you. Chronologically, it takes place after the series and before the movie. Unfortunately, it does seem that prior knowledge of the universe and the characters is necessary for full understanding of this book, but it would still be an enjoyable read even without that knowledge. Captain Mal and his crew are, as always, running low on cash in their spaceship that needs fuel and repairs, and willing to go against the law to get what they need. The comic opens with Mal and several crew-mates facing up against another group of bandits after the same stash of loot. Showing himself to have honor, Mal agrees to let the others take the prize, until they press their luck too far by demanding his gun, too-- the gun that got him through the war. The two groups clash, and their opponents end up getting away with the money, but not Mal's gun. Our heroes make their escape from the enraged townsfolk empty-handed, and so can't afford to pass up the next opportunity that comes along to make some cash. Unfortunately, that makes them fall into the trap set for them by a former adversary of Mal's, who has teamed up with the corrupt government agents who have been trying to get their hands on two of Mal's passengers: Simon and River Tam, siblings on the run ever since Simon rescued River from a life of government testing. Always gifted, River is now a bit unhinged, with psychic abilities that no one really understands, as well as deadly martial arts skills. The art style portrays the characters faithfully and recognizably as they appear on-screen, though with a comic book twist: slightly more muscles on the men, slightly slenderer waists on the women, and similar subtle distortions. As in the show, foul language is replaced by Chinese, and there is a decidedly Western, cowboy feel to the colonized planets they visit-- the townsfolk chase them on horses and on futuristic hovering machines. Recommended for Firefly or Joss Whedon fans grades 8 and up.



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Review: Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



With subtle anime and manga influence on the art style, Vampire Academy is an intriguing beginning to the graphic novel version of the popular book series of the same name. Rose and Lissa, fiercely loyal best friends with a psychic bond, have run away from the Academy, and are taken back in the book's opening. Princess Lissa is a kind of vampire called Moroi. Moroi are living beings, born vampires, who can practice magic. Rose, on the other hand, is a dhampir-- half Moroi, half human. Dhampir are guardians of the Moroi, who are the prey of choice of the vicious and feared Strigoi, immortal and undead creatures who gain much power from drinking Moroi blood. Once the two are back in the Academy to resume their training, they are dropped into the scheming and back-stabbing rumor-mill that is the student body, and quickly the virginal Rose is (falsely) accused of both sleeping with several classmates and also letting them drink her blood-- being a "blood-whore." While they were away from the Academy, Rose did let Lissa feed on her blood, an act that they both wish to remain secret, but that of course is leaked soon after their return. There are definite Sapphic overtones to the close friendship and the sharing of blood, but both characters have male love interests. There are flashbacks and incomplete information in this book that might make the reader feel as though he or she is missing something, but the graphic novel does stand alone from the text-only version, and instills a hope that much will be explained in the sequels. The characters are drawn and colored in a way that makes it easy to distinguish them from one another, and their facial expressions, from angry to playful to frightened, are also easily read without being over-exaggerated. Recommended for grades 8 and up.



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Review: Marie Curie

Marie Curie by Nick Healy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



One of the most famous woman scientists of all time, Marie Curie was scholastically gifted from a very young age. Enduring hardships her entire life (growing up in poverty in Russia-controlled Poland, having family members die of illness), she nonetheless never gave up on her passions and dreams of contributing to the community of scientific knowledge. She and her husband Pierre (who she met after moving from her native Poland to France) made an unstoppable scientific team, making huge strides in understanding the atom, coining the term 'radioactive,' and winning the Nobel Prize in 1903. After her husband is tragically killed by a horse and carriage, Marie takes over his teaching position and continues her research on radium. She won a second Nobel Prize in 1911, this one for chemistry, but also lost an election to the French Academy of Sciences by two votes, because many people railed against a woman being a part of such a prestigious organization. Marie didn't let that discourage her from continuing her research. Unfortunately, it is this passion for her work, for scientific knowledge, and for her newly discovered radiation that is her undoing. All the exposure to radiation that she endures gives her leukemia, which she succumbs to at the age of 66. Her story is an inspiring one of overcoming adversity and public opinion. The book has large pages, and every other page is a photograph, which makes for a visually appealing book. Each page also has a quote about Marie Curie, usually from people who knew her, including Albert Einstein. Along the bottoms of the pages are important events in her life in a timeline, and the last part of the book contains excerpts from a reluctantly-written autobiography that she was encouraged to include in her biography of her late husband. It is fascinating to get a chance to read about her experiences as seen through her own eyes. There are also some end notes that define terms that may be unfamiliar to the reader, and an index. Recommended for grades 3-5.



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Review: Slick

Slick by Sara Cassidy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Liza is a teenaged student who loves the environment and DIY projects, and whose parents recently got divorced. She and her two younger brothers still live with their mom, and their dad moved abroad and doesn't factor into the story very much. Liza's mom, an Eco-conscious and opinionated antique enthusiast, has started dating a man that Liza hates. She calls him Slick, because she thinks he's greasy and because he works for an oil company. When Liza's teacher shows her class a film on how oil companies are impacting life in Guatemala, Liza realizes that the company featured in the video is the very company that Slick works for, and she can't believe that her mother is compromising her ideals for a man. She decides to start a group of her classmates and friends to raise awareness of what the company is doing in Guatemala and how that could affect the planet, which affects everyone. The group is called Girls for Renewable Resources, Really!-- GRRR! Some of her male classmates make a sibling group for boys, named BRRR! They successfully raise awareness and make changes with their actions, and it is truly an inspiring tale for people who want to have an impact for a cause they care about. Liza even manages to earn Slick's grudging respect, though she is railing against his company, and toward the end of the book, she doesn't seem to hate him as much as she used to, either. Some sections of the story are told through e-mails sent among the characters, which makes for a pleasant change in pace. Recommended for grades 5-7.



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Review: Pharaoh: Life and Afterlife of a God

Pharaoh: Life and Afterlife of a God by David Kennett

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Focusing on the time during the reigns of Seti I and Ramesses II, this book specifically begins when Seti I passes away in 1290 BC and Ramesses II is set to rule in his place. The book opens with describing the embalming ritual as it pertains to Seti I's physical body, and walks the reader through what the ancient Egyptians believed happened to his soul after his passing step by step, and how the people honor and mourn his death. Many other aspects of the ancient Egyptian culture are also discussed, from the lives of their clergy to their builders to their farmers. In particular, the tombs of the Pharaohs are seen as particularly noteworthy. Their trades, imports and exports, and military are also delved into in a broad sense to give a wonderful overview of the area. Each page has many beautiful acrylic paintings, realistic and eye-catching. Some are reproductions of ancient Egyptian artifacts and hieroglyphics, and many show people at work in the fields or on famous tombs and other buildings. At the end of the book there is a glossary of terms that might be unfamiliar to the reader, and an index. As an overview of ancient Egyptian culture, this is highly recommended for grades 3-6, and is worth picking up for the art alone for those people who might be older and already familiar with ancient Egyptian culture.



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