Rowan and the Travelers (Rowan of Rin) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am Rowan Quinain, Jr. I am 8+ years old in third grade.
I read the latest Rowan book for my fiction report at school. Every month, we have to read a book, then do a written report or make a project of the book we read.
My mom suggested, that I read Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal because she reads the review and she told me that it was a very interesting book.
We had difficulty getting the book through bookstores. My mom was told that it will be available this summer yet.So, my dad went to amazon.com and he was able to order it from amazon.
I like the story because the main character has the same name as me and my dad. Also, the story is about a boy's courage, his love for his mom, and his adventures. Rowan is an intelligent boy, because being a chooser of the Keeper of the Crystal is a difficult task. I also learned team-work among the candidates.

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Alyzon Whitestarr Review

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(More customer reviews)Alyzon Whitestarr (2005) is a standalone SF novel. It is probably set in contemporary Australia somewhere along the coastline.
In this novel, Alyzon Whitestarr is the middle kid among five children. Unlike the others, Alyzon has no special attributes.
Zambia Whitestarr is the mother of Alyzon and her siblings. She is an artist, although not wellknown.
Macoll Whitestarr is the father of Alyzon and her siblings. Mac is the lead guitarist for Losing the Rope, a local band.
Jesse Whitestarr is the eldest child. He plays a blues guitar in the bathroom and thinks deep thoughts.
Mirandah is the second child. She plays the saxophone. She loves Ricki, but has frequent lover's spats. Maybe that has something to do with her lack of tact.
Serenity is the fourth child. She plays the cello. Lately she has been telling people to call her Sybl. She has also adopted black as her color, but isn't into goth.
Luke is the baby. He is only a few months old, but has a very calm disposition.
Gilly Roundtree is a classmate of Alyzon. Her mother travels a lot, so she lives with her grandmother.
In this story, Alyzon has an accident. A car hatch closes on her head and she gets a concussion. She also has enhanced perceptions and a bit of synesthesia. She notices that everybody has a consistent scent that differs between individuals. She begins to believe that these scents are indicative of their character.
Some people have rotten scents, literally smelling like garbage or other foul stuff. She first notices such a smell from a Dr. Austin at the hospital. Then she smells such an odor from Harlen Sanderson, a widely admired guy in her school.
She also smells transient scents that seem to indicate various moods. Yet these scents differ among individuals. Her Da has an ammoniac scent when he is upset.
Her doctor tells Alyzon that the stronger perceptions will fade away, but they continue for a long while. Alyzon develops mental tricks to shield her from these strong sensations. Mathematics seems to work the best in reducing these effects.
She finds that she can communicate with animals through scents. Wombat -- the family cat -- begins to have long sessions with her. She also makes strong impressions on other animals.
When Alyzon returns to school, she finds that these scents change her feelings for some persons. Her English teacher -- Mrs. Barker -- smells as great as Alyzon expected and Gilly becomes her best friend. But Alyzon tries her best to avoid Harlen.
Alyzon begins to worry about her sister Serenity. Normally she has a violet scent, but her Sybl persona has a licorice odor. She also sounds paranoid, asking if Alyzon is following her.
This tale introduces Alyzon to friends of Gilly, who become her friends as well. They discover that Serenity is meeting with a poetry group at the library, but this group seems to have gang connections. Alyzon also meets Davey, a sweet man with an unseen companion named Simon.
This story has a scientific rationale behind the enhanced perceptions and the evil scents, but the storyline reads more like a dark fantasy. The disease that causes the sickening scents appears to amplify the Id, the least civilized part of the mind. Then it drives these sick individuals to spread the infection.
Highly recommended for Carmody fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of strange powers, evil influences, and young heroines.
-Arthur W. Jordin

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Missing Magic Review

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(More customer reviews)Eleven-year-old Ned Truso would love to tell you about his ability to float around a room, or turn a person into a frog. But, alas, it's not possible; for Ned lacks all magical ability. While his family is gifted magically, it appears that the magic did not extend to Ned. This, he blames on his father, a farmer who is only slightly magically gifted. Ned wishes more than anything that his cousin, Kelver Truso, was his father. Kelver, one of the most powerful magicians known, vied for his mother's affections for years, but lost her to Ned's un-gifted father. Luckily, that hasn't made Kelver too bitter, and, under the title "Uncle Kelver," he is still a large part of Ned's life. Which is how Ned finds himself being enrolled as a student at Leodwych School. Leodwych School, a place for budding magicians to learn the magic ropes - from history to spells, and everything in between - doesn't come cheap. But, determined to help Ned develop magical abilities of some sort, Kelver shells over a lump some of money, as well as the cash needed to make certain repairs to the school. Ned believes that, with a little help from educated magicians, he'll be able to learn everything he has ever wanted to know about magic. Unfortunately, it is quite evident from day one that magic is, most likely, not going to be a part of his life. Sure, he can read all the books he'd like to about it. And he can sit in on classes with kids his age who can do all sorts of interesting tricks. But it doesn't seem that Ned will ever be able to follow their lead. Sadly, the other Leodwych students seem to know this, for, from day one, Ned is tormented by his classmates. Some work to drag him flying across the room; while others steal his "overpriced" pencils. Ned is absolutely miserable, and loathes his new situation. But, with his parents far away, there's little to nothing that Ned can do, aside from runaway. And, as he loves the food he receives at Mrs. Bolsher's place, he doesn't see running away as an option. Then, just as Ned's books are turned into a pile of heavy bricks, and his hair is turned into an assortment of squirming snakes for the last time, he realizes that enough is enough. And, as much as he doesn't want to disappoint Uncle Kelver, he contemplates escaping the confines of Leodwych School. Then tragedy strikes! Necromancers - magical pirates of a sort - have been kidnapping magical children left and right. When Ned falls into their clutches, he realizes that his lack of magical ability may just earn him a one-way ticket to an untimely demise. But when the Necromancers learn of his odd normal-ness, they decide that he's too bizarre to dispose of, and decide to keep him around. But if Ned and his classmates don't escape from the Necromancers' clutches stat, they may be forced to work for them...forever.
It seems like every book being released for children nowadays is part of the fantasy genre. Luckily, most present new ideas that make each story stand-out from all the others. MISSING MAGIC falls into this category. While many fantasy novels involve a student with heightened magical powers, Emma Laybourn presents a tale about a boy who is missing all magical ability, and must function in a world and environment, where he is surrounded by those who are gifted magically. Ned is a fun character, who appears mischievous, but really has a good head on his shoulders. His lack of magical ability truly makes the reader feel for him, as he is surrounded by those who have the powers to do whatever they please - including torment him at the drop of a hat. It's extremely difficult not to sympathize with Ned as he traverses the school hallways on foot, while others fly; and figure out math equations in his head, while his magical counterparts simply request the answer, and watch it appear. However, as much as Ned appears to be the victim, Laybourn does not allow that title to stick with him, and works to make him a hero to readers, as well as the additional characters found within MISSING MAGIC. Laybourn also strives to mix various components to create a truly original, off-beat fantasy, which definitely leaves the reader curious to learn more. While I have read many fantasy stories, and have encountered the term "Necromancer," Laybourn is the first to present a story of what, exactly, Necromancers are. According to Laybourn, Necromancers are a type of magical pirate, who float among the clouds and stars on a ship rowed by magical children and slaves. I found this inclusion within MISSING MAGIC to be quite interesting, as it mixes fantasy with pirates, and weaves a story that will, ultimately, appeal to readers of all genres. Laybourn proves herself to be fairly adept at creating characters, and bizarre storylines, which make her one to watch in the children's literary world. The only thing missing from this magical new fantasy is a sequel!
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

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Cabin on Trouble Creek Review

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(More customer reviews)A boy and his father build a cabin in the wilderness. The boy is left alone at the cabin to prepare it for the family. Meanwhile father returns to civilization to collect the rest of the family, which includes younger siblings, Mom, and a new baby. Father doesn't return and boy starts to worry about how he will take care of himself - clothing, food, etc. if father never returns. An Indian mentor enters the picture and teaches the boy how to set snares to catch rabbits and other important life sustaining skills. Boy ends up alone for the most part throughout the winter with an occasional visit from his Indian friend. Father finally returns with family in spring. Seems the family was sick when he returned home to get them and then he got sick. The family is amazed with how well the cabin looks and how the boy fended for himself. Does this sound great to you? Then go read "The Sign of the Beaver," a Newbery Honor Book written by Elizabeth George Speare in 1983. Speare's other fine works of historical fiction for youth include "The Bronze Bow" and "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" both winners of the Newbery Medal.
This book is very well written but I cannot in good conscience rate it higher than a "1" because it is a blatant ripoff of Speare's wonderful book. The only major difference is that in Van Leeuwen's book, two boys are left alone at the cabin instead of one. Everything else in the the synopsis above is identical in the two books. Van Leeuwen could have at least acknowledged Speare's work by including the statement: "inspired by ..."

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