Lady Lollipop by Dick King-Smith January 3, 2012
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction, Beginning Chapter Books, Fantasy , add a comment
This book is adorable. Who could resist a story with a spoiled princess, an intelligent pig, and a clever boy? Princess Penelope wants a pet pig, and she wants it to live in the palace. The King and Queen are not happy but agree to let her have a pig who must live outside. Penelope chooses Johnny’s pig, Lollipop. Lollipop and Johnny move into a stall on the palace grounds. Johnny has a lot of work to do. He must train Lollipop to be an inside pig, teach Penelope how to be nice, and convince the Queen that a pig can be a handy pet. Thank goodness he’s a clever boy!
~Mrs. Carlson~
Shrek the Third by Amy Court October 17, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Fantasy , add a comment
Shrek, Fiona, and Arte try to save Far Away Kingdom and land. They are trying to trick Arte to save Far Away Kingdom because he was nervous about being King. First they were on the boat but Arte wanted to go back to his high school. But he didn’t want to be king of Far Away Kingdom – why wouldn’t someone want to be King? You will have to read it to find out what he decides! The End
~Kaylah, Gates Mills 3rd Grader~
The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein, Andrew Jacobson September 12, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Adventure, Fantasy, Magic Fiction , 2comments
If you like magic, adventure, and cats, this is the perfect fantasy book for you. Aldwyn is an ordinary alley cat. He is chosen by a wizard-in-training named Jack to be the boy’s familiar, a magical animal companion. Uh-oh! Magical? Just when Aldwyn thinks life is going to be easy, Jack and two other wizards-in-training are captured by the evil queen of Vastia. Aldwyn and familiars Skylar and Gilbert must save them, no matter how dangerous their mission. How will Aldwyn survive this adventure if he’s truly an ordinary alley cat? You have to read this book to find out!
~Mrs. Carlson~
Scumble by Ingrid Law April 5, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Fantasy, Friendship Fiction, Magic Fiction , add a comment
Scumble is a companion novel to the Newbery Honor winner Savvy. I liked both books, but I think I liked Savvy more. A savvy is a special power. In this book, Ledger Kale’s savvy arrives on his 13th birthday, and it’s quite destructive. Ledger spends the summer at his uncle’s ranch in Wyoming learning how to scumble, or harness, his savvy so that it becomes a positive power. While Ledger is scumbling, he has to deal with 13-year-old Sarah Jane Cabot, who seems to be nothing but a trouble-maker. Ledger uncovers secrets about Sarah Jane and her mother while dealing with Sarah Jane’s mean father. This 400 page fantasy book is filled with adventure and humor.
~Mrs. Carlson~
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl January 12, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Adventure, Fantasy , add a commentListen to this Voki by Dana and Kyle to learn a bit about this book.
Read this book to find out more!
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol December 3, 2010
Posted by jcarlson in : Fantasy , 2comments
Do you like fantasy? Well, if you do, then you will probably like this book. This book is about a little girl named Alice. When little Alice sees a dressed up rabbit, she follows him into a hole. Alice falls and falls and falls until she reaches the bottom. When she gets to the bottom, she sees many doors. When Alice drinks something from a little bottle, she becomes small. After that she wanders into the world of Wonderland. For the rest of the book Alice has to solve problems and endure the queen. How will she get back to reality? Did it really happen? Read this book to find out.
~Tatyana, Millridge Fifth Grader
Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell November 6, 2010
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction, Fantasy, Humorous Fiction, Mystery , 1 comment so far
I read about this book on a reading website and decided to borrow it from the public library. I’m glad I did because I really enjoyed it. It’s a combination of mystery, fantasy, and humor.
Emmy tries to be a perfect little girl so her parents will spend more time with her. They are always off traveling to different parts of the world. Meanwhile Miss Barmy, her evil nanny, makes her life miserable. Emmy really needs a friend. Everyone at school ignores her except for the class pet … a rat! Emmy and Rat become involved in a series of adventures which involve talking rodents, secret potions, shrinking kids, and a crazy professor.
If you enjoy books like Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and The Castle in the Attic, this book may interest you.
~Mrs. Carlson~
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling April 14, 2010
Posted by jcarlson in : Fantasy, Magic Fiction , 3comments
It’s Harry’s second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Even before he leaves to go on Platform Nine and Three Quarters, a House Elf is in his bedroom and dropping cake on Harry’s mean uncle’s guest. When the House Elf tells Harry that Hogwarts is too dangerous for him to go back, Harry is shocked! Harry feels out of sorts at his uncle’s and aunt’s house without his new friends, Ron and Hermione, and his broom and wand locked up in a cupboard. The weird thing is he starts to think that being a wizard was just a dream because his friends haven’t written to him. Not only that, but Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia have put bars on his window and locked his door because of the incident with the House Elf.
Harry gets a wonderful surprise when Ron and a few of his brothers come and rescue him with the one and only Flying Car! When they get to Ron’s house, the Burrow, he learns about the life of a wizard. The Weasleys teach him how to use Floo Powder to get to Diagon Alley. (Floo Powder isn’t all that great, so I wouldn’t advise for small children to do it.) Once Harry’s got all his books and met the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Lockhart, no one can stop Harry from going to Hogwarts now.
Unfortunately, the House Elf was right. Weird things are starting to happen, and Ginny Weasley, Ron’s sister, is caught in the middle of it. It’s up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione to solve the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets. They are on the case! They have help from other people. Moaning Myrtle helps a lot, and even the sinister Draco Malfoy helps. They find clues like an old diary and the trail of spiders, but will they save Ginny before it’s too late? Read this adventurous book to find out.
~Jenna, Fifth Grader~
Harriet the Hamster Fairy by Daisy Meadows March 6, 2010
Posted by jcarlson in : Beginning Chapter Books, Fantasy , 1 comment so far
Daisy Meadows is shown as the author on the cover of all the books in the Rainbow Magic series, including the one I read, Harriet the Hamster Fairy. Guess what? There is no Daisy Meadows. It is an alias for four female authors who live in the United Kingdom. Isn’t that interesting?
In this paticular book, three of Jack Frost’s goblins arrive and want to steal Harriet the Hamster Fairy’s pet hamster, Twinkle. Kirsty and Rachel help Harriet save Twinkle from being captured by the goblins. If you are just beginning to read chapter books and like fairies, try any of the Rainbow Magic books.
~Mrs. Carlson~
Vidia and the Fairy Crown by Laura Driscoll February 11, 2010
Posted by jcarlson in : Adventure, Fantasy , 6comments
Do you like fiction adventure stories? Then this is the book for you. There is an arrival day party for Queen Clarion. Pixie Hollow’s most prized possession has gone missing! The queen’s crown! Vidia, the mean fast-flying fairy, is accused of stealing it. She gets two days to clear her name or she is banned from Pixie Hollow forever. A very nice fairy Frill helps Vidia. They go on a search to find the crown. See if they find it or if Vidia will be banned from Pixie Hollow. This book has 10 chapters and 112 pages. Read this book now!
~Julie, Fourth Grader~