Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling April 14, 2010
Posted by jcarlson in : Fantasy, Magic Fiction , 2comments
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~
The Unfinished Angel by Sharon Creech January 20, 2010
Posted by jcarlson in : Fantasy , 8comments
If you liked Sharon Creech’s Pleasing the Ghost, you will most likely enjoy this book. It’s narrated by an angel, an angel who is unsure of his purpose on Earth. He’s rather funny and often bungles his words. But he is very sweet, and he tries to take care of the peoples (that’s what he calls humans) .
This book takes place in a small village in the Swiss Alps. Zola, a free-spirited little girl, can see the angel. She asks for his help in saving a group of orphans. If you want to find out if they are successful, read this wonderful book. You might also discover that humans can be angels too.
~Mrs. Carlson~
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling January 15, 2010
Posted by jcarlson in : Fantasy, Magic Fiction , 3comments
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is an exciting sequel to the magical five books before and a prequel to the one exploding book after. This book reveals all the secrets of You-Know-Who. (Maybe.) One gigantic secret is ….. come here, I’ll tell you. Shhhhhpppp! Can you believe it?! After all this time that was how he lived after the night when he killed Lily and James Potter. Not only did they get something important, but they also lost someone important. I hope you decide to read this wonderful, adventurous story.
~Jenna, Fifth Grader~
Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman January 12, 2010
Posted by jcarlson in : Adventure, Fantasy , 1 comment so far
If you like Norse mythology, this is the perfect book for you. The main character in this book is Odd, and it’s a very odd book. But I liked it! It takes place in ancient Norway. Odd’s life is not going well. His father, a Viking warrior, has been killed. His leg is injured by a falling tree. And his mother marries a dreadful man. To top it all off, winter is not ending. Odd goes to live in the forest and meets up with a bear, a fox, and an eagle. He discovers they can talk. That’s because they are gods from Asgard who have been changed into animals by a Frost Giant. Odd goes on a fantastic journey to Asgard. Can a young boy save Asgard from the Frost Giants and end winter? Read this book by the author of Coraline and The Graveyard Book to find out.
~Mrs. Carlson~
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling October 27, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Fantasy, Podcasts , 8comments
If you’ve followed Harry through seven magnificent journeys, you belong in Hufflepuff, the most loyal house. You should try and see if this is true, but first listen to the podcast of this magical sorting song by fifth graders Jenna and Eve.
The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg October 27, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Fantasy, Picture Books , 5comments
One day when Farmer Bailey was driving, he heard a bump and thought he hit a deer. But instead, lying on the road, was a man. So he took the stranger home and had the doctor examine him. The doctor said the man lost his memory. But just before the doctor left the porch, Mrs. Bailey handed him his thermometer. The doctor said it was broken because the mercury stayed at the bottom when the stranger took his temperature. That night, the stranger had dinner with the Baileys. He was so fascinated by steam from the soup. He liked dancing with Katy, the Bailey’s daughter. One day the stranger climbed a hill and saw red-leaved trees. Where he was standing there were only green-leaved trees. Then one day the stranger took a green leaf from a tree and blew at the leaf. It turned red. Then the stranger decided it was time to leave. Over night the leaves around the house turned beautiful fall colors. But I always wondered who’s the stranger. Read this book to find out.
~Kristen, Fifth Grader~
The Wish Giver by Bill Brittain October 14, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Fantasy, Magic Fiction , add a commentWhen I read the first page or two, I did not think I was going to like this 
book because it seemed sort of creepy. However, it turned out that I really liked this fantasy book. It’s about four people who live in Coven Tree. They each buy a magic card for fifty cents from a funny little man named Thaddeus Blinn. Each one can use his or her card to make one wish. Just one wish! Three of them make a wish, and strange events follow. Thankfully, the man with the fourth card comes to their rescue. They learned to “be careful what you wish for.” If you like magic combined with humor, try this book.
~Mrs. Carlson~
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling September 29, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Fantasy , 5comments
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a magical book where Harry Potter is in danger at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. This book is a bit of a mystery because Harry and his friends need to figure out who entered Harry into the deadly competition, the Triwizard Tournament. Harry has to go through three treacherous tasks, and it’s bad enough with the Yule Ball coming up. Also, the whole school thinks Harry’s a loon. The whole thing is another plan of Voldemort’s to kill Harry. It’s an exciting adventure from page 1 to page 734, even though they lose a friend along the way.
~Jenna, Fifth Grader~