Book Reviews

Instructions: Everything You Need to Know on Your Journey by Neil Gaiman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Neil Gaiman, teams up with illustrator Charles Vess, to bring an engaging invitation to journey.   Instructions, is everything you need to know on your journey. Where does that well lead to? How do you treat the old lady that sits under the tree? What, on earth, do you do with an eagle feather?   The illustrations by Charles Vess are just right for young imaginations: not too boring, nor too scary.    This book may be overlooked due to a cover that is understated, but don’t overlook it, the book is fantastic.



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Reviews: Children's Books

The Goat in the Rug by Geraldine

The Goat in the Rug by Charles L. Blood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 One of the best children's books of all time is The Goat in the Rug by Geraldine.  Geraldine, the goat, tells of his favorite Navajo weaver Glenmae. The story told from the point of view of the Goat, gives the reader a unique perspective.   At times the story is funny, and other times seriously woven.


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To listen or not to listen?

Reading according to Websters Dictionary is an  activity of interpreting music, a situation, or something said or written.   But it also means to be able to read a written or printed text.  Today one can read in a variety of formats; the traditional format can be read on the computer, on one's kindle, or on a traditionally bounded set of printed words.  But also reading is now being defined as listening to books; the reader can listen to complete books via audio c.d.s or via a MP3 file, on their computer.

But is listening to an audio book reading?  Does listening to a book constitute the same experience as reading one?  Will the reader's reaction to the book be influenced by the listening experience?  Some authors have published and read their own works on an Audio format.  Neil Gammon read his Graveyard Book and recorded it onto C.D..  I ponder if my liking Fahrenheit 451 was due me listening to it, and not reading it.  Bradbury is a really good oral story teller, but is his writing good?  Hmm we ponder!

Books I loved: Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe

31 Years Strong: Bunnicula has not aged a bit.  

Coming Soon: Does the story still hold up after not reading it for 26 years a review by Gregorio Roth?