Lately I have been reading three books about gymnastics. They are called Dominique Moceanu: A Gymnastics Sensation (1997); Shannon Miller: America's Most Decorated Gymnast (1997); and Kim Zmeskal: Determination to Win (1995). They are all written by Krista Quiner.
Each book is highly entertaining and provides a good look into each gymnast’s life. Often I have found that biographies of gymnasts only discuss the meets they competed in, but these books are more interesting and give you a better picture of what the girls were really like.
Another gymnastics book I have enjoyed is Going for Gold: 2008 U.S. Women’s Olympic Gymnastics by Leigh Olsen (2008). It discusses each of the best gymnasts from the time right before the Beijing Summer Olympics. This book is wonderful for fans who want to learn about each of the 2008 Olympians, the alternates, and the gymnasts who almost made the team.
Showing posts with label Book Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Reviews. Show all posts
I am so thrilled about how my projects did at the county fair last week! These are the results:
1. Poem about horses (1st place)
2. Poster on wildflowers (1st place)
3. Knitted pillow (3rd place)
4. Pencil sketch (1st place)
5. Crayon picture (1st place)
6. Story sequence of 5 pictures (1st place)
7. 5 pictures of animals (1st place)
8. My best photograph (1st place)
9. Another poem (1st place)
10. Poster on my top 10 favorite books (1st place)
11. Book review (1st place)
My book review, on "Katie John," originally appeared on this blog.
12. A display showing project work (1st place, and Best of Show!!)
My display was of the ribbon bookmarks I make. This was the description I gave for my display, along with the bookmarks I set out:
For my self-determined project this year, I've been making ribbon bookmarks.
To make my bookmarks, I bought velvet ribbons, clamps, and jump rings from online shops. I constructed them by cutting out about 10" of ribbon and then attaching clamps to each end. I did this with pliers.
Then, I collected vintage charms and fastened these onto the clamp by using a jump ring, and securing it with the pliers.
I showcased my bookmarks at the Land O' Lakes Art Impressions show on July 23rd. I sold a few, and it was an interesting experience.
Thank you!
I'm really happy with how well my projects did. I look forward to entering more at next year's fair.
I finished my county fair projects yesterday. This is what I ended up doing:
1. A poem about horses
2. A poster on wildflowers
3. A knitted pillow
4. A pencil sketch
5. A crayon picture
6. A story sequence of 5 pictures
7. 5 pictures of animals
8. My best photograph
9. Another poem
10. A poster on my top 10 favorite books
11. A book review
12. A display showing project work.
I am pleased with how my entries turned out!
TITLE: Piper Reed, Rodeo Star
AUTHOR: Kimberly Willis Holt
COPYRIGHT: 2011
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: Henry Holt and Company, LLC
NUMBER OF PAGES: 149
PLOTLINE: Piper Reed gets a surprise one day: her parents are going on a second honeymoon to France! Piper and her sisters, Sam and Tori, will have to stay with their two sets of grandparents in the little town of Piney Woods, Louisiana.
Even though it might be lonely spending winter break---and Christmas---without her parents, Piper comes up with a surefire way to have fun. She’s going to have four adventures while she’s in Piney Woods.
It turns out that Piper and her family have several adventures together, not counting when they have to trek to Uncle Leo’s house to check their e-mail (why don’t their grandparents have a computer?)
But the biggest adventure of all comes when Piper’s parents arrive home with a surprise . . . and this time, it’s a good one!
*****
“ ‘Zero plus five equals five,’ Sam said.
‘That’s right, Einstein,’ I said.” - Piper Reed, Rodeo Star
One of my all-time favorite series of books is The Saddle Club, a collection of novels chronicling the adventures of a trio of best friends: Carole, Stevie, and Lisa. They all love horses, and decide to form a club that honors this love.
There are 101 books in this series (wow!) and 7 Super Editions (which are longer than an average Saddle Club book). The more I read them, the more I appreciate how well-written they are.
Here are some brief reviews on my three favorite books:
TITLE: #1, Horse Crazy
AUTHOR: Bonnie Bryant
NUMBER OF PAGES: 135
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1988
PLOTLINE: Lisa Atwood is a new rider at Pine Hollow Stables. She doesn’t know anyone there, and honestly, she doesn’t want to learn how to ride. But Lisa does want to make friends with Carole Hanson, a no-nonsense girl who loves horses. There’s only one problem: Carole is friends with Stevie Lake, who pulled a dangerous trick on Lisa at her first riding lesson. Maybe the answer is to avoid them both, and start hanging out with the rich Veronica diAngelo . . .
*****
TITLE: #3, Horse Sense
AUTHOR: Bonnie Bryant
NUMBER OF PAGES: 135
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1989
PLOTLINE: Carole, Stevie, and Lisa have only been friends for a little while, and their club, The Saddle Club, is still a very small organization. That’s when Lisa gets the idea to change it into a big club, with rules and a constitution and everything. But Stevie and Carole seem to be ignoring her, because they have projects of their own. Lisa gets upset, and decides to hold meetings without her friends. Could this be the end of The Saddle Club---when it’s hardly even the beginning?
*****
TITLE: #101, Best Friends
AUTHOR: Bonnie Bryant
NUMBER OF PAGES: 149
YEAR PUBLISHED: 2001
PLOTLINE: The Saddle Club is busy preparing for the upcoming horse show in South Carolina, and it’s also very close to Christmas. Carole, Stevie, and Lisa have enough trouble getting money for Christmas presents, but how can they all pay for the horse show entry fee, too? None of the girls wants to let each other know about the situation, but it’s hard to keep it a secret, especially when Stevie needs new riding boots, Carole needs a new halter for her horse, and Lisa’s parents are struggling to pay bills. Can the girls help each other in time? Or is it too late?
*****
These are the three best books in the entire series, in my opinion. Bonnie Bryant is an excellent writer, and they’re great stories.
The Saddle Club was also made into a television series, and Seasons 1 and 2 are on DVD available from http://www.amazon.com./ I highly enjoy watching them, although they are quite a bit different from the books. I recommend both the novels and the TV episodes!
TITLE: The Pleasures of Staying in Touch
AUTHOR: Jennifer Williams
COPYRIGHT: 1998
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: Hearst Communications, Inc.
NUMBER OF PAGES: 176
This is a lovely book that really makes you want to write letters! I’ve read The Pleasures of Staying in Touch numerous times, and it never grows stale.
Have you ever wanted to know how to respond elegantly to an invitation, or how to properly thank someone for a gift? Search no further for an extremely comprehensive guide to writing. The book also covers which letter-writing materials are best (such as light blue stationery) on certain occasions, and just what to put in letters to relatives.
The Pleasures of Staying in Touch is also sprinkled with quotes from illustrious writers, and has many examples on what some letters should sound like. I absolutely recommend this beautiful book!
*****
“In the end, writing a letter is an adventure to be embarked upon with a happy, expectant heart. It will give your life more joy and meaning than you can imagine. So, go quickly! Write a letter now, even if it’s just a few lines to propose a picnic, relate a dream, or share a sudden thought, joke, inspiration, or memory.” - The Pleasures of Staying in Touch
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Labels: Book Reviews, Jennifer Williams, The Pleasures of Staying in Touch 2 comments
TITLE: The Best Horse
AUTHOR: Elizabeth Van Steenwyk
COPYRIGHT: 1977
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: Scholastic Inc.
NUMBER OF PAGES: 91
PLOTLINE: Wendy loves horses, and rides them all the time on her mother’s ranch. That’s why she is especially pleased upon receiving the big news: there’s going to be a rodeo in town!
Wendy immediately decides that she’s going to enter the barrel racing event, but her mom won’t let her, and won’t say why. Wendy can’t enter without Mom’s permission, and the rodeo is approaching quickly.
Soon, Wendy gets desperate, and ends up making terrible mistakes that she ordinarily would never have made. If only she could understand why Mom won’t let her become a barrel racer . . .
*****
“ ‘Oh,’ {Wendy} began. ‘I’ve been saving my allowance and most of my Christmas money that Aunt Sally sent me.’
{Wendy} hoped that Mom wouldn’t do any sudden calculations about money she’d blown at the 4-H fair last spring, or at the Sunday School picnic game booths on Memorial Day.” - The Best Horse
TITLE: The Stolen Sapphire
AUTHOR: Sarah Masters Buckey
COPYRIGHT: 2006
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: American Girl Publishing, Inc.
NUMBER OF PAGES: 171
PLOTLINE: Eleven-year-old Samantha Parkington and her sister Nellie are sailing to Europe on the R.M.S. Queen Caroline. Samantha soon finds out that an extremely valuable sapphire is being taken to Europe by the professor who located it in South America.
One night shortly after Samantha and Nellie board the ship, the sapphire goes missing. Anyone could have taken it---but who would have done such a terrible thing?
The two girls have their own ideas about who stole the sapphire, but they need proof. And how do they get proof when they’re arriving in Europe soon and there are no clues available?
*****
“Jack looked at her skepticaly. ‘I considered that theory,’ he admitted. ‘I could just see the headlines: ‘MONKEY STEALS BLUE STAR SAPPHIRE!’ ’ He sighed. ‘It would’ve been a great story.’
‘But it’s possible!’ protested Samantha.
‘In a dime-store novel, maybe,’ allowed Jack.” - The Stolen Sapphire
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Labels: American Girl Publishing, Book Reviews, Samantha Parkington, Sarah Masters Buckey, The Stolen Sapphire 0 comments
TITLE: The Painted Garden
(published in the United States as Movie Shoes)
AUTHOR: Noel Streatfeild
COPYRIGHT: 1949
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.
NUMBER OF PAGES: 320
PLOTLINE: Ten-year-old Jane Winter is upset when her parents inform her that their family is temporarily moving. They’re going to live for six months in California with Aunt Cora, whom Jane and her siblings don’t even remember.
Jane has always lived in the shadow of her sister, Rachel, and her brother, Tim. Everyone thinks Rachel’s got a successful dancing career ahead of her, and everyone thinks Tim plays the piano extremely well. Jane knows that she’s considered by people to be the untalented one in her family, and also knows that the trip to California won’t change anything about it.
Then something does change. Jane and her family are very surprised when she’s offered the leading role in a movie version of The Secret Garden. This is a big opportunity for Jane: she’ll finally get to be important. Now the tables are turned, and it’s Rachel who’s jealous of Jane.
But Jane isn’t sure she can handle such a large responsibility, and Rachel’s upset because nothing nice is happening to her. Will they ever be happy in California?
I just finished reading this book last night and it’s wonderful. It has many interesting characters, and is very well written.
*****
“ ‘Has this aunt you’re staying with got a piano?’
Tim thought that a stupid question.
‘A piano! Every house has a piano.’
‘On the contrary, very few houses have pianos.’ ” - The Painted Garden
TITLE: Piper Reed, Campfire Girl
AUTHOR: Kimberly Willis Holt
COPYRIGHT: 2010
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: Henry Holt and Company, LLC
NUMBER OF PAGES: 148
PLOTLINE: Piper Reed is excited about Halloween this year. Possibly more excited than she’s ever been before. That’s why she’s disappointed when her dad tells her that their family is going camping---on Halloween!
Even though she tries to convince her parents to postpone the camping trip, they’re off in their camper on October thirty-first. Piper’s friends, Nicole and Michael, are also coming, which makes it a little better. Then Piper finds out that Stanley, a new boy in her class, has been invited, too. Stanley is the most annoying person she’s ever met, because he talks so much!
Things keep going wrong after they reach the campsite. Piper gets poison ivy, discovers she doesn’t like fishing, and then her dog, Bruna, goes missing. Can she still have a good Halloween in spite of so many problems?
The next book in the series, Piper Reed, Rodeo Star is now available for pre-order from http://www.amazon.com/
*****
“{Tori} turned around and rolled her eyes. ‘Piper, Halloween is for little kids. I’m almost thirteen. I don’t do dress up.’
‘You mean you have to stop having fun when you’re a teenager?’ I was sure glad I was in fifth grade. That meant I still had a few good years left.” - Piper Reed, Campfire Girl
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Labels: Book Reviews, Kimberly Willis Holt, Piper Reed Campfire Girl 0 comments
TITLE: Piper Reed, Clubhouse Queen
(originally titled Piper Reed, the Great Gypsy)
AUTHOR: Kimberly Willis Holt
COPYRIGHT: 2008
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: Henry Holt and Company, LLC
NUMBER OF PAGES: 152
PLOTLINE: Piper Reed comes up with the best idea she’s ever had: her club will have a pet show in July. She plans to teach her dog, Bruna, some amazing tricks and win first prize.
But Bruna is more than a little reluctant to learn new tricks. As a matter of fact, she won’t perform even the simplest trick unless Piper’s two-year-old neighbor, Brady, tells her to.
Piper doesn’t think she can win first place now, but she really wants to do something that will make her dad proud when he comes back from Navy ship duty. And how can she devote extra time to teaching Bruna tricks when her teacher assigned her eight books to read during the summer?
*****
“Sam surprised me and said, ‘Yeah, let’s get the saddest {Christmas} tree and make it happy.’
‘A Charlie Brown tree,’ I said.
Mom eased down the trunk of the pretty tree. ‘That would be different.’ ” - Piper Reed, Clubhouse Queen
Friday, February 11, 2011
Labels: Book Reviews, Kimberly Willis Holt, Piper Reed Clubhouse Queen, Piper Reed The Great Gypsy 0 comments
Only 214 more pages to read in The Painted Garden . . . it’s 320 pages long, with super small text!
So far, it’s a very funny book, with numerous parts that have made me laugh out loud. When I finish it, I’ll write a book review about it.
TITLE: Piper Reed, Navy Brat
AUTHOR: Kimberly Willis Holt
COPYRIGHT: 2007
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: Henry Holt and Company, LLC
NUMBER OF PAGES: 146
PLOTLINE: Nine-year-old Piper Reed doesn’t want to move. She’d rather stay in San Diego with her best friends, the members of the Gypsy Club. But her dad, who is a navy chief, has just been assigned to Pensacola, Florida, which is very far away.
When Piper’s family arrives in Pensacola, there are many problems with the new house. There are only three bedrooms, which means Piper has to share with her little sister, Sam. And there’s no room for a treehouse, because the lawn is so small. And there are vents in the walls, which means that Piper’s older sister Tori can listen in on her conversations . . . but maybe that’s a good thing, because it works the other way around!
Then Piper finally receives what she’s always wanted---a dog! There’s just one snag. She thought they were getting a German shepherd, but this dog is a poodle. And there’s a snag at school, too---she needs to make some new friends, but her efforts aren’t working very well so far. And on top of all that, her dad’s going off on navy duty for six months! Can Piper figure out how to cope with the changes in her life?
This book is very cute, and has illustrations by Christine Davenier that go well with the text. The audiobook of Piper Reed, Navy Brat, which is available from http://www.amazon.com/, is read by the talented Emily Janice Card and is extremely fun to listen to.
*****
“Sometimes when it was too quiet, words floated into my head and before I knew it they’d popped out of my mouth. ‘I’m a vegetarian,’ I announced.
Collin pointed to my hamburger. ‘What’s that then?’
‘Except for hamburgers,’ I said.” - Piper Reed, Navy Brat
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Labels: Book Reviews, Christine Davenier, Emily Janice Card, Kimberly Willis Holt, Piper Reed Navy Brat 0 comments
TITLE: The Puzzle of the Paper Daughter
AUTHOR: Kathryn Reiss
COPYRIGHT: 2010
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: American Girl Publishing, Inc.
NUMBER OF PAGES: 173
PLOTLINE: Julie Albright finds a paper in an old red jacket that has a lot of Chinese writing on it. She takes it to her best friend, Ivy Ling, whose Chinese teacher can help her translate the message.
The paper leads to the discovery of a woman named Mei Meng, who used to be Ivy’s grandmother’s friend. What’s more, Julie and Ivy believe that Mei still has a doll that might contain a valuable jade necklace.
But someone is on Julie’s trail, trying to find out about the treasure himself . . . and that someone may just find the necklace first! Can Julie and Ivy untangle the many clues to the mystery before things get dangerous?
*****
“ ‘Uh, no. I’m trying to find an old friend of my friend’s grandmother.’ Julie winced. That sounded so complicated.” - The Puzzle of the Paper Daughter
Monday, February 7, 2011
Labels: American Girl Publishing, Book Reviews, Ivy Ling, Julie Albright, Kathryn Reiss, The Puzzle of the Paper Daughter 0 comments
TITLE: Aloha, Kanani
AUTHOR: Lisa Yee
COPYRIGHT: 2011
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: American Girl Publishing, Inc.
NUMBER OF PAGES: 111
PLOTLINE: Kanani Akina lives in a picturesque, laid-back town in Kaua’i, one of the islands of Hawai’i. Kanani loves the way nothing has changed in so many years, but when her cousin Rachel arrives from New York City, Kanani starts wishing things in town looked fancier and modern.
But instead of pointing out how old-fashioned the town looks, Rachel comments on how cool it is. She says that New York only pretends to be old-fashioned. For awhile after that, Kanani thinks that Rachel’s having a good time, but for some reason, her cousin seems unnaturally reserved and a little sad. Kanani’s determined to lift Rachel’s spirits, but then she accidentally reads Rachel’s diary!
Will they ever be friends, or will Rachel return to New York City before they can patch things up?
*****
“ ‘By the way, if you like museums, we’ve got lots in New York. There’s the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Natural History Museum . . .’
The more Rachel talked, the more discouraged Kanani felt. It seemed as if no matter what she said, Rachel had something bigger or better in New York.” - Aloha, Kanani
Friday, February 4, 2011
Labels: Aloha Kanani, American Girl Publishing, Book Reviews, Lisa Yee 0 comments
TITLE: Bravo, Mia!
AUTHOR: Laurence Yep
COPYRIGHT: 2008
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: American Girl Publishing, Inc.
NUMBER OF PAGES: 122
PLOTLINE: Ten-year-old Mia St. Clair can’t wait for the upcoming figure skating competition. It’s the biggest event in her life so far, and Mia’s not exactly sure that she’s ready.
But soon, she realizes that she might not be able to compete even if she is ready---her parents can only afford to pay for her new dress and skates, and not the competition fees. Mia’s desperate to get to the competition, but it looks like it won’t happen---until help comes from an unexpected source.
When Mia finally arrives at the fancy rink where she’s going to compete, she’s unsure of herself. The other skaters are so much more advanced than she is---and one snooty girl named Paige seems set on ruining Mia’s chances of winning!
This wonderful sequel to Mia highly surpasses the first book, which is not something you see very often.
*****
“When we got to the {hotel} room, she and I immediately went to the window to admire the view.
‘What a dump.’ Vanessa frowned in disgust.” - Bravo, Mia!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Labels: American Girl Publishing, Book Reviews, Bravo Mia, Laurence Yep, Mia 0 comments
TITLE: Mia
AUTHOR: Laurence Yep
COPYRIGHT: 2008
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: American Girl Publishing, Inc.
NUMBER OF PAGES: 122
PLOTLINE: Mia St. Clair has just recently taken up figure skating, after playing hockey for years with her three older brothers. Her brothers don’t think she’s good enough to skate competitively---they think she should go back to hockey.
But Mia doesn’t want to follow in their footsteps any longer, and she’s determined to show them that she’s got what it takes to become a successful figure skater. And her determination is only doubled when a new coach arrives at the local rink, a coach who was once a famous Olympic skater. Coach Schubert seems to think there’s something special about Mia, and is willing to help her become a competitive skater . . . but in the end, Mia must decide: is this what she really wants?
This is a great book with superb writing and gorgeous illustrations. Highly recommended!
*****
“{Coach Schubert} said, ‘Let’s see your double lutz next. Coach Nelson’s notes say you’re having trouble with it.’
Half the time I botched it---which I’m sure he recorded faithfully.” - Mia
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Labels: American Girl Publishing, Book Reviews, Laurence Yep, Mia 0 comments
TITLE: Depend on Katie John
AUTHOR: Mary Calhoun
COPYRIGHT: 1961
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: Harper & Row Publishers, Inc.
NUMBER OF PAGES: 181
PLOTLINE: The highly entertaining sequel to Katie John is just as good, if not better than its predecessor.
Katie John’s family has just turned their home into a rooming house, and Katie is excited. She’s going to help with the housework, find boarders and everything!
Unfortunately, the excitement soon fizzles out when Katie John realizes that living in a rooming house isn’t as much fun as she thought it would be. The boarders are fussy, and the housework is hard. She can’t even escape to fun when she goes to school, because she’s still a new girl among the other kids, and no one pays any attention to her. But maybe, she reasons, if she changes herself from a tomboy to a lady, things will be different.
“Things” don’t exactly turn out the way Katie had expected, but in the end, she discovers that it’s all for the best.
Depend on Katie John is an interesting book about a funny almost-eleven-year-old girl.
*****
“They were playing checkers on Cousin Ben’s bed, or at least they were supposed to be playing checkers, but mostly Cousin Ben was talking.” - Depend on Katie John
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Labels: Book Reviews, Depend on Katie John, Katie John, Mary Calhoun 0 comments
TITLE: Two Little Women on a Holiday
AUTHOR: Carolyn Wells
COPYRIGHT: 1917
NUMBER OF PAGES: 171
PLOTLINE: In this well-written sequel to Two Little Women and Treasure House, Dotty Rose and Dolly Fayre are invited to spend a week in New York with their friend Bernice. They will be staying with Bernice’s uncle, who collects and sells valuables to museums.
Also staying with the girls is the frivolous and flighty Alicia Steele, Bernice’s older cousin. From the first day in New York, she and Dolly have a testing relationship, which comes to an exciting climax when Dolly accidentally overhears Alicia making plans to elope!
This book has many wonderful twists and turns, and everything is resolved most beautifully at the ending, when the four girls find out what Mr. Forbes’ big secret is, if Alicia is really going to elope or not, and who stole the precious antique earring from upstairs . . .
*****
“Leave it to me. I’ll engineer the conversation and all you girls need to do is chip in now and then.” - Two Little Women on a Holiday
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Labels: Book Reviews, Carolyn Wells, Two Little Women and Treasure House, Two Little Women on a Holiday 0 comments
TITLE: Katie John
AUTHOR: Mary Calhoun
COPYRIGHT: 1960
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: Harper & Row Publishers, Inc.
NUMBER OF PAGES: 134
PLOTLINE: Katie John’s family moves to Missouri---right when Katie is old enough to become a Campfire Girl! For years, she’s been waiting to go on the camping trip in the Sierras, and now she’s stuck at a hundred-year-old house, just recently inherited by her mother from Great-Aunt Emily.
Katie John is positive that she won’t like living in the sleepy little town of Barton’s Bluff, even if it is only until her parents can sell the house. But by the time summer is over (and many escapades later), Katie realizes that she loves living in Missouri and doesn’t ever want to leave.
But time is running out---can Katie John convince her parents to stay before it’s too late?
This wonderful book is accompanied by refreshingly excellent writing, and the copy I own has beautiful illustrations by Paul Frame. If you’re in the mood for a good story about the adventures of a ten-year-old girl and her best friend, then this is the book to read!
*****
“It’s all my fault!” {Katie} cried in despair. “I wanted to make a nice fire, but the smoke didn’t go up the chimney.”
“Because the chimney is capped!” - Katie John
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