BookNotes

I think that I'd better update you on my latest idea. I love to post cover art and write long reviews of the books I read--it makes me feel so grown-up, like one of those women who run weblogs with names like Big A Little a and Semicolon just for the sake of reviewing books. However, since I am the type who reads a lot of books on a fairly tight schedule, I do not always have time to pump them out. That's where BookNotes comes in.
BookNotes is my new system. When I read a book, I'll post the cover art, a very short review and some stars. So...Let's get down to buisness. (Feel free to keep reading--it's 100% guaranteed spoiler-free!)

Danger at the Zoo by Kathleen Ernst (Pleasant Company, 2005)
No, it's not by Valerie Tripp. And, as a matter of fact, it might be all the better for that. The Kit we meet here is older and more mature then the one we know from earlier (and shorter) books. She still loves baseball and reporting (she even lands a job writing for a kid's collum--yes!), but is more feminine and has actually developed a bit of a Nancy Drew personality, hunting for clues, ect.
Fans of Kit Saves the Day will be glad to know that Will is back, and the story revolves around him quite a bit. There were only a couple of things which I did not like:
1. The ending was a little bit tame, considering all the drama that led up to it.
2. To hear Stirling talk, he doesn't identify at all with the the earlier books. I realize that he is older now (at one point Kit ponders how much he has changed), but it would make more sense to have him retain a little of his old 'David triumphs over Goliath' personality.
Other then that, it was definitely a book worth reading.
Overall Rating--3 stars ***

Moonrise by Erin Hunter (HarperTrophy, 2006)
Remember my Moonrise Countdown? I'm finished with it now. It started out a bit slowly, but I kept reading.
It is so good, better than Midnight (which was also good but a little slow). I think that the reason "Erin and Hunter" wrote the New Prophecy series was to take the clans out of the forest and into the rest of the Warriors world. Although I won't spoil too much, the questing cats have so far encountered a badger, foxes, a warrior "tribe" (like the clans but with different ways) and a "lion-cat" (mountain lion).
I would not recommend this book for younger children, since it is darker and creepier than Midnight and might give them nightmares. There are also a couple of deaths, which might be upsetting. If you get nightmares then don't read it before bed.
Still, it is a well-written and exciting book, one of the best in the Warriors series. (The Darkest Hour and Into the Wild are my other favorites.) :-)
Overall Rating--5 stars *****

Comments

[veronica]

Hi guys I,m commenting from my aunts home. A whole week of compleat bordom.(sigh)Oh well. I should be going to old westberry on wed.(Ilooking forword to it, its my first one all year!) By the way I'm reading twighlight.goody!

[Felicity G.]

I've been wanting that book! The only Kit book I have is Meet Kit. And thats it. And I havent even started reading it yet.