Tell Me a Dragon

Tell Me a Dragon, by Jackie Morris, is a very good book. While short, it proves to be one of my favorite storybooks. Most of the time I read novels, and when I read a little kid book, that's something. This book, however, is not only interesting, it's... eye-catching! You see, I love fantasy, and my favorite fairytale creature is a dragon. I'd love to have one for a pet. During the entire book, all you read about is someone's dragon. In the end, my favorite part, the author implores the reader, "Tell me about your dragon?" The list of possibilities of what the reader's dragon could be like is endless. This book just goes to prove that Jackie Morris is a great author.

Bye, Bye

For Christmas this year, my Tia Nene came over to California again. We have had a lot of fun having her here, but I'm afraid that tomorrow she leaves. Yes, it's true, but at least I'll have great memories. Tia Nene does a lot when she comes over and we try to make the most of it. She makes cards, so we've learned new techniques from her. It is fun to have her come over. In the past, my family has gone to Las Vegas, Disneyland, Victoria Gardens, and other fun places. This Christmas, we just kicked back and had some fun at home. I stayed up with everyone for the New Year, and exchanged jokes with Tia Nene. It's fun having my aunt coming each Christmas and our birthdays.

Happy Holidays!

So much has happened during Christmas vacation. Family, friends, making cards for soldiers, going up to the mountains to visit a family in our homeschool group, and more! But in the last week and days, we celebrated the holidays. First, Christmas. Not the the exact day of Jesus' birth, but what can we say? We weren't there to know when Jesus was born. He could have been born in Summer, for all we know! So with all the Christmas stuff we were busy and then there was the party (more like a little family thing) for the New Year! For the first time ever, I managed to stay up to midnight. I have been allowed to, but I couldn't stay awake! We (Joe, Lina, Noel, and I) had sparkling apple cider. Our little get-together wasn't much, but it was still a ton of fun! For now that's all, but tomorrow there'll be more...

The Best Christmas Ever!!!

The best Christmas gift I have ever got in my life has just come into town! We got a puppy!!! I can't believe it! His name is Dutch, and we got him last week on Wednesday. We're going to keep him! That means that he will be here for Christmas. I am so happy, because I have always wanted a dog. I don't care if I don't get anything in my stocking on Christmas Day. I just can't believe it! Dutch is the cutest thing. This is the BEST Christmas ever!!!

One Week Away!!!

The time has come when Christmas lights will twinkle and Christmas trees will be picked. And the best part? We only have one week of school work until we're free from school! Sometimes we don't know what to do without school, but during our Christmas break we have more than enough things to do. And all my worries about getting reports done and things will be over! I can't wait for Christmas break. It's one week away!!!                                                    
                                                

Christmas Time

Oh, how I picture days when my hair was as straight as a stick, and my skin as soft as a flower petal. In my younger days Christmas was a surprise to us. Mom and Pop put the tree, and all the other decorations, up early on Thanksgiving morning. We would rush out of our bedroom, full of surprise, laughter, and merriment. Today, each of us, even me, are surprised thanks to Mom and Pop. When Noel was still a toddler, we would join hands and dance around, sip cocoa, and totally enjoy ourselves. I look back on those times and wish that I could go back to when my baby brother was just born, my youngest sister barely walking, Noel just barely in Pre-K, and me in first grade. Each of us would sit by the fire and pull wonderful items out of our stockings. I treasure pictures of our wonderful Christmases and the memories that go along with them, and I can't wait for this next one...

Mandie and the Fiery Rescue

Mandie and the Fiery Rescue is one of my favorite Mandie books. Mandie doesn't have a mystery on her hands, except for the fact that she doesn't know who the mysterious woman that keeps following them around is. In this book, Mandie goes to Ireland, where her journey in Europe will end. I enjoyed reading about Mandie's adventures in Ireland. I can't wait to finish the next one!

Mandie

Mandie is a big series that I have been reading and I have written about a few times. Over the last few weeks, I have read some of these books. I am on the twenty-first book in the series, and I hope to enjoy it. In the last few books, Mandie has been on a trip with her grandmother in Europe. Along the way she has solved a few mysteries. Right now I am reading Mandie and the Fiery Rescue. In the last books I have read Mandie has gone to Germany, England, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Holland. In this next book Mandie visits Ireland. I can't wait to read it!!!

Circle of Fire

Circle of Fire is one of many History Mysteries. This book takes place during the 1950's. People still don't let colored people eat, drink, or do anything at the same place white's do, yet colored people are free. Mendy is a twelve year old colored girl who has a lot of problems on her hands. During the book she has found out that there is a band of people planning to blow up the school that Eleanor Roosevelt is going to speak at in three days! Mendy and her friend Jeffrey save the day. I liked this book a lot!!!

Bible Drawing Contest

A new contest has come up! This contest is for the Thanksgiving celebration at my church. For the contest you have to draw, photograph, or do any other picture of what you are thankful for. I have already drawn my picture, and started coloring it. Last year my sister, Noel, won first place for the most colorful picture. I was so happy for her. I have never won the contest. I wish that I could win. Maybe I will this year! Wish me luck....

Mandie and the Catacombs

Mandie and the Catacombs is one of the many books in the Mandie series. Mandie has been given permission to go with her Grandmother Taft to Europe on an exciting trip. But Mandie finds out she wanted much more than she bargained for. Mandie's whole trip in Europe goes through many, many, books. I have finished Mandie and the Shipboard Mystery, Mandie and the Foreign Spies, and recently, Mandie and the Catacombs. I am now working on the next book, in which Mandie has a new mystery to solve. I soon will blog on Mandie and the Singing Chalet!

Trailblazer

Trailblazer is not the name of a book, but instead is the name of a set of books. Each book is about a child who meets historical Christians. The latest book I have read is called Shanghaied to China about a boy named Neil. On board the ship with his captors, Neil meets a young man who is a passenger, Hudson Taylor. He is on his way to China, so that he may preach the gospel. I think this book was very well written and exciting. The authors, Dave and Neta Jackson, are very good authors. I like their books a lot and can't wait to start the next one!

The Thirteenth Princess

The Thirteenth Princess is a sequel to the many retellings of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. It is sad in many ways, yet mostly it is an awesome book! I like it a lot (except for the romance, which kids don't like and neither do I!) and it intrigued me when I read it. It is not too thick, so I have plenty of time to read my other books. In fact, this book is actually very short! I like how the author twisted and changed the tale. I never imagined that the twelve dancing princesses had a thirteenth sister. I hope to read more of this author's books. They are very magical and exciting!

The Magic Tree House

Written my Mary Pope Osborne, these books are some of the best I have ever read! Easy to read, I can go through a whole stack of them in one day, and still be ready to read more. I have read all of Ms. Osborne's books, and like to get them again and read them over and over until a new one comes out. The newest one she has come out with is called Ghost Tale for Christmas. I can't wait to read her next one! I am a big fan of her books. As always, the stars of the new book will be the unforgettable Jack and Annie. Jack is a very sensible kid, who likes to think things out before doing something. Annie is like me, who likes adventure and takes off without thinking about things. In Ghost Tale for Christmas, Jack and Annie go back in time to when Charles Dickens was alive and writing books. In each of the previous books, Jack and Annie have inspired people with the horn of a unicorn. The horn of the unicorn turns into a different instrument for each mission. When the instrument is played, Annie or Jack have to sing something that will help the person understand their purpose, but the instrument can only be used once. In the new book Annie sings about the ghosts that will be in Dickens' next book: A Christmas Carol. The ghosts come to Charles Dickens and show him what could happen if he stops writing. This book is just as interesting as the other books. I can't wait for the next book!!!

Heroes of the American Revolution

Heroes of the American Revolution is a book on historic people during the Revolutionary War. Besides the well known George Washington and Benjamin Franklin; Thomas Paine, Nathan Hale, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, Ethan Allen, and Crispus Attucks, are all featured. There are many more heroes mentioned in this book. The heroes are interesting to read about. I like this book.

Liberty's Kids

Liberty's Kids is a cartoon series of stories about children living during the Revolutionary War. The oldest child, James Hiller, is a patriot and believes that America should become it's own country. The second oldest child, Sarah Phillipps, is a British girl from England, who doesn't believe in everything that England is doing, but still doesn't want to be a patriot. The youngest child is from France, who came to America on a ship with his parents. His parents died on board, and he had to fend for himself. He became the captain's cabin boy to pay for his passage on the ship. The two older kids are journalists. The younger one is a nuisance. In Liberty's Kids the episodes tell of the Boston Tea Party, the battle of Lexington and Concord, the shot heard around the world, and Paul Revere's midnight ride. Liberty's Kids is educational and fun!!!!

Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?

Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?, is about King George III. King George wasn't a tyrant, as most people said, but was actually a very decent guy. He had bad ideas, though. He thought the people in the colonies should pay him because England had helped the colonies in the French and Indian War. King George never gave up in the war. He believed that he could defeat the colonies. In the end, when the colonies won, King George had nightmares. He said, "All I wanted was to give them all bloody noses."

Calligraphy

Calligraphy is a very fancy way of writing words. I am proud to say that I have started doing it. My father has an old set that he is letting me use. I have become very good at it. I might be able to get a pen of my own if I learn to do it well and enjoy it a lot. I like doing calligraphy in the very beginning exercises! I enjoy doing calligraphy a lot.

Bernard the Brave

Have you ever wondered if Disney actually came up with The Rescuers? Have you ever wondered where the characters came from? Well, they came from books. The books were written by Margery Sharp. First, she wrote about a character named Miss Bianca. Miss Bianca had many adventures by herself, until Margery Sharp wrote about a loving and friendly character named Bernard. Miss Bianca was always considered a hero, while Bernard an average mouse. But Bernard was a hero himself. Nobody ever saw how helpful and courageous Bernard was. Margery Sharp finally bit her lip and decided that the spotlight should fall upon Bernard. In Bernard the Brave, Bernard proves that he is a hero. He rescues a girl of seventeen and is able to escape from three young wolves. Bernard the Brave is a great book I shall never forget.

The Two Princesses of Bamarre

The Two Princesses of Bamarre is the typical fairy tale adventure. It has everything you would expect to find in a fantasy novel: adventure, dragons, spectors, a big mission, fairies, a bad guy, and the part of the story that I don't care for; romance. This is a good novel. The author wrote it well. The ending, though, did not suit my taste. Only one of the sisters gets a happy ending. To find out which one, you will have to read for yourself! I realize that Gail Carson Levine, the author who also wrote Ella Enchanted, wrote the book so much better than I ever could have done it. I am happy to say that I read The Two Princesses of Bamarre.

Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc, by Shana Corey, is a kids' book on the legendary hero. I have heard the name, Joan of Arc, but I never really knew who that was. Even though it was a beginning reader book, I liked it. It was a really good book. Joan of Arc was a really cool girl. She fought in battles and got back on her horse even when she was injured. Speaking of brave girls, tomorrow I shall blog on The Two Princesses of Bamarre, I think....

Grimm's Fairy Tales

Grimm's Fairy Tales is one of the many classic books in the world. All little girls favorite princesses, Snow White (my family's favorite, as well as my own), Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and more, came from the famous Grimm brothers. Also, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, and so many other well known stories came from these two authors. Unknowingly, I had borrowed the book, unaware of the fact that we already had the book. Oh well! At least I know I can read Grimm's Fairy Tales any time I want! I seem to be in a fantasy mode right now, because I've been reading all fantasy books. Next time I shall blog on The Two Princesses of Bamarre....

Names on the Harp

Names on the Harp is a book with tales from Ireland. They are all quite interesting. I like them a lot.  Some of the tales are on how some generations came to be. I think I shall write a poem on the book:
              

Places cold,

Places hot.

All these places.

I like them a lot. 

The fields are vast,

And success in battle is sweet.

The swan children are singing,

The robins go tweet.

And all this takes place,

In a place, not very near.

Ireland!

So come along and hear.

Children!

Come, stop your play.

And come listen,

Of Ireland yesterday.

Wishing for Tomorrow

Wishing for Tomorrow is a sequel to A Little Princess. I have read A Little Princess before, and I just finished Wishing for Tomorrow this morning. Wishing for Tomorrow is a good book. I enjoyed it a lot, it is very sad though. I liked how the author put the story together. Ermengarde, the main character, showed a lot of feelings and added drama to the story, as did Lavinia and Lottie. One, the snottiest and most boastful girl you could ever meet, and the other, quite naughty; yet she can be such a darling and helper. I really, really liked Wishing for Tomorrow.

Bats at the Ballgame

Here is a poem on the book Bats at the Baseball Game:

Yahoo! Lets give a cheer! 

Bats at the Baseball Game is here!

 I've waited for some time to read this book. 

When we got to Borders I had to take a look.

It's really quite good,

I like the funny names for food.

I can't wait for the next book,

(if there is one at all) 

Perhaps it will be called Bats at the Mall?