I may have been biased when I checked this book out of the library, thinking " Oh Gail Carson Levine! I love her books! " Even if you are not a fan of fantasy books, this one may get you hooked into reading more of the divine Mrs. Levine's books. They have creatures like fairies, dragons, and specters in them. This story is about two princesses who are sisters and happen to be best friends. Addie is afraid of almost everything and Meryl is brave and dreams of being a knight one day. The sisters make a pact to always stay together, no matter what. When Meryl falls ill with the Gray Death, the disease that killed the sisters' mother, Addie decides to find the cure and sets out in hope of finding it. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat until you read the very last page.

After writing a Newbery Honor-winning book called Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine has done it again in this excellent tale! Gail Carson Levine writes of two princesses who live in Bamarre. One of the princesses is Addie (Adeline) who is shy and fearful and her sister, Meryl is brave and bold. They had made a promise that when Addie is married and safe, Meryl could begin her adventures through the world. Unfortunately, after Addie's chambermaid Trina and their mother had caught the Gray Death disease and died, Meryl is sick with it as well. Addie gathers all her courage to seek the cure to save her sister with the gifts she recieve from the young sorceror Rhys and her friends. Addie takes her seven-leagues boots and her spyglass left by her mother and the enchanted tablecloth and cloak from Rhys also with a some shy love. Addie begins her dangerous adventure meeting tricky spectors, a clever interesting dragon, and many more creatures. Also adding a bit of romance for Addie and a magical ending. Any fans of magical creatures and princesses will fall in love with this book!!

The Two Princesses of Bamarre is about two completely different princesses. The older one, Meryl, is courageous, brave and valiant, always wanting to fight dangerous creatures, such as: Vollys the dragon, specters, monsters, and even ogres! The other one, Addie, is the opposite. She is afraid of everything, starting with spiders, and will not let Meryl leave her side until she is happily wed. One day, the most terrible thing happens. Meryl was sick with the Gray Death, the most feared illness of them all. Many hundreds die of it every year. Addie, inspired by Drualt, her hero, realizes that she must go find the cure, to save her beloved sister and lots of others. Along with the help of her friend Rhys, the young sorcerer and many gifts from Bella and her late mother, she sets out on her quest. She comes across ogres, dragons, specters and many other dangers. Will Addie be able to save her sister? Will she survive? What will become of Rhys? What will become of Meryl? You'll have to read the book to find out! I recommend this book to children ages 9 and up. I rate it five stars because it's the best book in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are often amazed at the curiosity and wonder that children possess. Their minds are still soft and pliable, undistorted by the status quo and the media. They look at things from a different perspective, or in a different light. Adults can learn more than they realize from children.

The Little Prince can be read simply as a children's book, a story of a curious little boy who encounters a pilot and tells the pilot of his journey. The book can also be read from an existential standpoint...

If we take the fact that life is meaningless and that we'll all just eventually die, that creates a pretty pessimistic view of life. If this is such the case, what's the point? Why live? What's the meaning of life? The Little Prince shows, that while life may be meaningless, you should do the things you enjoy in life. On his asteroid, the prince tends the flower, gets rid of the baobabs, and rakes out his volcanoes. Yet he also speaks of watching the sun set time and time again, just by moving his chair further and further back. (His asteroid is very small.) The prince does what he enjoys and doesn't bother himself with seriousness. He doesn't care much for adults because their innocence and imagination has been lost.

Read this book to understand more fully that adults need to have a great imagination and not take everything so seriously. Look at things from a different perspective: you might see something new.

A children's book for all ages. The story is told by the narrator, who meets the Little Prince in the Sahara Desert. While the narrator is there because of a plane crash, the Little Prince is there on a journey. The narrator records the story he hears from the Little Prince, of his travels to other planets and of meeting a king, conceited man, drunk, business man, lamp lighter and geographer, before coming to planet Earth. On planet Earth, he climbs a mountain and hears his voice as an echo, much like the bear in "Happy Birthday Moon," a later publication written by Frank Asch, 1988, Simon and Schuster Books For Young Readers. He meets a snake, tames a fox, and sees roses similar to his special flower back home. The fox teaches the prince that, "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." (p.73) Antoine De Saint-Exupery accompanies his writing with his own pen and watercolor drawings. Entries are written somewhat as a diary, and illustrations depict: the prince, planets, people and animals he encounters during his travels. The book illustrates how children view the world entirely differently from less curious adults. It forces one to consider the importance of the intangibles in one's life.

This is a children's book, no matter what people say. This doesn't mean grown-ups can't read it, but only that those who have a child's heart or at least a little something left from their childhood would be able to understand it -and love it-.

I was 5 years old when first I read it. Since then, I have always loved this wonderful book, and I read it every now and then -I'm 21-. In my opinion this book is about love. Love like that from children, that is so simple that is complex to understand it.

Everybody may have his/her own understanding of The Little Prince,- or "El Principito" as I know it because I read it in spanish first, and the english, and then french, that I recommend if you speak any other language-. Some people think the 'rose' meant 'childhood', some others may think it means 'the beloved one',etc. That's why this little book is so fantastic. We don't have to agree on what does it mean because that's grown-up's business.

Every single page is full with a simple life philosophy that is unlikely to read it and not getting any benefit from it (well, only if you are too grown-up to understand it, like those who said that it is impossible to travel with a flock of birds in the space, or that is dangerous to let your children read suicide-related stories... we have to understand them and be patient with them... they are grown-ups. You'd better talk them about ties, business, or golf. They will be thrilled to find such a reasonable person like you.)

My favorite part of the book? I don't have any. All the book is an art-work.

How would you like your name to be Tulip? Meet Hope, a sixteen-year old girl, whose real name is Tulip. She decided a while back that she hated that name, so she changed it to Hope. She and her Aunt Addie are about to move from their diner in exciting New York, to what Hope thinks will be boring Wisconsin. Follow a girl whose excellant waitressing skills, knowlege of politics, family and friends, inspire others.This book is perfect for young adults, or for people who have lost all hope.
Joan Baur writes this book in an easy-to-read, humorous and touching way, that shows you that there IS hope, and that there IS a way. Mrs.Baur takes us on a journey through Hope's eyes. Hope overcomes the obstacles in her city. In this book you'll laugh, cry, and be touched all at the same time.
Hope Was Here is a book with interesting characters, some good, some bad.You'll meet G.T Stoop, a leukemia patient with high hopes for the community, and Eli Millstone, the mayor whose a cheater and deciever. This book will bring hope to anybody's life. As Aunt Addie says about hope,"It's like the thrill I get from shoving a raw-plucked chicken into the oven and knowing that in a little while I'll have a soul-satisfying entree,"
Hope Was Here is a book for anybody who likes suspence, romance, and real-life situations will enjoy this book. Next time you are at the library, be sure to check out this Hope Was Here.

If you've had a hard day at school, a hard day a work, or you just want some good old "chicken soup for the soul," "Hope Was Here" will feed you like not many other books can. I'll spare you a plot summary, and get right to my opinions and thoughts about this book. First of all-I've gotta say it-I was NEVER bored when I was reading this book! Hope was an insightful, witty, intersting, inspiring and just plain fun character that she kept me hooked. Other characters were just as delectable, too-G.T. Stoop, the completely kind and benevolent owner of the restaurant Hope and her aunt work at, who is determined to campaign for mayor despite leukemia; Hope's Aunt Addie, who "pulls life's truths from a chicken"; and Braverman, the grill man who is "almost" Hope's boyfriend. I loved watching Hope and her friends campaign tirelessly for G.T. to become mayor-so refreshingly different from yet another "girl" book about boys, hair, and clothes. I loved finding little treasures of unique and truly funny wit where I least expected to. I loved seeing Hope's optimism and the touching truths about life embedded in the pages of the Newbery Winner. To conclude, I-you guessed it-loved this book!

Hope was here, by Joan Bauer, is a fascinating and funny glimpse of one girls life, a life filled with good food, romance, eccentricities and family. Hope is our sixteen year old narrator, a waitress working with her aunt in a rural town's diner, who takes a humourous view on her unusual life. Reading Hope's voice is like talking to an old friend. Miss Bauer created a likable character, but Hope does have her faults which makes her all the more real to us. Not only are the characters great in this book. The author wrote with lots of description and feeling, allowing readers to feel grief when sorrowful events occur, happiness when happy things happen, feel every sensation, taste every food. Whether you're looking for a good laugh, a good cry, or just a good story, Hope Was Here has something for everyone.

By the way, that was for my school review. ---Meg

"I am a forgotten princess." So begins the diary of Elizabeth, Princess of England. She writes in her journal about her life as a daughter of royalty. From her observant eyes, you see a world that you never imagined before, the world of king's daughter in the sixteenth century. She writes in her diary about her late mother, her father and four stepmothers. She also has entries about her god-fearing sister, sickly brother and her friends and enemies in the court. This book was written by Katherine Lasky in 1999 and is done so well, you feel like you are there with Elizabeth, seeing and doing everything that she does. This is an easily read diary, but you must enjoy historical fiction to want to pick it up after you put it down. Elizabeth tells of her suspicions towards certain people, one of which is a family member. She writes of how badly she wants to be queen, and how frightened she is of her diary being discovered and interpreted as treason. She also tells of how her father often banishes her so he can 'forget' his daughter for awhile. This banishment is why she writes of being a forgotten princess. Through it all, Elizabeth manages to have fun with friends and family and is able to find ways to step from the shadows and prove that she is the rightful heir to the crown. All in all, I think this is a great book for people to learn what it was like to be a daughter of royalty in 1544.

I read this book over and over without once tiring of it. The diary of Elizabeth I, who is possibly England's most famous queen, provides an interesting insight into eleven-year-old Elizabeth's life as a "forgotten princess." She has many needs, and the greatest one is a need for her father's love. Her father is Henry VIII, the English king notorious for having six wives, whom he either beheaded or divorced in succession (with the exception of the last wife, Catherine Parr, who outlived him). Elizabeth calls herself a "forgotten princess" because her father's love for her does not manifest itself as clearly as his affection for Edward, her younger brother, or Mary (later known as the infamous Bloody Mary), her pious older sister. Though her diary mainly centers around her quest for her father's love, there are hundreds of other intriguing details about life in medieval England. There is Elizabeth's determination not to marry after seeing the ultimate fates of each of her stepmothers in succession. Her own mother, Anne Boleyn, was beheaded after being accused of infidelity and witchcraft (neither accusation was true). Elizabeth was only a toddler at the time, so she never knew her mother. She does, however, respect and like stepmother Catherine Parr as she would a mother. Mary is also a major character in the book. A strict Catholic, Mary's religion is directly at variance with the Protestantism of much of England. Mary could be described as pious. Insane is more apt. Mary delights in telling Elizabeth depressing, cruel, and gruesome details about Elizabeth's birth and Anne Boleyn's beheading. Even Mary's jester agrees with Elizabeth that Mary isn't "quite right in the head." Edward, however, is a very devoted younger brother to Elizabeth, although he is not in the best of health. Edward, who is a slightly overweight boy, is constantly criticized by his grotesquely obese father for being inactive and for tiring easily. I awarded this book five stars because I think it accurately portrayed every infinitesimal detail of Elizabeth's life and surroundings, as well as being historically correct (unlike some of the other books in this series).

Kicking off the Royal Diaries, this installment by Kathryn Lasky was as exciting and interesting as her many Dear Americas. Elizabeth is the daughter of King Henry VIII of England and his 2nd wife, Anne Boleyn. Anne was a 'witch' and therefore Elzaibeth was considered a bastard at a young age. Exiled to Hatfield House with her beloved and neurotic at times governess, Kat Ashley, Elizabeth is an educated and fine young girl, destined to become the greatest ruler England has ever known. After Catherine Parr, Henry's 6th wife, re-installed Elizabeth and her half-sister Mary back to their rights to the throne, Elizabeth becomes more aware of the court that surrounds her. We get to glimpse life at Whitehall and the many palaces court is held at, Elizabeth's education, her growing awareness of Robin Dudley, and her hatred for Mary Tudor/love for her sickly brother Edward. With the sad death of her father at the closing of this diary and coronation of 9-year-old Edward, we see a new and more matured Elizabeth than at the beginning of the diary.
This diary was an excellent beginning to a very accomplished series. Very factual, historically accurate, able to connect with modern teenagers, and interesting, I would recommend this book to all historical fiction fans!

OK, Mia Thermopalis is sure, once again, that her life is over. This time, it's not because she's the heir to the throne of Genovia, whose people she must be introduced to on Christmas, or because her mom is pregnant and married to her Algebra teacher, a subject she's currently getting a D in.

No, this time, it's because she has a boyfriend.
Kenny's a nice guy, but Mia happens to be in love with someone else, namely, her best friend Lilly's older brother. What's a girl to do?

You'll have to read to find out. I loved this book, as I did the first two Princess Diaries, but I found a slight problem with this one, for Meg Cabot had always seemed to present reality in Mia's life (although being a princess is hardly realistic) but ....

Happily ever after doesn't happen in real life.

In this "Princess Diaries" series, I can tell for sure that I like this one the best!

If you have read the previous two books, you'll know how Mia struggles in her messy life. But in this book, things in her daily life just get from bad to worse(or maybe the worst.) You can see how a 14-year-girl try her best to act well in her terrible relationship with the boyfriend she doesn't love, and overcome her disastrous social life. Cabot has certainly done a great job on describing how a girl felt deep inside her heart.

Besides, this book is as funny as other ones in Princess Diaries series, or even much funnier. So if you're looking for some light reading, don't miss this one.

This book is about a princess named Mia Thermopolis and her life. Her princess name, however, isn't Mia Thermopolis. It's Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo. In this book, Mia starts to pack and plan her trip to Genovia. She's going to Genovia in December to talk to her fellow people she will once rule. However, Mia's life is more complicated than the trip to Genovia. She has other things on her mind, such as breaking up with her boyfriend, Kenny. She always wanted a boyfriend and now that she has one, she doesn't even like him. She wants to break up with him before she leaves to Genovia. She also has a problem getting a date to the Nondenominational Winter Dance. Kenny is supposed to ask Mia, since he's the boyfriend all, but he didn't even ask her. Although Mia has a boyfriend, she has one particular person on her mind. His name is Michael Moscovitz, which is her friends' older brother.
I liked this book because it's very funny to read and it makes you smile. Mia is a good character for this book. She has a lot to do in this book, but she manages to get it done. That's what I like about her. She has finals coming up and she also has her grades. Mia used to struggle a lot in Algebra, but now it was raised to a "B". Pretty good for her, since shegot an "F" last time. She also has her big trip to Genovia coming up in December. A big thing that's on her mind is getting a date for the Winter Dance. She wants to break up with Kenny (her boyfreind) and try to be with Michael. Mia has liked Michael for her whole life. With Tina's help, Mia has been sending him secret notes to him that is signed anonymous (but it's really from Mia). I thought that was pretty funny. That was the part I like, sending anonymous "love" letters to your secret love.
The best part out of the entire book was when Mia was at the carnival, all waiting for the carnival to end. Tina had forced Mia to wait in line at the computer booth, where Michael had apparently been. Mia was all nervous that he might call her to his computer. To her surprise, he had. Mia had walked all slowly to the computer and sat down on the chair. What they had shown on the computers were all the teachers at their school dressed in funny clothing. Mia thought in her mind just to pretend to laugh and make funny noises. So, when Michael started Mia's computer up, Mia didn't see teachers dressed in funny clothing. She saw something different. The computer screen had shown a bunch of flowers everywhere with a banner. On the banner, it had said "Roses are red, Violets are blue, You may not know it, But I love you, too." When Mia had seen that, She was up in the air, jumping and excited. She didn't even know she was doing that. Everyone just stared at her. Mia ran to the girls' bathroom to cry, but the tears had already came! It was very embarrassing for Mia. I think that was very kind and sweet of Michael. I bet Mia is very happy.

This is my favorite of all the Royal Diaries books. It has history about Cleopatra the 7 and who her sisters and father are.
Cleopatra's father's life is in danger. Just but three nights ago someone put a deadly snake in her father's bed, but failed. Then, some one tryed to pioson him, Cleopatra suspects her oldest sister Tryphena, who wants to be the queen. Her father and her has to go to Rome so there life won't be threatened. While they are there Tryphena takes the throne.
This book is exalent. I've read it three times, and I think you'll also like it, too.

Although I'm not too sure about the historical accuracy of this book, I still think it deserves five stars for being extremely realistic-sounding and well-written. Cleopatra is a twelve-year-old princess when she begins to write in her diary. Her formerly comfortable life is in a state of upheaval. Her father, the Pharaoh of Egypt, has disappeared after narrowly escaping several plots to asassinate him, and her older sister Tryphaena has usurped the throne in his absence. Tryphaena fears that Cleopatra could be a threat to her authority, so she is especially watchful of her younger sister. One misstep could lead to Cleopatra's death. Cleopatra seeths under Tryphaena's close scrutiny, but she also fears for her life. She knows that it is her destiny to become Queen of Egypt, but she does not know how she will ever be anointed with her power-hungry siblings in her way. In the midst of Tryphaena's takeover of the government, Cleopatra hears that her father is about to make an ardurous sea voyage to Rome to meet with Julias Caesar. He hopes to persuade Caesar to help him recover his throne. Cleopatra fears for her father's life, and she has also been informed that Tryphaena was planning to murder her on a certain night. So, with the help of her friends Olympus (a medical student and family friend), Theophilus (a Hebrew scholar), and others, she manages to sneak aboard her father's ship and sail to Rome. To find out the surprising and interesting things that happen to her in Rome, you must read this book. It is also in Rome that Cleopatra becomes more and more set on becoming Queen--no matter what the cost. This book centers around the preteen and early teenage years of Cleopatra's life--when she realizes how dangerous being the daughter of the Pharaoh is. She also learns that she can never know who to trust. In this book, Cleopatra also sows the seeds of her famous liaisons with Marc Anthony, a Roman general. I strongly recommend this book, as it portrays the dangers and privileges of being a princess more accurately than any other book in the Royal Diaries series.

The Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, By Kristina Gregory ,is about the characters: the egyptian princess Cleopatra, her father, her sisters, her servent Neva, her guard Puzo, and many Roman dignateries such as Pompey, Julius Caesor, Marc Antony, Cicero. The setting is in Rome but, the first and last quarter is in Egypt. The setting in Egypt isat the palace, the university, the village, and the lighthouse. The setting in Rome is at the marketplace the colesium, the beach and at the court.
The plot of the book is how Cleopatra and her father Ptolemy flee Egypt in fear of thier lives. They flee to Rome hoping to get aide of troops and money from the Roman goverment to go back to Egypt and take back the throne. They stay in Rome for about a year trying to get the aide they need.
Cleopatra must overcome many problems during her time in Rome. Examples of these problems are her longing for Egypt, the fact that her most trusted servents are in love, her fathers drinking, and the fact she knows no one in this new place. Her biggest fear is that she may never see Alexandria or Egypt again.
The problem she must solve to solve all her other problems is that she must become the princess of Egypt so she can go back to Egypt. She dresses up in the traditional costume of Egypt and goes to the Senate and asks for the aide. After this Cleopatra and her father are sent back to Egypt with the aide.
I would recomend this book to anyone who likes histoical fiction. I would also recommend this book to anyone who likes books in diary format. Overall I enjoyed this book and think others would to

This book is a children's classic, containing all the elements of a fairy tale. There's a villain, a good person, a magician, a princess in disguise, and a "happily ever after" ending. Except, unlike a fairy tale, it could have happened.

Sara Crewe's officer father sent her to an English boarding school when she was seven. Because she was rich, the ambitious headmistress of the school, Miss Minchin, spoiled her. Then Sara's father lost all his money and died, leaving Sara a pauper in Miss Minchin's care. Miss Minchin put her to work at what was essentially slave labor, scrubbing floors and shoveling coal from dawn to dusk at no pay and very little in the way of food and other necessities of life. Sara was about to despair, when mysterious things started showing up in her room. Hot meals laid out for her in the morning and evening. Then a rug for the bare floor. Then a warm nightgown to wear, and a new blanket for the bed. She didn't know what was happening, and assumed it was magic.

It was a fine book, very good for children I think. My only problem is that Sara, like most of Frances Hodgson Burnett's characters, seemed too good to be true. She was never angry at Miss Minchin for treating her cruelly. When she found fourpence in the street, she bought food and gave almost all of it to a beggar girl even though she herself was starving. And so on. But other than that it was great.

This book has familiar fairy tale figures, such as a wicked stepmother-like Miss Minchin, a fairy godfather, and an orphan protagonist who is a princess in disguise. It's the story of a little girl who endures some setbacks but reaches a happy ending not only for herself, but for those around her whom she helps even when she's pretty downtrodden.

The writing is charming and Sara comes through as a person who is determined to maintain her values, through good times and bad. She has a definite personality and that is a good role model for any child. She stays true to her beliefs in being kind, mannerly, charitable and above all, herself.

The magic in this book is unsurpassed in children's literature. When Sara comes home, wet and cold and neglected, to find that a magician has transformed her world, you can't help but be enchanted. I will admit to reading it again now and then as an adult. The charm is still there.

Just a fun factoid; A Little Princess was originally a shorter story titled Sara Crewe, in a volume of children's novelettes by Burnett.

If you remember seeing Shirley Temple in the 1939 "The Little Princess," this is the same basic plot with a wonderful new twist. The story is based on the beloved classic by the same author of The Secret Garden.

The movie opens with some stunningly beautiful scenes from India and all too suddenly Sara Crewe must leave with her father who is being called away for military duties. Sara has to go live in a New York boarding school. Through her experiences she learns to survive in the world and takes each day as it comes. Her vivid imagination is a pure delight and when she tells her magical stories, they are played out in a fairy tale like way onscreen. This contrasts with her real life at the school.

Sara's fun-loving spirit does get her into trouble from time to time. Overall, she is just used to living with her father and being free to do mostly what she likes. In her new school she has to follow many rules. She draws strength from her father's words to help her believe in herself. He tells her that she will always be his little princess.

A wonderful movie which shows that if we make the best of our circumstances, we will be blessed in the end. Five stars for storytelling magic!

If you liked the first princess diaries book, you will sure get a kick out of this one!
Fifteen year old Mia Thermopolis is struggling to be a normal teenager. Boys, homework, boys again. But on the other hand she is the Princess of a small country named Genovia. Things are getting hectic in her life, Mia's mom is dating her algebra teacher, (by the way what is her worst subject!) everyday after school, Mia still has princess lessons taught by her grandmother Grandmere. Mia has a secret admirer who keeps on sending her letters, but won't tell her who it is. She also has a crush on her bestfriends brother who by the way only thinks of Mia as her sisters bestfriend. Even though Mia is the princess of a small country, you have to look on the other hand. She is also just a normal teenage girl trying to live a teenage life! If you want to read a GREAT book, pick this one up, and you will never be able to put it down.

High school non-conformist Mia Thermopolis thought she had it bad- what with finding out she's a princess and the rightful heir to the Genovian throne. Then, her Mom drops another bomb on her- Mom is pregnant, and the boyfriend, Mia's algebra teacher, is the father. As if that wasn't enough, Grandmere is now trying to arrange an exclusive interview on "TwentyfourSeven" for Mia. Can't a girl simply worry about finding a boyfriend and passing Algebra like any normal teenage girl? Sheesh.

Mia's latest saga is just as entertaining as her first in "The Princess Diaries". Here, we find Mia desperately trying to police her Mother's food, fight off Grandmere's attempts to keep her in makeup, and find out who the heck "JoCRox" is that keeps sending her admiring instant messages. Could it be Michael Moscovitz, Mia's best friend Lilly's older brother? Mia hopes so, but just isn't sure.

Once Mia appears on "TwentyfourSeven" and inadvertently lets slip that Mom is preggers by and engaged to the algebra teacher, everything goes haywire. Grandmere begins to plan a lavish wedding ceremony, complete with supermodel bridesmaids and guests like John Tesh and Martha Stewart. Meg Cabot has a gift for humor that works at any age level. Reading the account of Martha Stewart solving Mia's Halloween costume problem by fashioning party favors was a hoot. I cannot wait to read "Princess in Love" and find out what happens next.

If you ever thought that being a princess was easy, you were so wrong. Mia, the new Genovian princess is finally starting to get used to a princess life. You know, the usual body guard, limo, princess lessons, not to mention all the attention she gets. But this is where all the trouble begins, Grandmere plans an interview for Mia on one of the most highly rated television show in America. Mia being her usual self, loses it and ruins the whole interview. As if she didn't have enough to worry about, Mia receives mysterious letters from a secret admirer. Could it be Micheal, whom she's had a crush on forever? It just has to! Mia never learned how to deal with these problems in school, and she certainly won't be learning them from her princess lessons, what is a princess supposed to do?! This book mainly focuses on the themes of being able to cope with crisises of family, love, reputation, and friendship. And we learn lessons about these issues through Mia's reactions to these events and her mistakes. Meg Cabot was successful in depicting the life of a normal/abnormal teenage girl, in which the humor and sarcasm of Mia portrayed the interesting personality of modern day teenagers. The the book was in a diary form, so it seemed more casual and made it easier to understand almost everything you wanted to know about Mia. This is a really good book that was so funny it was hard for me to put down. It gave me a whole new insight of what it was really like to be a princess; what you had to go through. Every new page led me to more suprises and even more laughs. Ever wonder what a girl's diary was like? Read this one for more than you'll ever expect!

What a great find! Laurie R. King has a wonderfully nuanced voice. I'll admit I usually enjoy first person narratives with female protagonists. Mary Russell is one of the great protagonists.
It's refreshing how Laurie R. King emphasizes Mary Russell's rational, logical intellect. Kudos. Sherlock Holmes has met his counterpart in Mary Russell. I enjoyed the growing relationship between Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes (Please note this story is not a romance.). I particularly enjoyed the format of the novel with a number of cases, rather than just one. That format effectively charts the development of the characters.
However, in the story, Holmes was portrayed as a brilliant and empathetic person. I didn't think it realistic that his intellectual arrogance would be tempered by a high degree of empathy. In my experience, that's not very common. Maybe he shows understated empathy. King does drop enough clues late in the book for the reader to piece together the identity of the villain. But the hints are deliberate and do not detract from the storytelling.
I've read the second book in the series, A Monstrous Regiment of Women and liked it almost as well as this one. This novel, set for the most part in Britain, uses British language and spelling. If you like Agatha Christie's mysteries you will like Laurie R. King's.
Thanks Ms. King for adding a fresh, feminist perspective to the the Sherlock Holmes canon!

I've been a fan of Conan Doyle portrait of that great detective Sherlock Holmes -through the eyes of Dr. Watson- since I was fifteen. So when I came across this book in my local library, I picked it up. My hopes were not very high, but after the first chapter I was hooked. Obviously, this portrait is not exactly the same as the one Sir Arthur painted, but the differences only serve to enhance the character. This Holmes is much more human, much more troubled, much more in need of another human being but without leaving behind the intelligence and keen powers of observation that are his trademark. And Mary Russell is a perfect delight. As intelligent and as keen as Holmes, at first she wanders about alone, without support, without help, without love from her only living relative. Holmes will cover all those needs, and more besides. After finishing the book, I bought it for myself and bought all the other four books in the series.

I read "The Beekeeper's Apprentice" about a year ago. When I first glanced at the blurb, I was tempted to laugh. Imagine undermining the great Sherlock Holmes by teaming him up with a fifteen-year old girl! It was almost too ridiculous to believe. Nevertheless, I borrowed the book from my local library, and since then, it has become one of my fabourite books ever. I bought my very own copy of it three months ago.

The story is amazing. Supposedly written by an aged Mary Russell (a fifteen year-old girl at the beginning of the story), the book is a recount of her life from her meeting with the fifty-three-year-old Sherlock Holmes, to when she is about 19. Her narration, what she chooses to dwell on in her telling, and what she merely skips over, not only reveals to the reader which incidents most live in her memory, but also makes the story fast-paced, and vividly exciting.

The book also shows a quite different Sherlock Holmes to the stories of Conan Doyle. While every bit as brilliant and perceptive, the Holmes we see through Mary Russell's eyes is very much human, capable of mistakes and intense emotion. Much as I tend to idolise the Legend of Conan Doyle, I can't help but warm towards the picture painted by Mary Russell far more than that of the good Doctor.

I was miserable when I finished "The Beekeeper's Apprentice", so much so that I was almost crying. And I have to admit that I cried during the book, too, and still do when I reread it. I have read the other Russell-Holmes novels, but none come close to this, the first. Such is the fate of all but the most brilliant of serials. This is Laurie R. King's masterpiece, her other works cannot compare.

In third grade (a little too soon!) I read the "The Song of the Lioness" series, and ever after I have been posotively gobbling up Tamora Pierce's books. They are SO GREAT! When I read "First Test," I really enjoyed it, but I still liked the Alanna series better. However, with "Squire," I had a wonderful time reading it! (I lent it to several of my friends, and they're all hanging on me for "Lady Knight;" obviously they loved "Squire".) I was a smidgeon surprised when Neal wasn't the big shebang anymore, but I didn't think it was too bad... The only thing is, it makes you wonder: If Neal suddenly disappeared, will Cleon do the same?? Well, I know Tamora Pierce to do things like that (if you've read about Alanna & Jonathan, and then Alanna & George)...

Any person who believes in a strong woman equal to men will enjoy this book. I especially liked it being longer than the previous books in the series. ( The longer the better!) It has a good pace, with plenty of action, yet isn't driving the reader insane with a lack of calm moments. I also think this is (so far) the best of the "Protector of the Small." ( I'm sure my friends would say so too). Well, there's at least seven people who adore this book here in Austin TX. I say, READ THIS, or you are missing out!!

This is a great book. Really. I've read other people's reviews and I'm kinda disappointed that they aren't giving it the credit that it deserves (5 stars). I mean, no kel doesn't spend a lot of time with her old friends...but how could she?!? Thats just thinking crazy thoughts. She's traveling ALL THE TIME. Being the squire to raoul doesn't leave her much time to socialize does it? and its not like she didn't make other friends. Besides, the book was already huge....how could Pierce have fit anything else in it? . well, if he liked her he would have said something sooner, and thats that. Besides, she gave up liking neal in favor of dom right at the beginning of the book! Every girl will think shes in love with someone until someone better comes along, I mean geez, alanna changed her mind all the time, in this case it was cleon who had obviously liked kel for a while. No, he hadn't been a fully developed character in the other books...but thats ok! Now we get to know him a little better.... same goes for raoul. But anyway, I'm glad kel and cleon got together. Don't dwell on neal, he found someone else anyway:) finally, theres the whole ordeal thing. I thought it was great and not at all disappointing, and thats all I have to say on that matter. So, if you THINK THROUGH THIS LOGICALLY and don't get stuck on what YOU wanted to happen you'll really really enjoy this book. Not every story goes the way you want it to but thats no reason to deprive it of the 5 star rating that it deserves.

This book, the third in the Protector of the Small series, is one of Tamora Pierce's best.
Keladry of Mindelan has survived her years as a page and is moved up to a squire. But she doesn't want to be a desk knight, and is worried that a real knight won't pick her. Until Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak (yes, the same Raoul in the Alanna books, for all you Pierce fans) takes her on as squire. He treats her just like he would a regular goy squire, which is one reason she likes him. He is also the commander of the King's Own, and with him, Kel will almost definitly see plenty of action and get to try her skills. The only bad thing about this is that Sir Alanna isn't going to be her knight master - instead, she picks someone Kel is very close to! Even so, after the King's Own tracks down some badits, Kel gets stuck with a griffin and has to lug him around with the Own, which gets to be kind of troublesome. After tacking down the bandits, Kel and her knight master return home to the palace, where he helps her to joust, something she begins to get very good at. Soon, the prince's bethroed wife from the Yamani Islands comes to Tortall, where Kel helps to introduce the young princess to her new city of Corus. The entire court, servants, nobles, and squires alike, all go on a Great Progress, where the princess will be introduced to Tortall and it's people. I don't want to spoil anything else, but lets just say that things get to be even more tense between Kel and her old enemy, Joren of Stone Mountain; Kel keeps challenging herself against the door of the Chamber of the Ordeal where she has visions; and there is a great deal of trouble with the Scanrans in the north - the Kraken turns out to be a big test to Kel to prove herself to the men of the Own. All in all, this is a very exciting book, and I can't wait for the next book to come out, Lady Knight!