I've read all books by Eager from the Magic Box set, and I would rate them in this order (from best to worst):
1)Half-Magic
2)The Time Garden
3)Magic by the Lake
4)Knight's Castle

Knight's Castle was confusing and not as funny as it tried to be. It is about 4 children that live in the story of Ivanhoe and Robin Hood at night. However, there were some good moments between Roger and his sister Ann.
If I were a child between 9-12, I think I would have loved all of them. However, Eager's books are not as modern as J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books, and won't be enjoyed as much by adults.

Potter, Schmotter! As much as we loved the Harry Potter books, and my daughters and I devoured them, I knew they would love Edward Eager's books just as much, if not more. Believably real children, believable magic, everyday situations that turn out to be anything but, Edward Eager wrote about it all forty years ago. My older sister introduced me to Half Magic when I was about 8, and after reading the whole collection, I re-read them again in high school. Knight's Castle was always my favorite, for all the reasons mentioned by the other reviews, but also because it dealt with the very real situation of children who have more and children who have less, and how we all get along. I wonder, what is Edward Eager doing now? Does anyone know?

This was my first Edward Eager book, and it was not my last. It's a part of Eager's ongoing, sometimes intertwined fantasy serieses starring flawed yet admirable characters. Note: There's a bit of an in-joke in one bit of dialogue, concerning the kids' mothers from a previous book of Eager's, but it won't confuse you if you've so much as read the back of the other books.

Roger and his sister's father needs surgery, and his frightened kids are taken along to stay with their cousins, bossy Eliza and camera-obsessed Jack. The thing that cheers frightened Roger up is a toy castle his aunt gives him, and his vast army of toy soldiers. But the oldest of them all tells Roger that he must EARN his wishes...

Soon Roger and his relatives (parents excluded) are tossed into the medieval world of Robin Hood and Ivanhoe, a world that can be altered by what is set around the toys, such as wastepaper baskets and dollhouses.

The ending is still a bit confusing (I'm not entirely certain what's going on) but the book overall has far more intricacy and imagination than Harry Potter or Which Witch or anything like that. Especially since Eager wrote this decades ago, when children's fantasy was much more scarce. The kids are all totally believable and enjoyable, and the various knights and ladies either make you cheer or boo, depending on whether they're despicable or not..

Utter not the words of power: "Lead soldiers!"

This book starts off rather slow and I was tempted to stop reading it. It's not as good as the other two, but just as vivid. You understand how one could have it all, then lose it all. NOt exactly a "feel good novel" with a "warm and fuzzy feeling".

This book is great... all of the books in the series are! Still, this is the first one I read and it wasn't really my copy...my friend Rosalind hated me for a few after I wouldn't give it back. Still, it portrays Anne Boleyn in am interesting light. You hate her, but you want her to succeed. READ IT!

This, the third book in the Young Royals series focuses on the life of Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII, and mother to the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth. From the time she was born, Anne had been the dark sheep of her family. Not only did she have a sixth finger, but she also had a black mole. Anne had neither the beauty of her older sister Mary, or the importance of her younger brother George. But with an ambition as high as the mountains, Anne vowed one day that her sister, Mary, the King's mistress, will one day kneel at her feet. As a lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine in Henry's court, Anne finally begins to see her wish coming true when she finally catches Henry's eyes. Though Anne knows Henry loves her, she knows that is not enough. The people's overall hatred of her and loyalty to Queen Catherine might ultimately be her downfall. When finally she bears Henry's child, she is finally declared Queen, a title she had vied for so many years. Only one nagging issue is in the back of her mind: What if the child isn't a son? What if she fails Henry's ultimate wish to have a male heir? What would become of her...

This new edition to the Young Royals series has to be my favorite. It was quite accurate and Anne was potrayed perfectly as a girl who just wanted to prove herself worthwhile to a world that shut her out. To many Anne was the ulimate symbol of evil, but after reading this book, my opinion of her changed. She was in a tough position, but ulimately her big ambitions was also her downfall.

This book definitely will be more fitting for older readers. Doomed Queen Anne also probably appeals to an older audience than the previous two books. Definitely a great book to add to your collection.

The King of Didd loved to look into the sky. But he was increasingly unhappy with what he saw -- only rain, snow, fog, and sunshine. As a powerful king, he decided to change things so he could get more.

The book is a wonderful look at the perils of getting what you think you want, a great lesson for children to learn at an early age. Unlike other Dr. Seuss books, this one is mostly in prose. The color in the illustrations is limited to green to flesh out the oobleck. The drawings and the humor though are first rate Dr. Seuss!

Bartholomew is the King's page boy, and the king's source of common sense. When the king decides to call in his magicians to create oobleck, Bartholomew's warnings are unheeded. Even the magicians give a warning, for they have never made oobleck before and don't quite know how it will turn out. Nevertheless, the king orders the magicians to go ahead. When the first green drops hit, the king decides to declare a holiday.

But soon there are problems. Oobleck is very sticky! And it's coming down in ever increasing quantities. What do you do?

The resolution is a particularly good one, for it reinforces the moral that any willful thing we decide to do can be undone if we unbend our will. (It also encourages good manners.)

Reading this book reminded me of when I was about five. I only liked to eat junk food. I begged my parents to buy ever larger quantities. Finally, my mother said. "All right. You're in charge of buying food for yourself this week. You'll have only that to eat." I stocked up on potato chips, candy, soft drinks, and other wonderful snacks. By the fourth day, I couldn't face any more junk food. I begged my mother to take back the job of selecting food for me!

After you finish enjoying the story, I suggest that you also talk to your child about how to get rid of unexpected substances. This can be a great encourager of creativity. For years, I have used an interview question that I learned during a scholarship interview while I was in high school. What would you do if you woke up one morning and the world was covered to a depth of 30 feet by ping pong balls?

A good lesson to reinforce is to encourage your child to consider what could go wrong, and how to handle that, before trying to make some change. That approach is good training for the realities of life.

Enjoy what you have!

Bartholomew and the Oobleck is my favorite Seuss. The King wants something new to come from the sky. He's tired of the sun, the rain, the wind and the snow. He sends his magicians to their secret cave in mystic mountain Neekatave. In the morning green sticky oobleck falls from the sky and gums up the entire kingdom. It's great fun watching everything get stickier and sticker. Even the King gets stuck to his throne. Of course Bartholomew saves the day. And the King learns that the right thing to do when you've messed up other people's lives is apologize. Silly me, I'd hoped that my daughter would learn to apologize when she's made a mistake -- if kings can do it --- but she didn't get the message. Still, the book is delightful. I don't see it as an anti-science tale. Yes, lots of folks tried to talk the King out of his experiment, but scientists get that anti-science fear all the time. They have to ignore it or they can't do their jobs. The King didn't fire the magicians. This experiment was a failure. That didn't mean he should give up his throne and quit trying. He apologized, and went on with his life. That's the way life is.

Growing together,

Lois...

Boy, this book takes me back when I was very young. I really enjoyed it. And, now that I'm considerably older, I still enjoy it. It is a story about a king who is bored with the things that fall from the sky (for example, rain, snow, etc.) and orders his magicians to make something new. They come up with oobleck, a green, gooey substance. But, when it begins to fall, it messes up everything and the king's page, Bartholomew, teaches the king the power of the words, "I'm sorry." The book was a 1950 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustration in a children's book.

I read this book and couldn't put it down. I loved it. It took me to a world of fantasy and enchantment! I hope that everyone who reads this will enjoy it the way that I did! When I was finished with More Minds I went and donated it to the library so other people could read it like yourselves. I am planning on reading the entire series because of how good More Minds was!

This book and its prequel, Of Two Minds, are two of the best books I have ever read. Lenora and Coren are very believable people set in a world that is fun to read about. Get it because it is definately worth it.

More Minds is the sequal to Of Two Minds, with the same sense of excitment and adventure. Princess Lenora and Prince Coren together try and save the balance while, at the same time try to work around their doubles to save the kingdom before it comes to a fatal end. This is a wonderful story that should be read by all.

From the opening of this book-- Sylvie lived an intresting life, but she didn't get to live it very often-- the wonderful central subject of what characters in a book do when the book is closed is clearly drawn. I do not think young readers will have any trouble with this concept-- in effect it's no different from wondering what your dolls do when they're not in the room-- and older readers will appreciate the many layers of the book, and the somewhat melancholy depiction of how fast life goes by and how quickly the various Readers age and die, in the "real world." and yet the story is eternal!

I enjoyed this book as a fantasy about Sylvie and her longing for adventure-- I enjoyed the details of having to scramble back into page 3, the rules about not looking UP at the reader, the way the "stage lights" come on when the book is abruptly closed-- the characters who want to behave out of character (the courtly thief, who is far more polite and helpful than he's supposed to be)-- and then, as in the best fantasy, I enjoyed the profound mythic impulse behind it. Claire, the Reader Sylvie first encountered, is desperately trying to save her grandmother. She reopens the book to read it to her grandmother, who was once the "girl with blue eyes" who was the First Reader.

But the exploration of worlds within worlds doesn't stop there. Claire's grandmother does die, but she reappears in Sylvie's world-- beyond the eastern forest-- as the girl with blue eyes. It turns out that beyond the margins of the book is the world of Claire's dreams, and many more characters appear there.

To reveal more would be to lessen the fun for you Readers out there. But I will say finally that the book explores what story means to us, how we see our own realities, how we use stories to connect with our families, and even what it means to Create.

I expected a fun romp with one little gimmick, I got instead a work of philsophy expressed through humor, dialogue and fairy tale-- almost in the tradition of The Little Prince.

Not to be missed by any Reader, of any age.

This is a great book. It's about Sylvie and her parent's kingdom. This may sound like a fairytale but it's not. The kingdom is a book. They live in the book and they are the characters. Townley manages to introduce you into a whole new world of the readers, the characters and the mind, and there is still a wonderful story between the description of how one character gets pinned down by a huge finger when the reader uses her finger as a bookmark, and how another character hinds himself between parentheses. The characters say things to believable that I found myself being careful to not let my finger rest on any words for fear that I might squish a character. This is a wonderful book and I would recommend it to everyone in sight!

Although listed as a children's book, this book should be read by anyone who's interested in the wonderment of books. It's a delightful story about real characters in books who are alive - and not just in the reader's mind. When the book isn't open, they lie around getting bored but when a 'Reader' comes along, they scramble for their places and take up the story. So what happens when one of the characters actually meets the Reader and helps her with her problems? That's what you'll have to read the book to find out. This one is a must read for writers, readers, and anyone who's in love with the written word. It is a unique, new way of looking at fairy tales.

Antonia Fraser's book "The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England" provides an excellent history of the British monarchy. Highlights of the book include its balance of brevity with a comprehensive scope, it photographs, and especially its genealogical charts. The book's only flaw is that it does not begin in 827 with King Egbert, but in 1066 with William the Conqueror beginning the rule of the Norman kings.

If you are not aware of whom the Kings and Queens of England are, or if you are a novice in understanding who these colorful individuals are this is a wonderful book to introduce you to them. This book covers all of them from the beginning (Norman Rule) to present day, and even takes a look at the future of the monarchy. Short biographies on each monarch as well as color photos help put a face and personality to each monarch.

Don't expect this book to offer a detail explanation and action of each monarch since that would require the book to be way to extensive. This is a brief intoduction to each and a wonderful first look. This book is great for either pleasure reading, or reference material.

For anyone who has even a passing interest in the English monarchs (what's the difference between Bloody Mary and Mary, Queen of Scots?) this is the perfect book. Within four to eight pages, depending on the subject, Antonia Fraser gives a wonderful summary of every monarch since Normand time, right up to Elizabeth II. I used this book not only to clarify which Edward or Mary was which, but also to give me teasers about important events in English history. From this I read two books by another great English historiographer, Alison Weir, "The Wars of the Roses" and "The Princes in the Tower." I even used Fraser's book to guide me as I watched "Mrs. Brown" on video! Fraser manages to take these fascinating people and put them in the context of their time, without romantic presupposition or fake dialogue. Fraser delivers documented facts or opinions and still manages to give her work an interesting and engaging voice.

The amount of information that has accumulated about the Maya in the last ten years is extraordinary. I find it amazing to go to public libraries, even good ones like the state library here in Tallahassee, Florida, only to find that most of the books on the Maya date from the 1970's or earlier, and virtually everything they have to say about the historical context of Maya civilization is woefully out of date.

If you're out of date about the latest developments in Maya historiography, or if you're just developing an interest in the subject, you'll find this book to be of value. It gives the history of the major classic era cities (the book is completely about the classic period, and only digresses outside of that era to add supporting information), and does it in a format that is attractive and interesting. Indeed, many of the illustrations are of pieces that have only recently been unearthed, and this increases the interest of the book.

The one drawback is that the book is a little too advanced for the beginner - it can be difficult to work out the historical signposts - and a little too basic for the student already familiar with most recent work. A little more data about the overall context of the period and culture would be of some value. Aside from this one objection, it is an admirable work, well-written enough to capture the interest of the intelligent general reader while not giving the feeling that the authors are talking down to a non-specialist level. Definitely worth the read.

The 'Chronicle of the Mayan Kings' is a beautifully illustrated chronicle of the Mayan kings of the poorly known Mayan kingdoms of the Yucatan like Tikal and Copan. The names of the Mayan kings are shown in Mayan hieroglyphs. There are accounts of what we know of the accomplishments of men such as Yik'in Chan Kawil of Tikal and Yukmook Cheen 2 of Calukmal. We see the relations among the Mayan states. There are timelines to make the time periods more clear. Special features describe the complex Mayan calendar and the Mayan number system, which is based on twenty instead of ten.
This book is an excellent account of what little is known about the Mayan states.

This book is a perfect example on how to divulge history without making it too simple or pandering to the "sensationalist" aspects of the tale. The research on the ancient Maya culture over the last decades has revealed enough information that a more or less complete sequence of events can be drawn over several centuries. It also has revealed that the Mayan did not seem able, or willing, to strive towards the establishment of a centralized empire as others civilizations tried. The result is a complex story involving the struggles between loosely organized groups of petty states around a few major ones. Telling that tale in an exciting way is thus more difficult: no Alexander the Great figure here to follow.... But Martin and Grube have been able to spin the yard of quite a tale. Once you pass the catchy title that makes you wonder whether the inside will be lightweight history, you do realize that this is a very complete, if brief, book. After a concise introductory chapter, the authors chose deliberately to tell the story of a few individual cities. You might disagree as to why they chose those (Northern cities such as Uxmal are absent). You might have wanted a more unified tale of Mayan civilization. Or perhaps a more people's oriented history. But the fact is that there are not many facts on the ancient Maya in spite of recent advances. It is to the merit of the authors to make the most of these facts to write an informative story, a city based history as the Mayan were, without entering into undue speculations. And that the book is loaded with nice pictures, interesting maps and diagrams is a great plus. Nice enough for a coffee table, deep enough for a serious library.

Fop Flop In the most elegant apparel Nothing but worm silks In the finest golden thread And superior king red velvet sashes

You'd think I would have known better? I couldn't blame them who wouldn't? cut air with scissors while sewing their needles into invisible cloth for the very low price of..... silk a loom golden thread a full bag of coins Oh those Villain Scoundrels! Now, I know not to buy such vestments with rather large investments Oh what a bratty gnatty I was For I thought I was cool but truly a fool Why emperor you look rather bare, that's quite rare! I was in such a pursuit For only a birthday suit I must admit now Me, My very own self yes indeed, your emperor himself have become a stupid and incompetent dandy All for the Imaginary Image! and now I live happily ever after, no more garb well, that is until the next apparel discovery (Now if you'll excuse me there's a clothier waiting at my door who says he's created the latest design in Pajama attire)

Generally, I do not care for audio books; many of the readers speak in a dull voice that rapidly drives me either away from the story or to sleep. However, there are a few exceptions; this is one.

Understand, that this is not the normal audio book; this edtion has a large cast of actors who collaborated to produce this item as a fund raiser for Starbright.

The result is an ensemble piece that is witty and charming. Part of the fun for me, was guessing who was reading before looking at the cast list included in the box.

Other folks feel that this isn't for children; I don't know as I don't have children, but I found that my "inner child" was highly entertained for 40 minutes with this tape.

If you are a fan of one or more of the actors in this edition or like puns (there are many here!), then you will probably like the Starbright edtion of the Emporer's New Clothes.

I had been given 2 of these books from a friend and I decided to see if there were anymore. My son loves this book. He's now working on reading the adult side. It's a great idea to have a page each, 1 for the adult and 1 for the child. We have several of these books now and I see my son sitting down and reading them on his own.

I rate the first book in the Guenevere series 3 1/2 stars. This second one leans towards 3 3/4 stars. It's not quite a 4, but it's a bit better than GUENEVERE Queen of the Summer Country, because it's more suspenseful somehow. It was rather good. The only thing that I felt bogged this book down was the repetition. In the early chapters especially, we read about a lot of things that we already know from Book One.

In fairness though, I really liked the way author Rosalind Miles handled the story so that I anticipated what was going to happen next, even though King Arthur's tale is already widely known. As the reader, you find yourself excited at the unfolding of little events, like how Guenevere gets out of her trial, etc. It's not the "if" really, because those familiar with this same story as told in other books already know the answer to that. Reading Miles' take on the legend makes us want to know the details of her version of the story.

If you were enthralled by the first book in this series, read this second one. I myself am almost halfway through the third!

I was terribly impressed by the first in the Guenevere series, "Guenevere: Queen of the Summer Country." I can't say that I was disappointed with the second installment, but it did not quite live up to the magic of the first.

As often happens with the middle book in a trilogy, there seems to be a moderate amount of filler material and repetition in the action. Having said that, I most definitely still enjoy some of the liberties and twists that Miles has taken with traditional Arthurian legend. Hearing the story from Guenevere's perspective is a wonderful way to go. At times I wanted to shake the characters and tell them to stop their whining, but despite some of their bad choices, they were well-rounded and believable.

Even though I enjoyed this book less than the first, I will continue to follow the series, and anxiously anticipate reading the third book. I am curious to see how Miles will wrap up her story and how it will mirror traditional Arthurian legend. Miles has a delightfully rich writing style that serves to greatly enhance her stories.

If you haven't read Guenevere, Queen of the Summer Country--which is the first book in this series--you should buy it right away. Rosalind Miles' vision of Camelot through the eyes of Queen Guenevere is lyrical and romantic without seeming sappy or trite--in fact, she's got a wonderfully sharp feminist edge, not to mention real talent as a storyteller. Like the first book, this was a delightful read. I can't wait for the third book in the series!

THE KING'S SWIFT RIDER
Mollie Hunter

Have you ever thought of being in the army in the medieval times, fighting for the Bruce, King of all Scott's? Well this is what happened to a boy named Martin. This book is about Martin fighting for the Bruce.

I liked this book because I like knights and battles. I also like history about main events. One main event in the story is when the Scots killed thousands of English soldiers in one single castle!

The moral to this story is to believe in yourself, have trust and do things for reasons, not just for fun. One example is being mean to somebody or something for no good reason. That is what the English did to the Scots. I think people who like history and war should read this book.

The King's Swift Rider by Mollie Hunter is a great book for young adults. Boys would probably like this book better than girls. It's about a teenage boy who stands up for what be believes in. Martin Crawford is thirteen when he becomes a messenger and a spy for Robert the Bruce. The book is intense and full of adventure. It's a great way to learn some history of the conflict between the English and the Scottish during the 1300's. If you liked the movie "Braveheart" you will like this book.

This is a young adult book regarding the history of Robert the Bruce who fought the English at the Battle of Bannockburn. It is very well written and really gives a good look at "The Bruce". I got to know him much better, how he and the troops prayed before the battle, the fierce loyalty and love his men had for him and the mercy he demanded be given the enemy if asked for. Don't let the fact that it was written for teenage readers keep you from enjoying this tale if you are older. Anyone can read this and learn from it!