Category: Mostly About Reading

A List: 64 most-liked books

“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” ~Dr. Seuss

I like to read — but I think you knew that. 😉 

I also like checking out lists. If you do, too, here is one you might enjoy. Scholastic believes you are what you read. They compiled a list of sixty-four most-liked books, and even though these are included in the adult books list, a few are children’s books. You will notice that some on this list are complete sets and a few of those in the sets are also listed as single books.

  1. To Kill a Mockingbird – by Harper Lee
  2. The Hunger Games – by Suzanne Collins
  3. Harry Potter Boxed Set – by J. K. Rowling
  4. Pride and Prejudice – by Jane Austen
  5. The Giving Tree – by Shel Silverstein
  6. Charlotte’s Web – by E. B. White; Garth Williams (Illustrator)
  7. The Bible – “unknown”
  8. The Diary of Anne Frank – by Anne Frank
  9. The Giver – by Lois Lowry
  10. The Great Gatsby – by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  11. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer – by J. K. Rowling
  12. Twilight – by Stephenie Meyer
  13. Gone With The Wind – by Margaret Mitchell
  14. A Wrinkle In Time – by Madeleine L’Engle
  15. The Catcher In The Rye – by J. D. Salinger
  16. The Help – by Kathryn Stockett
  17. The Lord of The Rings – by J.R.R. Tolkien
  18. Jane Eyre – by Charlotte Brontë
  19. The Hobbit – by J. R. R. Tolkien
  20. The Outsiders – by S. E. Hinton
  21. Where The Sidewalk Ends – by Shel Silverstein
  22. Little Women – by Louisa May Alcott
  23. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – by by J. K. Rowling
  24. Catching Fire – by Suzanne Collins
  25. The Secret Garden – by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  26. Green Eggs And Ham – by Dr. Seuss
  27. Where The Red Fern Grows – by Wilson Rawls
  28. Where The Wild Things Are – by Maurice Sendak
  29. The Twilight Saga Collection – by Stephenie Meyer
  30. Anne of Green Gables – by Lucy Maud Montgomery
  31. Of Mice and Men – by John Steinbeck
  32. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe – by C.S. Lewis
  33. Wuthering Heights – by Emily Bronte
  34. The Book Thief – by Markus Zusak
  35. Mockingjay – by Suzanne Collins
  36. The Kite Runner – by Khaled Hosseini
  37. 1984 – by George Orwell
  38. Love You Forever – by Robert N. Munsch; Sheila McGraw (Illustrator)
  39. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn – by Betty Smith
  40. Fahrenheit 451 – by Ray Bradbury
  41. The Little Prince – by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (Illustrator); Katherine Woods (Translator)
  42. Nancy Drew series – by Carolyn Keene
  43. Night – by Elie Weisel
  44. Lord of the Flies – by William Golding
  45. The Chronicles of Narnia complete collection – by C. S. Lewis
  46. Alice In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass – by Lewis Carroll
  47. Eat, Pray, Love – by Elizabeth Gilbert
  48. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – by J. K. Rowling
  49. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy – by Douglas Adams
  50. Little House on the Prairie – by Laura Ingalls Wilder
  51. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – by J. K. Rowling
  52. The Alchemist – by Paulo Coelho
  53. Eclipse – by Stephenie Meyer
  54. Oh, the Places You’ll Go! – by Dr. Seuss
  55. Matilda – by Roald Dahl
  56. The Shack – by William P. Young
  57. New Moon – by Stephenie Meyer
  58. Breaking Dawn – by Stephenie Meyer
  59. The Five People You Meet in Heaven – by Mitch Albom
  60. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – by J. K. Rowling
  61. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – by J.K. Rowling
  62. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
  63. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret – by Judy Blume
  64. The Stand – by Stephen King

How many on the list were you able to check off? Are your favourites on there; if not, what would you add? Are any of these books on your to-be-read list?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

 

Book Review: The Lion Is In – by Delia Ephron

The Lion Is InBook: The Lion Is In
Author: Delia Ephron
Publisher: Blue Rider Press
Date: March 29, 2012  hardcover;
January 29, 2013  paperback
Genre: adult fiction
Pages: 304
Price: $24.95 hardcover; $14.99 paperback
My Rating: an enjoyable easy read that will inspire you, make you laugh, and leave you wanting more

 

I had the good fortune to win this book and decided to review it.

The story begins on a warm June day when two runaway women – Lana in a t-shirt and ripped jeans, Tracee in a wedding dress – suffer the inconvenience of a flat tire in rural North Carolina. Rita comes casually walking along in her Sunday best with no plan of where she is going, just somewhere, and after changing the flat Lana offers her a ride. What they don’t know is they have rescued Rita. The truth is, each of the women has her secrets and fears and issues. Each is trying to get away from everything. Each is searching for … something.

Renowned author, Delia Ephron, has created a scenario that, with humour, brings us into the lives of three women very different from one another, and the unique people they meet when they are unwillingly stuck in a dying town. And then there is Marcel, Marcel the lion, caged in a nearly down-and-out nightclub. It’s Marcel that eventually plays a key role in this whole situation.

Lana, Tracee, and Rita certainly have their calamities and their clashes, but their determination to work things out in their lives and help each other in the process keeps them from having complete individual meltdowns. They each have to find a way to deal with their problems and fears and to let themselves trust again. In the process of self-realization they have a profound effect on certain others in the town. Trouble doesn’t stay away, though, but you’ll have to read for yourselves to find out what happens.

The Lion Is In is a story of change, challenge, and facing the lions in one’s life. It is an easy, enjoyable read written in a casual style that keeps the reader wanting to know what’s coming next.

Now for the negatives –The ‘f’ word was used several times, but as the reader gets to know the characters, the outbursts of the one occasionally swearing works with the anger and frustration. It is not frequent and does not taint the story. Also, if you are uncomfortable with mild erotica then I would suggest you just skip over those few paragraphs – do NOT skip this book because of that.

FYI: In case you didn’t know, The Lion Is In author Delia Ephron also wrote You’ve Got Mail, which was made into the movie of the same name. One of my few all-time favourite movies, I might add! I watch my copy of it every once in a while.

By now it seems unnecessary to say I enjoyed this book, but I’ll say it: I enjoyed this book! The Lion Is In was amusing with realistic characters and laugh-out-loud situations. I just wish there were more of it. Perhaps this too will become a movie.

You can find The Lion Is In listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 

 

 

Book Review: Goodnight, Me – by Andrew Daddo

Book: Goodnight, Me
Author: Andrew Daddo
Illustrator: Emma Quay
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Date: October 30, 2007
Genre: picture book for ages 2 and up
Pages: 32
Price: hardcover $11.95US; $13.00CD
My Rating: Charming book young ones will love
 

I was in a local bookstore this week and came across this adorable picture book, Goodnight, Me. It is such a charming story and so beautifully illustrated – I bought it for my grandson. In case it had not come to your attention yet, I decided to review it.

One reviewer called the character in it a monkey, but take a good look at the image I posted above .. wouldn’t you say that is a baby orangutan? And what an adorable baby it is.

This story is focused around the point-of-view of the main character. The little one is convincing his body to calm down for sleep. He names body parts and, mentioning some of what they do in his busy day, he tells them to settle down for the night. Feet, knees, legs, tummy, bottom (“Enough wriggling, bottom. It’s time to be still.”), chest, hands, arms, neck, head, mouth, eyes (“Can you see any dreams yet?”). As his mother tucks him in and kisses him goodnight, he is drifting off to sleep. It is the cutest story.

This first picture book by Andrew Daddo is a wonderful bedtime book to help a child relax and settle down for sleep, and also would be fun for a child who is learning to read. The illustrations by Emma Quay are delightful – soft and realistic-looking of the little orangutan. This is a book to treasure.

You can find Goodnight, Me listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

Book Review: If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? – by Melissa Kantor

Book: If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince?
Author: Melissa Kantor
Publisher: Hyperion
Date: March 27, 2007
Genre: YA fiction
Pages: 320; paperback
Price:$8.99 US; $11.99 CAN
 
My Rating: An enjoyable read that includes some real teen issues
 

I was delighted to win this book from the author.

When you hear the title – If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? – what do you think of? Probably the first thing that comes to mind is Cinderella. And you are not far off. The main character in this enjoyable book feels as if she is being treated like a Cinderella; even her new friends think so.

When Lucy’s mother died, leaving behind her husband and young daughter, it meant it was just the two of them for several years. Then her dad remarried and moved them to live in another city with his new wife and her two (younger-than-Lucy) daughters. Lucy was relegated to a room in the basement, a very inadequately furnished room, and her dad was hardly ever home because he was still working in the city where they had lived before Lucy’s life was turned upside down.

Lucy felt unfairly treated, being expected to do chores the other girls were not asked to do and not treated very nicely. She felt like a  .. well, the way Cinderella may have felt. Then she falls for a boy and things just get more complicated.

This is a story that holds the reader’s interest, and I think especially young teen girls will like it. I found myself thinking at times, this girl is being so emotional and self-centered … like a teenage girl with the jealousy, the angry outbursts, the drama. But that simply means Melissa Kantor hit it right on. Being on the other side of all that hormonal craziness it is easy to see what should have taken place, and I kept hoping someone would see through everyone’s foolishness and set things right. (Even the stepmother was exasperating.)

I won’t tell you what happened. ** Possible spoiler alert ** What I will say is .. there is some of the normal temptation stuff, but it’s the drinking that becomes the issue for awhile. It is handled well by the author, Melissa Kantor.

This is an easy book to read, interesting and engaging, and not simply a young person’s book. Why not branch out and see what our young people are reading these days? 🙂

You can find If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 

Book Review (Part 2): Greet the Dawn:The Lakota Way – by S.D.Nelson

Today I am doing something a little different. I’m posting a second part to one of my reviews – Greet the Dawn: The Lakota Way by S. D. Nelson. Please be sure to refer to part one of my review HERE to gain a more complete appreciation of this book.

Greet the Dawn the Lakota WayThe reason I am doing part two is because I want you to get a taste of some of the astounding illustrations created by Mr. Nelson, the author of the book. After sending a request to the Marketing Director of South Dakota Historical Society Press  – where this wonderful picture book was published – I received gracious permission and the illustrations I selected to post on my blog. (Thank you, Martyn Beeny!) Please visit their website HERE.

All the pages in Greet The Dawn: The Lakota Way are fully illustrated, edge to edge, in gorgeous colour.

Here are three for you to admire and … ENJOY!

You can find Greet the Dawn: The Lakota Way listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

Book Review: Greet The Dawn The Lakota Way – by S. D. Nelson

Book: Greet The Dawn The Lakota Way
Author/Illustrator: S. D. Nelson
Publisher: South Dakota State Historical Society Press
Date: June 1, 2012
Genre: Children’s picture book (for ages 4-9)
Pages: 48
Price: $18.95; hardcover
My Rating: absolutely gorgeous book for all ages!

I received this book from Library Thing in exchange for an honest review.

Hardcover with matching dust jacket, this gorgeous book is wider than it is high. Every page, and I mean EVERY page, is completely illustrated. And oh my! The full-colour illustrations are astounding – bright, beautiful depictions filled with meaning and expression of the spiritual experience of living a balanced life the Lakota way.

S. D. Nelson begins with an introduction that prepares the reader for the wonder about to be discovered on the following pages. Each page is part of the story in motion – fluid, rhythmic, almost alive with the tale being shared. The reader learns a little about the Lakotas and what it is to be in harmony with all of Nature.

Some of the story is told in the beautiful Lakota language with English translation. One can almost hear the rhythm of drums and chanting voices.

Today most Lakota people live in three of the states of the USA, and in one of the provinces of Canada. I found a site you may find of interest for further information.

S. D. Nelson of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is an award-winning author and illustrator of numerous children’s books. Greet The Dawn The Lakota Way is one to treasure, which I hope you will discover for yourself as it can now be purchased here or pre-ordered (at least on Amazon).

You can find Greet The Dawn The Lakota Way on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

Book Review: Beyond Molasses Creek – by Nicole Seitz

Book: Beyond Molasses Creek
Author: Nicole Seitz
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Date: January 31, 2012
Genre: general fiction
Pages: 312; paperback
Price: $15.99
My Rating: an intriguing story that draws the reader in
 

I received this book from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.

The dedication in this book reads: To those who long to be free.

This story is told from the individual voices of its three most prominent characters, Ally, Vesey, and Sunila.  It begins when Ally and Vesey are children – when white children are not to be friends with black children – so theirs is a secret friendship until they are found out and Vesey pays the penalty in a volatile climate of racism. Later, Ally travelled the world over when her heart’s desire could not be attained, and now at sixty years of age she comes home to South Carolina because her father died.

The tragedies and disappointments that affected Ally’s life led to her searching for peace from “the gods”, even though she was brought up to know the true God of peace. Vesey, who lives across the river – Molasses Creek – suffered poverty and racism, but he knows Jesus Christ as his source of peace. Then there is Sunila, twenty years younger but also searching for freedom and peace in her life of hard labour in India and the racism of caste in that country. Because of an unfortunate event connected with Ally (which in real life probably would not occur – but this is fiction), her life is not what it should have been.

The author has written an intriguing tale. It took me awhile to get into the story because of how it is broken up – into short chapters that jump from one person to another – but once I caught on to this it was easier to keep track. The story gradually picks up momentum, and layer upon layer the questions that are raised are answered.

One thing that bothered me was the hinting about the Lord but the outright repetitiveness about the idols and gods of man-made religions, with not much of a decision made when it was obvious the Lord answered Ally’s heart’s cries. She thanked God but it did not seem to be much more than saying, oh, He IS real. Perhaps the reader is supposed to understand that through all of Ally’s searching God was waiting for her all along.

Another thing that bothered me – and I’m being careful to not write spoilers into this review – is that Ally told a whopper of a lie near the end of the story, which I felt was very dishonouring to her friend who was an honest man. It just seemed shockingly wrong and could only lead to more pain. It simply made no sense to not tell the truth.

If you are looking for a Christian book, Beyond Molasses Creek is not near the top of my list. But if you are looking for a different kind of fiction, this could satisfy that hunger. I will say that I was moved to tears in a few places, so it definitely was not a total letdown. The reader can get pulled into the story, and I found that once past the halfway point I wanted to skip ahead to find out some things because of what was unfolding a little too slowly for my liking. (I resisted and stayed the course, though.)

Nicole Seitz has written an emotionally charged novel that I actually enjoyed, despite the points I mentioned above. I wouldn’t mind reading more of her books.

You can find Beyond Molasses Creek listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂