Messenger by Lois Lowry

Messenger by Lois Lowry - 169 pages

Matty has lived in Village six years ever since he left his community.  He's now the messenger both in town and to the other nearby communities.  He is one of the few able to go through the Forest.  But now the Forest is starting to worry him and the Village has decided to close and not allow any more new refugees in.  It is up to Matty to let the other communities know and to travel back to his original home to bring back his friend Kira before the town's wall closes forever.  He didn't realize that the Forest would attack them and not let them back.  It will take Kira's gift, the Leader's gift, and most importantly his gift to save the Forest and Village.
This is the obvious sequel to Gathering Blue and third book in The Giver series.  While no names are given, it is obvious that characters from The Giver are in Messenger.  I really liked this book.  It was a good sequel to Gathering Blue.  In my opinion the books in the series are becoming more traditional fantasy with each new book.  This book deals mainly with "gifts" and the fight between good and evil - both very traditional fantasy elements.

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry - 215 pages

Kira is unsure of her future after her mother dies.  She is alone, the other women want her land for an animal pen, and her leg is deformed.  All of these things mean that she will probably be taken to the Leaving Field to die.  But the council elders decide instead to take her in and have her use her skills with needlework to repair the Singer's robe.  Grateful, now she spends her days repairing the Singer's robe.  It isn't until her friend Matt travels Elsewhere to find her the color blue that she discovers the truth behind her saving.
This is the second book in The Giver series.  I enjoyed the book. There is no real ties to The Giver other than a short mention of a boy with light blue eyes.  I did find it interesting the different routes the different communities had taken.  Overall, I think it was a good companion book to The Giver.

Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom by Joan Holub

Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams - 100 pages

This series tells the background story of the Olympian gods and goddesses as children.  They go on a series of quests to defeat the Titan Cronus.  Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom is the first book in the series.  It tells of him finding his thunderbolt and meeting the other Olympians for the first time.
I was very disappointed in this book.  It got good reviews and was recommended for young children not quite ready for the Percy Jackson series.  However, I don't think I'll be recommending it to anyone.  Although the book was set in ancient times, it has several anachronistic elements such as eyeglasses and modern language.  It was a uneasy mixing of ancient setting and modern sensibilities.  I also did not the writing was very well done.  There were too many short choppy sentences and abrupt segue ways.  But the thing that bothered me the most was how it did not seem to follow Greek mythology.  While it did get a few key points correct, most of the plot line was not from mythology at all.

DInkin Dings and the Frightening Things by Guy Bass

Dinkin Dings and the Frightening Things by Guy Bass - 127 pages

Dinkin Dings is scared of everything - paper towels, grocery stores, mailmen, etc.  The only things he is not scared of are the Frightening Things - a ghost, skeleton and monster who help him deal with the things that are scary.  They are the ones he calls on when his new next-door neighbors move in - neighbors that are really zombie aliens from space bent on taking over the world.
This was a semi-cute children's book.  I did like the idea that the character was afraid of everything except the monsters.  This is the first book in a new series.

The Lovesick Salesman by Margaret Gray

The Lovesick Salesman by Margaret Gray - 184 pages

Orwin has always being of being a hero -- a true hero that is interested in great deeds and justice without all the fame that goes with it.  But when he applies to the Hero Academy his best friend is accepted while he is not.  It is his best friend that the Princess Julia believes saves her life and falls in love with.  It is his best friend that is on his way to becoming the hero.  So Orwin sets off to sell his family's caramels in another land.  On the way, he discovers that sometimes it is the sidekick who becomes the true hero.
The cover of the book says this is the sequel to The Ugly Princess and the Wise Fool.  I'm not sure how it is as it doesn't seem to have anything at all to do with that story.  Still, I enjoyed probably more than the original.  It had the same slightly twisted fairy tale feel.  I also think it had more humor in the story.  A fun read for kids.

A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle

A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle - 211 pages

This is the continuation of the Meg and Calvin's fight against darkness in the hopes of saving Charles Wallace who is in danger of dying just as his mitochondria are dying.
I'm continuing to re-read L'Engle's books.  I am surprised that I do not remember this book really at all.  I didn't remember much of A Wrinkle in Time until I started reading it again.  This book didn't stay in my memory at all.  I liked this book much more than A Wrinkle in Time - probably because the character of Meg was not nearly as whiny in this book.  It also didn't seem to have as abrupt an ending.

Paranorman by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

ParaNorman by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel - 242 pages

Norman has always been considered weird by his family and town.  He talks to ghosts which tends to really freak everybody out.  But now his unusual gift just might save everybody from the curse of a witch hanged in the town 300 years ago.  It's up to Norman, his sister, and a few frenemies to stop the zombies sent by the vengeful witch.
I read this as it's been getting a lot of hype because of the movie soon coming out.  I thought the book came first, but it turns out it is a novelization of the movie.  Still, I enjoyed the book and look forward to watching the movie.

Horton Halfpott by Tom Angleberger

Horton Halfpott, or, The Fiendish Mystery of  Smugwick Manor, or, The Loosening of M'Lady Leggertuck's Corset by Tom Angleberger - 206 pages

Horton is the kitchen boy at Smugwick Manor where the Lady Luggertuck and her son Luther are truly vile to their servants.  Until the day Lady Luggertuck decides to loosen her corset which also causes many of the rules at Smugwick Manor to loosen.  It leads to mystery, romance and bravery.  It causes Horton's whole life to change.
This was a quick, funny read that was truly enjoyable.