Dragon's Library

Thursday, August 24, 2017

The Westing Game: A Puzzle Mystery

Written by: Ellen Raskin

First line: The sun sets in the west (just about everyone knows that), but Sunset Towers faced east.

Why you should read this book: This is the kind of story that's best enjoyed if you don't really have any idea what's going on and only figure out the details as the characters reveal them: a murder mystery with more twists than a pretzel factory. A reportedly unpleasant industrialist, Sam Westing, dies under unusual circumstances, having previously gathered sixteen potential heirs of all ages and from all walks of life, who are then pitted against each other to find his killer and inherit his two hundred million dollar fortune. Nothing is as it seems, and, according to Westing's will, the information they don't have is more important than the information they do have.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're easily confused and don't enjoy it.

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Friday, October 31, 2014

Ella Enchanted

Written by: Gail Carson Levine

First line: That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me.

Why you should read this book: Her childhood destroyed by her mother's premature death and her own particular curse of immutable obedience, Ella presents the Cinderella story in a new and modern light, a tale about a girl concerned with social equality and her country's health as much as she cares about her own well-being. Ella's terrible secret is that, thanks to the world's worst fairy gift, she cannot disobey any command given to her by anyone, even her terrible stepsisters. Ella's journey to break her own curse is a delightful tale that stands up to repeated reading.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You'd have to be some kind of terrible person not to enjoy this modern classic.

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FAQs

What's in Dragon's Library?

The intention was to create a record of every book that I read. I wish I'd had the idea about twenty-five years ago, but better late than never.

What's the deal with all those Amazon links?

Dragon's Library is a real, live Amazon affiliate site. Go ahead! Click those links. You can buy any book on this site (heck, you can buy any book in the world) directly from a trusted source. [Disclosure: I get 4% of the sales. Please buy a book and help support a struggling artist.]

How do you choose books?

Years of reading to elementary kids has given me a good sense of what kids respond to. I only review children's books if both my students and I enjoyed them. Otherwise, I favor speculative fiction, classic literature, and non-fiction books about science. However, I have been known to read just about anything.

Will you review my book (or a book I like, or a book I am publicizing)?

Yes. Yes, I will. I will review pretty much anything you send me, provided it does not suck. I do not review books I don't enjoy. If I like it well enough to finish it, it will appear on this site. Email me for further details.

Read to Your Dragonet

Studies show that children who regularly hear books read and see adults reading books have an easier time learning to read. If your children do not realize that books are fun and contain interesting ideas, they will be less motivated to learn how to read and write. Children who do not learn to read and write have difficulty succeeding in school and at life.

Even infants can enjoy books. You can check baby board books out of the library. Your baby will enjoy sitting on your lap as you read the words and point to the brightly colored pictures. If your baby wants to chew on the book, that's OK too.

Toddlers and pre-schoolers should understand how to hold a book (right side up) and how to turn the pages (left to right in English). Even if they're not ready to read, you can help your child prepare for school by teaching them how to talk about the stories they've heard. Pre-schoolers should be able to tell you something about character, setting, conflict, and resolution. After reading a story, prompt your child to tell you who the story was about, where it happened, what the problem was, and how it was solved.

If your grade-school child has difficulty learning to read, you can advocate for them. Your public school district is required to provide special help to kids with learning disabilities. If you suspect your child has dyslexia or some other difficulty in recognizing words, you may have to fight for your child's rights. Your child has the right to be tested by the district to determine the level of his or her disability, and your child has the right to a qualified specialist who can understand the best way for your child to learn. Some districts may be reluctant to pay for the extra help your child needs. Don't give up! Make sure your child gets the help he or she deserves. In America, every child has a right to an education.

You can learn more about children's books at the American Library Association website. Your public library is a great place to introduce your children to books. They will have special programs and incentives for kids of all ages to love reading. In most systems children are entitled to their own library cards from the time they are old enough to write their own names. It's a great way to teach responsibility as well as foster a lifelong love of learning and books.

If you can't get to the library, but you have an Internet connection, you can find many full-text books on-line. For adults, Project Gutenberg offers thousands of full-text books you can download for free.