I loved this in-depth look at the Christian themes found in the Hobbit! Tolkien is one of my top three favorite authors, so I was hanging on every word.

The author takes various characters, events, dialogue, and plot points from the Hobbit and then uses them to illustrate a Biblical truth. He really brought forth some excellent points that I had never thought of before! I loved how the author worked "around" a principle, and showed you all the facets and different sides, and then hammered it home simply and concisely. I loved the forceful writing style!

I wish that there had been more literary analysis though. It read more like a devotional book with personal stories, nuggets of wisdom, and a "thought for the day" kind of moral at the end of each chapter. I liked that, but I was hoping for more analysis of literary history, fairytale story structures, classical writing influences, Greek philosophy, etc...
In short, I wanted it to be more intellectual than it was.

But the devotional style of the book was good too! I enjoyed reading it so much, and I was even brought to tears a couple of times.

Another rip-roaring adventure in the Wild West with Maude March and her little sister, Sallie. They are on the run from the law again, in a series of misunderstandings that leaves Maude accused not only of bank-robbery but of murder. Reports come in from all over the West, claiming Maude has committed crimes in Texas, Kansas, and as far away as the Dakotas while she was nowhere near those states. Sallie and Maude disguise themselves as boys and set out for the Colorado Territory, where they hope to meet up with their Uncle Arlen. Along the way, they have adventures, narrowly avoid the posses tracking them, and make a few friends in unlikely places.

I loved this sequel to the "Misadventures of Maude March"! The story is told from Sallie's point of view, and she has some witty commentary about all the crazy situations she and her sister fall into. The dialogue is snappy and funny, and the characters have a lot of depth and development.

There is not a boring moment in this entire book! The plot moves quickly from adventure to adventure, with some mystery and suspense to spice things up in between. I could barely put it down!

These funny comic strips follow two fox friends, Ozy and Millie, as they struggle through school, bicker with their parents over chores, and contemplate the meaning of the universe. Each comic has it's own punch line, but the comics also follow a storyline, building on one another and giving the book some cohesion.

Ozy is the "straight man" for Millie's wild comedy. Millie has crazy ideas, and bounces around being strange and wonderful, saying the most bonkers things you ever heard. And Ozy calmly points out her folly with delicious sarcasm. They are so hilarious together!

I like the simple art style, and the clean structure of the lines. It makes it easy to read, but also attractive to look at.

I find the content similar to "Calvin and Hobbes" comic strips, with random philosophical contemplation that ends in chores or bedtime or homework. I love it!

This would be such a fun book to read with kids, especially because there is a glossary at the back which gives definitions for some of the big words used in the comics, like "altruistic" and "Hobbesian social contract theory".

Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

This interesting book combines colorful illustrations and photos with tid-bits of weird information about history, science, biology, culture, animal life, and a million other subjects!

I read through the entire book in just a half hour, fascinated with every wacky statement and attracted to each page by the stunning photos. I learned so many freaky things, like that jellyfish used to have hard shells, there is an albino humpback whale off the coast of Australia, and that it's against the law in the USA for donkeys to sleep in bathtubs! haha! Weird and random and hilarious!

I only wish that each little fact had had a bit more information. Some of the factoids needed more explanation, and it was unclear what the results or implications of the fact would be. It left me scratching my head, and wondering what was meant. I suppose this could be a catalyst for kids to do a little research on their own and find some answers, but it annoyed me not to have all the information.

This would be the perfect book to read with a child or teen. It would spark their imagination and get them curious about the world!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

Guy Montag is a fireman, burning illegal books and the homes where they are found. His world falls apart when he meets a girl with big ideas who teaches him to stop and relish life, and an old professor who teaches him about a past when people were allowed to think for themselves.

I did not really like Montag's character. He's so unstable for most of the book. I mean, there's character development and change, and then there's psychotic break downs. Montag's scenes are mostly the latter. I wish it was a story about a man awakening to the truth of reality, and changing his life for the better, and finding a true purpose. But... it's not. It's just not. It's about a man who stumbles around doing dumb things and getting himself into trouble, because he can't keep his temper or think rationally.

I was curious to read about the horrific idea of a future where books are burned and knowledge is shunned. I wanted to see the good guys triumph over evil, but, true to modern form, there is no real ending to the story. It leaves things hanging in an unsatisfactory way, and nothing is resolved for the characters.

The plot moves slowly with plenty of philosophizing in between the action, but there is an immediacy to the writing that makes every tiny incident important and meaningful to the characters. There is also the constant threat of the government/laws/authority hanging over everyone's heads, so that buoys up some of the slower scenes with suspense.

I like some of the ideas and themes in this book, and the plot is certainly compelling, but I HATE THE WRITING STYLE! Agh, Bradbury and I have never gotten along. His writing is so awful. He uses run-on sentences, and fragments, and mixed metaphors until I can barely make sense of what he is saying. He is so unnecessarily verbose.

Sometimes, he will create a beautiful turn of phrase, and I will read in awe of the raw power of his words, and then he ruins it with ANOTHER out-of-place simile. He is like an avalanche of words! If he just had a little control, then his writing would be gorgeous and potent. But he just pours a volcano of words onto the page, and it's all jumbled and incomprehensible.

I did not enjoy reading this, but I can recognize some good points in the book. I can see why it is so popular. And I was frankly amazed at the accurate representation of future attitudes about personal knowledge, and how the media tries to control the thoughts of the masses.

This was Bradbury's last chance. I told myself that if I didn't like this one, I would give up on his books. Sorry, Bradbury. We're done. I'm breaking up with you. Forever. And we are never ever getting back together.

Old Martin Chuzzlewit is disgusted with his greedy relatives who only want his money, so he disinherits everyone, including his grandson, Young Martin, who is named after him. Young Martin falls in love with an orphaned ward, Mary Graham, who acts as Old Martin's nursemaid. But the two young people are torn apart when the family quarrel causes Young Martin to seek his fortune out in the world.

When he goes to work for a hypocritical architect, Mr. Pecksniff, Young Martin befriends poor Tom Pinch, a lowly clerk with a good and innocent heart. Because of his generosity and humility, Tom is always being taken advantage of and overlooked.

Mr. Pecksniff and his two daughters renew their relationship with their cousin, Jonas Chuzzlewit, a devious man who longs to inherit the family business and be rid of his doddering old father.

This book includes blackmail, murder, hidden identities, and fraud, as well as two sweet romances, hilarious characters, and a compelling redemption story.

I loved so many of these characters! Tom Pinch is definitely a favorite. In the beginning, he appears to be only a minor side character, but as he is thrown into the spotlight, Tom becomes a central figure in each plotline. He is so painfully innocent, but with a strange angelic wisdom of his own. I want to protect and shelter him from the cruel world, and towards the middle and end of the book, I rejoiced to see Tom's friends rallying around him.

Young Martin is a frustrating character at the beginning. He is self-centered and thoughtless, but as his story unfolds, and he goes through terrible disappointments, adversity, and suffering, he learns valuable lessons and gains wisdom. He becomes more humble and begins to be more considerate of others. The outstanding character development and the gradual change in his personality is remarkable writing!

The women characters are incredibly engaging, although I wish the heroines had more complex personalities. Both Mary Graham and Tom Pinch's sister, Ruth, are sweet and innocent and kind. They exist to be adored by all the menfolk. They are the perfect Victorian ladies, all sugar and no spice. They do have some lovely scenes, and some good dialogue, but I wish they had a little bit more depth and flavor. I love them though!

The unpleasant women in the book are much more complex. The Pecksniff sisters have more intensity in their personalities, as they scheme and plot for money, husbands, and social standing. They are always competing for attention, arguing at the same time that they profess their undying sisterly love. They want their own selfish way in everything, but are masters at hypocritically pretending to be humble and good, which they learned from their hypocritical father, Mr. Pecksniff.

I loved the plot! It is full of twists and turns and crazy coincidences. It has plenty of action, interspersed with Dicken's famously lengthy descriptions of everything and everyone. The only parts that I really detested reading were the descriptions of American politicians. Their speeches went on forever and ever, which I suppose was the point; i.e. to poke fun at how long-winded politicians are.
But almost all the scenes set in America bored me to tears, because they didn't really further the plot or accomplish any important points for the story. The American storyline could have been reduced to two chapters, instead of the ten or twelve that it encompassed, without losing any pertinent information.

Overall, I loved this book, and it has become one of my favorite Dickens books!

This colorful book explores questions like "Why isn't the sky orange instead of blue?", "Why don't animals need to brush their teeth?" and "Why doesn't the moon have a name?".
With a thousand detailed and interesting answers to every weird question you never thought to ask, this book is full of strange and weird facts about animals, space, biology, geology, technology, and many other subjects.

I love the vibrant photographs that accompany each question, and how the answers are organized into small paragraphs that are easy to read, and keep the reader curious to learn more. The answers use simple science and logic to explain in a clear way that is easy to understand, and include some of the history of discovery that brought us the knowledge we have today.

I love the imaginative questions! Some of the questions include, "Why don't I have a doppelganger?", "Why can't I open the window in an airplane?", and "Why does my voice sound different to me in a recording?"

This would be the perfect book for a child or teen who is curious about the world, and it will spark their interest in learning more! The bright colors and weird questions really drew me in, and made me want to read every page!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

The River Bank friends are getting older, and begin to pass the torch to the younger generation. Badger has his long-lost Grandson, Toad has adopted a distant toad cousin from France as his ward, and Mole has his Nephew to carry on the family traditions. Now Rat hears from an old friend from long ago, the Sea Rat, who needs his help, and all Rat's old feelings of wanting to travel and explore the world come back to haunt him. The River itself is undergoing changes as the modern world begins to encroach on the peaceful river banks.

My heart is too full. This book broke my heart! Seeing these dear characters, Mole and Ratty, Otter, Toad, and Badger all getting old and frail was so difficult, but a fitting end to their charming stories. And I loved seeing how they pass on their wisdom to the younger folks, and rejoice to see the young people thriving and carrying on the heritage of the River Bank.

I just adore the writing style, which is so similar to Kenneth Grahame's story-telling style that I can barely tell the difference. It's all old-fashioned charm and grace!

I love the plot and the new stories for all the River Bankers as they navigate through a new set of problems and adventures. Every plot line kept me interested and engaged with the story!

I love this whole series so much!