kailey_luminouslibro's reviews
3794 reviews

This children's book introduces the scientific method, teaching children how to conduct their own experiments, collect data, and draw conclusions or theories. There are experiments and crafts to try at the back of the book to prove Newton's laws about gravity, create your own DNA model from candy, or make a fossil from salt dough.

One section has inspiration from great scientists in history, like Isaac Newton, Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin, Albert Einstein, and Thomas Edison. It also includes a little section about Charles Darwin, saying that he was the "originator of the theory of natural selection." I was glad that this book makes it clear that natural selection and evolution are theories and are not proven fact.

This is such a fun book! I love the cute illustrations and the hilarious characters. The information is clearly explained step by step in a playful way that makes it memorable.

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.

There are millions of species of insects in this world, and in this book we get to learn about some of the interesting habits, environments, and communities of various insects. There are sections about beetles, butterflies, ants, and flies. The book begins with an introduction to the body structure of insects and how different insects are scientifically categorized. We learn about how insects are born from eggs, how some of them metamorphosis and mature, and even how they communicate with each other or hide from predators.

There is a big chart showing the "Evolutionary Tree of Insects" and a long explanation of the evolutionary process of insects in the Carboniferous period. It says that this period was 300 million years ago, but doesn't mention that this is a theory and not proven fact.
I really liked that this book sometimes says things like "We believe that about 150 million years ago..." or "We estimate its age at 410 million years." They are clear that this is a belief, a theory, and not proven fact. I appreciate that the text is mostly clear about what is fact and what is theory, but I wish they did it more consistently whenever those theories are mentioned.

The book has very detailed descriptions of the mating habits of insects, how they hunt or feed, and how they use colors or patterns to hide from or confuse their predators. I really liked the sections about butterflies and dragonflies.

The illustrations are really beautiful with vibrant colors and tiny details. You can see every little facet of their buggy eyes! There are also really pretty green endpapers with insect designs on them.

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. 

Some jobs have gone extinct over the years. Princes don't need a whipping boy to take their punishments. Modern sewers have done away with massive rat populations and rat catchers. Grand estates don't find it fashionable anymore to hire an ornamental hermit to live in a cave grotto. Since the invention of the refrigerator, we don't need ice harvesters to bring ice into the city. Most people do their own crying at funerals, instead of hiring wailing women to cry. Thanks to modern plumbing, we don't need to hire anyone to shovel waste out of our toilets. Now that most people can read newspapers, we don't need balladeers or town criers to shout out the daily news.

I found it fascinating to read about all the weird professions that have existed throughout history! I liked the funny illustrations, but some of the designs are kind of weird. Some people's eyeballs look like they are going in different directions or about to pop out of their head. They have weird expressions on their faces that don't really match the task they are doing.

Some of these jobs haven't exactly gone extinct though, they have just developed into a new version of the same basic job. There are still butlers and housekeepers and cooks in grand houses or hotels. There are still sponge divers, paperboys, hatters/milliners, and tower watchmen who look out for fires. There are still explorers, pyrotechnicians, and elevator operators. Some of those professions have changed, and some are just more rare than they used to be. Still, it was neat to see how the job used to be done or used to be more popular.

I did not like the section about "itinerant preachers". The text hinted that they were crazy or foolish for believing in God, and that people who were "insecure" were fooled by their preaching. They could have given the historical facts without the anti-Christian bias.

There is also a timeline section that says that "Six million years ago, the first human species developed in Africa." They do not explain that that idea is a theory. It is not proven fact. They present it as if it were a fact. This makes me wonder what else in the book they are presenting as fact when it's actually just a theory or hearsay. They could have just made it clear what part of the book is fact and what part is theory. I wish that the text were more reliable.

There is also a section about executioners, which says "It has been proven that it [the death penalty] does not deter criminals, so the same amount of crime will happen whether this cruel punishment exists or not." I would be very interested to see their sources on that. I've never heard of a study like that proving that the death penalty makes no difference to crime rates.

Unfortunately, there are NO sources whatsoever offered in this book. No proof of anything. So it's a fun book, but I would not trust it for your history textbook.

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.

This collection of essays brings together positive criticism of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, diving deep into the literary modes and philosophic views that make his work so lasting and impactful. Exploring the meaning behind the myth, we learn about good and evil and Tolkien's deep faith in Christ. Analyzing his literary style, we learn about fairy tales, the universal truth behind every myth, and Tolkien's ideas of sub-creation. We get to consider the history of the hero quest going all the way back to ancient times and how that affects our ideas of hero worship today, and how Tolkien used different types of heroes in Lord of the Rings.

This book is now full of little sticky tabs where I bookmarked especially interesting places and little pencil marks where I marked insights that particularly captured my imagination. After reading this book, I will look at Aragorn, Gandalf, Frodo, and Sam in a completely new light.

However, I did not agree with everything in every essay. Some of the writers seemed to me to be stretching a little bit to make some certain point and I just didn't see the connection at all. One essay went on and on about Jungian archetypes that I didn't agree with at all.
Another essay had a part about how Pippin represents all young people who mischievously rebel against their elders. So far so good. But then they said that Pippin taking the Palantir was because Gandalf was just too scared to use the Palantir. "And the moral of this seems to be that the young, ... sometimes have their own answers for what their elders fear." (pg. 79, Marion Zimmer Bradley) I did not accept their interpretation, but everyone is entitled to their own perspective.

However the same essay had a wonderful insight into Eowyn's crush on Aragorn, saying that she didn't really ever love Aragorn, she wanted to BE him. She looked up to him as a captain and a warrior because she wants to identify with who he is. She wants to be a hero and so she has a case of hero-worship. After she has achieved her own brave deeds on the battlefield and proven her courage, her previous feelings dissolve because she has become the person she wanted to be, and is ready to embrace another new aspect of her womanhood. I really love that insight!

I especially enjoyed the essays exploring the concept of the hero and the hero's quest. It was so interesting to see how ancient legends, and in particular Beowulf, shaped Tolkien's fantasy. One essay contrasts the different quests of Aragorn and Frodo. Aragorn goes on a quest to gain a kingdom and a princess, but Frodo goes on a quest to lose the Ring. Fairy tales are full of weak third sons who are humble and they go on adventures to win the kingdom and marry the princess. And Northern legends like Beowulf are full of strong warriors, but they tragically die in darkness in the end. Frodo and Aragorn have swapped places in their destinies. It's the weak and humble hero (Frodo) who must tragically die, like King Arthur sailing across the sea to have his wounds healed. And it's the brave strong warrior (Aragorn) who wins the princess and the kingdom and legacy of happy generations. I love that Tolkien incorporated these literary tropes, but flipped them upside down.

I also really loved how many of the essays talked about Tolkien's Christian worldview being reflected in Lord of the Rings. One talks about how Christianity teaches that God is always there to help us and yet we are expected to put in the effort ourselves to get through life, just as the powerful Valar are involved in the affairs of Middle Earth, but Frodo and Sam must make the journey to Mount Doom themselves. "The idea of free will intimately involved with fate..." (pg. 64, Patricia Myer Spacks) Our individual choices contribute to a larger fate that is destined by a higher power.

The essays on literary style were especially good, because it analyzed how fairy stories are meant to reveal to us truths in the real world. Fairy stories offer an escape from the real world, only to point us back to the real world with a fresh perspective where ordinary things take on a new significance. "It is not a refusal to face reality; it is a time needed to regroup one's forces for the next day's battle." (pg. 101, R.J. Reilly) We come away from Tolkien's fantasy inspired with the courage to face our own daily battles in life.

Jane Chance's essay had some very interesting ideas about how Gollum represents the monster without and Frodo is battling the monster within. Even Shelob and Saruman represent the intellectual monster and the sensual monster. And Denethor and King Theoden represent different Germanic lords of legend, one fighting for family and the other for selfish power. It was very interesting to examine these parallels and contrasts.

Another cool essay was the one from Tom Shippey about how Peter's Jackson's movie trilogy captured the most essential messages of Lord of the Rings and translated them to the screen. Although many things were changed, left out or added to the movies, the spirit of Tolkien's story was kept intact.

This is such a great collection of essays that explore a lot of different insights and ideas into Tolkien's work!

This book tells how and why the seven wonders of the world were built and by whom. These are seven wonders that were chosen in 2007 by the "New7Wonders Foundation" in Switzerland. Temples, pyramids, tombs, statues, arenas, and towering walls; these incredible constructions astonish and amaze us whether they were erected hundreds of years ago or just within the last century. Some of the older sites like Machu Pichu, we know very little about. Archeologists and historians try to piece together the facts from history to understand how the sites were built. But many of the wonders have clear histories and records that tell us how they were constructed.

I loved this cool book! It's like diving into history. Each page has little snippets of information that are easy to read. I love the design of the pages, and the beautiful artwork. I found it really interesting to learn so much about these incredible places.

It's really neat to learn about the rulers and how they got the money to pay for these huge construction projects. Every culture is so different and unique. Their religious fervor, or political power, or love for their queen drove them to pour their efforts and fortunes into a big temple or statue.

There are a few errors in grammar in the edition I have. I found it odd that Moses is referred to as being "a legend". Any good historian knows that Moses was a real person. These little mistakes were annoying.

The writing and the art really capture your attention, and every page is so colorful and attractive!

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.

Darleen is the star of silent films produced by her family's film company just outside New York City. As part of a publicity stunt, they set up a fake kidnapping to bring more attention to their films, but something goes terrible wrong. Darleen gets trapped in the middle of a real kidnapping with a wealthy heiress, Victorine Berryman. Now the two girls must discover who the kidnappers are and stage a daring escape.

I loved this wonderful adventure story! The plot takes a lot of twists and turns. I was surprised at every new development. There are a lot of complex layers to the story as we get to follow Darleen's family life, her acting career, and Victorine's difficult legal problems, and all their adventures together. I loved the hilarious writing style! It really captures that flavor of old-fashioned drama that you think of with a silent film.

Darleen strives to be a good daughter, a good actress, and a good friend. But deep inside her heart, she has a longing for adventure and danger. She isn't reckless, but she comes alive when something thrilling happens. She feels like she can't really be herself, because it will make her father too worried if she takes any risks. I loved the sweet relationship between father and daughter. They are so protective of each other.

Victorine is grieving over the death of her grandmother, which has left her a victim of horrible guardians who only care about her money. Victorine has a gentle nature, but she is strong and resourceful in difficult circumstances. I loved the friendship that quickly develops between Victorine and Darleen. They immediately trust each other, and together they make a great team.

One of the coolest things about this book is getting to learn real history about the silent film industry of this era. One of the side characters is even a real historical figure, the first woman to run her own film production company. It really interesting to see how they organized filming and editing, and the cool tricks they would use to do special effects.

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.

Simi's parents have always encouraged her to study acting as her career, since they are both actors as well. But Simi's true passion is for composing and arranging music. However, the music industry in Bollywood is completely dominated by men composers. Not even Simi's teachers at Bollywood Academy think it would be possible for her to break into such a difficult field. As Simi loses her dream, she sees her friends (who are male) pursuing music and writing hit songs. Simi doesn't want to let her parents down, so she determines to just accept a career as an actress, even though her heart isn't in it. But is that truly the right decision?

This was such a fun book! The plot is really interesting and I loved all the different characters. The writing is excellent and I love the world-building and all the details of the school!

I had expected this second book in the series to follow Bela again, but this story follows a new set of characters at Bollywood Academy and we see Bela and her group as side characters who are mentioned a couple of times as being around the school. That is okay, since Bela's story was already resolved and probably didn't have much room for further adventures.

I am a musician, so I really related to Simi's passion for music! Her greatest wish is to have an acoustic piano of her own (instead of just an electric keyboard), and I felt that so strongly since I remember the first time I purchased my own baby grand piano. It was a life-changing moment for me, and my own experiences made Simi's story resonate powerfully as well!

The best part of this book for me was learning more about the rich Indian culture, and seeing how Simi's sweet family interact and support each other. Simi has an especially complicated relationship with her mother, and they have some difficult times. But it was so wonderful to see the character development between those two and the beautiful mother-daughter relationship that blossoms.

I really loved Simi's character and her inner journey to find confidence in herself. She has a lot of doubts in the beginning, but she grows and begins to trust herself. She has a few good friends who encourage her, and gradually she learns that her abilities and skills have value. But most importantly, it is her good heart and her kindness that prove her worth both on and off the stage.

At first, I was unsure about the gender-bias plot line in the music industry. But as the story continued, I was glad to see character growth from a lot of the characters, and that part of the story was very satisfactorily resolved. I was especially glad to see Simi's teachers taking it seriously and rethinking their attitudes. As a music teacher myself, I really loved to see the change of heart from Mr Joshi, Simi's music teacher. He really cares about supporting and inspiring his students to love music, and that struck a chord with me on a deep level since that is also my goal with my teaching.

I'm so excited to read more from this series!

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.

This biography follows the life of JRR Tolkien from his childhood to his death. There are many little details from his life that shaped his personality, memories from childhood that are reflected in his fiction writings, and special people in his life who greatly influenced him.

This is such a short book that it serves as a good introduction to the life of JRR Tolkien. However, because I have already read several biographies of Tolkien, as well as most of his written works and letters, I didn't learn anything new or get a new perspective on his life.

One of the highlights of any Tolkien biography is his beautiful romance with his wife, Edith. Their forbidden romance was the inspiration for the tale of Beren and Luthien. They remained true to each other, despite the obstacles in their path, and won true love in the end.

I did like that the overall focus of the book is Tolkien's faith in God. His mother's faith really inspired him to love God and to be immersed in the Catholic church. His faith was instrumental in the conversion of his friend, C.S. Lewis. His writings also deeply reflect the Christian faith, since Tolkien believed that God created us to be sub-creators.

The writing style is good, and keeps your interest. The book is well-written and obviously well-researched.

In this spin-off of the Richard Hannay series, we follow Hannay's friend, Sandy Arbuthnot. Hannay himself only has a small part at the beginning where he sort of introduces the story, and Sandy takes it from there. Sandy runs into Archie Roylance and Janet vacationing on their honeymoon in South America. They join with old General Blenkiron in a small South American country to stop a business tycoon from staging a coup that could make political trouble all over the world. In the middle of a miner's rebellion and all-out war with the government, Sandy meets the lovely Barbara. But there is no time for love when you have just kidnapped the most dangerous man in South America and are holding him hostage at a hideout in the jungle called "The Courts of the Morning".

I loved this last adventure in the series! I really love the writing style that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The plot keeps moving forward, and just when you think they are accomplishing something at last, then another obstacle turns up and they have to start again in a new direction. The twists and turns go all over the place!

This story included plenty of action and adventure, but what really intrigued me was the mental warfare going on. When they have kidnapped the bad guy, the two ladies, Janet and Barbara, try to make things pleasant for him, going out riding together, watching the sunset, playing fireside games to pass the time. These two ladies talk with him and do their best to win the bad guy over to their side with their honest charm and kindness. Their gentleness is the real weapon against evil.

Such a great conclusion to this series!

In this second book of the series, Carag has to face his enemies. His friends at the shapeshifter school gather around him to support him, but he has an unexpected ally in one of the wolf pack. Can he trust everyone at school? He knows someone has been feeding information to his enemies outside the school, and Carag begins to question even his most loyal friends. But the last place he would expect to find a friend is among the wolf pack.

I loved this adventurous book! It's so interesting to explore the world of humans as seen through the eyes of a character who has spent their life as an animal. I really loved the school setting and all the different shapeshifter characters. The plot has a lot of action and mystery as Carag begins to question this new world that he has adapted to. We get to see Carag and his friends venture into the human world a little more, and take on some serious situations.

It was interesting to see how the different Woodwalkers interact based on what their animal form is, whether prey or predator. Their personalities reflect characteristics of their animal form. Carag is calm and graceful as a human, because he is a mountain lion/puma in his animal form. The squirrel character, Holly, is energetic and talkative. The spider character is shy and retiring. The bear, Berta, is cuddly and warmly welcoming. Brendan, a huge bison, is clumsy and friendly. The wolves of the school run together in a pack. In this second book, we get to see a new side of the wolf pack. They are the bullies of the school, but now we see a new perspective for their characters. There is a softer side to at least one wolf, but can they be trusted?

The shapeshifting students have classes about how to shapeshift quickly under pressure, how to navigate difficult situations, and how to blend in with the human world. The whole setting of the school is so cleverly set up! I really liked that the school assignments get more and more practical and hands-on in this second book. In the first book, they were learning the theory, and now they have to apply what they have learned in real situations.

I can't wait to read more books from this series!

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