Ghost of heroes past by Charles Reid

Vancouver, BC: Ronsdale Press, 2010.
168 pp., pbk., $10.95.
ISBN 978-1-55380-102-3.

Grades 5-9 / Ages 10-14.

 One of the reasons that I picked up this title is that I know of a number of reluctant male readers who are keen to read about anything that has to do with war.

Reid’s central character is Johnny Anders,  who exhibits much of the similiar sentiments that teens today display about Remembrance Day. This is evident on the opening page when he states to his father  that “it’s all old stuff that happened a long time ago. What’s it have to do with me?”

Through a series of events presented in a time-travel format, Johnny is taken to various points in history where a unknown ghost in the guise of a soldier acts has his guide. First confusion fills him  as to these ‘ghost’ visits, and then as the nightly treks continue to different war-torn locals, Johnny’s many unanswered questions nudge him to seek some sort of explanations by using the resources in his school library.  Here he stumbles into an odd sort of friendship with another new student like himself, only this is a girl and her name is Casey.

Their shared interest in history allows Johnny to divulge to Casey about his nocturnal soldier-ghost visits and the various journeys he has been taken on. As Johnny is given the priviledge of ‘seeing’ what roles the men and women during war played, he and Casey are inspired to continue their research in locating information on notibale heroes such as Bill Chong, Joan Bamford Fletcher and fighter-pilot Raymond Collishaw.

By the conclusion of the story we see how Johnny’s time-travel adventure have impacted and changed his preceptions of meaning of Remembrance Day and that the ”old stuff  that happened long ago” really does have significance for all generations.

 Easy read…. recommended for Boys!

Interest level: Grade 6 to 8

Reading Level: Grade 5 to 7

Genre: Historical fiction; War; Remembrance Day

 

Who would like this book?  ANy boy who is interested in war; First Nations soldiers;

Furthur Information on Canadian War Heroes:

Bill Chong: 

Canadian Weblink:http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/sub.cfm?source=collections/hr_cdnchinese

YouTube link for Bill Chong: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n88YwntKXvY

Raymond Collishaw weblink:http://www.earlyaviators.com/ecollish.htm

Joan Fletcher Bamford: http://www.tiltcreative.com/rogues/heroesandrogues.htm

Tommy Prince (First Nations War Hero):http://firstnationsdrum.com/2002/09/thomas-prince-canadas-forgotten-aboriginal-war-hero-2/

Genre: Historical fiction; War; Remembrance Day

Author Weblink:

http://www.cbc.ca/books/booksandauthors/2010/11/ghost-of-heroes-past.html

The Kingdom Keepers : Disney after dark by Ridley Pearson

Published

September 1st 2005 by Disney Editions

Hardcover, 336 pages

isbn13: 9780786854448

‘Disney’ ….. a word that is recognizable in what ever language and being an avid Disney fan, I naturally gravitated towards this book by Ridley Pearson.

This story ‘Disney after dark’, is the first in the series “Kingdom  Keepers”.  It is not a story that will  envoke the warm and fuzzy feeling that one usually associates with ‘Disney’!  Action, suspense, fantasy and threats taunt and plague the five young characters that are central in this story.  These five teens find themselves pitted against all the traditional and not so traditional villianous characters that inhabit Disney. Being that this is the 21st century, technology now plays a vital role for these protagonists,  but it ends up leaving them with unexpected side effects!

 If you never have had the opportunity of experiencing the Magic Kingdom…then you are in for a wonderful ‘magical ride’ in Ridley Pearson’s book   “The Kingdom Keepers.”

  

Genre: Fantasy/Thriller/ Suspense 

Interest Level: Grade 6 to 9

Book Weblink: http://www.thekingdomkeepers.com/

 Author Talk about the Book:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb-X4uPjqnk&feature=youtu.be

You Tube Keepers Movie tr:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtQOdGj7A1g&NR=1

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npCAlQwiL_0&feature=related

Night Runner by Max Turner

Fountas and Pinnell Reading Level:   Q      Grade Level:   5-7  

Genre:  Fantasy/Adventure/Horror

  Literature Circle set ( 6 copies) available  at  Classroom Support Centre

Red Maple Nominee 2010 ,  261   pages

“Orphaned Zach lives in the hospital, a friend (Charlie) and an allergy he never questioned…until a stranger broke in and told him to run.” http://accessola.com/forest2010/redmaple/rm5/about.php

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Review by Karen:

When I first saw the cover of this book….I hesitated to pick it up…..but was immediately swept into Zack Thomson’s strange life at the Nicholl’s Ward.  This debut book by Canadian author Max Turner is definitely a new spin on an old theme that is currently sweeping Young adult fiction…vampires.

Zach’s story is told in the first person. His use of  short sentences both in narration and dialogue result in a plot line full of fast paced action, suspense, danger and adventure.  This has definite appeal for boys, but teenage girls will also enjoy the thrill of danger – who can resist the combination of an unconventional young vampire making a break for freedom from the police, being hunted by vampires and vampire hunters that are on his trail?

Highly recommended!!!

Book two: End of Days by Max Turner

The Fallen (and Leviathan) by Thomas E. Sniegoski

The stark simplicity of the black and white photo and the singular title is what captured my attention as I scanned the book racks looking for another interesting read….a quest for redemption and a mystery… to me this became an irresistable combination and a must have read!  I was NOT to be disappointed!!

The Fallen 1 and Leviathan are the  first two books in a four- book series by author Thomas Sniegoski.

Usually I am a little leary of books that have angels in the forefront….but this author truly surprised me !   The angels in these series of four books are like no angels that I had ever read about.   Angel mythology and prophecies…and very potent combination in my opinion!    

As an onlooker you see how over time human vices such as jealousy, prejudice, indecision, anger impact upon the ‘Fallen Angels’ and this then sets the stage for conflict and possible resolution. 

Orphaned since birth, Aaron Corbet has finely found a measure of security with the Stanleys and their autistic son Stevie.    Aaron has just turned 18 and is plagued by intense, vivid and often violent dreams — that upon waking leave him disturbed and shaking.  It is the power of these unsettling dreams that have Aaron begin to question  his sanity and he tries to dismiss the heavy foreboding feelings that begin to plague him.  He wants to confide in someone, like Vilma the cute girl in his class, but his fears keep him silent.  He copes by working at his after school job, the  West Lynn Veterinary Hospital and talking to Gabriel, his attention craving yellow retriever. Then two  mysterious strangers approach him, telling him that he has a destiny like no one else…. that he is the chosen one …  the one that was prophesied  millenia ago…that his role will be as a liaison between angels, mortals, and Powers both good and evil ….  it is not a destiny that he wants and he fights to remain a normal teenager! 

 Sniegoski skillfully keeps this wonderful  plot moving by sprinkling great action scenes throughout.  I was really connecting with Aaron and Gabe and definately ‘boooing’ Verchiel, the angel that put himself incharge of hunting Aaron down.  I am very glad that I had the the two-in-one version of the book — and am almost finished with the second two-in-one “ The Fallen 2 : Aerie and Reckoning “!   

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants  to read about angels in another light… so to speak!!

Author Wedsite:  http://www.sniegoski.com/fallen/

Added Reviews and discussions:http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7171880-the-fallen-2

The Black Book of Secrets by F.E.Higgins

Macmillan Children’s Books c2007;  288p

isbn: 9781405089791

Torment, fear, revulsion,suspense, mystery, action…all this within the first few pages of F.E. Higgins debut novel!

The Black Book Of Secrets was shortlisted for the Bolton Children’s Book Award in 2008. It is the first book in  the series Tales from the Sinister City

I have to agree with Eoin Colfer’s comment that this story does “grab at the reader with hooked talons!”  I don’t know of too many stories where in the first few opening pages we see the main character , in this instance a young lad named Ludlow Fitch , being strapped down in a dentist’s chair just as he is going to have his teeth extracted without the benefit of  any numbing drug! Ludlow fights off the Dentist and his gin-loving parents and escapes falling into their clutches by ‘catching’ a ride on a carriage into the country.  He jumps off at a remote town called Pagus Parvus and meets up with a  questionable stranger called Joe Zabbidou. Mystery and intrigue surrounds Joe and Ludlow suddenly finds himself with new occupation — an apprentice to this ‘pawnbroker of secrets’.  Now the transcriber of the ‘Black Book’  and of  the town people’s stories as they swap their secrets with Joe, for money, Ludlow is privy to many of the town peoples’ secrets. Listening in on these extremely private conversations, (at times almost feeling like a peeping Tom!) I became as intensely interested, just as Ludlow was, as to how the problem of the town bully would be solved!  This debut novel by Higgins had me glued in my seat until the last page!  Even though the majority of the time is spent with adult characters, does not detract from appealing to the young reader that enjoys a twist or two the macabre, bizarre and strange !!

I definately will be looking forward to reading The Bone Magician and The Eyeball Collector!  Highly recommended!!!!

Reading Level:  Grade 5,6,7

Genre:  Mystery; Fantasy

Authors Website: http://www.fehiggins.com/