Elves Books

This was the conclusion to the Spiderwick Chronicles and it was the best book in the series yet. It was all wrapped up well, with lots of magical creatures and fun surprises. I really enjoyed this children's series!

After their encounter with goblins, dwarves, and elves, Jared, Simon, and Mallory Grace realize they have to tell their mother about the faerie world surrounding them. But they may have waited too long and it will take everything they have plus help from some friends to make everything okay.

"The Wrath of Mulgarath" is the exciting conclusion to the five book series "The Spiderwick Chronicles". The book picks up right where "The Ironwood Tree" ends and is filled with non-stop action. There is the return of old favorite (Thimbletack and Hogsqueal) and not so favorite (Mulgarath) characters as well as more than one surprise along the way. The book is full of twists and turns and not everyone and everything is what they seem to be. There are moments filled with real suspense and even some humor along the way. While the climactic battle scene has plenty of action, I was a bit disappointed because certain events seemed a bit anticlimactic.

Since this was the fifth and final book in "The Spiderwick Chronicles" series, everything is neatly wrapped up in the end. Readers will love reading what happens to Jared, Simon, and Mallory, as well as Thimbletack and Hogsqueal, and even Aunt Lucinda. Her ending is the most bittersweet of all.

"The Wrath of Mulgarath" is a great ending to a wonderful series.

This book is an excellent way to end the series called the Spiderwick Chronicles. Soon after I completed reading the five book series, I watched the movie, and was very disappointed in the movie itself because it no where near as good as the book series, and actually wasn't the same story at all.
Love the book, didn't like the movie.

My son, who is just about finished with 3rd grade, enjoyed this series very much and was sad to see it end. The story was well written, with only a few story lines to follow and concluding with no loose ends. Some of the language was unnecessary and made the reading a bit uncomfortable at times as there were things written that are not permitted to be said in our household, but overall a very good read.

In the Wrath of Mulgarath, the Grace children face their worst foe yet, Mulgarath the Ogre. They must foil his plot to take over the world, save an unexpected hostage (or two), penetrate a palace of garbage, and face monsters they know and some they have not encountered yet. They will have help from an unexpected source in all of this as the balance of power in the world of Faeirie teeters on a knife's blade. There are a lot of fun moments in this last installment of the Spiderwick Chronicles, but it gets pretty intense for younger children. My kids won't be reading this until they are at least seven. Also, there is the occasional somewhat mean banter between siblings that parents will want to watch out for. Having said that, The Wrath of Mulgarath is a grand romp through fairy lore for people of all ages.

if you're a fan of Foley, or the WWF attitude era, you'll LOVE this book! Illustrated by Jerry The King Lawler, this is Mick's 1st children's book! a GREAT XMAS GIFT FOR ANY WRESTLING FAN! A GREAT COFFETABLE CONVERSTAION STARTER! Kids and adults alike LOVE reading this book when they come over my house in the holiday months! Also check out "Mick Foley's Halloween Hijinx"!

What would you expect from the wrestler who once lost part of his ear in an in-ring accident? ...who took a 20 (or so) foot fall through a chain-link cage during a battle with the Undertaker? ...who became a hardcore legend by wrestling on thumbtacks, or in rings surrounded in barbed wire, or with folding chairs? The answer is surprisingly a delightful Christmas story.
Foley's imagination is in high gear as he tells the story of a very chaotic Christmas. Every character somehow is causing problems at Christmas. Then WWF wrestlers are called in and the chaos really kicks in.
The book features illustrations by fellow wrestler, Jerry 'the King' Lawler, who does a great job in capturing Foley's scenes. Lawler's work does more than just serve as a back drop for Foley's words. He helps bring life to them (although Foley's writing is quite lively in itself).
Foley does a masterful job in this book. After reading his 2 novels and discussing his writing at length with him, I wonder exactly what else is in his mind and forthcoming in print. Whatever it is, it won't disappoint.

After the huge success of his first two books, legendary wrestler-turned-writer Mick Foley decided to diversify his writing style by making a children's book about his favorite holiday, Christmas.

The first thing you'll notice about "Mick Foley's Christmas Chaos" is the tremendous artwork done by commentator Jerry Lawler. I really had no idea that someone like him could draw so well, and I was suprised to see how much detail he put into all of the characters and background settings.

The book is very well written, as we've come to expect from someone like Foley. Taking a page from the likes of fellow authors such as Dr. Suess, every line in "Christmas Chaos" is cleverly and humorously used in a rhyming fashion. This is a great book for people of all ages in need of a good laugh, but my only complaint is the cost. I bought it around two years ago at the mall for about $18 (it was actually on sale) and was able to finish it in six minutes. Maybe the price has lowered since then, but I find it a little ridiculous to pay so much for something that is so short.

This is a children's book from professional wrestler Mick Foley. Foley is the author of two previous memoirs (Have a Nice Day, Foley is Good). The illustrations are done by Jerry "The King" Lawler. The idea of a children's book by a professional wrestler, not to mention one known for the level of violence that Foley is, is a little surprising and I was more than a little bit skeptical. Christmas Chaos is better than I expected.

Santa has been having some problems up at the North Pole. The elves are showing no respect (one is running around naked and mooning Santa) and the reindeer are beating on Rudolph. Everyone is filled with greed and Santa is in despair. In the end he calls up Vince McMahon and a bunch of WWF superstars come and save the day.

While the action is crude, it never goes over the line of what may be appropriate for children. Some parents may question the content, but in my experience (and the success of certain movies) this is what many children find funny, this sort of slapstick action.

One thing that must be mentioned is the inclusion of WWF superstars. While this was done cleverly and was written well, it is also extremely dated and will only become more so as time goes on. A truly good children's book will stand up over time, but I doubt this one will. Children will not recognize the wrestlers and in another 5 years very few of them will be recognizable. This hurts the ending portion of the book. Since I recognized everyone, I enjoyed this children's book and thought it was fairly clever and well written. I'm not sure what the reaction of children will be this year and in 5 years.

Christmas Chaos is Pro-Wrestling legend Mick (Mankind, Dude Love, Cactus Jack) Foley's first foray into the world of children's books after the mega-success of his autobiographical "Have a Nice Day!" As an older (32) reader, I bought this strictly as a Foley fan, since I have no kids of my own to read it to. On that level, it was a fun diversion; The art, by fellow wrestling legend Jerry "The King" Lawler, is smart and funny and well-rendered. The story itself is kind of weird: Santa begins to question the point of Christmas when his elves & Reindeer begin to act hostile towards him, and decides to cancel Christmas. The funny thing is, this behavior seems to have been brought about by watching WWF (Now WWE) Wrestling! Odd, considering this is a WWF tie-in book. The inclusion of famous-name WWF stars seems forced, but is thankfully brief, considering they contribute nothing to the actual story. With the questionable content, I don't know if I'd recommend Christmas Chaos for very young kids, but older kids will get the uplifting message at the end, and fans like me will enjoy seeing Foley & Lawler conquer a new medium.

This is a well done sequel to Tinker. If you enjoyed Tinker you will enjoy this book too.

I loved Tinker, and raced to the library to grab this book, but i was a little disappointed with Wolf Who Rules. While not fantastic writing the characters are ones that you can really get involved with and it kept invested in the story, But I feel like it was missing some development. Interacion between the protagonists was sadly limited and the sexual exploration between her and Pony bothered me, despite the "reasonable" justification given for it. I would still recommend this book to anyone who liked Tinker, but be prepared to be a little disappointed.

Wen Spencer's "Wolf Who Rules" is Terrific! I've read "Tinker" and "Wolf Who Rules" several times now and they are both on my Keeper Shelf!

In this sequel to Tinker (Baen Fantasy), Tinker is struggling with her new role as Vicereign (Wolf is the Viceroy to the humans) and learning the magic she can now control. A mishap with the gate she created in the last book has left Pittsburgh permanently stuck on Elfhome and she is trying to discover a way to fix this issue. She starts to have a series of terrifying dreams that hold the keys to her past - as well as to how to solve the problem they find themselves in. She also discovers that not all oni are bad; most are simply denied any options.

I enjoyed these stories and hope that Spencer will eventually write more stories from this very interesting world she has created.

I really disliked this book for a lot of reasons. The protagonist, who was a brilliant scientist in the prior book, turned into an elf at the end of the prior book, and essentially abandoned what once made her great. Maybe it's the sci fi fan in me, but I have little sympathy for a character who had the ability to give humanity the functional equivalent of an FTL drive and instead decided to play at being a member of the nobility in a feudal society. The author does such a good job of making the problems in the story seem insoluble that when they are solved I didn't quite believe it. Their is a mystery/foreshadowing throughout the book, but when the answers were revealed, they were disappointing.

This is a slim book, and doesn't take very long to read, but it stands nearly alone in the world of children's books for the relative complexity of the story given the very few pages and words (of course I am still talking about a small book for young children -- perhaps 2-1/2 to 5 or 6 years old -- don't look for character development!). It is a real story, unlike so many of the Seuss books, and it develops quickly. It has both sentiment and action, and even toddlers can more-or-less understand it. Also, the illustrations are excellent, with little details that only adults might pick up on. Highly recommended!

Unusual story about an old woman who falls ill and her garden does too. An old lost toy tells the bugs that they must climb the tallest tree and call to the Leaf Men for help. The good, brave doodle bugs accept the challenge. Beautiful artwork, sort of a strange story but good - my son (first grade) likes it.

I bought this book when it came out. Being an avid William Joyce fan I was excited and could not wait till I got home to read the whole book. The illustrations and the story are top notch. Classic William Joyce and one of the last ones that he has done as a whole book with painted illustrations. Since then he got into the 3-D thing that didn't quite do it for me and I've not bought any of the Rollie Pollie books. Sorry Bill. However, the good news is that he has been working on some very interesting projects and I hope to see more soon. I think every die hard fan of his wishes he would return to the picture book form with a new hand paint classic. I for one hope that wait isn't a long one. A true storyteller with a visual style that has one foot solidly in the old, with a hopeful look at the new, filtered through Mr Joyce's talented brain.

_The Leaf Men_ tells of an elderly woman who is sick and cannot tend her garden, which is dying. In order to save the plants (and by extension, the old woman), the Brave, Good Bugs have to embark on a journey to call the Leaf Men to restore health to plants and people alike. Subtly teaching the importance of perseverence, cooperation and compassion, both the woman and her garden are saved. A wonderful story with beautifu (and subtle) artwork - look carefully, as there are "hidden" clues and secrets in Joyce's artwork. A favorite in my home. Recommended for children ages 4 - 7.

I think this book was awesome. An old woman is sick and her garden grows horribly and so doodle bugs try to climb to the tallest branch of a tree to call the leaf men to fix the garden. A queen spider thinks that no insect can do that. During the doodle bugs` journey the queen and ants attack the doodle bugs, but the doodle bugs call the leaf men and the leaf men save the doodle bugs and the garden. Then the old woman gets better. I recommend this book to anyone.

This is a charming book, full of wonderful illustrations drawn by Tolkien himself. The cast of characters is wonderfully amusing, especially North Polar Bear, who gets into all sorts of mischief every year. There are even descriptions of wars between Father Christmas and the neighboring Goblins, reminiscent of the Goblin wars depicted in The Hobbit and The Silmarillion.

The book is also bittersweet, as it spans almost 20 years, and Tolkien begins to address his letters to fewer and fewer children, until only his youngest, his daughter Priscilla, still awaits her letter from Father Christmas. It shows how his children have grown, and Father Christmas himself seems sad as his children stop believing in Christmas magic. The last letter is especially poignant, as Father Christmas says goodbye to the children.

This is a great book to read during the holiday season, but it can really be enjoyed any time of year. It's funny, magical, and made me feel like a child again. I recommend this book not only to fans of Tolkien, but to anyone who wants to get into the Christmas spirit.

This book is appealing from many perspectives: historic, artistic, and emotional. The content is intimate "letters from Father Christmas" written by Tolkien to his children for some 20 years. The letters and envelopes have beautiful color illustrations done by Tolkien, and are shown in detail in the book. You can not help but feel like one of Tolkien's children, and marvel at the subtle grandeur of this simplest of gifts.

A sweet, very clever idea that the John Ronald Reuel Tolkien fellow
came up with to amuse his daughter. Definitely an interesting book for
little kids, old funny looking spidery handwriting, and all. I suppose
they probably rerelease this every year, with how popular he became
recently.

We bought the edition for our son (now in college) that has the hand-written facsimile leters, each in its own envelope, which is itself a facsimile, complete with Tolkien's hand-drawn illustrations and fake postage. For several years, we would read one of the letters each night before bed for the last few weeks before Christmas. While this edition is missing several of the letters that later editions include, we loved being able to pull the facsimiles out of their envelopes and read them as if they really were letters from Father Christmas. I don't think the other editions include the envelopes and letters. You don't need me to tell you what a great storyteller Tolkien was, but the stunning beauty of the physical book is what stands out for me. I can't wait to have grandchildren I can share it with! As for my son, it opened the door to Tolkien for him.

I am a big Tolkien fan but this book was new to me. It was a thrill to find and a thrill to read. I started over 20 years ago giving a Christmas book to my mother in November. I search for something special every year and the names on my Christmas book list keep growing. (I like to think it's because of my inspired choices.) LETTERS FROM FATHER CHRISTMAS has zoomed to the top of the list. The title doesn't do it justice. It is a marvelous story about Father Christmas, elves, polar bears, goblins and adventure. It also combines a family story and reflects a marvelous and moving sense of place and time. Pure genius. Get it for everyone on your list.

The book started off a little slow and I had a hard time getting through the first few chapters. It picked up quickly after that and each chapter had me on the edge of my seat. I only wish that it was a series.

I started reading this book very critically because I feel that a lot of the Star Wars / Star Trek / Dragonlance / Forgotten Realms / RPG novels are extremely poorly written. Michael Stackpole has a background writing RPG games (very good ones, I might add), Star Wars and Battletech books. Despite myself, I wasn't expecting much, but what I got was one of the very **best** books I've ever read. Michael Stackpole writes rings around all but the best and the greatest of writers, with whom he stands proudly shoulder to shoulder. "Once A Hero" has started me on an addiction for Michael Stackpole's **stunning** fantasy. I've torn through "Talion: Revenant" and "A Hero Born" as quickly as I could get my hands on them and was not disappointed. Sadly, this book, "Once A Hero" is out of print, although it's readily available online used. Michael Stackpole has other fantasy books in print and if you're a lover of quality, engaging, high-spirited fantasy then you'd be mad not to seek them out. I will read his books over and over again as the years go by. They're that good...

I am and always have been a big sci-fi buff. I was introduced to Stackpole while making my way through the Battletech universe. I picked up "Bred for War" before spending the summer in Germany back in 1997 and have since added almost all of his books to my collection. "Once a Hero" was the first fantasy novel I had ever read and now split my reading time almost evenly between the two genres. His control of the english language still leaves me captivated, even after all these years, and has inspired me to write short stories of my own. Granted this book contains a lost of stereotypical fantasy aspects (elves, magic, swordfighting, etc), but that is what people expect from this kind of story and this book does not disappoint. This book is, however, extremely dense and it took me a lot longer to read than most novels. I found every aspect of this story intriquing, from its general layout and plot development, to the smallest details and sarcastic remarks. Even though this one is out of print and is, more often than not, expensive, I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels.

The first time I read this, I knew it was the best book I'd ever read. After multiple readings, it continues to remain so. Stackpole describes thought processes, actions, settings-- basically everything-- excellently. The plot pacing is perfect, with the Neal chapters corresponding with the Genevera chapters to great effect, and it has just enough little hints in there that you only catch on the reread to make the second read as interesting as the first.

Too bad this is Out of Print.
This is possibly one of the best fantasy stand alone novels i have read in years. Combines all the elements: comedy, drama, high action, with a splash of intrigue and romance.
BEWARE: ONCE BEGUN IT'S HARD TO PUT DOWN!!!

The player options books have some great options in them. The book of elves is no exception.
In this book a player or DM will be able to play or represent elves with great vivid details. New classes, skills, and explanation of elven life will add depth and believability to any Campaign world.
Even great as a tool for fantasy writers, this book will be the aha! that comes when you aren't really familiar with what it means to be an elf.

I thought this was one of the best handbooks that htey have written. It gives great information on different types of elves, but did we really need the stories about famous elves? But all in all it was a good book with great subject matter especially on the subject of kits and how the elves live.

To start this off I will tell you...This book is a total must have for all elf players. Even as a DM I LOVED this book....It is full of neat info about everything that has to do with elves. I loved the new equipment, and the kits were really neat. Also the book is very accurate about the personalitys and different elf subraces. I think this is the best book in the "Complete Book of ________" series and I took that "Tree huggin' daisy munchers" review as a personal insult. This book sheds new light on the elves, and totally enlightens the wimpy description in the PHB! I loved the illistrations and thouroghly enjoyed reading the myths and rituals. Without this book my party's game sessions would never of been the same. I would recomend this book to any AD&D player, (even those who play Dwarves) and especially all those elven,or who are considering becomeing a elf. It has vital info about how to role-play and elf to its fullest potential. I LOVE THIS BOOK! IT IS WORTH ALL THE MONEY YOU INVEST IN IT!

This is a cohesive well-thought-out book. It is organized such that information is easy to find for future reference. It was written in an easy-to-read, interesting style.

It has many new ideas for running an elven campaign, however they tend to unbalance elves. Several new kits are introduced that tend to power-up elves rather than promote role-playing. Probably the best example of this is the blade-singer kit. This is a kit designed for Fighter/Mages which offers a variety of improved abilities for both the Mage and Fighter sides of the class. The major penalty for this kit is a roleplaying penalty, which matters little to powergamers. There is an optional penalty to this kit as well, which is that training a new level takes several years. Using this rule means that the other PC's are going to get pretty old by the time the bladesinger goes up a few levels. This makes them basically useless as a PC kit. According to these rules, the bladesinger is either horribly overpowered, or greviously inconvenient to the other PC's.

This book rated three stars because it did have some useful information and offered some role-playing tips. However, a DM must be careful to weed out the good elements from the ugly.

The book gives a good overview to Elven life in general, altough
some of the information is not realy necessary for an accomplished DM.
Beware: If You realy plan to let Your players have their way with all the extra rules given (Str:19 for Sylvan Elves, Bladesinger Kit and Bladesong rules are the most notable),
You'll end up with a threshing machine that can easyly outdo
the rest of the group as a whole and won't be able to find a suitable challenge only too soon.
From level 7/8 onwards, a Fighter/Mage with the abilities mentioned above and equiped with a Stoneskin/Fireshield/Haste/
Mirror Image spell-combo becomes nigh-invulnerable in close combat and will deal out amazing amounts of damage.
So I recomend to be very carefull with these abilities.
In the hands of a strong-willed PC this book endangers the ballance of any campaign.
In the hands of an accomplished DM, it can give a lot more depth to Elven life and culture.

Prince of Elves is a fast-paced fantasy thrill ride full of the standard fantasy creatures, but none of them come off as standard. It is a great read with memorable characters and dialogue that come alive in your imagination. The details and the imagery are wonderful; I was quickly absorbed into this world and Jehard's adventures. I am glad that this book will be part of a series...the story is too good to be contained in one book. Like seemingly everyone else, I'm looking forward to the next one!

Prince of the Elves was a good read. While it contains all the fantasy elements such as Elves, Giants, Faerie, Dwarves, Trolls and magic there are often surprises that defy sterotypes. Readers of Tolkein and Robert Jordan will enjoy this saga.

Jehard's quest is filled with the unexpected. The companions he picks up along the way are likeable and well developed. I especially like the way the female characters are defined. It is interesting to watch Jehard mature during his trek.

I am looking forward to the next books. I find myself wondering about some of the lesser characters and hope to see them developed into stronger characters in future releases. If you enjoy fantasy, you will not be disappointed in this book

I very much enjoyed reading Prince of the Elves. Although the standard elves, dwarves, trolls etc are there, they are unique enough to make interesting reading. The characters are real and believable. Starting with Jerhad the young elf, the tale moves quickly from commonplace everyday life to a journey to battles, as he meets others (Stanton, the ex-military commander, Andreanna, the feisty human woman, Morlock the Giant) and gains allies against evil wizards and trolls. Magic in this land is intriguing, too, from the elven magic that Jerhad discovers within himself to the Druid magic to evil wizardry. I am looking forward to the next book, I really want to see what happens next.

This book starts out quick and doesn't have a lot of slow spots like other books of this ilk. The core characters could best be described as realistic, innocent and sassy! With the vivid descriptions of the surroundings I was able to completely build the map of the book in my head. One of the best things about the book is the character development and growth. I really wonder where a future book may take things. One thing is for sure, I cant wait for the next one!

This is one of the best fantasy books I've had the pleasure of reading in a long time. Readers will instantly find themselves empathizing with Jerhad, an ordinary elf who finds himself caught in an extraordinary sea of events.

My heart was in my throat several times as Jerhad and his companions made the journey from innocence to the saving of an entire world. The distinguished Stanton, the sweet-yet-sassy Andreanna and the host of dwarves, giants and humans that crossed their path are instantly lovable characters. I laughed hysterically watching Andreanna make her place with the "males" she was traveling with-the book so perfectly highlighted the misogynistic views of most of the men in the age before women's lib, and you could just SEE the looks on their faces when she was done with them!

I loved watching the combined armies sweep through the trolls at Breezon like something out of a Tolkien novel. It didn't seem to matter that I knew the "good guys" would win in the end-I still found myself sitting on the edge of my seat and hoping!

The attempts to blend romance into the story were stilted, but I still found myself enjoying watching Jerhad act like a...well, a man as he fell in love! The ending was heartbreaking.

The Prince of the Elves beautifully blends magic, mystery, good and evil in the form of one innocent elf and one evil sorcerer, and the end of the book definitely leaves you hanging on and waiting for the next book. If you love great fantasy, you're going to love this book!

At the writing of this review, nearly half of the customer reviews are of completely different books. In fact, all of the non-five-star reviews have nothing to do with this edition, entitled "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", based on the original story by Robert L. May, and illustrated by David Wenzel. If it were not for this error, the book would in fact have 5 stars.

The illustrations are beautiful, and the verse I do not consider lengthy at all. Such rich vocabulary and quirky similes are often overlooked in modern children's books. My favorite line is: "And Santa was right, as he usually is. The fog was as thick as a soda's white fizz."

Money well spent.

Cute Christmas board book with squeaky Rudolph. My 20-month-old son couldn't make the Rudolph squeak on his own though. But he did like the sound when I would do it.

Note: This review is for the book with the blue cover and Rudolph in a picture frame. A red seal on the bottom right corner reads: "The Original Story of Rudolph." Apparently, the various reviews are getting dumped in one Rudolph slot.

Although the story is original with Robert L. May in 1939, the illustrations were created by David Wenzel in 2001. This combination is my favorite of all the Rudolph books.

The book is over-sized, for one. I have the paperback version, which is 9" x 11". The hardback is slightly larger. This larger size makes it easier for children in a school setting to see the illustrations.

Another reason this book is a winner is the color and quality of the illustrations. The reindeer are soft and cuddly looking (even though they call Rudolph names just for having that freaky red nose--so they think). To counteract all the brown of the reindeer, Wenzel splashes a deep, lovely blue around the scene. Even though he is made fun of, Rudolph tries to keep a good attitude. He know he's been good and leaves Santa cookies and cocoa and goes to bed.

Meanwhile Santa is back at the Pole, totally worried about the weather. The fog is so bad the deer have a hard time seeing and almost collide with a huge plane. By the time Santa gets to Rudolph's house, it is pitch dark. But in Rudolph's room, Santa can see and discovers the answer to his prayers--A reindeer with a guiding light. Rudolph is delighted to help.

Of course, at the end, the other reindeer cheer him for being such a help. They are proud to be his friends.

The moral: You CAN be different! It is OK!
Everyone has a talent. When you discover it, don't be shy about using it.

Overall, a great addition to every reading home!

If you're looking for the story about Hermie, the Abdominal, Yukon Corneilius and the Island of Misfit Toys, this is NOT your book! This book is the original story written in 1939. It is written in poetry form and it is beautiful. It is very well illustrated and a definite keeper. My kids loved this book even though the local heroes weren't in it. I would buy it as a keepsake if nothing else. It's well worth the money.

Having not seen the orginal Rudolph TV show in a very long time I forgot what the story line was... remember that in this version of the story the snowman eats reindeers and apparently elves or anything else that would be upsetting to a child. There are a couple of scary illustrations in this book. My 3 year old was in love with the Rudolph movie but once he saw this book he refused to ever have anything to do with Rudolph again because he said he "didn't like the scary snowman". Yes, I know it's a classic, but be warned.

Summanary: Lucy Scarborough is a fairly normal teenage girl, she has two loving foster parents, Soledad and Leo Markowhitz and great friends, Zach and Sarah. When she finds herself pregnant at 17, she is lost for words. For some reason, she feels that she can't get an abortion. After, Zach finds Miranda's(Lucy biological mom) diary, she finds that she is cursed. Lucy finds that not only did it drive her mom insane, but it will soon do that to her. Unless Lucy does three impossible task listed in the ballad "Scarborough Fair":

1. "Tell her to make me a magical shirt... without any seams or needlework"

2. "Tell her to find me an acre of land... between the salt water and the sea strand"

3."Tell her to plow it with just a goat horn... and sow it all over with one grain of corn"

She has very supportive parents and Zach to help her,which is something that the past Scarborough's girls did not have.

My Review: This book is full of strength and surprises. It is so suspenseful and hard to put down. Nancy Werling does an amazing job to create such an original tale using "Scarborough Fair" as the center piece of the novel. I would say that it is a modern fairy tale. It is also beautifully written.

Impossible is a great mix of realistic and fantasy fiction. Lucy is a great, strong heroine. The novel centers around the curse that surrounds the women in Lucy's family. Lucy only has a limited time to figure out how to break the curse. This book will keep readers hooked throughout its entire plot. I rated it a 5/5.

[..]

This book is about a girl named Lucy. The women in Lucy's family are cursed to loose their sanity on the day their daughter is born witch is always when they are 18 years old. That is, of corse, if they fail to complete the impossible tasks the Elfin Knights asks of them in the Scarborough Fair song:

"Are you going to the Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She must be a true love of mine

Tell her she'll sleep in a goose-feather bed
Parsley, sage rosemary and thyme
Tell her i swear she'll have nothing to dread
She must be a true love of mine

Tell her tomorrow her answer made known
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
What e'er she may say I'll not leave her alone
She must be a true love of mine

Her answer it came in a week and a day
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
I'm sorry good sir, i must answer thee nay
I'll not be a true love of thine

From the string of my curse she can never be free
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Unless she unravels my riddlings three
She will be a true love of mine

Tell her to make me a magical shirt
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Without any seam or needlework
Else she'll be a true love of mine

Tell her to find me an acre of land
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Between the salt water and the sea strand
Else she'll be a true love of mine

Tell her to plow it with just a goat's horn
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
And sow it all over with one grain of corn
Else she'll be a true love of mine
And her daughters forever possessions of mine"

If they break the curse, the keep their sanity and their baby from him. It started with Lucy's ancestor Fenella. She was immortal and strong like the elfin knight but left him for a human. Since then, not one Scarborough girl has broken the curse, but Lucy is different. She's the first one who doesnt have to go though it alone.

This book if exelent for someone who loves to read, like me.
The reason I gave it four stars instead of five is because at times it can get a little less interesting but at the end you find yourself googling the elfin knight. Its a really great read and I think you would love it! It cant hurt to try.

I've been wanting to read this book for a long time. Last week, amid my Christmas book-buying frenzy, I picked up Nancy Werlin's Impossible as a gift to myself, and what a gift it was.

Lucy, the 17-year-old main character, is fighting a centuries-old family curse based on the impossible tasks in the folk song "Scarborough Fair." She has nine months to solve the riddles of the ballad, to save herself and her unborn child. Unlike her mother and her mother's mother before her, Lucy has the support of a loving foster family and a devoted childhood friend, but still, she knows she's fighting a battle that her ancestors have all lost.

It's been a long time since I've rooted quite so hard for characters in a novel, but Lucy won my heart. I loved her, and I love the story Nancy Werlin wove around her. Impossible has it all -- an impossible task (three, actually), a fantastically alluring villain, a brave heroine, a tension-filled plot, and one of the sweetest romances you'll ever encounter. As I write this review, the wind is whipping through the trees outside, transporting me back to that chapter where Lucy and Zach were -- wait a minute...that would be a spoiler, and that's no good. I better just stop there. Trust me...you'll want to read every word of this gem yourself.

Raise your hand if you haven't heard the song "Scarborough Faire." Odds are, your hand is down and your head's full of music. As with many songs, the ballads are based on legends.

This is just one possible scenario for "Scarborough Faire."

On her seventh birthday, Lucy Scarborough finds a hidden letter in a hollowed out place in her bookshelves. She cannot read the cramped cursive writing, but she figures the old papers have some 'magic'. Angry at her best friend, Zach, she hides the baseball shirt which doesn't fit that he'd given her for her birthday with the letter and a wish that she'd find the shirt and letter when the shirt fit--and Zach would love her more.

It's ten years later and Lucy finds shirt and letter. She's 17 now and the warning in the letter which turned out to be from her biological Mom has come true.

The Scarborough women carry a curse. At seventeen, they all become pregnant, go crazy and abandon their infant child, and end up out on the streets.

Lucy doesn't quite believe the story--until her foster parents and Zach start helping her do some research. She's got a little less than nine months to perform three seemingly impossible tasks, or face the same fate as the rest of her line for generations.

"Impossible" is a wonderful story for lovers of folk songs, faery tales, and love stories. While the target audience is young adults, any age will love the timeless beauty of the tale.

Rebecca Kyle, December 2008