literature

My favorite book is Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul because the book is interesting and has a lot of true stories based on teenagers. Being a teenager is hard because we have responsibilites and its so much drama we'll have to deal with. What I love about the book is that it breaks it down into sections based on Friendship, Love & Relationships, Family, etc. The section that I truly inspire is Love and Relationships because most teenagers make some disgraceful mistakes over stupid stuff. My best friend had recommend this book to me because she told that book made her feel like she doesnt want to make the same mistakes as teenagers did when some got pregnant or they leave their friends and family behind. They're many consequences we as teenagers have to handle. After reading the book made me feel that I want to be successsful from what I'm particularly good at. I would recommend this book to some teenagers who never read Chicken Soup.

I bought this book be4 i even heard of this website so it was totally coincidential. But i heard of it from a friend who recommended it. the book said that it would make U laugh cry and smile at first i was all like, "I doubt it!" But after reading it be$ going to bed I couldn't put the book down and be4 i knew it it was 4:35 am Today when i read the chapter on "Tough Stuff " the stories were absoulutely effective. And U guessed it I even cried! This book makes U more appreciative of life and it's affected me like no other book has or could. It's amazing since I hate reading. most of my guy friends hate reading but by forcing my best guy friend Brendan to read it he ended up buying it . My friends think i'm an advertiser for the book becuz i've gotten so many TEENAGERS to buy it. It's just something to relate to when there's nobody to listen. I've ended upbuying The Chicken Soup Diary I've got lotz to say so you're welcome to emailme! LPH @-->--

The Chicken Soup for the Teenagers soul books I think are the best book to tell teenagers how it really is, the peer pressure, love, loss, friendship, and family. If I didn't have this book or any of the others I don't think I would make it through my teenage years. This book has helped me with the loss of my grandpa, my family problems, and my relatonships with guys especially with the ones that didn't work out.

"Ella Enchanted" is one of my favorite books. It's about a girl named Ella, when at birth was given a "gift" (more like a spell) to ALWAYS be obidient. No matter what someone says, Ella has to obey; if she doesn't, she gets dizzy, and feels sick. Ella is at danger at all times, because if somebody (for instance) told her to chop her head off, she would HAVE to do it! Anyway, in the begining of the book, Ella's mother dies. At the funeral, Ella meets a boy named Char, the prince. After awhile she falls in love with him but doesn't want to marry him in fear of putting him in her danger too. Well, that's all I'm going to say- other wise it will give a lot of stuff away. I really love this book, I have read it 2 times, in the middle of the 3rd. I would recommend this book to someone who likes romance, adventure, and suspence. Gail Carson Levine is a wonderful author. I would also recommend some of her other books: "The Wish" and "Dave at Night"

Ella Enchanted is a wonderful fantasy book by Gail Carson Levine. She puts a twist to the classic fairy tale, Cinderella. I would recommend this book to girls of nine to sixteen years of age. This book has every kind of creature: goblins, elves giants ogres fairy-godmothers, you name it! With a dead mother a kind a kind but misunderstanding father, Ella has a hard time. But on top of that, she has been cursed from the moment she was born. She can't say no! This truly is a fairy tale. It has it's sad parts, but a happy ending, too. I like this book because I can relate to Ella. We are about the same age, and we think similarly. I also like the way the author makes it seem realistic. Ella is learning things ad the book goes on and she gets older. This is a good book for peeole who like Harry Potter books, because they both have magic and strange creatures and a main character that has a speciality. And for those who don't like Harry Potter, or haven't read it and don't plan on reading it, maybe this book will change your mind

'Ella Enchanted' by Gail Carson Levine is a wonderful book that has completely believable characters, led by the spunky heroine Ella. A takeoff on the popular Cinderella story, Ella is cursed with obidience from a fairy at birth. During the story she escapes finishing school, two 'evil' stepsisters, ogres, and much more all the while battling her cursed obidience. The entire story is hilarious and the ending surprising. It's a book you can read over and over again while enjoying it to the fullest. I highly, highly recommend it.

This is undoubtedly the best sci-fi-comedy ever written, and I say that with confidence. Douglas Adams' wit is unmatched in this genre. I have re-read this series at least 5 times, and it gets better each time. Thanks to Adams's insight, I too am on a continual search for the reason why 42 is the answer (just look how many times it pops up randomly... or not so randomly)

In this classic story, Arthur Dent, a lovable and easily-confused Earthling gets dragged on the journey of a lifetime as Earth is destroyed by a group of Vogons to make way for a hyperspace by-pass. He is joined by a host of unforgettable characters: the easy-going researcher for the Hitchhikker's Guide to the Galaxy Ford Prefect; the hyper Two-Headed, Three-Armed President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox; and his sexy companion former-Earth-reporter Trillian; and Marvin, the hopelessly depressed android. Together, they are off to explore the galaxy, battle with pesky mice-geniuses (no, not Pinky and the Brain), eat dinner at the end of the universe, travel through time, meet the man who designed Norway, redefine "improbability," patronize and annoy countless alien races, search for a decent cup of tea in an unforgivig universe, and continue the eternal quest to find out why 42 is so darn important.

Adams is a visionary. This is unlike any series I have ever read. Although "Mostly Harmless" was a slightly disappointing conclusion(?) to such an entertaining series, I will always consider the Hitchhikkers' "Trilogy" to be among the greats. If you do not own or have never read these books, then this compilation is a necessity for you. I recommend that you purchase it immediately, call in sick from work, school, or whatever, put up a small Somebody Else's Problem (SEP) field around you, and read it and again and again.

I'm sure there is probably a fitting word in some far off galactic language but my bablefish is malfunctioning so I'll just have to resort to the English I have on hand. The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy includes all five books in the Hitchhiker's "trilogy" plus the short story "Young Zaphod Plays it Safe". Douglas Adam's had intended for there to be only three books but due to fan demand and the excess ideas running around in his head, lo and behold the trilogy became a series though most fans still refer to it as the trilogy. As a side note, Adams was in the beginning stages of writing a sixth book, The Salmon of Doubt, when he died.

Anyhow, back to the book, the first part, "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy", is the start of the beautiful (and slightly insane) series. The Hero? of the book is Arthur Dent, a man who wakes to find his house about to be demolished to make way for a hiway. He thought the big yellow bulldozer was the worst of his problems until his friend Ford Prefect tells him that Ford is an alien and that the Earth is going to be demolighed to make way for a SuperGalactic Hiway. Anyhow they are saved from Earth in the nic of time and so begins Arthur's amazing adventure through the cosmos. The characters that Arthur Dent meets along the way are well thought out and interesting such as the tempramental Zaphod Beeblebrox with his two heads, Marvin the chronicly depressed robot, and the annoyingly cheerful spaceship doors.

Of all the books included in this collection the first one is my favorite. You can almost see the crazy ideas oozing out of Douglas Adam's genius head. Read this book and witness the birth of your obsession. In these books there are no limits of time, physics, anatomy, or anything really and Adams takes full advantage of this like no other author I have read.
The other books in the series carry on the craziness of the first with most of the same characters and also some memorable new ones. After the first book, my next favorite has to be the fifth one "Mostly Harmless" which centers on Arthur's daughter Random.
Now This book is probably not for everyone. Such as if you have no sense of humor, are obsessed with neatness and order, or have a horrible fear of the number 42. Otherwise, buy this book and get ready to laugh out loud at the absurdity and incredible imagination that is The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

There are those who don't get "The Far Side" by Gary Larson. It's too wacky and weird. There are those who don't like the wit of "Calvin and Hobbes," passing it by for simpler humor.

There are those who hate "Monty Python" because it's "stupid" or "ridiculous." And there are those who hate the humor "A Midsummer Night's Dream" or "Pride and Prejudice," as its wit is deep and veiled.

Now try and envision an amalgam of these two approaches to comedy. Witty lines, and wordplays, combined with floating penguins and Vogon poetry. You have to be pretty quick to understand some of Adams' jokes regarding quantum mechanics, yet silly enough to laugh at the manic depressive robot, and the apathetic mention of the destruction of Earth. Douglas Adams is simply the best at combining wit with irony and absurdity. And this is simply the best book in which to find his genius.

One of the best, and most influential, Christian authors of any time, C. S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" is a compelling, and chilling, fictional look at what goes on behind our back in the demonic spirit world.

Screwtape, an upper level demonic spirit, often writes his subordinate, Wormwood, a demonic spirit assigned to misguide and misdirect a human on earth. The letters explain to Wormwood how he would best accomplish his mission of keeping the human our of the Enemy's (God's) hands and ensure that when he dies he goes straight to blazes.

What is most chilling about "The Screwtape Letters" is that, even after all of these years, how much a person can see of themselves in them. Letter after letter seemed to be talking about me directly. Time and time again I saw one demonic trap after another I had fallen into being explained in a letter.

I have to caution you, however. This book is not an easy read. C. S. Lewis did not attempt to write a book that everybody could understand. You will probably have to spend some time re-reading many letters and looking up words in your dictionary and/or concordance for a better understanding of what is being said. This can become quite frustrating, but when you are able to break through and understand a letter you will be able to see how it can apply to your own life.

If you were ever interested in getting a better understanding of how the Enemy and his demonic spirits work, this is a great book to do it with. But be warned: you will learn something about yourself in the process.

"The Screwtape Letters" is the absolute best book I have ever read. It is a very well written book. It really makes you think. C.S. Lewis' style is exquisite. He paints with words as an artist paints with pictures and a musician with notes and rhythms. While still being the best book I have ever read, it is also one of the strangest. Screwtape, an experienced devil, teaches his nephew, Wormwood, how to win a soul over from the so-called "Enemy", who is the Lord Jesus Christ. While he is doing this, he teaches the reader about the techniques that Satan uses to distract Christians away from God. Therefore, he is teaching us how to live better Christian lives and avoid giving in to temptations. He shows us through the example of his nephew, Wormwood, trying to win over a particular Englishmen. He tries to make him think that what he is doing is not sin. Even though, in the end, the man is not won over, we see how so many people go astray without even realizing it. This is an excellent book and I would reccomend it to anyone looking for a challenging book to read.

His Abysmal Sublimity Under-Secretary Screwtape is an old experienced tempter, a highly respected expert in his field. And so, Screwtape takes time out of his hellishly busy schedule to send letters of advice to his nephew, Wormwood, who is shepherding along his first human. This book is a collection of Screwtape's letters, giving sound advice on how a Christian can be steered away from Heaven, and safely delivered to Hell. Along the way, the reader is treated to some of the most profound Christian reasoning that I have ever read!

To put it succinctly, this book is without a doubt one the greatest (if not THE greatest) works of practical Christian living that was ever written. C.S. Lewis's use of a demon giving advice to his nephew is simply inspired, allowing him to mix deep theology and reasoning with upbeat (and offbeat) humor. I loved the book, and I love this audio version of it - John Cleese does an excellent job of playing Screwtape, adding in the emotions the role deserves, and now I can't even imagine anyone else doing it.

This is a great book, one that every Christian should read (or listen to) at least once in his or her life, and maybe even read on a regular basis. I've listened to it five times in a row, and want to hear it some more. This is practical Christianity!

Unfortunately, the only copy of The Count of Monte Cristo I could find was the unabridged version in my school library. At the time I was glad I was reading the short version, 1,500 pages seemed a little too overwhelming at the time. But after reading the short version, I found myself wanting more. I could tell when they cut stuff out and it drove me crazy, I kept wondering what I was missing.

I found myself wanting to read this book in the first place because I saw the commercials for the movie on t.v. (Which I know I'm not going to watch because they changed everything.) My mom told me it was a really good book so I checked it out. It took me a little bit to read because of school and chores. But once I picked it up I read 20 or 30 pages at a time. Sometimes more. Alexandre Dumas is a genius. His writing style is so unique. He draws a beautiful picture inside the readers head. All the characters in this book were multidimensional. I'm not used to seeing characters like that.

At the beginning of the book Edmond Dantes was leading a happy, perfect life. He was engaged to the woman he loved, Mercedes. He was going to become a captain. And he had wonderful friends. But before he knows it his wonderful life becomes nothing but misery and pain. Two of his so-called friends, blackmails him and he's thrown into a dank prison for being a Bonapartist. Over the long harsh years ahead of him he plots his revenge on the people who sent him there. . .

I'd love to tell you more, but there aren't enough words in the world to describe the impact this story had on me. I'll just give you a quick overview: This story is mostly about a man who gets revenge on those who made his happy life miserable. He slowly ruins their lives and they don't even realize it's him. No one recognizes him, except Mercedes, but she doesn't let him know for a long time. She becomes a very weak woman, who lives only for her son. But she still loves Edmond and I believe in some ways he still loves her. But he's a completely different person, then. He knows their time has passed.

This book is very well written and has all the elements of a good story. Romance, adventure, revenge, mystery...And anything else you can think of. I'm going to have a hard time reading a book after this one. Other books will pale in comparison, I'm sure. Someday, I'll read the abridged version, but not today. . . Maybe when I'm older and have enough patience and time to read the whole thing. This story will stay with me forever, even if I never read it again.

"The Count of Monte Cristo" is an intriguing tale of retribution. The complex and rivetting plot revolves around Edmond Dantes, a idealistic and principled young man who is unwittingly framed for a serious crime, and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. There he meets a man who will change his life...and point him towards freedom and his means of vengeance on those who have wronged him. Without a doubt, this novel is a masterpiece, attaining the balance of true symphony between justice and revenge. The characterization and atmosphere portrayed is rich enough to evoke anyone's imagination. Dumas' attention to detail adds to the ambiance and vivacity of the tale. As a fitting testament to it's nearly be rushed, rather savored. The unabridged version (875 pages) is a must, with its banquet of flavorful scenes - it is a full course meal for any hungry bookworm - the abridged version is merely a buttered cracker. "The Count of Monte Cristo" is one of my most treasured novel and, without hesitation, by far the best book I have ever read! I stand by this opinion so ardently, that I always keep extra copies of it in my bookshelf, in case I meet with someone who will really appreciate it. Avid readers, enjoy!

The Count of Monte Cristo is an amazing story filled with action, betrayal, romance, and vengeance. Edmond Dantes is a young sailor who has everything he needs in life. He has a wife and a large amount of money to start a family. He is betrayed by his friends and sent to the dreaded Chateau d'If, and is imprisoned for life. Edmond thinks his life is over, so he swears vengeance to all who betrayed him. Edmond makes a miraculous escape and puts his plans into motion. He is determined to gain vengeance and nothing thrown in his way will stop him. He adopts the name Count of Monte Cristo and becomes friends with the ones who betrayed him. He gains his vengeance slowly by revealing little secrets about each of them, while revealing nothing at all about him. This is a story of a man who was wrongfully accused, and was able to escape and return the favor to his friends. The Count of Monte Cristo is an amazing book by Alexandre Dumas, and it is also one of his best.

This is a gently whimsical and vaguely gothic story told from the perspective of young Cassandra Mortmain, living with her eccentric, genteely impoverished family in an old English castle. Writing in her beloved journal, Cassandra, an aspiring writer, creates a clear picture of her castle home and her brilliantly bizarre family; genius novelist father James with a case of intense writer's block, sweet, bohemian stepmother Topaz, elder sister Rose and servant boy Stephen.

The novel picks up pace when the wealthy Cotton brothers move from America to their English estate, very close to Cassandra's castle. This sets life into hectic motion for all the family, particularly Cassandra and Rose. As Cassandra chronicles the goings on, she gradually, gracefully grows up. Ultimately, this is a story about the joy and pain of love, particularly when that love is unrequited.

While there are moments when characters behave, well, randomly (why in the world DOES Simon kiss Cassandra?), the book has a quirky, lovable charm and beauty. Cassandra's voice is fresh and unaffected, and the characters and surroundings are finely sketched. A good read for anyone, particularly imaginative teenagers.

This is a really wonderful book for those with a whimsical, romantic, but unconservative bent. Seventeen year old Cassandra, along with her unusual family, lives in a chilly dilapitaded English castle. Though they live in poverty, the strength of their imaginations, wit, and sense of fun, prevents one from feeling their lives are lacking. Many scenes are infused with a subtle otherworldliness, as are some of the characters. The tale is filled with the tricks ones mind can play on itself when in love and even Cassandras sister Rose, so determined to marry her way out of poverty, finds she cannot ignore the real thing when it comes along. Though she tries. Oddly, as a female, I had a lot more empathy for the male characters. Especially the gentle love-sick Stephen. The characters, while not sophisticated, are something finer, more brilliant, and fresh. Nothing new or original is said about love in this story, but it does take the essence of coming of age, longing, and struggle, and infuses it with a pensive magic. To say anything more would deprive one of the delightful details of this wonderful tale.

I knew that the book was good the moment I realized that I was enjoying it -- because the first time I read "I Capture the Castle", I was only ten years old. Furthermore, my mother was forty-five, and she loved it just as much as I did. And, now that I think of it, so did my grandmother (sixty-eight, I believe).

"I Capture the Castle" is an amazing novel set in the thirties, near the town of Godsend, somewhere in England. The book is told in the form of a journal; seventeen-year-old Cassandra Mortmain, whose best poem was written on top of the henhouse (and it wasn't a good one at that), has finally given up on rhyme and meter, and has decided that the best way to train herself into "good writer" position would be to keep a journal in her own very unique shorthand.

Cassandra, her broody father, her eccentric stepmother Topaz, her older sister Rose, her younger brother Thomas, and Stephen (who helps with the gardening and things) all live in a large house -- well, mostly castle, but a bit house as well -- with very little money and not much hope ... until two strangers show up at their door after their car has been stuck in the mud, claiming to have seen some spirits dancing around atop the battlements.

Smith's style is whimsical at times, dead serious at others, but all the time managing to capture the reader's attention, as she captures the castle.

Phantom Tollbooth Written By Norton Juster Reviewed by Adam

Milo is a kid with no opinion about anything. He never likes what he is doing, but sees no point in doing anything else. As he says, "It seems to me that almost everything is a waste of time. There's nothing for me to do, nowhere I'd care to go, and hardly anything worth seeing." One day he receives a strange package containing one genuine tollbooth, one set of instructions, and one road map. Expecting this to be just a dumb activity, Milo puts the tollbooth together and drives through it in a small electric car. He travels through a strange land to a city called Dictionopolis, on the way picking up the Watch dog Tock, who has a watch for a body. Once in Dictionopolis, Milo, Tock, and their newfound friend the watchdog and the Humbug are caught up in a quest to save the princesses Rhyme and Reason and restore order to the world. On the way he meets strange people like the Whether Man ("for after all it's more important to know whether there will be weather than what the weather will be") and Alec Bings who sees the other side of things and is born in the air and grows down to the ground. Milo and his newfound friends Tock the watchdog and the Humbug are caught up in a quest to save the princesses Rhyme and Reason and restore order to the world.

Norton Juster does a great job making The Phantom Tollbooth enjoyable and humorous. He combines clever puns and real pieces of literature and math to make an extremely interesting story.

" I read [The Phantom Tollbooth] first when I was 10. I still have the book report I wrote, which began 'This is the best book ever.'" --Anna Quindlen, The New York Times

"A classic... Humorous, full of warmth and real invention." --The New Yorker

I rate this book 10/10 stars.

After my first reading of 'The Phantom Tollbooth', it became,and still remains, my favorite young reader book. I wrote two book reports on it for my middle school reading classes. I even received a copy of it as a tenth birthday present. Ever since, I've read it from cover to cover at least once a year.

As a child, I enjoyed reading the strange adventures of a bored Milo embarking on his legendary quest. As an adult, I enjoy the tome's play on words, such as the Whether man ("It's more important to know whether there will be weather, rather than what the weather will be") and the Isle of Conclusions, a place you have to jump to to get there. I also love the book's personifying such abstract concepts as statistics, like the (literally) half a child that Milo meets who's the end result of the average family having 2.58 children. It also has neat takes on people's points of view, like the boy who grows down, rather than up. Needless to say, it's pretty apparent that even though I loved this book as a kid, I appreciate it much more as an adult.

If you remember reading this as a child, I strongly recommend you give it a look again. You'll likely pick up on quite a few things in the story that you might not have gotten the gist of in your youth!

'Late

I read this book when I was nine. Now I am eleven, and it is still a great book to read. I am actually doing a book report on it for school right now! The characters, ecspecially Tock, are great and the book is sarcastically funny. This book is about a forlorn boy who needs some fun and exciting adventures. He drives through the phantom tollbooth and through the lands beyond. But then he gets stuck on a dangerous mission, rescuing Rhyme and Reason. You'll have to read it to find out the rest! I'd recommend this book to anyone with imagination!

An extremely overly imaginative, red-haired, young girl lives with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert in Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. The Cuthberts live in Avonlea in Prince Edward Island, Canada on their farm Green Gables in the early 1900s. Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, who are brother and sister, really wanted a boy from the orphanage, so he could help them with their farm Green Gables, but the lady who worked at the orphanage got their request wrong and brought them a girl instead. This girl is named Anne Shirley. Anne is very dramatic and loves to imagine. Now Anne has to try to be what Marilla wants her to be so that she will become part of the family. But Marilla doesn't like Anne because she is too dramatic, too imaginative, and has a hot temper. Through this book, Anne grows up and Marilla learns to love Anne. Anne has many strange adventures through her years in Avonlea.
Anne Shirley is way too dramatic and imagines too often. She's oblivious of the real world and is very girly. Anne's way of talking is much too exaggerated and is hard to take seriously. Anne sometimes even starts to get annoying because she is always talking as if in a dream, and she won't apologize for wrong-doing. The author's vocabulary is too hard to understand, making the sentences long and hard to read. The book seems to be made more for adults because of the vocabulary. I would not recommend the book Anne of Green Gables for grade school children.

I totally LOVE this book! This is one of my favorite books in the whole world by my absolute FAVORITE author, L.M. Montgomery. Anne Shirley, the delightful, talkative orphan that Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert adopt, is an extraordinary character. She's so full of life that you just can't help loving her. L.M. Montgomery paints a wonderful picture of the small town of Avonlea, in Prince Edward Island, Canada, where the story is set. As Anne gets older and more mature, she also gets wiser and more loving - and lovable. I've read this book at least three times, and it is still one of my absolute favorites. Even though this is classified as a "children's book," adults will love it too, I know. I read it first when I was 9 or 10 years old, then again when I was about 12, and again, just recently (I'm only 14 now). I also think that it would be a wonderful book for moms and dads to read to their children, no matter how old or young they were.

This is one of the best books ever written and the credit goes to spirited Anne (make sure it's spelled with an "e"!) Shirley. It's not often you find such a charming heroine as Anne. ANNE OF GREEN GABLES is the first of a series on this lovable orphan, and it begins with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, a respectable brother and sister, living at Green Gables. They are both growing old and need a boy to help out on the farm. But they got a talkative redhead girl instead. Before they can send her back to the orphanage, Anne has managed to win the hearts of Prince Edward Island with her wit and imagination. She seems to affect everyone around her - from busybody Mrs. Rachel Lynde to handsome Gilbert Blythe. And now, Green Gables will never be the same! . . .

It's not often you find such a spirited and lovable heroine as Anne. Captivating and captivatED, Anne is full of enthusiasm and fun, which gets her into all sorts of scrapes. This book is one that you are guaranteed to laugh over, cry over, and never want to put down! It is an ideal novel that you won't want to pass up! (Even if you don't read the rest of the Anne books, read this!)

(please note that this review concerns only the new publications)
The Chronicles of Narnia are perfect books. They are wonderful for children and adults, and can be read again and again. C. S. Lewis was a brilliant author and theologian, and was competent in what he was doing. I have been reading these books since I was young enough to pick up a book, and I was horrified when I found out they were reprinting them in chronological order! Why have the publishers decided to tamper with the order? reading these books in chronological order spoils all of the surprise and magic out of the first visit to Narnia (in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe), because we already know what's going on. You're not supposed to know about the lightpole or who the professor is yet! Things don't always need to be put in chronological order. If you're going to read them, please read them in the correct order: 1) The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, 2) Prince Caspian, 3)The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 4) The Silver Chair, 5) The Horse and His Boy, 6) The Magician's Nephew, and 7) The Last Battle

Clives Staples Lewis has created a mythical world which absolutely captures the human mind. The Chronicles of Narnia contain exciting plots, which all converge upon each other at the finally of the series: The Last Battle. Through out the books weaves the morals and beliefs of Christianity. These books do a wonder job of telling the story of the Bible, from the instantaneous creation of the world to the death of Aslan (Jesus). The way God cares about every one and desires us to enjoy life through Him, to the last battle and final days at the end of the world (of course Lewis did not know what was going to happen, yet it is still an interesting idea). In one of the best written books of all time, the land of Narnia comes alive with lovable and evil characters. The battle between good and evil is made abruptly apparent in this book as a small country goes through its history fighting for what is right. Light and darkness collide in the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe as four kids explore the land which they will rule. For a time it appears as though the evil side emerges victorious; but it is found that the White Witch as not the ability to peer far enough back into the depths time. This book it one of the most important of the set, because contained in it is the most important message of all time. My father used to read the Chronicles of Narnia to me when I was younger, now I read them on my own. When he did this he stressed, Christianity is having the relationship with God, like the youths had with Aslan. I think these are very well written books and I would encourage any one to read. I uphold C.S. Lewis as a great writer of the centuries and I praise his books (all of them) as magnificant.

There is a modern misconception concerning C.S. Lewis's great children's series, 'The Narnian Chronicles.' Due to changes during modern reprinting (circa 1995), the orignal order of his seven-part series was disrupted to conform to the overall story-line. When the books were written, Mr. Lewis began his series with the classic children's novel, 'The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.' He then went on to write the remaining novels in a non-traditional, non-chronological order: Part two of the Chronicles was 'Prince Caspian.' Next came (3) 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader', (4) 'The Silver Chair', (5) 'The Horse and His Boy', (6)'The Magician's Nephew', and finally, (7)'The Last Battle.' Lewis released his stories in this order, and I urge every reader to follow the original, albeit unconventional, published sequence. It transforms a mere fantasy series into some of the single best children's novels in print. The symbolism of christian themes and morals will rest in the minds of all who read them; giving the reader a taste of hope and the power of true Belief. May Aslan be with you as you and your family travel through the unforgettable land of Narnia.

Like most Roald Dahl books (for me, at least) I thought this was a pretty good book (...), but by only a few years later I've come to really hate it. For a Roald Dahl book Matilda is pretty good-it has an interesting plot, at least.

Unfortunately aside from that I hate it. The characters are all either Mary-Sue's or horrible cardboard villains. Matilda is so annoyingly perfect, she taught herself to read as a baby, soon read the kids section of the library, is a complete genius, quite nice, and has telekinesis. Miss Honey, her teacher, is annoyingly sweet and smart. Headmistress Trunchbull and Matilda's parents are ridiculously mean with no attempt whatsoever to make them human and realistic, and no one bothers to explain why Trunchbull got her job or wasn't arrested for her horribleness. And the little humor it has is all dark.

(...)

I'm 15, and I still love to read Roald Dahl, namely, Matilda. Matilda ranks in my top five favorite books ever, and I have to wonder, how did Dahl do it? In all his books, he creates worlds and characters so far-fetched that to make them make sense in our messed up world today, is something not many authors can claim.

Matilda is the story of a neglected girl, with easily the two most rotten parents in the history of literature (Rivaled only by the Dursleys of Harry Potter). She has amazing intellectual skill. She's only, what, five or six, and can tell you what 14 times 396 is two seconds after you ask it. She's reading books by Charles Dickens as well. But, because her parents are nitiwts (Or, in tribute to Dahl, Twits) she goes unnoticed. So she plots revenge in hilarious ways. She dyes her fathers hair platinum blond, glues his hat to his head, and fakes a ghost in the house.

Then comes payback on Matilda in the most terrible school. She is enrolled in Cruncham Hall, a bleak, dark academy run by *Duh Duh Duh* Miss. Truncball, who was in the Olympics for Shot Put and javelin. Hmm...Thats scary enough right there. Her policy is "A school with no children is the best kind of school" She uses kids for throwing pratice. She hangs them upside down, the throws them over spiked fences, she locks them in the chokey, which is a small chamber, about a foot wide, and nails, glass, and other sharp objects so you can't lean, sit or move.

Anyway, she develops psychic powers to fight back against the tyranny of Mrs. Trunchball, and along with her friends help and her wonderful Teacher, Miss Honey, she wins.

Without a doubt, one of Dahl's best books, if not the best

The book is about the little girl Matilda. She's about five years old. Her family doesn't care much about her, they mostly care about money, the TV and bingo. Matilda is very talented, she can read already and she loves it. Her first day at school her teacher, Miss Honey, notices that Matilda is very talented. She goes to the Headmistress to ask if Matilda can jump to the final grade. But Miss Trunchbull (the headmistress), who doesn't like children, doesn't believe Miss Honey.

I don't want to reveal all of it but the bok is about the "war" against the Trunchbull, because nobody likes her. I think it is a nice end to the book anyway.

It wasn't too hard to read the book because it is a children's book. It is easy and fun language. The characters are also funny. Like the father who is selling broken cars, the platinum blonde mother and the Trunchbull, who hates children and usually swing girls by their pigtails above her head and then throws them out the window.

It is a good book and well worth reading.