literature

When I first sat down with the book, I thought that I possibly had accidentally picked up the wrong book. It was a little confusing at first because I thought it was going to be just like the movie. (I had already seen the movie.) But then it got easier once I realized that it wasn't at all like the movie. I mean, the story was the same, but the tone was different and you got a better understanding of The Black in the book than in the movie. You could picture the wild, vicious heart of the stallion. When Alec rode the Black, you got a picture of what is was like to be on top of such a horse and you felt like you were right there riding him beside Alec.

Overall, I loved the book and I hope that someone else will read the book. Horselovers, you should read it too! I highly recommend it!

A most intriguing book, The Black Stallion, always kept me glued to each page. It still does when I flip through the pages of my favorite horse story.
When the Drake goes down on the ocean, Alec and the black horse are the only survivors. They both make it to a uninhabited island and are stranded there to fend for themselves. During that time on the island, Alec slowly begins to gain the wild stallion's trust. A friendship grows between the Black and Alec and when they finally are resuced from the island, the two are inseparable.
That is only the beginning of the story. The rest will take Alec, the Black and all readers on an exciting adventure that one will not soon forget.
The Black Stallion is a book that everyone should read. Do not forget the rest of the series, including the Island Stallion series, which are intricately intertwined with the Black Stallion books.
The Black Stallion is a classic and should not be overlooked. A MUST for all horse lovers! And a MUST for all!

This book is spetacular!!! Its one of the greatest books I have read in years. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put the book down. It was about a young boy, named Alec, who finds himself and a black horse to be the only survivors of a shipwreck. Alec soon learns that he owe his life to this black horse whom saved his life, by dragging him to an island. They soon learn they must depend on each other in order to survive on the island, and because of Alec's love for horses, he learns how to become the horse's friend and he starts a type of speacial bond between the horse and himself.

One of my reasons why I liked this book is, because it always gives me that feeling of whats going to happen next. Its just that the book is so full of excitment. Every time Alec rides the black horse, the author makes it seem that Alec is always risking his life. Every once in a while the author, Walter Farley, would write an event where it seems Alec could loss his life. Such as this, "A few minutes later Henry and Jake ran up to them, and Alec weakly climbed down from the saddle. Henry took the reins- they were sticky and wet with blood."

Another reason why I liked this book is, it has just the right level of vocabulary. Sometimes when you choose a book and it turns out to be something a little too easy or a little too hard, that you can't understand what the book is really talking about. Such as this sentence, "The next day Alec set out to obtain more of the carragheen" or this sentence, "he remebered the deep gully that was there.

My most favorite part of this book was, when Alec and the black horse gets rescued from the island they were stranded on, and when Alec finally gets to see his family for the first time in many months. The reason why I like this part is, it's full of happiness. Alec had never seen his family in about five months, and he thought that he was going to die on that island with the horse.

Dry, Up, with a Twist boldly goes where no book has ever gone before and exposes the harsh truth behind fine dining. I personally work in one of the city's nicer restaurants and everything that John talked about I have been through personally or one of my close co-workers has experience a similar situation. I have also had the pleasure to meet John in real life and he is an amazing human being. His book is awesome but it doesn't do him justice as far as how truly great he is. This book should be read by ALL people so they know what food service people go through day in and day out...and to those of you out there who are mean or rude to servers or tip poorly...know this...we are in COMPLETE control of your digestive tract!

I loved this book, "Dry, Up, With a Twist". I learned so much about the do's and don't when eating at a fine restaurant. I felt embarrassed when I thought about some of the things I have done and some of the things I have not. For example, I always order a Gin & Tonic and say "with a twist". How was I to know that I need to trust my bartender? This book was about the patrons who expected to be waited on and about the waiters and their expectations. This is a true story and the characters are very real. Oh my -- who would have thought? I was amazed. I wonder if John Galloway, the author, is even halfway normal after working with and waiting on all these people. I love John Galloway. You get to know him quite well. I immediately picked up on his sensitive and caring nature towards people and found it very appealing. He is extremely witty and quite descriptive of the characters in his book. This is a wonderful book to read for anyone who dines out; you'll never be the same again.

John Galloway, Jr. has led an incredible life in the business of fine dining... He has brought that journey to life in his book Dry, Up, with a Twist. The stage is set by his autobiographical story, where he speaks of the personal tragedy and victory which lead to his career in the food service industry.

John then leads us through the characters, personalities and celebraties he has befriended and served in his travels. He tells the story of life as a waiter from a very open an honest point of view, sparing no words and no one. This book is a must read if you want to know how to "get in touch" with your server and enjoy the best dining experience possible.

It is also inspiring to watch as John struggles with tragedy, matures and rises above those around him who settle for their given lot in life. Read it for your self, give it to a friend. It will inspire you as well.

After reading Hansen's Motoring with Mohammed, I vowed to read everything and anything he writes or has written. So I had to read Orchid Fever (don't get it confused with Orchid Thief), a novel about greed, thievery, skullduggery, incomprehensible gov't regulations, and an underworld of orchid fanciers/growers that rivals the drug trade. Populated with eccentric characters and devoted fanatics, Orchid Fever makes for fascinating reading.

This delightful book charmed me from the first and kept me reading in amazement until the end. More bizarre than the most irreverant satire, Orchid Fever examines the incredible characters, situations and locales that make up the world of orchids. You don't need to know a thing about plants to enjoy this book, for it is the people and places Eric Hansen describes that makes for a fascinating read.

Eric Hansen's Orchid Fever is a quick, breezy and highly entertaining read. I just picked up a copy at one of the Orchid Gardens mentioned in the book, and will never look at the place the same way again. As with any avocation that stirs passion, the world of orchids has produced as many oddball varieties of aficionados as there are varieties of orchids. Hnasen brings them all wonderfully to life and you feel like a friend to many of them (except for the CITES nazis). Being relatively new to the orchid world I was able to appreciate the references to certain species, but by no means do you have to grow or even like orchids to love the book. I read the book in a day and my thoughts today have drifted to wondering about the characters that I had met, such as Xavier in Paris and the Harley-riding guys in the States that have been infected by the Orchid Fever.
The book wraps up with a heartwarming tale of Tom Nelson in Minnesota, slogging through blackfly and mosquito infested roadside ditches to save native plants from destruction. Not out of money but because it is the right and noble thing to do. It is people like him that give a glimmer of hope in a world that can often cause despair. Eric Hansen's book also serves the same purpose and I highly recommend it!

Ten-year-old Emily Starr always felt that she had the most wonderful life. She never felt lonely, as she was blessed enough to live with her beloved Father, her adored cats, Saucy Sal, and Mike, and a collection of fine books for her to read at anytime. It didn't even bother her to have Ellen, her somewhat wicked housekeeper around. But in one quick instant Emily's life is suddenly turned upside down. After having a fine life she receives the news that her Father is dying, and when he does finally pass, 10-year-old Emily is left an orphan, and is suddenly forced to move to New Moon Farm with her mean Aunt Elizabeth, who makes her choose only one of her beloved cats to accompany her during the move. Emily's only solace from her depression of her Father's death, and dealing with her stern Aunt are the new friends she makes: Ilse, a tomboy with an extreme temper; Teddy, a fantastic artist; and Perry, also a newcomer to school, who has sailed all over the world with his Father. Soon, thanks to her new adventures and friends, Emily realizes that New Moon isn't that bad at all, and maybe, just maybe, she'll be able to think of herself as Emily of New Moon.

This is my second L.M. Montgomery novel, and I was very pleased by the outcome of it. Emily is a strong-willed, hard-headed character, with a sense of adventure, whom stands up for everything, and everyone, that she believes in. Her Aunt is an exciting character, even though she is a bit cruel, and her friends are three people whom the reader longs to know and be friends with in reality. The descriptions are so vivid, realistic, and beautiful that you actually feel as if you are with Emily, running along the trails and through the gardens of New Moon. A must-have book for all fans of novels with a bit of history tucked into them.

Erika Sorocco

Since I was a little girl, I have been a devoted fan of Lucy Maud Montgomery and all she has written. I read Anne of Green Gables with enthuasiasm, and gratefully snatched up Emily of New Moon when it was offered. Emily of New Moon is a wonderful book for certain people of all ages. This is so because the book is chocked full of everything wonderful from the world as viewed by a child of one hundred years ago--if your reading style does not allow for whimsy and delight, I do not suggest it. However, I, as have many other little girls of past and present, slowly grew up right along with Emily, and part of what I am is thanks to Montgomery and her wonderful and inspiring characters. Even now, far past the "reading level" posted in Montgomery's books, and especially the Emily books, I read them over and over; each time, finding something new and wonderful to read back on!

After finishing Anne of Green Gables, I decided to pick up another L. M. Montgomery book. I was all set to pick up another Anne book, but then I found Emily of New Moon. I decided to try this book, to see if L. M. Montgomery could capture the beauty of words in another novel. She did.

Emily of New Moon tells the story of young Emily Byrd Starr, who is left an orphan at the tender age of eleven. Her mother's family draws lots to decide who should take Emily in, and the lot fell to the Murrays of New Moon. Stern Aunt Elizabeth, loving Aunt Laura, and simple Cousin Jimmy brought Emily to New Moon Farm, where she had all sorts of adventures and basically just learned the lessons of life. Emily is a young heroine who many can relate to.

L. M. Montgomery has written another beautiful novel. Emily's character is well-developed and lifelike, and New Moon seemed just like a real place to me. For anyone who is looking for a real piece of literature, Emily of New Moon or any of L. M. Montgomery's other works are the books for you!

I checked this book out of the library dozens of times as a child. The stories and intrigue of the Greek pantheon, combined with the outstanding illustrations, make this book a must-read for any child (or adult) with more than a passing interest in history, or religion or mythology. To this day, not having seen the book in nearly 20 years, I can recall vividly the illustration of Argus with his hundred eyes, standing in Hera's chamber. Or Athena, springing fully formed from Zeus' head. Another thing I like is that the authors didn't sugarcoat any of the Greek myths, which were as red in tooth and claw as Nature herself. To me, that would have destroyed the impact and power of these stories. This book is truly a classic of kids' literature.

When I was in elementary school I found this book at the library. I loved it so much that I did not want to return it. Finally, after several months of renewals, my parents bought the paperback version for me. It was one of my most treasured--and worn out--books that I owned.

What made me fall in love the book was the beautiful, large colorful pictures; the easy introduction of the many Greek gods (to a child with no background in the stories); and, of course, the myths themselves. They were wonderful stories and will pull in readers of all ages.

The book inspired me to read more books on Greek mythology--Edith Hamilton, for instance--and Norse myths (the D'Aularies wrote a book on Norse gods that is unfortunately still out of print) and Asian folktakes when I was still in grade school. In college, however, I learned that the myths in this book had gone through a bit of sanitization, but the book is still terrific. I haven't found another children's book that treats Greek mythology so entertainingly and with such colorful, rich, and engaging pictures.

This book is one that will keep giving even when the child becomes an adult. When I went to college and was assigned other Greek and Roman poems, plays, and literature, I would be reminded the pictures and the myths found in this book. It would bring back wonderful memories, and in turn, made reading ancient literature enjoyable rather than onerous. To this day, I still remember all of the myths and gods that are in this book, and it (oddly) adds warm memories to my academic reading!

My parents recently bought the hardcopy edition of the book for me for Christmas. It was the best gift I have received in years!

It is simply a wonderful book!

A rare gem in the science fiction/fantasy genre, this series has a female heroine, Lyra. We follow Lyra throughout the series as she encounters intense mysteries and drama. Although this is a fantasy book series, it is superbly written and is excellent in making the reader become so engrossed that they nearly forget where they are.

I would use these books with high school, reluctant reader girls, since it's an excellent story about a girl who saves the world. They would learn from this book that girls are also craft, witty, and brilliant. Another group that I would recommend this series to are advanced high school readers as I believe these books have direct references to Paradise Lost and also make general remarks on religion. In fact by the final book, your idea of religion is completely obscured. I think it would be interesting for them to do a compare/contrast with Paradise lost of perhaps how the series develops a theme of religion.

9. D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths by Ingri D'Aulaires and Edgar Parin D'Aulaires
Copyright 1980, Bantam Doubleday Dell
Great book to build a reading unit around
One of the major things that was lacking in my education through college, was any sort of introduction to Greek Mythology. Although we seem to now steer clear of any kind of old literature ("dead white men"), I believe Greek Mythology is an important part of a person's reading repertoire. There have been many situations (not to mention Jeopardy questions) where I'm at a complete loss because I never learned Greek Mythology. My friend recently introduced me to this book, claiming his copy was so worn out from repetitive readings his parents provided him and his brothers. What an excellent find this book is!

I would use this book in the classroom and read these aloud to the students. I believe it would be a great idea to have a Greek Mythology unit where we use this book as our base reading, and have the kids explore other Greek Mythology books. I think children at first will think Greek Mythology is boring, yet they would soon find out that it is all around them. They could have a good time finding things in their neighborhoods that relate like street names, restaurant names, etc. and perhaps write some report on their findings.

Lewis shows enormous honesty and courage as he writes in this little book, a journal expressing his grief, about his faltering faith in God after the loss of his cherished wife. Despite his lifelong career as a writer of the truth of Christian faith, in this journal he expresses doubt about the very existence of a God who would wickedly deprive him of the greatest gift of his life, his wife. But as the months pass after her death, and Lewis further examines himself, he begins to appreciate the degree of personal selfishness wrapped up in his grief, and in his raging at God. As a result, towards the end of the journal he reestablishes his faith in a much more deeply rooted way. For me, this little book was a cautionary tale. It illustrated how easy it is to have a faith that is not a faith, but rather a mere deception, a contruct made of intellectual effort. When the forces that hold up the construct are taken away, such as what happened to Lewis with the loss of his wife, the intellectual faith will vanish. It is only then that real faith can take root. For faith, to be real, can depend upon nothing but the faith itself: a faith in Jesus. God does us an eternal favor when he takes from us those things we would cling to that are other than Himself.

This work chronicles Lewis' struggle to come to terms with the death of his wife. Because it comes from his private journals, it may not seem as "polished" as some of his other writings. Personally, I appreciate the way it reveals the innerworkings of a very emotional and private man.

In contrast to many works, this book doesn't try to simplify grief, justify it, or dance around the issue with pat observations or cheery reminders. Instead, it dares to question those very tactics. Lewis allows himself to feel a broad range of emotions, including doubt and great despair. I love this quality in Lewis: he is one of the few Chrisitian writers who is brutally honest about his fears and anger. His writings allow that God is big enough to handle our toughest questions.

This little book is full of images and ideas that will stay with you long after you've finished it. Lewis takes feelings that you can't quite pinpoint and eloquently puts them into words. As I read the book, I kept thinking to myself "Yes, THAT'S what I feel too!" Misery does love company, and Lewis is excellent company.

As usual, Lewis is full of astute observations and points to ponder, but don't expect a bunch of clean and pretty answers. At the end, his grief is still very much a work in progress, which is definitely how it has been in my life....a journey.

For years I've taught this book in an Introduction to Philosophy course, and my admiration for it increases each time. It's a brutally honest testament in which CSL takes a hard look at his own basic assumptions about life, love, God, Christianity, the world, human relationships.

Prior to the horrific trauma chronicled in this book (the loss of his wife), CSL had been what I'd call a puglistic Christian. His apologetic writings tended (although not exclusively so) to be a bit heavy-handed and simplistic. Take, for example, his early _The Problem of Pain_. In that book, CSL offers the standard philosophical arguments that attempt to show that the existence of a loving God is compatible with innocent suffering. But he seems to have no feel for the tragedy of suffering. It's a bookish exercise for him, and his ultimate goal is to win an argument. Many of his books are like that.

But not _A Grief Observed_. Here, for the first time in his published work, CSL comes face to face with a realworld (as opposed to bookish) situation that causes him to reexamine his earlier, perhaps too easy, too glib, Christian faith. His reflections about the terrible silence of God, the awfulness of loneliness, the feeling of betrayal, the ultimate reawakening of the sense that perhaps he isn't adrift in an indifferent universe: all of these are utterly authentic, and as such go far beyond his earlier work.

CSL's faith after his wife's death is one tempered with the hard realization that a great deal of the tragedy and suffering in life can't be glibly explained away. His relation with God is more dependent, more childlike, than it was earlier. CSL doesn't emerge victorious from the dark night of the soul he chronicles in this memoir. He emerges broken, but his very brokenness makes his relationship with God more genuine. And that's a lesson for us all to reflect on. It makes CSL an utterly lovable man, and it reminds all of us of the perils of taking God for granted.

This book is not a novel. It is an unusually constructed history in three volumes, written by a word-class writer. It is a heavy read. In this volume, Solzhenitsyn describes arrests, interrogations, tortures, trials, prisons, and methods of transporatation from the prisons to the labour camps. He gives a brief history of the genesis of Gulag, its principles and its expansion, in the chapter "A Brief History of Our Sewage Disposal System." Solzhenitysn marshalls an impressive range of facts and first hand anecdotes in addition to his own experiences, usually relating them in a straightforward manner, sometimes with bitter, vicious sarcasm, sometimes with passionate anger. The book is an astounding achievement, especially when one considers that he wrote it in sections, hiding each as it was completed; he was never able to refer back to what he had previously written, yet I noticed no repetitions. The book is an astounding achievement, immensely powerful, but very depressing, sometimes heart-breaking. Nonetheless, anyone who wishes to be well-informed in general, or about history in particular, must read it.

It is very interesting to compare The Gulag Archipelago, the true story of a horrible and real dystopia, with George Orwell's 1984, the story of an imaginary dystopia, or Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, another imaginary dystopia.

The difference between Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's book and the others is his more convincing, more concrete detail. Solzhenitsyn describes the gritty details of the arrests, tortures, kangaroo court trials and murders or imprisonments that the Communist Party of the Soviet Union inflicted on countless millions of people while Lenin or Stalin were in power. He gives exact details about the coarse criminality and ingenious cruelty of Communist prison officials whom he watched while he was in prison. He also weighed and sifted evidence that he gathered from other prisoners and he reports it here.

Solzhenitsyn entered prison a convinced Marxist. He gradually lost his Communist faith only after many years of physical and emotional abuse by other Marxists. The hope of a free lunch in a Communist paradise dies hard.

Review by Mike, Age 13

Solzhenitsyn does an excellent job of retelling the story of the atrocities of the Soviet Union. The Gulag Archipelago is a disturbing account of what happened inside the Gulag prisons. This is an account about the things hidden from the public and the things the Marxists wanted to keep hidden. And how he gave a first person account of prison life, well that was just amazing! His vivid descriptions about the kinds of arrests that took place I thought was very interesting and an amazing brainchild of a distorted Soviet Union!

How Stalin could turn an innocent gesture of two long lost friends being reunited into an arrest is beyond me. The Gulag Archipelago is an excellent book that unveiled an entirely new side of the Soviet Union and its perverted system of justice. It's a great book for historians and World War II buffs, or even if you are trying to find out more about the Soviet Union. The Gulag Archipelago is quite possibly one of the best books I've ever read! I would recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in the Soviet Union. (Content will be confusing for younger readers.)

One of Vonnegut's best-layed out novels, "Mother Night" was a world apart from what he had written before. Not to say that "Sirens of Titan" wasn't fantastic; it is probably, in the end, the better book. But here Vonnegut went beyond his substantial imagination to begin to broach two subjects which have haunted him throughout the rest of his career: the horrors of war and the fakeness of most people. Here, his hero spends time as an German immigrant spying for America by reading Nazi propaganda over the radio. His pre-inserted stutters and coughs are really secret messages, but nobody knows that. Indeed, after the war he finds himself a fugitive, and the book asks us to decide which is more important: His helping the Americans or making the Nazis believe in their cause. A fascinating book with lots of surprises, it began a cycle for Vonnegut which would combine harsh reality with an other-wordly imagination, all topped off with black humor. A fantastic recipe

To the best of my knowledge, there really is no other writer quite like Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. Mother Night appears to be a rather straightforward, albeit quirky, novel at first glance, but as one delves down into the heart of Vonnegut's prose one finds grounds for contemplation of some of life's most serious issues. This novel is the first-hand account of Howard Campbell, Jr., a most remarkable character. Campbell is an American-born citizen who moved to Germany as a child and became the English-speaking radio mouthpiece for Nazi Germany during World War II. In the fifteen years since the end of the war, he has been living an almost invisible life in a New York City attic apartment. He misses his German wife Helga who died in the war, sometimes thinks about his pre-war life as a successful writer of plays and poems, and perhaps just waits for history to find him once again. As we begin the novel, he has been found and is writing this account from a jail cell in Israel, awaiting trial for his crimes against humanity. While he is reviled by almost everyone on earth as an American Nazi traitor, the truth is that he was actually an agent working for the American government during the war; this is a truth he cannot prove, though. Thus, in this 1961 novel, the hero is ostensibly a Nazi war criminal.

The primary moral of Mother Night, Vonnegut tells us in his introduction, is that "we are what we pretend to be" and should thus be pretty darned careful about what we are pretending to be (a secondary moral being the less enlightening statement "when you're dead, you're dead"). In the eyes of the entire world, Campbell is exactly what he pretended to be during the war, a traitorous Nazi purveyor of propaganda who mocked and demoralized allied troops as well as regular citizens. Internally, Campbell hardly knows what he is anymore; he claims no country, no political values, wanting only to live in a "nation of two" with his beloved wife Helga once again. A series of significant events forces Campbell out of the cocoon of his past fifteen years, and his thoughts and actions along the way provide big juicy morsels of food for thought: taking personal responsibility for one's actions, the harsh truths of war and peace, the sometimes vast differences between truth and fact, individual redemption before self and society, finding direction and a purpose in a world gone mad, etc. Vonnegut's scythe-like dark humor cuts deeper than mere satire, aiming directly at some of the darker sections of the human heart, areas which most individuals too often ignore or refuse to acknowledge. The gallows humor can be quite funny on the surface, but it is in actuality a scalpel which Vonnegut wields to open up the heart and soul of the reader for self-examination. Mother's Night, the title of which is taken from Goethe's Faust, is a relatively short but very powerful novel.

I just finished re-reading this book, and it was even better the second time around. This book is mostly about plot and morales, and less about charcters, although our main charcter is quite interesting. Jaded by the war, he has nothing to do with the rest of his life but hide. I dont want to give away any plot points, but the moral of the story is clear and brilliant "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be" But towards the end of the book, as Campbell is giving to the man who hate him, he says "Where's evil? Its the large part of very man that wants to hate without limit, that wants to hate with God on its side". Thats why i read Vonnegut.

I read this book and thought is was cute, funny, and a great read! The charecters are: Mr. Popper, a man very interested in the arctic, Mrs. Popper who is his wife, thier children Janie and Bill, the 12 penguins, Mr. Greenbuam who owns a theater, and Admiral Drake who is an arctic explorer. Mr. Popper is sent a penguin by Admiral Drake. When the penguin gets sick the aquarium sends Mr. Popper a girl penguin, and, naturally the 2 have babies.The Poppers cannot affford the penguins, so Mr. Popper decides to let them perform on stage. Mr. Greenbaum lets them use his stage, and the family gets richer and richer. At the end Admiral Drake comes and asks Mr. Popper if he would like to take the performing penguins and himself to the South Pole for 2 years. Mr. Popper says yes. I hope you read this book because it is wonderful.

My Grade 4 students gobble up this book! I include it in several " thematic literature kits": animal stories, award winners, and humourous stories. Reluctant readers are especially attracted to it, as it isn't difficult to read independently. It really grabs their attention and makes them laugh out loud. Even slow readers work hard to make their way through this novel.

Kids especially love all the penguins, their hilarious antics, and the bizarre trouble they get into.

It's also full of very interesting knowledge. We delve a little into history, getting a glimpse of life in the 1930's. We learn some geography, about exploration of the Arctic and Antarctic. And we certainly learn about penguins!

Written in the 1930's, this book has become a classic that hasn't lost any of its appeal for kids today. I've never seen a kid who didn't love it!

Mr. Popper's Penguins By: Richard and Florence Atwater

Mr. Popper lived with his wife and two children, Janie and Bill.
Mr. Popper was a house painter and only worked spring-winter. Mr. Popper enjoyed reading books about Arctic life (mostly penguins). One day Mr. Popper received a penguin from the Arctic explorer Admiral Drake. Mr. Popper named his penguin Captain Cook. One day Captain Cook looked very sick and lonely. Mr. Popper called an aquarium and they sent another penguin named Greta. Soon Captain Cook and Greta had a family of their own. Now there were 12 penguins. The Poppers were short on money so they trained the penguins to do tricks. Soon the performing Popper penguins became famous.
The main characters of this book are: Mr. Popper, Mrs. Popper, Captain Cook, Greta, Janie and Bill. Mr. Popper is a house painter that enjoys reading about Arctic life. Captain Cook is a kind penguin that doesn't cause much trouble.
This book mostly takes place in the town of Stillwater. The genre of this book is kind of realistic fiction. What surprised me is the end, because the name of the chapter seemed melancholy but ended up being something different.
What the author did well is naming the chapters. They were good descriptions of what happens. I think the author's style was kind of humorous. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes to read about penguins.

(...)

I found this novel unbelievably trite and packed with propaganda- about how awful Germany was, how righteous Canada/England/Europe was, etc. The truth is that WWI came about by a series of dipomatic missteps- and unfortunate ones. Germany may have been 'more wrong' than England, but it was certainly not the great evil that L.M. Montgomery portrays it as.

The book IS useful to a historian or student of history who wishes to see how World War II affected those on the 'home front' in day to day life. It is also useful for the numerous little details LM Montgomery is a expert at supplying- the way food was prepared, the way children were raised- the way girls 'came of age' and had their debut at age 17 or so. It provides a tantalizing glimpse into a much simpler and vanished world, one where life did seem much more black and white. Now we know that war is not such a matter of good vs. evil- there are two sides to every story. World War II was a direct result of the conditions inflicted upon Germany after World War I- if only LM Mongomery could have known.

By far, I feel that this is my favorite of the Anne of Green Gables series. I truly loved this book. Rilla Blythe is, at the beginning of the story, a vain and naive young girl, but by the end of the book she seemed to blossom into a sensitive, unselfish young woman. She is strong despite the cruelty of the war and the loss of her beloved brother, Walter. When Walter died, L.M. Montgomery painted the feelings of the characters so vividly that I shed a few tears along with his family and friends and with the one young woman who loved him, but was too shy to let him know...and lost him "somewhere in France." I had learned to grow fond of Walter, and I was very sad to see him go. All in all, this book is a very heartwarming, loving, classic book that I found very enjoyable. In the preceeding 7 "Anne" books, the scenery and way of life on P.E.I seemed calm and perfect.....but in Rilla of Ingleside, L.M. Montgomery lets us know that perfection can be spoiled and our lives could be waken up with a jolt, although at times not a very pleasant one. For anyone who is a fan of L.M. Montgomery and of Anne Shirley, her family and friends, I would recommend reading this book. It is a treasure.

I've read this book more times than I can count, and every time I read it I like it better than before. It is the best book that was ever written. Although it's a bit embarrassing to admit, I cried when Walter died. It may sound silly to cry over a fictional character, but I feel like all the characters L. M. Montgomery created are a part of me. The only books I've ever cried over are L. M. Montgomery books, but that's because they're the only books that are worth crying over. L. M. Montgemery knows when to insert tragedy or happiness into one of her books. She knows how people would feel if a loved one dies, or if their living through a war. She knows how to create characters that people, especially young girls, can relate to. She put her heart and soul into every book she ever wrote, and that is why they're so wonderful and so re-readable. You can read her books again and again and not get tired of them or think that they're boring. She knows how people would react to certain events. She knows that real people are not perfect, so her characters shouldn't be either. She knows how to write books that will make people cry, and I do love a book that makes me cry. She knows how to write a book that people will never want to put down. She knows how to write a book that will make people lie awake at night and wonder what will happen next. She knows how to write a book that people will write a review like this over. She knows how to write a book that will make people laugh and cry at the same time. She knows how to make people that are in bad moods read a few pages of one of her books and feel happy again. She knows not to write a book too long, too short, too sad, too happy, or too anything. She knows how to write a book that people will love and re-read over and over again. She knows how to write a book that will someday become someone's favorite book. She knows how to write a book everyone will love and cherish forever. She knows how to write a book that words can never describe. She knows how to write a truly good book. The only thing left to say about Rilla of Ingleside is that I love it and it is most definitely my very favorite book.