Synopsis:

"I have to have that horse. And I''ll do whatever it takes to get her."
12 year old Winnie Willis loves horses - just like her mother did. But since her mom died two years ago, Winnie, her sister, Lizzy, and her father have moved five times. Winnie never cared much - until now. She has a chance to buy the horse of her dreams at an upcoming auction - but how will she ever earn enough money? More importantly, how can she possibly convince her dad not to move them to another town... again?

My Review:

This is the story of Winnie and her love for horses which blossoms into a possible career of gentling horses. Written in the first person, you know Winnie's feelings, sorrows, and joys as she learns to become a young 'horse gentler' woman of God.




Age Stamp:




Pros:

This series demonstrates a girl growing in faith, and learning to trust God for what she desires. It is also very educational when it comes to horses, their care, riding, etc. There is the occaisonal sense of humour, learning how to make friends, and showing love to your family.

Cons:

Winnie can be a little headstrong, and at times even a bit rude to her father. The main con I think, especially for younger readers is the school's debate on abortion, which I think is a topic better suited to older children. (This event happens in a later book in the series) There is a little bit of 'hippy' talk from the oddball character in it.

Publisher Info, Other Versions, Series Titles & School Curriculum:

This series is published by Tyndale House Publishers, (c) 2003. There are two versions of this series, one has a wooden frame around the photo, the other the photo takes up the whole cover. (the photo remains the same) These books are not a part of any curriculum to my knowledge.

Titles:

Wild Thing
Eager Star
Bold Beauty
Midnight Mystery
Unhappy Appy
Gift Horse
Friendly Foal
Buckskin Bandit

My Ratings:

Violence: [#]
Fear Factor:
Romance: <3
Language:
Christian: (yes)
Mature Themes: X X
My Rating: ***

Synopsis:

A compelling story of adventure, romance and intrigue, set in ancient Egypt.
Mara is a proud and beautiful slave girl who yearns for freedom. In order to gain it, she finds herself playing the dangerous role of double spy for two arch enemies - each of whom supports a contender for the throne of Egypt.
Against her will, Mara finds herself falling in love with one of her masters, the noble Sheftu, and she starts to believe in his plans of restoring Thutmose III to the throne. But just when Mara is ready to offer Sheftu her help and her heart, her duplicity is discovered and a bettle ensues in which both Mara's life and the fate of Egypt are at stake.

My Review:

This is a thrilling mystery, love story, and historic event all rolled into one. The characters are so real and easy to relate to, and the dialogue interesting. The scenery description is beautiful, and a lot of Egyptian history is learned from reading it.

Age Stamp:



Pros:

The story of Mara is one full of quick wit and ingeniousness. She is brave, and courageous as well as inquisitive, which sometimes gets her in trouble. The story is adventures, with tales of treasure and fortune, and it promotes aiming high and achieving your goals.

Cons:

They describe swearing in the book in some places, but the words are never actually spoken. The characters of the book also believe in all ancient Egyptian gods. There is some romance in the book, and a bit of flirting. There is a bit of violence, and killing in it, whilst they are raiding a pyramid, but I believe it is quite mild.

Publisher Info, Other Versions, Series Titles & School Curriculum:
The book is published by "Puffin Classics". Book is (c) 1981. It is not part of a series. This book is part of the Sonlight curriculum. Sonlight recommends this for ages 11-13, grades 6-8, Cores 6 & 7.


My Ratings (10 being how much):

Violence: [#] [#] [#] [#]
Fear Factor: @ @
Romance: <3 <3 <3
Language: [!] Mainly using egyptian gods
Christian: (no)
Mature Themes: X
My Rating: * * * * *

 Synopsis:

Will is small for his age, but fast and quick-witted. All his life, he has dreamed of becoming a great knight like the father he never knew, so he is devasted when he is rejected by Castle Redmont's Battleschool. Instead he is apprenticed to Halt, the mysterious Ranger whose uncanny ability to move unseen is thought to be the result of black magic. Reluctantly, Will learns to use a Ranger's secret weapons: a bow and arrouw, a mottled cloak and a stubborn little pny. It may not be the sword and battlehorse he longs for, but when Will and Halt set out on a desperate mission to prevent the assassination of the King, Will finds that a Ranger's weapons are not so useless after all...


My Review:

I think this series of eight books- so far- has a well written story line, and is fraught with danger, peril, and a LOT of humour! I enjoyed them very much and the characters are very real, easy to like and relate to. My brothers cannot put them down. For children who like action, intelligence, medieval ages and a variety of weapons, you can't go past this series!

Age Stamp:





Pros:

This series promotes friendship, loyalty, courage and strength. There is a good sense of what is right and wrong, and the main characters enforce righteousness in whatever adventure they're on. Although the synopsis mentions black magic, there is no real sorcery, witches, or wizards in the book. There is also a great deal of humour in them, and I found myself laughing out loud in some places! From an educational side of view, there is a lot of knowledge to be gained about castles, seige weapons, and people of the period.

Cons:

There is some infrequent mild language in them, mostly 'd*mmit' or 'd*mn', and also taking God's name in vain in a few areas. Since there are a lot of battles fought in the series, there is also some gore and death in the books, but believe them to be tastefully done, and with respect. There is also a hint of romance as the books progress, but again I think it is written with finesse. The books have an awareness of God, but they are not Christian.

Publisher Info, Other Versions, Series Titles & Curriculum:

The books are published in the UK, US and Australia. The Australian publishers are "Random House Australia", and have only just this year done a reprint, with 4 extra chapters in "The Burning Bridge". The old covers (I believe) were not as good. These are (c) 2009, and are not a part of any curriculum.

1. The Ruins of Gorlan
2. The Burning Bridge
3. The Icebound Land
4. Oakleaf Bearers (Published as "The Battle for Skandia" in USA)
5. Sorceror in the North
6. The Seige of Macindaw
7. Erak's Ransom
8. The Kings of Clonmel
9. Halt's Peril - out 2nd Nov! -

My Ratings (10 being how much):

Violence: [#] [#] [#] [#] [#]
Fear Factor: @ @ @ it's a bit scary in places for some creatures.
Romance: <3
Language: [!] [!] [!]
Christian: (no)
Mature Themes: X X
My Rating: * * * * *

Synopsis:


For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the forest according to the laws laid down by their powerful ancestors. But the warrior code is threatened, and the ThunderClan cats are in grave danger. The sinister ShadowClan grows stronger every day. Noble warriors are dying - and some deaths are more mysterious than others.
In the midst of this turmoil appears an ordinary house cat named Rusty... who may yet turn out to be the bravest warrior of them all.


My Review:


This is the story of a house cat becoming what the book calls a 'warrior' in a clan of cats. It gives a different spin on nature, and the habits of animals. Very well written, and believable. There is a lot of suspense and action which makes cats and the wild appealing. For a pet loving child, or someone who likes nature, this is a good book choice for them. :-)


Age Stamp:


These books promote bravery, courage, and honesty. There is a colourful scenery in the background of the wild, and a family orientated feel for the book, with cats in their Clans. The book is also a good example of friendship, and the strength to do what you know is right in tough circumstances.


Cons:


There is a few topics covering cats from opposite Clans having 'kits' together, which I believe is a bit unappropriate. The cats also believe that there is a 'StarClan', in the skies, where all the cats go when they die. Dead cats come back to life in the form of dreams in some occaisons, which is a bit weird, and their is a bit of violence in the scene of cat battles. When a cat becomes a leader, they travel to a 'moonstone' to be talked to by the 'StarClan'. It is not an evil sense, but these are just things that I think people may be hesitant to read. There are also medicine cats, who have dreams with StarClan to be guided so they can heal other cats. The first series is rather tolerable in the 'star clan' sense, but as the series progresses, it delves into 'prophesy's' and other 'star' stuff, so I would reccommend only reading the first series.


Publisher info, Other Versions, Series Titles & Curriculum:


The books are published by "Harper Collins Publishers", books are (c) 2003. There are no other versions. There are, however, a few special editions, and seperate series, and also some Manga books. These books are not part of any Homeschool curriculum. They should be read in this order:


The Originals:

1. Into the Wild
2. Fire and Ice
3. Forest of Secrets
4. Rising Storm
5. A Dangerous Path
6. The Darkest Hour

1. Midnight
2. Moonrise
3. Dawn
4. Starlight
5. Twilight
6. Sunset