Eagle Strike (Alex Rider)

Amazon.com

Anthony Horowitz's enormously popular series about the world's premier teenage spy, returns for another round with secret agent Alex Rider fighting ingenious villains and charming every girl he meets. Eagle Strike, Horowitz's fourth fictional foray into the world of British spy agency MI6, starts out calmly enough as Alex and his lovely companion, Miss Sabina Pleasure, vacation with her family in the south of France. But before you can say Goldfinger, Alex spots his old nemesis, renowned assassin Yassen Gregorovich, on the beach. What Alex discovers is a plan so diabolical that it makes all of his previous adventures seem like a stroll in the Queen Mum's garden. Alex must fight to keep Gregorovich from executing the plans of a mysterious and murderous madman--an operation code named "Eagle Strike." He will just have to face down a few minor complications first: a virtual reality game that inflicts real pain; a fleet of Porche 911 GT3-driving hit men; and even a near fatal brush with death aboard the most famous aircraft in the world, Air Force One. But he'll persevere, or his name isn't Rider: Alex Rider. Eagle Strike, like all of the ridiculously fun Alex Rider adventures, is a pure guilty pleasure from start to finish. Even the most reluctant of readers won't be able to resist Alex's Bond-like ingenuity and charisma. Anthony Horowitz is a master of pacing, and as Alex swings from one cliff-hanging chapter to the next, Horowitz proves that you don't have to be Shakespeare to pen a crackerjack plot! --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

Millions adore him. A philanthropist. Anti-drug crusader. Peace activist. And former pop star the likes of which the world has never seen. Sir Damian Cray even has the president's ear. Yet the president's ear is not enough for Damian—he wants more. Such as the president's fingerprints. So he can manipulate computer systems only the President of the United States has access to. So he can launch nuclear missiles. From aboard Air Force One. All in the name of peace.... So what if a few million lives are lost in the process?

Teen spy Alex Rider survives a bullfight, a high-speed bicycle chase through Amsterdam, and even being the target in a human video-game, only to face his most disturbing challenge yet: when the best of intentions are driven by insanity, how do you reason with a madman?

Customer Reviews:

Best book I've ever read.......2007-09-09

Bought this for my very active 12 year old (kiteboarding, surfing, skateboard, video game enthusiast, and musician) who has not been particularly enamored with reading--considers it "not fun" --like going to the dentist. He says he couldn't put it down. Read it in 4 days during the school week. Claims it's the best book he has ever read. Granted, hasn't read many, but getting him to enjoy a book this much is a major victory. He wants me to get all the books in this series.

Great book.......2007-08-23

Great book, non-stop action, hard to put down. The series gets better as it goes. Without a doubt, buy this book.

best in the series!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!@@@@*****%%%.......2007-08-22

I've read all of the Alex Rider books and i think Eagle Strike is the best. This book starts out where Alex is with Sabina on vacation in France. but then, he sees Yassen gregorovitch and 2 other men on a boat, and sees he cant go on with the vacation after Sabina's house house blows up. the policeman say it was a leak, but Alex Knows that Yassen was behind it all. alex gets really mad, and goes to the boat that he saw Yassen on. and when he's in there, he sees Yassen has Sir Damien Cray's privet phone # on it. he also sees a gun there, so he grabs the gun and goes to where Yassen is sleeping and almost pulls the trigger, but one of his men catches him. they deside what to do with him, and the desicion was make him go as a bullfighter. its either that or they shoot him. so alex goes to the bullfighting arena with Yassen's men pointing a pistol at him the whole time to make sure he doesn't leave. but of course alex finds a way out of it. he flies back to london and tries to persued them that he saw Sir Damien Cray's privet # on yassen's phone, and that they're up to no good, but they dont belive him. so alex desides to go alone.
Damien cray is launching a new Video game called the GAMESLAYER thats supposed to be the world's greatest new VG system. and he's laaunching it at hyde park. Alex goes there andDamien Cray asks if there is any teens there and someone pches him up face-to-face with DC. He maks alex trie the gameslayer and alex is pretty good, until DC Squezzed his arm and made him lose. you're gonna have to read it to figure out wahat happens next!!!!

Eagle Strikes the best!!.......2007-04-16

In the book Eagle Strike the setting takes place in England, at Damian Cray's factory for the GAME SLAYER, a new video game system.
In this book Damian Cray, who is a multi-million dollar singer, made a new high-tech video game system. The M16, or British intelligence, doesn't trust him because everyone who questions him seems to be killed in an accident sooner or later. HMMM? So Alex Rider, a M16 agent, is at the grand presentation of the GAME SLAYER. He is the only teenager there, so Cray calls him on the stage and wants him to try it. It was amazing. Later Alex finds out Cray uses the game system & factory as a cover-up for another plan. The plan is to blow up all illegal drugs in the world, but to do that he must use the U.S.A.'s nuclear bombs. So he steals the president's airplane that has all access to the 12 bombs. They are launched to blow up different parts of the world that make drugs. But this tactic would also take millions of innocent lives. So after a fierce battle in the plane Cray is pushed out and sucked in the engine & killed, Alex then self destructs the bombs in space. So Alex saves the world again.
I recommend this book to people who like suspenseful, action packed books that you just can't put down!

Rylie Williams

Girls can even enjoy this series.......2007-04-11

I am a girl tho i can not get into the gossip girl books and a-list i still enjoy meg cabot but when my friend lent me these books i immediatly fell in love with the action and suspense and basicly everything!! this series isnt only for boys girls can enjoy it too!!

Average customer rating:

Stormbreaker
Bookmom's Review - Stormbreaker
I know James Bond, and you're no James Bond
Audiobook Review
Action, Adventure, and Cool Gadgets

Stormbreaker (Alex Rider Adventure)
Anthony Horowitz
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142406112

Book Description

They told him his uncle died in a car accident. But fourteen-year-old Alex knows that's a lie, and the bullet holes in his uncle's windshield confirm his suspicions. But nothing could prepare him for the news that the uncle he always thought he knew was really a spy for MI6-Britain's top secret intelligence agency. Recruited to find his uncle's killers and complete his final mission, Alex suddenly finds himself caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

"What if James Bond had started spying as a teenager? Non-stop action keeps the intrigue boiling." (Kirkus Reviews)

Customer Reviews:

Stormbreaker.......2007-10-09

Stormbraker is a captivating book. It has you guessing all the way through. This book is about a young boy named Alex Rider. He was living in England with his uncle. He was living with his uncle ever since his parents died. One day the police came and gave him the news that his uncle had gotten in a car crash and had died. He didn't believe it. So he went to a junkyard where he found his uncle's car. After close examination he realized it was no accident. While at the junkyard he was captured by some people. Later he found out that they were from a spy group, and that his uncle was one of them.
When he was with the head of the spy group he had some questions to ask. The head told him about his uncle's job and the mission that he was on. Stormbraker. He was told that there was a man. Heron Sayle. Who was making computers that were some sort of trap. and he was going to give them to every school in England. Alex's job was to take over from where his uncle left of.
He went through weeks of training to get prepared for his mission. During training every one was given animal names like fox and wolf, they called him Cub. At first no one liked him. But as the weeks went on they grew more and more fond of him. It was a constant challenge for him to keep up with them. They were older and stronger than him but he muscled through it. After his training was complete, he was told that a boy had been chosen to come and test out the stormbraker. The agency sent him to an island so that Alex could take his place. A few days later he went to the head courtiers of the stormbraker factory where found some interesting clues into his uncles murder.

Bookmom's Review - Stormbreaker.......2007-10-05

[Fun: 5/5] [Learning: 3/5] [Suitable: 4/5]

For a great action-packed James Bond-esque novel for kids, this has to be the winner. Full of action and adventure, the story follows a reluctant boy-spy for MI6 through his mission to gather information, which inevitably turns out to be a much bigger assignment than anyone would have guessed. Though the book dates itself (several of his gadgets are made from already outdated technology), it does a good job of pulling off the spy-thriller feel. Predictable in points, and a bit violent, Horowitz does do a good job of keeping the gore to a minimum. Though rather cliche (what spy book isn't anymore), it is a fun action read.

Audience:
* Teen Readers (Grades 8-12)

Positive Themes:
* Ingenuity
* Good vs. Evil

Objectionable Content:
* Violence
* Some graphic scenes

My Recommendations:
* Readers may also enjoy the Young James Bond series by Charlie Higson, as well as other teen books by Anthony Horowitz.

Bookmom - Get involved in your child's reading!

I know James Bond, and you're no James Bond.......2007-10-03

I can see why this book and series are so popular-- full of action, cliff-hanger, real danger, technology, and a big story. I don't fault any of this. And I don't mind the similarities with Bond, even down to the characatured cast of villians. But where Stormbreaker lost stars for me was that Alex himself was not enough like Bond. Alex isn't too perfect; he just isn't heroic enough. Take the playboy out of Bond and he's still a patriot. Alex is too post-modern I suppose for that. But then why go through with the whole mess in the first place? It's not revenge. It's not love of country. Then what? Alex needs more than fear of eviction to drive him to fight evil.

Audiobook Review.......2007-09-22

I found the audiobook version of "Stormbreaker" at my local library. It looked like a good story, so I checked it out and listened to it. I was amazed. Anthony Horowitz writes a superb story, and Nathaniel Parker is a wonderful narrator. All of the foreign accents sound great, and the story moves along quickly, especially toward the end. I suggest this if you like well-performed audiobooks.

Action, Adventure, and Cool Gadgets.......2007-09-20

Alex Rider was a pretty normal English schoolboy. At 14, he had a rich uncle who was an "international banker" but, as his uncle dies in a mysterious crash, the even doesn't fit. Ian Rider was too careful. He wasn't careless enough to die in a car crash. As Alex inspects his uncle's car, he discovers bullet holes. Bullet holes in a car crash? What's happening? As Alex is almost crushed, then cut, then pulverized in a compacter, he also notices a label, Royal & General Bank, supposedly the bank Ian Rider works for. It seems unlikely, but what other clue does Alex have? He finds Royal & General, and discovers that his Uncle's whole life was a lie. He takes a job for them, but it's far from banking as you can get. As the book unfolds, Alex in whisked away on a crazy adventure for Britain's best, and most secretive, intelligence agency that he, and readers, will never forget. The nonstop action and adventure in this series will leave you wanting more Rider. It did for me. I thought these books were amazing; so what did I do? I read the next one. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes action, adventure, or cool gadgets.

Matthew H.
Grade 6
Ms. Kawatachi

Average customer rating:

Still a Masterpiece
Suffer The Child
Gripping Classic Literature.
Oliver Twist is a classic novel from Dickens prolific pen.
Oliver Twist-

Oliver Twist (Penguin Classics)
Charles Dickens , and Philip Horne
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0141439742
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Book Description

Edited with an Introduction by Philip Horne.

Download Description

An adaptation of Dickens's story of the orphan forced to practice thievery and live a life of crime in nineteenth-century London.

Customer Reviews:

Still a Masterpiece.......2007-07-28

I bought the Penguin Classic version and recommend that purchase highly. This is among Dickens's best and almost on par with other great novels such as Anna Karenina, Pride and Prejudice, Madame Bovary, etc. In short, it is a masterpiece that brings together all of Dickens's writing skills with a great story. It has some literary flaws, and I would rate it slightly behind David Copperfield but it remains one of the most original and interesting of Dickens's novels.

As background information, I am in the process of reading most of Dickens's 22 novels and longer short stories, and set up a Listmania list. I bought the Penguin Classics version of the novel. As a suggestion, avoid the Penguin Popular Classics with the plain green covers (I bought two). They fall apart and do not stand up to a read, especially books over 500 pages in length. The Regular Penguin Classics with the photo or painting on the front are excellent and some have maps and illustrations (drawings). The Wordsworth Classics are not as good, and some are illustrated.

Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812 to 1870, is the best know male English writer of the 19th century. He authored 22 novels plus numerous short pieces. Most of his writing was first written in serialized form, later published as single novels.

A young Dickens at the age of 12 had the unenviable job of attaching labels 10 hours a day at the Warren's boot blacking factory. That experience shaped much of his writing career. Still in his teens he became a law clerk, then later in his twenties a journalist. The last job as a reporter led to the serialized writing of his novels. His works were social commentaries with larger than life characters, or colorful caricatures, living in the slums of London. He was a critic of poverty, social injustice, and the slow moving court system.

All of Dickens's experiences come together in his novels. The Pickwick Papers is mostly humorous, but Oliver twist is a dark novel set in the crime plagued streets of early 19th century London. There are very few nice characters here. Mostly, they seem very unfriendly, and most a lot worse: criminals, and abusing social workers. The pull between the good and the bad or negative, is personified by the difference of opinion between Oliver's benefactor, Mr. Brownlow, and the criminal Fagin. As is generally well known, the tale contains a cast of very odd characters with even odder names, such as The Artful Dodger, Fagin, and magistrate Fang. The only flaw in the story is that there are too many coincidences; otherwise it is a stunning tale and an innovative book.

Having read many of Dickens's novels I still rate David Copperfield as best as a work of literature and rate Oliver Twist as close behind and a must read. The book was read by Queen Victoria and Karl Marx, and both enjoyed the read. The novel had a far reaching social impact. It is hard to fathom that this is one of Dickens's first novels and written in his mid-twenties.

Suffer The Child.......2007-06-23

Does anyone enjoy "Oliver Twist" nearly so much when things are going well for the novel's young protagonist as when they are going badly? Do you notice how quickly you scan the pages when names like "Mr. Brownlow" "Rose" and "Mr. Losberne" are in the text, only slowing down when it's "Fagin" "Sikes" and "Mr. Bumble"?

Cruelty can be a positive quality when writing fiction. Dickens' torture test for his young hero saves the book from mawkish excess and, along with an uncompromising social conscience, gives it readability and drive.

Oliver Twist is a miserable orphan, his birth a mistake and his life a matter of no consequence to anyone but himself. Yet time and again, a guiding hand of mysterious providence suggests something of deeper importance connected to the business of his life. This is so even when he finds himself in the London underworld, under the guileful care of the master thief Fagin, who bestows praise upon Oliver's eager ears while coaching him down a criminal path where only a scaffold awaits.

A bit overlong, yes. "It is a tale told of grief and trial, and sorrow, young man, and such tales usually are; if it were one of unmixed joy and happiness, it would be very brief."

Though it is ironic how that formula works in reverse in "Oliver Twist", one understands what Mr. Brownlow means by that statement. The narrative of "Oliver Twist" covers a lot of ground, and presents a strong case for the reasonless cruelty of life even as it argues for humanistic compassion. If there is any release from life's savagery, it may only be found in death or dreams.

In his introduction to my Signet Classic edition, Edward Le Comte notes the "fairy tale" quality of "Oliver Twist" as a license for its sentimentality. That may be a hard sell for the casual reader. People come out of nowhere to sacrifice themselves on Oliver's behalf for vague reasons, often involving freakish coincidences. One fair maiden languishes under a life-threatening condition that can only be described as "acute Victorianism". Oliver himself soon becomes a helpless bystander in his own story, albeit one with perfect manners and diction despite his dirt-poor upbringing. Reading through this only works as a window to Dickens' time.

But the novel excels in the negative, in its conception of bad guys such as the homicidal Sikes, the engaging Artful Dodger, and especially smooth Fagin, the real center of menace in the story despite Sikes' bluster. You feel the soot and desperation of these people's sad lives in every bitter page.

With Fagin, Dickens plays with his audience's anti-Semitism mercilessly, always calling him "the Jew" and making Fagin's motives around Oliver obscure early on to recall the insidious "blood libel" of the time that supposed Jews guilty of slaughtering innocents.

Was Dickens anti-Semitic? No. He did write an anti-Semitic book, albeit not by design. It's hard to imagine Dickens' audience in 1838 making a distinction between the criminal and his ethnicity. Nor did Dickens think they would. He didn't care. He was on a mission.

And there's the rub. Dickens is not holding back anything grabbing his readers by the throat, which is why "Oliver Twist" worked then and still does today. It's not his best book, but it's a good one all the same, uniquely committed, maybe his most powerful. Seeing a debased world through the prism of middle-class morality has its flaws, but the focus is painfully keen and Dickens makes it hard to look away.

Gripping Classic Literature........2007-01-22

I always wanted to read this book--and any other Dickens--after being subjected to the musical featuring child stars Mark Lester and the late Jack Wild. It is with great sarcasm that, though I love the musical, to find that the novel differs greatly is such a surprise. I will also admit that this is the first Dickens novel I have ever read, and find it interesting to note that children have never had easy lives since the beginning of man's origins up until now. We just hear more about it these days.

The amazing cruelty with which orphans have been treated through history is depicted here with a verbal imagery which the reader will not soon forget, and the cast of supporting characters keeps one fascinated due to the human characteristics Dickens gives them. How a largely bland, yet sympathetic little boy stays true to the purest of righteous virtues seems far fetched at times given his treatment at the workhouse and being constantly surrounded by thieves and murderers like Fagin, Sikes, the Artful Dodger, and Master (All he does is laugh) Bates (I won't even elaborate on that name, but snickered quite a bit at it). Most children would have succumbed to their surroundings long before 12, but Dickens seems to be going for nature verses nurture here, pointing out that people can rise above their environment, and I cannot argue. Most people know someone who came from awful circumstances, only to become the opposite of all the negativity they've been surrounded with. So then, maybe there are street walkers like Nancy--the true hero of this story--who have hearts of gold as well, and there are wealthy people who are the antithesis of everything you have ever heard like the man who comes to adopt Oliver.

Dickens makes one thing very clear in Oliver Twist: right makes might, and if you hold on long enough goodness can indeed win the day, no matter how hard life gets sometimes. He also stresses that, among the many paths in life one chooses, the virtues of goodness and honesty are the best roads to take in the end. A classic worth reading more than once.

Oliver Twist is a classic novel from Dickens prolific pen........2007-01-04

The young genius Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was still publishing monthly installments of "The Pickwick Papers" when he began writing Oliver Twist.
What a tale! Young Oliver is born in the workhouse to a mother who dies giving him birth. He is apprenticed to the undertaker Sowerby; fights with one of the undertakers idiotic apprentices Noah Claypool; flees to London and comes into the clutches of the evil Fagin arch pickpocket. In this den of thieves we meet such unforgettable characters as the Artful Dodger; the despicable Bill Sikes and his mistress Nancy.
There are also many good people who populate the many pages of this novel. The Maylie family especially young Rose who rescue Oliver after he is injured in a foiled robbery escapade are helpful to the young waif. Mr. Brownlow is also a rescuer who eventually adopts Oliver. This novel is a fine bildungsroman as we follow child Oliver on his tempestuous journey through the London streets.
Oliver Twist contains many scenes which are film worthy. These scenes include the flight of Bill Sikes from the London mob following his murder of Nancy; Fagin's last hours in Newgate Prison prior to his being hanged;
the vivid descriptions of nineteenth century London and pastoral scenes
of beauty. The portrait of Oliver's half-brother Monks is well drawn.
The novel is not perfect. It relies too much on coincidence to be realistic. It is if you will a fairy tale but a great one!

Oliver Twist- .......2006-11-08

The story of Oliver Twist, written by Charles Dickens, is a classic bildungsroman, about the difficulties a child had to endure to survive in the 1800's. Dickens satirizes the atrocious trait of human selfishness by illustrating how it comprises ones humanity as the helpless and vulnerable are victimized for personal gain. Oliver Twist is an orphan from a small village not far from London, who is forced into social conventions by a city council. He escapes his horrible captor, a woman who steals food money for her personal use, but unfortunately lands in the hands of a criminal mastermind, who forces him to pickpocket in the London streets. He luckily is taken under the loving care of a family who gains the information of Oliver's previous captor. Many scenes are dedicated to the fallout of this criminal family which proves that with a positive environment, people are able to succeed in life. Oliver Twist has been around for nearly 200 years and I found it a very good novel, not only for its content but also for its moral truths. It is interesting because it allows children and young adults to imagine what life was like back then and to contrast their lives to Oliver's. This realization allows the reader to see that some people have more difficult lives then others and to not take advantage of them.

Across the Nightingale Floor (Tales of the Otori, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

Very enjoyable
Gives ancient Japan a bad Rep...
intriguing start to the trilogy
"You Don't Know Who May be Watching You..."
Pretty much an awesome book of fighting, romance, betrayal, and all those things in the japanese era

Across the Nightingale Floor (Tales of the Otori, Book 1)
Lian Hearn
Manufacturer: Riverhead Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1573222259
Release Date: 2002-08-22

Amazon.com

The debut novel of Lian Hearn's Tales of the Otori series, Across the Nightingale Floor, is set in a feudal Japan on the edge of the imagination. The tale begins with young Takeo, a member of a subversive and persecuted religious group, who returns home to find his village in flames. He is saved, not by coincidence, by the swords of Lord Otori Shigeru and thrust into a world of warlords, feuding clans, and political scheming. As Lord Otori's ward, he discovers he is a member by birth of the shadowy "Tribe," a mysterious group of assassins with supernatural abilities.

Hearn sets his tale in an imaginary realm that is and isn't feudal Japan. This device serves the author well as he is able to play with familiar archetypes--samurai, Shogun, and ninja--without falling prey to the pitfalls of history. The novel fills a unique niche that is at once period piece and fantasy novel. Hearn unfolds the tale of Takeo and the conflicting forces around him in a deliberate manner that leads to a satisfying conclusion and sets the stage for the rest of the series. --Jeremy Pugh

Book Description

Every now and then a novel appears, completely unlike anything that has appeared before. Across the Nightingale Floor is such a work-a magical creation of a world beyond time.

Set in an imaginary, ancient Japanese society dominated by warring clans, Across the Nightingale Floor is a story of a boy who is suddenly plucked from his life in a remote and peaceful village to find himself a pawn in a political scheme, filled with treacherous warlords, rivalry-and the intensity of first love. In a culture ruled by codes of honor and formal rituals, Takeo must look inside himself to discover the powers that will enable him to fulfill his destiny.

A work of transcendent storytelling with an appeal that crosses genres, genders, and generations, Across the Nightingale Floor is a rich and brilliantly constructed tale, mythic in its themes and epic in its vision. It is poised to become the most captivating novel of the year.

Customer Reviews:

Very enjoyable.......2007-10-06

The audio book of this is exceptional in my opinion. It was so well read, the story came to life and took root in my mind easily. It is a story of honor, love, betrayal and deceit bound together in adventure.

The characters are captivating - each expressive and unique in their roles. And the conflicts are realistic, nothing seems too far fetched.

It's a great story if your into ancient times and old traditions. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think Hearn has done a wonderful job.

Gives ancient Japan a bad Rep..........2007-09-19

Having an interest in anime/manga prompted me to get this book. It doesn't do the japanese justice however. Dont get me wrong, the story is interesting enough but I'm afraid the main chara ruins it.
I read this long ago but I still recall coming to the conclusion that I wasted my time reading about someone whom I couldn't come to even remotely like.
The end makes it clear that the common theme of good vs bad in most stories is butchered...seeing how our main chara is sexually perverted. The author tries to explain he simply has manly desires. Right. In the end, he finally gets to meet the girl he desires. Then he has sex with her. Hurray, I read the whole book so I could get to this. PLEASE, dont read this. I just wish this would have been exposed earlier on, so I didn't gag when I got near the end. -_-; We need a warning label on this...

intriguing start to the trilogy.......2007-09-10

Lian Hearn's "Across the Nightingale Floor" is a good start to Hearn's Tales of the Otori saga. The world that Hearn creates which resembles Fuedal Japan is well drawn and believable, even when Hearn delves into Takeo and the Tribes superhuman powers. The book's double narrative is split between Takeo, a young man who is saved by the kind and noble lord Shigeru after his entire village is massacared; and the Lady Kaede who has been held as a hostage in an enemy court for most of her life.
I particularly like Hearn's decision to tell Takeo's story in first person which allows the reader to really get to know him and see the change that he goes through from the meek and mild young boy with gifts he doesnt quite understand, to the young man who accepts his role as an assassin in training by the end of the novel. While Takeo's story is told from his perspective, Hearn's decision to tell Lady Kaede's in the third person allows for the reader to gather a greater perspective of her protagonist Takeo, while at the same time allowing her to paint a fascinating portrait of a young woman held hostage by an enemy court.
where the novel falters somewhat is the intitial set-up of the romance between Takeo and Kaede, but Hearn quickly recovers and the ending of the novel and what it means for the two lovers reaches a rather unexpectedly poignant and affecting conclusion.

"You Don't Know Who May be Watching You...".......2007-07-20

Tomasu is a young man of the Hidden People, who loves nothing more than to take solitary walks in the mountains. This is until the day he returns to the village and discovers the body of his murdered stepfather and other community members. They are victims of a merciless massacre by the Tohan Clan and their warlord Iida Sadamu, and when Tomasu flees into the forests he is rescued from pursuers by Otori Shigeru, a lord of the Otori Clan that opposes the rule of the Tohan. Taking him under his wing, Shigeru renames the young man "Takeo", and together the two return to his home in the city of Hagi. But what does Shigeru really want from Takeo? Was their meeting and Takeo's rescue an accident? As previously dormant abilities in Takeo gradually emerge (such as keen hearing, invisibility and supernatural agility), he begins to suspect that Shigeru is grooming him for a secret mission. When he hears about Iida's "nightingale floor" - a floor specially rigged to make noise when trod upon, he begins to realize where his training is leading him...

Takeo's chapters are told in first-person narrative, but they are alternated with third-person narration that recounts the activities of Shirakawa Kaede, a young woman who has lived most of her life as a hostage in a hostile fief. After she attacks a soldier who attempts to molest her, the family suddenly takes notice of her beauty and organize an arranged marriage for her. Naturally, these two lives are soon to be intertwined - and from there flows a story of intrigue, betrayals, alliances, assassinations, treachery and revenge - well paced and packed full of good ideas and vivid descriptions. Particularly interesting is the way Takeo is torn between opposing clans and tribes: the Hidden (his mother's people who raised him) who were pacifists, the Tribe (his father's people) who are hired assassins from who he inherits his particular talents, and the Otori Clan into which he's adopted by Shigeru. Trying to figure out exactly where he belongs is the main crux of Takeo's character, and his divided loyalties are played out reasonably well throughout the text.

However, on the whole "Across the Nightingale Floor" is a good example of how a very good story is told in the wrong way. Often Hearn has characters with secret identities and hidden motives, but he (she?) gives them away too soon and without any sense of suspense or revelation (for an early example, there is the character of Shizuka: she's introduced as a flirty, flighty servant girl, though we are quickly told that she's a highly skilled agent for the Tribe. Instead of building our suspicions with clues and foreshadowing, Hearn gives the game away too quickly, not giving us the opportunity of being impressed with an established and carefully constructed plot-twist). There are many other situations when I was frustrated with Hearn's handling of his own story: he has good material here, but constantly fails to present it in a compelling way.

As well as this, I felt that the "love story" between Takeo and Kaede is mishandled. Here's a passage from the chapter in which Kaede first becomes aware of Takeo (and keep in mind that she hates and fears all males): "She had been dreaming vividly, but the moment she opened her eyes the dream vanished, leaving her only with the lucid knowledge that what she felt was love. She was astonished, then elated, then dismayed. At first she thought she would die if she saw him, then that she would die if she didn't." At this stage, Kaede hasn't even spoken to Takeo - simply seen him through a window. A love affair based on "love at first sight" (or alternatively, lust) in which there is very little interaction or conversation between the couple cannot help but be void of all emotion or resonance.

Due to these twin problems (the mishandling of the plot and the lack of emotional resonance in the characters) make this a novel full of potential, but frustratingly lacking in form. Drawing inspiration from Japanese culture, Hearn creates a world that is refreshingly different from the typical medieval-fantasy world, though in saying that, there is surprisingly little in the way of fantasy elements throughout the course of the story, with the minor exception of the paranormal gifts of the Tribe. How accurate it all is, I'll leave to someone more knowledgeable on the subject to comment on, but there is plenty of fascinating world-building at work throughout the story (okay, I'll admit I've been watching a lot of Avatar The Last Airbender - The Complete Book 1 Collection lately, and it reminded me of that!) Although there are some serious discrepancies in the writing, I've invested myself in these characters and their situation, so I'll be continuing the journey in Grass for His Pillow (Tales of the Otori, Book 2), the next installment.

Pretty much an awesome book of fighting, romance, betrayal, and all those things in the japanese era.......2007-05-01

most likely the best book in the series due to Lian Hearn's style of writing... an incredible amount of action occurs yet a 'completitive stillness' is achieved by the end. a good transformation in the character of Takeo from a country boy named Tomasu to a boy beckoned quickly to manhood by circumstances. well developed characters...Kaede, Takeo's lover, adds to the urgency of the story and isn't just a romantic article but a key component to the plot. interesting plot filled with action...sure to be devoured by fantasy lovers. leaves off for a sequel perfectly by keeping pace throughout and hinting at things to come. all in all, a definite read for those interested in a new type of fantasy.

Secrets of Dripping Fang, Book Five: The Shluffmuffin Boy Is History (Secrets of Dripping Fang)

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Wonderful series

Secrets of Dripping Fang, Book Five: The Shluffmuffin Boy Is History (Secrets of Dripping Fang)
Dan Greenburg
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0152060359

Book Description

After the gang got a little pyromaniacal at the Mandibles' place, nothing's as it should be. Wally has suddenly turned into an eternal optimist, Vampire Dad wants to give the twins up for adoption, and Cheyenne has been acting awfully, well, hypnotized lately. Meanwhile, everyone in downtown Cincinnati is snotting and snuffling from a mysterious and deadly flu virus--and the ont larvae are quietly gaining strength underground.

Luckily, a suspicious stranger with a syringe shows up to give Wally a free "vaccination." (Now, there couldn't possibly be anything wrong with that picture, could there?)

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful series.......2006-12-22

A spectacular,imaginative, hilarious series. Father drowned in a Porta Potty (and returned as first a ghoul and then a vampire), kids abducted by giant ants who want to take over the world (but need their snot and smelly feet to feed ant larvae) vampires, maternal spiders, rampant cluelessness. And on and on.

It has it all.

My 8 y/o son and I eagerly await each new installment.

Not to be missed by anyone with a youngster in the house.

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A Boy Book that Girls will like, too, maybe
In the wild...
Alabama Moon
Everyone That Reads "Alabama Moon" Loves It!!!
Alabama Moon

Alabama Moon
Watt Key
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0374301840
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Book Description

I could trap my own food and make my own clothes. I could find my way by the stars and make fire in the rain. Pap said he even figured I could whip somebody three times my size. He wasn’t worried about me.

For as long as ten-year-old Moon can remember, he has lived out in the forest in a shelter with his father. They keep to themselves, their only contact with other human beings an occasional trip to the nearest general store. When Moon’s father dies, Moon follows his father’s last instructions: to travel to Alaska to find others like themselves. But Moon is soon caught and entangled in a world he doesn’t know or understand, apparent property of the government he has been avoiding all his life. As the spirited and resourceful Moon encounters constables, jails, institutions, lawyers, true friends, and true enemies, he adapts his wilderness survival skills and learns to survive in the outside world, and even, perhaps, make his home there.

In this compelling, action-packed book, Watt Key gives us the thrilling coming-of-age story of the unique and extremely appealing Moon.

Customer Reviews:

A Boy Book that Girls will like, too, maybe.......2007-10-17

My 11 year-old is a reluctant reader, but every now and then a book comes along that keeps his interest even when it is not "reading time". This is one of those books. Moon Blake is a compelling character, having grown up in the woods with his reclusive father. And his story is captivating. He just wants to be left alone to go to Alaska, but he's picked up and taken to a boys home instead. I love how the story evolves, how you see Moon change his ideas of the world, and how he deals with the abusive constable who won't leave him alone.

A terrific book you won't be able to put down.

In the wild..........2007-06-28

This book tells the journey of Moon Blake, who have always lived with his father. But when his father died, he must find a way to escape the outside civilziation and find his home. This novel has an exciting plot, wonderful research, and is a great read. By reading this book, one could also learn the meaning of friendship.

Alabama Moon.......2007-03-26

Alabama Moon by Watt Key is an exciting adventure story especially for boys - the dialog is crisp and revealing and the main character Moon is very well drawn, In a great opening sentence, "just before pap died, he told me that I'd be fine as long as I never depended on anybody but myself, the author quickly captures the reader's interest. Moon who is only ten has been raised to be a survivalist by his dad. He knows how to make a shelter, hunt and forage for food, and sew his own clothing from animal hides. As his dad is dying, he tells Moon that he needs to get to Alaska and join other survivalists. His father is delusional enough that he believes Moon can travel from Alabama to Alaska on his own without money or knowledge of a world beyond his forest home. He also does not account for the fact that Moon distressingly and immediately experiences loneliness for the first time, "loneliness was something I'd have to wait on to pass, like pap said it would".
In writing that is both descriptive and poignant, Key includes a lot of survivalist detail that in no way slows the pace of the story while at the same time it makes subsequent events all the more dramatic and realistic. When Moon is finally captured and incarcerated in a home for abandoned boys, Moon discovers some new truths like companionship can be enjoyable, new foods can be delicious and plentiful, and that soft beds and warm rooms can be very comfortable; nevertheless Moon can escape the home and return confidently to the forest to take care of himself - something two friends who escaped with him can't do. I could go on and on but this book is special and all readers should have the opportunity to experience the delights of this story for themselves.

Everyone That Reads "Alabama Moon" Loves It!!!.......2007-01-19

One of the best read in awhile. Adults and Children enjoy this book so much it is hard to put down. All of us in our household have read it and believe it will become a Movie. If you enjoyed Forest Gump you will enjoy Alabama Moon. The book gets better the further you get into the story. Well written and an especially exceptional story for a first novel. I believe this short novel will become a classic.

Alabama Moon.......2006-12-21

This is a great book written by Watt Key about a young boy named Moon Blake. He is living is with his father in a small house in the Alabama wilderness. Moon and his father are hiding from the government. But then his father dies and suddenly Moon is alone. Before his dad dies he tells Moon to head for Alaska, which he does, but he meets two other boys and they stay with him in the wild. I don't think I should tell you any more or you won't need to read the book. Thanks for reading

The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American Story of the Refugee Experience

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Must Read
Modern slavery, boy soldiers and African Diaspora
Full review of Bixler's book
Interesting Reading
Great read!

The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American Story of the Refugee Experience
Mark Bixler
Manufacturer: University of Georgia Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0820328839

Book Description

In 2000 the United States began accepting 3,800 refugees from one of Africa's longest civil wars. They were just some of the thousands of young men, known as "Lost Boys," who had been orphaned or otherwise separated from their families in the chaos of a brutal conflict that has ravaged Sudan since 1983. The Lost Boys of Sudan focuses on four of these refugees. Theirs, however, is a typical story, one that repeated itself wherever the Lost Boys could be found across America. Jacob Magot, Peter Anyang, Daniel Khoch, and Marko Ayii were among 150 or so Lost Boys who were resettled in Atlanta. Like most of their fellow refugees, they had never before turned on a light switch, used a kitchen appliance, or ridden in a car or subway train-much less held a job or balanced a checkbook. We relive their early excitement and disorientation, their growing despondency over fruitless job searches, adjustments they faced upon finally entering the workforce, their experiences of post-9/11 xenophobia, and their undying dreams of acquiring an education.

As we immerse ourselves in the Lost Boys' daily lives, we also get to know the social services professionals and volunteers, celebrities, community leaders, and others who guided them-with occasional detours-toward self-sufficiency. Along the way author Mark Bixler looks closely at the ins and outs of U.S. refugee policy, the politics of international aid, the history of Sudan, and the radical Islamist underpinnings of its government. America is home to more foreign-born residents than ever before; the Lost Boys have repaid that gift in full through their example of unflagging resolve, hope, and faith.

Customer Reviews:

Must Read.......2007-01-27

I will refrain from giving a summary of the book, as a couple of other reviewers did a nice job of that previously. I will offer a few brief impressions of this work.

Having obtained a degree in African studies in the 1990s, I was well aware of the issues facing Sudan and the history of the civil wars in the country. Many times material I read about Africa is erroneous to some degree in its reporting of events. Bixler gets things right in "The Lost Boys of Sudan." Additionally, he does a nice job of weaving historical context into the story he tells of the young men from Sudan. I was expecting a couple of introductory chapters that would serve as a mini history lesson, but Bixler chose not to go that route. Instead, he took the time to skillfully give historical context as it was merited in the story of the "Lost Boys."

The actual story of the four young men is compelling enough on the surface, but Bixler doesn't try to glorify the subjects of the book, rather he tells it like he observes it. He writes in a manner that makes for an easy read, and allows the reader to get a good picture of the lives of these men.

There are now quite a few films and books about the Lost Boys, and I strongly recommend viewing one of the DVDs on this topic either before or after you read this book. While Bixler paints a really colorful picture with his words, nothing can take the place of actually viewing the camp from which they came and the people themselves.

Of all the books I have read on this subject, Bixler's is the one I recommend the most for a person interested in the "Lost Boys." It does a great job of giving the reader a lucid account of the story of the Lost Boys in America and the circumstances from which they came.

Modern slavery, boy soldiers and African Diaspora.......2006-07-05

This is a fascinating account of how orphaned Sudanese displaced in struggles with northern miltias, found new lives in the US. The volume is particularly useful because it shows the connection between wars of religion and region, the slaving expeditions conducted by janjaweed Islamic militias, and the politics of recruiting for rebel liberation movements in the south. Short on arms, money, soldiers and international sympathy, the southern Sudanese seek international attention to the problems of post-colonial boundaries and rights. They have learned to use the politics of refugee camps to leverage attention and forces. The fortitude of these survivors is amazing, no matter how complicated the story of their displacement turns out to be.

Full review of Bixler's book.......2006-01-22

The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American Story of the Refugee Experience, by Mark Bixler. The University of Georgia Press, 2005. Pp. 261.

The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God (Leviticus 19:34)

Imagine a cluster of tall, thin Sudanese young men waiting in an airport in Washington D.C. They are all wearing the same sweatshirt. They have spent the past four or five years of their life in refugee camps in Ethiopia. This is their first time traveling by air, seeing the U.S., eating chocolate. They are separated from their parents by war or death. They seem, as Mark Bixler remarks, "to have been plucked from another era and dropped into the hustle and bustle of contemporary America" (96). They anticipate another flight to Atlanta, Georgia, where they will begin a life they have been anticipating for some time- hard work in the hopes of saving up money, passing the GRE, attending college, and making a new life.

And it just so happens that other boys like them, also from the Sudan, have been featured on the CBS program 60 Minutes II and in The New York Times Magazine. On CBS you learn that these young men are committed to hard work so they can receive an education. Bob Simon in the 60 Minutes interview asks one young man how many hours he wants to work. The answer: Sixteen hours a day. Why? The answer: I need to have money so that I can go to school. In the New York Times, we see these opening words: This is snow. This is a can opener. This is a life free from terror." These are untypical, sympathetic men entering what is for them a strange new world. As a result, there are more than your typical number of volunteers calling up refugee resettlement agencies across the country asking, "Are y'all resettling these guys?"

Not all refugee groups coming to the U.S. receive the kind of media attention the Lost Boys of Sudan have received. In fact, most refugees arrive in the U.S. without any attention at all from the press. This is not surprising. Refugees have over the course of history been a marginalized people, and their "refugee" status has not always been recognized as such. In fact, the idea of a refugee as someone who needs protection from the state did not become prevalent until early in the last century. It was not until the formation of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees that a thorough definition of who a refugee is and how they should be treated was established.

A working definition of a refugee, one embraced by the U.N. as well as U.S. refugee policy, is summarized by Mark Bixler: "[A] person who has left his or her country and cannot or does not want to return because of a credible fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a social or ethnic group" (77). "Credible fear" is a general term that in the particular can mean a host of different things. The credible fear for these young men was often a mix of ethnic and religious persecution.

Their "credible fear" is often accompanied by an incredible story. These boys, many of them Dinka cattle herders, heard or witnessed men with rifles shooting their neighbors or family. So they fled east towards Ethiopia, often walking hundreds of miles, starving and thirsty, fending off lions when they crossed deserts and alligators when they swam rivers. Finally, they arrived dazed and half-dead at refugee camps set up by the UNHCR. They lived in these camps for years, receiving some education and a bit of food, waiting to be offered shelter by the U.S. or another nation.

In addition, most of them would come to the U.S. as "unaccompanied minors"- that is, minors who are admitted as refugees without accompanying parents or adult family members. Their status as unaccompanied minors makes them doubly important in the current conversation going on about refugee rights and resettlement.

So to the book. Bixler narrates the experience of a group of four Lost Boys (p. 16-35, 111-210), examines the historical realities that make modern Sudan what it is (p. 56-74), explores the phenomenon of "selective compassion" as it influences our refugee admissions policies (p. 75-80), tells the refugee tale as seen from the perspective of those in charge of admissions (p. 81-94), and tells the refugee tale again as seen from the perspective of those who volunteer with them (p. 95-110). It concludes with a summary chapter, the status at the time of writing of the refugees and the country from which they fled.

Bixler's brief history of the development of international policies for the treatment of refugees (pages 75-80) is just one shining example of why this book should be read not only by those interested in the Lost Boys of Sudan, but by anyone interested in the American story of the refugee experience. Two recent and relatively popular books have presented the refugee experience from, respectively, a literary and sociological perspective: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, by Ann Fadiman; The Middle of Everywhere, by Mary Pipher. Bixler's unique contribution as a journalist is his telling of a compelling story of these brave young men that also captures the entire breadth of the refugee experience. Bixler's approach is multi-faceted, narrating not only the personal experience of some of the Lost Boys, but also examining U.S. refugee policy and the political situation in Sudan past and present.

Any adequate account of the method, means, and reasons for refugee resettlement by organizations like Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (for which I am an Ambassador and volunteer) is an adequate understanding of the situation itself. Most of us simply have an inadequate understanding of who refugees are (because they come from another place and diverse cultures), how they get here (because the governmental and social agencies involved in their settlement are themselves complex, not to mention busy processing refugees), and what needs to be done for and with them once they arrive (because it is the ever-recurring sin of second and third and sixth generation immigrants to fail to understand the immigrants and refugees who come later than themselves).

Bixler's book goes a long way towards remedying these deficiencies in our understanding. Since his book follows some of the Lost Boys through their first two years of life in the U.S., we learn not only about their initial culture shock, but also about their first jobs, their enrollment in places of learning, their search for lost family, and their common life together. Bixler also observes, often with the candor only a reporter can muster, the relationship between volunteers, relief agencies, and the Lost Boys.

As a Lutheran pastor and Ambassador for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), I was especially pleased to see that LIRS received positive mention by Bixler as an agency that provides exemplary care, especially for unaccompanied minors.

A story well told cannot be summarized, and this is true of Bixler's book. I cannot commend it highly enough. When I speak to church groups about the refugee experience and the ministry of LIRS, I am often at a loss how to share in a short amount of time all that is entailed in refugee resettlement. Book recommendations are my solution to that dilemma. Bixler's book is now at the top of my list.

Interesting Reading.......2005-07-27

Learned a lot about the area of Sudan and trials that a refugee faces cominginto the US when not working with a host family.

Great read!.......2005-06-07

The story of the Lost Boys of Sudan is like no other story ever told. It is a story about thousands of young children, particularly young boys, who became separated from their families due to the long running civil war between the North and South of Sudan. In all, these children walked over a thousand miles across the wilds of Africa in search of safe refuge. Their journey was a long and arduous one filled with suffering and horrors beyond ones imagination.
Through the skilled style of Atlanta journalist Mark Bixler, "The Lost Boys of Sudan" weaves their story with that of other refugees and immigrants who have also settled in our country, while never trivializing their incredible plight. And although "The Lost Boys of Sudan" focuses on four young men living in Atlanta Georgia, their stories are similar to those of approximately 3800 other Lost Boys who have resettled in various cities across the US. Like those in Atlanta, they too have had to come to grips with the fascinating sights and wonders of this strange land called America, while attempting to blend within our society. For the first time in their lives they are forced to work full time jobs in order to support themselves and those they left behind, while also attending school. The task of surviving in this strange and foreign land has proven difficult at best. The results of their labors however, as chronicled by Bixler, are both amazing and truly inspiring to us all.
Joan Hecht
Author of "The Journey of the Lost Boys"

The Journey of the Lost Boys: A Story of Courage, Faith and the Sheer Determination to Survive by a Group of Young Boys Called "The Lost Boys of Sudan"

Average customer rating:

The tragedy of the children of Sudan
Learning about Sudan? START HERE
OUTSTANDING BOOK
A good term paper
An accurate, heartfelt and well-written account

The Journey of the Lost Boys: A Story of Courage, Faith and the Sheer Determination to Survive by a Group of Young Boys Called "The Lost Boys of Sudan"
Joan Hecht
Manufacturer: Allswell Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0976387506
Release Date: 2005-05-30

Book Description

Imagine you're a young boy—maybe as young as three or four—separated from your family by civil war, traversing deserts and mountains with little food or water, no medical care, and no protection from wild animals. Imagine watching hundreds of boys perish around you from hunger, disease, or attacks by enemy soldiers and wild animals. To most of us, it is unimaginable, but this was reality for "The Lost Boys of Sudan," thousands of young boys who were separated from their families and forced to walk approximately 1,000 miles to reach safe refuge from war and certain death.

For the first time, this award winning book offers readers a chronological timeline of the epic journey taken by these children, beginning in their rural villages of Southern Sudan and ending with their arrival as young men to the United States. Narrated through the voice of Joan Hecht, one of their American mentors, whom they lovingly call "mom" or "Mama Joan;" "The Journey of the Lost Boys" is a compelling story of courage, faith and the sheer determination to survive by a group of young orphaned boys. Because of Joan Hecht's personal relationship with them, she is able to portray their story in a way that most famous reporters and authors cannot. In addition to her extensive research of the political and historical events surrounding the long lasting civil war in Sudan, are the heart-rending personal stories and original drawings of the boys themselves. A must read for anyone interested in the the true story of the Lost Boys of Sudan!

Customer Reviews:

The tragedy of the children of Sudan.......2007-03-31

I can only summarize my comment about this book in a few words. The author Joan Hecht did a wonderful task in narrating the frightening and heartbreaking experience of the thousands of lost boys of the Sudan,Africa's largest country. Their dangerous journey involving thousands of miles in a very hostile landscape is incredible. The author's very kind heart,sincere consideration and admiration for these children is worth more than all the gold of the world. Very highly recommended for young and old.

Learning about Sudan? START HERE.......2006-10-15

This is the book you need to read if you are unfamiliar with the background of the issues in Sudan, the Lost Boys, and the issues faced by refugees who come to America. Ms. Hecht might not be an " academic", but she is the person with an enormous amount of first hand information on these subjects, and she breaks it down into managable pieces. Even if you are knowledgable on these subjects, this book is still useful as a clarifying tool. Ms. Hecht is also very committed, and that comes through on every page.

OUTSTANDING BOOK .......2006-08-11

Readers of this book will be touched by the stories of these incredible young men, who, at an early age, were separated from their parents and families. The atrocities witnessed by the boys are unspeakable. The author has provided the readers with stories that make those who have lived a life without fear take a new appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy in the United States.

A good term paper.......2006-07-26

The endless conflict in Sudan is another calamity that the press should have been bombarding us with daily for years. A tragedy of such dimensions should torment our collective conscience. This is exactly why it deserves a better telling than Ms. Hecht is able to offer us. The writing is amateurish and the text cries out for the editing it appears not to have been subjected to. Easy streamlining and the correction of some grammatical errors would make the book more readable and more powerful. Ms. Hecht's devotion to the cause of the Lost Boys is clearly sincere and praiseworthy, however, and she does deserve thanks for contributing to making us aware of the atrocities that go on in the world while we turn the other way.

An accurate, heartfelt and well-written account.......2006-06-28

Joan Hecht's "Journey" is in this reviewer's opinion the most interesting and accurate book available on the topic of the Lost Boys. As a former foster father to one of the lost boys and a fellow author and researcher, I recommend the book without hesitation. It presents an extraordinarily complicated situation in a manner that is comprehensible, fascinating and accurate. It gives the reader a true sense of the horror, courage and hope that has gripped a generation of young Sudanese men.

For its rare photos, clear and organized presentation and sincere prose, I highly recommend this informative and inspiring book and thank the author for her outstanding efforts.

Average customer rating:

Family Deals with Crisis
Miracle Boys
Miracle Boys
Miracle Boys
Miracle's Boys

Miracle's Boys
Jacqueline Woodson
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142406023

Amazon.com

"Sometimes I feel like our life is one big work of art--it's everything" [Charlie] stared down at his bare feet. "And nothing."

"This isn't art," I said. "It's our block! It's our life."

If only, if only... Life is full of poignant hypotheticals for Ty'ree, Charlie, and Lafayette, three brothers who are raising themselves after they lost their father to a drowning accident and their mother to diabetes. Each boy deals with his grief in his own way: the oldest, Ty'ree, has given up his dreams of college to work full time to support the others. Charlie is slipping into a life of crime, and is just back, angry and alienated, from two years at a correctional facility. Lafayette, the youngest brother, has retreated inward, avoiding his friends and blaming himself for his mother's death. These three are struggling against pretty large odds, but "brother to brother to brother," they can survive.

Jacqueline Woodson writes with a sure hand and true understanding of the complexity and depth of young people's lives. Winner of many awards for her novels, including two Coretta Scott King Honors (for From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun and I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This), she tells a captivating, honest story. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Lafayette would do anything to have things back the way they used to be—back before their parents died and back before his brother Charlie changed so much. But things have changed and all he can do now is ask why.... Why did Mama have to die? Why does Charlie hate him so much? And how are the three brothers—Miracle's boys—supposed to survive when so much seems to be stacked against them?

Customer Reviews:

Family Deals with Crisis.......2007-06-08

Lafayette's life used to be pretty stable. He never knew his father--he died before Lafayette was born, from hypothermia he got saving a woman and her dog from a frozen-over pond. Even though he had no father, Lafayette was pretty happy living with his mother, his oldest brother Ty'ree and his other older brother, Charlie. Charlie shared a room with Lafayette and was always especially kind to his little brother.

Then when he was twelve, Charlie held up a store. He was caught, and his punishment for this crime was to be sent away to a juvenile detention center--a prison for adolescents. While Charlie was in this detention center, their mother died.

Now Charlie is back at home again, living with Lafayette and Ty'ree, who was old enough to get custody of his two younger brothers when their mother died. But Charlie is radically different from the brother Lafayette used to know. He no longer cares about animals. He is doing badly in school and has started hanging around with a bad group from the neighborhood. Worst of all, he seems to hate Lafayette. He barely speaks to Lafayette, and when he does, it is to say something mean, like that Lafayette was the cause of their mother's death. Lafayette knows that isn't true, but he sometimes feels like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Ty'ree says Charlie is just angry at the world and he tries to keep the peace, but Lafayette knows that something has to change. He just doesn't know if he's the one who will be able to change it.

I loved Ty'ree's character; he was very strong and I would have liked to have had more insight into what he was thinking about his situation. I liked the hopeful ending of the book; it seemed as though things were going to be okay. It was sad, though, to think of Ty'ree having to give up his promising future in order to take care of his brothers.

Miracle Boys.......2007-02-01

Marcus, Vishal, and Nathan. Language Arts Honors A3

Lafayette never got a chance to meet his father; his dad died before Lafayette was even born. Though he misses having a dad to do boy stuff with, Lafayette didn't know the man enough to miss him personally. When his mother dies, though, Lafayette is crushed. He misses her terribly --- every day, with every thought.
Lafayette's oldest brother Ty'ree misses their mother just as much. With both parents gone, Ty'ree is now responsible raising Laf and also looking out for middle brother Charlie who has just returned from doing time in a juvenile detention center. In addition to being full of sorrow, Ty'ree is bitter: If he didn't have to look after his younger brothers, Ty'ree would have been able to attend college. Now, he works like a dog in the mailroom for a big company and is tired all the time from trying to make ends meet. Laf tries not to ask too many questions, or cry too much, or to want things they can't afford. On top of it all, Charlie just keeps acting out and getting in trouble. If he caught by the police again, Charlie and Laf will be made wards of the court.

Author Woodson has a wonderful talent for writing about kids in tough situations. You really understand how someone in Laf's position might feel. This is a touching novel about a family trying to stay afloat through some really hard times. Their mother, whose name was Milagro, (Miracle in Spanish) was the center of the family and held them together. Now they must rely on each other while learning to deal with the death of their mother. They already got their one miracle --- can they stick together without one?

This is a quiet novel that you can read quickly. All the action takes place in one day, but it never feels hurried or too busy. If you are looking for a book that makes violence, gang life, and fighting brothers seem dramatic or glamorous, this is not the book for you. But if you want to read a realistic story about how these elements of urban life affect a small, loving family, try reading MIRACLE'S BOYS. Laf has tremendous reserves of kindness and love, and the bravery to show his emotions when he feels them. This whole novel is sometimes very sad, but it ends on a hopeful note. And as is usual with this author's work, it's also very beautiful.

Miracle Boys.......2007-02-01

Marcus, Nathan, and Vishal. Language Arts Honors A3

Lafayette never got a chance to meet his father; his dad died before Lafayette was even born. Though he misses having a dad to do boy stuff with, Lafayette didn't know the man enough to miss him personally. When his mother dies, though, Lafayette is crushed. He misses her terribly --- every day, with every thought.

Lafayette's oldest brother Ty'ree misses their mother just as much. With both parents gone, Ty'ree is now responsible raising Laf and also looking out for middle brother Charlie who has just returned from doing time in a juvenile detention center. In addition to being full of sorrow, Ty'ree is bitter: If he didn't have to look after his younger brothers, Ty'ree would have been able to attend college. Now, he works like a dog in the mailroom for a big company and is tired all the time from trying to make ends meet. Laf tries not to ask too many questions, or cry too much, or to want things they can't afford. On top of it all, Charlie just keeps acting out and getting in trouble. If he caught by the police again, Charlie and Laf will be made wards of the court.

Author Woodson has a wonderful talent for writing about kids in tough situations. You really understand how someone in Laf's position might feel. This is a touching novel about a family trying to stay afloat through some really hard times. Their mother, whose name was Milagro, (Miracle in Spanish) was the center of the family and held them together. Now they must rely on each other while learning to deal with the death of their mother. They already got their one miracle --- can they stick together without one?

This is a quiet novel that you can read quickly. All the action takes place in one day, but it never feels hurried or too busy. If you are looking for a book that makes violence, gang life, and fighting brothers seem dramatic or glamorous, this is not the book for you. But if you want to read a realistic story about how these elements of urban life affect a small, loving family, try reading MIRACLE'S BOYS. Laf has tremendous reserves of kindness and love, and the bravery to show his emotions when he feels them. This whole novel is sometimes very sad, but it ends on a hopeful note. And as is usual with this author's work, it's also very beautiful.

Miracle Boys.......2007-02-01

Marcus, Vishal, and Nathan
Language Arts Honors A3

Miracle Boys

This book is about the challenges 3 orphans must face while growing up. Their mother and father both died. Ty'ree, the oldest, has to work full time and support his entire family. He quit school so he could allow him younger siblings to have normal, healthy lives. Charlie (Newcharlie), the second oldest child, is a very sensible and caring person. But after the tragic deaths of his parents, he changes. He no longer cares about anyone, except himself. He robs things, hurt people, and lie about things. Lafayette, the youngest child, has little hope that his family will soon reunite and become one. As life goes on, Lafayette's past stays in front of him. He wants Charlie to be his old self again, his parents back home alive, and wants Ty'ree's stress of supporting the family to be settled. All he was his God to help him.

One day, Lafayette spends one day learning about how his parents died. He learns that his dad died while Ty'ree was there. He also learns that it wasn't his fault his mother died. But most importantly, Lafayette discovered why Charlie changed from the day his parents died.

Charlie always felt left out. He wanted to be remembered as a fantastic child, but he went to Rahway, juvenile for young children. The last time he saw his mother was when the policemen were taking him there. He felt like he wasn't meant to live and that his life was shredded into pieces that couldn't be put toegther again. But Lafayette soon learns that he might be the key to opening the doors of a new life for Charlie, Ty'ree, and himself.

Miracle's Boys.......2006-12-29

The book Miracle's Boys by Jacqueline Woodson is about three brothers trying to survive in Harlem. It is hard for them because both of there parents are dead. There dad died of hypothermia after saving a lady and her dog from a frozen lake in central park. Their Mom died in a car accident. Now Ty'ree, Charlie and Lafayette are faced wit the challenge of growing up very quickly.
Ty'ree is the oldest brother who is very smart but had to turn down college to take care of Charlie and Lafayette and keep them out of group homes. Charlie is justified as the bad seed but he has jus had alot of bad breaks and bad influences in his life. Lafayette is the youngest of the three who just wants every thing to go back to normal before his parent died and before Charlie changed.
I'm in favor of this book because although its about struggle and family problems it also has great points in the story when things start to get good for every one and there is some sunshine in there bleak life.

~CoDy~

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The Book that Snatched my Breath Away
Coram Boy
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Amazing

Coram Boy
Jamila Gavin
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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