Welcome to our blog.

This is our new Mother-Son blog. I am Donna, (Mom), and Lucas is my 13 year old 7th grader. We both love to read and decided to create this blog to write about the books we enjoy. Lucas is very interested in science cannot wait to share his insights about the books he's reading and 7th grade.

Friday, September 30, 2011


given by the author for review

Weezie The Elephant With Allergies.  What a wonderful book.  Weezie is, as the title suggests, an elephant with multiple allergies.  He lives in an orphanage.  Everytime prospective parents come to meet him, he sneezes all over them.. I can see small children laughing hysterically at the descriptions of snot puddles on the floor.  

Acceptance comes Weezie's way when he is eventually adopted by someone who doesn't care about his allergies or his sneezing fits.  

A wonderful childrens' story certain to entertain.  Illustrations were wonderful.




Thursday, September 29, 2011


given by the author for review

reviewed by Mom (Donna)

This is a wonderful story about compromise. Two sisters who don't play together until they learn the meaning of COMPROMISE. Sisters Jadyn and Genesis (I absolutely love these names) are home together on 
a beautiful sunny day. They cannot find a way to play together. This is a true to life situation faced by all parents. This story is a quick and easy way to explain compromise to children. It should be read to 
children by a parent or teacher. 
Told in a beautiful manner. Wonderful illustrations. This book belongs in every daycare, preschool and kindergarten. I know some adults who may benefit from this story, as well! Very well written. 5 stars!




Tuesday, September 27, 2011

BOOK LOVERS PARADISE: received from NetGalley for reviewpublication dat...

BOOK LOVERS PARADISE:
received from NetGalley for reviewpublication dat...
: received from NetGalley for review publication date October 11, 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers. (from Goodreads) T...

BOOK LOVERS PARADISE: Announcing our FIRST EVER beyond 5 gold stars rev...

BOOK LOVERS PARADISE:
Announcing our FIRST EVER beyond 5 gold stars rev...
: Announcing our FIRST EVER beyond 5 gold stars review. The Secret DMS files is a book which should not be missed! An amazing boo...

Hal Junior: The Secret Signal

Hal Junior lives aboard a futuristic space station. His mum is chief scientist, his dad cleans air filters and his best mate is Stephen 'Stinky' Binn.
As for Hal ... he's a bit of a trouble magnet. He means well, but his wild schemes and crazy plans never turn out as expected!
Hal Junior: The Secret Signal features mayhem and laughs, daring and intrigue ... plus a home-made space cannon!

Written for independent readers aged 9+, The Secret Signal will appeal to kids with a sense of humour and a taste for adventure.




my review by Lucas Lawrence

HAL JUNIOR:  THE SECRET SIGNAL  should be renamed Dennis the Menace in Space.   What a fun story.  Loved the interaction between Hal and his friend Stinky.  Hal is different than other kids, he's the class clown, and he's not afraid to be different.  I like people like that.  
Hal is funny and smart.  Hates doing his homework but is smart just the same.
He lives on a cool space station.  
The only part I didn't like was the explanation of how food is made.  I understand why Stinky's face turned green.

I really liked this book.  I give it 5/5 stars.



Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Thursday, September 15, 2011

 I read this book for a book report in school
Sounder by William H. Armstrong
written by Lucas Lawrence

 Plot:  An African-American boy and his family live together in the 1800's with their coon dog Sounder.  The boy's father and Sounder love to go hunting together.  Sounder can catch small animals with his mouth without hurting them.  The family has barely enough food to survive.  One morning, an angry sheriff ran into their home and grabbed the boy's father, put him in chains and threw him in the back of the police wagon for a crime he allegedly committed.  The sheriff went into the house and threw the families dinner on the floor (nice guy).  Sounder starts chasing after the police wagon only to get shot in the side of his head.  An injured Sounder runs and hides.
   The boy keeps calling for Sounder who is thought to be under the house.  He has no success finding the dog.  He brings a cake to his dad in prison.  Eventually, the boy finds Sounder.  He is alive but hurt.
The father is released from jail and returns home.  The boy meets a young teacher willing to teach him to read.  Sadly, both Sounder and the boy's father die.  Even though Sounder is no longer with him, he can still hear the dogs loud barks echoing across the land.

Review:  This was a very interesting book.  Not very fast paced, but an easy to read story about a boy growing up in tough times.  I think the father was sent to jail just because of his color.  We should be ashamed of our past.  We are all red blooded Americans, citizens of  Planet Earth, and we should all work together to make a better future.  We shouldn't be afraid of people who are different than us.
I liked meeting Sounder.  I love books with animals.  Animals accept you for what you are, they don't judge people who are in any way different than others.   I did not like the sad ending of the book.

Paranormal Wastelands: Paranormal Wastelands Presents a Kismet Production...

Paranormal Wastelands: Paranormal Wastelands Presents a Kismet Production...: YAY! The time has come for author of the best-selling Fade series, Lisa McMann, to unleash her new book! We here at Paranormal Wastelan...

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Thursday, September 8, 2011


FOLLOW THE LINK FOR INFORMATION ABOUT A COOL GIVEAWAY OF LISA McMANN'S GREAT NEW NOVEL "THE UNWANTEDS"


http://www.iswimforoceans.com/2011/09/unwanteds-tour-lisa-mcmann-interview.html

And now....the giveaway! Thanks to the amazing generosity of Lisa and Kismet Book Touring, you guys have the chance to win a full-sized class pack of copies ofThe Unwanteds (and yes, that's up to 20 books!)



Tuesday, September 6, 2011



If you get a chance, read this book. It's just hilarious.  It's about a crazy family who vacation in an elevator.  I loved the book.  It has many funny parts, my favorite being the name of the families room.  There are no rooms available at the San Francisco hotel, they decide to stay in the "Otis" room.  Get it? Otis elevator.   The entire book is great.

Popular Clone by M.E. Castle


Popular Clone

by M.E. Castle

children's book

available Jan 24th, 2012

publisher EgmontUSA



Marketing Info:

Meet Fisher Bas: 12 years-old, growth-stunted, a geeky science genius, and son of the Nobel Prize-winning creators of the Bas-Hermaphrodite-Sea-Slug-Hypothesis. No surprise: Fisher isn't exactly the most popular kid in his middle-school, tormented daily by the beefy, overgrown goons he calls The Vikings. But he senses relief when he comes upon the idea of cloning himself--creating a second Fisher to go to school each day while he stays at home playing video games and eating cheetos with ketchup. It's an ingenious plan that works brilliantly, until Fisher's clone turns out to be more popular than him--and soon after gets clone-napped by the evil scientist Dr. Xander.

The book Popular Clone by M.E. Castle revolves around a young boy named Fischer Bas. We all either knew or were a Fischer Bas in school. The geeky, nerdy kid who blew the curve in science class. This kid picked on by the bullies and ignored by just about everyone else. The kid who's at the bottom of the popularity grid. Well, this kid is different. He feels so despondent he decides to use his mother's genetic invention to clone himself. To create a new Fischer to take his place at school. A new Fischer who can bear the brunt of the bullies attacks. Well, things don't work out as planned. A mad scientist is trying to steal Mrs. Bas's invention. The cloned Fischer, called Two, is captured and boy do things get fun.

This book is a voyage of discovery for Fischer. By creating another Fischer, he discovers not only who he really is, but who he wants to be. Kids will enjoy Fischer's adventures with his clone and the mad scientist. They will learn a valuable moral lesson, without realizing it. The author of this book. M.E. Castle is a gifted writer with a talent for turning the down and out geek into a hero. I read this book to my 10 year old son. He is neither a bully nor a genius. He was yelling out loud- "Get the bullies" and "Go Fischer!" during many parts of this book. I think kids, both boys and girls, will love this book. Some will relate to Fischer, others will know someone like Fischer. Either way, a great story. The end is left open enough for further adventures of Fischer and Two.

A great book for parents to give their children. It deals not only with bullies but with a young boy learning self confidence and acceptance. 5/5 stars for this book!! M.E.Castle has a winner on his hands!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Clarion part one


Book Description
Publication Date: April 9, 2011
"Clarion of Destiny" is the eight volume fantasy tale of Leena, a heroine selected by destiny to combat the greatest challenge her world has ever known. In an epic journey that leads through foreign lands and mysterious realms where demons, monsters, and magic rule, this inexperienced young girl is forced to overcome a protected childhood to face challenges that would crush far more experienced adventurers. With each step she takes, with each passing day, she draws closer to a malevolent force so formidable that it has defeated the mightiest armies and the strongest magic in her world, an evil that could prove too powerful for her developing knowledge and skills to overcome. In Volume 1, "Home Lost", Leena, a sixteen year old half trained hedge witch, is mysteriously selected to receive the Garlan branch, a magical item that has twice saved her world in the far distant past. From the first moment of contact with this talisman, her life is changed. After a solitary journey through a silent and deadly winter forest to seek this honor, she returns to her village. Nervous with the excitement and anticipation, she rushes home only to find the secure and treasured town of her youth deserted and in ruins. Confused and alone Leena has little choice but to set out on a search for her missing friends and family, and to try to discover the reason that the Garlan branch has selected her as its tool.

Book one revolves around the story of Leena. The author tells a nice, pleasing fantasy tale. I will read books 2-8 before writing a complete review, but this story was good enough to make me WANT to read books 2-8 in the series.