With all this Harry Potter hype, I imagine many folks have forgotten that they are other great fantasy books out there for kids. And when many of us our busy keeping our kids occupied this summer, we often don’t have time to research and read other books.
Well, our parent bloggers are doing that for you (Have you checked out our book reviews lately?) with The Dark Dreamweaver
Winner of the Mom’s Choice award, The Dark Dreamweaver is a classic tale of good and evil. Our bloggers appreciated that the main character had to fight using his inner powers. “As a mom, what I appreciate most about The Dark Dreamweaver is that this “normal” kid David is challenged to dig deep, rely on his inner powers (courage, strength, determination, wisdom, imagination, and compassion) to help not only his caterpillar friend but the whole state of the world. ”
With the imagery being so vivid, our bloggers recommended this book specifically for the age range (9-12). “This is a book for kids who enjoy the fantasy genre but probably more suited to those who are mid-elementary aged. The writing is fast paced and the imagery is wonderfully vivid, so much so that a kid who’s easily spooked by her own wild imagination might find it a bit eerie until they realize that David will be okay.” This parent followed up by saying, “…The Dark Dreamweaver is suspenseful, but not terribly scary, certainly no more so than the Harry Potter books. I read the first few chapters and felt compelled to read on. ”
A few of our bloggers found the book to be the awesome summer read and weren’t shy about sharing it. “We found this book to be both imaginative and creative. The book is filled with a strong main character who is filled both determination and strength that is a great model for the tween set. The book is filled with suspense and enough magic and wizardry to make any tween forget he is actually reading during the summer time!”
This parent wasn’t the only one who enjoyed Nick Ruth’s writing style. “Nick Ruth has a great writing style, action packed and descriptive. David’s questions and choices really resonated with my kids, who sat rapt by my side as we read through this book.” “Nick Ruth writes with a fast pace that keeps the interest of even the most active reader.” ”
Several of our bloggers’ kids couldn’t put the book down. “Oh. I’m done. And I haven’t had any bad dreams yet, so I know it was good. This is high praise, coming from the girl who has only loved one other book with a male protagonist, which may or may not rhyme with Marry Wotter.”
The blogger’s kids are already looking forward to the sequel. “My daughter really enjoyed the book and is certainly looking forward to the next Chronicle.” “It’s a wonderful journey, full of fantasy and excitement. Fast paced and creative, both my boys are looking forward to reading the next installment.”
See what our other bloggers think about this book, and make sure to enter the contest to win a copy. Just leave a comment here and you’ll be entered — tell us about your favorite tween book.
Slouching Mom 7/24
Views from the Pants 7/25
Final Round Up 7/31
And if you missed out on our Blog Blast yesterday, it’s not too late to join in on Bloggers Giving Back. Check out the details and write your post!
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My favorite ‘tween book’ would have to be ‘Cracker Jackson’ written by Betsy Byers.
I work in the field of education in a very rough neighborhood. My students are street smart kids who see too much for their years on a daily basis. Many do not have a love of learning, much less of books. I like to read ‘Cracker Jackson’ to my students because it is gritty, real, and something that they can personally relate to. Often, we talk about fantasy, and various genres that are (in fact) so wonderful, so attainable for the middle classes and above. So rarely are books that are accessible to the lower socio-economic and ‘under classes’ brought into the spotlight. To connect to my ‘tough’ students I have to meet them exactly where they are; I have to be able to ‘hook them’ and, ultimately, ‘reel them in’–I love how “Cracker Jackson” helps me to do just that. For a review of the book go to: http://www.amazon.com/Cracker-Jackson-Puffin-Story-Books/dp/014031881X
Thanks for the review of this new (to me) book series. I will check it out.
[...] first half of bloggers found it to be creative, fast-paced, and a great read for their 9+ year old set. Let’s see [...]