Category Archives: Magical Realism

Jan
14
2015

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K Roling

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Harry Potter with his magical ways goes through the action packed book of Harry Potter Goblet Of Fire by Jimgres-1.K. Rowling, it is the 4th book in the Harry Potter series. It’s about a boy named Harry Potter and he is a wizard. The main problem is that there is a contest called the triwizard tournament. It is a really dangerous contest and Harry was put in, but he wasn’t the one who entered, someone else did even though he has to be 17 and he is only 14. This tournament took place at Hogwarts the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry is a pretty curious person, when he doesn’t know something he will try to figure it out, like in the 2nd book (The Chamber Of Secrets) he puts on his cloak of invisibility  (a cloak that makes him invisible) to find out who was stunning everyone when he wasn’t allowed. Harry is also a really nice person and is only mean to the people who are mean to him like all the Slytherins (one of the 4 houses at Hogwarts, there is also Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor). They are always teasing him so he is mean back to them but he is really kind to all the people who are kind to back to him. Harry is a really brave boy like in the end he duels the strongest wizard in the world when most would run away. In the contest there are three courses: the 1st is to steal a golden egg from a fully grown dragon, the 2nd is that they have 1 hour to rescue their friends from under the lake, in the 3rd they have to walk through a maze with dangerous obstacles and the first to get to the Triwizard Cup wins. Harry and Cedric, who was also in the competition got to the cup first, they agreed to touch it at the same time. Instead of being teleported to Hogwarts they went to a graveyard where he-who-must-not-be-named (Voldemort) was revived. When Voldemort came back to life it was the start of his reign and terror…again.

I really liked this book because I am a fiction kind of person and this is a fiction book. I also really liked this book because it’s has some fantasy in it, it’s not like happily ever after kind of fantasy, it is sort of the opposite but is still in the fantasy genre. I recommend this book to anyone who likes fiction books. If you are more of a nonfiction person then you may not like as much but you should still read it because it is still a really great book. This book is also like The Heroes Of Olympus series because in both they are battling evil and in both they have some kind of magical powers. (Note: if you haven’t read The Heroes Of Olympus then read that series too)

I rate this book:

****,  It wasn’t the best book I have ever read, but it was still really really really really really really good!

Go To:

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) – IMDb

To Learn More!

 


Jan
14
2015

Fake Mustache By: Tom Angleberger

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So everyone thinks Lenny and Casper are two middle school nerds. Lenny believes that, but Casper just wants power and control, which every typical kid wants, but they do not try to get it the way Casper did. Now I am going to tell you how Lenny and a friend, who I am going to introduce to you later in this story, saved the world from Casper. Oh I forgot to tell you the name of my book is Fake Mustache by: Tom Angleberger. Back to the actual story. So the main part of this story is actually a problem. So Casper bought this mustache that was apparently a really fancy one. The mustache was magical in a way because it hypnotized everybody in town causing them to listen to whatever Casper says. Casper made everyone think that Lenny was the bad guy and he was the good guy. The story takes place in Casper and Lenny’s home town.

I would describe Lenny as brave because he stood up to Casper even though Casper was basically trying to kill him. Lenny is a really sweet kid because he made Jodie like him. I would also describe Lenny as smart because he came up with all these plans to save the world and stop Casper. I would describe Casper as a maniac. What type of person would meaningfully buy a mustache to hypnotize everybody and take over the world? Casper is not a very loyal person because he just turned his back on Lenny to get what he wanted. But I also think Casper is kind of sad because his parents never payed attention to him so he was trying to get attention. Lenny meets this famous actor named Jodie. While he is trying to save the world from Casper. Jodie was from the TV show, Jodie O Rodeo. Her TV show was cancelled. Then Lenny met Jodie. It turns out Caspers plan leads up to him running for President.  He almost became President and took over the world but luckily Lenny and Jodie came to the rescue. At the end of the book surprisingly Lenny forgives Casper and becomes friends with him again. I find that a really big decision. But the book just ends. You could have wrote a whole story about that. I kind of found it really annoying that the book just ended. But if the author decided to make another book in this series people would really want to read it.

I really liked this book. It was very interesting. The book was very silly and wacky. You would never think a author would write a book like this. When you thought something was going to happen something completely bizarre happens instead. I would really recommend this book. It is a fun and quick read. If you like crazy this is the perfect book for you. If you like simple and more predictable books you probably wouldn’t enjoy this book as much. This book is so different. I can not think of anything that relates to this book.

I would rate this book: FIVE STARS

Jan
05
2015

The Grimm Conclusion by Adam Gidwitz

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I read The Grimm Conclusion by Adam Gidwitz. It is the third book of Grimm. The two main characters are Jorinda and Joringel (you pronounce it as YOUR-INDA and YOUR-INGLE). They are sister and brother. When they were born their dad died of happiness because all he and his wife wished was that they could have children. Their mom did not know how to raise them or cook for them. She was afraid she would not be a good mom so she did not take care of them very much. She went back to her study room and studied. She married (again) to someone who was not very nice but knew how to cook. Their mom was always in her study and never came out so the children were stuck with the mean stepfather. They missed her a lot and got really sick by it. The book takes place in many places but mainly in the Kingdom of Grimm in Germany.

My three favorite parts were first, when Joringel goes to Hell and meets the devil. The devil’s house is made of human body parts. My second favorite part of the book was the war between the children and the grown-ups. The grown ups are much more powerful, but some of the children start to tell a story. Everything that they say happens in the story really happens. My third favorite part was when Jorinda is ruling the whole kingdom of Grimm but she makes a lot of bad rules and is a tyrant because she keeps on thinking about her mom and everything that happened to her that was bad. I would describe Jorinda as brave and smart because she is not scared to do anything, like once Jorinda gets stuck in a big house and giant dangerous animals are all around her. All of them are chained up to the wall. She was sure she was going to die, but she found the one spot in the room where the animals could not touch her. I would also say that she was confused because she rarely knew what she is doing, where she was and why she was there.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it because the narrator comes in at random parts of the story and makes funny comments about everything, but I would only recommend this book to the people are not grossed out by death and blood, it has a lot of death and blood. I think this book is like the fairy tales Cinderella and Snow White because certain parts of the books are based on Cinderella and Snow White. All of the books of Grimm are based on fairy tales. I LOVED this book

I would give this book five stars.

Jan
05
2015

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’engle

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wrinklecover9The book that I read is called A Wrinkle In Time. It is written by Madeleine L’engle. The series is called The Wrinkle In time Quintet. The main characters are Meg, Calvin, Charles,  Mr.Murry and Miss Who, Miss Whatsit and Miss Which. The book is about the main characters trying to defeat the Dark thing. There are lots of settings in this book but one of them is called Comotz.

Something that is really interesting is that the author really describes what the characters are feeling and why they are feeling what they are feeling. I found that this book is really complicated so you really have to read slowly. Adding on to what I just said is that sometimes you might have to read the page all over again and then you will get what they’re talking about. Sometimes the author gives you riddles you have to figure out. Meg is very, nice, outgoing and loving. She is nice because when she meets Calvin she helps him and she cares for him. She is outgoing because when she meets Miss Who, Miss Whatsit and Miss Which she does not get all shy, she goes for it and makes friends with them. She is loving because when her brother is in danger she helps him because she loves him.

I thought this book was ok, it was not great but it was not terrible. I like books that have more suspense. And I like books that have a tiny bit of violence in them. I would recommend this book to people who like riddles and to people who like mixed emotions in their books. I wouldn’t recommend this book to people who like violence or to people who don’t like a little love in their books. There is really nothing that I have read that is similar to this book, this book is unique in its own way. I would rate this book a three. I thought it was ok. It was not the best book and I would not read it again.

 

Jan
05
2015

Gabriel Finley and the Raven’s Riddle by George Hagen

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My book is called Gabriel Finley and the Ravens Riddle by George Hagen. The main character is Gabriel. His friends are included a lot too and they are very important in the story. They are Pamela, Abby, and Somes. The book is mainly about Gabriel and his friends traveling to an underground city, Aviopolis. They are trying to find Gabriel’s father who disappeared a long time ago. The setting of the book is Aviopolis and believe it or not, the cemetery. Aviopolis is an underground city of birds, specifically ravens, even more specifically, valravens. Valravens are evil ravens.

One of the many interesting parts of the book is when the ravens greet each other by asking riddles. If the raven laughs after the riddle, they are good old ravens, if the don’t laugh they are the well known, evil valravens. Another important and interesting thing is when they are in Aviopolis and then you have so much suspense about if they are going to find and bring back Gabriel’s father. Those are just two of the many interesting things in this amazing book. Three adjectives to describe Gabriel would be Brave, curious, and selfless. He is brave because he went with only his friends (no parents) to Aviopolis (a city full of evil birds) to find his father.  He is curious because he actually went and was being curious about where his father went many years ago. He would be selfless because when he had a chance to do something that he could be greedy with he didn’t use it on himself or be greedy with it, but he gave it up for his friends. I could give so many more adjectives to describe Gabriel besides these. But these are the ones that really stood out.

I enjoyed this book because it is an adventure and mystery book. I also really loved this book because when Pamela got the idea to use the raven as the violin, it was an amazing idea. Another example is when the author leaves you hanging about whether they found the father or not. I would recommend this book because many people like mysteries and adventures. Also because it is a very descriptive book, and that makes it easier to understand the story. I think this book is like the movie by Tim Burton  A Nightmare Before Christmas because they both go to a different world and they experience different things than what they are used to. I would give this book FIVE STARS! This is an amazing book, and if you like mysteries and adventures you will love this amazing book!

 

Dec
18
2014

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

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The book that I am reading is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling. The main characters are Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The problem in my book is people are getting petrified and the Chamber of Secrets has opened, which has not been opened in 60 years. The book takes place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the time is the present.

Harry Potter is going back to Hogwarts for his 2nd year, but before he goes back a house elf named Dobby comes to warn Harry not to go back to Hogwarts. When Harry tries to get on platform 9 ¾ Dobby does not let Harry, so him and Ron take a flying car to Hogwarts and almost get killed by a tree. Later on, a girl gets taken into the Chamber of Secrets; they know that because there is a blood message on the wall telling everyone. Harry and Ron go to the chamber to save the girl and take the stupid teacher with them. he is stupid because he thinks he is so great, but he is the worst wizard in the world!  I am not going to give away the end; you have to read the book!

I loved the book because it is awesome! No, I am still not going to give away the ending! I think Gilderoy Lockhart is a very funny git. I think Dobby is also very funny and awesome at the same time. I would recommend this series to everyone because it is by the best author in the world. All the books teach you something. What I learned was that I really like Harry Potter . You can choose what you learned from the book. I rate this book five stars!

Dec
12
2014

Son by Lois Lowery

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The book I read is called Son, by Lois Lowry. There are four books in the series, number one is called The Giver, number two is Gathering Blue, three is Messenger and the last one is Son. The main characters are: Claire, Jonas, Gabe, and Trademaster. In the book there are Elders, who are the leaders of the community. Their community is a place without freedom, the people never get to choose or pick anything. There are a ton of rules. Every year there is a day called were a group of twelves get assigned a job to do, and a girl named Claire got assigned Birth mother which is when a group of twelve girls give birth to a baby three times then they get out of the Birthing unit and they get to rest for a lot of time. Claire gives birth to her first baby and her eyes are covered up in a mask so she can’t see the baby come out of her body, but the people that are working at the birthing unit call her baby a failure to thrive. So Claire gets sent to the Hatchery where they take care of fishes and their eggs. Secretly, Claire goes out to see her baby and pretend she doesn’t know it’s her baby. Once birth mother’s have their  baby, their baby gets sent off to new parents. So Claire goes every day to see Gabriel her son. One day a person named Jonas runs away from the community, which is against the rules. He takes Gabriel with him, and now Claire has her heart set on finding him.

One very interesting part of the book is when the author describes how Claire felt when she was birthing Gabriel. It’s interesting because I  would describe Claire as heart set, strong, and loving. I really enjoyed reading Son and the whole series.

It’s kind of a mix between fiction and non fiction, but it’s more fiction. I also enjoyed it because it’s also educational at points. I would recommend this series to 3rd grade and up, this series is actually for young adults. I would rate this book four stars.

 

Dec
12
2014

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

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The book I read is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K Rowling, this book is number five of the series Harry Potter. This series is about Harry’s life through the ages 11- 17 at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This particular book is when Harry is 15, and is in his fifth year at Hogwarts. During the year he is trying to learn how to fight Voldemort the Dark Lord, prepare his fellow friends with secret meetings, learn how to keep calm with Professor Umbridge, and learn to cope with Professor Snape while learning occlumency. The main characters of this book are Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger. This book is set in the present time in England, London.

A part I found important was when Grawp (a giant), Hagrid’s  step brother (Hagrid is a half giant) saves Harry and Hermione from rampaging centaurs. It was important because Grawp had a lot of courage and bravery , and showed true friendship. Another  part that I found interesting was when Harry invaded Snape’s privacy. It was interesting because when Snape found out, he did not want to teach Harry anymore. Hermione is loyal because she stuck with Harry and Ron when times were tough for example when they were escaping Death Eaters when she could of saved only herself. She is a forward thinker because when the group was in a circular room and all the doors looked the same but she put a X on the doors she already tried. She is also generous because over the year she was knitting hats for the house elves to set them free even though they didn’t want to be free.

I enjoyed the book because the breath taking adventures and funny love stories. A funny love story was when Harry kissed Cho under mistletoe and the breath taking adventures are when they battled Voldemort. I would recommend this book to readers the age of 9-10000000000. I would recommend at that ages because there is some violence and weird things . But anything else is totally acceptable for younger ages. The book is really great and descriptive (it is 870 pages) and it is enjoyable for many readers. I think the Percy Jackson series is very similar. I know that because they do not know about their kind for a long time, they have to fight, and they make great friends. I would rate this book 4 stars ****.

 

Dec
12
2014

Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling

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The book that I read for this review was The Prisoner of Azkaban, the third book in the Harry Potter series.The main characters are Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. The book is mainly about Harry’s godfather Sirius Black escaping from prison and trying to come and get him. The book is mainly set in Harry’s school, Hogwarts.

One interesting part is when Harry leaves the Dursleys house and he gets on the knight bus. It’s interesting how a bus can go anywhere for wizards and witches. Another interesting part is when Sirius Black comes and breaks Ron Weasley’s leg because he becomes a dog and drags Ron into the Whomping Willow that is a tree that can move its branches but not its trunk. Harry Potter is athletic because he plays a sport named Quidditch and he is a position called seeker. He is brave because he stands up to a mean person named Draco Malfoy.He is also smart because he saved two lives in one hour.

I liked the book because I liked to read all the fun, shocking, surprising, exciting things that happened.It is fun to imagine the things in your brain. I would recommend this book if you want to read a book full of surprises and that makes you want to read more. The reader gets to understand and feel Harry’s experiences as he grows up. The movie to this book is related because it is about the same thing but some things are cut and added on. I rate this book four stars I really liked it.

Dec
12
2014

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

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My book is called The Lost Hero it is written by Rick Riordan. The series is called The Heroes Of Olympus and it is kind of like the Percy Jackson series. The main characters are Jason, Piper, Leo and Coach Hedge. The book is about Jason, Piper and Leo trying to defeat the evil mother earth and her son Porhryion the giant and to save Hera the Queen of Greek gods. There are many settings in the book but one of them is called Camp Half Blood.

Something interesting is that you would think Aphrodite is all about being pretty but really it’s about who you are on the inside and not on the outside. Something that I also like is that you get to learn about the main characters thoughts and feelings descriptively and nicely worded.  Every two chapters each character takes a turn to speak about what their perspective is of what is happening. Something that is really important is that you really understand what the characters are like, and how they think.

I think Piper is really daring, caring and she believes in herself. She is very caring because when Jason is very hurt by a blinding light she really tries to help him. She is daring because even though her dad is hurt she still leaves him with someone she knows will help him. She believes in herself because when she meets a evil princess named Medea she believes that she  can defeat  the evil princess.

I enjoyed this book because the book usually leaves cliffhangers after every chapter. When you really want to know more it just stops and then you get all sad. But then you get into another character and then you go to another characters part. I would recommend this book to people who like gods and for people who like problems you need to solve. Also for people who like a little bit of violence in their book. A similar book is the Kane Chronicles they are written from the same author and they’re also about gods but Egyptian gods. I would rate this book a four out of five, because I wouldn’t read it again but it was a really good book.