Book Review: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

by Gail Pruszkowski

I may not be a young adult but "Vampire Academy" is a book I could definitely sink my teeth into. It's the first in a series by Richelle Mead. The author puts a new and unique spin on the vampire legends of old. Forbidden love, friendship, loyalty, romance, intrigue, this one has it all.

St. Vladimir's Academy in Montana is no ordinary school. It's a boarding school for vampires where they are taught magic and teens who are half human, half vampire are trained to protect them. Lissa is a mortal Moroi Vampire Princess and her best friend and bodyguard is Rose Hathaway, a Dhampir, who is trained to combat the immortal Strigoi, who are dangerous rogue Moroi. Two years ago Lissa and Rose ran away but they were found and brought back in disgrace. The academy has become a dangerous place for them. Gossip, peer pressure and forbidden romance are the least of their problems. Lissa has secret powers that are growing and affecting her in different ways. Now she is getting anonymous warnings from someone who knows her secret.

Rose and Lissa have a great relationship and it's the focus of the story. The plot starts when the girls are caught and returned to the academy and it takes off from there. Good secondary characters and intriguing subplots make the pages fly. There's a forbidden romance between Rose and Dimitri which adds another dimension to the story. Mead doesn't talk down to her readers. She describes a dark contemporary setting and includes some strong language and sexual content that some readers might find offensive. It might be a supernatural tale but it deals with teenage issues that are relevant to most teens. If you like "Twilight" and "House of Night" you'll probably like this series as well. It's an engaging mystery with an unpredictable ending and it is definitely worth a read.

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Razorbill (August 16, 2007)
ISBN: 978-1595141743
Paperback: 336
Price: $8.99

Gail Pruszkowski reviews for "Romantic Times BOOKreviews" magazine and her work has been published in the "Cup of Comfort" Anthologies.

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Childhood Cancer Book Review - Where's My Hair?

by Terry Boser

As a special education specialist I have seen many books that children struggle with because the reading is too hard. Many books lack age appropriate reading. Let me tell you about a new children's book authored by Patti Block, of Minnesota, titled Where's My Hair? This book definitely has an age appropriate reading level and can be used for educational purposes.

Where's my Hair is about the days of a young cancer patient. It starts off with the news that a young boys friend is sick. He talks about how his friend needs to go to the doctor a lot. How there will be good days and bad days. He tells how he feels about his friend. He waits for the day where they can play again. This book is a great reading book for the young reader. The style of writing by this author is simple. The author does not use big words. She gets her points across by using simple words; words that young people, including young readers will understand.

This amazing book can also be used an an educational resource for any young person who is dealing with cancer, whether it is themselves that has been diagnosed or a loved one. The book can easily be read over and over again so the child can remember what will happen when their loved one goes to the doctor for their cancer treatments. Repetition while reading is an important factor for the child to learn and remember.

This pictures in Where's My Hair? are vivid and full of color. They too will help the child understand what is happening in the story if they are too young to read by themselves.

Bottom line--this book would be an amazing tool to add to your personal or professional collection.

Where's My Hair?
Author: Patti Block
Illustrator: Swapan Debnath
ISBN: 978-1-936046-12-6

For more information about the author you may visit: http://www.pagesofwonder.com/block

Children's Books and Their Importance

by Rita R Philips

The vulnerability of a child is a wonderful feat all on its own. One of the most important things that your child needs to learn is the habit of reading. With the digital age growing out of proportions, a lot of parents have neglected to educate their children with the use of the right reading materials. Most adults would allow their children to endlessly play video games or learn all their school lessons through the internet.

Unknown to a lot of people, there are a lot of things that your child can pick up from reading. Being immersed in various reading materials will help enhance the understanding and knowledge of your child, even at the early stage of pregnancy and childbirth. Parents are encouraged by experts to indulge their children to reading books that will help widen their understanding of different things in the world. Most children books also incorporate moral lessons that aid in the mentality of the child as he/she grows.

Being able to make a child feel comfortable in the habit of reading books will make it easier for them to achieve a lot of things while they are in school and as they go on with their life. Schools also hold book fairs that will increase their participation in several non-curricular activities. This will also give them an advantage over other children who may have not read as many books as they have. While you shop for children books, you might also want to bring your child along with you in the store.

Observe his actions and see which types of books he may be interested in. This will give you a brief knowledge on what books to buy him next. When your child feels at ease with the activity of reading, you will also be able to see a noticeable dedication in his learning for other things. Books tell stories of different kinds of people, and children will be able to compare and assess the diversities in the real world.

Opening up to a world that they barely know about will make it easier for you as a parent to educate your child. If your child is still a toddler, you can focus on board books that will make the idea of reading more interactive as he participates in different identification games. Most board books help in enhancing the child's identification in various shapes, colors and sizes. Colorful pictures also spark the interest of a lot of children. A lot of child experts believe that board books are always the best start to immersing kids to read children books. Constantly visiting the library with your child is also a healthy practice in nurturing their education. Sooner or later, you will be surprised to realize that your child can get into the habit of reading without having to be reminded by you.

Copyright (c) 2009 Rita R Philips

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