Hey, I read Henry Reed's Journey awhile back. I didn't know there were others! Cool!

Wow, I've never even heard of these Henry Reed books. What are they about, pray? And might I like them?

So did you like Hitchhiker's, Booky? I bought a copy of that at a booksale a while back and plan to read it. This is the Christian band The Afters, right? I saw them in concert once and have their first CD, but I'm not familiar with the song you mentioned.

As of today I added another book to my currently-sorta-kinda-reading pile: The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop. This is an old favorite and I'd been hoping to read it for some time, but when I saw it just now on the Honors Centers' read-and-return shelf, I couldn't help but pick it up and start it. I don't think I realized as a child how much this book shaped my own attempts at writing fiction, or how much like William I was - small, sensitive, jealous and possessive, and probably quite able to navigate a toy castle at ease. Good stuff, that.

They're about a teenage boy named Henry. Henry lives overseas and visits his aunt and uncle in New Jersey every summer where he meets a girl named Midge. He and Midge have all kinds of escapades during the summer. The books are really funny.

I started reading Jane Bites Back today. For some reason I decided to give it a try. That was a mistake. I read the first few chapters and discovered it was literary trash. A disgrace to the name Jane Austen

lys, the Henry Reed books are by Keith Robertson. I randomly found one on the shelf while scanning the children's section at the library. It was lots of fun. It's chock full of coincidences and so on,

EDIT: Oh, and McCloskey illustrated the books, which explains why I made that connection.

Rober McCloskey!!!!!! I love Centerburg Tales!!! I grew up on those books about that one boy, I can't remember his name now. And the big ball of yarn and the skunk named Aroma and the rank bobbers, I mean the bank robbers. And that goofy sherrif who always did that with his words. And all the donuts!!!

That's the band, Lys. It's on their second CD. I tracked it down on YouTube for you, cause I'm awesome like that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ0u11L3m9U

I thought it was a pretty funny book, not hysterically funny, but I did laugh out loud a few times. Need to track down the next one.

At this rate I'd rather buy a book that said "princess so-and-so wasn't like the rest of the princesses who hated long skirts and loved riding horses. She preferred to sit quietly inside, work on her sewing, and read books. "

I think I'd buy that one too! Maybe you should write it, and then it would become a smash hit because it's so different from the others and no one would suffer from the already-been-done points of the book.

Kate: How is The Count of Monte Cristo going for you?

Has any one else read Les Miserables? I finished it yesterday, and would like some other opinions.. I thought it was okay, but again, a little hard to follow.

I read Les Miserables about a year ago, and while there was some parts I enjoyed (I distinctly remember liking the character of Javert...) it wasn't, and isn't, my favourite book or one that I absolutely loved. It was alright, though, and I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. Someday I hope to read it again, since I bought the unabridged book a few months ago, so it might improve upon a second read.

I see on the past page or so there was some discussion on audio books- how funny as my Mom just bought me (they were withdrawn from the library) the BBC Radio's version of Pride and Prejudice, and Mansfield Park, both on audio book. The latter is, sadly, abridged, however, it is read by Harriet Walters so I'll probably listen to it anyways.

I started reading Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens two weeks ago, and have been enjoying it despite going through it rather slowly and juggling two other books at the same time (thankfully the other two are not fiction). As it stands now it probably won't be my favourite Dickens, but it's not bad either, and there has been some very interesting characters so far. Has anyone else read it? If so, what do you think?

I have listened to the Les Miserables Focus on the Family audio drama ten times at least. I finally decided, "Hmm, I should really read the book." So I borrowed it from the library and I didn't like it much. The audio drama was ten times better I thought. It wasn't really different but there were little things they left out and stuff so I didn't like all this extra stuff that was in the book that I thought was unnecessary.

*wonders where mar_girl is and why the Queen of Literary Linkage has not informed us of the following*

100 Top Children's Novels: 100-91

90 - 76 can be found by going to the main page and scrolling down.

This is (or at least looks like it will be when it is complete) one of the coolest top 100 lists I have ever seen. There's relevant commentary on the books, a selection of different covers (one of my favourite parts ) and comments on the references to the books in other formats.

Is anyone else reading The Chestnut King yet? If you have, no spoilers please, but I'd love to have someone else to babble with... I read N. D. Wilson's short version of the end, and it's making me a bit nervous, but considering the fact that at least two of the characters make an appearance in the blog tour he's doing I suspect it's a bit tongue-in-cheek. I'm to

The Chestnut King is out already? Awesome, I need to look for it.

*sticks head in*

My mom read Les Mis to us for school a number of years ago; i didn't like it at all. Part of the reason for that may be because i saw the infamous 1995 movie version first (great movie, terrible adaption) and then the high school version of the musical (starring my cousin) before even cracking open the book. I might eventually pick it up again, but it'll take some determination.

Currently, i'm re-reading Shardik by Richard Adams, author of Watership Down. Very interesting book.

I haven't been able to read any new books lately because i haven't been in a position to visit the library, and wouldn't be sure which ones to get if i were.

A very interesting book that I read lately is called The New Policeman. It's a neat tale set in Ireland by Kate Thompson. Though the book is set in modern times, Celtic lore is twisted up in the story until the modern and the lore blend together into a very neat tale.

Something cool about the book was that after every chapter there was a little piece of music printed on the page that was either a traditional Irish tune, composed by a certain Irish composer, or by the author herself. The pieces had names based on something significant that happened in previous chapter. I thought it was neat.

Just read The City of Ember a few days ago. It was surprisingly interesting, and weird to think that

I'm currantly waiting for my sister to finish up with the 6th a life of faith:Elsie Dinsmore book so I can read it. Has anyone else read the series?
So far I'm really enjoying them!

^^I read like the first 20 books in the series. I remember liking them alot but now when I read them or listen to the audiotapes I get really annoyed with her over-protective dad and with her impossible innocence .

sweetlittlegurlie: I read The City of Ember awhile ago. I liked it alot but the sequel, The People of Sparks, is not as good.