Book Review of Princess of Orange by Elisabeth Kyle

Princess of Orange is the story of Mary, a young English princess, daughter of the Duke of York, in the late seventeenth century. She is being educated with her sister Anne and a sharp, clever, and extraordinarily pretty spitfire named Sarah Jennings. Even when only eleven or twelve her cousin Monmouth's hints and Sarah Jennings sharp teasing remind her that she is only a pawn, to be married to some foreigner, perhaps the Prince of Orange. And when she was fifteen, that was exactly what happened. Then William, Prince of Orange comes from Holland, asks to marry her, and her father and her uncle, King Charles, insist. Mary is unwillingly wedded to him and then they move to Holland. There Mary gradually learns about the man she has married. His love of beauty, his greatness begins to endear him to her.

This historical novel continues to speak of Mary and William's happy marriage, the unsuccessful rebellion of Mary's cousin Monmouth, and how Mary and William become King and Queen of England. Princess of Orange is a captivating story and recommended for ages eleven and up.

Book Review of Make Way for Ducklings

Make Way For Ducklings

written and illustrated by Robert McCloskey

first published in 1941

winner of the 1942 Caldecott Medal

Instead of being a movie or novel, like we normally post reviews of on this blog, Make Way For Ducklings is a picture book. But it is such a lovely book that I couldn't help writingn my review here.

This is the story of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard, and the trouble they had finding a place to raise their ducklings. It is written in a fresh, delightful style with a slight vintage feel to it. What really makes the story come alive, however, are the brown charcoal drawings on every page. They really give you a feel for the place and the characters. Even the ducklings, who don't have much in the story individually, are given in the story different attitudes and characters. To make these beautiful differences Robert McCloskey, who was an artist, brought six little ducklings into his studio to watch them and use them as models.

This little book is a classic. Mum read it out loud to me when I was little and I love it even more now. The wonderful thing about it is that it can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Book Review of Crushed Yet Conquering by Deborah Alcock

For my review this week I am doing a book my Mum received to review.

Crushed Yet Conquering is the story of a young man, part French, part English, of the middle ages, Hubert Bohun, who at the start of the book is a clerk going to Constance, Germany, with his employer, the chancellor of Paris. The chancellor, whom the orphaned Hubert loved as a father, had come to be part of a church council which would, among other things, judge and condemn heretics. When Hubert is there, they were trying an early Bohemian (present day Czech Republic) reformer named John Huss. He witnesses his trial, his condemnation, and finally comes to believe that Huss was not a heretic after all, but a sincere Christian. He ends up leaving the chancellor, who had condemned Huss and going to Bohemia as a squire to Huss's dear friend Chlum. After that it is a story of the early reformed church in Bohemia. About the giving of the cup of the Lord's Supper to more people than just priests, and the persecution they recieved. It is also a story of other characters; the beautiful, high spirited Zedenka, the tragic romance of Aninka and Frantisek, the happier one of Hubert's brother Armand and Jocelyne, and the courageous boyhood of Chlum's young son.

This book doesn't have the problem of being too short, like most of my favorite novels, because it is quite thick and made up of two parts, one a story of Constance and the other of Bohemia. For a while it seems like a book and a sequel, but they stick together wonderfully as one novel. Another thing I love is that the author loved poetry and it shows in her writing, which is beautiful and often quotes poetry. It is unfortunate that John Huss was not a complete reformer and still believed in transubstantiation and perhaps on purgatory, but other than this, I cannot recommend Crushed Yet Conquering too highly. The plot is very intricate, with many fascinating characters and subplots and all together it makes a beautiful story filled with faith, love, friendship, and pathos. I highly recommend this for all 11 and older.

Some more reading challenges

Here are some more reading challenges I've found!



The Jane Austen Reading Challenge



The Reading the Classics Challenge



L.M.Montgomery Reading Challenge



And don't forget the Books of Old Reading Challenge hosted here at the Ladies Library.

Book Review of Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan

The scene was Norway, winter of 1940. The Nazis had just invaded and everything had changed. Unknown to the Nazis, the people of Peter and Lovisa's village were hiding nine million dollars worth of gold that had belonged to the Norwegian government. What would they do with it? The Nazis would someday find out and then it would be used to fight against their country. If they could get it to America, then it would be safe, but America was a long way off, and to get the gold onto a boat they had to bring it down many miles to a fiord, right under the eyes of German sentries. It they tried to just pick it up and carry it there they would certainly be caught and the gold confiscated. What should they do? Finally Peter and Lovisa's Uncle Victor had a plan. It was a risky plan, it was a dangerous plan, but it was a plan. Now it was up to Peter, Lovisa and the other children of the village to save their country's gold.

Snow Treasure is based on the story a Norwegian captain told when he arrived in Baltimore with a cargo of gold. Marie McSwigan has done a excellent job making the characters and the story seem alive. I recommend this book to read aloud or alone for all ages.

Book Review of the Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

Set in the time of Jesus in Palestine, this is a wonderful story of hope, revenge, forgiveness, and love. Daniel bar Jamin's father and uncle had been killed by the Romans. His mother had died of sorrow and his sister Leah was so scared that many thought she was possessed by demons. After his parents death his grandmother sells him to a cruel blacksmith, but he escapes and joins a band of fighters in the mountain, struggling for freedom from the Romans. Freedom from the Romans! That was all Daniel cared about, all he lived for. The Romans had killed his family and he would revenge them. He thought of nothing else.

But one day that changed. He met on the mountain Joel, the studious and quiet, but patriotic son of a rich Pharisee, and his sister, graceful, beautiful Malthace. They brought the thoughts of his village back into his mind. They even convinced him to go see his grandmother and sister Leah. But he did not stay there for long. He went back to the band of freedom fighters on the mountain. Once he went to the house of Joel's father, to see if Joel would help them in their fight for freedom. But he always went back to the mountain.

Except for once. His grandmother died and he moved back to the village to take care of Leah. He even got full use of the blacksmith shop belonging to his friend Simon. Simon had left the shop in his care, for he was following this rabbi Jesus. Daniel had heard Jesus preach once. At first he though that maybe He would be the one to lead them against the Romans. But he gave up on that idea, this new Rabbi said nothing about fighting the Romans. And yet.....

This is an amazing book. I've read it three times and every time I seem to like it more. Elizabeth George Speare was a wonderful writer. There is nothing really inappropriate in The Bronze Bow. It has a little fighting and Daniel mentions how his parents died but it isn't in great detail. I'd recommend this book for ages 12 and up.