Skip to main content

First Test (Protector of the Small #1) by Tamora Pierce

By

 Brief synopsis (no spoilers): Keladry of Mindalen is the first girl to take advantage of the decree that girls can train to be Knights in the realm of Tortall. Alana the Lioness became a knight 10 years ago and Kel wants to follow in her footsteps. However, because the training master, Lord Wyldon, doesn't believe girls should be knights, Kel is put on a one year probation, something that no male has ever had imposed on them. In addition, Keladry must deal with the usual hazing and grueling schedule of training for knighthood.    

Category: Juv/YA fic

Why I chose this book: Enjoyed other books by the same author 

My personal opinion: Kel is awesome. I loved going on the journey with her through her probationary year. And I love her title, Protector of the Small. It comes into play from the very beginning of her story. 

Warnings
Movie rating equivalent: PG
Language: None. 
Violence: Kel gets into many fist fights
"Adult" situations: None
Death: None

Protagonist description:  Keladry is a fiery spirit, even at ten years old. She knows what she wants and isn't afraid of the work, the extra work, it might take to get there. She doesn't let what anyone else thinks define her feelings about herself and her reaction to what is going on around her.  

Point of view of story:  Kel's point of view

Book length: Short

Story flow: Fast moving

Grammar and spelling issues: A few weird names, but nothing that interrupts the story flow.

Character connection (no spoilers): Neal

For series:
Independent or integral: Integral as first.

Series review as a whole: I enjoyed the series. Worth the read. I will say the first and second are pretty mild, but the violence as well as adult themes get stronger in the third and fourth books as Kel gets older  

If you only have time for one, read: First Test, as first in the series. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

By
Summary: Every book needs you to turn the pages. But not every book needs you to tap it, shake it, jiggle it, or even blow it a kiss. Innovative and timeless, Tap the Magic Tree asks you to help one lonely tree change with the seasons. It begins with a bare brown tree. But tap that tree, turn the page, and one bright green leaf has sprouted! Tap again—one, two, three, four—and four more leaves have grown on the next page. Pat, clap, wiggle, jiggle, and see blossoms bloom, apples grow, and the leaves swirl away with the autumn breeze. (Amazon) Attention Span/reading level: Perfect for my three year old. I would say that ages 2-10 would really enjoy something like this. It really keeps kids engaged and makes them feel like part of the story. There is one word to one sentence per page. Good uses for book in teaching: Interaction, that the reader takes part in making the story, what a tree can do (leaves, blossoms, fruit) Favorite part:      Child: The fact that ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Improbable Libraries Alex Johnson

By
Concept: " A visual journey to the world's most unusual libraries." Author : Alex Johnson, a journalist and consultant . Both parents were librarians.  Monologue score  (1-10) (how entertaining): 8 - Overall I found this book quite interesting. I loved seeing all the ways that people were working to bring books into the community and how many were trying to create a sense of community through books. The pictures did a great job of helping to visualize how these libraries are being used.  Difficulty level: 3- Not very hard. Each of the seven sections (Libraries on the Move, Animal Libraries,Tiny Libraries, Big Libraries, Home Libraries, Mobile Libraries, and Not Libraries) starts with a short introduction and then gives a picture (or three) of the library described.  What I Learned/Review:  I really found this to be an enlightening and uplifting book. Having been a librarian and having a love for books in general it warms my heart to see all the ways that ...
1 comment
Read more

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore

By
Brief synopsis (no spoilers) The series continues. The Loriens increase in strength and number, and more of their powers develop. Number Six is unstoppable! And numbers Seven, Nine, and Ten join the group, with number Four. The bad guys get worse- those that don't get wiped out! Category Sci-Fi, Fantasy Why I chose this book Next in series My personal opinion (the review) With the last book, the superhuman/alien aspect seemed almost believable. John and Henri were fallible and almost fragile. With this book, Six is completely unbeatable, so it's losing credibility. Rather, I'm able to separate my imagination from it, not dive in so deeply. Still a great book, but it could have used a bit of realism or a bit of failure, maybe. Warnings Violence: plentiful, and some pretty descriptive Language: rare and pretty mild Death: yes, and of several major characters "Adult" situations: teen love and some kissing, but nothing uncomfortable Movie rating...
Post a Comment
Read more