Entries Tagged 'Rating' ↓
March 13th, 2010 — 2.5-3 Treasure Chests, Movie Review
by Captain Lyaf Yarr
Title: Hoot
Director: Wil Shriner
Run Time: 90 minutes
Rated: PG
Summary: This movie is based off a book by the same title. It's about a boy moving to Florida, and making friends with two kids who are concerned about a pancake house being developed over baby burrowing owl habitat. The trio pull a lot of pranks in an attempt to stop or delay the construction from starting. Can the kids rise the environmental awareness of the community in time to save them?
Why I watched this movie:
I watched this movie because I just finished reading and reviewing the book.
Likes:
- The casting director did a really good job. I liked all the actors that were chosen. They seemed to match the characters pretty well.
- It makes more sense that Dana Matherson is a boy. I thought that Dana was a girl when I listened to the audio version of this book, but a boy bully makes more sense beating up a boy than a girl bully beating up a boy. Well, at least to me anyway!
- At the end of the movie there's this shot of Roy's shoe filled with water and a mullet. It's really funny! That apparently is the signal that Mullet Fingers wanted to see and talk to Roy.
- The baby owls are completely adorable!
Dislikes:
Last minute thoughts: This movie was good, but I'm not sure if I'd watch it all that often.
Buy: Hoot (Widescreen)
Movie Rating: I give this movie 3 treasure chests!
Originally posted 2009-11-12 03:46:47.
March 12th, 2010 — 3.5-4 Treasure Chests, Book Review, Family Life, Graphic Novel, Humorous, J-L, YA Genre
by Captain Yarr
Title: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dog Days
Author: Jeff Kinney
Page Count: 214
Format: Hardcover
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Summary: No matter what Greg does he can never enjoy his summer. Even if he is liking his summer, it won’t last long and/or will probably turn out badly. This summer he’s juggling between his family, friends, and his love life. Will he loose his best friend? Will he get Heather Hills to fall in love with him? As things are Greg isn’t sure which is worst: his summer or going back to school.
Why I Started the Book:
I liked all the previous books and put this title on hold at the library. My place on the hold list was fairly low and I got the book in time to devour it over the weekend.
Likes:
- I like the chapter (or day) that Greg used his Ladybug (his cell phone that only calls 911 or his house) for the first time and almost gets his day arrested. It was funny!
- I enjoyed Manny in this book because he never cared about what was going on; he just wants to have a good time.
- The humor is as good as the rest of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. You will definitely chuckle to yourself as you read.
Dislikes:
- I never found out how Greg and Rowley paid back Mr. Jefferson back for ordering all the fruit smoothies at the clubhouse. Even though it wasn’t as important as some other problems, I really wanted to know.
- If I were to choose a title for this book, I wouldn’t name it Dog Days. There are only some parts in the story that involve a dog, and he’s not even the main problem in the story!
Last minute thoughts: I hope Jeff Kinney will add another book to the series because I enjoy reading them and don’t want to see the end of the books.
Buy: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (Hardcover)
Book Rating: I give this book 3.5 treasure chests!
Originally posted 2009-11-11 03:13:50.
March 11th, 2010 — 3.5-4 Treasure Chests, Action & Adventure, Audio Book Review, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Guest Review, P-R, YA Genre
by First Mate Keira, guest reviewer
Title: The Last Olympian
Author: Rick Riordan
Narrator: Jesse Bernstein
Format: Audio Book
# CDs + Minutes: 9 CDs (11 hours, 01 minutes)
Grade Reading Level: 6 – 8 Grade.
Summary: The final showdown has begun and it’s time for Percy Jackson to hear the prophecy in full. The Titans are warring on several fronts and the forces of the Olympian gods are split. Mortals know something is up and are suitably terrified. There is a spy in the midst of the Half-Blood camp and the Ares cabin refuses to join the plans Percy and the rest of the camp are organizing. Which so much fraction and friction, is there even hope that the good guys can win especially when it all hangs in the balance of one 16 year old’s hands?
Why I Started This Book:
It’s the last in the series and I wanted to know the ending of course!
Likes:
- Riordan cuts to the chase and starts with action immediately. No running around pointlessly in the forests (Deathly Hallows) for Percy and his friends.
- Morpheus’ role in the war. He puts the mortals to sleep in New York to protect them or at the very least if so charitable a notion is impossible to believe, keep them out of the way.
- Hestia, the ‘last Olympian’ on Mt. Olympus because at home is where the last hope is kept.
- Again Hades is the first to do the right thing and join the campers in the guarding of the Empire State building, followed very closely by Poseidon providing the much needed relief against Typhon the Titan.
- The final battle on in the throne room against Kronos/Luke and the trio: Percy, Annabeth, and Grover. Very, very good!
Dislikes:
- The constant back to back skirmishes, fighting, and battles. It will certainly be an action packed with no time for breathing sequence in the movie companion that is for sure. At times it was a little overmuch, but I think that might be because I listened to it versus reading it. It seemed to drag on, especially when everyone and I do mean everyone not aligned with the Titans is involved.
- Luke’s mom and the back flashes. Creepy and weird.
- Rachel becoming the next Oracle of Delphi.
Last Minute Thoughts: Percy’s huge decision is one of two things, either: A) He trusts Luke to do the right thing. Very meh. B) His wish of the gods. There is some potential in the second. What do you think?
Buy: The Last Olympian (Audio Book)
, The Last Olympian (Hardback)
, Percy Jackson and the Olympians Hardcover Boxed Set (Books 1 - 5)
Book Rating: 4 Treasure Chests.
Keira runs a book review blog for readers by readers on romance novels entitled Love Romance Passion. She’s been reading romance since she was in her teens and began blogging about romance so she could share her passion for her favorite genre. She loves reading paranormal, Regency, historical America, and highlander most of all and completely adores blind and wounded heroes.
Originally posted 2009-11-10 03:16:50.
March 10th, 2010 — 4.5-5 Treasure Chests, Book Review, G-I, Humorous, Mystery, Paranormal, YA Genre
by Captain Lyaf Yarr
Title: Bunnicula
Authors: Deborah Howe, James Howe
Format: Paperback
Pages: 128
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Summary: Chester the cat and Harold the dog are curious about the new family pet. The Monroes found the bunny at a Dracula movie in a box of dirt. Chester tries to get rid of the bunny, now named Bunnicula by the Monroes, because he’s convinced the bunny is a vampire. He comes to this conclusion based on a book called The Mark of a Vampire. Bunnicula has all the signs – the black and white coloring, the pointy fangs, the ability to turn vegetables white and to escape his cage through miraculous means. It’s a matter of family safety! The bunny has to go!
Why I Started the Book:
Bunnicula was a class assignment in the month of October for a Halloween read. The book was broken into sections. We started by reading one chapter a week and then our teacher read aloud to finish the novel.
Likes:
- The pictures in the book were cool. I wish there were more of them because the illustrator did a phenomenal job. The bunny is so cute!
- It’s a very humorous story. There are a lot of laughs from silly to clever shenanigans. (e.g. Chester mixes up “stake” and “steak” and attempts to pummel Bunnicula with a steak.)
Dislikes:
- (This is not a book dislike.) Don’t watch the twenty minute movie companion to this story! It’s soooo bad! It’s really just awful and the book is so much better!
Last Minute Thoughts: I enjoyed this book a lot and plan to read the sequel, Bunnicula Strikes Again!
I think other classes and kids would enjoy this seasonal book a lot!
Buy: Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery (Paperback)
Book Rating: I give this book 4.5 treasure chests!
Originally posted 2009-11-09 03:50:01.
March 10th, 2010 — 3.5-4 Treasure Chests, A-C, Book Review, Fantasy, Humorous
by Captain Lyaf Yarr
Title: The Chocolate Touch
Author: Patrick Skene Catling
Format: Paperback
# of pages: 96
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Summary: John Midas is addicted to chocolate. He refuses to eat anything else. In addition he is a very selfish boy. One day when he finds a coin with his initials on it, he takes it to a candy store, and he buys a box of chocolate. The next day he discovers that everything he touches with his teeth turns into chocolate. At first John is deliriously happy but could this chocolate touch go too far? Is there such a thing as too much chocolate?
Why I Started the Book:
I started this book because it was an in class assignment.
Likes:
- I like how this book is all about chocolate. I love chocolate!
- I like how it's also based off of the Greek myth about Midas' Golden touch. Explains the main character's name, doesn't it?
- I like how this book is written (and wish it was longer).
- I like the moral of the story: selfishness is not a good thing and to be thankful for what you have. I think that it's very important to know that.
Dislikes:
- I didn't like reading this book at school because I couldn't grab a chocolate to munch on with John at the same time. I found myself drooling after every chapter.
Buy: The Chocolate Touch
Book Rating: I give this book 3.5 Treasure Chests.
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