Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I know that many of you have probably already devoured Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows but, given that I'm an English teacher, it takes me a little while to catch up on the books that I want to read and Harry was no exception. He sat patiently on my bookshelf for a month, then got all excited when I took him to Barbados for my sister's wedding. Fortunately, Barbados was a fun-filled destination. Unfortunately, only a few chapters of Harry were read. Then the school year began and Harry was cast aside like a stray cat. He waited and waited until finally, Christmas vacation rolled around and Mrs. K was graced with some much needed quiet reading time. I snuggled up on my couch with my book, a cup of tea, and my yellow lab Mabel, and went to town.

What a fantastic story! J.K. Rowling is a master storyteller, weaving in significant back story without ever slowing down the main plot. She keeps you constantly guessing as you join Harry, Ron, and Hermione on their final adventure and attempt to defeat the terrifying Lord Voldemort. The movie comes out this year and I strongly suggest reading the book before going to see it (keep in mind that it is a long one!). Even if you've only ever seen the movies and never read any of the books, The Deathly Hallows promises to be a great read with a fully satisfying surprise ending. And, no, I will not give a shred of it away!

Erin Hunter's Warriors

I was asked by a former student of mine (and what a great student she was!) to feature Warriors, her favorite series, on my blog. Although I recognized the title from my occasional (okay, weekly!) browses through the young adult section of Barnes and Noble, I hadn't yet heard much about these books. Since I'm always looking for excuses to go to the bookstore, I went out right away and picked up the first book in the Warriors series: Into the Wild. Guess what? I'm hooked! I'll admit, at first I was a bit skeptical - the main characters are cats and I'm definitely a dog person. Those of you who know me are quite aware of this fact. However, once I started reading, I realized just how cool this story was! Here's a little teaser:

Rusty, unsatisfied with his humdrum life as a house cat, is drawn to the mysterious woods in his humans' backyard. One night, in a brave attempt to step outside the boundaries of his comfortable but utterly ordinary life, he wanders into the woods and is faced with his first adventure with the majestic Thunderclan, a group of wild cats whose lives are packed with just the kind of danger and exhilaration that Rusty craves. Little does Rusty know, this little trip into the wild is going to change him forever!

Okay, that's all you get!

This story is rich with situations, conflicts, and emotions to which we can all relate. Rusty's journey from the ordinary into the unknown is a tale that any human can appreciate.

Read it!
Ponder it!
Tell me what you think about it!

Oh, and by the way, you guys are the greatest! :-)

Mrs. K