The Ranger's Apprentice

The Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan is a fabulous series, 10 books in total. I can almost compare the excitement of this series to Harry Potter. Even though this isn't a new series, it has been out since 2006, it is a fabulous fantasy series for grades 4-8th. The stories have both captivating story lines and suspenseful adventures. This book is for boys and girls and can be even used in the classroom to encourage historical research projects during the times of knights and kings. The Ranger's Apprentice is about battles and about honor.

From School Library Journal for Book 1 - The Ruins of Gorlan
Will hopes to become a knight; instead, he winds up as a Ranger's apprentice, joining the secretive corps that uses stealth, woodcraft, and courage to protect the kingdom. His aptitude and bravery gradually earn the respect of his gruff but good-hearted master. When the kingdom is attacked by evil magic forces, Will helps track down and defeat a couple of particularly nasty beasts. This closing episode sets the stage for a good-versus-evil war that will likely be at the heart of future volumes. In this opener, though, most of the story focuses on the learning process that Will goes through as an apprentice. Descriptions of Ranger craft are fascinating. Exciting confrontations with bullies and wild boars help to establish the boy's emerging character. Side stories involving a rival Battleschool apprentice and the identity of Will's father are woven in smoothly. The author occasionally spells things out more than is needed when actions demonstrate them clearly enough. However, the well-paced plot moves effortlessly toward the climax, letting readers get to know the world and the characters gradually as excitement builds. The public adoration Will gains at the end seems slightly overdone given the established distrust people feel for Rangers, but it's still a pleasing finish and should leave readers eager to share the future adventures of the Ranger's apprentice.–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR

Book 1 - The Ruins of Gorlan
Book 2 - The Burning Bridge
Book 3 - The Icebound Land
Book 4 - The Battle for Skandia
Book 5 - The Sorcerer of the North
Book 6 - The Siege of Macindaw
Book 7 - Erak's Ransom
Book 8 - The Kings of Clonmel
Book 9 - Halt's Peril
Book 10 - The Emperor of Nihon-Ja

Beast Quest!

What is Beast Quest?

If you have a 2^nd, 3^rd grade or even a 4^th grade boy than you probably have heard of Beast Quest. The mantra is: Fight the beasts, Fear the magic. Adam Blade, the author, is the man behind these famous beasts from London. His obsession with historic battles, swords and shields led him to imagine and create this popular series about a young boy, Tom, the bravest warrior of them all. Check out the Beast Quest site at: http://www.beastquest.co.uk/default.aspx

So I decided after dealing with the obsession my 2-4^th grade boys had with Beast Quest in my school I decided to take one home this summer and read it. I took book 1, Ferno the Fire Dragon. What a pleasant surprise. This begins the beastly adventure of a sorcerer who has placed a spell on all the beasts in the valley by placing a collar around their neck and forcing them to do evil things. Tom, our valiant boy, learns that he has a quest to search for all the beasts in the land of Avantia and set them free, a great destiny for a young 12 year-old boy. With the help of a young girl, Elenna, the two work together to unlock each of the collars on these beasts and set them free.

Each book in the series is a story about a certain beast that Tom needs to locate and unleash. I was worried that this series would have a lot of violence in it, but I was happy to find that in each story, Tom has to unlock the beasts collars with a key so that they can become friendly again rather than fight them to their death. There is no death, no violent killing, but rather a great fantasy series for children who love magical adventures.

What is a Savvy?

What is a savvy you may ask, it is a magical power that is bestowed upon a Beaumont family member when they turn 13. It isn't a known power it just shows up, whether it is liked or not. It is the allure of becoming a teenager. Some family members have the powers to change the weather, some have the power of doing everything perfectly. Mibs is the main character in this story who is awaiting her magical power but it isn't what she expects as she begins an adventure to try and save her father. Sounds interesting, then read Savvy by Ingrid Law.

Scumble by Ingrid Law, is the companion novel to Savvy. It is nine years later, and Mib's cousin, Ledger is about to turn 13 and receive his power. Ledger wants his savvy to be the ability to run the fastest but instead he receives a savvy that wrecks havoc on everything and everyone that gets in his way. A great read that will keep you hooked throughout the story.