Book Review: How to Train Your Dragon

How to Train Your Dragon, by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, translated from the Old Norse by Cressida Cowell

#1 in a series
Published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hatchett Book Group , in February 2000

Format: audiobook (abridged: 3-1/2 hours)

Intended Audience: Middle Grades

Themes: Friendship, Kindness, Courage
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

First Line: “A note from the author: there were dragons when I was boy. …You’ll have to take my word for it, for the dragons are disappearing so fast, they may soon become extinct.”

Summary: Toothless, Hiccup's dragon, is whiny and self-centered and refuses to be trained. Hiccup is a failure at everything, but if he doesn't train his dragon in four months, he won't become a Viking and will be kicked out of his tribe.

REVIEW
I originally chose to read this book because I really enjoyed the movie. (Note: This book is nothing like the movie.) While I usually never read an abridged book, I chose to listen to this version because David Tennant is the narrator, and I LOVE David Tennant and his wonderful Scottish accent. He does an absolutely fabulous job. I can imagine him sitting around a camp fire surrounded by a bunch of entranced kids as he tells this story.

I'm not sure how it was shortened, (the unabridged version is an hour longer), but I really liked this book. I was confused at first because it didn't follow the movie's story line, but I quickly let go of my expectations and appreciated it for the adventure it is.

While this is a middle grades read, it isn't a dumbed down story. The characters and setting are well-developed. This is a great read. It's funny and entertaining. You feel sorry for Hiccup because his situation is so hopeless. But it has a fantastic, feel-good ending. This book may be targeted to boys, but I think girls will like it to. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go buy this book. I have nephews to read to.

Do you want another point of view? Check out reviews of this book at goodreads.com

Book Challenge

2011 Audiobook Challenge by Teresa's Reading Corner

Book Review: How I Killed Pluto & Why It Had It Coming

HOW I KILLED PLUTO AND WHY IT HAD IT COMING by Mike Brown

Published by Spiegel & Grau, a division of Random House, in Dec. 2010

Formats: traditional (256 pages), audiobook (7hrs 48min)

Genre: non-fiction, science

Themes: astronomy, family

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Brief Summary: The story of how Mike Brown's search for "planets" beyond Pluto led to Pluto's demotion from planet to dwarf planet (which isn't really a planet at all).

Language: no curse words

REVIEW

Mike Brown does a fantastic job of interweaving the story of his search for large astronomical bodies beyond Pluto with his family life. There's suspense (bad guys trying to steal planets), humor (Mike graphing his newborn daughter's eating and sleeping habits), science (explained so a person of average intelligence can understand it), and controversy (Pluto was kicked out of the planetary fraternity with more than a little discussion). I found it fascinating to discover that the number of accepted planets has fluctuated many times.

The only complaints I've seen about the book focus on the fact that it's not just about Pluto, Eris' discovery, and science. Go into your reading of this book with your eyes open. It's also about several large planetoids he's found, which, for me, helps put things in perspective. It includes a little bit of his childhood. He talks about his wife and child. This isn't really Pluto's story. It's Mike Brown's story and how his discoveries and the question "what is a planet?" resulted in Pluto's demotion.

This was an incredibly fun & informative read and listen. After I borrowed the book from the library, I not only bought a hardbound copy, I purchased an audiobook version too. The narrator did a great job. I recommend this book to everyone.

Do you want another point of view? Check out reviews of this book on goodreads.com

Book Challenges

2011 Audiobook Challenge by Teresa's Reading Corner

2011 Non-Fiction Challenge by The Broke and The Bookish (Category: Science/Nature)

 

An 8th Book Challenge...kind of

((Another challenge? Really Susanne?)) Okay, okay, this is the last one, I promise. I've decided to join The Broke and the Bookish's 2011 Non-Fiction Challenge.  ((Wait, aren't you already participating in a non-fiction challenge?)) Yes, I am, but I'm adding this new one because it has different categories you have to read from, so it will force me out of my comfort zone. I have soooooooooo many non-fiction books on my to-read list right now, it isn't even funny. I need a challenge help push me.

In other book news, (slightly related to the above challenge because it's about a...wait for it...non-fiction book) I slacked off this week in my reading. I've started All the Kings Men and have gotten half-way through. It's very interesting, but it seems to be getting a bit redundant. The information isn't the same, but there's only so many ways you can interview someone and find out another small piece of information that fits into the great big, huge puzzle that is the Watergate scandal. A lot of foundation work is being laid, but I'm ready for it to begin moving forward. I will finish this book this week. I feel it's holding me back on my other reads.

A 7th Book Challenge

I've added a 7th Book Challenge for 2011. I know...I'm asking for it. I have such high expectations for my reading goals this year. I've already read three books in the first week. But I just found this: The TwentyEleven Challenge from Bart's Bookshelf. The goal is to read 20 books in 11 different categories (maximum of two books per challenge). I have ideas for the books I'm going to read, but others will require more thought. Here are the categories:

1. To YA or not YA -- if you read mostly adult books (like me), then you would read a YA novel, and vice versa. This will be easy to accomplish because I've added a lot of YA books to my to-read list this year.
2. ...With A Twist -- choose a sub-genre you don't normally read.  I need to think about this one.
3. Hot Off the Presses -- read a book published in 2011.
4. It Wasn't Me! -- choose a book published based solely on the recommendation of another blogger. Easy peasy. This is how many books have been added to my TBR pile.
5. Show It Who Is Boss! -- choose a book already in your TBR pile. Again, easy. There are a lot. Many of which I've started but got sidetracked by another book.
6. Bablefish -- choose a book translated into your native language. Interesting.
7. Will Power? What Will Power? -- Read a book you BOUGHT NEW in 2011. Library books and used books don't count.
8. Mind the Gap -- Do you need one more book to complete a trilogy/series? Get it and read it.  I had an idea for this book, but it's the newest release in the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde and will be released this year. I'm not sure this book counts because it can't be the penultimate (next-to-last) read, but I'm not how many more books are planned. I'll have to think about this.
9. Back in the Day -- Reread a favorite or two
10. Way Back When -- Read a book published before you were born
11. Slim-Pickings -- Choose a book between 90-150 pages long

My 6 Book Challenges

My own personal book challenge is one I tried last year...52 books in a year, one per week...and failed at. This year I'm more determined. To help me meet my goal, I'm joining several challenges hosted by different people. I'm hoping they will compliment the books already in my to-read pile while allowing for opportunities to discover more great books.

The first is the "WHAT'S IN A NAME" challenge by hosted Beth Fish Reads. There are only six books for this challenge, but the title of each book must have _____ in the title. Here are my books:

1. Evil:  Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche (non-fiction)
2. Gem: Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History by Scott Andrew Selby
3. Number: One Day by David Nicholls (or maybe The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall)
4. Size: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
5. Movement: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
6. Life Stage: The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell (I hope this one counts. It seems like it should, but it's kind of a stretch.)

The second is an E-BOOK challenge hosted by The Ladybug Reads. I don't have an e-reader (although at some point I feel I may cave and buy a Nook color, but that won't be for some time.) I do however have a smart phone with the kindle app. I also have the kindle software on my laptop. At Amazon, all of the books in the public domain are FREE, so my focus for this challenge will be the classics. I've signed up for the Addicted level (12 books).

Almost all of the books I plan on reading will be first reads, but I've decided to join Daemon's books in rereading the HARRY POTTER series.

This past year, for the first time, I read a lot of Young Adult and Middle Grade books, and I've enjoyed most of them.  So I'm reading more and joining For the Love of YA's 2011 YOUNG ADULT reading challenge. I only signed up for the lowest level, The Mini (12 books).

I enjoy non-fiction books, especially ones about science, but I'm not going to limit myself to just one type of non-fiction. I'm joining Past as Prologue's NON-FICTION challenge. I'm going for Expert (7+ books) because I have 10 on my to-read list for this year.

FINALLY, I'm doing an AUDIOBOOK challenge hosted by Teresa's Reading Corner. I'm hoping to get to the Addicted level (12 audiobooks).

Some of these challenges may overlap, but I think that's okay. And although these seem like a lot of books, I think I can do it. Wish me luck.