Top 100 Reviews

  1. The Elf on the Shelf
    The Elf on the Shelf is a delightful Christmas tradition for young families.   Our grandchildren have totally enjoyed the Elf on the Shelf this year. They named their elf Gerald. It's been fun to hear the children, ages 5 and 6, talk ab...
  2. To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
    She said it was a love story, but most people think of it as a great classic of Southern life. She never had another book published, yet this one, written early in life, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961--the highest honor for great literatu...
  3. Reflections Of A Mississippi Magnolia
    Reflections Of A Mississippi Magnolia - A Life In Poems is written by a true Southerner, Patricia Neely-Dorsey. She writes passionately about growing up in the South, her love for her home state of Mississippi and her life after 40.   Her poetry...
  4. A Child Called It
    All my emotions were stirred while reading this book, I absolutely could not put it down! Dave Pelzer (aka: It) accounts his life and how he suffered unbelievable abuse by those that should have loved him the most. How he survives and rises above is...
  5. A Lifetime Of Secrets: A PostSecret Book
    What is your biggest secret? The one thing you don't want anyone to know? Thousands have written their secrets on postcards and sent them to Frank Warren. Published into books, and put on exhibit, these secrets serve as powerful proof that we are all...
  6. The Edge Chronicles
    The Deepwoods, the Stone Gardens, the Edgewater River. Undertown and Sanctaphrax. Names on a map. Yet behind each name lie a thousand tales - tales that have been recorded in ancient scrolls, tales that have been passed down the generations by word...
  7. Ten Year Journal
    The Ten Year Journal is a simple tool for daily journaling. You can write 5 lines every day in less than ten minutes. Take ten minutes a day and record your life. I know you are busy. We are all busy- maybe too busy. But give yourself this gift! And...
  8. The Christmas Box
    Richard Paul Evans wrote The Christmas Box as a loving gift to his daughters. It has quickly become a loving gift to all of us. The Christmas Box is a little book of love -- a delightful story of a young couple and a small child who move in to care f...
  9. Where The Wild Things Are
    One evening Max creates mischief "of one kind and another" and his mother sends him to his room without supper. That night his imagination grows a forest in his room where he discovers the land Where the Wild Things Are. Together Max and the Wild Th...
  10. The Time Traveler's Wife: A Book Review
    Some people call it fate. A tragedy. An enduring love story that love knows no boundaries even between time and space. The novel The Time Traveler's Wife is pretty much a clever and unconventional story of a man named Henry with a very rare gen...
  11. Tuesdays With Morrie: A Book Review
    Have you ever felt like you're never gonna be the same again after reading a book? This book is more of a memoir of two people's lives on how they both learned from each other as a student and teacher. It is truly filled with wisdom and aphorisms tha...
  12. The Graveyard Book By Neil Gaiman
    The Graveyard Book is a fantasy novel for children by award winning British author, Neil Gaiman. The Graveyard Book is the story of Nobody Owens (called "Bod" for short). At the start of the story, Bod is a toddler who witnesses the murde...
  13. The Night Before Christmas: A Magical Cut-Paper Edition
    I discovered this book through the artist, Niroot Puttapipat - someone I personally consider a friend,and have watched in delight since I discovered their artwork on DeviantART. I am an enormous fan of their work, which also prompted me to start tryi...
  14. A Thousand Splendid Suns
    Khaled Hosseini’s second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, is a story of two women and their lifes in Afghanistan over the past 40 years. Mariam was born an illegal child and was forced to marry Rasheed, an abusive husband at age 15. Rasheed is...
  15. Judy Moody
    The first day of third grade puts Judy Moody in a mad-face mood. She just knows everyone will come back from summer vacation with word T-shirts, like "Disney World" or "Jamestown: Home of Pocahontas." All Judy has is a plain old no-words T-shirt. She...
  16. Twilight Saga: Eclipse
    Awesome, it's all I can say about Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer. Ok, maybe not the best book I have ever read, but it was a definitely a page-turner. I love Twilight and New Moon (I didn't think much for Breaking Dawn, anyways...) but Eclipse i...
  17. Where The Sidewalk Ends
    I love this book. It is the sort of book that an adult and a child can enjoy. The quirky word choice, and subject matter, is perfect. The illustrations are so simple, yet they hold so much personality, and often add to the poem's tone and content. Th...
  18. Eat This Not That
    You really can eat whatever you want, whenever you want, and still lose those extra pounds that you have been struggling with, without really dieting! Eat This Not That:Thousands of Simple Food Swaps That Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds-or More!! by D...
  19. THE THREE SNOW BEARS by Jan Brett
    The Three Snow Bears, written by Jan BrettIs a refreshing remake of Goldilocks And The Three Bears. I don't know how anyone could possibly improve on this famous children's bed time story, but the truth is that Jan has done exactly that. This childre...
  20. The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society
    When my book club chose The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society for its next book, I was a bit skeptical, but I was in for a delightful surprise! This wonderful little book takes place after World War II on the island of Guernsey in the En...
  21. The Mysterious Benedict Society
    The newspaper advertisement is addressed to "gifted children looking for special opportunities". Well, that certainly describes Reynie Muldoon! The 11-year-old orphan is one of four children to complete a series of challenging and creative tasks and...
  22. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
    This book has the ability to engage young children in reading, to get them excited, with beautiful albeit simple artwork. While teaching of sequencing, nutrition, and moderation, not to mention where butterflies come from, The Very Hungry Caterpillar...
  23. Poetry for and from the Soul
    This is a book of soul filled poetry. It relates to many topics, mostly love and the poetry has a spiritual feel to it. I'd Like To Keep You From "Poetry For and From the Soul" by Patricia Sanders I'd like to keep you Here by my si...
  24. The Gingerbread Boy, A Children's Book By Paul Galdone
    Paul Galdone's The Gingerbread Boy was a favorite of my boys when they were growing up. This gingerbread boy runs "as fast as he can" to avoid all of the characters in this book including the bakers, the farm animals, the threshers and...
  25. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
    This bright and colorful book uses rhythm and simple words in a way that will have your child excited by the book, participating in its reading, and perhaps even reciting its chant when the book is out of sight. This is a classic and a must-have for...
  26. "The Pact" by Jodi Picoult
    This was the second book I have read by Jodi Picoult, and I must say that she delivered! Picoult writes not only about the present day problems of Chris, but also of Chris and Emily's past. This book shows that you don't ever truly know anyone, inclu...
  27. Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Book Review
    It's here! It's here! Honestly, I could hardly wait for June 2nd, 2009, when Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book was to be released. I had requested it at the library but, as I guessed, I could not wait and I drove to Costco to buy a copy. Unfortunately,...
  28. TWILIGHT SAGA by Stephenie Meyer
    Are you obsessed? Join the discussion!! If you haven't gotten hooked on this series yet, you will! This is quickly becoming a cult favorite in the genre. A passionate love story with a dark side, reminiscent of Tanith Lee's classic sci-fi title The...
  29. Tribal Bigfoot
    Tribal Bigfoot contains fascinating Bigfoot encounter stories written by David Paulides in his thorough investigative style. The book also features the amazing Bigfoot sketchings of forensic artist, Harvey Pratt, originally seen in Paulides' first bo...
  30. Winnie The Witch
    Winnie the Witch is the most ditzy, entertaining, messy, fun witch you could ever wish to meet! These are some of my daughter's favourite books. We love to read them together; every time we read them we see something new in Korky Paul's fanta...
  31. If You Give A Cat A Cupcake Children's Book Review
    If You Give A Cat A Cupcake is the 2008 If You Give A... series book written by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond. If you loved the first book, called If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, you're going to love the zany adventures in If You Give...
  32. Coraline
    Coraline is a novella by the British author Neil Gaiman, which was first published in 2002. Coraline is a fantasy tale in which Coraline Jones, a smart, feisty and curious young girl, home from school for the summer holidays finds herself very bored...
  33. The Giver by Lois Lowry
    Lowry creates a perfect society...or so it seemed. In this future society everyone is happy. It is a society which has chosen to be ignorant of its past, blissfully ignorant. A society which has systematically chosen to give up individuality and free...
  34. Tao Te Ching - Classic from China
    Very inspiring. About leadership, living life and letting things be (that you can't control anyhow). This lens has quotes from the Tao Te Ching and information about Taoism. Taoism is one of the oldest still living religions in the world. It combine...
  35. If You Give A Pig A Pancake Children's Book Review
    If You Give A Pig A Pancake is the 1998 If You Give A... series book written by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond. If you loved the first book, called If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, you're going to love the antics of the cute little femal...
  36. Wreck This Journal
    I came across this book by accident while searching for a Christmas gift and being the mother of two free-spirited, exuberant girls, I immediately loved it. "Wreck This Journal" is not your ordinary journal at all. In fact, the pages prompt you to do...
  37. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
    In "The Lovely Bones", author Alice Sebold takes a shocking and upsetting theme - the rape and murder of a child, and from this dark background weaves a poignant, thought provoking and uplifting tale of enduring love, acceptance and redemp...
  38. The 5000 Year Leap
    The 5000 Year Leap grew out of a desire for a clear, concise reference on the thought processes and philosophy of America's Founding Fathers. As a result of extensive study, the Framers put together an incredible success formula to make a great natio...
  39. The Three Pillars Of Zen
    In 1953 an American business man goes to Japan to find out what Zen is all about. if you think that premise sounds like it might have been ripped from a dime store detective novel your partly right. Philip Kapleau takes us on a journey into Zen usin...
  40. Last Child In The Woods
    People need nature - really need nature, not merely enjoy nature or benefit from nature. Children need experiences with nature just as they need sleep or healthy food. Why? Richard Louv spends much of his book Last Child in the Woods explaining exact...
  41. A Christmas Tree in the White House by Gary Hines
    This book for children is based on true facts about one Christmas in the White House with President Theodore Roosevelt and his children. The children wanted a cut tree for the White House but President Roosevelt insisted that they set an example for...
  42. How Successful People Think by John C. Maxwell
    When I saw today that one of my favorite authors, John C. Maxwell, had a new book out that I hadn't read yet, I had to snatch it up right away. I became a John Maxwell fan after reading his book, Thinking for a Change: 11 Ways Highly Successful Peopl...
  43. Book Review: World War Z
    It is an excellent fictional story of the after-effects of a "zombie apocalypse". This is a book review of Max Brook's World War Z.
  44. The Clear Word Bible
    Do you find the Bible hard to read with all those 'thees' and 'thous' and 'thys'? Then the Clear Word Bible is just for you. The Clear Word is not an official translation or version of the Bible--it is merely a study companion and a devotional. It's...
  45. John Maxwell Books
    I have been a fan of John Maxwell books for quite a few years. There isn't another author comparable to him, well except maybe Seth Godin. John Maxwell books on leadership are definitely some of the best there are. They are must-reads that should be...
  46. Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance
    A BOOK REVIEW Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values is my favorite book of all time. When I first read it at the age of 25, it was my first introduction to Zen and I'm not sure how much I really understood. It made a whole...
  47. The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
    The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow. Have you wondered why people follow certain people? Why people might want to follow a leader such as Seth Godin? What are the qualities that define a leader?...
  48. The Outsiders
    The Outsiders is a book written by a teenager about teenagers.  The story is told through the eyes of a 14 year old boy named Ponyboy Curtis who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks with his two brothers Darrell and Sodapop. The story takes p...
  49. Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman
    Einstein's Dreams is a 1992 novel by Alan Lightman which fictitiously portrays world-famous theoretical physicist Albert Einstein as a young scientist who is working as a modest patent clerk to make ends meet but is beset with strange dreams, lea...
  50. Jonathan Livingston Seagull
    If you're a "baby boomer" you probably remember Jonathan Livingston Seagull very well! This book appeared in the early 1970s when so many of us were searching for inspiration. Loving the uplifting message but without even understanding...
  51. The BEAUTY & THE BEAST (A NaNoWriMo Entry For 2008)
    This is my lens devoted to the most beautiful love story ever written: The Beauty and The Beast. Here you will find an overview of the story, and info about the many versions that have come out over the years. This lens will also act as my brainsto...
  52. Hinds Feet On High Places
    My mom bought me this book to read right after I was diagnosed with cancer. Because I had several other books in my "stack", I did not get the chance to read it until I was about halfway through my chemotherapy. I'll have to chalk the t...
  53. Stardust - A Novel By Neil Gaiman
    Award winning British author, Neil Gaiman wrote the novel, "Stardust" and in it he weaves a sparking, magical tale that will enchant and enthrall anyone who loves a good tale, well told. If you love stories or films such as "The Princess Bride", "Le...
  54. Story Of The Star-Spangled Banner
    The fact that Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner is well known but less well known is how, why and when the song was written.This book gives that story and much more history about our National Anthem. Francis Scott Key was actually a ca...
  55. Flirtexting: How To Text Your Way To His Heart
    It does not matter what age you are. If you are single and have a cell phone, you must know how to flirtext! This book is a quick, fun, and educational read. Goldstein and Baniuszewicz teach through their many experiences. They cover all the bases su...
  56. Zen Mind Beginner's Mind, Zen Lectures From Shunryu Suzuki
    Zen Mind Beginners Mind fell in to my lap one rainy afternoon. It was the late fall of 2005 and nothing has been the same and nothing has been different since I read and reread it. Make no mistake this is not some quick self help book, though it sure...
  57. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
    Everyone has days when nothing goes right. Alexander is having one of the worst. This hilarious book will have you laughing your blues away. No need to run away to Australia. This book is a treasure for parents, teachers, and anyone who needs a laugh...
  58. Unseen Academicals
    Unseen Academicals is the latest book from the wonderfully clever Terry Pratchett. I'm not at all sorry to say that this isn't a Rincewind or a Vimes or a De Worde book, although they all feature in it. Not at all sorry - because Unseen Acade...
  59. A Wrinkle In Time
    A classic science fantasy written in 1962, A Wrinkle In Time is a favorite of mine to recommend to young adult readers. A story of time travel and the ever popular theme of good versus evil. This book was controversial and almost didn't get publ...
  60. Christmas Plays 1st thru 12th Grades
    Great book for anyone who loves to work with children to put on a Christmas play! The preface of the book reads Included are contemporary comedies, fantasies, classics, reenactments of the Christmas story, children's pageants, carol programs, mim...
  61. Maximum Ride Book 5
    The Maximum Ride series was written by James Patterson, best selling author of hundreds of other books. Maximum Ride follows the story of Max and her "flock": a group of kids that escaped years ago from a science lab that experimented on them since b...
  62. Julie and Julia -- The Book
    I was book shopping in our local Borders and came across Julie and Julia : 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell. When I picked up the book, I was not familiar with Julie Powell's story and about the premise for this book. I...
  63. Liberty And Tyranny
    If you only read one book this year, Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin is the one. It is that important. Mark Levin, a Constitutional lawyer, lays out for us how we have strayed from the Constitution and the intent of our founding fathers. The time f...
  64. Where The Red Fern Grows- A Classic Read Aloud
    Wilson Rawls paints an incredible picture of a young boy, Billy, who overcomes tremendous adversity and poverty to own the greatest gift he could imagine, two hunting hounds. Wilson Rawls was home schooled on the family farm. He didn't care much abo...
  65. The Help: a novel by Kathryn Stockett
    I love "southern literature". So, when a friend told me about a new southern novel she had just finished reading, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, my ears perked up. I discovered that my friend and I had something in common concerning our &qu...
  66. The Pink Dress, Anne Alexander's Rare Coming of Age Children's Book
    The Pink Dress by Anne Alexander is a coming-of-age children's novel that was written and published in 1959. According to Bookfinder's Annual Report, it was the most sought after out-of-print children's book of 2008 and 2009. I...
  67. Goodnight Moon :: A Bedtime Favorite
    This book is one that every child must have. It's simple and accessible story is great for any child. Here I am in this room, these are the things around me, I am comfortable and safe here, and it is time for bed. This is the type of story kids want...
  68. David James Duncan
    David James Duncan is the author of the novels The River Why and The Brothers K and several works of nonfiction. His work has won a Lannan Fellowship, the 2001 Western States Book Award for Nonfiction, a National Book Award nomination, three PNBA Awa...
  69. How To Retire Happy, Wild, And Free
    This is a truly upbeat book about retirement by the author of the international best-seller The Joy of Not Working! Ernie Zelinski, who semi-retired at age 30 and had a net worth of minus $30,000, says that you are never too young to retire, which I...
  70. High Voltage Tattoo
    An autobiographical scrapbook, High Voltage Tattoo is a must for fans of Kat Von D, star of LA Ink. This book is a slice of Kat's life, with loads of glossy images of some of the finest tattoo work ever created.
  71. The Holy Bible
    Whether or not you believe the Holy Bible is the word of God, you can't deny that it has shaped our society.  Over the last two thousand years, billions of people have found inspiration and solace within its pages.  Others have selectively...
  72. The Last Lecture
    My background includes caring for those those who are facing the end of life. I have been in awe of the human spirit shown by those facing their final life challenge. I was amazed when I read Randy Pausch's inspirational story. He has shown amazing c...
  73. The Unadulterated Cat
    The Unadulterated Cat is Terry Pratchett's take on living with those terrifying little bundles of fur known as Real Cats. The Campaign For Real Cats aims to celebrate the low number of Real Cats that lurk among their Unreal fellows. A short, hig...
  74. Get High Now - Without Drugs
    Yes! You can get high on LIFE without drugs. There are dozens of things you can do to alter consciousness - for relaxation, energization, inspiration, and FUN. Most people find altering their conscious state a bit of fun, as seen by the massive ille...
  75. Hunger Games
    When my friends starting talking about this book I wondered what was up. It carried that same stirring energy and buzz as the recently popular Twilight series. So I asked one of my friends for a short synopsis. When she gave it, I remembered thinking...
  76. Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult
    Before reading Nineteen Minutes, I had read four books by Jodi Picoult, my favorite being My Sister's Keeper. Now, I have a new favorite. As in most of her books, Picoult takes a contreversial issue and shows you all side of the equation. But this ti...
  77. The Occult Roots Of Nazism
    THE book about one of the most controversial topics in occult history: the relationship between Nazism and occultism.
  78. Fallen Angels - Book Review
    Everyone has seen a war movie. Most of us have seen movies like "Patton", "Kelly's Heroes" and "Saving Private Ryan." Though these movies are violent, they portray war from a distinct point of view. Whenever we sit down to watch another war film, we...
  79. Raymon Grace: The Future is Yours - Do Something About It!
    The Future is Yours - Do Something About It! is the title of a book by Raymon Grace, an energy dowser. He combines dowsing with years of spiritual training to clear negative energies and create positive ones, bringing health and well-being into the l...
  80. Inkheart
    In the story of Inkheart, there is a story within a story: Mo originally brought four of Inkheart's characters to life while reading aloud from a novel which is also called Inkheart - Basta, Capricorn, Dustfinger, and Dustfinger's pet marten, Gwin. D...
  81. The Secret Doctrine: The Synthesis of Science, Religion, and Philosophy
    It unites science and religion in a unique synthesis. Changed my life and my world view completely. Contains many of the themes of the modern New Age movement like: karmic evolution, Atlantis, parapsychology, Unity of All Life/everything, unity of al...
  82. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
    *** SPOILERS!!! Breaking Dawn it's the final chapter of the Twilight Saga. I love Twilight and I had read all first three books and I have to say, this fourth and last book, was very different from what I was expecting. Stephenie Meyer's wr...
  83. Man The Measure Of All Things
    Deep, engaging and insightful interpretation of Blavatsky's 'The Secret Doctrine'. 'Man the measure of all things' is one of those books I've heard about for years, but never had the opportunity to read. Having read Blavatsky's magnum opus myself, I...
  84. Peace Like A River
    Seldom does a book come along like Peace Like A River. Leif Enger tells this magical tale or adventure, escalation, justice, and redemption. Each character is very well developed and has their own voice.The story leaves the reader hanging on to the t...
  85. Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure
    Great book if you want to go to India yourself - especially if you're interested in India as the home of spirituality. I read the book in one go: couldn't put it down. It's interesting as a story of personal and spiritual growth and as a catalog of...
  86. Maximum Ride: The Series
    Maximum Ride is cool. Maximum Ride is Spiderman, James Bond, Batman. Maximum Ride is a text-only comic book. As one reviewer put it, Maximum Ride is The Boxcar Kids meets The X-Men. Maximum Ride is a series of books about six flying children, inject...
  87. What Choice Do I Have? by Michael Kerrigan
    Michael Kerrigan in his book "What choice do I have?" answers this question with a positive - Yes! No matter what the circumstance you always have a choice. If you choose not to choose that is still a choice! Yeah hard to believe right? Or...
  88. The Wind in the Willows
    This classic tale about animals of the riverbank has delighted children and adults for 100 years with the adventures of Mr Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger. It is a lovely story with excitement but without being too frightening. It can open the door to...
  89. The Firm
    The Firm is John Grisham's second book and the first to receive significant public and critical acclaim. It tells the story of a bright young lawyer seduced into working for a local firm for big bucks and big perks. Little does he know, he is getting...
  90. Before Green Gables, A Children's Book Review
    Before Green Gables is the highly publicized, much anticipated, authorized prequel to the book, Anne of Green Gables written by Budge Wilson, published in 2008 and read by me right away, that summer. Anne of Green Gables intrigues me because I grew u...
  91. Guess How Much I Love You
    In Guess How Much I Love You, Little Nutbrown Hare expresses his love for Big Nutbrown Hare, and is reassured that Big Nutbrown Hare loves him back. This classic children's book by Sam McBratney has absolutely beautiful illustrations by Anita Jeram,...
  92. Everyone Poops
    I do not think any child is unable to grasp the concept of poop, to the point of requiring a book specifically devoted to it. What will they learn from Uncle Bob and public school if they already know all there is to know about poop? Sure read it onc...
  93. The Swiss Family Robinson
    I just read this book to my 8-year-old son Noah. He loved it so much he stayed up late and finished the last two chapters on his own. Now he wants to be shipwrecked on an island...
  94. Rick stein`s Food Heroes
    Rick stein (OBE) is by far the most well known cornish chef, hotel owner, TV cooking icon, THE seafood expert and Long have i been a fan of the so called TV chefs but as far as rick stein goes he is in a league of his own. Rick stein is a modern day...
  95. Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol
    Author Dan Brown has written yet another fascinating novel filled with intrigue, suspense, kidnapping and murder. Symbologist professor Robert Langdon receives his friend Peter's invitation to speak in Washington, DC. Upon his arrival, Dr. Langdo...
  96. A Bloom Of Friendship, The Canadian Tulip Festival Children's Book Review
    A non-fiction, children's picture book written by Anne Renaud and illustrated by Ashley Spires, A Bloom Of Friendship: The Story Of The Canadian Tulip Festival tells the story of the history behind the world's largest tulip festival held every spring...
  97. Common Sense by Glenn Beck
    In Common Sense, Glenn Beck describes the ways in which both parties have done harm to our country. Glenn Beck lays out just what they have been doing while we haven't been paying attention, and then he tells us what we can do about it. Out of contro...
  98. Children's Book: Where The Wild Things Are
    Where The Wild Things Are was written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak in 1963, and reissued in 1991. It's the story of Max, a mischievous, little boy who wonders off on an imaginative adventure. The boy's adventures began after his mother sends him...
  99. A Thousand Splendid Suns
    A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afganistan's last thirty years - from the soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to post-Taliban rebuilding - that puts the violence, fear, hope and faith of thi...
  100. Tartok The Ice Beast
    The Beast Quest stories by Adam Blade have all the standard fairy tale adventure story elements -- an evil wizard, a beleaguered kingdom in need of a champion, and a young hero plus magic, friendship, and bravery. It is an engaging story with charac...