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Best Children's Multicultural Folk Tales

The Dragon Orb (The Alaris Chronicles Book 1)
As the magical barrier protecting the kingdom of Alaris from dangerous outsiders begins to fail, and a fomenting rebellion threatens to divide the country in a civil war, the three wizards are thrust into the middle of a power struggle. " The first book of the Alaris Chronicles series brings a refreshing take on magic and politics in fantasy. As mentioned before, the world our characters inhabit borrows from already established fantasy folklore; from Lord of the Rings to the Wheel of Time series. Mike brings the story and characters to life and makes you feel as though you are a part of the story, that they are your friends, your enemies and it is your home at stake. Shelton does a great job juggling the characters and theirown stories, while moving forward with the main plot... The story has many characters apart from the three protagonists and the author has been able to seamlessly include these characters, who greatly contribute to the story's development. Each character is a diamond in the rough and the further into the story one reads, the more one will uncover the facets of those characters. Best Seller Lists:#1 Teen& Young Adult> Fairy Tales &Folklore > Anthologies#1 Children's eBooks > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales &Myths > Arthurian#1 Teen & YoungAdult > ScienceFiction& Fantasy > Fantasy > Myths &Legends > Arthurian#1 Children's eBooks > Science Fiction, Fantasy &Scary Stories > Fantasy & Magic > Sword & Sorcery#1 Children's eBooks > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales &Myths > DragonsTop 10 Teen &YoungAdult > Science Fiction&Fantasy > Fantasy > Sword & Sorcery Teen &YoungAdult > Science Fiction& Fantasy > Fantasy > Wizards& Witches Teen &YoungAdult > Science Fiction&Fantasy > Fantasy > Epic Teen &YoungAdult > Science Fiction&Fantasy > Fantasy > Myths & Legends Children's eBooks > Action & Adventure > Fantasy & Magic.
Reviews
"Review: THE DRAGON ORB by Mike Shelton. (The Alaris Chronicles Book 1). THE DRAGON ORB is the first in a new series which I categorize as YA fantasy (based on the ages and maturity levels of the three protagonists)."
"Fun books with lots of twists and turns."
"This is really quite good."
"one of my favorite authors couldn't stop reading awsome story line lots of action luv the way the story and characters evolves."
"The Dragon Orb is an exciting, magical adventure that both young adults and adults alike can fall in love with. Mike brings the story and characters to life and makes you feel as though you are a part of the story, that they are your friends, your enemies and it is your home at stake."
"There is a conspiracy thriving to push the kingdom into turmoil, and this is closely linked to a barrier which has separated the Elvyn land and the kingdom for 150 years, but which is now coming down. I really enjoyed this novel, it has everything you can wish for, but there is one thing that made me. subtract a star: this story would be very unsatisfying as a stand-alone, and although it doesn't end in a complete cliffhanger, it is clear that it needs more books to fully explain the goings-on."
"I liked Bakari and Alli a lot as well as Kharlia, I do hope she is still in future books...crosses fingers!"
"Definitely one of the best edited books I have ever read by an indie author and it's obvious the author put a lot of thought into his plot and characters."
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Netherworld: An Urban Fantasy (The Chronicles of Koa Book 1)
In a world where vampires and fallen angels have devised a peace treaty, humans either live their lives oblivious to the supernatural creatures living amongst them, or actively take part byselling their blood. Koa, a half-blood vampire works for the organization that enforces the peace treaty. The Chronicles of Koa Series Publication order: Netherworld (The Chronicles of Koa, Book 1). Dark Prophet (The Chronicles of Koa, Book 2). Blood Princess (The Chronicles of Koa, Book 3). Reign of Kings (The Chronicles of Koa, Book 4) Coming Soon. "Her vampire stories retain enough of the expected magic and fright demanded by lovers of the genre, but at the same time she manages to infuse her tales with aspects of humanity not usually found in the routine vampire novels. "Authors who elect to write paranormal fiction take a leap of faith - especially when their audience is the Young Adult group. - Grady Harp HALL OF FAME TOP 100 REVIEWER VINE VOICE " The Chronicles of Koa is a wonderful story full of likeable characters, a clear world, and a fun mission ." Kirstin L. Pulioff, author of The Escapeof Princess Madeline" It has a fantastic story, twists and turns throughout, and some mysteries you won't see coming. " This book has everything that will make you want to keep reading it: supernatural, action, suspense, a budding romance, and when you think you know what's going on, you find out you don't. ". Luke Wood, author of Approaching Humanity "Koa is so fascinating and descriptive that one of the notes I kept making was "What was going through her head when she wrote this?!" "Koa has this bad@ssed Lyrinian sword that is from the Netherworld and seems to have a mind of it's own and goes into a frenzy when she uses it against evil." Author Rank #5 and #13 on the New York Times Bestseller's List#5 in Action & Adventure#6 in Science Fiction & Fantasy. Lee's Newsletter For: Sales Freebies Book Signings & Appearances Virtual Parties Exclusive Excerpts Cover Reveals New Releases.
Reviews
"While Koa is a bit immature (not too unusual for her age), with all the good helpers around her to intervene things will get better and let's not forget how much you can learn from adversarial situations (all those villains!)."
"The Chronicles of Koa is another great read for fans of the young heroine genre, such as Hunger Games and the Divergent series. While it has similarities to these other popular stories at the macro level, it carves out its own unique world and characters that make it stand on its own as an original series."
"Decent story but the main character could definitely use some serious help."
"Netherworld is a darkly intense story of a young woman with a huge chunk of her past missing. The characters are diverse and interesting, the battle scenes are exciting, and the story has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Secrets are a big part of the story and though some were revealed by the ending, enough was left out to leave me eager for the next book in the series."
"The only thing that drove me nuts was the main character was so bull headed and didn't stop to think about things and it kept getting her into trouble, and she kept saying over and over again that she was going to learn from her mistakes and be better, then she did it again."
"I love the story of koa, how you have to make a decision about your life and how you want to live it from the moment you hear about events that could prevent her from having a happy ending."
"I can't wait to read book 2 + 3. Kudos to K N Lee!"
"Koa is a half-blood vampire that fights Netherworld demons. It’s not just another vampire series."
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The Fate: Book 1: Tournament Wysteria (Fates of the New School)
Countless times has a young hero dreamed of conquering the Tournament of Tears--dreamed of sitting upon the throne that all kingdoms bend knee to--dreamed of being the best in all the land. We all have dreams. But it's easy to forget those dreams, ignore them, or even throw them away for something more 'practical.'.
Reviews
"I'm not going to write about the book as you can read other reviews for that."
"So while characters calling their attacks and a setting inspired by both Europe and Asian fantasy elements (or, well, Dn'D and Light Novel might be a better word) and the "magic system" didn't shock me very much, what did was the fact that by about the quarter-way mark I realized I was laughing at all the bits of the story I was supposed to laugh at. Older fantasy fans may find everything a bit too cheesy and video-game-y, but you could do worse than buying this for a kid who's really into fantasy martial arts stories. Once you get past the glorious cheese of characters literally calling their attacks in order to use them and the fact that one of the central characters owns a sword described as a "+6 weapon" at one point, you'll end up enjoying this fun, simple story about misfits trying to beat impossible odds. But I'm not kidding when I say this story's full of surprises."
"John Ko delivers an extremely satisfying story revolving around a cast of young adults setting forth in an original and intriging world rich with possibility."
"Slow at first and a little odd (like the main character) but you grow to care about each unique character and want such a wholesome bunch to grow and succeed ... like someone else said I started reading around 630 and finished it at 130 the next morning."
"This was not only an incredibly fun read, it also had several truly inspiring/encouraging moments."
"Brilliant work, excellent adventure story of growth and self acceptance in a world colored in bright gradient and hue."
"Very fun, like and RPG in book form."
"Book was a thrill to read."
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Best Children's Explore Asia Books

Inside Out and Back Again
This moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing received four starred reviews, including one from Kirkus which proclaimed it "enlightening, poignant, and unexpectedly funny." Written in accessible, short free-verse poems, Hà’s immediate narrative describes her mistakes—both humorous and heartbreaking—with grammar, customs, and dress (she wears a flannel nightgown to school, for example); and readers will be moved by Hà’s sorrow as they recognize the anguish of being the outcast who spends lunchtime hiding in the bathroom. Eventually, Hà does get back at the sneering kids who bully her at school, and she finds help adjusting to her new life from a kind teacher who lost a son in Vietnam.
Reviews
"It seemed like a great story for my granddaughter who likes to read."
"My great-grand daughter enjoyed this book because it coincide with their studying about immigrants in school."
"Got the narrative with the story and it was great."
"Beautiful, haunting story."
"bought the kindle and hard cover."
"Such a nice story, recommend it to anyone."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Country & Ethnic Fairy Tales & Folklore

d'Aulaires' Book of Norwegian Folktales
From the authors who wrote and illustrated Ola, Leif the Lucky, and Children of the Northlights comes their collection of Norwegian folktales. Known for their vibrant and imaginative interpretations of Scandinavian folklore, Greek and Norse mythology, and American history, the books of Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire have entertained readers for more than seventy-five years.
Reviews
"Beautiful reprint."
"Superior quality printing."
"D'Aulaires' Book of Norwegian Folktales was originally published in 1938 with the title East of the Sun and West of the Moon. They quickly realized that there were already near perfect translations available so they relied on an old Norwegian edition, Dasent's translation, and their own translation to perfect the stories. He found a poor girl to be his bride, but she messed things up, so he had to leave her and marry someone else. The stories were easy to read and very fascinating, because it exposes the reader to a culture they might not understand, but also might not get a chance to experience otherwise."
"Three grandkids are enthralled with myths and folk tales."
"The binding doesn't look very sturdy, pages are thick old fashioned cream color."
"Any D'Aulaires fans will enjoy!"
"My children have treasured these books since they were very small.I hope someday that I will get to share them with grandchildren."
"Wonderful illustrations...exciting, but not too scary for children......a favorite book that I am giving to a young reader."
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Best Children's Asian Folk Tales

Indian Children's Favorite Stories
Other multicultural children's books in this series include: Asian Children's Favorite Stories, Indonesian Children's Favorite Stories, Japanese Children's Favorite Stories, Singapore Children's Favorite Stories, Filipino Favorite Children's Stories, Favorite Children's Stories from China & Tibet, Chinese Children's Favorite Stories, Korean Children's Favorite Stories, Balinese Children's Favorite Stories, and Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories . "Though more complex than the other children's books we had read about India, my daughter was fascinated with these eight tales and their beautiful illustrations—especially Ravana, the ten-headed rakshasa. Though I suspect some of the themes of the stories went over her head, it wasn't unusual for me to catch her reading this book after tucking her in for the night."
Reviews
"Excellent stories to read to a child (8+ to read themselves) and to learn about Hindu deities."
"This book is ideal for young readers who want to be introduced to the wealth of mythological stories from India."
"I really wanted to give my nephews and nieces books about Indian stories but written in English."
"It is a great product - very nicely done and very colorful."
"too complicated for my 6 year old to read herself but good one to read them stories."
"Used it for a lesson at scho."
"My kids read the stories but they did not enjoy it as much as I had expected."
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Best Children's African Folk Tales

Tales of Ancient Egypt (Puffin Classics)
These stories include the great myths - of Amen-Ra, who created all the creatures in the world; of Isis, seaching the waters for her dead husband Osiris; of the Bennu Bird and the Book of Thoth. He loved storytelling and was fascinated by traditional fairy tales, myths and legends from around the world.
Reviews
"I checked this out from the library awhile back and loved it."
"This book is well written...I read half of it in one day and felt as if I were just scanning the text!!!"
"My grandson gives it a thumbs up."
"Great stories!"
"My 6 year old daughter picked this book out and I did not think she would like it but it has been her "go to" book!"
"New favourite book on the shelf for the children."
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Best Children's Arthurian Folk Tales

The Dark Is Rising (The Dark Is Rising Book 2)
On the Midwinter Day that is his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers a special gift-- that he is the last of the Old Ones, immortals dedicated to keeping the world from domination by the forces of evil, the Dark. "When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back, Three from the circle, three from the track; Wood, bronze, iron; water, fire, stone; Five will return, and one go alone." His task is monumental: he must find and guard the six great Signs of the Light, which, when joined, will create a force strong enough to match and perhaps overcome that of the Dark. Susan Cooper, in her five-title Dark Is Rising sequence , creates a world where the conflict between good and evil reaches epic proportions.
Reviews
"All of the spoken words are crisp and clear. In the first chapters he can be a bit tentative in distinguishing among the major characters and is inclined to give short shrift to minor characters, but after that he settles into the various roles and adds a distinct and recognizable identity to each character. It is treated as the triumphant work that it is and this adds greatly to its weight and impact. Runtime is a bit under nine hours."
"I agree with the reviewers who have called this sequence well-written and imaginative, and I defer to their analyses of Susan Cooper's excellent books."
"They are based on the Arthurian legend, and combine wonderful descriptions of the Cornish countryside with fantasy and with touchstones to the development of accountability, courage, and kindliness that every teen faces."
"I have loved reading each of these books over the years, more than once."
"Excellent nearly forgotten series of books."
"I read the entire series a few times when I was a kid and I was transported every time."
"This is a great series for anyone who loves a well told and engaging story."
"The Dark is Rising stimulates students (with guidance) to make comparisons to current events as well as to other novels."
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Best Children's European Folk Tales

Shifters Alliance (CHANGING TIMES Book 1)
Everything changes when Kerri's friends are kidnapped and taken through a Gateway into an unknown land rife with danger, where shapeshifting clans threaten war, and no one can be trusted. The story revolves around Kerri, who enters a Gateway to a strange land to save her friends, and gets caught up in the conflict between creatures vying for the extremely powerful Crystal. "...full of unexpected twists and turns, a whole world to immerse yourself in... Lyrical and magical. It tackles thought-provoking themes like conflict and loyalty while taking you on a wild adventure..." 5 ★★★★★. 2nd Edition: Updated and renamed from Cats & Dogs to Shifters Alliance (Part 1) in the Changing Times trilogy.
Reviews
"‘Changing Times: Cats & Dogs" is an exciting adventure that never slows, never bores, and never disappoints the reader."
"The story’s plot never takes you where you expect, the twists and turns are different from any other fantasy, and will keep you interested till the end."
"I can't wait to read what happens next to Kerri, Carter, Sonny, Sam, Naz, Vin and the rest of the characters in this book!"
"While searching for the kidnapped children, they find themselves involved in a conflict between shape-shifting clans. After meeting one of the warring shape-shifters, they find that their children were kidnapped for their ability to change so that they could help the one group in their conflict with other shape-shifters, over an item that was stolen which possesses dangerous power over anyone who touches it."
"Grab a cup of hot cocoa, curl up in your favorite reading spot, and lose yourself in the rich world of "Changing Times: Cats & Dogs"."
"This is a great read for the young adult, but also for the older adult such as myself."
"Anyone reading this will find themselves drawn to a character and wanting to see the outcome."
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Best Children's Norse Folk Tales

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book 1: The Sword of Summer (Rick Riordan’s Norse Mythology)
Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers. When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision. Gr 5 Up—Fans of Percy Jackson and "Kane Chronicles" (both, Disney-Hyperion) books will not be disappointed in Riordan's newest series, which is based on Norse mythology. With an epic plot, engaging (and diverse) characters, and tons of wisecracking humor, Riordan's latest is a page-turner. VERDICT Ravenous Riordan fans are likely to begin lining up for this on the publication date; be prepared for long holds lists on this one.—Patrick Tierney, Dr. Martin Luther King Elementary School, Providence, RI "Norse myths are in right now, and Riordan has the magic touch. "With an epic plot, engaging (and diverse) characters, and tons of wisecracking humor, Riordan's latest is a page-turner.
Reviews
"For those who are not familiar with Rick Riordan’s writings, this is a perfectly fine book to jump into Riordan’s fantasy world, there is no benefit gained in having read his other books that deal with heroes from Greek, Roman, or Egyptian mythology. As a result of this lineage, there are obligations that Magnus is thrust with, and the story is a modern day interaction of Magnus through components of Norse mythology, ranging from characters to weaponry of the ancient belief system. Know that the structure is similar to the books in the past, the characters who are introduced throughout this book are unique in their own ways, especially Magnus’s new companions and, I especially enjoyed the history and sense of honor associated with the Valkyrie corps, especially Samirah al-Abbas, who identifies from a Muslim family."
"This story takes place in the present time with vivid trips into the realm of "the gods" where he must fight and die many times for the delaying of Armegedon."
"Just like the former series Greek Roman & Egyptian mythologies, he creates a world that is both imaginative and has some scientific plausibility."
"When I heard that Rick Riordan was starting a new mega adventure ride with Norse mythology at its centre, I was on board before you can say Yggdrasil (the world tree – how do I pronounce it?). On the successful wave of Marvel’s Thor movies and the ultra popularity of Loki, this seemed to be a gold mine, because while the named characters are known, Norse mythology itself isn’t that widespread in all its glorious details. I loved the insight into Norse mythology, all the big and small details, the nine worlds, famous and less known figures, legends, connections, diverse beings, magic, the dividing of the gods to nature and war gods, the two so called “afterlives”, etc, etc, and especially Ragnarok. Norse mythology is a lot more grimmer and fatalistic that it’s Greek counterpart, but it’s none the less fascinating and rich with imaginative stories. From the important mythological characters, Loki was confusing -- is he evil or just misunderstood? Apparently, he’s the most similar to Chris Hemsworth, so obviously, I was drawn to him… I, overall, found it funny how Magnus compared everyone to the images we are used to from Thor movies. The connection to the Heroes of Olympus series was also quite intriguing due to Annabeth being the cousin of Magnus. I did, however, notice that compared to the latter books, the new series story had a lot of info-dumping, which I didn't feel to the extent in the previous series. Further recommendations: The anime (based on the manga of the same name) Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok (2003) was one of my favourites some years back and it focuses on a cursed, but cute as a button and physically little boy, Loki, a quirky wannabe detective girl student and Loki’s children – Fenrir the adorable doggy was soooo squichy (I loved how he said “daddy” to Loki all the time)."
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Best Children's United States Folk Tales

Artemis Fowl
Twelve-year-old Artemis is a millionaire, a genius-and above all, a criminal mastermind. But when the time comes to put his plan into action, he doesn't count on the appearance of the extrasmall, pointy-eared Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaisance) Unit--and her senior officer, Commander Root, a man (sorry, elf) who will stop at nothing to get her back. The author has let his imagination run riot by combining folklore, fantasy, and a fistful of high-tech funk in an outrageously devilish book that could well do for fairies what Harry Potter has done for wizardry. Instead, what we have here is well-written, sophisticated, rough 'n' tumble storytelling with enough high-octane attitude to make it a seriously cool read for anyone over the age of 10. However, his feisty mark, Holly, turns out to be a member of the "LEPrecon, an elite branch of the Lower Elements Police," so a wisecracking team of satyrs, trolls, dwarfs and fellow fairies set out to rescue her.
Reviews
"It involves clones, high tech gadgets, and takes the young reader on a journey of Fowl after his mind has been erased of memories of faries and the such."
"This book had me smiling the entire time."
"A twelve-year-old genius criminal mastermind takes on the world of Faeries. He develops a ploy to kidnap one of them and hold her for ransom for a fortune in gold. Yes, the main character is only twelve years old, but to say he acts much older would be beyond understatement. Instead, we spend a lot of our time with the faeries and see all the buffoonery that ensues in their culture."
"The 10th and final Artemis Fowl book is coming out this year, and in celebration, Disney/Hyperion is offering NetGalley members access to the previous nine books in two-book special editions. This month, Artemis Fowl is one of the two books, and rather than root through my kids' piles of books to find the first two books in the series, I got access to the first two in e-book format to see why my oldest was so addicted to Eoin Colfer and whether I should talk the boys into reading them."
"I read some future books as a kid before I read this one."
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Best Children's Folk Tales & Myth Collections

The Silmarillion
Tolkien considered THE SILMARILLION his most important work, and, though it was published last and posthumously, this great collection of tales and legends clearly sets the stage for all his other writing. The story of the creation of the world and of the the First Age, this is the ancient drama to which the characters in THE LORD OF THE RINGS look back and in whose events some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. Martin Shaw's reading is grave and resonant, conveying all the powerful events and emotions that shaped elven and human history long before Bilbo, Frodo, Gandalf and all the rest embarked on their quests. Beginning with the Music of the Ainur, The Silmarillion tells a tale of the Elder Days, when Elves and Men became estranged by the Dark Lord Morgoth's lust for the Silmarils, pure and powerful magic jewels.
Reviews
"I read "Lord Of The Rings" only once (liked it a lot), "The Hobbit" only once (liked it, but less than "Lord Of The Rings"), watched the movies, and, only now, I stared "The Silmarillion" in the eye! Let me get to some points: a. I completely understand those who not enjoy the writing style or the book itself, even thoso who KNOW that this is not a novel, but almost a history book of a fictional mythology. d. I think one should understand the following, about the writer's writing style: for Tolkien, EVERY WORD COUNTS. He is set on a mission to tell a fable, and he does so with economy of word, but with deep impact."
"Not one of the Professor's easier reads, but if you can deal with it, it is worth the time spent and will answer so many questions. Tolkien always felt that England lost it's Mythology after the Conquest where it was deleted and overridden by the French Normans. Some of the questions answered: What is this Uttermost West the Elves are sailing to. Who was Melkor?"
"This is the content that provided Tolkein with the many levels and layers of content that gives The Lord of the Rings it richness, historicity and depth."
"bought it for someone else and the receiver loves it."
"Faithful but incomplete making the true Tolkien fan wanting more."
"A must for the understanding of all the lore from LOTR."
"Tolkien's Middle-earth and want to know the history prior to. the the events of The Hobbit and the War of The Ring, then you must add this detailed. and exciting work to your collection."
"Audio is wonderful."
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Best Children's Folk Tales & Myth Anthologies

The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales (The Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library)
The stories of magic and myth gathered by the Brothers Grimm have become part of the way children—and adults—learn about the vagaries of the real world. “Everyone should possess and know Grimm’s Fairy Tales —one of the great books of the world—and no English-speaking person could do better than this edition.” —Richard Adams, The New York Times Book Review.
Reviews
"A beautiful book especially for the price."
"This cloth hardcover volume is 8.1 x 10.1 INCHES, 320 PAGES, with 27 STORIES (versus the flexcover 5.4 x 7.7 INCHES, 192 PAGES, 14 STORIES The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm that, at roughly 1/3rd the price and practically identical-looking in online images, people mistake for being the same!)."
"There were so many positive reviews for the Calla Edition that I began feeling swayed but ultimately I went ahead with purchasing this edition because it is the complete works of Grimms Fairy Tales whereas the Calla Edition is not the complete works."
"The darker tones in the story lines make it more fun for adults to read, and I have to say after so many years of reading fairy tales that some of the dark twists in the stories surprised me, but it was nice to read the stories and not know what was going to happen because the story was much different!"
"The daughter grew up in a life of wealth and privilege which Cummings could not have provided. Years later, after a heads up from a friend, Cummings arranged to run into his full grown daughter in New York."
"Wow is this a nice looking book! I always hate when these manufactures make a nice looking book and then ruin it with a big ugly barcode on the back."
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Best Children's Dragon Stories

Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle Book 4)
Perfect for fans of Lord of the Rings, the New York Times bestselling Inheritance Cycle about the dragon rider Eragon has sold over 35 million copies and is an international fantasy sensation. The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. "This is just as brilliant as all the other books in the series and ends spectacularly, but not in the way I expected ..." Guardian "The popularity of fantasy books shows no sign of waning.
Reviews
"There were a few points in the book that I thought were well done, but a few points doesn't make up for the fact that most of this book was extra fluff that could have been cut out to be more direct and to the point."
"being a writer myself, I felt the books captured all that one may imagine is happening or going to happen if the story were true; and I found that I wished it to be so. It takes alot of creative writing to keep me connected and what is interesting; as much as I read which is considerable; I found myself dreaming of the story line when I wasnt reading."
"The characters are interesting and the book is overall amazing."
"Paolini's writing has greatly evolved over the years and each book in the cycle has read differently."
"I've just finished reading these books through for my third time. The story never gets old and I have a hard time putting the book down."
"One of the things I'll do when I don't feel like finishing a task is to distract myself with a series of vaguely-related subtasks, working to perfect things that really don't matter but which are more fun or - often - which I have a better idea of how to finish than the actual task at hand. It's clear where Paolini didn't know how to continue or finish a concept, because he'd then branch off for dozens of pages on a topic that really didn't matter or that could have been summarized in a page or paragraph. Look, if you've invested all this time in reading the first three books, you'll read this one. In fact, the reason there are so many spoilers in these reviews is that most people have been waiting so long for this book that they read it as soon as it came out, before ever coming to look for reviews here, and then many of them were so disappointed that they came back to vent via reviews. There's even a lot to love about many aspects of this book."
"I loved the book's , all three of them."
"The #4, last book, was good it kept moving along. If you are looking for a series, I'd say unless you really like reading lots of detail, find another series to read."
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Best Children's Greek & Roman Myths

Lightning Thief, The (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book 1)
Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. Book Description In this stunning collectors' edition of The Lightning Thief, Percy Jackson's world is brought to life with eight full-color plates by the series jacket artist John Rocco. The edition comes in an elegant slipcase with a ribbon bookmark, rough edges, and cloth cover--a perfect keepsake for fans of this truly epic series. Many years later, when I became interested in illustration, I discovered the beautiful hardbound editions of these stories featuring the arresting artwork of incredible artists like N.C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, and Maxfield Parrish. What I love about their paintings is not just the beautiful draftsmanship, color and composition, but their ability to capture a moment that held the promise of swashbuckling adventure. My approach has never been just to describe a scene from the book, but to create an illustration that offers tension and mystery--an image that provides just enough information to leave the viewer wanting to know more. At first glance, Perseus Jackson seems like a loser (readers meet him at a boarding school for troubled youth), but he's really the son of Poseidon and a mortal woman. The gods (still very active in the 21st-century world) are about to go to war over a lost thunderbolt, so Percy and sidekicks Grover (a young satyr) and Annabeth (daughter of Athena) set out to retrieve it.
Reviews
"My 9 year old daughter likes it."
"I read this as a read aloud for my 9 year old."
"My book worm loved this book."
"I think if you didn't know anything about Greek mythology, you might not really enjoy the book as much--all the allusions would be missed--, but you would still be introduced to the basic "hero's journey," and there's nothing wrong with that."
"This a great book that helps to understand how important families are."
"I enjoyed the writing."
"There is a lot to like about this book -- my third grader was interested in looking up many of the myths referenced in this book, and enjoyed how each story maintained fidelity to the originals while being updated."
"This book is so good."
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