You know, for the kids!
Three books my tween would like you to know about.
I write this on Tuesday night, when I should be packing for a trip. My child has sensed my extreme stress, and so he has cheerfully written out all of EELS for me? And insists I can just copy it in here and do nothing? I’m a trusting soul. Enjoy!
🐉 Eragon
Christopher Paolini, 2002
Eragon. The story of dragons, swords, mystic beings, and magic. But this is not the typical fantasy book you know with the same storyline every single time, no no no. This story has plot, characterization, and deep backgrounds that will make you feel empathy for every single character. The tales of the riders with their ancient language, the tyranny and struggle between the Empire and the rest of the mythical world.
Christopher Paolini has outdone himself in his Inheritance series. His writing kept my eyes glued to the pages, the book impossible to put down. A truly gripping series for the kind of heart, yet love of the action of a mythical world, told by the simple words of an astounding manuscript. Bravo Christopher, bravo.
Recommended to: People who like fantasy stories and detailed plots. The books are long, so it would require some motivation to get started, so I hope this is enough. Awesome book to read when you are bored. Will give you great ideas.
This book will take you to: Villages, mountains, forests, port cities, deserts, caves, castles, glaciers, and secret societies.
👻 The Graveyard Book
Neil Gaiman, 2008
Ahh… Another great work by the mind of Neil Gaiman. The Graveyard Book is sad, and at some points, mentally depressing. It is not the same joy and color that Neil Gaiman has put into his other children’s novels. The book is a story about a boy whose parents and siblings were brutally murdered in the night by a mysterious man called Jack. Somehow the boy, a baby at the time, managed to get away. He spends his life in a graveyard being taught the ways of life by ghosts, (which is a tad ironic if you ask me). Then he develops a love outside of the graveyard, but who’s mother thinks poorly of him. His only choice to keep her with him is to leave the graveyard.
This great novel tells of his struggle adjusting to normal life outside of the graveyard, and how the ghosts actually have feelings for him and don’t want him to go out into the world alone.
Recommended to: People who are okay with sadness and depression in a book. Are willing to experience books maybe without a happy ending.
This book takes you to: Graveyards, churches, bedrooms, tombs, and crypts.
🧅 Holes
Louis Sachar, 1998
AN ABSOLUTE CLASSIC! Most people have heard of this wonderful book, but it is time to break it down in detail. The book is about a boy who is accused of stealing a pair of shoes when they “fall from the sky” into his hands. He then has a chance to either go to prison, or go to Camp Green Lake. He chooses the latter, but soon he will realize that was the worst decision of his life. At Camp Green Lake, there actually is no lake, but just an empty wasteland that stretches for miles where a lake used to be. He has to dig thousands of holes in the blistering heat with small amounts of water, searching for a treasure that probably doesn’t exist. He realizes he would have rather gone to prison. He meets many people that may seem like friends, but turn out to be greedy manipulating tyrants.
He is followed by misfortune, luck and effects from mistakes that were made in the past. It turns out that Green lake has a bigger past than anyone could have imagined. A novel to be read time and time again. Truly a delightful story.
Recommended to: Almost everyone, a book for all ages.
This book will take you to: Desert plains, lakes, weirdly shaped mountains, freeway underpasses, and log cabins.
That was the eleventh EELS! If you think that was lazy, wait until next week when I have literally nothing to do with it. No promises, but I think we can make it work anyway. As always, send any and all questions, feedback, and shouted book recommendations by hitting reply.
– Susan (and Archie) (almost entirely Archie, though I did fix a couple commas out of habit before I realized what I was doing and stopped)