Tuesday, 21 August 2012

Follow my Leader {Tuesdays Treasures}

 Welcome to Tuesdays Treasures.  I started these posts as a way of sharing great books in honour of my friend in New Zealand who would arrive with the treasures she had unearthed at her weekly trip to the library!

There are so many wonderful books out there hiding on shelves so I invite you to blog about a book on your shelf, one you're reading or one you found at the library and add your post to Learning All the Time Favourite Resource Link Up


This week ...
Follow My Leader
Reading level: Ages 5 and up
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Puffin (December 1, 1994)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0140364854
ISBN-13: 978-0140364859



Book Description: After Jimmy is blinded in an accident with a firecracker, he has to relearn all the things he used to know. With the help of a determined therapist, he learns to read Braille and to use a cane. Then he's given the chance to have a guide dog. Learning to work with Leader is not easy, but Jimmy tries harder than he ever has before.

This is one of those books that I am looking forward to re reading and sharing with Sir N. It's a story revealing the consequences of our actions at the same time giving us a hope for the future. I love the way his heart changes and the way he grows as a character in the story. We walk with Jimmy as he learns to forgive and it takes the reader on a journey as to what it would be like to be blind.

Buy this book: Amazon, and The Book Depository.
Book reviews: Home School Book Review

Blessings

Monday, 20 August 2012

A Trail of Ink {52 in 52}

This week in 52 in 52...
The third chronicle 
of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon.
  • Format: Paperback
  • Number of Pages: 256
  • Publisher:  Monarch Books
  • Publication Date: 2009
  • ISBN: 978-1-85424-954-8
  • Author Melvin R.Starr
Last week I shared about one of the best books I have read in a while. This weekend I have completed the sequel as well as the third chronicle in the series.

I enjoyed becoming better acquainted with Hugh in this third  chronicle detailing his duties as bailiff.  As with book one and two this chronicle has been written in the first person. Hugh takes us with him as he attempts to unravel the mystery of Master John Wyclif's missing books.

Melvin has once again done a stirling job of taking the reader into 1300's. I enjoyed the two assignments bestowed on him by his employer to find a comely lass and discover the whereabouts of Master Wyclif's books. As always his use of out of the ordinary language is inspiring and entertaining. I enjoyed this book immensely and recommend it to you and your family.

Melvin Starr is an avid student of medieval English and surgery and has written a page turning novel featuring Hugh de Singleton.  Melvin's website hosts a great set of resources and you are able to read the first chapter to whet your appetite for the book.
  1. The Unquiet Bones
  2. A Corpse at St Andrew's Chapel
  3. The Trail of Ink
  4. Unhallowed Ground
  5. The Tainted Coin

No sense in reinventing the wheel.  Here is a snippet of what others are saying about this book:

In the words of Stephanie
"A Trail of Ink is a fascinating description of fourteenth century life as Hugh searches for lost books. While that doesn't seem like much today, twenty-two books would have been a fortune for a monk during this time period. While the plot took a long time to pick up speed, once it did, it hooked me completely and I was fascinated and enthralled. With a less than satisfying ending, it did leave off with a tantalizing hook for the next book in the series, Unhallowed Ground, which I am really looking forward to reading. What Mel Starr does so well, however, is make you feel as if you're standing in fourteenth century England, with vivid descriptions and beautiful attention to detail. All in all it was a satisfying read.."

From Mel Starr Publisher's Description-
"So begins another delightful and intriguing tale from the life of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon in the medieval village of Bampton, near Oxford, and bailiff of Bampton Castle at the behest of Lord Gilbert Talbot. Hugh sets his cap at the delightful Kate, who proves equally resourceful in the search for the missing books. Some very determined adversaries are out to stop him, permanently if necessary – but are they motivated by greed, or more personal animosity? Then the corpse of a poor scholar, who had tried to sell one of the books, is found in the river: but he had not simply drowned ...."

Book Reviews on the www:

Buy the book: Amazon, Book Depository, Kindle, Fishpond, Koorong, Christian Book, eBook.

Blessings





This post is linking to Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks.

Sunday, 19 August 2012

A Corpse at St Andrews Chapel {52 in 52}

This week in 52 in 52...
A Corpse at St Andrew's Chapel
  • Format: Paperback
  • Number of Pages: 256
  • Publisher:  Monarch Books
  • Publication Date: 2009
  • ISBN: 978-1-85424-954-8
  • Author Melvin R.Starr
Last week I shared about one of the best books I have read in a while.This week I have completed the sequel and am onto the third book in the chronicle in the series.

I enjoyed becoming better acquainted with Hugh in this second chronicle detailing his duties as bailiff.  As with book one this chronicle has been written in the first person and Hugh takes us with him as he attempts to unravel the double mystery before him. Melvin has done a stirling job of taking the reader into 1300's for it's way and wit.  His descriptions of medical procedures are an interesting look into medieval ways. As always his use of out of the ordinary language is inspiring and entertaining. I enjoyed this book immensely and recommend it to you and your family.

Melvin Starr is an avid student of medieval English and surgery and has written a page turning novel featuring Hugh de Singleton.  Melvin's website hosts a great set of resources and you are able to read the first chapter to whet your appetite for the book.
  1. The Unquiet Bones
  2. A Corpse at St Andrew's Chapel
  3. The Trail of Ink
  4. Unhallowed Ground
  5. The Tainted Coin

No sense in reinventing the wheel.  Here is a snippet of what others are saying about this book:

In the words of Rebecca
"Wow, what a great book! Mel Starr, the author, has a really great writing style and I enjoyed the book immensely. I liked that the book was written in the first person and I also liked that it’s medieval history. Starr did a phenomenal job with the time period, the language, the religious aspects and the characters while winding multiple mysteries throughout the tale."

From Mel Starr Publisher's Description-
"Alan, the beadle of the medieval manor of Bampton, had gone out at dusk to seek those who might violate curfew. When, the following morning, he had not returned home, his young wife Matilda sought out Master Hugh de Singleton, surgeon and bailiff of the manor. Two days later Alan’s corpse was discovered in the hedge, at the side of the track to St Andrew’s Chapel. His throat had been torn out – his head was half severed from his body – and his face, hands and forearms were lacerated with deep scratches. Master Hugh, meeting Hubert the coroner at the scene, listened carefully to the coroner’s surmise that a wolf had caused the great wound. And yet ... if so, why was there so little blood?."

Book Reviews on the www:

Buy the book: Amazon, Book Depository, Kindle, Fishpond, eBook, Koorong, Christian Book.

Blessings





This post is linking to Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks.