Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

By J.K. Rowling

(1997)  ISBN 0590353403

Harry has single handedly increased the number of young readers and for that many in the book business are very appreciative.  The success of this series is well deserved with Rowling’s creation of the memorable characters that populate Harry’s world of witches and wizards.  This book starts by introducing Harry’s terrible excuse for relatives, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia and the descriptions of these two “normal people” were enough to convince the reader that this was going to be a very entertaining book and this level of interest continued throughout the entire book.

As many readers know, it is on Harry’s eleventh birthday that his life changes drastically as he learns that he is in fact an actual wizard and that he is to attend Hogwart’s School of Wizardry.  Harry is delighted to get away from the miserable home he shares with his uncle and aunt.  As Harry works on his lessons and completes his first year at Hogwart’s he finds out that he is not just a wizard but a unique wizard with a higher mission ahead of him although at the end of his first year he is not in possession of the full details.

This has been a unique series and to find something with any degree of similarity is difficult.  One is tempted to bring King Arthur’s Merlin as a companion piece.  The illustrations in this book tend to stay in bit in the background but nevertheless are quite essential to the mood of the book.  They add to the humor of some situations and give the reader good clues as to what some characters and creatures really look like.

A Single Shard

By Linda Sue Park

(2001) ISBN 0395978270

We meet Tree-ear, approximately eleven years of age, during the twelfth century in Korea.  Tree ear is an orphan and has no house.  One day as he goes about foraging for food he notices the work of Min a potter and he longs to be trained by Min.  Due to a mishap Tree-ear does start to work for Min.  When an emissary from the royal court informs Min that if Min can send another example of his work to the royal court that he will be considered for a commission.  Tree-ear volunteers to travel the long distance with the pottery but after this potter is broken during the trip, Tree-ear delivers a single shard and with this delivery Min wins the commission.  This story deals with the desire to create beauty.  It seems so fitting that the mere telling of this tale is beauty itself.  It is a thoroughly convincing story and absolutely holds the reader’s interest.  A wholehearted recommendation is given this book.

Newbery Award winner of 2002

The Hidden Staircase

by Keene, Carolyn

(1987) ISBN 044809570X

Based on the success of her first case, Nancy Drew has acquired a following amongst her circle of friends and in fact has become too popular.  She must decide whether to come to the aid of a friend and that friend’s family or concentrate on the well-being of her own father, Carson Drew towards who there has been a veiled threat made.  Her fears about her father temporarily allayed, Nancy focuses on the case pertaining to the friend’s family and it is a case that seems to take some time to solve because the person being sought by Nancy has done a good job of covering all obvious tracks.  Nothing however keeps Nancy away from her endeavors in the interest of justice.  Even when the situation seems completely and finally lost, with Nancy Drew around there is always hope.  Actually Nancy in this case is assisted by the over kill methods of the person she is pursuing.  There are many new girl detectives including David A. Adler’s Cam Jensen, Betsy Byars’ Herculeah Jones, Zodiac P.I., and Hazel Green.  The list of this popular genre is almost without end.