Summer Reading

Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 12:00 AM

This summer I have mostly been reading Childrens’ Literature: Artemis Fowl, Spiderwick Chronicles, His Dark Materials trilogy, and Harry Potter. Jeremy and I also picked up some picture books at the library for Aidan earlier this week. I had heard good things about Neil Gaiman’s childrens’ book Wolves in the Walls. It was a cute story. I liked it much better than Coraline, another of Gaiman’s kids books. My favorite work of Gaiman’s is still American Gods, which is NOT for children.

I caught up with the 3rd-5th books in the Artemis Fowl series, and the Wish List by Eoin Colfer. I had fallen away from the series because the first few books seemed to be following a repetitious formulaic pattern. The last few books still fall back into some of the old gags, but break out of the standard mold more than the previous books. The fifth book set up the stage for some fairly major changes in the next book when it is released, and I am looking forward for the next installment and to the movie which is planned for sometime in 2008.

The Spiderwick Chronicles is a VERY short read (a couple of hours for all five books at most). It is written at a pretty basic reading level (definitely pre-Harry Potter level). However for a series aimed at early elementary school readers it isn’t too bad of a story. It is sure a lot more exciting than reading about Dick, Jane, and Spot.

And of course I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The University Bookstore threw a Harry Potter release party for the book with games, contests, food, a “Hogwarts Express” train and showed Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on the green space. We took Aidan with us and he seemed to have a great time making wands and riding the train. It was much better than waiting around at Barnes and Noble with a toddler that likes to run and throw books on the floor! The book overall was a good conclusion to the series.

A big thank you to Jeremy’s mom Julie for watching Aidan on Jeremy’s birthday so we could catch a matinee showing of the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Since Aidan was born Jeremy and I hadn’t been out to see a movie in the theater. It was great to actually catch a flick on the big screen! I thought the movie did a good job of portraying the fifth Harry Potter book. It wasn’t my favorite movie so far, but I think it has less to do with the movie and more with the fact that it wasn’t my favorite book in the series.

Most recently I have been reading the books in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. I enjoyed the Golden Compass. The Subtle Knife was better written than the first book, but I am not sure how I feel about some of the directions the story has taken. I am about a third through The Amber Spyglass and will wait to pass judgement on the series until I have finished the story. I saw the trailer for the upcoming movie and it looks like it should be good.