I read this book to my 6 year old daughter and 5 year old son the night their father died. As I returned from the hospital, a neighbor gave me this book and it helped tremendously that evening. I read it often to my children that first year after our loss. I am now a teacher researching children's books on death for a Master's degree and I rediscovered this book. The Fall of Freddie the Leaf should be a part of every primary classroom library.

I used this book with a boy a worked with a few years ago. He was 9 at the time, and a close relative had died. Before a colleague showed me the book, I struggled to find the right words to comfort him with, to no avail. The experience was a first hand confrontation with the fact that our culture generally has a great deal of difficulty dealing with the issue of death. Of all the books I've read that attempt to help us deal with this problem, this one is the best.

This simply, poignant story about the changing of the seasons gave me a bridge to talk to the child and helped him make sense of his loss. The language is simple enough for even a young child to understand. The pictures are gorgeous. It helped him cope with and understand his loss. As well, he was inspired to read the story to his classmates (this is a boy who previously hated reading) and it created a "teachable moment" for the whole group.

This book is one that I would reccommend to anyone who is in contact with children. It would be an excellent addition to your personal library because it makes talking about a difficult, painful subject a great deal easier.

I believe that The Fall of Freddie the Leaf is an excellent book for children dealing with the death of a loved one. Honestly I haven't read the book in 9 years but I remember it well. When I was 10 years old my father was dying of colon cancer. The day my mother told my siblings and I (aged at the time 5, 8, 10, and 12) that my father wouldn't make it she read us the book. I still remember the book and how it helped us to understand why our daddy had to leave us. I would recommend this book to anyone with children who are facing the death of someone close to them. It was very memorable obviously because I still remember it to this day and give it a lot of credit in helping us to understand death.

I love this book, and its prequel, Juniper (which I acually read first). I believe this is an amazing story.

It is about a girl nicknamed Wise Child who lives in a Scottish village. Her mother left her, and her father went out to sea. When her grandmother dies, the only person who will take her in is the village witch, Juniper. However, when she goes with Junipers, her eyes are opened to amazing new things to learn. But when her real mother returns offering Wise Child a life of leisure, will Wise Child go with her and forget Juniper's kindness?
I will only comment on this because others have: When I first read the book, I did not detect the Paganism implications. If it would bother you for such to be implied, you might not even notice. This book will not turn someone away from church, though it might open eyes to Nature-based religions (which, contrary to many beliefs, is not evil, just different than some other belief systems).
If you read this book, be sure to read its prequel, "Juniper" as well.

I felt I had to add this review to the other previous ones as so far the reviewers have been adults who have also loved this novel. There should be no doubt, however, what a wonderful children's book this is. I came across this when I was forced to read it in 1991 at the age of 10, as it was the only one left in the school library box. Needless to say, the school never saw the book again and this has become undoubtedly my favourite book of all time which, considering how much i've read, says a great deal about the story. Welding fantasy and history together, the story is simply magical, readable, and unforgettable. I was always greatly disappointed that there was no follow up to the second book, Juniper. It stimulated my interest in the surrounding history (which went on to become my passion) as well as the narrative itself. Wise Child is fascinating and unusual. I could not recommend this book highly enough for young readers

Wise Child is a beautifully written book for younger readers. It contains colourful historical detail and paints a vivid picture of the magical, mystical story of a childs life with a solitary witch or 'Doran'. Wise Child becomes orphaned and in the village auction it is decided that she should live with the local wise woman, Juniper, whom the villagers rely on in times of sickness. However the local Priest, Fillan, has the power to turn the villagers against Juniper in a time when suspected witches were often tortured and killed... It is obvious that the beliefs/cultures included in this book have been well researched, understood and brought to life by Furlong. Of all the books I have ever read, I can truly say that Wise Child is my favourite. I have read this book four times and am now 16 - too old for it really but the story and setting is so rare that I can only hope Furlong will write an adult version for me. Five Stars for a book which has provided much enjoyment as well as influencing my own views and interests through the years.

Now don't get me wrong--I enjoy Leo Laporte, and love "The Screen Savers," his nightly TechTV show. His shameless yet forgivable shilling of this book on his show made me rush out and buy it. Unfortunately, I probably should have glanced through it first.

There's a wealth of interesting tips in here (from beginning to geek), but as with all tips, there's only a handful I'll use (granted, those were pretty good). The "day by day" almanac format gives you a hint, tip, troubleshooting technique, problem-solver, or fun fact for every day of the year. There's tips for both PC and Mac users (I'm a Mac user), but there isn't one for *each* format every day, so some days I'm left high-and-dry...that's no matter, I can skim ahead; I'm not going to wait *all year* to read the book. But I do have the feeling that I've paid for a whole book and only getting half the use out of it.

Less useful are the "This day in computer history" tidbits that pad out each day. Interesting, maybe, but not what I buy a computer help book for. These smacked of padding the book and would have been more fun in a different format ("Leo's Page-a-Day Computer History Calendar"?).

My biggest complaint is that the tips are arranged rather randomly. Although some build on previous tips, there's no sense of continuity. Although the book is well-indexed to find subjects, this is *not* a general help manual--such a book would have been divided into different sections on specific topics. Leo *might* have overcome this by indicating "theme weeks"--this whole week, PC users will learn about such-and-such, Mac users will learn another things...etc.

Okay, to be fair: this is a fun to read book, and Leo's friendly and matter-of-fact style is most welcome in today's tech book world. I'm definitely on board for his next book, but I'm going to be grading him for format next time. This one gets five stars for Leo's writing style and range, but three stars for the hard-for-practical-use and seemingly random day-by-day format of the book: I'll average those out to four stars.

Leo Laporte does a great job each night hosting a show called the Screen Savers, on Tech TV. Now he has also done a great job writing a book. Poor Leo's Almanac is basically a calendar, with something useful written for each day. There could be a windows tip, a technology quiz, a mac tip, or just about everything. There is also handy reminders on backing up your data (something I need to do a lot more of). Leo writes in a very understandable way. Even though I think this book would be best for the newbie/novice computer user, anybody could really benefit from the information. I've ordered a copy to give to a family member that is just getting started in computers, with this book anybody can become a "geek."

"Poor Leo's 2002 Computer Almanac" is filled with tips and useful information in an easy to read almanac. Not only for beginners, this book written by the popular host of "The Screen Savers" on Tech TV, contains daily tips and brief essays about some of the most frequently asked topics concerning "Personal Confusers," as Leo likes to call them!

Having hosted TV shows like "Call for Help," an hour long TV program devoted to "newbies" and computers, and "The Screen Savers," a daily 90 minute live TV show for the more advanced computer and technology enthusiast, Leo has condensed his vast knowledge and expertise into an easy to read format of daily advice and tips.

Mac and Linux are covered, but mostly this book is for someone who has a PC and wants to demystify the computer experience and become more confident in using it. Leo covers a lot of ground in this book, and even delves into more "geeky" topics from time to time, like installing Linux; but if your Mom or GrandMOM just got a computer, this book will certainly help them become more adept at mastering the computer.

From a series of new offerings by Tech Tv and Cue Publishing, this is the book to get! For the more advanced user, the How-To videos are a more in-depth guide to building your own computer etc., but of the many books just published, this one is, by far, the most entertaining and useful.

The word around the campfire is that Chuck Yeager is real SOB. Fortunately, I heard this long after I'd read this book and decided he was anything but. I still question this "SOB" assessment. General Yeager signs books, answers fan mail and cracks great jokes. This is the Chuck Yeager that comes across in the pages of this book, which is undoubtedly one of the best aviation yarns ever written.

Yeager had a way of being at the right place at the right time. Those places and times form the heart of this book, and the heart of the golden age of aviation itself. If there is a person most qualified to tell the story of how America transitioned from piston-fired aircraft into the supersonic jet age, Chuck is that person. Told in a loose, casual manner, the story whizzes along at mach speed, slowing only to allow "other voices" (friends, family, comrades) to further illustrate Chuck's highly adventurous life.

The book can be very funny, as when Yeager describes "topping" a tree with his WWII trainer's wingtip; it can be suspenseful, as when Yeager and others describe his nearly fatal flight beyond Mach 2. And the book can be sad, as when he illustrates the dangers of flight testing by revealing that streets at Edwards Air Force Base were named after fallen test pilots. Of course, it's all old news now - some of the lore has even decayed into clichés. But the magic of this book is that the moment you pick it up and start reading, it all seems new again.

Yeager bashers always seem to miss what this book hits on so well; it's not the things he did, it's the way he did them. This isn't the story of a war ace turned arrogant test pilot; this is the story of a country boy who inadvertently made a name for himself merely by doing what came naturally to him. We should all be so lucky.

Having had the opprotunity to meet Chuck Yeager,To say the least, was a thrill for me. The experience prompted me to read his autobiography. I will say that it is far and away the best non fiction that I have read to date. Having had the opprotunity to meet this "Living Legend" a second time was an incredible feeling for me......after learning about how he had cheated death on many occasions and literally outran sound with a broom handle....you will have to read the book to find out what I talking about....Mr. Yeager is an American Hero in every sense of the word! I will sum this up in three words. READ THE BOOK!

Legendary flying ace Chuck Yeager has put on paper not only his life, but his amazing character as well.

Since I was a child I was told the stories of Chuck Yeager by my brothers.One of whom was an aviator himself, and was in awe of this man.

When I read his autobiography, which is definitely one of the best books I've ever read, I felt a new kind of respect for the man. A man who was never given a college education, yet managed to be one of the greatest aviators and men in history. He overcame the odds more than a few times.

What touched me most about this book was it's honesty.He never embellishes the truth, and tells it like it is, always. The book may not be the best articulated book in history, but that is because that is not Chuck's way.

He recounts all the major events in aviation history with a style that reveals his passion, and his determination that if you are going to do something, do it right.Eloquently put by Chuck, do it balls out.

I most enjoyed his manner in the book, fun loving without losing sight of himself, his demeanour is that of a mischievous brother who'll stand up for what he believes in, no matter what.

This man is a role model and one of the world's finest heroes. Read the book and meet the man.

As the other reviewers have already stated, this is an action packed adventure of a young man fleeing the Nazis. Leo fled from his native Vienna, to Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, France,and Switzerland. In this book, he describes the Austrians as welcome participants in the Holocaust and not as the victims. Austrians treat themselves as the first victims of Hitler's aggression rather than the willing helpers of Hitler. As he fled, other nations tried to avoid Hitler's refugees. No one welcomed the outcasts from the Hitler regime.
One comment about the nature of this book. Most of the victims did not know what was going to happen when they embarked on the train journey to the camps. Leo states it in the narrative. I don't think even he knew, other than the future was bleak. It lessens the story narrative as he pictures the death that awaits these people. This should have been told at the end.
This is a great book to read. It shows the suffering of the Jews and those who opposed Hitler.

A remarkable true story. There are many stories and knowledges of that period of World WarII and German occupation forces and destroyed lives, but this book is tops in recounting and recollecting the harrowing and the horror. The author has you engrossed from beginning to end. Left me feeling the pain and sadness from a family's perspective. Left me with new insight to the German forces and a destruction which that nation wrought without mind nor hinderance for so long. Left me wondering why so long before it came to an end and how and why at all? Left me vividly involved and hearing the cries and feeling the pain.
Left me ever so glad to have read this book and learned from the author, a personal recollection of that time.

full of surprises, turnes and twists is this true story of World War 11. My heart pounded as I read Leo's harrowing tale of escape. It is with both pleasure and pride to say that I personally know this man. He has been a friend of my family for many years. I never knew the true extent of what he had to endure just to survive until I read this book.

I first learnt about Dr Leo Buscaglia and his works in May 1984 when I received the wonderful gift of the book, 'Living, Loving and Learning' from my then boss and life-time mentor Fred Davis while working in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Although I studied and grew up in a culture which had given me some knowledge into all three concepts covered in the book, I found it to be a useful resource kit. I have read the book so many times since 1984 and still reading it again and again.

In May 1984, I was young, strong, irrational and did not fully grasp the value of love and or human relations but I thought I knew about living and learning. I received the book just three months before our daughter was born and realised the important of 'love' as a 'behaviour modifier'. Ever since, I have learnt many other things from this book as well from other sources. Dr Buscaglia writes about love and the importance of giving as well as receiving this unexplainable desire from the time of our birth to death. Now I know that life is nothing but a journey of seeking, giving and rejection of love.

A few months ago our daughter was very down, apparently due to the pains of growing up. Perhaps I would have been a major party in that process. May be she had peer pressure which she didn't want to communicate with me. Perhaps she thought that I was not listening to her needs (and I still do that mistake)!. When she was very down, I approached and 'tactfully demanded' her (like many parents do) to read the book. I even highlighted the section that she should read. A few days later she returned the book and said: "Dad, this book has a lot of what you always talk about!". She smiled and thanked me. It was a very precious moment in my life. Then only I realised how much I have unconsciously acquired Dr Buscaglia's wisdom over the years despite still making mistakes as an adult as well as a parent.

Now, getting closer to my mid-life, after having travelled round the world, up-rooted myself and my family from our country of origin, receiving and perhaps not receiving enough love as a behaviour modifier, I still read the book because I am still growing up.

I am at a point in my life where love and affection as Dr Buscaglia defined in this book are much needed for my further growth and development. Now I am learning the need to care, respect and love everyone I live and work with, meet, talk or write sometimes even seeing them at all! Dr Buscaglia cites a good example in this book where he had not cared enough for a student who he thought was learning well in one of his undergraduate classes. He assumed that he was communicating well with this student because she sat in front of him, smiled when he emphasised something and took down notes carefully. He writes: "Then one day she stopped coming... and I kept looking for her... Finally, I checked with the Dean...and she said, 'Haven't you heard?'" Dr Buscaglia learnt that the student had killed herself by jumping off a cliff. He writes: "It bothers me still and I thought to myself--what are we doing stuffing facts at people and forgetting that they are people, that they are human beings?"

This book is not about stuffing facts or giving us just citations from psychology or sociology books. He shares the wisdom he has gathered from several sources on 'Living, Loving and Learning'. This book is a guide to help us to be good human beings. For those who only want to read new world stuff may think that this book is a bit of an old fashion or just a basic one. Yes, it is a basic guide for us to be good human beings.

That's why I am still reading this book 16 years after receiving it from my mentor. That's why I am still sharing the knowledge I gained from it with those who are closer to my heart wherever they live. Because I had the gift of receiving books, I always returned the same to those I love very much. Recently, I gave a gift of books to a person that I have never met because of that person's loving qualities and wisdom shared with me despite my colour, creed, race and age! Now I regret that I could not include this book in my gift pack.

For me this book is still a one sure way of 'Living, Loving and Learning'.

Just read it!

Sunil Govinnage

June 2000

Buscaglia's book opened my eyes and my heart. He teaches us that something we all take for granted doesn't necesarrily come naturally, and shares his tools and insights for developing these skills. Twenty years after I first read this book, I'm still recommending it to friends looking for meaning in their lives, or relationships - or both!

This book should be read by everyone. How many people today really "live" even if they breath and see and walk?? How many people just repress themselves into their shelter not enjoying and accepting their lives? I used to be so before I read this book, but this book truly changed my attitude toward my everyday living, and meaning of my life; I just realized the magnificent staff going on in my life- there is sometimes suffer and struggle, but I still can look for delighted parts of my life. The importance of being myself, and the importance of loving not only others, but also myself. I strongly recommend this book to everyone from who enjoys his/her life, to who is gloomy and depressed with loneliness.

I have read all the books on this subject and this one is the best by far. None of the others have an allergy scale, and the scale makes finding the best plants much easier.
This book is also interesting and is full of good tips about gardening in general. The author spent many years working on this book and it is indeed useful and easy to understand.
I've had this book about a year now and have made many changes in my own landscapes, front and back yards both. Some of the shrubs we had were rated the very worst and getting them replaced was a big plus for me and my family, all of whom have allergies.
The photos in the book are quite good, as are the many drawings. Everything in it is cross-referenced and this makes it quick to find what you're looking for.
I got Allergy Free Gardening on the advice of my allergist and I have been recommending it to almost everyone I know. I wish I had had this book before we first landscaped, but still, better late than never.
I've been giving copies of this book as presents to my relatives who have allergies and so far everyone has enjoyed it. I think it is probably one of the most useful books I own, and I own quite a few.
Shelby Stover

Allergy-Free Gardening really did change the way I look at plants. I have a background in both horticulture and botany and yet there was so much new material that I learned from this book that I was frankly, amazed. I knew a bit about plant sex, but in retrospect, very little.
In Thomas Ogren's eyes all plants are not created equally--or at least they certainly are not equally of value to us. In the past I planted and never gave much thought to whether or not something would be causing me rashes, allergies or other plant-triggered illnesses. I look at trees, shrubs, vines, flowers, lawns different now though. I use this book to find the best plants, the ones that will be attractive and useful in my garden and that will be healthy choices for me and my family.
I like the way Allergy-Free Gardening is set up. Everything is easy to find, easy to understand, easy to use. This author has a real talent for taking the very complicated and putting it all into easily understood layperson terms. His writing is fluent, personal, interesting. You have the feeling he cares deeply about what he does. I haven't read his newest book yet, Safe Sex in the Garden, but I have two friends who have and they thought it was excellent. I've ordered a copy of it also. But, if you garden or you are concerned about your health, I expect you will enjoy this book. I also find that I use it over and over as a general gardening reference book, since it is full of good, solid, down to earth horticultural advice. This is one of the best gardening books I own, and certainly the best thing written on allergies, asthma, and avoiding pollen.

Fourteen years ago, Tom Ogren, the author of Allergy-Free Gardening,from Ten Speed Press, decided to create an allergy-free garden at hisown house. His wife had severe asthma and hay fever and he was, as he writes, "a horticulturist after all." He soon found there was little written about the subject. Botany, horticulture, and landscape design professors he consulted knew almost nothing about it. Nurserymen also proved to be of little assistance. The only things he could find to read were books about pollen itself. In order to understand these heavy scientific treatises Ogren had to first learn an entirely new vocabulary. For years he read everything he could find on pollen and plant flowering systems. He started testing himself and others with thousands of different pollens. He began to measure the distance pollen moved from its source plant. Eventually his huge stacks of data and clipped articles became a book, aptly named Allergy-Free Gardening. Set up in encyclopedia form, thousands of common and not so common garden and landscape plants are alphabetically listed, discussed, and individually allergy-ranked on a scale of 1-10. With this scale, OPALSae, 1 is the best, the least allergenic; 10 represents those plants with the highest allergy causing potential. Allergy-Free Gardening has zone maps for both the United States and Europe and all plants are ranked for winter hardiness. Plants are listed by scientific name, but are completely cross-referenced by common name, making any listing easy to find. Years into his study Ogren discovered that within the species often described by allergists as "the worst," was a goldmine of allergy-free plants. Many of these species are separate-sexed, and one night he suddenly realized "that the female plants would shed no pollen at all," making them in effect, 100% pollen-free. Included in Allergy-Free Gardening are exact cultivar names of these long-neglected pollen-free female trees, shrubs, vines, annuals, perennials, and yes, even grasses. The book is also full of helpful tips of cultural things any gardener can do to limit pollen and spores in the garden. A major discovery of his research was that modern landscapes, unlike landscapes of old, are now loaded with heavy pollen-producing, "litter-free" male clones. These "clean" urban trees are literally killing us. Illustrated with hundreds of fine line drawings and 64 pages of color photographs, this valuable book seems a bargain.... The allergist who wrote the Foreword to Allergy-Free Gardening, Dr. David Stadtner, wrote, "This revolutionary book should be on the shelf of every serious gardener, not to mention every horticulture teacher, nurseryman, landscaper, urban planner, and allergist." I couldn't agree more.

I was somewhat reluctant to read this book because I am not a big fan of science fiction. However, I am so glad I read it! This is a very captivating story full of excitement and adventure, but also full of so much more. I found this book to be loaded with very deep meaning about life, humanity, and faith. The author was definitely trying to convey some interesting ideas about humanity and society, and I found those ideas to be fascinating and full of some important truths. This book opened my mind and really got me thinking about a lot of things.

This book will grab you right from the beginning, but I did find it to get just a little confusing in some places towards the end. However, overall I would definitely say it is a page-turner and well worth your time, not just for the entertainment value but also for the ideas that it contains. I highly recommend this book, even if you are not a fan of science fiction. Read it -- I feel confident that you will be glad you did!

Only a very few people are capable of combining science fiction and fantasy, and even fewer can make it something that captures you as this book does.

The book starts off with a young woman on a planetary anthropological mission, on a world called Andrecia. Andrecia is medieval and primitive, and in no way capable of handling the knowledge that advanced, spacefaring societies exist beyond their world.

But the heroine, Elana, soon becomes involved in a plot concerning the potential invasion of Andrecia. But it is near-impossible for her to save the Andrecians, superstitious and magic-believers, from an invasion.

Nearby is also a medical guy, Jarel, who feels remorse at the intentions of the Exploration Corps. They do not consider the population of Andrecia to be sentient and worthy of their notice, and promise to bring destruction down on Andrecia. There is also the son of an Andrecian woodcutter named Georyn, who identifies Elana as the Enchantress of the Stars. He believes that she has come for the purpose of testing him, if he can defeat a fearsome dragon in the forests.

This clash of the sophisticated and the simple is well-drawn and almost saddening at times. Georyn's faith in Elana's "magic" is truly touching, without making him appear ignorant or dumb. Elana is an excellent, intelligent heroine who captures your sympathy and does not let go. Her struggles with integrity and truth do not transcend the reader, but are ones that you feel as much as she does.

Too often in books there is a clash between magic and science, but in this particular book there is no clash. Perhaps that is partly due to the writing style -- half the magic seems to be in the otherworldly descriptions, interspersed with more grounded prose in the right places. (And Engdahl definitely knows how to write a beginning that will suck you in) Though some things like "Imperial Corps" and "Federation" imply a pseudo-Star-Trekkian space opera, this is none of the kind. This is a thoughtful work, filled with intelligent questions that will stimulate as it entertains.

This goes on the shelf beside Tolkien and the Riddlemaster trilogy.

In her novel Enchantress from the Stars, Sylvia Louise Engdahl combines science fiction and fantasy to weave together an intricate plot and tell an entertaining and interesting story. The time in which this story takes place is not clear. When the book begins, it seems as if Engdahl is writing of the future. As the story progresses, it seems as if she is writing of the past. In the end of the book, the two times intertwine so that it seems as if time does not exist at all.

The plot is set on the planet of Andrecia, home to a poverty-stricken, primitive society in which the people live in small rural villages and are governed by a monarchy. In one of the poor Andrecian villages, at the edge of the dreaded Enchanted Forest, lives a woodcutter with his four sons, all of whom dream of better, brighter futures. While the three eldest brothers wish for power, gold, and treasure, the youngest, Georyn, wants only wisdom equal to that of his King. Thus, when word travels to them that the person who slays the dragon inhabiting the Enchanted Forest will receive from the King whatever reward he desires, all four brothers are eager to set out at once. However, the dragon is actually a giant machine, or rockchewer, built by a far more technologically-advanced society, the Imperials. The Imperials, who are planning to take over the planet, have created the rockchewer to clear the land so they can build a colony. As the Andrecians appear one by one to Òslay the dragon,Ó they are paralyzed by the ImperialÕs stun-guns, making them defenseless captives.

Another society of people, even more advanced than the Imperials, is determined to stop them from taking over the planet. Elana and Evrek, two teenagers, and ElanaÕs father journey to Andrecia to help the native Andrecians revolt against the Imperials and scare them off the planet. ElanaÕs people have the unique ability to move objects with their minds and to communicate telepathically. As a result, Georyn and his brothers believe Elana to be an Enchantress. Through many tests and a developing friendship, she teaches Georyn how to control the movement of objects and prepares him for his face-off with the dragon.

"Enchantress From the Stars" is an engrossing book that keeps the reader on their toes from the very first chapter. Weaving together two different genres allows Engdahl to interest readers of all kinds. "Enchantress" is not only a story about dragons and spaceships, it is also about testing the true strength of love. A definite must read!

Though I've long since passed the "appropriate" age to read young adult fantasy books, I try to read all of the ones that have come out since I entered aduldhood. I found out about Sabriel on amazon -- it was listed on many people's favorites lists. What a find! I finished the book in one sitting, completely entranced. Mr. Nix's imagination shines in the pages of Sabriel. While the basis of the plot is farly standard -- young orphan-like girl has adventures, finds strength she didn't know she had, experiences love -- it's the details that really stand out. The story of the Abhorsen, in particular, is fascinating. I don't, however, give the book 5 stars because it left a few loose ends here and there, and could have used a tad more editing. It's a fun read, though, recommended for anyone who enjoys Robin McKinley, Lloyd Alexander, Philip Pullman, and C.S. Lewis.

Sabriel is one of the most different books I have read in terms of concept. Sabriel is the main character, and she becomes the Abhorsen (a special kind of necromancer) after her father is killed in Death (a fast flowing river with nine gates in which dead spirits travel to die) by one of the Greater Dead (a type of dead who can withstand and even come out of Death), Kerrigor. She meets characters like Mogget and Touchstone, who aid her on her quest to once and for all kill Kerrigor.

The most interesting aspect of the book, and what set it apart from other fantasy, was the necromancy. Sabriel is a necromancer who "kills" the dead using seven magic bells with different powers. She literally goes into Death, and walks through the different gates to lay the dead to rest. At the end of Death is the Ninth gate, and once a spirit passes through it they are permenantly dead.

I gave this book a rating of 4 stars because, though I really liked it, I found that the plot was kind of predictable. Also, the author just leaps into the plot without giving an explanation of some things, like Charter Magic. However, I found that after I read the book I had a very thorough understanding of all of it, so for me long explanations weren't necessary. A last problem I had with it, though it isn't a very serious problem, was that I wish the author had taken the reader all the way to the ninth gate. We only get to see the fourth or fifth.

All in all, I would definately recommend this book to a fantasy lover, and I would also recommend the sequal, Lirael.

Sabriel is a very well written book with an intricate plot featuring a complex conflict. It's about a young necromancer (Sabriel) that has to visit a magical realm to defeat a mysterious evil force and save her father from death. Throughout her perilous journey of trying to discover a way to destroy Kerrigor (the villain), she acquired two fascinating companions. One is a powerful free magic spirit, trapped in the form of a cat, named Mogget. The other, a young man she saved from death, nicknamed. I loved how the author created the magical realm of the "Old Kingdom" with such realism and persuasiveness. The author's method of describing the atmosphere and characters was also very appealing. They were down-to-earth yet very adventurous and heroic. An amazing work of art that exceeds the mundane expectations of nowadays fictions. Garth Nix's Sabriel is truly a one of a kind fantasy novel with its mystical plot, intertwining conflict, and pragmatic setting.
Sabriel is a book gifted with the power to enable its readers to literally experience the treacherous, breathtaking quest. For example, when Sabriel uncovered Kerrigor's body, the atmosphere became tense and full of anticipation. I felt like I was there with Sabriel and the soldiers, looking down upon the charter spell inscribed coffin. Images of the shape, color, and design of the coffin and the scenery just flooded into my head. Another event that pulled me into the story was when Sabriel fought with a free magic spirit called Thralk. This evil monstrous creature feeds off of life and lives in corpses of the deceased. It was just as if I were standing there next to Sabriel, waiting in fear and nervousness for Thralk to appear. Sabriel's ability to bestow upon you the emotions of the characters/surrounding is unbelievable.
I was blown away by Sabriel's intertwining conflict and elaborate plot. The author mentions miniscule details in the beginning of the book, and somehow weaves it into the explanation/cause of the problem. This is quite impressive because it gives the story many unexpected twists and turns that made the plot both clever and suspenseful. For instance, Touchstone, the young man that Sabriel brought back from death after a two hundred year spell, didn't seem likely to be much of a determining factor in the story. But it turns out that Touchstone plays quite a vital role in the development of the plot and conflict (which you will find out why once you've read the book). Also, when Mogget gave Sabriel a free magic ring, no one suspected a thing. That is, until Mogget overcame the spell that bound him to his cat shape and became something deadly that threatened to kill Sabriel, and that's when the ring came into play (find out how and read the book). Now I realize how even the tiniest piece of information can affect the outcome of the whole story.
The magical realm of the "Old Kingdom" was a brilliant creation by Garth Nix. It was both enchanting and modern in a way. Nix's blended in magic to the every day life of the people of the "Old Kingdom" successfully without appearing artificial. Charter magic was a common thing for both people who were knowledgeable towards it and those who weren't. Unlike the secret world of wizards and witches in the Harry Potter series, where ordinary people were ignorant to the existence of magic. I prefer the more realistic setting of the "Old Kingdom" in comparison to the naïve and phony setting of a world where wizards and witches exist in concealment (afraid of being discovered by normal folks).
Sabriel by Garth Nix is a one of a kind fantasy novel, capable of satisfying anyone's thirst for romance mixed with adventure and heroism. This charming story is a cut above the rest with its enthralling plot/conflict and deep character descriptions. The way the author disguises key elements to be minor details in the beginning and then incorporate them into a bigger picture later is very witty. I'd recommend this to readers of any age group as long as they're into fiction fantasy stories. Sabriel keeps you on the edge of your seat with an elaborate plot, diverse conflict, and fascinating setting.

Alex "Skinnybones" Frankovitch is a memerable character from one of my favorite books as a young adult. Barbra Park delivers a story about a young boy who feels out of place and uses humor as a defense. This book still makes me laugh out loud, and I think children of all ages can relate to Alex because he is the underdog that always see to get himself into some kind of trouble. I am studying to be an elementary teacher and I planning on reading this book to my class because I know I will enjoy it as much as they will!

When my grown son was in the third grade, I heard him laughing hysterically in his bedroom while I was cooking dinner. I had never heard him laugh and giggle so much! He told me a little bit about the story, and when he had gone to sleep, I picked it up and read it. It IS wonderful! I found myself laughing as much as my son had. The tale centers on Alex, a small kid who is the class clown and loves baseball. He is a very realistic character with whom children can identify, and he does some crazy things ( a lot with what he says ) that result in some hilarious situations. Kids really love this book! And so do many adults. It gives the reader a lot of pleasure as well as see the trials and errors of childhood in a fun, yet realistic manner. The author, Barbara Parks, has updated this little gem for today's readers, and it is just as wonderful.

I throughly enjoyed reading this book to my class this year. I laughed the entire time, so did they! It's great for any age, I've used it in both fourth and second grades and it's always a bit hit! This book takes a look at the lighter side of being the underdog as a kid. Skinnybones/Alex is a thrill a minute and Park uses everyday words and phrases that keep everyone rolling! This makes it REAL easy to "get into character" while reading, that's part of why it's so well liked, kids love watching adults act like nuts every once in a while. I highly recommend this one!