Goodreads Synopsis: As legend has it, the storyteller Aesop was a slave who lived in ancient Greece during the sixth century B.C. His memorable, recountable fables have brought amusing characters to life and driven home thought-provoking morals for generations of listeners and modern-day readers. Translated into countless languages and familiar to people around the world, Aesop’s fables never tarnish despite being told again and again. This collection presents nearly 300 of Aesop’s most entertaining and enduring stories from The Hare and the Tortoise and The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse to The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs and The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing. Populated by a colorful array of animal characters who personify every imaginable human type from fiddling grasshoppers and diligent ants to sly foxes, wicked wolves, brave mice, and grateful lions;these timeless tales are as fresh and relevant today as when they were first created.
Full of humor, insight, and wit, the tales in Aesop's Fables champion the value of hard work and perseverance, compassion for others, and honesty. They are age-old wisdom in a delicious form, for the consumption of adults and children alike.
My Thoughts:
- I'm sure everyone has heard an Aesop tale or two. They are so common, yet not a lot of people know it is an Aesop fable.
- Some of my favorites are: The Peacock and the Crane, Mercury and the Woodman, The Ass The Fox and The Lion, The Crow and The Pitcher, The North Wind and The Sun, The Bear and the Travelers, The Bee and Jupiter, Father and Sons, The Two Bags, The Blacksmith and His Dog, The Farmer and The Fox, The Farmer and The Viper, The Lion and The Hare, The Crow and The Raven, and The Miser.
- Some of the fables were a little hard to understand because I don't have a vast knowledge of Roman mythology or places.
- These are the classic comedy or tragedy type tales.
- There is a lot of wisdom and great advice in these little fables. I loved pondering the message of a lot of them.
- I really enjoyed reading these.
- I liked how Aesop used animals to explain people and their demeanors. He was a clever guy.
- I would have loved to me Aesop. He would have been a fun person to hang out with.
- I love how these Barnes and Noble Classics have added information on the authors and time period. I also liked the little glossary at the end. It helped me.
- The happiest game on earth!!
You have a grin on your face the whole time you play. This game is seriously charming, and it is
really fun to play. Whenever you have a
bad day, just pop in Kirby and all your problems will disappear.
My Thoughts on Gameplay:
- The story is read to you by a very soothing male voice, and
everything is portrayed in storybook form.
It’s fantastic.
- The
evil Yin-Yarn dude is turning everything into yarn/fabric. Kirby gets sucked out of Dreamland into a
different world. This world is falling
apart, and Kirby has to help Prince Fluff find the magic yarn.
- You get to fight a couple of
classic villains as well as the new guy.
- You can’t die.When you fall down
a pit or something, you just lose beads.Beads are collected along the way, and you only have to collect them if
you want the Gold Star at the end.
- The
game is super family friendly, and it is cute as it can be.
- Kirby
has his own apartment, and you collect furniture in the different levels to put
in your apartment. You also decorate
other apartments so friends can move in.
You would never guess it, but it was fun to collect all the furniture.
- There
are several different challenges to play.
They are fun, but they aren’t really important. The only thing you get from them is fabric to
reupholster your furniture. The
challenges include things like Hide-n-Go-Seek, Racing, Collecting a certain
amount of beads in a certain amount of time, etc.
My Thoughts on Controls:
- You only need to use the Wii Remote, and the controls are
really easy to learn and use. My
favorite was the double tap forward that turns you into a cool car that goes
“beep beep.”
- Instead of sucking things in his mouth, Kirby whips things
with a yarn rope. He can grab things and
throw them, and he also can turn into several different vehicle
things. The vehicle things are
fantastic! They are easy to control and
super fun to use. They include surfing,
fire truck, tank, space ship, rocket, train, car, monster truck, digger, and a
few more. The train is a little
frustrating, but it’s doable.
My Thoughts on Graphics:
- The graphics are super cute and pleasing to the eye. Everything is made of yarn/fabric. It is so original and fun!! I think Nintendo should make a lot more yarn
games. I would personally love to see a
Mario Bros. yard game. This is seriously
one of the most unique graphic games I’ve ever seen.
- Fun Side Note: When Kirby goes behind a piece of fabric, there is a little
bump where he is!!
My Thoughts on Sound:
- The music is awesome!!
Every stage has really fun songs to hum along too. Some of the levels sounded like Ben Folds to
me. They were upbeat and played on a
piano. I seriously loved the background
music.
- The
character noises were classic Kirby.
Everything is so happy!
Goodreads Synopsis: Young merchant Abdullah leads a humble life. Or he did until a stranger sold him a threadbare--and disagreeable--magic carpet. Now Abdullah is caught in the middle of his grand daydreams. Waking one night in a luxurious garden, he meets and falls instantly in love with the beautiful and clever Flower-in-the-Night. But a wicked djinn sweeps the princess away right before Abdullah's eyes, leaving the young man no choice but to follow. This is no ordinary quest, however, for Flower-in-the-Night isn't all the djinn has stolen. Abdullah will have the so-called help of the cantankerous carpet, a cranky genie in a bottle, a dishonest soldier, and a very opinionated black cat. Will this motley crew be able to find the djinn's mysterious dwelling and rescue a castle full of princesses?
My Thoughts: - Except for the ending, this story wasn't as enchanting as Howl's Moving Castle, but I still enjoyed it. - It begins in the Middle East (Aladdinish), and then later in the story the characters travel to a more familiar scene. - I loved Abdullah. He was such a great character, maybe even a charming character. He was a lot of fun to read. - I wish there had been more Howl and Calcifer, but there was a good bit of Sophie. - When characters revealed themselves towards the end, I was like "what?" Some things were a little weird. - There was a whole lot of traveling. - I liked this one, but I enjoyed Howl's Moving Castle better. I'm excited to read the third!! Series Info: This is the 2nd book or companion book to Howl's Moving Castle. Click on the cover below to see my thoughts on the previous book.
From Goodreads: Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming,beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?
My Thoughts:
- This wasn't my kind of book from the get go, but everyone seemed to love it, so I tried it. I wasn't impressed.
- The beginning reminds me of Gallagher Girls.
- There was some heavy profanity, and I mean R rated heavy. There was also a lot of sexual references.
- There were some witty and enjoyable parts, like some of the dialogue.
- The emails were fun to read.
- There were bits that were WAY over dramatic. Like the part where she almost falls down cause she just sees the guy. Who does that? Besides chicks who want major attention, no one does that!
- I liked all the French stuff. I studied French in Jr. High, and I still remember some. It was fun to read the French parts. It also made me want good French cuisine.
- I love that Anna was a movie buff, and she favored old movies! Is it true there are that many theaters in France?
- I liked that Anna and Etienne became best friends, and their relationship development was good, but oh my drama!
- Overall, it had it's moments and parts, but it was too chick flick/ dramatic for me.
Goodreads Synopsis:Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.
My Thoughts: - This was an enchanting book! I really enjoyed it. - There were a few slow parts in the middle, but it was still entertaining. The ending is the best! - I love the relationship between Howl and Sophie. The bickering cracked me up! I loved a lot of their dialogue. - I love the Miyazaki film of this, and while they are very different, I love them both. The book and movie seem like 2 different entities to me. They are both unique and wonderful. - I'd love to have a door that went different places. I'd make one got to my hubby's work, then he could come and go easily. He could even come home for lunch. I'd make one go to the mall or a grocery store. I think I'd make a door that goes to the park as well, just for my little gnome. - I loved Calcifer! I want a fire demon! - So, can Howl time travel as well? I was confused on the part with Howl's family. - The characters were wonderful, the story was so enthralling, and the scenes were so real! Great story! - Oh, and I'd have a door that went to the ocean.
This morning I am reading Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, and I'm drinking my daily cup of hot chocolate. I decided to treat myself today and add a little whip cream!
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