Review of Books by Max Elliot Anderson

I know it has been quite some time since I posted a review.  I hope to start posting regularly.  I've spent a large portion of time in the last week or two reading and writing reviews.  I just didn't get them posted.  So I am going to start off with two wonderful books by Max Elliot Anderson.

Max Anderson has written a wonderful series called the Sam Cooper Mystery Series.  I read and reviewed the first book Lost Island Smugglers in July of 2010.  You can find it here.  I will be reviewing books number two and three today.  Tomorrow I will have a review of two of his other books.  So sit back and get ready for reviews of two great books.

Captain Jack’s Treasure

Publisher: Port Yonder Press

Pages:  178

Genre:  Middle Grade Mystery and Adventure

Source:  I purchased a copy

Sam, Tony and Tyler are best friends.  They are constantly looking for adventure.  Sam receives a metal detector from his dad for his birthday.  He and his friends have heard that people have found a lot of treasure in the area where they live.  They do some research and figure that they can be the ones to find the next great treasure.  If the mention of finding treasure doesn’t peak your interest then let’s throw in an old sea captain.  We all know that boys, and girls, like stories about treasures and old sea captains.  This particular sea captain appears to be hiding something. He hires the boys to help him rebuild his ship.  Along the way the captain teaches them about true treasures.  This is a book that both boys and girls, and parents will enjoy.  I love the gentle message of laying up treasures in Heaven.  All of Max’s books have a Christian theme to them.  The reason I really like them is that I can put them on my shelves at school.  I put them there not only for the Christian students, but also for ALL students.  They are clean cut with great messages.  They have adventures and mysteries to carry the reader from the first sentence to the end of the book.  I would say it is a must read.

River Rampage

Publisher:  Port Yonder Press

Pages: 168

Source:  Review copy from the author

Genre:  Middle Grade  Mystery and Adventure

In this book we meet Tony’s uncle.  Tony is one of Sam’s best friends.  Tony’s uncle is a white water river guide.  He invites Tony’s friends to go rafting with him.  He talks to their parents, assuring them he will keep the boys safe.  Their raft will be tied to his.  This sounds safe enough so they consent.  The second day out on the river things go horribly wrong.  The rope breaks tethering them to the guide raft.  They get left behind.  They make it to land and find an old miner.  The old miner has some claim jumpers trying to take his claim from him.  The boys jump in to try to help him.  Things go from bad to worse.  Read the book to find out if they make their way out.  Find out what true courage is and how prayer can help in any situation.  Once again this was a book that I couldn’t put down.  Max Anderson’s writing style is simple enough for reluctant readers and has all of the elements of mystery and adventure that will grab them and hold them until the end of the book.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series This Property is Condemned.  It is due out some time next year.
Go to Max's website and check out everything he has to offer.  Just because it says Books and Boys it doesn't mean it is not for girls.  My female students love these books as much as the boys.  Max Anderson was a reluctant reader and he knows what will hook them.  So what are you waiting for?  Check the website and his books out.

http://booksandboys.blogspot.com/

Today of all days we are reminded to give thanks for all that we have.   For me Thanksgiving was a time when we got together as a family and shared our thanks and blessings.  Over the years it has been harder to get together.  I could look at the negatives in my life and dwell on them, but today I CHOOSE to Give Thanks.

I am thankful for a mother who lives with us and for a daughter and two grandchildren who will join us for lunch.

I am thankful for a husband who cares enough about me to take the grand kids shopping so that I could have some quiet time for writing.  God has given me a wonderful man.  We don't have financial riches but our marriage has been richly blessed.

I am thankful for a roof over my head.  So many people are homeless.  While we are facing a move due to circumstances beyond our control I am thankful we have a God who watches out for us.  I know he has someplace already picked out for us.

I am thankful for the meal we have today.  Once again God has provided us with a bounty to share.

I am thankful for my son who was allowed to come home for the birth of his son and will get to spend Thanksgiving with his family in Georgia before returning to Korea next week.

I am thankful that God has given me a desire to write.  I am especially thankful for the stranger who called me this week to tell me how much she loved my first book, a book she received from a friend and was asked to pass on to someone else to enjoy.  Her message came at a time when I was doubting my writing.  I am thankful for authors everywhere willing to share their knowledge with those of us who still need guidance.

I am thankful for a wonderful school year.  God has blessed me with some wonderful students this year.  They are eager to learn.  He has blessed me with some wonderful friends at school.

I am thankful that I live in a country with so many freedoms where so many are oppressed.

Most importantly I am thankful that I have a God who was willing to send his son to earth to die on the cross for my sins so that I might have eternal life.

So, as you sit down with family and friends today to eat your Thanksgiving Feast, think about the blessings in your life.

What are you thankful for?  Leave a message and let me know.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Student Saturday: Matilda - Roald Dahl

Student Reviewer: Madison

From Goodreads:

Matilda is a little girl who is far too good to be true. At age five-and-a-half she's knocking off double-digit multiplication problems and blitz-reading Dickens. Even more remarkably, her classmates love her even though she's a super-nerd and the teacher's pet. But everything is not perfect in Matilda's world. For starters she has two of the most idiotic, self-centered parents who ever lived. Then there's the large, busty nightmare of a school principal, Mrs. ("The") Trunchbull, a former hammer-throwing champion who flings children at will and is approximately as sympathetic as a bulldozer. Fortunately for Matilda, she has the inner resources to deal with such annoyances: astonishing intelligence, saintly patience, and an innate predilection for revenge.

She warms up with some practical jokes aimed at her hapless parents, but the true test comes when she rallies in defense of her teacher, the sweet Miss Honey, against the diabolical Trunchbull. There is never any doubt that Matilda will carry the day. Even so, this wonderful story is far from predictable. Roald Dahl, while keeping the plot moving imaginatively, also has an unerring ear for emotional truth. The reader cares about Matilda because in addition to all her other gifts, she has real feelings

Student Thoughts:

This book is about a girl named Matilda who lives in a not so good house and she does not really have a good family.  Matilda loves school just like me.  She is smarter than a lot of people.  She is like my friend Ally.  She figures out her principle isn’t very nice throughout the year.  She loves her teacher.

I think the lesson of the book is never conclude something about someone.  Because, Matilda figures out a secret of her teacher’s life.  It turns out Matilda’s life isn’t so bad.

If you want to figure out the secret and why Matilda’s life isn’t so great, check out the book at your nearest library.