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34th out of 35 books
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7 voters
The Golden Acorn (The Adventures of Jack Brenin #1)
When Jack Brenin finds a golden acorn lying in the grass, little does he know that it is the beginning of a thrilling and magical adventure. Just an ordinary boy, Jack has been chosen for a hugely important task, and enters a world he believed only existed in legend. Full of twists and turns and featuring characters such as talking ravens and mischievous Spriggans, The Gol...more
Kindle Edition, 377 pages
Published
(first published 2009)
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Why is it that some adults can write for children, and create a whole new world for the child to get lost in wonder, and others write as if "child" is synonymous with "stupid?"
The entire time I was reading this, I felt like a Stepford mom was leaning over my shoulder reading, "and then, THIS happened, and then THIS happened, and THEN do you KNOW what that means little girl? Well, I will just have to tell you! Wheeee!"
The story's potential (and it wasn't a bad story,) was suffocated under this a...more
The entire time I was reading this, I felt like a Stepford mom was leaning over my shoulder reading, "and then, THIS happened, and then THIS happened, and THEN do you KNOW what that means little girl? Well, I will just have to tell you! Wheeee!"
The story's potential (and it wasn't a bad story,) was suffocated under this a...more
A vida de Jack Brenin muda no momento em que ele encontra um objeto encantado no chão. Sem querer, acaba entrando numa aventura extraordinária por um mundo que ele pensava existir somente nos sonhos. Esse é apenas o início do vencedor do Brit Writers Awards 2010, A Noz de Ouro, primeiro volume da aclamada série de magia de Catherine Cooper.
Nora, uma druidesa, e Elan, uma ninfa, são as novas vizinhas do jovem Jack. Após ficarem amigos, elas lhe contam tudo sobre a profecia do Eleito, que diz que...more
Nora, uma druidesa, e Elan, uma ninfa, são as novas vizinhas do jovem Jack. Após ficarem amigos, elas lhe contam tudo sobre a profecia do Eleito, que diz que...more
I am a sucker for free Kindle books on Amazon. Every once in a while I check the top 100 free books list and download the ones that seem interesting to me. I download too many of these books, but I have only read a few of them. Some of the ones I read were so-so, but one or two were actually good. The Golden Acorn by Catherine Cooper was one of the nice ones.
It took me a few days to read the book because I only read it in between breaks from work and what not. It is clearly a book for kids and i...more
It took me a few days to read the book because I only read it in between breaks from work and what not. It is clearly a book for kids and i...more
Childhood adventures, mysterious legends, hidden worlds, and heroic destinies are such an integral part of young fantasy literature. I love these things for feeding a young boy's imagination. In that spirit, I bought this for the boys. It was disappointing. None of them ever got past the first few chapters.
I had to force myself to finish it, thinking perhaps it would take a while to develop the characters. They never developed. Nor could my mom-side stop twitching over the premise of a child's...more
I had to force myself to finish it, thinking perhaps it would take a while to develop the characters. They never developed. Nor could my mom-side stop twitching over the premise of a child's...more
1 like · like · see review
Although I really liked the world that the author has set up, I didn't feel like the story progressed in a natural or even interesting way. It was like the story was told with little detail, thus the story was a little dull.
The main character, Jack has a lot to learn and not a lot of time to complete his magical education. Although he has much guidance from Nora, his mysterious older neighbor and her young "niece" it is never explained why his grandfather (who is also Jack's guardian) allows his...more
The main character, Jack has a lot to learn and not a lot of time to complete his magical education. Although he has much guidance from Nora, his mysterious older neighbor and her young "niece" it is never explained why his grandfather (who is also Jack's guardian) allows his...more
Jack is the chosen one to save the trees before the portal to Anwnn closes and can never be opened again. This book took me 12 days to read. I would get through 5%, put it down, have zero motivation to start again, pick it up, realize I had no memory whatsoever of what had happened, and realize it did not matter one bit. Jack is an uninspiring hero, and the rest of the cast, with the exception of Camelin, is similarly bland. Jack meets EVERY creature of the wood along his journey. Yes, you need...more
I've been seeing this book around the internet, so I figured I'd give it a shot. It definitely belongs in the YA genre, which doesn't really affect the quality of the book, I was just expecting somewhat differently. I think the book really got going at chapter 18--that seems like the story the author was just aching to tell, because that had the most substance. The previous chapters were interesting enough to keep me going, but were a little dry. About 3/4 through the book, I realized that I fel...more
Even though this was written for children/young adults, it reads for a somewhat younger crowd. Seeing as I still read the same books I read when I was 12 (and still enjoy them), I really thought this was a fair read. It fits great in it's category and the characters were all easy to like. There were a few dull moments and it went a little too much in-depth on Anwnn (which is pronounced A-noon?...wth?) only to turn around and leave you hanging. I think that the names and places could have been a...more
This is more than a little "Harry Potter-ish" in that the main character is a young lad who discovers he is "The One" and suddenly has to get to grips with a whole magical world he never knew existed, but the twist here is that it's not just the fantasy-style magic these kinds of novels usually feature; instead it's based on Celtic and Druidic lore. Yes, there are still magic wands and transfigurations, but it's nice to have a different background for it all. I would have liked it more if the hi...more
Like many of the reviewers here, I got this because it was free for the Kindle - and in my case, because I saw that it was "x-ray enabled" and I wanted to see what that was all about. I also saw this as a possible Kindle read for my boys (8, 11, 14). I still do a lot of bedtime reading with my 8yo (and sometimes 11yo), and read many of the same books as my 11 and 14yos, so I have a sense of what they might like. I think the 8yo would enjoy the basic story line, the 11yo might, the 14yo would get...more
This book is classed as a children's book but I ask the following - at what age do you have to stop reading children's books? This book had everything I ask of a fantasy novel, rich in myth, history, folklore as well as magic, shape-shifters and a whole host of other creatures. We have the typical hero who doubts he is a hero but in this case, he is still a boy. I guess that's why it's a children's book.
This book skips along at a fairly even pace, with action of one form or another on every page...more
This book skips along at a fairly even pace, with action of one form or another on every page...more
Das ebook gibt es derzeit gratis auf Amazon! Ich weiß nicht, wie lange die Aktion noch gilt. Es dürfte leider keine deutsche Übersetzung geben.
"The Golden Acorn" ist der 1. Teil rund um die Erlebnisse von Jack. Jack wurde auserwählt, einem Baum das Leben zu retten. Als er ein goldenes Ahornblatt fand, wusste er noch nicht, dass es sein Leben verändern würde und er sich damit in eine magische Welt begibt. Er lernt sprechende Vögel, wachehaltende Ratten und noch vieles mehr kennen.
Ich bin eigentli...more
"The Golden Acorn" ist der 1. Teil rund um die Erlebnisse von Jack. Jack wurde auserwählt, einem Baum das Leben zu retten. Als er ein goldenes Ahornblatt fand, wusste er noch nicht, dass es sein Leben verändern würde und er sich damit in eine magische Welt begibt. Er lernt sprechende Vögel, wachehaltende Ratten und noch vieles mehr kennen.
Ich bin eigentli...more
Not a bad book at all. Obviously its target audience is young - more child than YA. It does not really compare to Harry Potter, as there is very little development of the magical other world that sits alongside our own. I think a better comparison would be with the magical world of Alderly Edge in Alan Garner's books (The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and The Moon of Gomrath). I feel that there is a real local geography that is being described to us here, but I miss the attention to detail that I wo...more
I picked this up on my Kindle for free (thanks Amazon!), as I thought that my daughter would like it.
However, after I’d finished Arcadia Falls, I was going through a bit of a headachey time, and I knew that the next book I needed to start was Parrot & Olivier in America, which looked quite hard-going…so I took the easy route before starting it by reading this, a children’s book!
I’m glad I did, as it was lovely. Just lovely. My daughter has since read it, and really enjoyed it too.
Jack Brenin...more
However, after I’d finished Arcadia Falls, I was going through a bit of a headachey time, and I knew that the next book I needed to start was Parrot & Olivier in America, which looked quite hard-going…so I took the easy route before starting it by reading this, a children’s book!
I’m glad I did, as it was lovely. Just lovely. My daughter has since read it, and really enjoyed it too.
Jack Brenin...more
Perhaps I should stop reading YA and children's books... I rated the entire Twilight series better than this book (and let me tell you, I know what crappy writing that series was! and also how shamefully addictive it was, as well...) No there was nothing remotely teen lusty that I felt while reading this, but it is meant for a younger audience, I think. That being said- it couldn't keep my attention and I'm usually quite good at keeping my attention focused. There was nothing particularly grippi...more
This is a children's book and not a YA book, and it kind of makes it painful to read as an adult. I spent half the book bored, and the other half rolling my eyes. If I was younger, or if I was reading the book with a child, I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more. As it was, I felt like the author was assuming I was slow witted and writing her story accordingly. The beginning is the worst, and more than once I considered just not finishing the book at all, but the end picks up a bit. The chap...more
Echoing some of the other reviews on here I usually like young-adult/childrens fiction but a quarter of the way through I wanted it to be over. I couldn't leave it unfinished though so I made it all the way through. I'm not sure if, as a 12 year old me, that I would have liked it any better.
I felt like there was some really good ideas here but there were too many other random things thrown in there that it made the story hard to read and it felt cluttered. I've only just finished reading it thi...more
I felt like there was some really good ideas here but there were too many other random things thrown in there that it made the story hard to read and it felt cluttered. I've only just finished reading it thi...more
It is getting more and more interesting and Jacob is getting better at flying as a raven and the team found a baby dragon!
2 likes · like · see review
I was expecting a YA novel, but this one is really meant for children. I think both my kids (ages three and six) would love this. Reading it with them in mind, I noted there was none of the typical name calling or bad behavior you might see in a longer book like this, most likely geared to children ages 6-10. Characters are not without flaw, but they are ultimately considerate of others. Very refreshing. It's not overly violent and suspense is quickly resolved- perfect for my kids right now.
My...more
My...more
This book started out very slow, and I admit I did almost abandon it. But the plot does pick up, and the raven's character Camelin has some subtle humor worth a snort. I did feel the characters were very one-dimensional, including the protagonist, yet he was still very likeable. This was not a page-turning-gotta-find-out-what's-next kind of a read, but a more broad brush view of the world of the faerie from one author's viewpoint. I think the targeted audience of eight- to twelve-year-olds would...more
Although written for children, this is a story that can be enjoyed by adults who've retained their enjoyment of a simple but entertaining yarn. I admit I downloaded it because it was free, but also because the Amazon reviews (many from adult readers) were generally very positive. The 'chosen one' plotline was fairly cliché and the peril was pretty tame, but it was enlived by a cast of characters who were consistently engaging and well-drawn, even the minor ones.
I would have adored this book whe...more
I would have adored this book whe...more
When I got my Kindle for Christmas, I looked to download a free book just to see what the process and the readability of the device were like. Flicking through the Top 100 free books, this one stood out to me as I'm also always interested in finding new childeen's books for my school's library. It being free, though, I wasn't really expecting much.
How wrong can you be?! This was a real page turner. I cared about the characters. The style was smooth and easy to read. In fact, it was perfect for a...more
How wrong can you be?! This was a real page turner. I cared about the characters. The style was smooth and easy to read. In fact, it was perfect for a...more
I discovered this book when I saw it advertised as a free Kindle book awhile ago. (I don't know if it still is free.) It looked like it might have promise so I downloaded it and it's been sitting on my Kindle ever since. Needing another book to read this week I decided to go ahead and give it a go, and I quite liked it. It's definitely a kids' book, but I found the storyline enjoyable and will read the next in the series. I think my kids would really enjoy it. Definitely written by a British aut...more
I really enjoyed this book. It struck me how anything new in this genre will never again escape comparisons to Harry Potter (and Lord of the Rings before it, of course). This is no exception. There are some very familiar elements used, but they are arranged in a way that is new and interesting from the start. Added to it is a lot of lore about Druids. I found myself wondering how much of it was taken from actual mythology.
I enjoyed the fact that there is no real antagonist in the story. There's...more
I enjoyed the fact that there is no real antagonist in the story. There's...more
Thanks Amazon for offering for free. I enjoyed reading this book and I did get into the story. It is a children's book and I think with the author having previously taught for 29 years, she is writing to an audience of children. Reading that adults think she is dumbing this down is a little much since it is a children's story. I enjoyed her take on fantasy, myths, and legends and even purchased the sequel for $1.04. It's a quick read for adults just keep in mind you are not the main audience. We...more
Excellent young tale of magic and friendship and learning to be the person you want to be.
I was given a Kindle for Christmas, much to my surprise (thank you) and chose a large selection of free books from amazon. The Golden Acorn is the second on I have read. It is what I would describe as 'Light Fantasy', and a great way to start off a younger reader into the genre, and a light book for the fantasy addict. An enjoyable story which (so far) is completely different from other fantasy books I have read. I would recommend this book, it won't suit everyone but I am enjoying it and would...more
I had real issues with consent in this book. There didn't seem to be any point at which the protagonist actually had a choice in whether to carry out the quest or not, and he also didn't particularly seem to want to do so except in a vague desire to be nice. It really felt like the older characters were manipulating Jack for their own ends, which given how young he is and the fact that he's supposed to be in their care was rather worrying. Now, their own ends (saving species etc) are perfectly r...more
I think this came up as a recommendation on the Kindle store and I suspect that it was either quite cheap or maybe even free.
From the outset I foun dit to be quite an engaging fantasy story. Clearly it is aimed at a fairly young audience, perhaps 9-10, and it doesn't have anything like the epic scale of, at least the later novels in, the Harry Potter series. However I felt that some other reviewers' criticisms that the reader was 'talked down to' didn't seem valid to me.
Other reviewers have cri...more
From the outset I foun dit to be quite an engaging fantasy story. Clearly it is aimed at a fairly young audience, perhaps 9-10, and it doesn't have anything like the epic scale of, at least the later novels in, the Harry Potter series. However I felt that some other reviewers' criticisms that the reader was 'talked down to' didn't seem valid to me.
Other reviewers have cri...more
**For the full review please check out http://read2review.com/**
We were sent this book by Infinite Ideas Limited to review. After doing some research while I waited by the time this book arrived I was looking forward to it, and I have to say it lived up to my expectations.
The story introduces us to a range of characters: Ravens, Shape-shifters, Bats, Humans, Hamadryads, Dragons and many other delightful characters...
Read more here http://read2review.com/our-reviews/c/...
We were sent this book by Infinite Ideas Limited to review. After doing some research while I waited by the time this book arrived I was looking forward to it, and I have to say it lived up to my expectations.
The story introduces us to a range of characters: Ravens, Shape-shifters, Bats, Humans, Hamadryads, Dragons and many other delightful characters...
Read more here http://read2review.com/our-reviews/c/...
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Feb 15, 2013 01:16pm