Loralee Evans's Blog: Loralee Evans, page 10
December 1, 2023
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, first published in 1843, is the story of a cranky old man, Ebenezer Scrooge, and what happens to him one Christmas Eve night when an old colleague, Jacob Marley, comes to visit him. What's astonishing, is that this old colleague has been dead for seven years! What does this old colleague tell him?
That he's got to change his ways if he doesn't want to meet the same fate! Jacob Marley is chained up, and doomed to wander the world witnessing what he can't share, but might have shared in life if he'd been a nicer man! Jacob Marley has also enlisted the help of three other spirits to show Scrooge the error of his ways. Will this be enough to convince Scrooge that he needs to be a nicer man? Read the book and find out!
That he's got to change his ways if he doesn't want to meet the same fate! Jacob Marley is chained up, and doomed to wander the world witnessing what he can't share, but might have shared in life if he'd been a nicer man! Jacob Marley has also enlisted the help of three other spirits to show Scrooge the error of his ways. Will this be enough to convince Scrooge that he needs to be a nicer man? Read the book and find out!
Mustaches for Maddie by Shelly Brown and Chad Morris
Mustaches for Maddie by Shelly Brown and Chad Morris is an absolutely wonderful book based on a true story. Young Maddie, who loves mustaches, imagining, and her friends, is suddenly struck with the reality that she had a brain tumor and will need an operation. The reality of this situation is heavy for a young girl to deal with!
Thankfully she has the support of her family, and she finds out who her real friends at school are. Will her operation be successful? Will she figure out how to deal with the mean girl at school? And will she do a good job in the school play? Will she survive to perform in it? Read the book and find out! This book is a great book for middle grade readers up to adults!
Thankfully she has the support of her family, and she finds out who her real friends at school are. Will her operation be successful? Will she figure out how to deal with the mean girl at school? And will she do a good job in the school play? Will she survive to perform in it? Read the book and find out! This book is a great book for middle grade readers up to adults!
Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz and Jack Gruener
Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz and Jack Gruener is based on the true story of Jack Gruener when he was younger, and his first name was Yanek (Polish for Jacob). Because Yanek is Jewish, he is in great danger when the Germans invade Poland.
Moved around from one concentration camp to another, Yanek doesn't know if he'll survive one day, let alone until the end of the war. Will he survive long enough for the Allies to reach him and rescue him and his fellow prisoners? This is a wonderful book that young people and older people would enjoy reading especially people interested in reading stories about World War 2.
Moved around from one concentration camp to another, Yanek doesn't know if he'll survive one day, let alone until the end of the war. Will he survive long enough for the Allies to reach him and rescue him and his fellow prisoners? This is a wonderful book that young people and older people would enjoy reading especially people interested in reading stories about World War 2.
Leven Thumps and The Ruins of Alder by Obert Skye
Leven Thumps and The Ruins of Alder by Obert Skye is the fifth and final book in the Leven Thumps series. The series is aimed at middle grade readers who would likely enjoy it. In it, Leven finds himself on the island of Alder trying to keep the dream world and reality from destroying each other.
Meanwhile, in reality, the Dearth is wreaking havoc with Winter, Geth, and Pheobe doing what they can to stop it, which isn't much. On Alder, Leven has to go from one trial to another to get to the oldest tree. What will happen there when he gets there, and will he succeed in saving the dream world and reality? Read the book and find out!
Meanwhile, in reality, the Dearth is wreaking havoc with Winter, Geth, and Pheobe doing what they can to stop it, which isn't much. On Alder, Leven has to go from one trial to another to get to the oldest tree. What will happen there when he gets there, and will he succeed in saving the dream world and reality? Read the book and find out!
November 18, 2023
High School Musical performed by Duchesne High School Drama
Last night, I attended a really fun dinner theatre where Duchesne High School's drama department performed High School Musical. Gabriella is new in town, trying to find a place to fit in and make friends. She wants to try out for the high school musical, but is she being pulled in too many directions?
And will Troy a basketball player, and a budding actor, help her find her place, or is he too wrapped up in basketball to care for anything more than that? There are three more performances; one tonight at 6:30 at the elementary, one this coming Monday at 6:30 at the high school, and one this coming Tuesday at the Elementary. Tonight and Tuesday there will be a dinner served before the show. The musical was fun, and I really enjoyed it!
And will Troy a basketball player, and a budding actor, help her find her place, or is he too wrapped up in basketball to care for anything more than that? There are three more performances; one tonight at 6:30 at the elementary, one this coming Monday at 6:30 at the high school, and one this coming Tuesday at the Elementary. Tonight and Tuesday there will be a dinner served before the show. The musical was fun, and I really enjoyed it!
November 1, 2023
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling, thirteen year old Harry is getting ready to start his third year at Hogwarts. Despite a bumpy end to the summer where he accidentally put a magic spell on his horrible uncle's equally horrible sister, Harry seems to be forgiven by the Ministry of Magic.
But when he finds out that Sirius Black, a convicted murderer has escaped from Azkaban, the infamous wizards' prison, he realizes that he needs to be careful. Sirius Black, after all, is the one convicted of helping to kill Harry's parents. And everyone is convinced that Sirius is after him! What is Harry going to do this year at Hogwarts? How will he be able to concentrate on his lessons when there's an insane murderer looking for him? And what will he do if he ever does come face to face with Sirius Black? Read the book and find out!
But when he finds out that Sirius Black, a convicted murderer has escaped from Azkaban, the infamous wizards' prison, he realizes that he needs to be careful. Sirius Black, after all, is the one convicted of helping to kill Harry's parents. And everyone is convinced that Sirius is after him! What is Harry going to do this year at Hogwarts? How will he be able to concentrate on his lessons when there's an insane murderer looking for him? And what will he do if he ever does come face to face with Sirius Black? Read the book and find out!
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling, Harry is eager to start his second year at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His aunt, uncle, and cousin have been awful to him and to his owl Hedwig this summer.
But to Harry's despair, a house elf shows up and tells Harry he mustn't go back to Hogwarts because of danger that will be waiting for him there. But Harry has to go back! Hogwarts is his home, and he doesn't want to be anywhere else. But what is Harry, and his best friend Ron going to do when the portal to Platform 9 3/4 won't let them through to get on the Hogwarts Express? Read the book and find out!
But to Harry's despair, a house elf shows up and tells Harry he mustn't go back to Hogwarts because of danger that will be waiting for him there. But Harry has to go back! Hogwarts is his home, and he doesn't want to be anywhere else. But what is Harry, and his best friend Ron going to do when the portal to Platform 9 3/4 won't let them through to get on the Hogwarts Express? Read the book and find out!
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness is a wonderfully written story for teenagers and adults about the complexities of human emotions, and dealing with those feelings. Young Conor O'Mally, too old to be a kid and too young to be a man, is dealing with the emotions surrounding his mother's progressing illness.
A terrible nightmare, in which he is trying to pull his mother out of an abyss where a terrible monster is trying to pull her in, plagues him every night. His guilt and shame at finally letting her fall in his nightmare wakes up an interesting and unique friend in a yew tree that morphs into a humanoid shape and comes walking to tell Conor stories and help him deal with the emotions he is struggling to process.The story is sweet and sad, and a great book to read both because it is entertaining, and because it connects to readers by showing them how feeling contrasting emotions is a very human, and normal thing. Conor felt a lot of unneccessary guilt over his feelings about his mom's illness, but with the monster's help was able to learn to process them in a productive way. But how does the story ultimately end? Read the book and find out.
A terrible nightmare, in which he is trying to pull his mother out of an abyss where a terrible monster is trying to pull her in, plagues him every night. His guilt and shame at finally letting her fall in his nightmare wakes up an interesting and unique friend in a yew tree that morphs into a humanoid shape and comes walking to tell Conor stories and help him deal with the emotions he is struggling to process.The story is sweet and sad, and a great book to read both because it is entertaining, and because it connects to readers by showing them how feeling contrasting emotions is a very human, and normal thing. Conor felt a lot of unneccessary guilt over his feelings about his mom's illness, but with the monster's help was able to learn to process them in a productive way. But how does the story ultimately end? Read the book and find out.
October 3, 2023
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is one of my favorite books of all time. It follows the story of Bilbo Baggins, a reluctant and loveable hero who is a Hobbit. As many know, Hobbits are small human-ish folk who, even when full grown, don't stand taller than perhaps the elbow of an average man (when his arms are at his sides). Bilbo, the only son of Bungo Baggins and Beladonna Took Baggins, is recruited by Gandalf (largely because of Gandalf's association with Bilbo's mother, whom, the story strongly implies, went on adventures of her own) to help some dwarves reclaim their home from an invading dragon.
He doesn't want to go at first, but due to Gandalf's strong influence, finally sets out on an adventure with his new companions. After quite a lot of run-ins with some unsavory characters and a restful stop at Elrond's Homely House, the dwarves and Bilbo finally reach their destination. But how will their confrontation with the dragon go? Read the book and find out!
He doesn't want to go at first, but due to Gandalf's strong influence, finally sets out on an adventure with his new companions. After quite a lot of run-ins with some unsavory characters and a restful stop at Elrond's Homely House, the dwarves and Bilbo finally reach their destination. But how will their confrontation with the dragon go? Read the book and find out!
Movie Review: The Outsiders based on the Novel by S.E. Hinton
The Movie The Outsiders directed by Francis Ford Coppola was released in 1983. It follows the story of Ponyboy Curtis a young teenager living in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the late 1960s.
He, his best friend Johnny, his brothers, and his friends are called "Greasers". They have conflicts with the Socs (pronounced like the first syllable in Social) who are the rich kids from the other side of town. When Johnny and Ponyboy are out late one night, a group of drunk Socs chase after them, and when Johnny jumps in to keep the Socs from drowning Ponyboy, trouble starts. The movie does have a few swear words in it, and underage smoking. The original movie was rated PG.
He, his best friend Johnny, his brothers, and his friends are called "Greasers". They have conflicts with the Socs (pronounced like the first syllable in Social) who are the rich kids from the other side of town. When Johnny and Ponyboy are out late one night, a group of drunk Socs chase after them, and when Johnny jumps in to keep the Socs from drowning Ponyboy, trouble starts. The movie does have a few swear words in it, and underage smoking. The original movie was rated PG.
Loralee Evans
Hello, I am the author of The King's Heir, and The Birthright, both published by Cedar Fort. They are based on stories from the Book of Mormon, and both have similar characters in them, though either
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