Loralee Evans's Blog: Loralee Evans, page 31

Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen

Woods Runner (c) 2011 by Gary PaulsonWoods Runner by Gary Paulsen is an enjoyable and suspenseful tale about the life of a 13 year old boy named Samuel who lives on the frontier during the Revolutionary War in America. One day while out hunting, Samuel sees smoke coming from the direction of his settlement. On returning, he discovers from reading the tracks, that British soldiers as well as a group of Iroquois have come through and have either killed or captured everybody. His own parents are not among those who are dead, and Samuel sets out in the hopes that he might rescue them. The story that follows is suspenseful, well-written, and educational as well, without being obviously so. The adventures Samuel has along the way, and the people he meets all give insights into what life was like during the American revolution, and the risks that many people took so that they could live in a country that governed itself.

I really liked the story. It seems to be geared toward young readers, but I think anyone who enjoys adventure stories, and/or stories about the Revolutionary War would enjoy Samuel’s story.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Christmas Carol (c) 1843
by Charles DickensA Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, first published in 1843, is a classic that will likely be a part of many people's Christmas traditions for centuries.
Ebenezer Scrooge is a hard-hearted, merciless man who does nothing illegal, but is just unkind to everyone with whom he comes in contact, including his own nephew. When the story opens, we see how heartless he is when his employee can't even stoke the fire to get warm, and later when he rebuffs his own nephew's attempts to invite him to Christmas dinner, and then two gentlemen who are seeking charitable donations to benefit the poor.
Later that night, his business partner, Jacob Marley who has been dead for seven years exactly, (he'd died seven years before the story began, on Christmas Eve) returns as a ghost to give Scrooge a warning that he must change his ways. But he is not the only ghostly visitor to come to Scrooge.
Most everyone is familiar with the story, and the journey that Scrooge takes with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, and the things he realizes and the changes he undergoes.
I like the story because it shows that people can change for the better, and I like the additional characters, particularly Tiny Tim, whose inclusion helps readers to see that Scrooge's change isn't just because he fears for his own soul, but that he has developed empathy for others as the story progresses.
I recommend the story to anyone who enjoys Dickens' writing, classical stories, and Christmas.

A Christmas Carol- Abridged Version Read by Patrick Stewart

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is read in this abridged version of A Christmas Carol, read by Patrick Stewart. While it is abridged, and much of the original text by Charles Dickens is missing, the main story is still there, and very enjoyable. I like Mr. Stewart's voice and the changes he makes when reading various characters.
I recommend this enjoyable reading to fans of Patrick Stewart, and fans of the story who don't mind much of the original text being left out.

SoJo Choral Arts and Sounds of the Season

The South Jordan Choral Arts performed their fifteenth annual Sounds of the Season yesterday. They gave two presentations, a matinee at 2:00, and then an evening performance at 7:00. The performances were presented in the theater at Bingham High School. The choir and orchestra were fantastic, and presented such Christmas songs as Joy To The World, Jesus, What a Wonderful Child, and O Come, Emmanuel, as well as several others. I was very glad to have had the chance to go, and hope to be able to attend next year!

Hazzardous Universe by Julie Wright and Kevin Wasden

Hazzardous Universe (c) 2011
by Julie Wright and Kevin WasdenHazzardous Universe by Julie Wright and Kevin Wasden is a fun middle grade adventure following two kids, Hap and Tara as they're accidentally abducted by an alien spaceship and taken on a frightening and exciting adventure through space. On their adventures they meet different individuals, some human and some not, some friendly, and some not. Plus, they get entangled, entirely accidentally of course, in the dealings of a dangerous interstellar mob boss! But through it all, their biggest wish is to just get home to their families. 

I recommend this fun book to kids and adults alike who enjoy sci fi, and fun adventure!

Charlie Bone and the Hidden King by Jenny Nimmo

Charlie Bone and the Hidden King
(c) 2012 by Jenny NimmoCharlie Bone and the Hidden King by Jenny Nimmo is an entertaining middle grade tale continuing the adventure of Charlie Bone and his family and friends. I had not had the chance to experience the previous books in the series (it appears to be the fifth book of an eight book series) but still I was able fairly easily to get into the story. On Charlie Bone's 12th birthday, the flame cats, (a group of three cats his ancestor, the Red King asked to watch over his descendants, of whom Charlie Bone is one) warn him that an ancient evil has awoken. Charlie and his friends have to worry about that, while also worrying about bullies at school and other sinister forces out to get him. Adding on to that, his mother is acting strangely and Charlie fears she's been bewitched. Also, his father, who has been missing for ten years is on Charlie's mind, having been brought up in conversation which Charlie overheard and he wonders what he can do to find and rescue his father.

The action is fast paced and fun, and middle grade readers would enjoy this story.

Thoroughly Modern Millie- Playing at Hale Center Theater in Orem

Thoroughly Modern Millie (c) 2000
by Dick Scanlan and Richard MorrisThis past Friday, my younger son and I watched a fantastic play performed by the cast at Hale Center Theater in Orem. Thoroughly Modern Millie, a musical I really enjoy for the fun songs, and the underlying message that caring about people matters much more than money, is playing at the Hale Center Theater in Orem until Nov. 23rd.
Thoroughly Modern Millie is a musical based on a movie from 1967 of the same name, which itself was based on a play called Chrysanthemum from the 1950s. The first performance of the modern play was in 2000. The lyricist was Dick Scanlan, the composers were Jeanine Tesori and Doug Besterman, and the playwrights were Dick Scanlan and Richard Morris.

I enjoyed the cast's performance at the Hale Center Theater, and especially appreciated the actress who portrayed Mrs. Meers. She managed to make the character sinister and lovable at the same time. The expressions that Mrs. Meers made and her escapades throughout the play were hilarious, and kept me laughing. The rest of the cast did great as well, and I really enjoyed the performance. I'm glad we went! There are scenes where the characters are drinking alcohol and getting drunk, and many of the actresses are dressed like 1920's flappers similar to the picture above, which are both things of which parents may want to be aware.

I personally recommend the performance, and think the play is well worth going!

It will be playing most nights between now and the 23rd of November. You can buy tickets here.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart

Mysterious Benedict Society and the
Perilous Journey (c) 2009
by Trenton Lee StewartThe Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart comes after The Mysterious Benedict Society and before The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma.

The four friends, Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance are set to have a fun, non-dangerous vacation with their good friend Mister Benedict and Miss Number Two (whose real name we do not learn in this book) when they discover that Mister Benedict and Number Two have been kidnapped by the sinister Mister Curtain, Mister Benedict's evil twin brother! Though there are dangers aplenty, the kids take off to rescue their beloved mentor and his assistant. Along the way, they have many and varied adventures, and are given aid here and there, especially by Kate's dad, Miligan, when he finally is able to catch up to the swiftly traveling kids. What happens next, is an exciting adventure, and I highly recommend it to children and adults alike who enjoy clean, fast paced adventure stories!

The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis (Focus on the Family version)

Magician's Nephew, The (c) 1955 by C.S. Lewis
Radio Theatre: Focus on the Family version (c) 2005I recently listened to an entertaining version of The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis. It was not a word for word reading, but rather a dramatized version, with some narration, and dialogue spoken by actors, all accompanied by music and sound effects. The story is a version produced by Radio Theatre: Focus on the Family, and published by Tyndale Entertainment.

The original story by C.S. Lewis was published in 1955, and this version was recorded in 2005.

The story follows the adventures of two friends, Diggory Kirk and Polly Plummer as they are tricked by Diggory's dastardly Uncle Andrew into traveling to a new world. Through their adventures and mishaps, they come into the company of Jadis, the tyrannical queen of Charn whom they do not want to take with them, but she comes along with them anyway by force. Through another series of mishaps, the children, the wicked queen, Uncle Andrew, an innocent cabby named Frank and Frank's horse Strawberry, find themselves in a new world that is just beginning, being brought to wake by Aslan. Read the book, or listen to the story to find out what happens next!

While I personally prefer the book, I did like this version very much, and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys C.S. Lewis.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart

Mysterious Benedict Society and the
Prisoner's Dilemma, The
(c) 2010 by Treton Lee StewartThe Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart is a fun ending to the first trilogy of the Mysterious Benedict Society. This time, Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance embark on a new adventure, rather against their wills, but with all the pluck and courage they showed in the first two books. When a blackout washes over Stonetown, the kids quickly find out it isn't an accident, and the sinister Mr. Curtain, the evil twin of their beloved mentor, Mr. Benedict, is behind it, and, as usual, is out to get them. How will they outsmart Mr. Curtain and the ten-men, his evil henchmen?  Read the book to find out! I recommend this fun book to anyone who enjoys fast-paced, middle-grade books that have riddles and clues for the characters, and readers, to solve along the way.