Excellent books for boys

books:

	• The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain Book 1) Lloyd Alexander Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks, 2006 - 190 pages average customer review:based on 247 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

Great Fantasy

The Book of Three is a fantasy about a boy named Taran who is plunged into an exciting quest. He lives on a small farm in Caer Dallben and dreams of heroism, but is only an Assistant Pig Keeper. When Hen Wen the oracle pig escapes, Taran runs after her. On the journey he unexpectedly meets prince Gwydion who is also searching for Hen Wen. They get captured by Achren, an evil queen. Taran gets separated from Gwydion, but manages to escape with the help Eilonwy. Eilonwy is an intelligent chatterbox girl who loves to speak in similes. They try to find Gwydion, but give him up for dead. A man named Fflewder Flem meets up with them as well as a creature named Gurgi. The four set off on a quest to warn the sons of Don about an attack planned by the Horned King, a vicious war lord.

It's a fun and exciting story. I like Lloyd Alexander's writing and recommend it. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

for more information click here

Book of Three

A group of us on the LibraryThing 75 challenge thread are reading the Chronicles Prydain this year. We started in January with the first book, The Book of Three. The first book in the Chronicles of Prydain didn't hold up to the second, The Black Cauldron, which I read many times when I was younger, it was a favorite. Perhaps these many reads of the sequel are what lead to me not quite enjoying it as much as I would have. We are introduced to quite a cast of characters. Our main being Taran, the assistant pig keeper, and his pig, Hen Wen (I love that name, I wonder if it means anything).

Taran meets up with an odd assortment of companions in the form of the annoying (at least to him) girl Eilonwy, and the bard, Fflewddur. They find themselves rushing to beat the bad guy, The Horned King, to the castle so they can warn the good guys about the attack. The story is enjoyable and easy to follow, but occasionally moved a little too fast for me. I could tell the author was trying to convey a feeling, but he moved on before it had sunk in. Overall I'm glad I read this book, and look forward to reading the sequel, The Black Cauldron, again next month.

3.5/4

for more information click here

A childhood favorite ...

The Chronicles of Prydain were my first big girl books. We read them aloud as a family, taking turns reading one chapter each night. Eventually I began to read ahead & I've been doing so ever since.

This is the first in the series & establishes the characters & basic themes. In many ways these books are all about the hero's journey, but not just for the main character, Taran. Each person here is, in his or her own way, walking the path towards self-discovery.

For me the character of Eilonwy was always my favorite - probably in part because she's a girl & little girls need other girls to identify with in their books. When I was growing up girls like Eilonwy were few & far between in kids' books. She wasn't fluffy or dithering. She didn't a boy to rescue her, although she wasn't too proud to be rescued if need be. She was smart & interesting & independent & self-confident & competent. I identified with that (still do).

This is a great start to a great series. It was nice to re-visit Prydain.

for more information click here

Pig Keepers Rule!

Just throw me onto the pile of Alexander worshippers.

This series is not mentioned much in light of the advent of Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter but it should be. It's that good and, more than that, has more underpinning its tales than simple magic and wonder.

Taran's journey is one of a boy becoming a man but it is also that of a child becoming an adult and therefore, I think, universal. The riff on celtic mythology is both puckish and authentic at once and Alexander's ability to get into the heads of his young characters is, frankly, unsurpassed.

It's sad the Disney version added some tarnish to the rep of this tale but I'm confident that anyone who simply cracks the cover will recognize the magic within.

Five stars.

for more information click here

Excellent books for boys

I read Alexander's series as a young girl, and loved them. I've tried a few times to get my sons engaged in the story through reading it aloud, but struck out until this year when I tried the audio CD format. This has done the trick, and I recommend it as a great technique for introducing your child to new books when on a car trip, or even taking the pressure off of you to read aloud at night. My two sons, 9 and 7, have both gotten engaged by the story and are asking for the followons. The story features a young man, Taran, who is longing for fame and adventure. Through his travels, he meets new people and has opportunities to make mistakes, learn from them, and throughout displays good character and "doing the right thing" when really tough choices present themselves. At least one of the series is a Newbery winner, with another as a finalist/nominee (can't go wrong with this!). Highly recommend.

for more information click here

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

The Newbery-winning fantasy series now available in gorgeous new paperback editions!

Since The Book of Three was first published in 1964, young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper and his quest to become a hero. Taran is joined by an engaging cast of characters that includes Eilonwy, the strong-willed and sharp-tongued princess; Fflewddur Fflam, the hyperbole-prone bard; the ever-faithful Gurgi; and the curmudgeonly Doli?all of whom have become involved in an epic struggle between good and evil that shapes the fate of the legendary land of Prydain. Released over a period of five years, Lloyd Alexander?s beautifully written tales not only captured children?s imaginations but also garnered the highest critical praise.

The Black Cauldron was a Newbery Honor Book, and the final volume in the chronicles, The High King, crowned the series by winning the Newbery Medal for ?the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.?

Henry Holt is proud to present this classic series in a new, redesigned paperback format. The jackets feature stunning art by acclaimed fantasy artist David Wyatt, giving the books a fresh look for today?s generation of young fantasy lovers. The companion book of short stories, The Foundling is also available in paperback at this time.

In their more than thirty years in print, the Chronicles of Prydain have become the standard of excellence in fantasy literature for children.

for more information click here

hot