Review - Skybreaker

The latest book to have been read was Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel. It is the sequel to Airborn, a Michael Printz Award Honor Book, the best books for young adults.

Matt Cruse, a student at the Airship Academy, discovers the Hyperion, an airship that supposedly disappeared forty years previously. The mystique of the Hyperion drawn Matt, Kate, a close friend and her governess, a gypsy girl, and a handsome airship captain together, all in search for the gold that is supposed to be found aboard. The problem is that the Hyperion is floating at 20,000 feet, an altitude few ships can ascend to. Once found, the crew discovers more than they expected, including previously unidentified creatures that threaten the lives of the crew and the success of the mission.

We have cataloged the book as an adult book, but I think I'll change it to young adult. It has no bad language, sex, and very little violence. It introduces the reader to a higher level words and is 369 pages long, a little too advanced for a juvenile book, but appropriate for teens.

Now it's on to finish Al Capone does my Shirts.

Victoria, Part 6

WhaleWatching!
On our 2nd day, we took a 3 hour whale watching tour. We saw light houses, beautiful coastal shores, lazy sea lions, a bald eagle, and....not one whale. Still, it was a lot of fun and we'll just have to come back and try again to see whales. More photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/8003324@N02/show/

Victoria, Part 5

Harbor Views

The Victoria Harbor in itself was beautiful. As we walked along its edges, we enjoyed seeing street entertainers, yachts, sailboats, and sea planes landing and taking off.

Above is a harbor view of the hotel we stayed at. It was a wonderful hotel with a gorgeous view of beautiful gardens, walkways and the water.

The beautiful and historic Fairmont Empress is along the harbor, covered in ivy. It's not the most accessible building we have ever been in, but still a very beautiful building.

Victoria, Part 4

We thought we would share just a few more pictures of Butchart Gardens. We took about 70 pictures and these are some of our favorites. The gardens are located in a former quarry. It is amazing how beautiful and peaceful they made these gardens.

Victoria, Part 3

More pictures from Butchart Gardens. This is probably the most beautiful place on earth. If you have never been, make plans to go. It is well worth it.

Victoria, Part 2

The highlight of our trip was to visit Butchart Gardens. We walked for hours in the beautiful, tranquil gardens. The colors and varieties of flowers were endless. With Spring here, we saw budding tulips and blossoming trees even though the roses were not yet in bloom. An excuse to go back!

Seattle & Victoria

We returned last night from another vacation. Since we both had spring break, we decided to splurge and take a trip to Victoria, British Columbia via Seattle. After a short flight to Seattle, we decided the Airporter bus service would be our best option since they could deliver us directly to our hotel through their connector service. It was a very efficient and effective service.

Our hotel, the Silver Cloud on Lake Union, was an excellent hotel. I had stayed there a few years ago while attending a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation training session. I was impressed then and I am still impressed. The breakfast includes make-your-own waffles with strawberry or blueberry topping. Delicious! There are several restaurants in the area and the hotel offers a shuttle service to several stops throughout the city. So we made our way down to Pikes Market to eat.

Our first choice for restaurants, the Pink Door, was not accessible for wheelchairs, so we continued to look around. We eventually found a restaurant with a nice view but the food was not that great. After a little wandering around the market, we ventured back to our room, a wonderful jacuzzi suite with a view of Lake Union.

The next morning we were taken to the Victoria Clipper terminal to board the 2 1/2 hour boat ride up to the island. It was a wonderful ride. We met a very nice couple from Minnesota expecting their first baby, so of course, they have been added to the baby bootie list.

There is a lot more to explain and pictures to post so keep in touch and we will get some up soon.

Review - The Lightning Thief

I finished The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan today. What a great book! The premise of the book is simple. Percy Jackson discovers he is half Greek God. And he has been accused of stealing Zeus' master lightning bolt.

But the story does get a little complicated. He must travel to the underworld, where Hades is in possession of the bolt, recover it and return it to Zeus within 10 days in order to prevent World War III. Two friends accompany him on his quest. Along the way they battle all types of monsters and learn about courage and their abilities to face their fears.

What I liked best about the book was how Greek mythology was weaved into the story, yet the plot was exciting and unpredictable.

It is 375 pages (paperback version) and has 2 sequels, The Sea of Monsters and The Titans Curse. It received a starred review from School Library Journal (that a very good thing) and a very good review from Booklist (another very good thing). There was not any bad language, and very little violence. I'd recommend this book for children about age 10 and up.

Next up: Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel.