Cosmic

Cosmic

Frank Cottrell Boyce

Recommended age: as from 9 years old

This is a book we highly recommend. Funny, surprising, amusing, beautifully written and very moving. It is the perfect book to read with your Dad...(ask him, he´ll thank me afterwards!)

I must say the more I read it the more I liked it. To tell the truth, the story and the main character are so different from anything we had ever read, that it took me a few chapters to really understand Liam and to fully enjoy this peculiar adventure.

Jaime L.C. (11 years old): "Liam is a twelve year old boy, too tall for his age, who wins a contest. He takes his friend Florida, faking to be his father, to enjoy the prize (the greatest ride on Earth). But what he doesn´t know is that soon he will be on a ride that will fly him to space, as the ride is a rocket! Due to an unfortunate accident he is stuck in the rocket with the other winners, lost in space."

Trust us, once you get to know this gifted and talented boy, whom everyone takes for an adult (as he is very tall and even has facial hair), he will take you on the most unforgettable voyage, a "children only" adventure to the Moon.

You will also meet the rest of the crew: Florida, a girl full of surprises, Hasan, Samson Two and Max. And with them you´ll realize that going to the Moon is Cosmic, but enjoying your childhood is even more. So do as Liam says and Make the World your Thrill Ride! 

Daniel L.C. (11 years old): "This book really makes you wonder about the secrets of our planet (and for you aliens reading this blog, this might include your world too) and how dangerous it can be in space. I learned that being an astronaut can be more dangerous than being in the army, but if you still want to go to space, I can assure you that you will have an image to think of for the rest of your life." 

Click here to see some stunning images of Earth, taken by the crew of the the International Space Station.

(Mr Bean, the astronaut): "Up there is some kind of lovely. And maybe you need to have something in your heart, you know, something even more lovely. To help you find your way home. Otherwise maybe you could be beguiled."

Pablo L.C. (11 years old): "This book is witty, funny and packed with interesting facts. So join Liam Digby as he tells the biggest fib ever and accidentally gets lost in space. And a message to all Dads: never, ever, ever let your child even 2 meters out of the house or next thing you know they´d have won a scholarship to Hogwarts and discovered Middle Earth :)"

In this book scientific facts go hand in hand with the craziest situations imaginable and also with a very poetic view of our lives.

"It´s Dad. He´s walking towards me like there´s some special gravity pulling him towards me. And maybe there is. Maybe everyone´s got their own special gravity that lets you go far away, really far away sometimes, but which always brings you back in the end."

As I read it, I couldn´t help thinking of another of our favorite books, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, because of the children selected to live a unique experience, and of the James Bond movie Moonraker,  there is even a Dr Drax in both!

Did you know...?

It was Isaac Newton, the English scientist, who formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation. The story says he was lying under a tree when an apple fell on this head, which made him ask himself a very simple question, why did it fall downwards? 

Astronauts need to prepare themselves to take some "extra gravity force" when re-entering the Earth´s atmosphere, they do so with a machine called a Centrifuge, in our book it is called Vortex, as it makes people vomit. Click here to see a video of a real astronaut, Chris Hadfield, explain how it works.






For another version of this machine at full power, click here. Of course it is only James, James Bond, who can take more than 15g without undoing his hair. Watch the film if you have a chance, the cero-gravity fight and the laser battle are priceless!!

Percy Jackson Series

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Rick Riordan

Recommended age: as from 9 years old

Would you believe us if we assured you that Greek gods are not something from ancient history? What about finding out that your real father is one of them? Poseidon, God of the seas. This is what Percy, a teenager with a hard life both at home and at school, is about to find out. To make his life even more complicated he is then falsely accused of stealing the lighting bolt of Zeus, the most powerful and revengeful god of the Olympus.

Percy will have to train hard at Camp Half-Blood to become a worthy opponent to all sort of mythological creatures with supernatural powers in his quest to find the real thief, and thus, prevent an apocalyptic war between Zeus, Hades and his own father Poseidon.

Daniel L.C. (11 years old): "You are going to love this series of books if you like war and stories with a lot of fighting (in the last book of the series more than half of it is a huge war!!). They are one of my favorite series, once I started reading them I couldn't put them down. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!"

If you enjoy mythology you are in for a treat. Furies, Minotaur, centaurs, satyrs... are only a few of the creatures that you will come across in this adventure that will have you breathless from the very first page. Beware of Medusa, get ready for a 'pleasure' trip to the Underworld or even a meeting at the Olympus... Not the type of errands your mum would send you to run on a Saturday morning!

Pablo L.C. (11 years old): "These books are awesome, action packed and very funny. The best thing is you learn about Greek mythology even better than at school. Full of amazing characters and heroes that are not quite what you would expect them to be. Mythology was never so entertaining!"

If you are a comic lover maybe the graphic novel will interest you:

This is the film of the first book of this series. Click here to watch the official trailer.

We have just watched (Sept 03) the last movie of this series of books: Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters. Click here to see the official trailer.

Jaime L.C. (11 years old):  "A very good film, about an hour and a half long. It is about a tree that protects the semi-gods. To prevent it from death, Percy and his friends will have to find the Golden Fleece which will bring life back to the tree,  and they´ll face monsters and other dangers".

Daniel L.C. (11 years old): "We also watched this film. We really enjoyed it and I recommend it. However, I must say the book is way better, more action and more detail when describing the adventures. So, even if you go to the cinema to watch the film, don´t forget to read the book!"

Related activities.

Click here to enter Percy Jackson´s web page. You will be updated with all sort of news about this amazing series, plus there are other activities and games.


Did you know...?

It is in Greek mythology that you will find Medusa, a monstrous creature that had the power of to turn people who dared looked at her into stone. King Polydectes sent Perseus the hero to kill her. He finally managed to cut her head off because he used the mirror shield that Athena had given him. Instead of looking directly to Medusa, he looked at her reflection in the shield. Then Perseus kept her head and used it as a weapon!

Check out our Facebook page, La biblioteca de Miss McHaggis. This week it is dedicated to Greek Mythology.

Beast Quest

Beast Quest

Adam Blade

Recommended age: as from 6 years old.

This series of books is a sure winner for adventurous readers. If you are on a quest for action packed stories, huge monsters, evil sorcerers and heroes, then search no more.

Rodrigo V.P. (7 years old): "I am reading the Beast Quest collection, it´s so cool! In the first book, Ferno, a boy called Tom fights against mysterious monsters to protect the Kingdom of Avantia. In order to do so, he needs to get some magic powers from the monsters. My favourite part is when he confronted a man-horse, what a fight! I am interested in these books because they are very interesting and I feel curious to read on. They are a bit scary but you won´t get nightmares. And you get a card for a collection with each book. I encourage all children to read them!!"

Pablo L.C. (11 years old): "This is a great series of books, action packed, and with magic and different characters in each story, like Silver, a wolf who is more of a puppy... As you read into the serie you´ll find that the books are more scary, and more evil and good guys join in, for example an even more evil sorcerer and a mysterious warrior woman".

Jaime L.C. (11 years old): "This series of mythic adventures is very cool. The main characters are two friends, Elena and Tom. I would recommend them to young readers who are into fights with weapons such as swords and bows and arrows".

These books are quite short, they have a large print and some illustrations, all of which makes the reading very easy. But they also come with a warning: they are addictive!! Luckly there are more than 60 titles in the collection...would that be enough for the winter?

Daniel L.C. (11 years old): "I read the whole series of Beast Quest when I was younger. In fact, it was my favourite series, and the best part is that there is always a new title waiting for you, so you can read them until you get exhausted!"

An idea for the younger readers. 

Even if you already read by yourself, it is sometimes fun to start a book with your mum, or dad, or older sibling. That will also give you the chance discuss the story, which makes it much more interesting. They could start off the book by reading the first chapters, or even, you could take turns to read aloud. With their help you will finish the book in the blink of an eye!

Related activities.

Click here to join the  Beast Quest club, you´ll find all the information about the books and games!

Did you know...?

Adam Blade, the very young author of Beast Quest was born in Kent, as was Miss McHaggis. This county is South of London and its countyside is so beautiful that it is known as "The garden of England".

Thanks to our new team member:

Rodrigo V.P. who is 7 years old and lives in Madrid with his younger brother. His hobbies are skiing and reading fantasy books.










Check out our Facebook page, La biblioteca de Miss McHaggis

Gladiator

Gladiator

Simon Scarrow

Recommended age: as from 9 years old.

This week our bloggers have very different opinions on the series of books that we are presenting, so we would be very happy to have some feedback from you.

Daniel L.C.: "I think this book has an excellent plot and lots of action and mystery (enough to keep you reading to the last page), and if you like it, there is a whole series to read!  The story is about Marcus, a boy who is captured with his mother into slavery because of his father´s debts to Demetrius, but he luckily escapes and unluckily gets turned into a gladiator! This is a good book as the more you read the more you discover about Marcus´ mysterious past".

Marcus is forced to become a gladiator, and he will have to endure a brutal training. However, he is determined to survive in order to rescue his mother and avenge the death of his father by the hand of the soldiers. But, what are the odds that he will succeed? and mainly, what is the secret in his past that he does
not even know but would mean his death if ever found out?

Jaime L.C.: ''I really liked the books, they tell a story of tragedy, fights and survival. They are ideal for the (about) 9 years old reader who is into action, Roman people, and more Roman people lopping their limbs off! Have fun! "

A journey to ancient Rome, centre of the world. You will be tangled in a plot full of intrigue and action, whilst visiting the Colosseum, getting to know Caesar´s family and inmersing yourself in the dangerous allies of the most remarkable, dangerous and overwhelming city of the ancient times.

Pablo L.C.: "The books are cliché and somewhat repetitive and a little dry. That out of the way, they are (sort of) good. I liked the first one but not the others. They tell of young Marcus, whose family is killed, and he is sold into slavery and becomes a gladiator for about one book. He then becomes the bodyguard of  Caesar´s niece. (Thumbs down all Tolkien fans.)"

There is an awesome movie about gladiators called (oh surprise!!), Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott click here to watch the official trailer. The film is for older children, so do ask your parents if it is suited for you.

Pablo L.C.: " The movie of gladiator is a famous one , rumoured to actually be a true story. It takes you from Germania to Rome and has action scenes involving tigers and archer charrioteers.

Probably the best scene is in which he says "at my signal, prepare to unleash hell" and hell is unleashed.  The Gladiator books can eat dirt,  prepare to fall under Gladiator's shadow!

(yes I am serious)

Related activities:

Check out the author´s web page, click here to keep updated of all other books by Simon Scarrow. Computer games and extracts of the books for you to browse.

Did you know...?

If you ever have the chance to travel to Rome you will enjoy seing the real Colisseum, which is truly impressive. Another favourite of all children is the food, who doesn´t like a crunchy pizza or a tasty dish of spaghetti?

I had always thought pasta was introduced in Italy from China by the renown merchant Marco Polo, but I found out whilst preparing this post that in fact it was the Arabs who introduced pasta into Sicily.

Even if we cannot credit Marco Polo for this delicious import, we must admire his courage and importance as a traveller and merchant. Have a look at this map... no airplanes, no cars, no trains...WOW!

Young Samurai

The Way of the Warrior

Young Samurai

Chris Bradford

Recommended age: as from 9 years old.

Get ready to land in seventeenth century Japan and confront the most fearsome murderers: the ninjas.

Jack Fletcher is a young Englishman whose ship is boarded by ninjas pirates who kill the entire crew, including his father. He is rescued by the great warrior Masamoto and accepted in his school of samurai. Jack will need to follow a grueling training and abide by the Bushido, the warrior's way, which is the Samurai code: Rectitude, Courage, Benevolence, Respect, Honesty, Honour and Loyalty to its ultimate consequences.

But what did the the powerful ninjas sought for? And most importantly, why are they chasing him now?

Daniel L.C.: "These books are definitely one of the best books I've read in my life and they even have a Japanese dictionary in the back pages! because I like so much action and they keep you in tension every book you read. Of all, my favourite is The Ring of Fire, but I also like The Ring of Wind and The Way of the Dragon " .

Before you start reading this book make sure you have nerves of steel because the fight scenes are so amazing and authentic that you will read and dodge katanas simultaneously.

If you love martial arts and you are not scared of living as a warrior, you are in luck, you'll be trapped by  this book from the first page. Will Jack, the "foreigner", manage to earn the respect of the sensei and the other young samurais? Will he master the art of fighting as to confront Dragon Eye, the ninja boss?

Jaime L.C.: ''These books are my favourites. There are parts with action, sadness, humor and more. My favorite book is The Ring of Fire. I would recommend them to readers who like action and can cope with sadness and gore ".

Pablo L.C.: "A very entertaining book with lots of action and some laughs (though the jokes are very cheese). My favourite is Samurai Sensei Kano, a blind man with an incredible ear, and big as a bear. These books are a very, very good! "


This Christmas we watched an EPIC film about samurais, 47 Ronin, click here to watch the official trailer.

Jaime L.C.: 'The movie was incredible, it´s a widely viewed movie but it hasn´t selled well, so I think you should buy it because it´s epic and it would help them get a profit. It´s about a halfling that escaped from the "tengu" mysterious demon bird monks in the forest, that are said to be legends. One day, at a competition, he takes the place of a samurai and he is declared an outcast. This was only the first of some unfortunate events that lead him and another fourtyseven ronin to take over a castle. But there is something to the halfling that no one knows about... '.

About the Author and other activities.

Chris Bradford is the author of this series of The Young Samurai, but he is also a martial arts expert.  He started studying judo at age 7 and now he masters several techniques, he is even black belt in Shin Tai-jutsu , the secret fighting art of the ninja. If you want to know more about the author, visit his website www.chrisbradford.co.uk. You can also find an extract of each book and listen to some parts of the stories read by an actor.

To keep updated on the books in the series and all sorts of other related news, visit the website of The Young Samurai: www.youngsamurai.com

Did you know ...?

The author of this series feels admiration for the great Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa, and as we also love martial arts movies (I must admit I am the fan number one), we propose this list of movies that Chris himself recommends together with his own comments:

VERY IMPORTANT: always check you are old enough to watch these movies, if your are in doubt ask your parents or an adult.

Seven Samurai , which inspired the classic western, The Magnificent Seven .

The Hidden Fortress, which inspired George Lucas 's Star Wars , and

Yojimbo (The Bodyguard), on which another classic western is based A Fistful of Dollars.

The Hobbit

The Hobbit

J.R.R. Tolkien

Recommended age: as from 9 years old

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." 

The above is the sentence that Mr Tolkien wrote on a blank page while the was engaged in the "soul-destroying task" of marking examination papers. It was only after he had jotted this line that he felt the urge of finding out what story laid behind it, what was a hobbit? where did he live? what kind of life would he live?

We also find that the opening of this great novel is engaging and gives the sense of adventure and the thrill of what is to come:

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."

In fact we dare you to read the first chapter and not to continue until the end, even if you have seen the movies and know the story!

Pablo L.C.: "The Hobbit. What can I say about that book? A stupendous masterpiece, crafted by the imaginative mind of Tolkien. Join Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and some thirteen dwarves on an epic quest for treasure and gold guarded by the fierce Smaug the Magnificent! Journey through a world of dragons, giant eagles, wizards, dwarves, elves, goblins, orcs, wargs, werebears and rock giants; giant spiders, trolls, hobbits and lots of battles (not to mention a giant dragon) and a creeping creature with a magic ring... All I  say is, welcome to Middle-Earth!"

The book is being brought to the cinema in three parts, the first one was out December 2012, The Hobbit, the Unexpected Journey. We watched it and it was just unbelievably awesome! If you would like to see the trailer, click here.

Jaime L.C.: "The movie and the book were both really good, the story is mysterious and you can´t take your eyes off both the movie and the book ,also they are planning to add a character from the Lord of the Rings... It´s Legolas everyones favourite immortal warrior, but that´s not all, they are going to reveal what happens when Gandalf finds the necromanser and much, much, more ."

Pablo L.C.: "My dear Frodo..., the minute I heard this phrase I was glued to my seat. The Hobbit starts off in the wonderful, picturesque, springtime wonderland of The Shire, a place where we all wish we could go. Soon Gandalf arrives, has a quick chat with Bilbo, (wich makes the hobbit run into the safety of his hole) and  begins to graffiti Bilbo´s door. Five minutes later, 13 rowdy dwarves with olympic style dishwashing skills, have dinner in and convince Bilbo to become a pickpocket, or as they call it, a thief. With wizards whose hair dye is bird poo, trolls with the secret ingredient of snot in their cooking and a goblin king with a flab beard and body issues, this is a funny, action packed film wich you will love".

The second movie is called The Desolation of Smaug and it is out December 13th 2013. Click here to watch the trailer, if you would like to see a funny version of the trailer made with Lego figures click here

Daniel L.C.: "The movie is completely amazing with all the action and fantasy. Even though you do not need to actually read the book (there is so much detail it extends on every little detail) it is still fun to know how the original story goes!"

As you know, The Hobbit is the prelude to The Lord of the Rings, you can have a sneak peek of this trilogy in Lego with this entertaining video made to a crazy song click here for funny lego video. And if you would like to see the Lego Lord of the Rings video game movie, click here

Related activities:

Pablo L.C.: If any of you would like to try writing a book, go ahead, I am writing a changed version of The Hobbit called The Midget:

It starts off in The Countryside, where a 3 foot tall coffe addicted midget, Balbo, is visited by famous explosionist Zap the wizard. He then has 13 rowdy, action loving, extremely rude dwarves visit him, who procceed to destroy his house. Balbo wakes up, reads a letter which ends with "we know where you live" and departs with the famous words "I´ve been blackmailed into going on an adventure!" He meets: snobby trolls, neat freak elves, action freak elves, snow giants, a were-elephant, boozy lake people, a weedy goblin king, alsatian riding orcs, hypochondriac spiders, a stupid dragon and a rock-paper-scissors loving craeature with a magic necklace.

 Guaranteed to be funny!!

Did you know...?

How old was the person who wrote the approving report on The Hobbit, leading to its publication? Have a guess...40?...30?...20?...Need a hint? look at yourself! Yes indeed, Rayner Unwin was a 10 year old boy who was given the manuscript of this fabulous novel by his father, a very wise publisher who believed, like Miss McHaggis certainly does, that children were the best judges of what make good children´s books.

This is the original report, for which he was paid a shilling:

"Bilbo Baggins was a Hobbit who lived in his Hobbit hole and never went for adventures, at last Gandalf the wizard and his Dwarves persuaded him to go. He had a very exciting time fighting goblins and wargs. At last they get to the lonely mountain: Smaug, the dragon who guards it is killed and after a terrific battle with the goblins he returned home - rich!
This book, with the help of maps, does not need any illustrations it is good and should appeal to all children between the ages of 5 and 9".

Special thanks to:

Our blogger Pablo, our own fantasy expert, who has worked very hard to write this post whilst he was at home with a cold. We would also like to thank him for sharing with us the highlights of the book he is writing at school during lunch breaks.

Goblins

Goblins

Philip Reeve

Recommended age: as from 9 years old

You have probably seen the movie The Hobbit, an Unexpected Journey. It came out last December and I'm sure you enjoyed it because it is an amazing story. It is based on a book by the same name which is the prequel to a trilogy called The Lord of the Rings. When you read the trilogy you'll love it too, but you might find these books a bit difficult just now. Therefore, if you are into fantasy, and as a warm up for the Tolkien lot, why not start with Goblins.

Jaime L.C: ''This book is very imaginative and funny, and I have enjoyed very much. I would recommend it to those who like creative and fantastic stories. The main character is special because he does not like to fight, he prefers to read, but the others do not like that ...''

Goblins of Clovenstone Keep are a silly and disgusting lot of creatures devoted to steal, kill each other and little else. All but Skarper, a goblin who has the misfortune of being smart and clever, and who discovers that books are there to be read, instead of using them for what his fellow goblins do...wipe their bottoms! His new hobby will lead him inevitably to be catapulted out of town, and this is where the adventure begins.

A story of fantasy with great sense of humor, where the bad guys are not all as bad as they are meant to be. Maidens of the clouds, trolls, wizards, and "softlings" (humans) are just some of the characters that you'll encounter.

Daniel L.C.: "This book is unique because this time the main character is a goblin and this goblin is also a good guy. However, Henwyn is my favorite character because he wants to be a hero but he is not very good at it." 

Well... think no more, catapult yourself with Skarper, meet Henwyn and enjoy this exciting and hilarious adventure, princess included.

Pablo L.C.: "This is one of the best books I've read in my life. Packed with action, laughs and a bit of tragedy. And there are two of them! On the second, dwarves want to empty Slowsilver, the lake where goblins are born, and Skarper, Henywn and all other goblins, trolls and giants have to fight to save Clovenstone. It is like The Lord of the Rings but some goblins are good guys and it's fun and simple. "

Related activities.

There is no movie of these books, but if you like fantasy and computer games have a look at World of Warcraft (for over 12 years old), you can even choose which creature you want to be. Click here to watch the video of one of the games with goblins.

If you have liked this story and you would like to find out more about its author and illustrator, check out his website www.philip-reeve.com

Did you know ...?

Goblins are evil creatures born from the bowels of the Earth. Most of their lives take place in caves, their home, which provide great protection for themselves and their stolen treasures.

There are immense and wonderful caves to visit around the world, like the Nerja Cave in Malaga. If you are lucky to go to this part of Spain on holidays it would be worth a visit (guided tours are available). Navegate their website with the virtual view option at www.cuevadenerja.es, it will give you an idea of how impressive these caves are. Truly amazing!