Oink? - Margie Palatini and Henry Cole

Oink?
Margie Palatini (Author)
Henry Cole (Illustrator)
Scholastic
ISBN 9780545036238

I have never encountered this author or the illustrator previously; it is a pity as we enjoyed this book immensely. This book is witty, fun and really funny. This is the story of Thomas and Joseph, two pigs. The other animals on the farm are not happy with them. They smell, eat swill and stink. The hens, the rabbit and the duck want to help them be happy. But things are not always as they appear. The story is great fun and the illustrations are full of small details children pick out.

Cyborg - The McKissack's - Clone Codes Book 2

Cyborg: The Second Book Of The Clone Codes
Patricia C. McKissack, Fredrick L. McKissack and Joch McKissack
Scholastic
ISBN 9780439929851

Book one The Clone Codes, was an incredible story set in the future with a new kind of underground railroad for clones and cyborgs. It was amazing, and I could not wait for this one to come out. I was disappointed when I received my advanced copy. It seemed so thin. With only 107 pages of text from preface to end of text, and 144 pages with the endnotes, I was not expecting much. I was very pleasantly surprised.

Set in a future when clones are basically slave labor, and cyborgs, humans who have replaced 3/5th of their parts with synthetics and have lost most of their rights also, are implanted with chips and tracked.

The Cyborg Act of 2130
For the security and general welfare of the cyborg race, these protections have been established on this the 7th day of October, 2130.

The Cyborg Codes

• All cyborgs must be registered with the Bureau of Cyborg Affairs (BCA).
• Those that are cyborgs must live within designated areas set aside on the Moon Colony. If a cyborg desires to live or work elsewhere, it must acquire BCA permission.
• It is mandated that cyborgs may not serve as officers in the World Federation of Nations' defence forces or serve in any national law enforcement agencies.
• Cyborg children must attend one of four cyborg academies based on test scores and abilities.
• All cyborgs over the age of 16 must be employed.
• Cyborgs need permission from the BCA to marry or have children.
• The BCA will provide cyborgs with medical insurance and health-care needs.
• Cyborgs cannot inherit real property.
• Cyborgs can only participate in amateur or professional sports within the Cyborg Leagues."

This story continues almost immediately after book 1 finishes. Leanna, a clone raised as a normal child, Carlos, a boy genius, RUBy, a super and Houston Ye a young cyborg, are still in the thick of it. The new Chancellor of the WFN, Taylor Graham, has passed the Wholer Act, declaring any human with as many as 1 synthetic part is now considered a Cyborg and subject to the Cyborg Act.

The Aliens called the O. have appeared to Taylor Graham and told him they will prevent humans from exploring beyond the solar system as we are not prepared. Leanna must gather the different groups in the Liberty Bell movement, and the Cyborgs, and fashion a cohesive movement to resist this new law. But things are not as they appear, and some friends might not actually be allies.

The story is just really getting interesting when it ends, and we must wait another year for book three to conclude the trilogy. This is a great second instalment in a series, but with the size, I would have preferred one large novel, or even combine books 2 and 3 if they are only going to be a novelette of about 100 pages.


The Clone Codes Trilogy
The Clone Codes - Book 1
Confessions of a Cyborg - Book 2
The Visitors - Book 3 (February 2012)

Escape From Lego City - Sticker Book - Sonia Sander

Escape From Lego City
Lego City Sticker Storybook
Sonia Sander
Scholastic
ISBN 9780545280952


This is the first Lego City Sticker book, Escape from Lego City. Four prisoners have escaped from jail and as they disperse across the city; you help create the story through the use of over 90 stickers. Each page is a photo of a scene in Lego City constructed from real Lego. Each page also has between 4 and 12 stickers that you choose where to add, to help tell the story. With 16 pages to the story and the large format it will be fun to read and to help finish illustrating with the stickers. It is bound to be a hit with young readers.

Lego City Adventure Books:
Fire Truck To The Rescue
Help Is On the Way!
Calling All Cars
All Aboard!
Ready For Take Off
Build This City
City Adventures Sticker Book
Work This Farm
Fight This Fire!
Lego City Heroes!
Trucks Around The City
Escape From Lego City
3, 2, 1 Liftoff
All Hands On Deck
Fire In The Forest!
Catch That Crook!

Lego Star Wars Books:
Save The Galaxy!
Anakin: Space Pilot 3D
Darth Maul's Mission

Catholic Books Read 2011

Catholic Books Read 2011

 

Black as Night: A Fairy Tale Retold - Regina Doman
Why God Matters - Karina Lumbert Fabiam and Deacon Steven Lumbert
Mariette in Ecstasy - Ron Hansen
Tending the Temple - Dr. Kevin Vost, Shane Kapley and Peggy Bowes

List of Favorite Movies 2011

Favorite Movies and TV Shows 2011

Dexter - Season 5
Tron Legacy
Season of the Witch
Hustle - Season 7
Faster
The Green Hornet
Legend of the Gardians of Ga'Hoole
Cars 2
Rio
Fast Five - AKA Fast and the Furious Five
Kaze No Stigma - Series 1
I Am Number Four
Cowboys & Aliens
Unknown
Megamind
How To Train Your Dragon
Dexter - Season 6 


I started keeping track of the books I finished reading in October of 1995, and movies watched in January of 1996. I have lists for:
All Books Read by Year
Favorite Books By Year
All Movies and TV Series Watched by Year
Favorite Movies and TV Series by Year


I also do a Top Ten List of books each quarter and for the year. They can be found here. I was also asked to pick a Top Ten Catholic Books I have read, you can find that list here (and occasionally I add a note when I come across something exceptional.)

List of Movies Watched 2011

Movies and TV Shows Watched 2011


Dexter - Season 5
Tron Legacy
Tron Legacy
17 Again
Inception
Voyage of the Dawn Treader - Narnia #3
A Goofy Movie
Season of The Witch
Toy Story
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
Lion King I
Lion King II
Lion King 1 1/2
Robin Hood (2010)
Rocky 1-6
Mr & Mrs Smith
Death Race 2
Fast and the Furious
2 Fast 2 Furious
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Dark Knight
Mama Mia!
Mama Mia!
Avatar
The Expendables
Taken
Faster
Hustle - Season 7
Hard Target
The Green Hornet
Monsters VS Aliens
Legend of the Gardians of Ga'Hoole
Shreck 1-4
Cars 2
Rio
Rango
Winnie The Pooh - 2011
Fast Five
Kaze No Stigma - Series 1
I Am Number Four
Barbie in the Nutcracker
Barbie as Rapunzel
Barbie of Swan Lake
Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper
Barbie: Fairytopia
Barbie: Mermaidia
Barbie Fairytopia: Magic of the Rainbow
Barbie Mariposa
Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus
The Barbie Diaries
Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses
Barbie as the Island Princess
Barbie and the Diamond Castle
Barbie in a Christmas Carol
Barbie Thumbelina
Barbie and the Three Musketeers
Barbie in A Mermaid Tale
Barbie: A Fashion Fairy Tale
Barbie: A Fairy Secret
I Am Number Four
Cowboys & Aliens
The Incredibles
Faster
Fast 5 - AKA Fast and the Furious Five
X-Men First Class
I Am Number Four
Unknown
Batman Begins
Dark Knight
The Brave Little Toaster
Megamind
How to Train Your Dragon
Dexter - Season 6
Sherlock Holmes (2009)  



I started keeping track of the books I finished reading in October of 1995, and movies watched in January of 1996. I have lists for:
All Books Read by Year
Favorite Books By Year
All Movies and TV Series Watched by Year
Favorite Movies and TV Series by Year


I also do a Top Ten List of books each quarter and for the year. They can be found here. I was also asked to pick a Top Ten Catholic Books I have read, you can find that list here (and occasionally I add a note when I come across something exceptional.)

List of Favorite Books 2011

Favorite Books 2011

Airborn - Kenneth Oppel
The Poison Eaters and Other Stories - Holly Black
Tunnels - Roderick Gordon & Brian Williams
Invasion - CHAOS Book 1 - Jon S. Lewis
Shades: 17 Startling Stories - Arthur Slade
Ghetto Cowboy - G. Neri
Black as Night - Regina Doman
40 Days to Optimal Health - Church Health Center - Dr. Scott Morris
The Spiderwick Chronicles - Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
A Long, Long Sleep - Anna Sheehan
Lone Wolf - Wolves of the Beyond 1 - Kathryn Lasky
Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale - Holly Black
Conspiracy 365 January - Gabrielle Lord
Fugitives - Escape from Furnace 4 - Alexander Gordon Smith
Why God Matters - Karina Lumbert Fabiam and Deacon Steven Lumbert
Shadow Wolf - Wolves of the Beyond 2 - Kathryn Lasky
Red Glove - The Curse Workers Book 2 - Holly Black
Conspiracy 365 February - Gabrielle Lord
Children - Maggie Clark
The Capture - Gardians of Ga'Hoole Book 1 - Kathryn Lasky
Beyond The Spiderwick Chronicles - Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
Gregor The Overlander - Underland Chronicles Book1 - Suzanne Collins
The Journey - Gardians of Ga'Hoole Book 2 - Kathryn Lasky
The Prophecy of Bane - Underland Chronicles Book 2 - Suzanne Collins
Project Dad - Todd Cartmell
First Day On Earth - Cecil Castellucci
The Rescue - Gardians of Ga'Hoole Book 3 - Kathryn Lasky
Bluefish - Pat Schmatz
Circle the Truth - Pat Schmatz
Mousetraps - Pat Schmatz
The Unwritten Girl - Unwritten Book 1 - James Bow
This Dark Endeavour: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein - Kenneth Oppel
Breaking Up: A Fashion High Graphic Novel - Aimee Friedman and Christine Norrie
Rose Sees Red - Cecil Castellucci
The P.L.A.I.N. Janes - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
Janes in Love - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
Boy Proof - Cecil Castellucci
The Queen Of Cool - Cecil Castellucci
Beige - Cecil Castellucci 
Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods - Underland Chronicles Book 3 - Suzanne Collins
The Siege - Gardians of Ga'Hoole Book 4 - Kathryn Lasky
Empire of Ruins - Hunchback Assignments #3 - Arthur Slade
The Brimstone Key - Grey Griffins Clockwork Chronicle 1 - Jon S. Lewis and Derek Benz
Beauty Queen's - Libba Bray
Mrs. Estronsky and the U.F.O. - Pat Schmatz
Clockwork Prince - Invernal Devices book 2 - Cassandra Clare
Shideshow - Ed. by Deborah Noyes
Watch Wolf - Wolves of the Beyond #3 - Kathryn Lasky
The Start-Up - Sadie Hayes
The Visitors - Clone Codes Book 3 - The McKissacks
Stink and the Midnight Zombie Walk - Megan McDonald and Peter H Reynolds
The Battle Begins - Underworlds Book 1 - Tony Abbott


I started keeping track of the books I finished reading in October of 1995, and movies watched in January of 1996. I have lists for:
All Books Read by Year
Favorite Books By Year
All Movies and TV Series Watched by Year
Favorite Movies and TV Series by Year


I also do a Top Ten List of books each quarter and for the year. They can be found here. I was also asked to pick a Top Ten Catholic Books I have read, you can find that list here (and occasionally I add a note when I come across something exceptional.)