We finished it. Yep, all twenty-seven chapters of The Capture, by Kathryn Lasky. I didn't think I'd like it. I swore I'd never admit it if I did, but I gotta break that foolish oath because ... I loved it! Yes, I used the "el-word." And it's true: I enjoyed this book more than almost any other contemporary book my kids have forced me to read to them, and for three reasons:
ONE
It was well-written. I gotta give it to her: Kathryn lasky is a fine writer and story-weaver. I expected poor grammar and syntax and yet found nothing to irritate. I expected a weak plot and thin characters and yet I loathed to put the book down and away for the night, so often we read three to four chapters, breaking curfew and loving it.
TWO
Within the frame of a great story, my kids were learning! The Capture is chock-full of information about owls and not just one kind, but many different kinds. The only thing that could've taken this experience to the next level is if we had read this delightful book out-of-doors ... at night ... covered in owls.
THREE
So far ... there are like sixteen books in this series that my kids now expect me to read aloud ... there is a theme of chivalry a'building and a battle between good and evil a'brewing. The evil is decided E V I L (there were a couple of moments of sheer brutality that I wish I could've softened a bit), but faith and hope and community are central to this story, too, as they are to any worthy tale meant to be shared. I cannot wait to discover what happens next!
So, there you have it: we loved it!
One down and fifteen more to go...!
Interested? Please consider purchasing this book through my affiliate-link, which helps single-me to stay home with my fab four. Thanks tons!
How could you ever have doubted? Oh, of course - via the state of kidlit today in general.
ReplyDeleteMs. Lasky has written some of our all time faves though: "The Librarian Who Measured the Earth,"
"The Man Who Made Time Travel,"
"Georgia Rises: A day in the life of Georgia O'Keefe" ... okay, I'll stop now.
Knowing there are sixteen (thus far) should make the ending of each one easier to deal with.
So excited that you also enjoyed it as much as they did!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter LOVED the first book, even deeming it her favorite of 2010. She hasn't read the other yet but it sounds like I need to steal them from her and read them together!
ReplyDeleteI make some pretty fab voices... just so you know. :)
ReplyDeleteOnce, while watching an adaptation of a book I had read aloud to my brood, my son exclaimed, "That's not how he sounds!"
Sam just finished the first book and the other ones are slowly making its way to our library so he can read them all... Thanks for the recommendation! He likes the book much better than the movie :o)
ReplyDeleteThe waiting is the hardest part! And you're very welcome.
ReplyDeleteWe've not seen the movie. No one here is very interested yet. I'm sure we'll grab it once we're done ... next year?? ;D