Book Bunnies

Caramel reviews How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

The little members of the book bunnies household have been fascinated by the How to Train Your Dragon series in all its manifestations, including the movies and the serials. Marshmallow even reviewed one of the books, How to Steal A Dragon’s Sword, for the blog about two years ago. This year Caramel finally got his paws to the actual books themselves, and today he wanted to review the first book. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking followup questions.

Caramel reviews How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Crowell, the book that started it all. — Caramel reviews *How to Train Your Dragon* by Cressida Crowell, the book that started it all.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, why don’t you start by telling me what this book is about? Assume that I have never heard of How to Train Your Dragon.

Caramel: This is the first How to Train Your Dragon book I read!

S: Okay, so what is it about?

C: It’s about Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third. Hiccup is the son of Stoick the Vast who is the chief of the Hairy Hooligans tribe. They are Vikings. Stoick the Vast is really fat and Hiccup is really skinny.

S: So Hiccup is not like his father, but not only in size, right?

C: Yes. Exactly. Hiccup is not much into fighting but his father wants him to be a real Viking, a real warrior.

S: So how do the dragons come in?

C: Dragons and humans are friends. This is different in the movies because in the movies they are enemies at the beginning. In the book, they all get to have a dragon and train it.

S: That is interesting.

C: Yes. In the book they also say that only chiefs and sons of chiefs can have a special dragon, a monstrous nightmare. But instead of Hiccup, another boy named Snotlout gets the monstrous nightmare. Hiccup doesn’t even try actually.

S: Hmm, so this is in line with his not being chief material, according to his dad, right?

C: Exactly.

Caramel is reading How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Crowell. — Caramel is reading *How to Train Your Dragon* by Cressida Crowell.

S: So how different is the book from the movie? I know you love the movies. Do you like the book version, too?

C: Yes! You should read the book! It is different from the movie but it is good!

S: Tell me more.

C: Toothless in the book is tiny. In the movies he is big enough to fly and carry Hiccup on his back when flying.

S: That’s very interesting. But Toothless is still Hiccup’s friend in the book, too, right, like in the movies?

C: Yes. And apparently dragons can talk to Hiccup. He is the only person who can speak Dragonese, the native language of the dragons. This does not happen in the movies.

S: So do you learn how to train a dragon in the book?

C: Not really.

S: Why do you think the author named these books that?

C: I don’t know. You do learn a lot about dragons though. There is a page where there are some sentences in Dragonese, and then the English versions.

S: Well, you mean dragons who live in the world of this particular series… Okay, looking at how eager you are to move on to the second book, I am guessing you really liked this one. So before we wrap up, tell us your three words for the book.

C: Funny, adventurous, interesting, especially because it is so different from the movies, but I still really liked it.

S: That sounds good Caramel. Then let us end this. What do you say to our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel has very much enjoyed finally reading How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Crowell and is all ready to dive into the second book. — Caramel has very much enjoyed finally reading *How to Train Your Dragon* by Cressida Crowell and is all ready to dive into the second book.

Marshmallow reviews Greenwitch by Susan Cooper

Marshmallow has already reviewed Over Sea, Under Stone and The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. Today she reviews Greenwitch, Susan Cooper’s next book in The Dark Is Rising series. At 158 pages, this book from 1974 is the shortest of this five-book series.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you enjoyed Over Sea, Under Stone and The Dark is Rising, the first two books of the The Dark Is Rising series, or you like books about good fighting against evil, then this might be the book for you.

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Will Stanton, an Old One we have met in The Dark is Rising, is being introduced to the three Drew children, Jane, Barney, and Simon, from Over Sea, Under Stone. Barney and Simon think quite lowly of Will, because they don’t know that Will is there to help them fight against the Dark, and they also don’t know that Will is an Old One.

The four children are all together to find a priceless golden grail stolen from a museum. The three Drew children had found the grail in Over Sea, Under Stone, and then they had given it to a museum, but now the grail has been stolen by the Dark.

The Drew children’s adventure from the first book is part of the reason why they think lowly of Will. They think that since he wasn’t there, he will be a drag. They are once again in Trewissick, the same fishing village as they had been in that first book. (Trewissick is supposed to be in Cornwall but it is fictional; the author made it up.)

In Trewissick there is a ritual that the women take part in every year that is supposed to bring the village fishermen good luck. The women make a figure of the Greenwitch, an enormous figure made out of leaves and branches. Only women can help make the figure, but then men take over from them and throw it in the sea. Thus, among the four children, only Jane can watch the ritual construction of the Greenwitch. At the ritual, she learns that there is a belief among the people of Trewissick that you get to make a wish if you touch the Greenwitch figure. Jane selflessly wishes that the Greenwitch could be happy.

The next night, Jane has a dream in which the Greenwitch tells her that she has a secret. Jane learns also that the Dark wants the Greenwitch’s secret. But the Greenwitch is neutral, she does not have an alliance with the Light or the Dark, and so they need to convince the Greenwitch to give them her secret, before it’s too late.

Marshmallow is reading *Greenwitch* by Susan Cooper.

Marshmallow’s Review: Greenwitch is a great book. I like that in this book Jane is kind of more important than in the first book, the first time we see her. I thought that the author did a good job with the plot and she certainly ends the book in a way that makes you want to read the next book.

Though this time Jane got a bigger role, it was still kind of frustrating for me that Barney and Simon were being dismissive of Will throughout most of the book. Sprinkles says that a good author will make you feel strong emotions.

The book was kind of dreamlike and sometimes a little confusing for me. Reading the parts about the construction of the Greenwitch, I found it difficult to imagine what she looked like, and then later when she showed up in Jane’s dream, I was not sure what to think of. But otherwise, I enjoyed reading Greenwitch and I’m looking forward to reading the next book.

Marshmallow’s Rating: 95%.

Marshmallow rates Greenwitch by Susan Cooper 95%. — Marshmallow rates *Greenwitch* by Susan Cooper 95%.

Caramel reviews Poppy’s Return by Avi

Caramel has enjoyed reading the adventures of animals living in and around Dimwood Forest. And he has already reviewed Ragweed, Poppy, Poppy and Rye, and Ereth’s Birthday for the book bunnies blog. Today he reviews Poppy’s Return, the next book in this series by Avi. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Caramel reviews Poppy's Return, written by Avi and illustrated by Brian Floca. — Caramel reviews *Poppy’s Return*, written by Avi and illustrated by Brian Floca.

Sprinkles: Caramel, you just finished another Poppy book!

Caramel: Yes!

S: So what will you tell us about it?

C: This book is about Poppy who is going back to her childhood home, the Gray House. When she gets there, she sees there is trouble there.

S: Oh, that sounds serious.

C: Oh yes, it is. Poppy’s dad is sick and there is an ominous bulldozer outside, waiting to destroy the Gray House.

S: That is pretty scary. The mice who live in the Gray House are not used to living anywhere else, so they must be very worried, right?

C: Yes. Ereth the porcupine creates more problems though. He starts the bulldozer!

S: That is terrible! Okay, so there are many scary and dangerous things happening or about to happen.

C: Yes, but it is also very funny. Ereth says many funny things, some of the words are made-up I think. He is my favorite character.

S: I know you enjoyed reading Ereth’s Birthday, and it was partially because you like Ereth so much. Is he still as grumpy as before?

C: Yes he is. And maybe even more because Poppy left him behind. She did not want him to come with her. But he did follow her anyway.

Caramel is reading Poppy's Return by Avi. — Caramel is reading *Poppy’s Return* by Avi.

S: Okay, we told our readers a lot already about the storyline. Let us talk about the book more generally. So what three words would you use to describe this book?

C: Adventurous, funny, and interesting.

S: Those are good words Caramel. So did you like the book?

C: Yes.

S: I have not yet read this one. Do you think I should?

C: Yes. I think all bunnies should read it. If you liked the other Poppy books you will like this too.

S: I did enjoy all the other books, so okay, I will read this then. Thank you for the recommendation. Now there is one more book in the Dimwood Forest series. It is called Poppy and Ereth. I have a feeling you will want to read that one too.

C: I think so. I want to know what more adventures Poppy and Ereth will have together.

S: And the title tells us that they will definitely both be in the book.

C: So you should take this book now and start reading. I will get started with the other one.

S: That makes sense to me Caramel. So let us wrap up this review. What do you want to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunnies reviews!

Caramel enjoyed reading Poppy's Return by Avi and is looking forward to reading the nest and last book in the series soon. — Caramel enjoyed reading *Poppy’s Return* by Avi and is looking forward to reading the nest and last book in the series soon.

Marshmallow reviews The Music of Dolphins by Karen Hesse

Both Marshmallow and Caramel love dolphins. Today Marshmallow reviews a book by Karen Hesse about a girl raised by dolphins: The Music of Dolphins. The book raises questions about what it means to be human and what it means to belong.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like books that are about friendship, family, or nature, then this might be the book for you.

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Mila was raised by dolphins since the age of four. At the beginning of the book she is found on an unpopulated island, and she is brought to a research facility. At the facility, Doctor Beck and Sandy teach her how to be more human. They teach her to talk and give her a recorder. Mila starts playing it and discovers music. Doctor Beck and Sandy are like a new family for her. At this facility, Mila meets another girl named Shay, who is another feral child and becomes like a little sister to her.

Mila eventually discovers that she was on her way from Cuba to the United States with her mother and her brother when something went wrong and her mother and brother drowned. She learns who her father is and that her birth given name is Olivia. From this she can piece together her story: After her mother and brother died, she was rescued by dolphins and adopted by her dolphin mother, who had recently lost her own child and upon finding Mila/Olivia, raised her as her own. But Mila/Olivia feels like she was raised by the dolphins, meaning that they are the first family she knows of, and though she likes being human, she still wants to return to the sea. She makes music that reminds her of her dolphin family.

Marshmallow is reading The Music of Dolphins by Karen Hesse. — Marshmallow is reading *The Music of Dolphins* by Karen Hesse.

Marshmallow’s Review: I think that the author did a very good job of writing through Mila/Olivia’s perspective. The Music of Dolphins is a work of fiction, but the author does an excellent job creating the inner world of a feral child, which is a real phenomenon that I did not know much about before. When you read the book, you think you are reading the words that Mila wrote. The writing also displays where Mila is in her journey. The font size and the sentence complexity change as Mila becomes more fluent in human language.

Mila is a very relatable character and so are most of the other characters. You can feel Mila’s joy and curiosity and sadness, and you can understand the feelings of the other people, too, though you see those through Mila’s eyes. I think it is really sad that Mila didn’t get to know her human parents and family, but it is good that a pod of dolphins basically adopted her. You can sense how much she loves them and how much joy there was in her life with them.

The Music of Dolphins is also easy to read and understand. The chapters are really short, most are about a couple pages long. The plot is not complicated, so you can’t really get confused about the story. Mila and her family’s voyage to the United States reminded me of Isabel in Refugee by Alan Gratz. The plot reminded me of yet another book, Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell, not because the title has dolphins in it, but because the main character in both books is a girl who grows up mostly without human contact.

I think the way The Music of Dolphins ends works really well because the reader is unsure what is going to happen. The ending is both happy and sad. I won’t spoil it by saying more. All in all, I think that The Music of Dolphins is a very good book and I would recommend it to everyone.

Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.

Marshmallow rates The Music of Dolphins by Karen Hesse 100%. — Marshmallow rates *The Music of Dolphins* by Karen Hesse 100%.