Book Bunnies

Marshmallow reviews Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan

Marshmallow has already reviewed the first three books of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. (Check out her reviews of The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, and The Titan’s Curse.) Today, instead of continuing with the series, which she strongly recommends readers to do, she wanted to talk about a different Percy Jackson book: Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods. Sprinkles has not read this one just yet, so she is asking Marshmallow questions and taking down her answers. Enjoy!

Sprinkles: So Marshmallow you have read this 400-page book rather quickly!

Marshmallow: Yes, it’s a pretty good book. It is also very funny.

S: So what is it about?

M: The book is about the Greek gods and goddesses, and the Greek myths. Percy Jackson adds his perspective on each of the stories.

S: So the book is narrated by Percy Jackson, the hero of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series?

M: Yes. You know what’s quite funny? Depending on whether he likes the particular god or goddess he is talking about, he inserts his opinions into the narrative. For example we know that Poseidon is his father, so he says that Poseidon is the coolest. He starts the chapter “Poseidon Gets Salty” by these words:

I’m biased. But if you’re going to have a Greek god for a parent, you couldn’t do better than Poseidon. Sure, I’ve had my problems with him. He’s not the most attentive dad. But, hey, none of the Greek gods is.
At least Poseidon has awesome powers and a laid-back attitude (most of the time).
He’s amazingly cool, considering how hard it was for him as a young god. He was the middle boy. He was always being compared to his brothers, like: Wow, you’re almost as handsome as Zeus! You’re almost as powerful as Zeus! Or sometimes: You’re not as much of a loser as Hades!
That can really grate a guy after a few centuries.

M: I don’t really understand why they are always so mean to Hades. But you get my point? Percy is a funny narrator.

S: I can see that! So it seems that you might need to know who Percy is when reading this book, Is that so?

M: I guess knowing who he is can be useful, but just having read the first of the series (The Lightning Thief) might be enough. He does mention Piper, a character from the Heroes of Olympus series, which I have not yet read.

S: But it still worked for you, right?

M: Yes.

S: So what else do you want to say about this book?

M: In the middle of the book there are eight pictures of the gods doing stuff. There is a picture each for Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus, Athena, Ares with Hephaestus, Apollo, and Dionysus.

S: Yes, that is a neat addition. They are full color and were drawn by John Rocco, the artist who illustrated the book covers of the five books of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

Marshmallow is reading Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan. She is at the beginning of the full-color insert of artwork by John Rocco. — Marshmallow is reading *Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods* by Rick Riordan. She is at the beginning of the full-color insert of artwork by John Rocco.

S: It seems like this is a book I might like to read! You had said that the Percy Jackson books could be good reading for all ages. What about this one? Is this a good book for bunnies of all ages?

M: It is probably best for ages 9 and up because it has some scenes that might be scary.

S: Alright, that is definitely good to know. How abut the myths? Do you think this is a good source for people looking to learn about Greek mythology?

M: I am not a Greek mythology expert so I honestly don’t know.

S: But maybe at least you can say whether it is a good book to get started or get more curious to learn more about Greek mythology?

M: Yes, I think so.

S: This might be a good place to wrap up this review. Would you like to rate it?

M: Yes. I rate it 95%.

Marshmallow rates Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan 95%. — Marshmallow rates *Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods* by Rick Riordan 95%.

Caramel reviews Survive! Inside the Human Body: The Circulatory System by Hyun-Dong Han

Last week Caramel reviewed Survive: The Digestive System, the first book in the Survive: Inside the Human Body series illustrated by Hyun-Dong Han. This week he wanted to continue talking about this series of graphic novels, so today he will tell us about the second book: Survive! The Circulatory System, once again illustrated by Hyun-Dong Han. As is often the case, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, you have enjoyed these books so much that you wanted to talk about the second one today.

Caramel: Yep.

S: So tell us from the beginning. What is this book about?

C: It is about the circulatory system.

S: So what is the circulatory system?

C: The circulatory system is the system that moves blood around the body.

S: So in this book we learn about the human body and the blood circulating through it. But then is it all about facts? Or is there a story line too?

C: Yes, there is a story line.

S: Tell me about it.

C: It’s about Geo and Doctor Brain and they go into Phoebe’s body accidentally. She eats them.

S: Wait, these are the same characters from the first book, right?

C: Yes. Phoebe and Geo are two friends. Doctor Brain is a mad scientist who invented the S.S. Hippocrates.

S: Oh do you know who Hippocrates was?

C: Yes. He lived in ancient Greece and he was a healer, and he believed that people should look at diseases in a more scientific way.

S: Yes. People see him as “the father of medicine”. So what is S.S. Hippocrates?

C: It’s a big ship but can shrink and go inside a human body. But they were not trying to get into anybody’s body.

Caramel is reading Survive! Inside the Human Body: The Circulatory System by Hyun-Dong Han — Caramel is reading *Survive! Inside the Human Body: The Circulatory System* by Hyun-Dong Han

S: Hmm, so in the first book they somehow get trapped inside Phoebe’s digestive system, she somehow eats them. How do they get into her blood stream this time?

C: They are digested.

S: So they were not able to get out the last time, and from the digestive system they are transferred into the circulatory system. Is that correct?

C: Yes.

S: Oh that sounds exciting but also kind of scary.

C: It is. They are attacked by microphages, white blood cells, and Kupfer cells.

S: Wait, what are Kupfer cells?

C: Oh apparently they are a type of microphage!

S: So they are attacked by the immune system while in the blood stream? That makes sense. After all, they are not supposed to be there!

C: Yeah. Plus Doctor Brain apparently made S.S. Hippocrates look like a bacterium.

S: That makes even more sense, of course: then the body’s defense system would try to fight it. We learned all about white blood cells and microphages in Cells At Work, right?

C: Yes, but we did not learn about the Kupfer cells there. Hey, why don’t we put in the song for Cells At Work here?

S: Good idea! Here you go, but viewers should keep in mind the show is quite violent—the little bunnies in our household often covered their eyes while we were watching the show—so this introductory sequence is also kind of violent (in second 39, you meet the White Blood Cell and with him start the violence and the gore):

Here is the introductory sequence to Cells At Work in English (warning: there is significant violence and gore in the show and in this video too).

S: Let us get back to the book. So do they figure out how to get out of Phoebe’s body?

C: Nope, not yet. You need to read the third book for that.

S: Oh, so this one ends with a cliffhanger!

C: Yes! But it was not bad because I actually wanted to read the third book anyway.

S: That makes sense. You like graphic novels and you like learning about facts.

C: Yes I really like facts and there are a lot of them in this book.

Caramel is reading about the liver in Survive! Inside the Human Body: The Circulatory System by Hyun-Dong Han — Caramel is reading about the liver in *Survive! Inside the Human Body: The Circulatory System* by Hyun-Dong Han

S: So this was a good read, then?

C: Yes, it was!

S: Tell me three words to describe it.

C: Colorful, informative, and funny.

S: Those make a good endorsement for this book! So it is time to wrap up!

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny adventures!

Caramel enjoyed reading Survive! Inside the Human Body: The Circulatory System by Hyun-Dong Han, and recommends it to all bunnies interested in learning about the human body. — Caramel enjoyed reading *Survive! Inside the Human Body: The Circulatory System* by Hyun-Dong Han, and recommends it to all bunnies interested in learning about the human body.

Marshmallow reviews Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan’s Curse (Book 3 of the Percy Jackson Series) by Rick Riordan

Marshmallow has already reviewed books 1 and 2 in Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series; you might like to check out her review of The Lightning Thief and her review of The Sea of Monsters before reading further.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you liked some of Rick Riordan’s other books or if you just like Greek mythology, then this might be the book for you.

Marshmallow’s Summary: Fourteen-year old Percy Jackson is not a normal teenager. He is a demigod, or a half-blood, as they call themselves. In the summer, he attends Camp Half-Blood and trains to survive in the world. (Monsters intent on killing them try to attack the half-bloods so they have to watch out and know how to fight back.)

Percy and his friends, Annabeth Chase and Thalia Grace, go to a boarding school where their friend, Grover Underwood, told them that there were two half-bloods. The school is having a party and they see the two half-bloods, Nico and Bianca de Angelo. They need to take them to Camp Half Blood. They meet the school’s vice principal Dr. Thorn, but when they use the Mist on him (Mist is a magical fog that the half bloods use to fool mortals, humans), he seems like he is still suspicious. While Percy, Annabeth, Thalia, and Grover are trying to act normal, Percy notices that the other half-bloods are gone. He goes after them and finds that Dr. Thorn is trying to take them away. When Percy tries to stop him, Dr. Thorn reverts back to his original form, a manticore. He forces Percy and the di Angelos towards a cliff where Dr. Thorn’s allies are approaching with a helicopter to take them away. But then Annabeth attacks Dr. Thorn with the help of her hat, which makes her turn invisible when she puts it on. As they fight, Dr. Thorn jumps off the cliff with Annabeth on his back, because he knows that he will come back. (Monsters in the books always come back once they are killed, but not necessarily immediately.) As the helicopter draws nearer, Artemis’s Hunters come from the woods and attack it. Once the helicopter is driven away, Thalia is very upset that Percy went to stop Dr. Thorn on his own.

When the friends arrive at the Camp, the Oracle, a mummy of the last Oracle of Delphi, announces a new prophecy.

“Five shall go west, to the goddess in chains, 
One shall be lost in the land without rain, 
The bane of Olympus shows the trail, 
Campers and Hunters combined prevail, 
The Titan’s curse must one withstand, 
And one shall perish by a parent’s hand.”

When Percy is not picked to go on the mission, he sneaks out on his own to do it anyway, using Annabeth’s invisibility hat. What can go wrong?

Marshmallow is reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan's Curse (Book 3 of the Percy Jackson Series) by Rick Riordan. — Marshmallow is reading *Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan’s Curse* (Book 3 of the Percy Jackson Series) by Rick Riordan.

Marshmallow’s Review: This is a very good book but it probably could be sad and scary for younger children. Annabeth appears dead at the beginning of the book and a couple other deaths occur in the book. Otherwise, it is a great book for people who liked Rick Riordan’s other books or just people who like reading about Greek mythology.

I think that you can relate with many of the characters in the book. Percy’s sadness after he believes Annabeth is dead makes you feel compassionate towards him. I also felt a lot of sympathy towards Nico because I too have a little brother (hi Caramel!).

This book will not make much sense if you have not read the first two. But if you do go ahead and read all three, you won’t be disappointed. These books are good!

Marshmallow’s rating: 95%.

Marshmallow rates *Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan’s Curse* (Book 3 of the Percy Jackson Series) by Rick Riordan 95%.

Caramel reviews Survive! Inside the Human Body: The Digestive System by Hyun-Dong Han

A few weeks ago, as the book bunny household was just finishing up watching the (surprisingly violent but also extremely engaging) manga series Cells At Work, we came across a series of graphic novels set inside the human body. Of course both little bunnies read through the books in the blink of an eye. Today Marshmallow interviews Caramel about the first book in the series: Survive: The Digestive System, illustrated by Hyun-Dong Han.

Caramel reviews Survive: The Digestive System, illustrated by Hyun-Dong Han. — Caramel reviews *Survive: The Digestive System*, illustrated by Hyun-Dong Han.

Marshmallow: So, Caramel, what do you want to tell us about this book?

Caramel: This book is a book that can teach a lot.

M: What is something you learned?

C: I learned that the esophagus is a hole that goes down to your stomach.

M: What happens in the book?

C: It’s about a girl named Phoebe, and then there is this Doctor Brain. Doctor Brain’s a medical person who’s a mad scientist too. He invents this machine that makes things smaller, and then accidentally, Geo and Doctor Brain get swallowed by Phoebe.

M: Who is Geo?

C: Phoebe’s friend.

M: Who is the other character on the cover?

C: That is Kay, the assistant of Doctor Brain, and Geo and Phoebe’s friend.

M: What are Geo and Doctor Brain trying to do?

C: They are trying to get out of Phoebe’s body after she swallows them.

M: What part of her body are they in?

C: In this book, they are in the digestive tract.

M: “Digestive tract,” that’s a big word. But wait, does the “In this book” mean that there are more books?

C: Yes, there are two more. There is a book on The Circulatory System and another on The Nervous System.

Caramel is reading Survive: The Digestive System, illustrated by Hyun-Dong Han. — Caramel is reading *Survive: The Digestive System*, illustrated by Hyun-Dong Han.

M: Is this book scary?

C: Sort of, maybe for little kids. It could be scary for younger kids.

M: Do you have a favorite character?

C: Doctor Brain because he’s smart. Really smart.

M: Do you think that this book is easy to read?

C: Yes, it’s a pretty easy book. It’s a graphic novel, and it has fewer words than a normal book.

M: Did you enjoy reading it?

C: Yes, I really liked it.

M: Do you think that everyone could like it or do you think that the book is meant for a certain age group?

C: I think that every one could like it.

M: Do you like the pictures or the drawings?

C: The pictures are pretty good drawing. They do describe the action pretty well. They are colorful.

M: In some parts, there are facts, right?

C: Yes, there are many facts. Here’s one, “We use nearly 40 muscles to chew and swallow.”

M: Wow! That a lot of muscles. I wonder if bunnies like us use more or less.

Caramel is reading one of the fact based spreads in Survive: The Digestive System, illustrated by Hyun-Dong Han. — Caramel is reading one of the fact based spreads in *Survive: The Digestive System*, illustrated by Hyun-Dong Han.

M: So, Caramel, what are three words that describe this book?

C: Action, informative, and colorful.

M: Sounds good to me! And it’s about time to wrap up. What do you say?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel has enjoyed reading Survive: The Digestive System, illustrated by Hyun-Dong Han, and recommends it to all other little bunnies interested in the human body. — Caramel has enjoyed reading *Survive: The Digestive System*, illustrated by Hyun-Dong Han, and recommends it to all other little bunnies interested in the human body.