Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard

From the moment Danny sees the beautiful Irish setter, he knows Red is the dog for him. Fast and smart, strong and noble, Red is the only dog Danny wants by his side. Soon, neither boy nor dog can stand to be apart. Together Danny and Red face many dangers in the harsh Wintapi wilderness that they call home. But the greatest test of their courage and friendship will come from an enemy more cunning than any they've known before--a bear who is the undisputed king of the wilderness, a savage killer called Old Majesty.

Stichley's Rating:
I went through a massive animal craze as a kid.  I think I read every single animal book that the librarian could find me at the county library.  Some of them were the books by Jim Kjelgaard.  These books are good for any animal lover.  Unfortunately they are not as easy to find as when I was a kid.  I looked online a bit trying to track down a copy in the local library and ultimately had to get it from amazon because they didn't have any books by Kjelgaard.  These books are almost all about Danny and his Irish setters.  Either Red himself or his pups.  The first in the series is this one.  They are fun, easy reads that all dog loving kids should love.

Instances of Swearing: 

• Bitch is used 6 times but it is in the proper context of a female dog.

The Dark Elf Trilogy, Book One: Homeland by R. A. Salvatore (Forgotten Realms: The Legend of Drizzt, Book I)

Drow ranger Drizzt Do’Urden, first introduced in The Icewind Dale Trilogy, quickly became one of the fantasy genre’s standout characters. But Homeland first reveals the startling tale of how this one lone drow walked out of the shadowy depths of the Underdark, leaving behind a society of evil and a family who want him dead. It is here that the story of this amazing dark elf truly began.

Stichley's Rating:
I never played Dugeons and Dragons, so I didn't know that this was a character from that genre until I'd read a lot of the books.  So if you like fantasy books this series is worth reading whether or not you are into that game series.  The character of Drizzt is very compelling and his story is rather interesting.  He is a very innocent character born into a world that worships evil and darkness.  In this world he has to learn to survive and decide whether he is going to live in the world or abandon everything.  I found this first book to be exciting and enjoyable.  I think older teens and adults who like fantasy would enjoy it.  Even though he lives in a world of evil it is nothing like the evil we live in or see in modern world, it is more of pain and suffering so it isn't shocking like many of modern evils.

Instances of Swearing: 

• Hell: 5
• Damn: 11
• Fantasy violence and action, some instances of torture

Adventurers Wanted, Book One: Slathbog's Gold by M. L. Forman

The sign is small, tucked into the corner of Mr. Clutter s bookshop window: Adventurers Wanted. Apply Within. No one but fifteen-year-old Alex Taylor even seems to notice it is there. And for Alex, who has wished for a change in his life, it is an irresistible invitation. Upon entering Mr. Clutter s shop, Alex is swept away to a faraway land filled with heroic warriors, mysterious elves, and hard-working dwarves. Alex becomes the eighth man in a band of adventurers seeking the lair of Slathbog the Red an evil dragon with a legendary treasure. Along the way, Alex and his new friends must battle dangerous trolls and bandits, face undead wraiths, and seek the wisdom of the Oracle in her White Tower. Alex's adventure takes him to distant and exotic lands where he learns about courage, integrity, honor, and, most important, friendship.

Stichley's Rating:
This story is just easy reading and fun.  There is not any real bad guy, or distinct evil antagonist that can be pointed at through the book.  The character often has everything go his way, but if you read future books you will see how this easy reading story is setting up the scenario for the future books.  Think as this book as the prelude to the story and it makes a lot more sense than as a book on its own.  Just as many books published by Shadow Mountain it is a candy novel.  I found the later books in the series more enjoyable than this first one but this one essential to understanding the background of future books.

Experiment 429's Rating: THUMBS UP

Instances of Swearing:

• I don't remember any swearing, just action adventure.  

Leven Thumps, Book One: The Gateway by Obert Skye

Fourteen-year-old Leven Thumps (a.k.a. "Lev") lives a wretched life in Burnt Culvert, Oklahoma. But his life is about to change and his destiny be fulfilled as he learns about a secret gateway that bridges two worlds -- the real world and Foo, a place created at the at the beginning of time in the folds of the mind that makes it possible for mankind to dream and hope, aspire and imagine. But Foo is in chaos, and three transplants from that dreamworld have been sent to retrieve Lev, who alone has the power to save Foo.

Enter Clover, a wisecracking, foot-high sidekick; Winter, a girl with a special power of her own; and Geth, the rightful heir to Foo. Their mission: to convince Lev that he has the power to save Foo. Can this unique band of travelers help Lev overcome his doubt? Will Lev find the gateway in time? Or will Sabine and his dark shadows find the gateway first and destroy mankind?

Stitchley's Rating:
This is an easy read and is supposedly written for 8-12 year olds.  Now I am far beyond that age group but I very much enjoyed this book. This book is all about dream, and how important our dreamings and imaginings are to our every day lives and what we are capable of becoming because of those dreams. The characters are imaginative and the story itself is unique.  While it is not a perfect book it is one that I found I liked enough that I have since purchased all of the following novels.  Some parts are a little predictive, but it was written for a younger age group.  It is written with a great deal of humor, descriptive language, and color.  

Instances of Swearing

• I do not recall any instances of swearing

Sword of Truth, Book One: Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind

In the aftermath of the brutal murder of his father, a mysterious woman, Kahlan Amnell, appears in Richard Cypher's forest sanctuary seeking help ... and more. His world, his very beliefs, are shattered when ancient debts come due with thundering violence.

In their darkest hour, hunted relentlessly, tormented by treachery and loss, Kahlan calls upon Richard to reach beyond his sword-- to invoke within himself something more noble. Neither knows that the rules of battle have just changed ... or that their time has run out.

This is the beginning. One book. One Rule. Witness the birth of a legend.

Stitchley's Rating:
I realize this going to be a bit longer than most of my comments, but with this book I think it would be hard to not go long.  This book is one of the longest books that I've read in a long time.  It is over 800 pages long.  To be honest the only reason I decided to read it was because the TV show, Legend of the Seeker, ended and I was (embarrassingly) a little more than devastated.  It was the first show I had gotten into in a very long time and when it ended I decided I would read the book. I really enjoyed the book too.  So much that I purchased the next two on a whim... but I haven't read them yet because they look so long and I have been so busy with life that I just can't make myself start something that is almost as think as the Bible.
The story is entertaining, complex, and a complete universe contained in a book. It is an amazing world of light and dark that is easy to relate to and draws you into the world. There is romance, action, good, evil, betrayal, about everything that you can find in any epic saga series.
It varies from the show, but the core components are still there.  I wouldn't give it to any middle schoolers I know to read because it is a little too dark for that; this is not a Tolkien or Lewis kind of saga.  I would suggest it to any of my friends who love to read though.  I hope to eventually read more of the books in the series, but for now the size of them and my lack of time is just too daunting.

Instances of Swearing:

• Bitch: 3
• Even though there isn't very much swearing there is violence and physical abuse scenes in this book.

Beauty & A Dog Called Kitty by Bill Wallace

A Horse Named Beauty

She was an old horse, but she still had a lot of life in her. And she was the best friend Luke needed after the pain of his parents' divorce and the move to Oklahoma to live with his difficult grandfather. Luke could have had a younger horse, one better able to keep up with a boy's adventures. But it was Beauty that Luke loved. He found himself sharing his hopes, dreams, and fears with the old horse. With Beauty, Luke was finally able to enjoy life again.

Until one night, in a wild storm, Beauty escapes from the corral into a terrible trap, and Luke is faced with the most difficult decision he's ever had to make.

Stichley's Rating:
This was one of my favorite books as a kid. I think I read it a half a dozen of times at least.  Every time I read it I cried too.  I still cry when I read it. It is a great book about a boy and his horse.  I chose to post it with A Dog Called Kitty because to me these books are linked.  I think that any of Bill Wallace's books would be great for teens and read most of them when I was a teen.  I don't remember any swearing in this book.

The puppy was small and fuzzy, with a friendly, wagging tail -- and Ricky was afraid of him!
No wonder, since he was attacked by a dog when he was just a baby. So when a stray puppy comes sniffling around the farm, Ricky tells it to get lost.
But the puppy keeps trying to play with Ricky. And every time Ricky's Mom feeds the cats, the little dog comes running. The cats aren't sharing their food, however, and the poor pup is slowly starving.
If Ricky doesn't overcome his fear, the little puppy may die -- but if he lets himself get close enough to feed it, he may find the best friend he's ever had!

Stichley's Rating:

I was never a kid to fear any animal so I read this book and was shocked to imagine anyone could possibly be afraid of a little dog--My Dog was probably 30 kg when I was 10 so how could a small puppy be scary?  I read the book and loved it from beginning to end.  It was probably my first book I read of Bill Wallace and one of the first books that I read and actually really enjoyed. I had a hard time finding books that I liked as a kid and teenager and this was one that first got me interested in reading. Once again, I don't recall any swearing in this book.

The Maze & Kokopelli's Flute by Will Hobbs

Just fourteen, Rick Walder is alone, on the run, and desperate. Stowing away in the back of a truck, he suddenly finds himself at a dead end, out in the middle of nowhere. The Maze. In this surreal landscape of stark red-rock spires and deep sandstone canyons, Rick stumbles into the remote camp of Lon Perigrino, a bird biologist who is releasing fledgling California condors back into the wild. Intrigued by the endangered condors and the strange bearded man dedicated to saving them, Rick decides to stay on. When two men with a vicious dog drive up in a battered old Humvee, Rick discovers that Lon and his birds are in grave danger. Will he be able to save them? In a heart-stopping adventure infused with the spirit of the Icarus myth and a boy's dreams of flight, Will Hobbs brings readers a unique tale of identity, personal growth, and friendship.

Stichley's Rating:
I read this book a long time ago, but it has always been a favorite.  It was the book that got me interested in paragliding, an interest that still persists today.  While I have yet to own my own glider or have the opportunity to go paragliding myself I have had an interest in it for years and studied it from a far.  This book is filled with adventure and is perfect for those who are looking for a light read that are beyond the age group suggested, or for teen boys and adventurous girls in the suggested age group.

Instances of Swearing:

• I don't recall any swearing in this book, just action and adventurous fun.

This unique and compelling fantasy/adventure is set in northern New Mexico. The mood is created immediately as Tepary Jones, 13, sets out to view a total eclipse of the full moon from the ruins of a cliff dwelling near his family's farm, but the quiet mystery of the Ancient Ones is shattered by illegal pot-hunters. Tep finds an eagle-bone flute they leave behind, and his adventures become complicated by a magic older than the ruins. He finds himself changing into a bushy-tailed wood rat each night, which both hinders and helps him to find the pot-hunters; develop drought-resistant seeds with his father; and save his mother from the hantavirus, a disease thought to be contracted from rodent droppings. Both parents are scientists and have encouraged their son to enjoy and respect nature, and to help preserve the variety of life on earth as well as the beauties of the past. They are both fully developed individuals who capture and hold readers' interest. Even Dusty, the dog, has a rare personality. Hobbs vividly evokes the Four Corners region and blends fantasy with fact so smoothly that the resulting mix can be consumed without question. Subplots flow together naturally, and ancient stories and sensibilities become one with modern lives. Outstanding characters, plot, mood, and setting combine in this satisfying and memorable book.

Stichley's Rating: 
This book was not one of my first exposures to this area of the country since I come from here.  It was a book I enjoyed since it had a lot of my local area around.  It was a book that, as with other Will Hobbs books, quickly grabbed my interest as a teen and was filled with adventure and excitement.  This book also had a lot of history and science from the Anasazi area of our country.  It was interesting to read about the problems that currently affect the area and the magic of the past that was interwoven into it.  

Instances of Swearing:

• I don't recall any swearing in this book, just action and adventurous fun.