The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards

The Whangdoodle was once the wisest, the kindest, and the most extraordinary creature in the world.Then he disappeared and created a wonderful land for himself and all the other remarkable animals -- the ten-legged Sidewinders, the little furry Flukes, the friendly Whiffle Bird, and the treacherous, "oily" Prock. It was an almost perfect place where the last of the really great Whangdoodles could rule his kingdom with "peace, love and a sense of fun" -- apart from and forgotten by people.

But not completely forgotten. Professor Savant believed in the Whangdoodle. And when he told the three Potter children of his search for the spectacular creature, Lindy, Tom, and Ben were eager to reach Whangdoodleland.

With the Professor's help, they discovered the secret way. But waiting for them was the scheming Prock, who would use almost any means to keep them away from his beloved king. Only by skill and determination were the four travelers able to discover the last of the really great Whangdoodles and grant him his heart's desire.

Stichley's Rating:
This by far one of the most imaginable and fun books I have ever read.  It is one of my all time favorites.  It is fun for kids and adults, but mostly it is just so unique and unexpected that it is a joy to read.  It is smart too, it doesn't play down to your intelligence even once.  There is no language either.

Teen fictional characters who swear are more popular

 by Nick Collins
Books from popular series including Harry Potter and Twilight were found to contain language which parents may deem as obscene or vulgar despite some being targeted at children as young as nine.

The study of 40 teenage and young adult books found that characters who swore were generally portrayed as rich, attractive and more popular than those who did not.

Researchers said their paper raised questions over whether books should be given age ratings similar to those used on films and video games to help parents decide whether the material is appropriate for their child.
The team from Brigham Young University found 1522 instances of profanity across the 40 books, an average of 38 per book, with 88 per cent of all books containing at least one swear word.

Mild profanities such as “hell” and “damn” accounted for half the instances, but a further 20 per cent were made up of the “seven dirty words” such as “s---“ and “f---“ which are banned on US prime time television.
Other categories, including sexual words, excretory words or other strong profanities, were less common.

In books aimed at the 9-11 age group swearing was milder and less frequent, with the two final books in the Harry Potter series containing six and 13 profanities respectively, including three “strong” swear words and ten mild words.

But one book in this category, Raven Rise from the Pendragon series, featured seven sexual words, described by researchers as "coarse" descriptions of body parts or sexual behavior.

In books aimed at older children swearing became more common, with Eclipse and New Moon from the Twilight series featuring 35 profanities from the mild and excretory categories.

One book aimed at over-14s, entitled Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines, containing 492 offensive words including 310 of the “seven dirty words”.

A film which uses more than one of these is rated “R” in America, meaning under-17s must be accompanied by an adult.

Across the 40 books studied, characters who swore were more likely to be wealthier, more attractive and more popular or socially influential, the researchers reported.

Prof Sarah Coyne, who led the study, said: “From a social learning standpoint, this is really important because adolescents are more likely to imitate media characters portrayed in positive, desirable ways.”

The study, published in the Mass Communication and Society journal, is the first to examine swearing in teenage literature.

Experts have previously estimated American youths use an average of 90 swear words a day, while separate studies suggest books may have a stronger effect on learning than other forms of media because they require deliberate attention.

The researchers wrote: "We found a wide variety of profanity use in adolescent literature ... however, this is not indicated anywhere on the book itself.

“Thus, it is difficult for readers and parents to make informed decisions regarding whether inappropriate content exists in adolescent literature.”

Link to Original Article at the Telegraph

Martin's Mice by Dick King-Smith

Martin is a farm kitten who likes mice but not for dinner. Martin likes mice as pets. He catches a pregnant female, Drusilla, and keeps her in a discarded bathtub. As Martin grows up he learns about friendship, loyalty and responsibility; he is shattered when Drusilla escapes at the first opportunity. But not until he, too, is taken from his outdoor life and imprisoned as a pet in a luxurious apartment does Martin perceive the true meaning of freedom. King-Smith adds another winner to his distinguished body of work. The creatures that inhabit his rural universe, intent on their day-to-day lives (but occasionally aspiring to greatness), are sharply and believably characterized; the story is fast-paced and gripping.

Stichley's Rating:
This is a fun story that is filled with lots of laughs.  The character of Mountain who just cannot stand the idea of eating the cute little mice is so much fun to read about.  In order to fulfill his dream of having a pet of his own he goes and captures himself a nice little mouse and does what he can to protect her from his parents and siblings, not even considering that he has taken her freedom away.  Anyone who has watched a cat at a window will understand what comes next in Martin's life.  The story is fun and as far as I can remember has no swearing in it.  It is by the author of Babe, which if you have not read I recommend as well (the book is much better than the movie).

Farworld, Book One: Water Keep by J. Scott Savage

Even though thirteen-year-old Marcus Kanenas is confined to a wheelchair, he sees himself as a survivor and a dreamer. In fact, his favorite dream is of a world far away, a world where magic is as common as air, where animals tell jokes, and where trees beg people to pick their fruit. He even has a name for this place Farworld. When Marcus magically travels to Farworld, he meets Kyja, a girl without magic in a world where spells, charms, and potions are everywhere, and Master Therapass, a master wizard who has kept a secret hidden for thirteen years, a secret that could change the fate of two worlds. But the Dark Circle has learned of Master Therapass's secret and their evil influence and power are growing. Farworld's only hope is for Marcus and Kyja to find the mythical Elementals (water, land, air, and fire) and convince them to open a drift between the worlds. As Kyja and Marcus travel to Water Keep, they must face the worst the evil Dark Circle can throw at them Summoners, who can command the living and the dead; Unmakers, invisible creatures that can destroy both body and soul; and dark mages known as Thrathkin S Bae. Along the way, Marcus and Kyja will discover the truth about their own heritage, the strength of their friendship, and the depths of their unique powers.

Stichley's Rating:
This is another candy novel. Even though it is an easy read it is a very enjoyable read.  I have yet to read the next book in the series, but I have purchased the second book.  The nice twist in this book is that you have two characters moving between two different worlds all while being tracked by an evil.  In one world Marcus is in unable to walk, and then the other is a world of magic where he finds himself able to move.  The story is entertaining even if some elements are similar to books that are fantasy that we have all read in the past.  The Elements are searched for through the book and this book is about searching for the water elements.

Instances of Swearing:

• I don't remember any swearing

Lad: A Dog by Albert Payson Terhune

Lad, a courageous and dignified 80-pound collie, lived in The Place. The Place was thick with woods, abounding with squirrels to chase, and a cool lake in which to plunge -- a beautiful kingdom -- and Lad was its undisputed king. Lad's loyalty to his chosen Master and Mistress knew no bounds. The stories in this book are all about Lad. Some will make you laugh out loud, some will make you cry. And when the book comes to its conclusion, you will know one thing for sure -- that Lad was a dog with a soul . . .

Stichley's Rating:
With summer break coming up for many kids I have been trying to put up more books that are directed towards kids.  This was another book that I loved as a kid.  Lad came out before Lassie ever did and was one of my first introductions to the Collie breed. The main reason I fell in love with the book was my cousins had a collie who was named Lad that I adored, though I adored every animal I came across as a kid.  These stories of Lad were first published in a magazine so each chapter can easily be taken separately making it easy to read and put the book down and run off to do something else.  The stories are fun, for the most part.  There are several other books that have been written by Terhune so if you enjoy this you can read more about his collies.

Instances of Swearing:

• Hell: 3
• God is used 16 times but not as a swear word