Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

For how much I liked the movie, the book captured me even more. There are so many side stories that really do fill in the blanks and there are entire characters that were left out of the movies. Little things were changed like who said what and relationships are explained/explored a lot more. For example the book takes a lot longer to get Harry to the Village and Hermione isn't there. I also enjoyed the deeper relationship that is developed between Buckbeck and Hagrid. So much of the story line was condensed in the movie {which I didn't mind} but now reading the book after seeing the movie, well it's not a whole different story, but there is so much added to the story that keeps me going back. The book ended similar to the movie but the order of some of the events does change quite a bit.

A couple of things I really enjoyed from the book is that Sirius Black has much more of a presence and the his partnership with Crookshanks and Scabers is defined a lot more. It gives them more than just the honorable mention that it feels like in the movie. I like the beginning of the book better too, how Harry finds out about Sirius' escape, his birthday gifts from his friends and Aunt Marge. The pocket sneaker scope was a great addition and even though I knew how the storyline was going to be ever-all, it was one of those things left out of the movie that added a different twist to the underlying storyline of the book.

One thing that I think they could have played up more in the movie was just how much Draco really does despise Harry. It seems in this book more than the past ones, Draco has it out for Harry and wants to bring him down any way possible.

My only complaint is that I like the personality of Hermione better in the movie than the book. When we are first introduced to Hermione in the movies she is a bit of a know-it-all brat but her character softens up really fast. In the book she is still a bit of a whiny, bossy, know-it-all while Ron has a bit more smarts than the movie leads onto. He and Harry are the ones who come up with some of the clever ideas that it seems only Hermione can come to in the movies.

Overall, I thought the book was great and really enjoy reading all those parts left out of the movie. There was enough left out that reading the book {especially as the series goes on} is still really enjoyable and there is quite a bit left to the imagination.

Pirates, Ghosts, and Coastal Lore

While out on vacation one thing we like to collect are books about the area. We love to read about the history and things that make the area unique, it is also a great way to get ideas about what else to go see.

We recently got back from a trip to the Outer Banks area of North Carolina. While at the Wright Brothers National Park and Museum we picked up a couple of books: 'Pirates, Ghosts, and Coastal Lore: the Best of Judge Whedbee' by Charles Harry Whedbee. I was also so excited to start Lady A's Vacation Book Collection for her too and got 'First Flight: the Story of the Wright Brothers' by Caryn Jenner.

On our drive home we read some of the tales about the OBX area. Even though I am not done with all the stories about the Coastal Lore I have so enjoyed this book. Being from the west, most places have/are just celebrating their 100 year or 150 year 'birthday.' Reading these stories about stuff that has happened so much as twice as long ago has been fun. These are stories I have heard about, maybe a little, but know they seem so much more real having been to the OBX myself.

Charles Harry Whedbee is a great story teller. As I am reading through his tales I can hear my Grandpas voice in my head. He has some of the most amazing stories to tell from his childhood and is a fantastic story teller, it's like I am right there with him experiencing it all and Judge Whedbee has that same talent fro bringing you right into the story with him.

 

It might be some time before I am ready to let Lady A handle her book alone but for now I will read it to her. It is part of the www.dk.com readers program and is a level 4: proficient readers, she is 18 months so it will be a while but we will read over it and learn about the history together. The book is an easy read with great illustrations and photos.The content is of the history and process behind the Wright Brothers first flight. Pages are laid out to give informative facts that go along with the story and it is all done in a manor to keep the young reader engaged.

Be sure to check out my book shelf off to the right to see what I am reading now. Please feel free to leave suggestions for my next great read.