Audiobook Review: Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin

Title: Snow & Rose 
Author: Emily Winfield Martin
Publication Date: October 10, 2017
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 224
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Snow and Rose didn't know they were in a fairy tale. People never do....

Once, they lived in a big house with spectacular gardens and an army of servants.

Once, they had a father and mother who loved them more than the sun and moon.

But that was before their father disappeared into the woods and their mother disappeared into sorrow.

This is the story of two sisters and the enchanted woods that have been waiting for them to break a set of terrible spells.

Bestselling author-illustrator Emily Winfield Martin has created a world that sits on the border of enchantment, with characters who are grounded in real emotions that readers will recognize in themselves.

Snow & Rose caught my eye the first time I saw it at Barnes and Noble. The cover was gorgeous and when I flipped through it I was hooked! Emily Winfield Martin's illustrations are beautiful and I could not wait to dive into this fairytale retelling.

Somehow, I ended up picking up the audiobook of Snow & Rose, despite being in love with the art, but the story still had my attention immediately. Snow & Rose are sisters who have lost their father to the woods. They live with their mother, who has never gotten over his disappearance. They come across an enchanted library of objects in the woods one day and suddenly find that magical things are happening all around them.

Snow and Rose are both wonderful, enchanting characters. Although they were both grieving their father in their own ways, I loved following them around the woods as they discovered new things and people. The two come across a boy named Ivo, who lives underground, and he is a fantastic character as well! I loved the mystery surrounding him and how the three worked together and formed an unlikely friendship.

There are so many things to love about this children's book. The characters are lovely, there's magic everywhere, and the writing is beautiful! I read a lot of fairy tale retellings, but not all of them are able to capture the magic of the original. This one definitely did. The plot does meander a bit, but I think that's okay in this kind of story. I never got bored and was constantly finding reasons to keep listening.

I can't say much more without spoiling the plot, but trust me when I say that you will love Snow & Rose if you're a lover of fairy tales. While I did love the audiobook and found it to be magical on its own, I definitely recommend picking up the physical copy to follow along with the artwork. They should definitely be enjoyed together!

Book Review: Sanity & Tallulah by Molly Brooks

Title: Sanity & Tallulah 
Author: Molly Brooks
Publication Date: October 16, 2018
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 240
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//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

Sanity Jones and Tallulah Vega are best friends on Wilnick, the dilapidated space station they call home at the end of the galaxy. So naturally, when gifted scientist Sanity uses her lab skills and energy allowance to create a definitely-illegal-but-impossibly-cute three-headed kitten, she has to show Tallulah. But Princess, Sparkle, Destroyer of Worlds is a bit of a handful, and it isn't long before the kitten escapes to wreak havoc on the space station. The girls will have to turn Wilnick upside down to find her, but not before causing the whole place to evacuate! Can they save their home before it's too late?

Readers will be over the moon for this rollicking space adventure by debut author Molly Brooks.

When this graphic novel showed up on my doorstep, I was immediately intrigued. This middle grade science fiction adventure is adorable and the art is beautiful! Although I'm definitely not the intended audience, I had a lot of fun and read it during an afternoon read-a-thon.

Sanity and Tallulah are friends on board a space station where they live with their parents and get in all kinds of trouble together. Sanity is a scientist and, sneaking into a lab when she really shouldn't be working alone, creates an experimental kitty named Princess, Sparkle, Destroyer of Worlds. The kitten also happens to have three heads and is promptly named a monster by those in charge when she escapes. Of course, the two girls take it upon themselves to find her before the people hunting her down do. I loved Sanity, Tallulah, and the three headed kitten! The girls are smart, brave, and (of course) a lot mischievous.

This story actually had quite a bit going on to be such a short graphic novel. There's adventure and mystery and it even gets a little scary (although it stays lighthearted). While Sanity and Tallulah are searching for their cat, trying to figure out what's happening within the space station, and save it, there are other adventures happening in other parts of space. I hope this is a series, because I'd definitely love to see more of what goes on in this universe!

One of my favorite things about this book was that it centered around two girls who loved the sciences and were encouraged by their scientific community to learn. I think it's so important for young girls to read about characters like this! I honestly don't recall any books I read growing up with girl scientists... I've already got this wrapped for my pre-teen niece!

Graphic Novel Review: Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani

Title: Pashmina
Author: Nidhi Chanani
Publication Date: October 3, 2017
Publisher: First Second
Pages: 176
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//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

Priyanka Das has so many unanswered questions: Why did her mother abandon her home in India years ago? What was it like there? And most importantly, who is her father, and why did her mom leave him behind? But Pri's mom avoids these questions--the topic of India is permanently closed.

For Pri, her mother's homeland can only exist in her imagination. That is, until she find a mysterious pashmina tucked away in a forgotten suitcase. When she wraps herself in it, she is transported to a place more vivid and colorful than any guidebook or Bollywood film. But is this the real India? And what is that shadow lurking in the background? To learn the truth, Pri must travel farther than she's ever dared and find the family she never knew.

In this heartwarming graphic novel debut, Nidhi Chanani weaves a tale about the hardship and self-discovery that is born from juggling two cultures and two worlds.

Not too long ago I received mystery package in the mail and inside that package was Pashmina, a beautiful graphic novel about an Indian-American girl who desperately wants to know more about the country her mother is from. I wasn't sure what to expect when I opened it and I will totally admit this is not a book I would usually pick up, but I am so glad Pashmina found its way to my doorstep!

Priyanka is an incredibly relatable main character. She wants to know more about her background, especially why her mother left India, and isn't satisfied with her mom's non-answers. When she finds an old pashmina in an old suitcase, she finally has the chance to learn something of India, but in a totally gorgeous and magical way! I loved following Pri on her journey for answers about her family and herself, both through her magical pashmina and in real life.

The way this book discusses different cultures, religions, and types of families was perfect. Priyanka was forced to face the non-magical elements of her heritage and daily life in India and the author did a great job of encapsulating the emotions Priyanka felt. I also really enjoyed the different relationships Pashmina explores, especially between Pri and her aunt.

Of course, we have to talk about the art! I absolutely judge a book by its cover and I also judge a graphic novel by its art style. There are some I won't touch with a ten foot pole, but Pashmina was absolutely gorgeous! There was a distinct difference between the real world and the magical world of the pashmina and both had their own merits. I loved the way the art made the story come to life.

There were times I found myself a little bored with Pashmina, but overall I thought it was a very well-written coming of age story. This is definitely a book I would buy for my ten-year-old niece. In fact, I just added it to my Christmas shopping list (but don't tell her)! 

Audiobook Review: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Title: The Iron Trial (Magisterium #1)
Author: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Publication Date: September 9, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 295
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Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.

Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.

All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.

So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing.

Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.

The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come...

I'm going to set up this review a bit differently than most. I'm going to jump right in with the issues I found in The Iron Trial, and save the plot summary for a bit later. I typically try to discuss my positive thoughts first, before going into my negatives, but I have absolutely nothing positive to say about this book. So here we go...

My biggest complaint about The Iron Trial is that it is a complete and total rip-off of the Harry Potter series. But it is also a completely horrible book on its own. Let's discuss its problems outside the realm of Harry Potter first.

Oh my goodness, this book was bad. It was so absolutely boring that listening to it at two times the normal speed was too slow for me. Our main characters literally spend chapters sorting sand into two piles. You read that right. I said chapters. CHAPTERS. Ok, fine, this somehow taught the students an important lesson about their magic. But did it seriously have to last that long? That just tells me that the authors couldn't think of anything more exciting to write, so they just went, "Hey, ten chapters of sand sorting sounds good to me! Gotta get that word count up before the next deadline!" (I don't know if it was actually ten chapters, but it was an absurdly long amount of time that was completely unnecessary and utterly boring.) The characters were also boring and flat. They would occasionally try to make jokes or use witty banter, but they just weren't funny at all. The writing in general was just plain awful.

Ok, now for the good stuff. Let's discuss the similarities between The Iron Trial and Harry Potter. Now before you get all upset and say, "But MC, coming-of-age wizard boarding school stories are all over the place now! Of course there will be some similarities between the books, but that doesn't make them all the same!" - let me tell you something. I ADORE any type of story that is like Harry Potter. I will devour every single "boy goes to magical school, learns to cast spells and fight the bad guys, discovers he is the Chosen One (but couldn't have saved the world without his trusty best friends)" story that you hand me. And I don't care how much they resemble Harry Potter. But if you are going to basically COPY ANOTHER BOOK and call it your own, then we have a problem.

Where do I even start? Our main character Harry Call was just an infant when he found himself at the massacre of numerous wizards mages. He was injured, leaving him with a scar (on his leg.) His mother died protecting him. Because of her sacrifice, Call has grown up and now has the same dark, messy mop of hair as his father. He has been raised outside of the magical world, but everyone in the magical world knows who he is. When he gets chosen to attend the Magisterium, he is partnered with Aaron, an orphaned boy (I see what you did there, Holly and Cassandra. "If we make a DIFFERENT character an orphan, no one will see what we did!" WE SEE YOU.), and Hermione Tamara, a know-it-all girl. The three become the very best of friends and get into all kinds of shenanigans together.

OH, and did I forget to mention the bad guy in this story? Well let me introduce you to Voldemort the Enemy of Death, a mage who went bad. He wanted to conquer death, live forever, and bring the dead back to life. How did he manage to do this? I won't tell you the exact manner because of spoilers, but he basically uses the same tactics as our good old friend, Voldemort. By the way, did you know that in French, Voldemort means "flight from death?" COME ON. Flight from death. Enemy of Death. We see you Holly and Cassandra. WE. SEE. YOU.

I think it is safe to say that I did not like this book one bit. Even discounting the Harry Potter ordeal, the book was completely awful on its own. But the fact that two successful, highly-acclaimed, (supposedly) talented authors got together and couldn't come up with a single original thought is horrendous. I know Cassandra Clare has been involved in plagiarism scandals before, and, to be honest, I haven't paid much attention to them. I don't know any of the details involved. But after reading The Iron Trial, these allegations have a bit more light shed on them. This read like a poorly written fan fiction, but it is even more of a travesty because it was written by two authors who were clearly just trying to get a paycheck and didn't want to put in the effort to come up with their own story. 

This book does not deserve a rating

Audiobook Review: The Secret Horses of Briar Hill by Megan Shepherd

Title: The Secret Horses of Briar Hill
Author: Megan Shepherd
Publication Date: October 11, 2016
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 220
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There are winged horses that live in the mirrors of Briar Hill hospital. In the mirrors that line its grand hallways, which once belonged to a princess. In those that reflect the elegant rooms, now filled with sick children. It is her secret.

One morning, when Emmaline climbs over the wall of the hospital’s abandoned gardens, she discovers something incredible: a white horse with broken wings has left the mirror-world and entered her own.

Tucked into the garden’s once-gleaming sundial, Emmaline finds a letter from the Horse Lord. He is hiding the wounded white horse, named Foxfire, from a dark and sinister force—a Black Horse who hunts by colorless moonlight. If Emmaline is to keep the Black Horse from finding her new friend, she must collect colorful objects with which to blind him. But where can Emmaline find color when her world is filled with gray?

Emmaline lives in Briar Hill Hospital, a building that once housed a princess and now houses sick children. Emmaline has a secret - there are winged horses that live in the mirrors at Briar Hill, and only Emmaline can see them. While sneaking around the grounds one day, Emmaline stumbles across a beautiful white winged horse with an injured wing. She then receives a letter from the Horse Lord, explaining that the injured horse, Foxfire, is hiding from the mysterious Black Horse. The Horse Lord urges Emmaline to help save Foxfire by gathering as much color as she can to deter the Black Horse. Emmaline then goes on a hunt through the bleak halls of Briar Hill to find color and save Foxfire.

I had never heard of The Secret Horses of Briar Hill, but when I was looking for a quick and easy audiobook, I figured I would give it a try. I am so glad I did. This book was so lovely. It was enchanting, yet heartbreaking, and beautifully written. I have never read any books by Megan Shepherd before, but now I definitely want to give some of her young adult books a try.

Emmaline is our narrator throughout this story, but she is quite an unreliable one. We never really know if the mysterious horses that she sees in the mirrors actually exist, or if what she sees is a coping mechanism to help her deal with her illness. Regardless, going on this adventure with Emmaline is so much fun. Her belief in the horses is so strong and her desire to save Foxfire so real that the reader gets sucked into her quest and roots for her to succeed.

One of my favorite things about this book was the beautiful way that dark themes were handled in something aimed at a younger audience. The children that occupy Briar Hill Hospital are all sick - mostly with tuberculosis - and will most likely all die at a young age. Not only are these children facing their illnesses, but they are also living during the height of World War II. They have all been separated from their families. Some have already lost family members to the war, and some may die before the war is over. These children have to learn how to face their own mortality, while also mourning their family members and trying to understand the scope of what is happening in the world around them. These are all things that no child should ever have to deal with at such a young age. Megan Shepherd does a fantastic job of explaining these themes in ways that young readers can understand and cope with.

While the audiobook was lovely, I appear to have once again missed out on beautiful illustrations in the physical book. I wish I had been able to see the illustrations as I was listening to this story. I think it would have added a layer of whimsy to the story and really enhanced the reading experience. I definitely recommend The Secret Horses of Briar Hill for readers both young and old. I will most certainly be checking out some of Megan Shepherd's other works in the future.

Graphic Novel Sampler Review: First Second Fall 2017

I received the First Second Sampler in the Fall Fierce Reads box and, I'll admit, I wasn't quite sure how to review it. How exactly does one review samples of multiple graphic novels? But I'll do my best to tell you about this cute little sampler and the content inside!

There are fifteen separate samplers inside this little book and SO many of them drew me right in! The art varies wildly, as does the content, but there are definitely a few that I'm interested to know more about. Here are my more complete thoughts on some of the stand-out stories I can't wait to get my hands on:

Title: The Dam Keeper
Authors: Robert Kondo & Dice Tsutsumi
Publication Date: September 26, 2017
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Life in Sunrise Valley is tranquil, but beyond its borders lies certain death. A dangerous black fog looms outside the village, but its inhabitants are kept safe by an ingenious machine known as the dam. Pig’s father built the dam and taught him how to maintain it. And then this brilliant inventor did the unthinkable: he walked into the fog and was never seen again.

Now Pig is the dam keeper. Except for his best friend, Fox, and the town bully, Hippo, few are aware of his tireless efforts. But a new threat is on the horizon—a tidal wave of black fog is descending on Sunrise Valley. Now Pig, Fox, and Hippo must face the greatest danger imaginable: the world on the other side of the dam.

Based on the Oscar-nominated animated short film of the same name, The Dam Keeper is a lush, vibrantly drawn graphic novel by Tonko House cofounders Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi.

This is the first sample in this book and the art completely blew me away! It has the same feeling as a few indie horror video games and is actually described as a "spooky story." Even though it's marketed to ages 7 and up, this is one I'm definitely going to have to get my hands on!

Title: Cici's Journal: The Adventures of a Writer-In-Training
Author & Illustrator:  Joris Chamblain, Aurélie Neyret
Publication Date: November 7, 2017
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Cici dreams of being a novelist. Her favorite subject: people, especially adults. She’s been watching them and taking notes. Everybody has one special secret, Cici figures, and if you want to write about people, you need to understand what’s hiding inside them. But now she’s discovered something truly strange: an old man who disappears into the forest every Sunday with huge pots of paint in all sorts of colors. What is he up to? Why does he look so sad when he comes back?

In a graphic novel interwoven with journal notes, scrapbook pieces, and doodles, Cici assembles clues about the odd and wonderful people she’s uncovered, even as she struggles to understand the mundane: her family and friends.

Cici's Journal was another that completely pulled me in with its gorgeous art - that cover does NOT do it justice! From the small sample I read, this is a really unique story about an old man who paints gorgeous animal murals in the forest. I know there must be a lot more to this story and I'd really love to find out what it is!

Title: Mighty Jack and the Goblin King
Author: Ben Hatke
Publication Date: September 5, 2017
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In the thrilling conclusion of Mighty Jack - desperate to rescue Maddy, who has been kidnapped by an ogre, Jack and Lilly travel through vines and stalk into a world where giants grind the bones of human children to feed their "beast," while a fearsome goblin king rules the sewers down below. 

So apparently this is part two in a series, which I totally didn't realize while I was reading it. I am a SUCKER for gorgeous art, in case you hadn't figured that out, and this sample had one illustration in particular that made me definitely want to know more about this story and this world. I may be picking up part one of this soon!

Title: Castle in the Stars: The Space Race of 1869
Author: Alex Alice
Publication Date: September 12, 2017
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This one is Jules Verne meets Miyazaki. It’s the space race in 1869 in a kind of alternate past. … When you see the book itself, it’s this big, oversized object with this incredible watercolor comics style, and it’s this really big, epic, sweeping story of a boy following in his mother’s discovery and then opening up the solar system, but in the age of the 1800s. It’s got a kind of steampunk but also a kind of young, classic children’s story feel to it.

The last one I'll talk about is Castle in the Stars. While the beautiful, intricate art definitely drew me in,  I was incredibly intrigued by the story! This is about a young boy named Seraphin whose mother has disappeared. He has an obsession with space travel via hot air balloon (?) and is determined to find his mother again when a letter comes from a stranger promising a mysterious task. I'm definitely curious to see what the task is!

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ADDITIONAL STORIES IN THIS SAMPLER

Recess Warriors 2

Cucumber Quest: The Doughnut Kingdom

Pelé: The King of Soccer

Robots & Repeats

Science Comics: Dogs

Cast No Shadow

Pashmina

Spinning

Demon, Volume 4

Head Games

The Hunting Accident

This gorgeous sampler really has something for everyone! There were stories ranging from middle grade contemporary to adult true crime and everything in between. I had never heard of this graphic novel publisher before this sampler, but I definitely will be keeping an eye on their books in the future!

Audiobook Review: Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver

Title: Liesl & Po
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publication Date: October 4, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 307
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Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice,until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.

That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable.

Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes a luminous and magnificent novel that glows with rare magic, ghostly wonders, and a true friendship that lights even the darkest of places.

Liesl has been locked in the attic by her stepmother ever since her father got sick. Her beloved father passed away three days ago, and Liesl is in mourning when suddenly she notices something moving in the shadows. She is visited by Po and their companion, Bundle, from the Other Side. Meanwhile, Will, an alchemist's apprentice and bungler of all things important, accidentally misplaces a box of very powerful magic. Through mishap after mishap, Liesl and Will have to team up with Po and Bundle to keep the magic from the evil Lady Premiere and bring Liesl's father (and his spirit) to his final resting place.

One of the reasons that I occasionally enjoy reading middle grade novels is that everything is simpler in the innocence of childhood. There are no brooding romances to deal with, and if the world needs saving, it is usually handled with humor and shenanigans. That is exactly what Liesl & Po delivered, but also with some touching lessons about love and loss that people of all ages can appreciate.

The characters in this book were so dynamic and wonderful. Liesl was determined and strong, but also an artist and a dreamer with her head in the clouds. Will was hilariously clumsy and generally bad at everything. Po and Bundle were quirky and cute and made you love them right from the start. I was rooting for everyone to succeed in this book (except for the evil Lady Premiere and Liesl's stepmother, of course).

I am very torn about my suggestion for which medium to choose to read this book. The audiobook was lovely, and was narrated by Jim Dale, the narrator of all the Harry Potter books, and in my opinion, the greatest narrator of all time. He has a fantastic way of giving each character their own personality, and listening to him felt nostalgic and really sucked me into the story. However, I missed out on what are apparently wonderful illustrations in the physical copy. After reading the book, I saw a few of the illustrations, and I wish I had been able to see them while I was reading. It would have added so much more to the story. I am happy I read the audiobook, but I would love to check out the physical copy as well.

Ultimately, Liesl & Po was a wonderful little book that explored the innocence of childhood and what it means to grow up. It dealt with love and loss beautifully, while also maintaining some adventure and humor. I primarily read YA works, but I think a part of my heart will always belong to middle grade. Liesl & Po is a perfect example of why I love these types of stories. There is so much that can be said and learned about the world through the eyes of a child. Sometimes we all get too caught up in growing up and living our adult lives, and we forget to look around and notice the magic surrounding us every day. It's nice to be reminded of the little joys in life, and Liesl & Po did just that.

ARC Review: The Gauntlet by Karuna Riazi

Title: The Gauntlet
Author: Karuna Riazi
Publication Date: March 28, 2017
Publisher: Salaam Reads
Pages: 384
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A trio of friends from New York City find themselves trapped inside a mechanical board game that they must dismantle in order to save themselves and generations of other children in this action-packed debut that’s a steampunk Jumanji with a Middle Eastern flair.

When twelve-year-old Farah and her two best friends get sucked into a mechanical board game called The Gauntlet of Blood and Sand—a puzzle game akin to a large Rubik’s cube—they know it’s up to them to defeat the game’s diabolical architect in order to save themselves and those who are trapped inside, including her baby brother Ahmed. But first they have to figure out how.

Under the tutelage of a lizard guide named Henrietta Peel and an aeronaut Vijay, the Farah and her friends battle camel spiders, red scorpions, grease monkeys, and sand cats as they prepare to face off with the maniacal Lord Amari, the man behind the machine. Can they defeat Amari at his own game…or will they, like the children who came before them, become cogs in the machine?

Farah and her brother Ahmed love to play games. Any and all games. The only problem is that Farah always has to let Ahmed win. So when she gets an opportunity to play a new, mysterious game, The Gauntlet of Blood and Sand, with her friends (and without Ahmed), Farah jumps at the chance without thinking. Her hasty decision causes some problems, however, and soon Farah and her friends find themselves trapped inside the game. They have to beat the game if they ever want to be free again. And they have to save Ahmed, who got himself trapped as well. Oh, and there's one more little problem...no one has ever beaten the Gauntlet.

When I first picked up The Gauntlet, I was really excited. The comparison to the story of Jumanji caught my eye and I was excited for the Middle Eastern representation in a Middle Grade story. But ultimately, I was really disappointed in The Gauntlet. The story had a lot of potential, but it fell very flat. I should include a disclaimer, however - I read the ARC and it was about 300 pages long, but on Goodreads the book is listed as 384 pages. It is very possible that a lot has changed and developed between the ARC and the finished copy, but I have to write this review based on what I read.

The characters were....ok. They weren't awful, but they weren't spectacular either. I didn't end up feeling any kind of connection to them at all. Ahmed was really annoying. Yes, he had ADHD, so I understand that the author was trying to represent that properly. But his entire family let him win every game they played with him to keep him happy. And every time someone received a gift, they gave one to Ahmed too, so he didn't get jealous and throw a tantrum. The result of all these things was that Ahmed became a seriously obnoxious brat. I almost decided not to finish the book very early on because he was SO ANNOYING. There were also some inconsistencies with some character traits that I think prevented me from really connecting with the characters. For example, Farah's friend Alex is terrified of heights. Yet, when he is granted a wish, he wishes to fly. Things like this left me confused and kept me from gaining an understanding for the characters.

The plot itself was fun and had a lot of potential, but it fell pretty flat. Especially in a Middle Grade work with Middle Eastern influences, I was expecting the author to use the opportunity to teach kids about other cultures. There were a lot of things that were glossed over, so I was left wondering what they were talking about. Even as an adult, I would have loved to get lost in the Middle Eastern culture, but barely anything was explained or expanded upon. I can foresee a lot of kids getting confused while reading this. Again, perhaps there was more description included in the final copy, but I can't say that for certain.

Ultimately, I ended up being extremely disappointed in The Gauntlet. There were many times that I almost put it down and decided not to finish it. I almost wish I had done that because the book never got better and left me wishing I had spent that time reading something I would enjoy more. I am so sad that I didn’t like this book, because it had such great potential and represents an important step forward in Middle Grade literature. Unfortunately, I wish it had been handled better. I am rarely ever disappointed by Middle Grade books, but The Gauntlet had too many problems for me to ignore.

Audiobook review: Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Title: Coraline
Author: Neil Gaiman
Narrator: Neil Gaiman
Publication Date: August 4, 2002
Publisher: HarperCollins
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Coraline lives with her preoccupied parents in part of a huge old house--a house so huge that other people live in it, too... round, old former actresses Miss Spink and Miss Forcible and their aging Highland terriers ("We trod the boards, luvvy") and the mustachioed old man under the roof ("'The reason you cannot see the mouse circus,' said the man upstairs, 'is that the mice are not yet ready and rehearsed.'") Coraline contents herself for weeks with exploring the vast garden and grounds. But with a little rain she becomes bored--so bored that she begins to count everything blue (153), the windows (21), and the doors (14). And it is the 14th door that--sometimes blocked with a wall of bricks--opens up for Coraline into an entirely alternate universe. Now, if you're thinking fondly of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe or Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, you're on the wrong track. Neil Gaiman's Coraline is far darker, far stranger, playing on our deepest fears. And, like Roald Dahl's work, it is delicious.

What's on the other side of the door? A distorted-mirror world, containing presumably everything Coraline has ever dreamed of... people who pronounce her name correctly (not "Caroline"), delicious meals (not like her father's overblown "recipes"), an unusually pink and green bedroom (not like her dull one), and plenty of horrible (very un-boring) marvels, like a man made out of live rats. The creepiest part, however, is her mirrored parents, her "other mother" and her "other father"--people who look just like her own parents, but with big, shiny, black button eyes, paper-white skin... and a keen desire to keep her on their side of the door. To make creepy creepier, Coraline has been illustrated masterfully in scritchy, terrifying ink drawings by British mixed-media artist and Sandman cover illustrator Dave McKean. This delightful, funny, haunting, scary as heck, fairy-tale novel is about as fine as they come. Highly recommended. 

Let me start by saying this: if the blurb on the book cover calls it "One of the most frightening books ever written," I expect to be shaking in my boots. Now, I get that Coraline is a children's book, but I have seen this on so many "best of" horror lists that I just had to give it a try during the Halloween season! It's worth pointing out that this was also my first Gaiman book so I didn't really know what I was getting into, although I know his reputation.

Coraline is about a girl who lives in a really weird house with another really weird house on the other side of a bricked up door. Coraline was a fun character, if a little, um... weird. The real fun starts when she does exactly what she should not do by visiting the other side of the door in the room she isn't supposed to be in to begin with. There lives her other mother and other father, a couple super unnerving folks who want her to forget about her real parents and stay with them forever. Coraline meets other characters including a talking cat and a bunch of singing rats who help her on the way to get back to her world.

I really did want to know more about the other mother. While she was a super creepy villain, I never felt like I really understood who she was or why she was evil to begin with. All villains have some kind of backstory, but not the other mother. Why is she living on the other side of the bricked up door and what is her purpose? Maybe I just totally missed that.

Honestly, this is just a really weird book. The world building is spectacular, though! Neil Gaiman really knows how to create a world that's unique and creepy right from the first page. The characters are all intriguing even though we never get to know them super well. What this book is not, however, is horror. I see now on Goodreads that the first genre listed is fantasy and that is much more accurate.

One thing I did really enjoy about this book was that Neil Gaiman himself performed the audio. I always wonder when listening to audiobooks if the author actually intended the characters to be presented in the way the narrators are interpreting them. The audio here portrays the strange, whimsical feelings that Gaiman obviously wanted to get across to the reader and it was awesome.

I enjoyed Coraline for what it was - a creepy children's book. I liked the characters and thought the villain was pretty great! I also really liked the world and the cat. I just expected more from a book that's blurbed as one of the most frightening ever written. I feel like there's a bit of nostalgia that goes along with Coraline and if I had read it when I was younger perhaps I could have appreciated it more. As it stands, I did like it, but really hoped for something a bit more scary!

ARC Review: Serafina and the Twisted Staff by Robert Beatty

Title: Serafina and the Twisted Staff (Serafina #2)
Author: Robert Beatty
Publication Date: July 12, 2016
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 384
Add to Goodreads
Review for book 1

//This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

Serafina's defeat of the Man in the Black Cloak has brought her out of the shadows and into the daylight realm of her home, Biltmore Estate. Every night she visits her mother in the forest, eager to learn the ways of the catamount. But Serafina finds herself caught between her two worlds: she's too wild for Biltmore's beautifully dressed ladies and formal customs, and too human to fully join her kin.

Late one night, Serafina encounters a strange and terrifying figure in the forest, and is attacked by the vicious wolfhounds that seem to be under his control. Even worse, she's convinced that the stranger was not alone, that he has sent his accomplice into Biltmore in disguise.

Someone is wreaking havoc at the estate. A mysterious series of attacks test Serafina's role as Biltmore's protector, culminating in a tragedy that tears Serafina's best friend and only ally, Braeden Vanderbilt, from her side. Heartbroken, she flees.

Deep in the forest, Serafina comes face-to-face with the evil infecting Biltmore-and discovers its reach is far greater than she'd ever imagined. All the humans and creatures of the Blue Ridge Mountains are in terrible danger. For Serafina to defeat this new evil before it engulfs her beloved home, she must search deep inside herself and embrace the destiny that has always awaited her.

Serafina and the Black Cloak was one of my favorite books of 2015, which was truly surprising since I don't actually review a lot of middle grade fiction. Originally (correct me if I'm wrong) it was only meant to be a standalone book. Luckily for all of us, Serafina was so well received that she got a second book! When Serafina and the Twisted Staff was announced I knew I had to see what happened next!

This book picks up not too long after the first left off. During our time away, Serafina has spent a lot of time with her mother wandering the woods and learning about her catamount nature. Although she hasn't succeeded in shifting to her cat form yet, she is determined to get it right eventually. But when a new danger comes to the woods near the Biltmore, her mother sends her away to keep her safe. Since we're talking about though, she decides to meet it head-on instead.

Serafina in the first book in this series was a lot of fun to get to know. She was seemingly fearless and was just a really interesting character. While I learned a lot about her then, now I feel like she's had a lot more opportunity to grow and develop. At the beginning of the Twisted Staff, Serafina is still prowling around in the walls and vents, sleeping during the day, and generally keeping out of sight of the rest of the house's inhabitants. She is hesitant of interacting with others (especially Rowena, the newest guest) and still sees herself as other. By then end, she has grown to accept herself and has become much, much more confident in her unique abilities!

Braeden also has the chance to come into his own in this second installment. In the first book we get the sense that he is a lover of animals and communicates with them perhaps more easily than with humans. This time around we get to see him fully understand his gifts while seeing his friendship with Serafina develop. I love these two together! While they seem to be from two totally different worlds in the beginning, their relationship really becomes something special and kind of adorable.

When I found out about this book I wondered what the new Big Bad would be and how it would fit in after the Man in the Black Cloak. I was a little worried that the story wouldn't be quite as good as the first, but it was awesome! Robert Beatty has created yet another unique and terrifying villain. While this is middle grade, I would say it's the upper end of middle grade and contains some frightening scenes and imagery... and I loved it!

My one issue with the story was that there were certain things that seemed to have been intended as twists or revelations that were extremely predictable and not surprising at all. Then again, if I was reading this as a child, there's a much better chance I would have been taken by surprise? I just don't think that one or two of the reveals was quite as exciting as they were intended to be. Still, there were a couple that shocked even me, which I really appreciate in a book!

Once again, the Biltmore and it's surrounding landscapes made fantastic settings for this book. It's very obvious that Robert Beatty knows what he's talking about and has done his homework when it comes to Biltmore! I enjoyed getting to discover even more locations than I did in the first book.

Serafina and the Twisted Staff is a fantastic addition to Serafina's story. I'm not sure if there are any current plans for a third book, but it seemed like this one ended in such a way that another book would possible. I really hope to get the chance to see what happens next and I'd definitely recommend this one to those who enjoy middle grade fantasy with a bit of a thrill!

Paper to Popcorn #3: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets book vs. movie

//DISCLAIMER: JK Rowling is no longer reviewed or promoted by Cornerfolds.com following her repeated transphobia//

Welcome to Paper to Popcorn! Paper to Popcorn is not be your typical book vs. movie comparison. The focus is on retellings, although there will be some features of movie vs. the source material. Each chosen book/movie combo will battle it out in a showdown to prove which one is the best on its own merits. Posts will feature reviews of both the film and book, rating scales, a brief outline of differences between the two, and characters, and ultimately a victor will be chosen.

This week I'm featuring Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets book vs. movie

The Book

Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publication Date: July 2, 1998
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books
Pages: 360
Add to Goodreads
Review for book 1

All Harry Potter wants is to get away from the Dursleys and go back to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby - who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.

But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone--or something--starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects... Harry Potter himself.

Book two picks up just as Harry is preparing to return to Hogwarts. His summer has been miserable with the Dursleys and he hasn't heard from his friends in months! Miserable and lonely, Harry meets a new character who I'd honestly forgotten was such a nuisance early on - Dobby the house elf. Thus begins the delightful second chapter of Harry Potter.

I. Love. These. Books. Honestly, I could end my review there, but I won't. Harry Potter is such a rare exception to my usual reading preference! I don't usually care for humor in books. You might think that makes me cold hearted, but I just really prefer other aspects of books more than jokes and silly situations. But what J.K. Rowling does with this series blends humor along with mystery, action, and adventure so seamlessly that I found myself laughing out loud on multiple occasions throughout the Chamber of Secrets and being totally charmed by it! Her writing is so unique and amazing!

Hermione is much more likable in book two, thank goodness. She is still a little goody two-shoes for my taste, but her redeeming qualities far outweigh the annoying ones. At least she breaks a few rules this time! Harry continues to learn more about himself and his connection to Voldemort, which is really interesting to read the second time around, knowing what will happen later on and being able to piece it all together. Ron continues to be a hilarious character who I always feel a little sorry for (hopefully he gets a new wand soon)!

Ginny, though... I know that she grows a lot through the series, but good grief she's dumb in this book. I can't help feeling that she acts much more immature than Harry, Ron, and Hermione did in their first year at Hogwarts, but maybe being the baby in the family will do that to a person. Professor Lockhart is so repulsive! I was right there with Ron and Harry gagging every time the man opened his mouth! Rowling definitely has a gift for bringing characters to life! As always, Dumbledore makes me smile and Draco makes me cringe... I could go on and on about all the other characters, but I'll stop there.

Reading this book again makes me wish (again) that I had read them as a child - before seeing the movies. Even though I had forgotten a lot of the details, I can't imagine what it would have been like experiencing the story for the first time by reading the books with no clue about what the Chamber of Secrets was! If, like me, you missed out on this one as a child, I highly recommend you give it a try now! You'll regret waiting so long.

Characters	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Setting	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Writing	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Storyline	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Cover	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Overall Rating	1/5	2/5	3/5	4/5	5/5

The Movie

Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Director: Chris Columbus
Actors: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint
Release Date: November 15, 2002
Runtime: 161 minutes
View on IMDB

Youthful wizard Harry Potter returns to the screen in this, the second film adaptation of J.K. Rowling's wildly popular series of novels for young people. Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) return for a second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where Headmaster Dumbledore (Richard Harris), Professor Snape (Alan Rickman), Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith), and Hagrid the Giant (Robbie Coltrane) are joined by new faculty members Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh), a self-centered expert in Defense against the Dark Arts, and Sprout (Miriam Margolyes), who teaches Herbology. However, it isn't long before Harry and company discover something is amiss at Hogwarts: Students are petrified like statues, threats are written in blood on the walls, and a deadly monster is on the loose. It seems that someone has opened the mysterious Chamber of Secrets, letting loose the monster and all its calamitous powers. As Harry, Ron, and Hermione set out to find the secret chamber and slay the beast, speculation is rife that one of the heirs of Salazar Slytherin, the co-founder of the school, opened the chamber as a warning against the presence of "mudbloods" (magic-users of impure lineage) at the school -- and that the culprit may be fellow student Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton). Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets featured Richard Harris' second and final appearance as Headmaster Dumbledore; he died less than a month before the film was released in the United States.

The Chamber of Secrets has always sat in the middle of the scale for me as far as Harry Potter movies go. I do feel like it adds a lot of information to the overarching plot of the series, so it's very important in that sense, but the film itself is just... strange somehow and I can't quite put my finger on it. They do retain a kind of whimsical child-like quality that I attribute to their being directed by Chris Columbus, and I think that's okay since the characters are only twelve at this point.

One area I faulted The Sorcerer's Stone was its cinematography, mainly in the CGI department. Luckily, by 2002 they seem to have worked out a lot of the kinks, although it's by no means perfect. There are some awkward Dobby moments where he's very obviously not actually standing on anything. Quidditch has gotten a huge upgrade and no longer looks like a video game and the basilisk was very convincing! There were some pretty terrible CGI aspects though - the spiders come immediately to mind. I still can't quite figure out, though, why the graphics aren't of higher quality, especially considering Lord of the Rings was being released around the same time and holds up MUCH better than this. But it's still a huge improvement over the first movie.

The actors also seem to improved some in the year from the first film's release. Daniel Radcliff, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson are still really overacting, but it is toned down a bit from The Sorcerer's Stone. Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) is one of my favorite love-to-hate actors in The Chamber of Secrets. He's so despicably bad that I can't help but give him high marks! (See what I did there?) As always, Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith are my absolute favorites, at least at this point in the series.

Like with the first movie, I had some problems with the way this one was translated onto the screen and felt like some things were left out that didn't necessarily need to be, although I can appreciate time restraints. Overall, though, I felt like it was adapted pretty well. The music was obviously perfect, as it will remain throughout all eight films!

Movies one and two are probably the lowest on my list if I were to rank the Harry Potter series, but they're necessary to get to the really good ones. Just as twelve year olds experience growing pains, so did the films have to work through their issues in the early years. They're still fantastic, magical films and you should see them if you haven't already!

Cast	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Cinematography	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Screenplay	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Performances	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Music	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Overall Rating	1/5	2/5	3/5	4/5	5/5

Noteable Differences

• In the book Harry eavesdrops on Lucius Malfoy doing questionable business with Borgin, but this is not in the movie. 
• There's a crazy train chase scene where Harry almost falls to his death in the movie that is not in the book. 
• Several scenes with Professor Lockhart are left out of the film.
• Nearly Headless Nick has a huge "death day" celebration in the book, but it's completely left out of the film. 
• Professor Binns, the ghost teacher of History of Magic, is not in the movie. 
• In the book, the potions book Hermione needs for the polyjuice potion is in the restricted section (because it contains such dangerous potions) and they need a note from a teacher to check it out. Hermione also steals ingredients from Professor Snape. In the movie the book is in the main library and it isn't said how the ingredients were acquired. 
• Only Harry and Draco duel in the movie, but in the book all of the students are paired. 
• In the book Professor Lockhart throws a big Valentine's Day party to boost morale and Harry receives a singing Valentine, but this is left out of the film. 
• Throughout the book Ginny acts very strange and jumpy, but in the movie she acts mostly normal. 
• The size of the basilisk is greatly exaggerated in the movie. 
• In the book the statue of Salazar Slytherin is full size, but in the movie it's only a (really weird) head. 
• The basilisk fight is a lot less dramatic in the book than in the movie. 
• The way Dobby receives the sock from Lucius Malfoy and is freed is slightly different in the movie. 

The Bottom Line

While the book is pure magic (just like it's predecessor), the movie has always seemed like it was (only very) slightly off somehow. Perhaps it would be more exciting for a child watching it for the first time. The bottom line is I don't love Chris Columbus' directing style and the movies definitely get better with director number two. Because of that, combined with still-iffy CGI and semi-ridiculous performances from our child stars, the book comes out on top, yet again!

Paper to Popcorn #1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

//DISCLAIMER: JK Rowling is no longer reviewed or promoted by Cornerfolds.com following her repeated transphobia//

Welcome to a brand new Cornerfolds feature! Paper to Popcorn will not be your typical book vs. movie comparison, or at least that is not all it will be. Each featured book/movie combo will battle it out in a showdown to prove which one is the best (at least in my obviously humble opinion).

Each will feature what are essentially mini-reviews of both the film and book in question, a brief outline of differences between the book and film adaptation, will rate the two on the basic (but important) aspects of setting, plot, and characters, and ultimately a victor will be chosen.

The Book

Title: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Author: JK Rowling
Publication Date: June 26, 1997
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books
Pages: 332
Add to Goodreads

When a letter arrives for unhappy but ordinary Harry Potter, a decade-old secret is revealed to him that apparently he's the last to know. His parents were wizards, killed by a Dark Lord's curse when Harry was just a baby, and which he somehow survived. Leaving his unsympathetic aunt and uncle for Hogwarts, a wizarding school brimming with ghosts and enchantments, Harry stumbles upon a sinister mystery when he finds a three-headed dog guarding a room on the third floor. Then he hears of a missing stone with astonishing powers which could be valuable, dangerous - or both. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

These new editions of the classic and internationally bestselling, multi-award-winning series feature instantly pick-up-able new jackets with huge child appeal, to bring Harry Potter to the next generation of readers. It's time to PASS THE MAGIC ON .

There is something magical about Harry Potter that I really can't understand. I never got to read it as a child for... reasons. But I did FINALLY get to watch the movies starting in late 2006. Then, in 2011, something amazing happened... I read the series for the first time and fell in love. I've never quite understood re-reads though and I never thought I'd give Harry another glance other than having as many gorgeous editions as possible lining my shelves. But then something worked itself loose in my noggin and I changed my mind. Thus began the great Harry Potter re-read of 2015.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is magic. I know that's pretty cheesy to say about a book that's literally about magic, but I don't know any other way to describe it. As I was reading this book I thought to myself (on several occasions), "How did J.K. Rowling think this stuff up?!" And reading it for the second time is even better because you can see how intertwined everything really is all the way through book seven.

I cannot think of one thing to complain about in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and you can rest assured it isn't nostalgia talking. This is just good storytelling, plain and simple. The characters are sympathetic (even Hermione later on, although she starts as a nightmare), the world building is spectacular, and I was totally sucked back into the world of Harry Potter from page one. And can we take a second to appreciate these awesome new UK covers? The artwork is absolutely gorgeous!

Knowing now how amazing these books are makes me really sad that I never got to experience them from a child's perspective. Despite that, I am so glad I DID get to read them as an adult and I have finally discovered what everyone loves so much about re-reads! I can't wait to pick up book two!

Characters	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Setting	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Writing	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Storyline	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Cover	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Overall Rating	1/5	2/5	3/5	4/5	5/5

The Movie

Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Director: Chris Columbus
Actors: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint
Release Date: November 16, 2001
Runtime: 152 minutes
View on Rotten Tomatoes

The best-selling novel by J.K. Rowling (titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in England, as was this film adaptation) becomes this hotly anticipated fantasy adventure from Chris Columbus, the winner of a high-stakes search for a director to bring the first in a hoped-for franchise of Potter films to the screen by Warner Bros. Upon his 11th birthday, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), who lives in misery with an aunt and uncle that don't want him, learns from a giant named Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) that he is the orphaned son of powerful wizards. Harry is offered a place at prestigious Hogwarts, a boarding school for wizards that exists in a realm of magic and fantasy outside the dreary existence of normal humans or "Muggles." At Hogwarts, Harry quickly makes new friends and begins piecing together the mystery of his parents' deaths, which appear not to have been accidental after all. The film features alternate-version scenes for every mention of the titular rock. Richard Harris, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, John Cleese, and Fiona Shaw co-star.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is nearly as magical as it's book counterpart. Nearly. It has all the elements that make the book so magical and it's obvious that J.K. Rowling had a hand in the development of the film adaptation. While there were changes from the book, there were none that really changed the story or struck me as really major. Overall, this is a fantastic book to movie success!

Unfortunately, while it is a great movie, it is one that really has not aged well at all. There are two main things that took this movie down a notch.

The first is the cast. Let me get this out of the way first: the actors who were chosen to play each of these characters are absolutely perfect! Because I know it gets better, I can confidently say the casting was perfect while the acting sucked. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry) and Emma Watson (Hermione) are completely terrible! I can't even say which was worst because they were both so bad. Rupert Grint (Ron) and Tom Felton (Draco) were the best of the first years, in my opinion! On the other hand, every single one of the older actors was fantastic! Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall) and Alan Rickman (Snape) were the highlights of the movie!

The other major issue with this film is the CGI. It's abysmal. I know this movie was made nearly 14 years ago, but I can't imagine that people back then didn't notice how fake certain scenes looked, especially on the big screen. Examples that come to mind are the troll, the quidditch match, Fluffy, the centaur, Voldemort's face... Basically everything that was a creature or in the air.

The Sorcerer's Stone soundtrack, however, is just amazing! I'd say it's almost as good as the soundtrack for The Lord of the Rings trilogy... almost. The music works perfectly in each scene and the songs get stuck in my head for days every time I watch this!

Overall (as I've said already) this is a great book to film adaptation! I'm sure I would have loved it if I had seen it when I was 13, when this movie came out. Despite its flaws, this movie is the must see first film in a must see series!

Cast	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Cinematography	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Screenplay	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Performances	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Music	Terrible	Just okay	Pretty good	Really good	Amazing!
Overall Rating	1/5	2/5	3/5	4/5	5/5

Noteable Differences

• Harry goes straight to school after meeting Hagrid in the movie, but in the book he goes back home with the Dursleys for awhile first. 
• In the book Dumbledore is portrayed as a really eccentric (honestly really strange) man, but in the movie he's shown as a much more serious professor. 
• Conversely, the Bloody Baron is terrifying in the book and everyone is afraid of him, but the brief glimpse of him in the movie makes him seem really goofy. 
• Peeves, the castle poltergeist, is absent. 
• In the movie it's only Harry's parents in the Mirror of Erised rather than his whole family. 
• In the book Harry, Ron, and Hermione take Hagrid's dragon up a tower to be rescued by friends of Charlie Weasley, but this is left out of the movie.
• Ron goes to detention with Harry, Hermione, and Draco instead of Neville. 
• In the movie there's only one centaur (Firenze) instead of including Bane and Ronan. This happens to be the one centaur from the book who is friendly rather than cynical. 
• In the movie Harry, Ron, and Hermione fall through the Devil's Snare instead of climbing out of it and Hermione defeats the plant with sunlight instead of fire. 
• Quirrell's skin blisters in the book when Harry touches him, but in the movie he turns to stone. 

The Bottom Line

Though not by much, the winner of this competition is clearly the book! The movie is excellent, but seems to take on a much lighter tone than the already light tone of the book. I love that the books (and the movies) get darker as they go on, but I'm not sure why the filmmakers felt that they had to change the personalities of Dumbledore, the ghosts, and leave out the less savory characters of Peeves and the rest of the centaurs in the Forbidden/Dark Forest. Perhaps by leaving out these darker elements a larger audience was reached by the film. While the movie is a great representation of the book, both are excellent on their own as well.