I, for one, love Book 5 of HP

I was reading a few of the other comments about Book 5 of the HARRY POTTER series, ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, and they aren't very positive.  I don't get it.  I LOVE this one!  This is the book where we learn that Neville could have been the one in Harry's place if Voldemort had CHOSEN Neville instead of Harry--which means that Harry and Neville share a birthday!  It also means that it's a given that we'll see much more of Neville and that Neville will prove to be much more than the bumbling idiot he was in years past.  We see Neville improve as part of the D.A. We see him stand his ground and go with Harry to the Department of Mysteries.  And he fights!  It's not his fault that his nose was broken and it affected his speech so he couldn't cast any more spells.  He did the best he could, staying close to Harry as much as possible. 

I LOVE that we get to see Neville move into more of a heroic spot!!!  And, as I've said before, I LOVE Ginny, and we get a LOT more of Ginny in this book!  I wish they could have been part of Harry's inner circle rather than on the periphery.  They are all definitely friends, and Luna, too, but I just think Harry, Ron, and Hermoine should include Neville, Ginny, and Luna in their daily activities more....

This is also the book where Harry becomes more of a leader and begins to realize that he does have leadership qualities.  He needs some refining, but the more he leads the D.A., the more he gains confidence in his ability to lead. 

But the ABSOLUTE BEST part of this book is how everyone stands together.  Harry thinks he has to do everything by himself, yet he also realizes his need for his friends as he's stuck at the Dursley's for weeks on end without any REAL word from his friends.  None of his friends will let him do anything on his own.  When he says he wants to speak to Sirius, look at how quickly all of his friends rushed to help him without a second thought to it--they didn't ask him why or what was going on; they just jumped right in and helped him. 

The bonds of friendships are forged even deeper and solidifed to be stronger in ORDER OF THE PHOENIX.  Of course, I cry at most of the sad parts throughout the series, but the one thing that made me cry the hardest each time I've read the series is in the last book when Harry, Ron, and Hermonie visit Xenophilius Lovegood and go to Luna's room---where Luna has painted the images of herself, Harry, Ron, Hermoine, Ginny, and Neville on her ceiling with FRIENDS painted across their images.  That's SOOOO beautiful......

This is truly a turning point book in the series.  THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX is necessary in order to get to the plot and subplots of the last two books. 

*Did you notice that I don't even bring up Umbridge?  I don't like talking about her because sadly, I think if I were to do a see-who-you-are-most-like-in-the-HARRY POTTER-series quiz, it would show that I'm most like her.  I don't want to think that could be true.  So I'm not bringing her up in this post at all!!!  ;)

*Read on the Nook*

MORE Pandas

Don't hate me because I didn't really like this book.  I was simply disappointed because it's about Pandas AND Other Endangered Species.  When I read a book about pandas, I want to read a book about PANDAS.  I don't really mind learning about other animals, especially endangered ones; it's just that since the original MAGIC TREE HOUSE book is ALL about pandas, I was just looking forward to the nonfiction book that was written in conjunction with the original MAGIC TREE HOUSE book to be ALL about pandas.  I love pandas so much, I just want to read all I can about them and I was everyone else to love them as much as I do....

Other than the fact that this book is about more than just pandas, overall, it's really pretty decent.  I honestly don't think Mary Pope Osborne can go wrong with her MAGIC TREE HOUSE series.  She's found a rhythm/pattern that seems to work; she might as well stick with it.

Besides, it was the MAGIC TREE HOUSE books that really started Samuel on his love for reading.  He found that he could zip through them within 3 days, and the next thing I knew, he was WANTING to read.....!  Momma's gotta love that!  Which means, of course, that the MAGIC TREE HOUSE books are a little special in this house....

Reading more Shakespeare....

I just finished reading this--again.  It's funny, though; I didn't think about adding it here until AFTER I finished reading it rather than at the start.  So odd.  Maybe it's because its for school rather than personal enjoyment--even though I do like this play.  Of Shakespeare's comedies, it's definitely one of my favorites.

It's just as ridiculous as ROMEO AND JULIET, though.  I mean, come on.  Viola dressing up as a man and getting away with it for 3 whole months?!  Seriously?!  Are the people around her really that stupid or did she honestly change her appearance THAT well???

Of course in reading this all I can think of is my favorite movie YENTL.  She dresses up as a boy for quite a very long time.  She even does get married to a woman and makes it several months in the marriage!  Of course, all is revealed eventually.  It has to be.  There really is only so long a person can go pretending to be something he/she isn't before something happens where the truth must be told.  Even if that something is just the person's conscience. 

It's amazing to me the sheer number of stories (whether books or movies) where the main character dresses up as the opposite sex and gets away with it....for an extended period of time.  We started naming movies the other day in class and it was funny because we kept thinking of them and going and going!  LOL!  I won't name them here, but I'll bet you can think of some yourself!!!!