Rating: 
Summary: Not all that glitters is gold ..
Review: I read childrens and young adult literature occaisonally - some of my most cherished posessions are "kids books" - Dahl, Berrie, Pyle, and Carroll to name a few - I am happy to say that I can finally add to that list - Monica Hughes words remind me WHY I enjoy reading so much - Not many books do - too serious ...
Rating:
Summary: Not all that glitters is gold ..
Review: I read this book in juniour high. I thought it was great then, but I am terrible with titles! If it helps at all, I read it in the 7th grade, when I was 12. That was 18 years ago! I have been trying to remember the name of the book, or the author for years! I finally went into my favorite search engine and ended up typing in "a pet named hobbit" and managed to find this book! Now that I know the name of the book and the author, I intend to re-read this book, and let my 6th grade son read it as well. It definitely made a lasting impression on me!
Rating:
Summary: It has been so LONG!
Review: I read this book in juniour high. I thought it was great then, but I am terrible with titles! If it helps at all, I read it in the 7th grade, when I was 12. That was 18 years ago! I have been trying to remember the name of the book, or the author for years! I finally went into my favorite search engine and ended up typing in "a pet named hobbit" and managed to find this book! Now that I know the name of the book and the author, I intend to re-read this book, and let my 6th grade son read it as well. It definitely made a lasting impression on me!
Rating:
Summary: One of my favourite books as a kid
Review: I read this when I was in a kid, waaaaay back in Grade 7. Great book, and highly recommended for any kid who might be interested in science fiction. And if you live in Canada, all three books in the series are in print with a Canadian publisher.
Rating: 
Summary: WOW
Review: I really loved this book! It hav everything I love in it and there are Two other ones. I really want to read the other ones now.
I think everyone should resd it.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing!
Review: I was only in third grade when I first read this book, yet I was able to understand it (and more importantly, love it!). This is a wonderful book, and now that I am in sixth grade, I'm still loving it! A definite must read!
Rating:
Summary: A thrilling sci-fi book with a shocking twist!
Review: Olwen lives with her Guardian on the deserted planet Isis. She takes care of a light that is used to transmit messages to the setllers on Earth telling them when it is safe to move to Isis. When the day of the settlers arrives, Olwen is angry because she wants to keep her lovely plant to herself. But then she falls in love withh Mark, one the settlers. However, when Mark sees her without the special suit she wears to protect herself from the sttlers, he has second thoughts about her. Olwen doesn't understand why he suddenly no longer cares for her.I liked this book because it shocked me. I was totally unprepared for the twist that came in the middle of the book. The ending was sad, though, so I didn't enjoy it as much
Rating:
Summary: This is a really good book!
Review: Our grade seven teacher has just finished reading us this book! I love all of Monica Huges's books. The beginning of the book is a bit slow, but then you get really into it and can't put it down. I felt so sad when Hobbit died, and loved the part when the Olwen meets Mark. This book is definitly a must read!
Rating:
Summary: It's not that easy bein' green
Review: There are plenty of books out there about powerful young women. In these stories the female protagonists usually either have super powers or were born as magical semi-human beings. "The Keeper of the Isis Light" is a little different than partly because the main character spends much of the book in a complete fog about her life, her capabilities, and who she truly is. The book is as much about overcoming the prejudices of others as it is about the meaning of happiness and its importance. If you're looking for a book that explores deep emotional and spiritual issues in a sci-fi context, I think you've found your match.
Olwen Pendennis was born on the planet Isis ten years ago (sixteen by Earth's sun). Living alone with only her faithful companion Guardian to keep her company, Olwen leads a rich and exciting life on her planet's surface. As the official Keeper of the Isis Light, Olwen's job is to maintain the signal that radios information about Isis's surface to Earth for future colonists. When these settlers appear one day, Olwen finds her world strangely shaken. Guardian has done his best to keep Olwen safe and happy while living on Isis, but now she must deal with other people and all the good and bad things humans can do. Through it all, Olwen discovers truths about herself and her own inner strength and abilities that she might never have found while living contentedly on her own. In the end, the reader is left wondering whether or not it's a good thing Olwen met with these colonists and, if good, how.
I was incredibly disappointed that the book flap accompanying this little novella gave away too many of the book's delightful secrets. My advice to you if you want to read this story is to go into it blind. Don't read any more of the synopsis than the one I've given you above. It'll only ruin the surprises that dot this intricate book. There are many things to love here as well. The plot is tight and well formed. Olwen never questions her happy existence until the moment that things begin to change. In many ways she's like Miranda in "The Tempest". In another, she's Caliban. Author Monica Hughes is particularly good as conjuring up a visual sense of the Isis landscape. In this story you see the planet as the heroine does and you regret (as she does) that settlers have arrived to muck it up. I also loved the Guardian in this tale. A character that professes to not feel emotions, he often belies this idea by growing agitated, touched, or worried at key moments. Now for my favorite part of any review. The flaws! Actually, there aren't many to complain about in this book. Originally published in 1980, "The Keeper of the Isis Light" suffers from a few pre-P.C. terms. A black child, for example, is referred to as "negroid" at one point. Later, that same child (though supposedly nine years of age) acts far more like a six year old. Thus ends my summary of all flaws this book contains. As you can see, they're few in number. Great science fiction books use metaphors and grandiose plots to discuss universal ideas. In many ways, "The Keeper of the Isis Light" is very similar to the great Sylvia Engdahl book, "Enchantress From the Stars". Both books talk about prejudice and feature incredibly strong female characters. In this book, however, there are some uniquely emotional moments. The story is written in a crisp approachable style that will never go out of date. If you've a kid interested in sci-fi or just wants a low key introduction to it, this book is the perfect offering. A book that will be well remembered for years to come (I hope).
Rating:
Summary: It's not that easy bein' green
Review: There are plenty of books out there about powerful young women. In these stories the female protagonists usually either have super powers or were born as magical semi-human beings. "The Keeper of the Isis Light" is a little different than partly because the main character spends much of the book in a complete fog about her life, her capabilities, and who she truly is. The book is as much about overcoming the prejudices of others as it is about the meaning of happiness and its importance. If you're looking for a book that explores deep emotional and spiritual issues in a sci-fi context, I think you've found your match.
Olwen Pendennis was born on the planet Isis ten years ago (sixteen by Earth's sun). Living alone with only her faithful companion Guardian to keep her company, Olwen leads a rich and exciting life on her planet's surface. As the official Keeper of the Isis Light, Olwen's job is to maintain the signal that radios information about Isis's surface to Earth for future colonists. When these settlers appear one day, Olwen finds her world strangely shaken. Guardian has done his best to keep Olwen safe and happy while living on Isis, but now she must deal with other people and all the good and bad things humans can do. Through it all, Olwen discovers truths about herself and her own inner strength and abilities that she might never have found while living contentedly on her own. In the end, the reader is left wondering whether or not it's a good thing Olwen met with these colonists and, if good, how.
I was incredibly disappointed that the book flap accompanying this little novella gave away too many of the book's delightful secrets. My advice to you if you want to read this story is to go into it blind. Don't read any more of the synopsis than the one I've given you above. It'll only ruin the surprises that dot this intricate book. There are many things to love here as well. The plot is tight and well formed. Olwen never questions her happy existence until the moment that things begin to change. In many ways she's like Miranda in "The Tempest". In others, she's Caliban. Author Monica Hughes is particularly good as conjuring up a visual sense of the Isis landscape. In this story you see the planet as the heroine does and you regret (as she does) that settlers have arrived to muck it up. I also loved the Guardian in this tale. A character that professes to not feel emotions, he often belies this idea by growing agitated, touched, or worried at key moments.
Now for my favorite part of any review. The flaws! Actually, there aren't many to complain about in this book. Originally published in 1980, "The Keeper of the Isis Light" suffers from a few pre-P.C. terms. A black child, for example, is referred to as "negroid" at one point. Later, that same child (though supposedly nine years of age) acts far more like a six year old. Thus ends my summary of all flaws this book contains. As you can see, they're few in number.
Great science fiction books use metaphors and grandiose plots to discuss universal ideas. In many ways, "The Keeper of the Isis Light" is very similar to the great Sylvia Engdahl book, "Enchantress From the Stars". Both books talk about prejudice and feature incredibly strong female characters. In this book, however, there are some uniquely emotional moments. The story is written in a crisp approachable style that will never go out of date. If you've a kid interested in sci-fi or just wants a low key introduction to it, this book is the perfect offering. A book that will be well remembered for years to come (I hope).
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