The High King

 

The final book in The Chronicles of Prydain won the Newberry Medal. It is a good book, and he deserved that award for the Prydain series was exceptional children's literature. Still, I think it's the weakest in the series. Taran Wanderer and The Black Cauldron were more magical and involving. However, The High King did its purpose of wrapping the series up. It's sad it took me until my late 30's to finally get around to this series. I know I would have liked it as a kid, but I enjoyed it immensely as an adult. How many adults can say that about children's literature? 

A Midsummer's Night Dream

 

This makes the eighth play that I've read from Shakespeare. I didn't really read him growing up so it's time to play catch up. My high school experience just consisted of teachers showing two movie adaptations. Yeah, they did a really bad job. This comedy is about four people, two men that love a girl Hermia, but she only loves Lysander. Demetrius the other man is pursued by another girl Helena. Then some faeries enter the plot. It was amusing and enchanting at the same time.  I'll probably read it again a few years later. I'm interested to watch the old movie.

Australian Mythology

 

This was an ok book by regular mythology writer Matt Clayton. While there are stories about koalas and kangaroos the story I liked the best was the one about two bachelors. Their competition with each other eventually leads to murder. Like Clayton's other books this one went by pretty quickly. I wish his books had illustrations. That would make it so much cooler.