>The Dark Dreamweaver by Nick Ruth
Book 1 of The Remin Chronicles

The first book in a planned series, The Dark Dreamweaver takes a young boy into a fantasy world where he discovers that while magic isn’t as easy as he thought, he has a talent and ability to learn it and use it well. David, the main character, enjoys illusion and “tricks” as much as the next child, and when he discovers a wizard cursed into a never-ending life cycle of a monarch, he eagerly agrees to help him combat the evil being who has taken over the world of Remin and caused literal nightmares in David’s human world.
In the world of Remin, David and his new friend Houdin join forces with several imaginative creatures on a journey to find and combat the evil wizard, freeing Houdin from his curse and recapturing control of Remin and the dream world in the process.
Houdin and his friends are fascinating and friendly characters. These diverse and multi-faceted characters adapt to each other and bond as a team, using their strengths to compensate for each others’ weaknesses. Houdin reveals that Remin residents have become dependent on a finite resource, spectrum, and suffer greatly when an unnatural shortage develops. Is this shortage a veiled statement on our own world’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy? Perhaps, but it‘s not obvious or heavy handed.
The main weakness in The Dark Dreamweaver is stylistic. Overuse of simple sentences produces an almost choppy feel. Increasingly more complex sentences will improve its flow. But on the other hand, the author also uses creative and humorous statements such as “If you have ever been in a vortex between worlds, you know what happened next.” With practice and experience, I expect author Nick Ruth to become better and better.
I enjoyed The Dark Dreamweaver and look forward to the continuing saga of The Remin Chronicles. I can willingly recommend this book to those who enjoy fantasy, but may not be advanced enough readers to tackle some of the longer books in the genre. In fact, now that I am finished reading my publisher-provided copy, I plan to donate it to the library of the school in which I teach. I’m sure it will not sit on the shelf for long.
As I was nearing the end of the book (during a silent reading session at school), I saw two butterflies rise from the prairie garden below my classroom window. Coincidence? Perhaps, but you’ll have to read The Dark Dreamweaver to truly appreciate the connection.

>My to-do list is long. Longer than I like to admit. I’ll list a few items, and then I’ll feel so proud as I cross off each one. That’s the real reason for making a list, isn’t it? Just to cross things off?

To get ready for school:
Read through new Reading curriculum.
Sign up for training in new social studies curriculum kits.
Read through new science units.
Buy workshop materials for Reading and Writing workshops.
Read new math curriculum.
Find articles on CGI math.
Read new Writers Workshop materials.

Prepare new classroom. (Oh, my, this is going to take DAYS)

Get a key to the new room.
Unpack boxes.
Organize teacher manuals.
Organize desk.
Organize book nook – reading corner.

Maintain sanity by doing as much of this as possible either outside or with classroom windows wide open and coffee (hot or iced) on desk.

>I am a loyal and dedicated Harry Potter fan. I’ve pre-ordered and pre-paid my copy of The Deathly Hallows and pre-ordered a Braille copy for Amigo. Meanwhile, I reread the first six, and once again cried over Dumbledore. How could Snape..?!…never mind.

Some day soon I’ll see the movie for The Order of the Phoenix. I was nervous about seeing the first movie because I was afraid it wouldn’t live up to the book. Now I thoroughly enjoy the movies, even as I insist that the books are better. They are. Really.

As I read, I see myself as Professor McGonagall. She’s definitely a kindred spirit. She’s a leader, one who knows what’s right, and calmly deals with many big issues. With the Weasley family in her house, particularly Fred and George, I’m sometimes amazed at how calm she can be! When I saw the first movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, my first glimpse of McGonagall was a mild shock. “No, that can’t be her. She’s much too, well, old. She’s supposed to be me!” Several years later, now I can watch the movies and say, it’s okay. I can only hope to age as well. Can I wear a nifty green hat like hers? And where’s my wand?

So it was no surprise when I took a sorting quiz and found myself in Gryffindor. Behave yourselves in the common room, Fred and George, I’m on my way!