Searching for Dragons, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Midnight in Paris, Whisper of the Heart

I've finished Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede, the second book in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles.  It is written from the vantage point of the King of the Enchanted Forest, Mendanbar. It is the adventures of Mendanbar and how his life becomes intertwined with Princess Cimorene from the first book.  It's a fun and easy book to read.

On Thursday I flew from Virginia to Utah to visit my parents and started and finished The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare while on the plane rides.  I really liked this book.  The book is about a 16-year old girl named Kit who grew up in Barbados in the 1600s.  Her grandfather, who raised her, passed away and her only other family was in New England.  She found passage on a ship to Connecticut.  She arrived in Connecticut and soon realized how completely different it was from her life in Barbados.  She had a hard time adjusting to her new life but was strong and worked hard.  Kit eventually met Hannah Tupper and quickly became friends with her.  But everyone believed Hannah was a witch. This book tells of the trials and triumphs of Kit adjusting to her new life in Connecticut and dispelling the rumors that she is a witch.  It is a really good book.  I liked it a lot.

I watched the movie Midnight in Paris with Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams.  I was honestly a little surprised by how much I liked it.  I wasn't exactly sure what it was about when I first started watching it, but it was a good movie.  And I think it had a good lesson at the end.  Wherever you are, whatever time period you are in, be grateful for that which you have and be happy.  (At least that is what I got out of it.) 

I also watched Whisper of the Heart in Japanese with English subtitles.  It is a Studio Ghibli Japanese Anime film. I really really liked it. It is funny and cute and a little odd, but I liked it.  If you've never seen Japanese anime, you should.  I haven't seen a lot but some of the ones that I've seen and liked are Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, Ponyo, and Grave of the Fireflies.