Wednesday, September 24, 2008

WikiHow


"The How-to Manual that You Can Edit" http://www.wikihow.com/

Have you ever caught yourself saying "I wonder how I could...." and then stopped because you don't know where you could look up something or who could answer your question? Here's where you can find the answer! I put a link to this site on my iGoogle page and read a new "How To" everyday. Today was a wonderful article on how to bake cookies. There are always pictures that help demonstrations and links at the bottom to related articles and resources.

I learned how to make the most darling pop up cards for Christmas. I read about how to braid a horse's tail. Choose the Education and Communications category and get lots of articles on homework help (How to Do Your Homework on Time if You are a Procrastinator) and presentations (How to Create Less Annoying Powerpoints). Were you curious about how to make a crop circle? Here's the place to learn how.

Of particular interest is the category "Youth." In these pages are all sorts of things to try of special interest to young people. Young people are invited to help edit these pages so here's your chance to step up to the plate and show how much you know about a topic.

Fun and informative, this is a great site.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Death in the Air (2008)

This is the second book in the series by Shane Peacock about the young Sherlock Holmes. The boy Sherlock lost his mother in the first book, Eye of the Crow, and now lives with an old apothecary, Sigerson Bell, who teaches the boy about poisons and self defense. One of the very intereesting aspects of this book is how Sherlock connects parts of London with sites in Charles Dickens' novels. It surely puts the Holmes character into historical perspective.

Sherlock's drive to solve the near death of a trapeze artist is fueled by the desire to help Bell financially and to continue to hone his investigatory skills. With the help of an underground character, Malefactor, he ties in the acrobatic accident with a major theft. The police detective, LeStrade, who appears in the grownup Holmes stories, is the son of a detective from Scotland Yard and recognizes Holmes' talents even though his father does not.

This is a wonderful series and I look forward to reading more of them. Readers of mysteries and historical fiction will enjoy the physical action and tour of historical London.
My rating for this book: +++