Book Review: Rumini

Rumini
by Berg Judit
(read in Hungarian)

Rumini is a mouse who travels on a boat. This mouse has a wonderful mind and that is a good thing because to get to the kingdom where they are going he and the rest of the mice need to pass through lots of dangerous places. For example, they must pass the giant octopus (who likes to eat wood) and their boat is made of wood so they are in a lot of danger. Or the dragon in the mist who will not let anyone go past him.

It was an interesting book, I liked it but I didn't love it as much as other books. The book was adventurous but is a little slow in some parts.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
by J.K.Rowling
(read in English with Mum)

Harry Potter is one of my favourite books, you can almost always see the pictures in your head when you read it.

It is about a boy called Harry who goes to live with his aunt and uncle because his mum and dad died. It was horrible living with the Dursleys. Once Harry got a letter (or lots of letters), but his aunt and uncle just burned them. Finally a giant comes to say he is a wizard! He goes to a school for witches and wizards called Hogwarts.

Harry makes friends with Ron and Hermione. Together they discover secrets. There was once a wizard at Hogwarts who turned bad, his name was Voldemort. Harry finds out about the Philosopher's Stone and then about the entrance to the chamber where the stone is. If Voldemort gets the stone he will get his own body and will destroy the world.

I just loved this book!

The bit that stuck in my head was when Ron's brothers were in the train station and their mother said "If I get an owl saying you've blown up a toilet seat...", "A toilet seat? We've never blown up a toilet seat, but good idea, thanks Mum."

This book is dramatic, sad, funny and mysterious. I just pick up this book and it became my favourite book (or one of my favourite books). You would love this book as much as I do. This book is worth reading.

Yule Traditions: Biscuits

Yule Tradtions: Solsice Breakfast

On the morning after the longest night (normally 22nd December) we have friends over for breakfast and have a party. We celebrate that the longest night has gone and thet from ten on the sun will get stronger. 

We have friends from all around the world so they bring lots of different kinds of food. This year we had breakfast food from Finland, Korea, Japan and chocolates from Brazil. There were lots of cakes, my dad baked apple pie, banana loaf and fresh bread. My mum made traditional Finnish rice porridge. I really liked te Korean food (I can't remember what it was called) and kept going back for more.

We were too busy having fun to take any pictures.

Alice in Wonderland

This is a piece from the Alice in Wonderland ballet. It is really funny. The Queen is trying to make everybody dance with her but they don't really want to but if they don't it will be "Off with your head!". The Queen wants to look elegant and graceful but instead she looks heavy and clumsy.

I enjoy watching ballets, I have watched quite a few. In this one I like the costumes, the visual effects and the dancing. I think this is a good way of presenting the story of Alice in Wonderland.

Yule Traditions: Solstice

The 21st December is Solstice. We light lots of candles and sometimes we light a bonfire. We put the lights on our tree but don't decorate it yet. Our tree is called Fény Fa (fény = light, fa = tree, the Hungarian word for pine tree is fényőfa).

We live so far north that it gets very dark in the winter. Solstice is the darkest but after Solstice it gets lighter so that is why we celebrate Solstice.

Yule Traditions: Télapó

On the 6th of December Télapó comes to our couse (and the houses of other Hungarian children). Télapó, which means Winter Father, is a bit like Santa. On the 5th we put our boots on the window sill and after we go to bed Télapó comes and puts small presents in them. This year I got LIZARDS! All of us got sweets and different kinds of exotic fruits. Mum got some chocolate so Télapó moved the boots to the piano because our window sill is right above the radiator and the chocolate would melt.

This year I helped our friend Annemarie teach all the children in her school about Télapó when thay had Hungary Week.