A Wizard of Earthsea

Guin, U. (1968). A Wizard of Earthsea. New York, New York: Bantam Press.

Genre: Fantasy

Intended Audience: Ages 12 and older

Personal reaction to the book: I chose this book because it was a favorite of a friend when he was growing up.  After reading it I find it easy to understand why it made such an impact and why he reads primarily fantasy books.

This book followed the choices of a young wizard, Ged.  It described and acknowledged the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions and not being afraid to clean up one's mess.  Ged released an evil force on the world while showing his pride and being pompous.  He puts the lives of his friends and teachers in danger until he later masters the shadow he created.  Earthsea was a very easy novel to follow and the lessons were easy to see.

Author Facts:Ursula Le Guin learned to write at five and never stopped since.  She received many awards for her books. In addition to writing many novels, Le Guin takes time to review novels of others and can be found on her website.

Author's website: http://www.ursulakleguin.com/