Category Archives: Book Review

Aug10

The Road to Winter by Mark Smith

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roadtowintercoverThe Road to Winter by Mark Smith, paperback novel, 230 pages, published by Text Publishing in 2016.

Finn watched as his little town on the Victorian coast was ravished by a mysterious virus, leaving few survivors. Finn is a survivor, and he has kept himself and his dog, Rowdy, alive for the past two years, despite his youth. He’s also escaped the notice of the violent gangs of Wilders who have taken control of the land to the north. A girl suddenly appears on Finn’s beach, injured, tired and running from the Wilders. He makes a split decision to help her; he is not alone any more, but she does pose a huge complication to his otherwise repetitive life of hunting and surfing.

What a debut for Mark Smith! An intense dystopian novel set in Australia, The Road to Winter is about the struggles to survive in a world turned upside down. There are also themes of friendship and love, including the special bond that Finn has with Rowdy. I really got wrapped up in this story as I read. I stayed up late to finish reading it, and when I awoke the following morning, all I could think about was getting back into the book to find out what happened next. I was extremely disappointed when I remembered that I’d already finished it and the next one isn’t available yet.

Such rich characters, having experienced loss, trauma and hardship. In some ways they are all broken, but they also possess much strength to have survived the sickness and the collapse of society. I really liked Finn, his gentle and caring nature, his independence and his love for Rowdy. He is quite resourceful also, trapping rabbits and diving for abalone to eat. Rose and Kas are much more feisty, and maybe even more determined to survive than Finn. They are also capable, clever and beautiful. Ramage, on the other-hand, is cruel and vindictive, a truly ugly person capable of the most heinous acts. I think many of the Wilders do Ramage’s bidding because they are frightened of him, and with good cause. It’s a shame the virus didn’t take him out! The sound of his trail bike is chilling; it announces impending hostility and fear, hard to forget.

The author has included a rather controversial and topical aspect to this story in the form of ‘Sileys’. This is slang for asylum seekers. In the story these ‘Sileys’ were bought and sold like slaves, property for their owners to do with as they saw fit. Australia is currently up in arms about the treatment of asylum seekers, who face off-shore detention in poor conditions indefinitely. It’s scary to think that our current methods of processing asylum seekers could ever devolve into open slave labour like in the story.

A thrilling read, The Road to Winter is suitable for high school students. It is to be the first in a series, so now I have to wait (trying to be patient, and failing miserably!) for the next book.

Aug9

Minecat: A Whole Lot of Ocelots by P.T. Evans

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minecatcoverMinecat: A Whole Lot of Ocelots by P.T. Evans, e-book, 64 pages, published by Montage Publishing in 2016.

When Jason’s cat, Spike, gets sucked into the computer, he finds himself in Jason’s Minecraft world. After watching Jason play Minecraft for hours on end, Spike finally gets to build the world himself. He takes full advantage of this to make his perfect home.

Minecraft has many fans around the world that play regularly. I am not one of these people, but I have watched my daughter play, and she talks about her game often, so I wasn’t completely in the dark. I had not seen ocelots in the game before, but after reading this my daughter went and found some ocelots and domesticated them just for me to see!

I rather enjoyed Minecat. It was a short and quick read, but the story was fun. It is a chapter book using reasonably simple language with short sentences and chapters. The allure of Minecraft will get the readers in, and the engaging story will keep them reading.

Spike is quirky, sweet and funny. And maybe just a little bit egocentric! I liked it when he was re-arranging Jason’s Minecraft house, adding climbing stations, beds, and eating all the flowers. Those spiders were a tad creepy, but the domesticated ocelots were very cute!

There are some illustrations in the story, such as images from Minecraft, often with Spike added to them. I liked the way Spike was drawn, he is pretty cute, and his insertion into the images and photos worked well. My favourite picture was where Spike was swinging on a vine in the jungle. The pictures suit the story.

My fourth grader loves Minecraft and spends hours playing it with her friends. She also loves cats. When I told her I had a copy of Minecat for her to read she was very excited. She read it quickly in one sitting, and has already re-read it a couple of times. She thought it was an excellent read for any Minecraft fan, though it was a bit easy for her. She’s quite enthusiastic about reading more in this series.

Minecat: A Whole Lot of Ocelots is suitable for primary school students. It would also suit reluctant readers, especially those with a love of Minecraft.

 

*I received this book from the publisher as a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.

Aug5

Suzie’s Messy Room by Diane N. Quintana and Jonda S. Beattie

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Cover Suzie's Messy RoomSuzie’s Messy Room by Diane N. Quintana and Jonda S. Beattie, picture e-book, 48 pages, published by Page Publishing in 2015.

Suzie is five, and she loves playing in her room. Sometimes she has so much fun her room gets really messy with toys, books and puzzles everywhere. Now it’s time to clean up the mess, buts it’s a big job for a little girl.

The authors have applied their organisational skills to the task of cleaning up a child’s bedroom in Suzie’s Messy Room. Suzie’s mum breaks the job into smaller, more manageable tasks, such as focussing on picking up the clothes, or putting away the dolls. This helps Suzie to complete the job. Alongside colourful illustrations depicting Suzie cleaning up her room, the story helps to show kids how they can go about organising their rooms and keeping them neat and tidy.

I know Suzie’s mess very well! And I know how hard it can be to know where to start when the job is so humongous. The techniques used in Suzie’s Messy Room are useful for children to utilise. It really can make the job of cleaning up a room much easier, though I’m still not convinced anything can make them like it! Preferably this book would be shared between parents and their children, leading to a discussion about the state of the child’s bedroom and what needs to happen to make it tidy again! Hopefully this book will help convince kids to clean up.

I understand the need to reinforce positive behaviour, but I think going out for a special ice-cream is a little over the top for cleaning up her room. I prefer verbal praise and high-fives and stickers, and I keep a “rewards box” with small items in it for jobs really well done.

The illustrations are nice and bright. They remind me of some of the picture books I had as a child, though that might just be Suzie’s short, curly hair! And the mother’s ears made me think of elves, mostly on the page where she is hugging Suzie. I really like Suzie’s facial expressions.

Overall, a nice book about cleaning up, with some positive ideas for helping children do it themselves. It is suitable for primary school students, but I suggest reading it with your child to get the most benefits.

 

*I received this book from the author as digital copy, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.

Aug4

Herbie’s Big Adventure by Jennie Poh

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herbiescoverHerbie’s Big Adventure by Jennie Poh, picture e-book, 40 pages, expected publication on September 1st 2016 by Capstone Young Readers.

Herbie is a small hedgehog setting off on his first adventure in the big world beyond his home. He goes foraging on his own at his mother’s insistence even though he is a bit nervous.

This is a nice little tale of adventure and exploration. I liked the way the wind carried Herbie off, especially when he was flying along on the leaf. This is quite a unique way for a hedgehog to move around, but it looked like fun. It was good for sharing aloud, though I thought the text could have been a little bit bigger for ease of reading.

The illustrations in Herbie’s Big Adventure are simply gorgeous! First off, the cover caught my attention with its cute little hedgehog surrounded by an assortment of forest items, and this flowed right into the story. I love the style and colours used to create Herbie’s world. And Herbie really is very cute. I like the page where Herbie is eating apple cores and he looks so happy.

Herbie’s Big Adventure is a delightful picture book most suitable for lower primary school children and preschoolers. I found it was a little long for my toddlers, though they liked the pictures.

 

*I obtained this book as a digital copy from Netgalley. I did not receive any other remuneration, and this is an honest review composed entirely of my own opinions.

Aug3

Caillou, No More Diapers by Christine L’Heureux and Pierre Brignaud

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caillounomorediaperscoverCaillou, No More Diapers by Christine L’Heureux and illustrated by Pierre Brignaud, picture e-book (board book edition), 24 pages, published by Chouette Publishing – Caillou in 2016.

Caillou has got the hang of the potty, and now he is going to use the big toilet. His dad gets him a special seat and step to make it easier to use. Caillou really wants to go to bed with his diaper, but he’s not quite ready for that.

I remember reading Caillou books as a child and I’m quite fond of him, so it was a joy to introduce him to my own children. I read this to my two toilet training toddlers, and they loved it; I’ve had multiple requests to re-read. Since we are Australian I replaced the word ‘diaper’ with ‘nappy’ whilst reading so that my kids wouldn’t be confused by the new word. We also had a little talk about Caillou using the sink by himself. In the story he gets up on his step and turns the faucets on and off, filling up cubes, and tipping them out. It sounds really cute, but when my boys try to do this, it’s more like someone mashed the soap, shoved it up the faucet, let the water flow, washed the towels in the sink and used the ceiling for boat races. So we talked about how responsible Caillou was being at the sink, making sure not to spill any water!

The pictures are bright and fun, while the text is simple and clear, making it perfect for younger children. The book also comes in a sturdy board book format, which I like (my son is a serial book ripper!) Both books in the Caillou Potty Training Series are a great way to start the conversation about toilet training. I really liked that it wasn’t all successes in the story; Caillou wets the bed on one page, and it’s not a big deal, he just tries again. Learning that everyone experiences misses alongside the hits is important for children of all ages.

Caillou, No More Diapers is the follow up to Caillou, Potty Time, taking learning to use the toilet to the next step. It would make a great gift for a toilet training toddler.

 

*I obtained this book as a digital copy from Netgalley. I did not receive any other remuneration, and this is an honest review composed entirely of my own opinions.

 

Aug3

The Flywheel by Erin Gough

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flywheelcoverThe Flywheel by Erin Gough, paperback novel, 306 pages, published by Hardie Grant Egmont in 2015.

Del’s life is complicated. After her mother left, Del encouraged her heart-broken father to travel overseas and take time for himself. While he is away, Del is running her father’s café, The Flywheel. She was supposed to just be helping out the manager, but he got deported, and now she’s on her own, trying desperately to keep things going, and she just can’t tell her dad. She also wants to avoid going back to school, where she is supposed to be in year eleven. She’s been copping it for being gay, with the ‘popular’ girls leading the charge with claims of stalking and voyeurism. And she’s got her friend Charlie to worry about; and her crush on Rosa, a girl that dances Flamenco at the Tapas Bar across the road.

A poignant and compelling story of a girl trying to find her place in the world, The Flywheel is about friendship, love, loss, and making the best of any situation. Beautifully written from the stand-point of Delilah, the gay 17 year old protagonist, I found this book to be incredibly hard to put down. I would have finished it in one sitting, but I really needed to sleep!

With excellent description, I could be sitting in The Flywheel now, sipping a triple chocolate milkshake, eating a HAT sandwich and watching the uni students play poker. Or chatting with one of the sunburnt backpackers. Or watching Rosa dance gracefully around the floor at Charada, her red skirt flying. It all felt very true to life. Even the awful bullying that Del faced at school sounded similar to things hurled about in my own school days. I hate that any child should have to endure torture like that, and I wouldn’t have minded seeing Ella (or Georgina) catch a football with her face!

Del is an amazing girl. She is smart, funny, kind, brave, loyal… the list really could go on. I liked her very much. Her life might be in the toilet, but she never really gives up. Determined and independent, she is confident in her sexuality, but expects too much of others. As the story progressed, Del came to know a lot more about herself, and how to live the life she wanted. Charlie also developed quite a lot through the book. He is kind of crazy, yet loveable. He added spice to the story with some of his antics, and his fickleness in love. He is a very good friend to Del. The supporting characters were also well described and easy to picture. I especially liked Misch; she made me laugh.

The Flywheel is a delicious look at contemporary Australian teenage life. It does contains some swearing and sexual references and it is most suitable for middle and upper high school students, through to adults.

* The Flywheel is shortlisted for the 2016 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year in the Older Readers category.

 

Aug2

Why? Because I Love You by Mary Lee

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why?becauseiloveyoucoverWhy? Because I Love You by Mary Lee, picture e-book, published in 2012.

Little Pup wants to know why he has to do things like take a bath or wear a hat. Grey Bear answers honestly and with love.

This is such a sweet little book about the love between friends. Little Pup questions everything that Grey Bear asks him to do, just like a toddler exploring the world and pushing the limits. It is always because Grey Bear loves him and wants what is best for him. Little Pup is lucky to have such a caring bear in his life.

The illustrations are really cute, especially Little Pup. These clear and simple pictures are excellent for young children. I love the expression on Little Pup’s face when Grey Bear serves up a salad!

The story is easy to follow using basic language, making it great for toddlers and preschoolers. It would also be suitable as an early reader for lower primary school students.

Aug1

Spot the Duck by Gerald Hawksley

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spottheduckcoverSpot the Duck by Gerald Hawksley, picture e-book, published in 2014.

Chuck has lost his duck called Spot. While he searches for Spot, Chuck meets some other people who have lost things. He searches everywhere, but will he ever find his duck?

With its bright, bold, yet simple illustrations throughout the book, Spot the Duck, will appeal to even the youngest children. I like when Chuck searches near and far.

The story uses simple language and rhymes, making it perfect for reading aloud. It is also quite funny, and had my toddler giggling away.

Most suitable for toddlers and preschoolers through to lower primary school children, Spot the Duck is perfect for sharing a laugh with your little people.

Jul31

The Heir by Kiera Cass

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heircoverThe Heir by Kiera Cass, hardback novel, 346 pages, published by HarperTeen in 2015.

Twenty years down the track from when America Singer and Prince Maxon fell in love, they have been implementing their plans for the country; disbanding the caste system and quieting the rebels, yet not everything is peachy. The populace is restless, discrimination is rife, and an uprising may be coming. Illea also has a new heir to the throne, Princess Eadlyn. The responsibilities and pressures of running the country will one day become hers, but her parents think she would do better with a companion by her side. The search for her true love would also be a convenient distraction for the public, hence a new selection begins. Thirty-five young men all vying for Princess Eadlyn’s affections in the first male selection. Might Eadlyn find her happily ever after?

Okay, so I got sucked into the world of The Selection with America and Maxon and Aspen, and I enjoyed the time I spent in Illea. So it made sense to me to read the fourth book in the series. Overall I did like reading The Heir, but I did not enjoy it nearly as much as I did the first three books in the series, and this mostly had to do with Eadlyn. She certainly was no America. I really liked America, she was impetuous and occasionally reckless, but she was also endearing, kind and compassionate. Eadlyn, however, comes across as aloof, condescending and even sometimes cruel. She is constantly telling herself that no one is more powerful than her, which is probably meant to be a self-confidence booster, but is just vain and arrogant. She is rude to her maid, Neena; insulting her for being a maid, and never saying ‘please’ or ‘thank you’. She thinks Neena is great at her job, and she needs her, but Eadlyn has never praised Neena in this way. She is always thinking about herself, even attempting to interfere with her brother’s happiness just to keep him by her side. She couldn’t even share one of her hundreds of tiara’s with Kile’s little sister, Josie, even though wearing the tiara was obviously making her happy, and it was just as obvious, to everyone aside from Eadlyn, that Josie idolises her. I found Eadlyn to be selfish and spoilt, and not very likeable. There was some character growth by the end of the book, and I can see that she can change, but it hasn’t been enough yet. I really hope she continues to improve in the next book.

Of the men that arrive for The Selection, most of them were pretty average, though I didn’t approve of Eadlyn being so dismissive and aiming to embarrass and demean them. I quite like Henri and Erik, but it must be weird to try to date someone with a translator involved. I was pleased Eadlyn seemed to deal with this strange situation better than she did most of her other potential suitors. I also like Kile, but it is curious that he grew up in the palace, alongside Eadlyn, practically like her brother. It adds an interesting element to their relationship. Still I like him. He’s a little quirky, and will probably be good for Eadlyn. And if he didn’t enter himself, then who put his name in the barrel?

All of these books have been pretty easy reading, including The Heir. It is light entertainment that doesn’t require much thinking, great for right before bed. It is kind of compulsive though, so it’s also a fast page-turning read. The writing is good and the plot somewhat predictable, yet serviceable. I want to stress that I was entertained; a book doesn’t have to be brilliant to be entertaining, and The Heir is just that, entertaining.

I do find that I have a need to discover the outcome of this historic selection despite my feelings towards Eadlyn, so I will be reading the next book in the series, The Crown. Surely Eadlyn will learn from her mistakes and become a better person.

The romance is fairly tame, just a bit of kissing. There is also a small amount of violence, so The Heir is suitable for high school students and up.

Jul26

Lonely Planet Kids Paris City Trails by Helen Greathead

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pariscoverLonely Planet Kids Paris City Trails by Helen Greathead, paperback non-fiction, 102 pages, published by Lonely Planet Publications in 2016.

This book caught my eye on the “New Books” table at my local library. I thought it would be good for my nine year old as she is learning French and this looked like an interesting cultural book to complement her learning. I started flicking through some of the pages and found myself immersed in the streets of Paris discovering museums, bridges, cafés and even cemeteries!

The book contains nineteen themed trails through Paris. Each trail has a number of stops with some information about each location. Some of the locations are well-known, such as the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral, while others are somewhat obscure, but all were fascinating. These trails had every possible interest covered, from food journeys, sport, and art to romance, history and magic.

The layout and content are superbly presented, with short bursts of texts, interspersed with plenty of photos and coloured illustrations throughout. There are also fact boxes and extra tidbits around the main text. I really liked the illustrations, which included the two kiddy guides, Marco and Amelia. You can spot this pair participating in various activities along the trails. All of the illustrations were bright, colourful and clear; some were quite funny too.

I’ve never wanted to go to Paris as badly as I do right now! I would love to follow these trails and experience all of the incredible sights, sounds, smells and tastes I’ve discovered in Paris City Trails. It may be aimed at children, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I highly recommend it for anyone planning to travel to Paris with children (and anyone just dreaming of it!)

Paris City Trails is suitable for middle primary school students and up. There are currently two other titles available in the Lonely Planet Kids series; London City Trails and New York City Trails. I plan to read them as well and hopefully there will be more titles available in the future. I’d really like to see some for other major European cities.