Category Archives: Book Review

May15

Iris by Toni Owen-Blue

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iriscoverIris by Toni Owen-Blue, e-book, 85 pages, published by Blue Books in 2016.

Iris is just a child, she thinks of herself as a bit weird, and to the outside world she is pretty average. Behind the closed doors of her house, her family life is anything but normal. Her mother works in surgery and keeps odd hours, while her father is always holed up in the home office working. This leaves Iris in charge of her younger brother, Waltz. She makes him dinner, bathes him, supervises his homework and puts him to bed. Along with her schoolwork and the housework, that is Iris’ whole life. Then Lotus arrives. Lotus immediately befriends Iris, and for the first time in her life, Iris sees how other mums treat their daughters, and it contrasts dramatically with her own experience.

Written in first person from Iris’ perspective, this novel is short, but it packs a big punch. It touched my heart. I felt great sadness and anger, the end brought tears. As the story progressed I became angrier and angrier with Iris’ mother. The way she treats Iris is horrifying. Neglect, emotional and physical abuse. Iris is always having ‘accidents’ at her mother’s hands, believing that she is stupid, fat and useless because that is what she is told every day. And she has far too much responsibility for her age. No one that young should have to raise their younger sibling, ever. When does she get to be a kid?

She talks about her Dad working in the annexe office but he is not in the story. We never see him interact with Iris and Waltz, he never prepares their meals or puts them to bed. He is there, but not, absent from their lives because his work is more important than his family. And it seems that their mother is not there much either, and when she is, she is shaming Iris, guilting her, hurting her, making her feel worthless. What kind of parents are they? They should never have had kids.

Iris is well written and incredibly realistic. The subject matter made it, at times, difficult to read. There were times when I didn’t want to know what else would happen to Iris, but I haboured hope that she would escape her situation. I read this emotional tale knowing that there are too many children in the world suffering as Iris does, but I had to know how Iris’ story ended.

This story raises awareness of an issue that is often undetected or ignored. Iris’ mum was good at putting on an act for other people to hide how she was treating Iris and Waltz, and she was good at making Iris feel guilty and ashamed. These feelings, along with the natural love she has for her mother kept her from telling anyone what was happening. Lotus’ mum knew something wasn’t right, but she didn’t speak up. She may have felt it wasn’t her place to interfere, or that she was over-reacting, or even that Iris somehow deserved it. And did the teachers never wonder about Iris? They must have seen the bruises, seen her lack of confidence and belief that she is stupid and useless. And so, child abuse can fly below the radar, damaging the child sometimes beyond repair.

Iris is suitable for upper primary and high school children. It may be good for young readers to discuss the themes with an adult, as it is quite confronting. Iris will pull your heart-strings, make you want to swoop in, bundle her in your arms and save her, want to save all the children that suffer at the hands of their parents. This poignant story will stay close to your heart for years to come. If you can help an Iris, somehow, somewhere, please do it, no child deserves that.

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, 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.

May13

Great-Grandma’s Gifts by Marianne Jones

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ggrandmasgiftscoverGreat-Grandma’s Gifts by Marianne Jones and illustrated by Karen Reinikka, picture e-book, 25 pages, published by Split Tree Publishing in 2013.

A quaint book about a little girl that grows up to be a grandmother and shares her love for her children an grandchildren through sewing. Arlene learns to sew from her mother, sewing clothes for her doll. When she grows up, she continues to sew things for her own children, and then for her grandchildren.

I was a little confused about the title, as Arlene doesn’t sew anything for great-grandchildren in the story. On reflection, I suppose the real gift is from Arlene’s mother, who would be a great-grandma, as she is the one who taught Arlene to sew. I also wondered why Arlene would be cutting up shirts, coats and dresses if she had such a large supply of cloth to use? Or was the pile of cloth just old clothes that could be re-purposed?

The text is clear and simple. I liked that some of the words were coloured for emphasis, for example, the phrase “as red as a valentine” was done in red, and the colour words were in their own colours. Each page has a coloured background with simple illustrations, which looked to be done in watercolours.

This picture book didn’t really tickle my fancy. It wasn’t bad, it just didn’t capture me.

Great-Grandma’s Gifts is most suitable for lower to middle primary school children.

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, 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.

May12

Kitty Conquers the Big Bully by KayeC Jones

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Kitty'scoverKitty Conquers the Big Bully by KayeC Jones, picture e-book, 32 pages, published in 2016.

Kitty is having fun playing on her own as a knight when a big bully called Ronnie comes along. He tells her girls can’t be knights and pushes her in the mud. Kitty has an excellent way of overcoming the bully. She picks herself up and imagines all the things that she can become if she wants to, no matter if other people say negative things to her.

This is a delightful and unique book. It screams ‘girl power’ but the main message is good for both girls and boys. Believe in yourself and don’t let the bullies win! Kitty doesn’t retaliate with violence, nor does she stoop to the same level as Ronnie. She is better than that, and stronger. She conquers him in the best way possible, by ignoring his rude and ignorant comments and being herself and knowing that she can achieve whatever she wants.

The story was mostly rhyming, and was good to read aloud, though there were a few words that I had to explain to the kids. I’m not actually sure what a ‘flim-flam’ is myself, or why ladies would need saving from them! The text itself was large, clear and easy to read. Each letter ‘i’ was capped with a little heart where the dot goes. My six year old thought that was pretty neat!

Every page has clear, bright illustrations. I liked that Kitty’s friends, the teddy and bunny, accompany her through each of her ideas of what she could do. Kitty has pretty awesome hair, I especially like it when she is composing music. Ronnie is suitably scary and sour looking!

Kitty Conquers the Big Bully is suitable for preschool and primary school children.

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, 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.

May10
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As a book reviewer I do get books in the post (and I am excited every single time one arrives!), but today I got something a little different. I got my first ever marketing pack for a book that I am currently reading for review. I was so super excited!

The book is Deathcat Sally by P.S. Brooks, and so far I am really enjoying it. Hopefully I will have the review up by next week (children willing!). It’s about Sally and Zachary, a teenage girl and a cat that find themselves joined together after a car accident that nearly killed them both. Not only do they have to deal with this unexpected predicament, every time they fall asleep they enter No Man’s Land, a dreamscape that is all too real, and all too scary. IMG_7571

The author, P.S. Brooks is also an illustrator, and has done the book cover, illustrations and marketing material himself. And his work is lovely! I was sent some of his Deathcat Sally art in the form of bookmarks, badges and a little booklet providing background for the book. I have put some of the art up on my library wall (well it will be my library when it has finished its life as a playroom!). The cat stickers and little cat figure that was in the marketing pack disappeared very quickly to my 6 year old’s bedroom. IMG_7560

I have also been perusing his other artwork and I have fallen in love with it! It is whimsical and gorgeous and I want some! I like so many his pictures I can’t decide on a favourite, but it’s close between Origin of a Starfish and Dance of the Stars. What’s your favourite? Have a look for yourself at P.S. Brooks Illustrator & Writer!

Now that I’ve shared my excitement, I’m off to continue reading 🙂

Exciting Mail

May10

The One by Kiera Cass

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theonecoverThe One by Kiera Cass, hardback novel, 323 pages, published by HarperTeen in 2014.

There’s only four girls left vying for Maxon’s heart. It seems obvious that he prefers America, but his father is not impressed with this choice. And so The Selection continues. There are more tasks for the girls to complete, and more uncertainty as to where Maxon’s affections truly lie. As the rebel activity increases, so too does security, with the whole of the palace restricted to staying indoors, placing even more pressure on the girls. America isn’t really one to conform, but will her

The One is the third novel in The Selection series. It is a light entertaining read that I knocked over quite quickly. It is dystopian romance crossed with reality TV dating. This series is much heavier on the romance than I often read, but I found it to be engaging. There was more action in this book than the previous ones, which was great. While the plot was easy enough to follow, it was solidly written, and there were some good twists.

As the series has progressed, Maxon and America have developed significantly as characters, and for the better. They are more complex now and I have come to like them a lot. America is loyal and passionate, though a little indecisive when it comes to Maxon and Aspen. Mind you, so much of her indecision was fueled by Maxon continuing to spend time with and even to kiss the other girls. They both spent time hedging their bets, which was a little frustrating! Maxon has grown on me immensely. He seems much more real now than at the beginning of the series.

This was my favourite of The Selection books so far, as it explored the rebels situation more thoroughly. We learnt more about the two factions, the Northern and the Southern rebels, and their differing goals. I had been wondering why these groups were attacking the palace, and what their ultimate aims were, especially the Northern rebels. They were attacking, but not killing, so what were they after? After learning more about Gregory Illea in the second book, I wondered how much of the real story did Maxon know and what might he do with such information. Finally some of these questions were answered.

The One is suitable for high school students. I recommend you read the first two novels in the series (The Selection and The Elite) before this one.  There are more books in the series that I am looking forward to reading soon.

May5

Apophis by Caron Rider

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apophiscoverApophis by Caron Rider, e-book, expected publication by Smashwords on 6th May 2016.

A huge asteroid is heading towards Earth where it is expected to cause a global catastrophic event. To preserve the human race, scientists develop two groups of genetically modified children. One group is to be placed into stasis until the effects of the asteroid strike have dissipated and life on earth is possible once more. The other group are sent to Mars to live, with the hope that their descendants will at some point return to Earth to live. Almost two thousand years later the group in stasis is awoken to find the Martians terrorising the clans of human survivors.

It’s taken me a couple of days to write this review because I wanted to tell you how great Apophis was, but I was hugely disappointed by the ending. It left me with mixed feelings, but for most of the book, I love it.

At first I had intended to just glance through the first few pages to get a feel for the story, next thing I find I’m half way through the book! The plot was reasonably fast and easy to follow. I read this entertaining book quickly. I was intrigued! The science was interesting, and the possibility of such advancements in technology is mind boggling. It felt like that could really happen in our futures. I liked that the science fiction still had a realistic feel to it.

The characters felt real too. I had a hard time remembering that Alec was actually a computer program rather than a person. I liked the way he interacted with Cynthia, always watching out for her and doing his best to protect the whole stasis project. Cynthia had a lot of responsibility, but she bore it well, and she was quite personable. However, I liked Tedo the best. Even with his physical limitations, he strove to do his best, and he was a really good person, despite the way others treated him.

However, the story ended far too abruptly and left me feeling very unsatisfied. The ending was rather lame, and after enjoying the rest of the book so much, I was very disappointed. I actually flipped through the following pages to see if there was more, but there were only previews for other books… I’m not sure how I wanted it to end, but it definitely needed more fight between the martians and the humans. The end let the whole book down.

Apophis is suitable for young adults and adults alike. It is quite tame in respect to levels of violence and romance, and there is no foul language to speak of, so younger readers could also enjoy it.

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, 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.

May2

Waneta Walrus and her Blue Tutu by Jean Ingellis

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wanetacoverWaneta Walrus and her Blue Tutu by Jean Ingellis, e-book, 27 pages, published by Jean and Vic Publishing in 2015.

Waneta is a Walrus with only one tusk. She is very self conscious about this, and the other walruses tease her. When a small walrus pup finds himself in trouble with a shark in the water, Waneta doesn’t hesitate to go to his aid. Can she beat the shark and save the pup?

The text was bold and clear, and the story was easy to follow. Overall I liked the book. The story itself was told through rhyming language, which  is great to read aloud. Waneta was very brave to take on a shark. I’ve never really thought of walruses as being graceful creatures, so the idea of them moving like a ballerina was a little funny too.

Each page had a simple and bold illustration, which reminded me of making drawings with the paint program on my computer when I was a child. Made me a bit nostalgic actually. These simple illustrations are good for young children. I liked the picture of the walruses sleeping on the beach best.

While the story states that teasing others is wrong, this still had a ring of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer to it. The other walruses only liked Waneta after she did something that helped them. It’s good that they stopped bullying her, but it shouldn’t take an act of bravery for the others to be nice to her. I don’t want my kids to learn that they have to do something extraordinary or prove themselves to have others treat them nicely.

We also learn that Waneta has two goals that she is trying to achieve, and it’s great to have goals in life. However, one of her goals is to have two tusks. I didn’t like this goal as it suggested that Waneta wasn’t fine just the way she was. This idea of poor body image was compounded by her embarrassment of the missing tusk, where she covered the gap with her flipper to prevent others seeing it. Also, having a missing tusk is something that Waneta can’t change, so she was always going to fail in her goal. It would have been better to make the goal something that was actually achievable, even if in the end she didn’t manage to do it.

Waneta Walrus and her Blue Tutu is most suitable for lower primary school children. Older reluctant readers may also find this a good read. There are more books coming in this series soon.

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, 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.

Apr29

Tongue Twisters for Girls by Honeysuckle Hale

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tonguetwisterscoverTongue Twisters for Girls by Honeysuckle Hale and illustrated by Aline Jorge, 59 pages, published in 2016.

Try out this collection of original tongue twisters. How fast can you say them?

These tongue twisters rely on alliteration and rhyme to trip you up, but it is lots of fun to try! Some of the short ones were deceptively difficult to say aloud, but those were the ones I liked the best. My favourite was about Betsy and her biscuits. These must be read aloud, and repeated! I got rather tangled in most of them after about the second repeat, but some of them I didn’t even get right the first time, much to the amusement of my kids. Much laughter was to be had trying these.

There is one tongue twister presented per page in large, solid text. Simple yet bold illustrations accompany each tongue twister on the opposing page. These pictures are quite lovely and suit the text well. My favourite picture was of Karen and her cartwheeling kitten.

Tongue Twisters for Girls is really suitable for all age groups, though primary school children will probably get the most joy from it! Who can say each one fast three times without stumbling in your house?

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, 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.

Apr29

Big Fat Cows by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton

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bigfatcowscoverBig Fat Cows by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton, board book, published by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd in 2014.

A hardy board book great for little hands, Big Fat Cows has been a hit with my toddlers (and their sisters, and their dad, and me…). It is funny and silly and reminds me of Where is the Green Sheep?, one of our favourites. The story is ridiculous in the best possible way, and it rhymes, sounding great read aloud. The illustrations are humourous, with plenty to look at and discover without being too overwhelming for the littlies. My kids have enjoyed seeing what each cow is doing, and they very much like the last page! I like the mixed-up cow and the milk carton shaped space ship myself.

Big Fat Cows is most suitable for toddlers and preschoolers, though it really has a much wider appeal. I highly recommend this book to share with your youngsters!

Apr29

The Adventures of Adam and the Incredibly Mysterious Zorkins by Ronnie Glaser

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zorkinscoverThe Adventures of Adam and the Incredibly Mysterious Zorkins by Ronnie Glaser, chapter book, 118 pages, published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform in 2016.

Adam Brown is ten years old, with an older sister, Lizzie and best friend, Howie. Behind his house are some woods that he likes to play in and explore.  As Adam and Howie go on adventures, Adam sometimes hears singing that no one else hears. The voices help him out when he’s in trouble. Whilst in his treehouse in the woods, he hears the singing again, and finally meets the Zorkins. These two tiny magical beings want to befriend Adam, but can he keep them a secret?

This chapter book is a quick read, perfect for early independent readers. It would be nice to share aloud with younger children also. The story is easy to follow and the characters are interesting. The language is age appropriate, but not repetitive. I liked the adventures (and mishaps) that Adam and Howie got into. They are quite lucky the Zorkins were looking out for them!

It took about half the book to get to the point where Adam actually meets the Zorkins, which surprised me. I thought the Zorkins would make themselves known to Adam much sooner. Instead they stayed out of sight, but still accompanied him on adventures until they were ready to show themselves.

All the characters were likeable, except for the school bully, Bobby. He was a mean lump of a boy. I didn’t really get a clear picture of what the Zorkins looked like, just that they were humanoid in appearance and very small. There wasn’t enough description for me, but I don’t think that would matter much to the intended audience. I did like the way the Zorkins complemented each other, with one being somewhat brusque and irritable, while the other one was calm and reasonable. They were funny little creatures.

The Adventures of Adam and the Incredibly Mysterious Zorkins is suitable for lower and middle primary school children.

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, 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.