Category Archives: Animals

May25

Deathcat Sally by P.S. Brooks

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Layout 1Deathcat Sally by P.S. Brooks, 387 pages, published by Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie in 2015.

After hitting a cat in the road, Sally is also struck down and seriously injured. Still recovering from her injuries several weeks later, her life takes a bizarre turn when the cat she hit appears as an ethereal presence sprouting from her left shoulder. And he talks, a lot. Now Sally can hear other animals too, maybe it’s the effects of the accident and the medication, but it seems terribly real. Things get even worse when she keeps falling asleep straight into a desolate and ruined land where beasts lurk trying to kill her.

This fantasy horror tale was intriguing and difficult to put down. I’ve never read a book where an animal spirit was spliced to a human before, so I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but this was more than I could have hoped for. Interesting, engaging, and it discussed issues such as cruelty to animals and humanity’s misuse of the environment. It was quite dark overall. Tortured animals, trapped souls, anger and hate. It gave me a lot to think about. I’m quite fond of animals, and I would never intentionally hurt one, but this book made me wonder what more I can do to help the animals. All animals are important to the earth, we should remember that more often and make sure to look after the ones we have left.

The pace of the story was quite quick, and I liked the writing style. I also liked the action scenes, especially the one on the platform over the fire pit and in the coliseum. The latter was rather gruesome, definitely fodder for nightmares!  The author used good descriptive language to really pull the reader into No Man’s Land. Picturing such desolation and destruction, and the pain and anger of its inhabitants was terribly depressing. Yet I had to read on because I was so sure Sally and Zachary would find a way to help all of those souls trapped there.

There were so many animal characters I found myself a little confused as to which was which. I had to re-read bits with the animals to try and get them straight, but still didn’t quite manage it. The main characters were very well written and developed. I got to know Sally and Zachary quite well. Zachary was by far my favourite character. He was not impressed to find himself attached to Sally, and he makes sure she knows it. He was loud, rude, and often lewd, yet he had tender moments too. He made me laugh a lot. His total obsession with Malibu the leopard, despite her rebuffs, highlighted his persistence and self-confidence. Such a wonderful character; I will remember him for a long time.

There are a some black and white illustrations scattered through the book, all of which were very good. The images were done by the author, who is very talented. I love his style of illustration.

Due to some of the grisly scenes and themes, Deathcat Sally is more suited to mature readers in high school. It is a great book for adults too.

 

*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.

May25

The Flood at the Zoo by Mr. Baker-Hall

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The_Flood_At_The_Zoo_Cover_for_KindleThe Flood at the Zoo by Mr. Baker-Hall and illustrated by Carlos Brito, picture e-book, published by Baker-Hall Group Limited in 2016.

A flood has hit the zoo and the animals must find a way to beat the rising waters. What will happen to them?

I’m not a fan of this book, though I liked it better than Dinner at the Zoo. The text is mostly rhyming with some tongue twister type material. It all felt forced, like it was trying too hard to be silly and funny, but didn’t make it. I really disliked the part with the seahorse, it was annoying. There was some effort made to engage the reader, asking questions that would get the kids involved.  I did like the ending, it was the best bit of the story.

The picture of the ape falling to the ground was funny, though the style of illustration generally didn’t suit me.

The Flood at the Zoo is suitable for lower primary school students. There are also colouring books available in this series.

 

*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.

May25

Dinner at the Zoo by Mr. Baker-Hall

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dinneratthezoocoverDinner at the Zoo by Mr. Baker-Hall and illustrated by Carlos Brito, picture e-book, published by Baker-Hall Group Limited in 2016.

Join the zoo animals as they enjoy their dinner. See what the bear, monkeys and big cats are eating tonight.

Overall I didn’t really like this book. It was more a string of related rhymes than a story, and some of it didn’t even make sense. A few of the rhymes were really terrible. I hated the one about the tick and Rick the chick. It was forced, and I don’t really think of ticks and chicks as zoo animals anyway. And why is there a star-nosed mole at the zoo? I also disliked the rhyme with the wolf and rhino. It was nonsense, but not in the good silly and funny way. Not all of the rhymes were bad though, I quite liked the one about the sloth and her milkshake, as well as the cheetahs eating fajitas. If more of them had been like that, the book would have been much more fun!

The illustrations are colourful and bright, but the style wasn’t really for me. I did like the cheetahs and the spotted cats.

Dinner at the Zoo is suitable for lower primary school children. There is a second book in this series, Flood at the Zoo, I will give it a go and see what it’s like. There are also a couple of colouring books availbale.

 

*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

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!

Mar19

Meeting of the Mustangs by Cathy Kennedy

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mustangscoverMeeting of the Mustangs by Cathy Kennedy, e-book novella, published in 2015.

A black colt is born into a band of wild Mustangs. At a young age he learns that life is not easy, and danger lurks around every corner. When he is accidentally separated from his family, he journeys on alone, and lonely in the hope that he will find them again. He encounters dangers, both in nature and at the hand of man, as he grows into a stunning and spirited stallion.

This was a fairly short and easy read. It was different in that it was primarily about the horse and his experiences, interaction with people was just collateral. The first part of the story was a bit slow, but it became more interesting once the horse came into contact with people. He wasn’t with any of the people long enough to get to know the characters very well though. The horse was very determined and mistrustful of people, understandably, he really should have been left in the wild. It made me feel angry that someone would capture a wild horse and then force him into captivity for no reason other than financial gain.

The plot was both realistic and logical. However, the story felt truncated to me, ending abruptly and too soon. I would have liked a little more about the last man that the horse finds, and how their relationship would go on to develop. All of the time spent with people felt too short, though it was probably necessary to fit with the nature of the story and the horse.

Perfect for horse lovers, Meeting of the Mustangs is suitable for middle primary school students and up.

 

*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.

Mar18

Tabby, Tabby, Burning Bright by Emily Martha Sorensen

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TabbyTabbyBurningBrightCoverTabby, Tabby, Burning Bright by Emily Martha Sorensen, e-book picture book, 27 pages, published in 2016.

The tabby cat has swallowed a flashlight, and everywhere he goes, he emits a yellow glow from his mouth. He uses his newfound ability to his advantage, as a distraction and for fun. How did he get the flashlight to start with?

Tabby, Tabby, Burning Bright is a silly rhyming story that made me chuckle. Each page has just one line of text with a cute illustration. I liked the way the cat was drawn, and the picture of Mum chasing him with a broom was funny. Whilst the story is reasonably short, some of the words were difficult for young children, such as ‘ire’ and ‘conceit’, but it didn’t reduce the enjoyment we got from this book. I just prepared for my first grader to ask for their meaning. My sons loved this story, asking me to read it again and again!

Suitable for lower primary school students and preschoolers, it is a good one to read aloud, and listen to the rhythmic flow of the text.

 

*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.

Mar11

The Perfect Shade of Green by Brian Barlics

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perfectgreencover copyThe Perfect Shade of Green by Brian Barlics and illustrated by Gregory Burgess Jones, e-book, published by Black Rose Writing in 2014.

Cami is a chameleon who likes to stay green. Even when her friends change colour, she just wants to be herself, her green self. No need to change, because Cami is perfect just the way she is!

This is a delightful rhyming tale about being yourself, and making no excuses for it. Cami is a strong character that likes the way she is and wouldn’t change it for the world. I’m always encouraging my kids to be themselves, and this book was a good starting point for a conservation about being ourselves and being proud of ourselves.

Each page is filled with gorgeous illustrations. My children loved pointing out the ‘hidden’ chameleons, and they liked that Cami was wearing a pink, frilly skirt. I love the rainbow chameleon!

The Perfect Shade of Green is a beautiful picture book suitable for preschoolers and lower primary school children. The lyrical text definitely lends itself to being read aloud, so it is also a great book to share with youngsters.

Feb17

Elphie and Dad go on an Epic Adventure by Hagit R Oron and Or Oron

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elphieElphie and Dad go on an Epic Adventure by Hagit R Oron and Or Oron, e-book, 25 pages, published in 2016.

Dad needs to go to the shop to get some milk, but Elphie doesn’t want to go. To make the trip more fun, they pretend that it is an epic adventure.

This is a simple story of turning an ordinary chore into something exciting. Considering he was the one to suggest the epic adventure, Dad was way too cautious on the journey. Elphie wasn’t allowed to do much, which resulted in him becoming bored and doing something actually dangerous. I suppose this is a lesson for parents to give their kids some space to be kids. Foster their imaginations, and let them take ‘safe’ risks. Once Dad gets into the adventure, they both have a lot more fun!

The illustrations are simple line drawings in colour. They are also clear, which is great for young children. However, I just don’t understand why Dad and Elpie have no shirts on. Dad is wearing a tie, and Elphie has a cape, but no shirts. The female elephants are wearing shirts, but not the males. This felt wrong to me. My kids also asked why Elphie and his Dad weren’t fully dressed.

Elphie and Dad go on an Epic Adventure is suitable for lower primary school children and preschoolers.

 

*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.

Dec2

Dragons at Crumbling Castle and Other Stories by Terry Pratchett

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IMG_4945 (1)Dragons at Crumbling Castle and Other Stories by Terry Pratchett, paperback collection of short stories, 339 pages, published by Corgi in 2015.

This is a delightful collection of short stories written by Terry Pratchett when he was a young man working as a journalist.

I read Dragons at Crumbling Castle and Other Stories with my eight year old daughter. She has marveled at my complete collection of Discworld novels, and wondered why I like them so much, so I thought it was time she discovered Pratchett too. This was a good book to get her started, and we enjoyed reading it together.

My favourite story was “Dok the Caveman”. Dok was a caveman inventor, always inventing something new, and often creating havoc with his new invention, but I loved his enthusiasm. It was a very funny story! My daughter liked the tales of the Carpet People, with their adventures among the fibres of the Rug.

Most of the stories were funny, with insights into the kinds of stories that Pratchett would produce later, but these really are his early work, when he was developing his style and perfecting his tale-telling abilities. I far prefer the Discworld novels, but Dragons at Crumbling Castle is a nice, easy to read kids book. My daughter would like to try some other Pratchett now, which makes me very happy!

There are black and white illustrations throughout the book which to me looked like the work of Quentin Blake, who illustrated Roald Dahl’s books. I was mistaken in this belief though, the illustrator is actually Mark Beech, he just has a very similar style, I guess. None the less, I liked the illustrations, and thought that they complemented the stories very well.

Dragons at Crumbling Castle is suitable for primary school children and up. Many adult Pratchett fans will enjoy it too, just try not to compare it to the Discworld novels!