Aug5

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

Posted on by
Standard

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

Posted on by
Standard

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

Posted on by
Standard

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

Posted on by
Standard

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

Posted on by
Standard

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

Posted on by
Standard

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

Posted on by
Standard

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

Posted on by
Standard

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.

Jul25

How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers

Posted on by
Standard

catchastarcoverHow to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers, hardback picture book, published by HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks in 2004, this edition published in 2014.

After admiring the stars, a boy would like a star of his own. He tries different ways of catching a star right from the night sky.

We have enjoyed reading How to Catch a Star many times. It is an adorable picture book that will win the heart of any child. It always leaves me with a nice, warm feeling.

The story tells us that anything is possible, you might just have to think creatively to reach your goal. It is a literal reminder to “aim for the stars!” and do your best.

The boy has a number of clever ideas on how to catch his star, but my favourite is his idea of using a life belt to lasso the star. My kids think the rocket would be best. We also like the distinctive illustrations, especially the trees.

How to Catch a Star is suitable for preschoolers and lower primary school children.

Jul24

¡Hola! Let’s Learn Spanish by Judy Martialay

Posted on by
Standard

holacover¡Hola! Let’s Learn Spanish by Judy Martialay, paperback, 30 pages, published by PoliglotKidz Press in 2015.

Ride along with Panchito (a Mexican jumping bean) and Pete the Pilot to learn some basic Spanish. Go from the bean fields to the markets and then off to a party, learning Spanish all the way.

My complete Spanish repertoire prior to reading this book was gleaned from Dora the Explorer episodes, so basically I could count to three and say hello. ¡Hola! Let’s Learn Spanish was perfect for a total beginner such as myself. It is a fantastic resource for children and adult beginners alike, with its engaging and interactive method of introducing the language. You can also go onto the Polyglotkidz website and download the audio files. This allows for listening to the correct pronunciation of the Spanish words, and provides an opportunity to practice speaking the language.

I liked the story of Panchito, which was fun and I picked up a number of words as I read. It was easy to see the translation of the Spanish words. I felt like I was learning Spanish straight away! There is a glossary of words at the end of the book for quick reference, which was handy for checking words I wasn’t sure about.

I really enjoyed the Culture Corner section of the book. The information was interesting, relevant and age-appropriate. I did not know that a jumping bean is not a bean at all! It even included the words and tune for the song which is traditionally sung during the striking of the piñata.

Activities designed to strengthen language retention were a useful addition to the book. Suitable for children of all ages these activities could be done in a group or individually. I really liked the idea of doing a treasure hunt as part of the language learning experience. There was also a short play which would be fun to act out.

¡Hola! Let’s Learn Spanish is suitable for primary school children, but can be used by anyone wanting a fun way to pick up a little bit of Spanish. I would like to see more books like this for other languages in the future.

 

*I received this book 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.