Tag Archives: book review

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.

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.

Jul25

How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers

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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

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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.

 

Jul23

The Wandering Troll by Russ Hughes and KayeC Jones

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wanderingtrollcoverThe Wandering Troll by Russ Hughes and KayeC Jones, picture e-book, 35 pages, published in 2016.

A troll leaves his under-bridge home because it has become too noisy. He searches for a new home in the forest, snow and desert. Will he ever find a peaceful place to stop for good?

This rhyming tale of a troll trying to find a spot to settle down is a lovely book for sharing with younger children. The inclusion of onomatopoeic ‘noise’ words, such as swoosh, thwack and click were fun additions to the reading aloud experience. His journey was repetitive, allowing for children to easily predict what might happen next.

The story was enjoyable, and we did giggle at the plight of the poor troll. He seemed so very happy in the snow (that’s probably my favourite page), but he needed somewhere much quieter. It was good for him to find a cosy home, and the ending made me feel happy.

While I liked the meandering text placement, it does make it slightly harder for newer readers to follow. The letters and words varied in size, spacing, colour, and direction. There was even the occasional misplaced upper case letter. It was all very whimsical, though it did suit the style of the illustrations and the story well.

The illustrations are gorgeous in The Wandering Troll. It appears as if each part of the picture is sewn to the page like appliqué pieces. Even the text is done in this style, with stitching through the centre of each letter. The troll is quite simple, yet his button eyes and stitched mouth are surprisingly expressive throughout the book. I like his angry face when he hears too much noise.

The Wandering Troll is suitable for toddlers, preschoolers, and lower primary school students.

 

*I received this book in digital form 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.

Jul23

Kyle Evans and the Key to the Universe by Rob H Hunt

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kylecoverKyle Evans and the Key to the Universe by Rob H Hunt, paperback, 162 pages, published by MES Inc. in 2016.

Kyle Evans is living a reasonably boring and safe life until a few weeks before his tenth birthday when a temporal vortex appears in his bedroom. Then his life becomes very interesting indeed. Spaceships, vortex travel, robots, interesting and dangerous lifeforms, metallic attack ants,and a talking cat, who is really an alien, called Bootles. Kyle is in for the adventure of a lifetime.

Action and adventure right from the first few pages set the tone for this fast-paced and engaging science fiction novel. Excellent description accompanies good character development, allowing me to feel like I could step right into the story. The chapters are short; each leading neatly into the next, keeping the story flowing along swiftly. The cover threw me a bit, as I couldn’t work out how a panther fit in with the story, until I realised that Bootles was actually a black cat!

Robots, robots, everywhere! Search droids, battle droids, Kranken. These last look like robotic ants, but they come in a big nest and can morph together to change their appearance and abilities. I really like this concept even though it made them terrifying! The scenes at Kyle’s school were exciting.

I do love cats in literature! Bootles is my favourite character, he is witty, brave, loveable and resilient. He is also affectionate and he made me laugh. Kyle and Sofia displayed courage and curiosity and I liked them too. I think Bootles was lucky to have them by his side. While Bootles was really an alien hiding in the skin of a cat, he acted quite a lot like a cat; rubbing himself against Kyle’s legs, purring and hissing.  He had plenty of crazy ‘plans’ to help them escape danger too, some of them were ingenious, while others were overthought. I love their escape from the zoo and Sofia’s ability to fly the spaceship was truly amazing.

The Commander reminded me of the villain Dr. Claw from the Inspector Gadget cartoons, except his sidekick is a grey cloud instead of a fat cat. We were only treated to glimpses of The Commander, yet it was enough to know he is evil, scary and powerful. I really hope Bootles can stay out of his grasp!

Kyle Evans and the Key to the Universe is suitable for middle and upper primary school students. This is the first book in the Kyle Evans series. I am excited to follow Kyle in his next adventure, along with Bootles and Sofia, as they explore the universe, and hopefully always stay one step ahead of The Commander.

 

*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.

 

Jul8

Megan’s Brood by Roy Burdine

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megansbroodcoverMegan’s Brood by Roy Burdine and illustrated by Shawn McManus, paperback, 105 pages, published in 2016.

At the start of summer, Megan and her parents moved into a new house, leaving their old home, her school and friends. Megan is not at all happy about the move, but things look up when she discovers a clutch of strange eggs residing in a crack in the wall of her attic bedroom. After watching and waiting for weeks, the eggs hatch revealing a motley crew of small imp-like creatures, each with it’s own distinct look. Megan treats them like her babies, but as they grow some disturbing and unique abilities appear among them.

Megan’s Brood is a quick fantasy read that I knocked over in one session. The pace was good, and the plot interesting. I think I would have freaked out if I located a pulsating, luminescent cocoon in my room, but Megan takes it pretty well. She really cares for the strange little creatures that hatch, attaching to her like chicks to a mother hen. They reminded me of a cross between gremlins and imps, though some were cuter than others. I liked that they were different, and developed various abilities, such as fire-breathing or colour changing. However, I would try very hard not to upset the little fella that uses sulfur as a defense mechanism, euwww!

Each chapter began with a lovely black and white full page illustration. Other pictures were distributed throughout the story, all of which are very nice. I like how Megan is portrayed, just how she is described. The last picture was a bit scary though!

The format and length suggests chapter book, yet I found this incongruous with the characters and storyline. Megan is about to enter year seven, along with her new friends Cutter and Casper, which makes them older by several years than the characters I normally encounter in chapter books. Megan is a teen (or close to) and does things that teens do, suck as thinking about Cutter being her boyfriend, going to a party, and reading horror novels. I don’t think these are things that kids reading chapter books are up to yet. Some elements of the story are also more suitable for an older or more mature audience, such as the deaths of some of the little creatures and the disturbing nature of a few of them. So, I think Megan’s Brood is more of a short novel for kids from upper primary school to lower high school. It may be well suited to older reluctant readers as well, as it has short chapters, broken by the occasional black and white illustration.

I did enjoy this fast fantasy read, and I will be giving it to my fourth grader to read now. Megan’s Brood is the first book in a great new series, with the second book, Megan’s Brood and the Old One coming soon.

 

*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.

Jul7

The Leaving by Tara Altebrando

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theleavingcoverThe Leaving by Tara Altebrando, paperback novel, 421 pages, published by Bloomsbury in 2016.

Eleven years ago six kindergartners disappeared without a trace. Now five of them are back with no memory of where they’ve been or what they’ve been doing since they left. They have arrived with a few clues, but is it enough to discover their past? And what happened to Max, the child that didn’t make it back?

The cover of this book is awesome. I knew the first time I saw it that I wanted to read it. I do have a tendency to pick up books based entirely on their covers, and this one is perfect. Luckily the story was also pretty awesome, though I thought that the ending seemed a little rushed.

The Leaving was a mystery with elements of science fiction. It was difficult to put down once I started, and I finished it quite rapidly. It was told from the perspectives of three characters, Scarlett and Lucas, two of the taken, and Avery, the little sister of Max. I liked this split in the narrative, as I got to see how things were developing from both sides of the equation; from those who have no recollection and must re-adjust to families and a life from before, and from one that was left behind and had to deal with the fall-out of The Leaving.

Tidbits of information and clues were doled out slowly, building suspense and intrigue. I did manage to work out some of the answers prior to them being supplied, but not everything. The explanation of why and who felt too brief after such a long time developing. However, The Leaving is still a very good book that I recommend to lovers of mystery and crime.

Interesting characters added to the satisfaction of reading The Leaving. Despite not remembering anything about themselves, I still got to know Lucas and Scarlett quite well, as they got to know themselves. I’m not sure I really liked them though, same with Avery. I actually found her to be a bit whiny and self-centred, she just kept thinking about those flip-flops! But perhaps if I had been just holding things together for my family for the past eleven years, when everything had been about the missing Max, perhaps I would want to focus on myself for a while too. I felt sorry for her. The weight on Avery’s shoulders was greater than it should have been at that age, but that doesn’t explain her lack of empathy for her friend Emma and boyfriend Sam. I also couldn’t understand Adam’s lack of enthusiasm in discovering his past.

The Leaving is suitable for middle and upper high school students and beyond. I am now interested in seeing what else Altebrando has to offer!

 

 

 

Jul6

Earth’s Descent by Rachel Meehan

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earthsdescentcoverEarth’s Descent by Rachel Meehan, e-book, 217 pages, published in 2015 by Cherry House Publishing.

Nairne receives an unexpected letter that leads her to travel from Scotland all the way down to London. Ronnie accompanies her on the dangerous journey, the two of them leaving the safety of the community to face the unknown. They encounter mass death and disease, armed gangs and power hungry lunatics while they cross the vastly changed lands. Whole parts of the country are now under water, while the air swelters hotter than any summer before.

Earth’s Descent is the final installment of the Troubled Times series, which has highlighted the potential fall-out of climate change. Through increasingly erratic and extreme weather conditions, sections of land are now submerged, and whole towns destroyed. Masses of people have been displaced from their homes, have faced disease, starvation and thirst. And that’s aside from the threat of people who are making the most of the situation to exploit and control the weaker, the unarmed, the desperate. Meehan has created an highly viable and terrifying world where society no longer exists, where survival is uncertain because we, as inhabitants of Earth, failed to protect our environment and ignored climate change until it was too late to reverse the tide. I really hope we are not going to end up in Nairne’s world.

I actually put off reading Earth’s Descent for quite a while because I knew it would be the last of Nairne’s story, and I didn’t want it to end. Curiosity won out however, and I quickly dipped back into the devastated Scotland that is Nairne’s reality. I read the whole book over two, quick reading sessions, and I was sad to reach the end. It left me with a lot to think about afterwards too, mostly about what would happen to my family and friends if the climate deteriorated like that, and what will happen to Nairne, Ronnie, Paul and their community. What sort of future will they have? Would human society rebuild itself? Would the Earth recover? This series is extremely relevant to our current situation regarding climate change, and it affected me deeply. It will be a story that stays with me for a long time to come (and yes, it tempted me to stock up on long-life food and water!)

The plot is fast and full of action. This is the darkest of the three books, and reflects the desperation of the people that Nairne and Ronnie meet on their travels. There is violence and murder, intimidation and abuse. These are dark times for humanity and this comes through strongly in the story.

Nairne has been a wonderful character across all three books, and I liked her right from the start. She is strong, independent, smart and sassy. Ronnie grew on me, so that I liked him almost as much as Nairne. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Paul, and how he was progressing from his injury, but I did enjoy meeting some of the new characters that were introduced in Earth’s Descent.

Troubled Times is a touching, exciting series suitable for high school students and adults. It reads like a cautionary tale, if only we would learn from it. If you haven’t already done so, you should read the previous two books, Water’s Edge and Power’s Out first.

 

*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.