Tag Archives: children’s fiction

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.

The Land Without Color by Benjamin Ellefson

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landwithoutcolorcoverThe Land Without Color by Benjamin Ellefson and illustrated by Kevin Cannon, paperback, 168 pages, published by Beaver’s Pond Press in 2015.

For his birthday, Alvin is given a special pocketknife, which comes in very handy when he finds himself transported to another world. The Kingdom of Color does not live up to its name; when Alvin arrives, the colour has been leached from the land and its inhabitants. With his new friends, Permy the squirrel and Ronaldo the mouse, Alvin sets about discovering the cause of the colour loss and how to recover it.

A fantastical adventure with dragons, goblins, man-eating plants, talking animals and free ice-cream and candy for all! The Land Without Color is a wonderful lollop through a magical world that will appeal to a wide range of children. It is well written with good description and some black and white illustrations scattered through the book. Character development was really good, and I got to know Alvin as I followed on his adventure. Though only twelve, he is brave and compassionate with a well developed sense of right and wrong. I liked him a lot, however, Permy was definitely my favourite. The dragon with two heads was an interesting creature, long necks and a giant coiled body. I liked that one head was blue and the other red, and the blue one could breath ice cream instead of fire. That’s a pretty nifty trick!

Junk food is extremely bad for the residents of the Kingdom of Color, as it is the conduit for the colour loss. It also results in a loss of energy and drive, whereas eating vegetables and fruit gives the people back their colour and energy. The message was clear; “Eat Your Vegetables!” I liked this as a theme, and I thought it was well executed. At first the message was subtle, but it became quite strong by the end, and was reinforced through the story. I hope it works to help kids eat veges and fruit!

The Land Without Color is suitable for middle and upper primary school students. Adults will most likely enjoy sharing this book with their child too, I did! This book is the start of a series, with the next book, The Great Sugar War, expected out in late 2016.

 

*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.

If You Have a Hat by Gerald Hawksley

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ifyouhaveahatcoverIf You Have a Hat by Gerald Hawksley, picture e-book, published in 2011.

A whimsical rhyming picture book, If You Have a Hat, is perfect for preschoolers. The language is simple and fun, so early readers can also enjoy reading it themselves. The illustrations are clear and bright, and sometimes a little silly. The man eating peas was a favourite of my boys. I liked the hippo in the bath myself. I enjoyed reading this book with my boys, and watching them giggle.

 

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.

The Princess and the Dragon: A Fractured Fairy Tale by Marjorie Bayes

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The Princess and the Dragon coverThe Princess and the Dragon: A Fractured Fairy Tale by Marjorie Bayes and illustrated by Agnes Villeda, e-book, 40 pages, published in 2015.

This unusual princess helps her father and mother to rule, and on the side she rescues princes. One very annoying prince has been captured by the Dragon. Dutifully, the Princess goes along to rescue him, only to find the Dragon isn’t really all that good at being a dragon. So she recruits him to help her with some issues in the Kingdom.

The Princess and the Dragon is a short chapter book that will delight children young and old. It turns the ‘Prince rescues Princess, slays dragon and marries Princess” fairy tale on its head in an entertaining and amusing way. There are only three chapters, so it was a quick read for me, but I really enjoyed it. I liked the simple pictures too. Every second page or so is filled with coloured illustrations, which are beautifully rendered and complement the story nicely.

My favourite character was the Dragon, with his ineffectual roar, vegetarian ways and love of roses. He was always reluctant to help the Princess, but got there eventually. It was funny that he kept telling her things were against the dragon rules, when he was mostly just making that up! The Princess is no ordinary royal either, she is forthright, sensible and responsible. No pretty dresses and swooning for her! She makes a great lead character and role model for girls. She can be herself and she can do anything.

The Princess and the Dragon is an enjoyable read most suitable for lower and middle primary school students.

 

*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.

Lost and Found at the Library by Jeneane Kendall

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lostandfoundcoverLost and Found at the Library by Jeneane Kendall, e-book, 19 pages, published in 2016.

Cooper the teddy bear and Floppy the toy rabbit have been accidentally left at the library by their owners. They are placed in the “Lost and Found” box to wait. Once the library staff leave for the night, a fairy appears to help the toys. Floppy and Cooper set out to explore the library. They look at books, check out the computers and even make a sign for the library window.

With a couple of well-loved toys exploring a library when no one is around to see, and a bit of magic, this book was a pleasant and easy read. The story was straight forward, and the language simple. It is not a picture book, though there are basic coloured illustrations scattered through the book, it is more of a short story. I think it would be good for young children as a reader book when learning to read.

I liked Cooper and Floppy, they reminded me of toys I had as a child. To me, my stuffed animals were always alive, and having adventures, just like Floppy and Cooper! This is the sort of story I would have enjoyed reading as a child, and I like it now too. It was too long for my toddlers to sit through, but was perfect for my first grader.

Lost and Found at the Library is suitable for lower 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.

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.

The Ship of Sight and the Hand of Shadow by Brydie Walker Bain

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shipofsight coverThe Ship of Sight and the Hand of Shadow by Brydie Walker Bain, e-book, 136 pages, published by Smashwords Editions in 2015.

Nat and the gang are back, ready for a new adventure! When Barnaby accidentally uncovers a skeleton, a necklace is thrust upon Nat, and she must take it home. With Abraham guiding them, they begin a journey through the North Island of New Zealand to prove themselves worthy of the task set them. The task’s challenges are only part of the difficult journey, as they are hunted by Drake and her new off-sider, the Scout. They are determined to stop the children by any means necessary, but the gang are just as determined to complete their task.

This is the second book in The Natnat Adventures series. It is a fast paced and exhilarating jaunt across the North Island of New Zealand, over waterfalls and cliff tops, through forests and along beaches as Abraham guides the youngsters to their destination. There is action, adventure, and villainy, all wrapped up in fantasy and myth. It is a wonderful page turner, that I really got into. I liked the fantasy elements best, especially the talking trees. It’s all described so well that I could picture it just as if I had experienced it myself. It was fun to go on another adventure with Nat. I hope there are many more to come!

Nat and Riki are my favourite characters out of the kids. They possess courage and ingenuity, and are down to earth too. The boys are all a little bit over the top, racing about, being loud and loutish, though mostly in a lovable way. The boys really developed in this story, gaining knowledge, wisdom, and a sliver of decorum! Again, Abraham was my favourite, he seems to know everything, predicts the future, pops up where he is most needed, and never gives up on the kids. He’s an omnipotent grandfatherly figure, very trustworthy, generous and wise. There were hints as to his relationship with Drake through the story, and I am very curious to find out where she fits in. Drake is horrible, well written, but malevolent.

The Ship of Sight and the Hand of Shadow answered some of the questions left from the first book in the series, The Secret of Sinbad’s Cave, but it also created a lot more! The mystery is complex and intriguing. Hopefully the next book, The Lost River (coming soon), will hold more clues and answers!

This series is great for middle to upper primary school children, and adventure fans of all ages.

 

*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.

 

The Architect’s Apprentice by Colin Garrow

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architects apprentice coverThe Architect’s Apprentice by Colin Garrow, e-book, 124 pages, published in 2015.

Young Tom has been forced to work for the unscrupulous Mr Savidge in London in 1630. He has been working hard to help support his mother and sister since his father disappeared in mysterious circumstances. Mr Savidge has Tom do many jobs for him, which sometimes includes Tom helping him to steal from houses late at night. On one such trip, Tom discovers a book that has the wrong printing date, it is a date in the future, so it must be a mistake, right? When the owner of the book, the architect Martin Deacon approaches Tom, explaining that the date is in fact correct, Tom’s life suddenly becomes much more complicated.

A complex time slip novel, The Architect’s Apprentice was engaging and intriguing. I tumbled into this fantasy adventure, with its historical London setting, working class English and description that had me wandering the crowded lanes, avoiding excrement and detritus whilst being intoxicated by the cloying odour of the Thames. It was on occassion, a little confusing, with many characters, but I felt satisfied that everything made sense in the end. There were also several surprises that I didn’t see coming!

Time travel stories are always complex due to the nature of moving through time and the possibility of changing the future or the past. This book is no exception. I love that the time breaks are in doorways, and that they exist all over London, yet few people realise it. I also liked that the characters traveled through time, yet never encountered other versions of themselves.

The children, Tom, Sarah and Emily were delightful characters, bright and inquisitive. Though they are of a station that requires them to work at such a young age to survive, they were neither down-trodden nor broken. I enjoyed seeing the way Tom and Sarah bonded with Emily through the story. Emily is rather precocious, yet it fits her superbly. Whilst the children were obviously good, it took a little longer to work out the roles of the adults. I was quite suspicious of Deacon when he first approached Tom, but as I got to know him better, I liked him. For the most part, the adults had a lot to hide, and I was often undecided as to which adult the children should trust, but that mysteriousness only added to the intrigue of the story.

While the book contains some violence, I think it would still be suitable for upper primary school students and high school students. I really enjoyed The Architect’s Apprentice, and I definitely want to read the next book in The Maps of Time series, Mortlake. There was a short preview of Mortlake at the back of the book, which served to strengthen my desire to read 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.

Delilah Dusticle’s Transylvanian Adventure by A. J. York

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DDtrans coverDelilah Dusticle’s Transylvanian Adventure by A. J. York and illustrated by Gavin Childs, e-book, 149 pages, published in 2014.

Delilah and Abi have formed a very successful cleaning company called “Dustbusters”. They have a whole team of cleaners working for them and they have endless work keeping them occupied. Delilah is wonderful at removing dust that others just can’t, she whips out her duster and simply eradicates the dust! Whilst cleaning for one of their clients, Delilah receives a letter from Count W. Dracula requesting her services in preparing his castle in Transylvania for a large function. Delilah and her workers, Dev, Billy and Doris travel to Transylvania, meeting the rather eccentric Count. Delilah gets much more than she expected on her first overseas gig!

This is the second book in the Delilah Dusticle series. The story picks up with Delilah and Abi in their successful business venture, but leads Delilah to discover so much more about herself. There were fairies and spies, and of course a very annoying villain ready to be overthrown in this delightful fantasy. It was a fun and engaging story, with plenty of magic and humour. The chapters are short and the plot easily followed, making it perfect for early independent readers. There are cute colour illustrations at the beginning of each chapter too.

I quite like Delilah. Her ability to eradicate dust is pretty amazing, but she is also clever, kind and generous. Abi is similarly endowed, except her special ability is to create incredible and beautiful dusters. Winnie, aka Count Dracula, was a complete card! His antics and his style made me laugh. I do wish I could have some fluffy duck slippers that quack when I walk! His assistant, Ulrik was also a funny character. All of the characters are interesting, and well developed.

I read Delilah Dusticle’s Transylvanian Adventure in a single sitting, and now I am ready for Delilah’s next adventure. It is most suitable for primary school students, but I really liked it! I think this book could be read independently of the first Delilah Dusticle story, though both are worth reading.

 

*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.