Tag Archives: children’s fiction

Jan30

Valentine’s Oops by Emily Martha Sorensen

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valentinesoopscoverValentine’s Oops by Emily Martha Sorensen, short story, 8 pages, published 2016.

When Donovan is told that his best friend’s sister is planning on making him her valentine, he panics.

This short story was a quick and fun read. It had a scattering of magic, and it was funny. It’s perfect for reading in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day.

Donovan and Junior are a bit naughty, and quite mean to their sisters! Just typical brothers. The story wasn’t really long enough to get to know the characters in depth, but I did like them. The Wilkinsons (Junior’s family) can make some unusual things happen. I would like to read more about this interesting family!

Valentine’s Oops is suitable for primary school students, but adults can also chuckle along as Donovan attempts to evade Elsie’s Valentine plans.

 

*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.

Jan30

Gone by Christine Kersey

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gonecoverGone by Christine Kersey, e-book, 230 pages, published by Sapphire Creek Press in 2013.

Morgan is a teenager that thinks she is being treated unfairly by her parents. She also perceives them to be biased towards her younger sister, Amy. So in a huff she runs away into the woods nearby her house. It starts getting cold and Morgan gets lost, finally taking shelter in a little hut she finds among the trees. After a large storm which damages the hut, Morgan must find another way out. She follows a tunnel, which leads her right into an alternate universe, where it is illegal to be overweight, and the government enforces this rule by locking people up in fat farms. Will Morgan ever find her way home?

This novel is set in a parallel universe, where things are the same, but not the same as we know them. The main difference that Morgan finds in her new world is that the government is monitoring everyone’s weight, and it is illegal to become overweight. If this occurs, the person is forcibly taken into a weight loss facility, where they must stay in prison like conditions until they drop the weight. And they have to pay for it themselves, which has created an abundance of very poor families struggling to survive after a family member has been committed for rehabilitation. As a premise, this held a lot of promise, and I quite enjoyed the plot. It was disturbing and intriguing how much everyone was focused on diet, exercise and weight.

One thing that bothered me was what happened to the Morgan that had been living in the alternate universe? She was on a camping trip, and just disappeared, but where to and how? I kept expecting her to turn up and claim Morgan as an imposter. Maybe she was forced into Morgan’s world, which then begs the question of what’s happening back there? I’m just curious…

I found Morgan a little whiny and immature. I’m a bit appalled that she would run away at sixteen because they moved to a new house and her mum said she couldn’t have a new phone, it’s selfish to say the least. And it’s somewhat stupid to wander into a forest during winter without proper supplies or protection, especially in a location with a high likelihood of snow at that time of year. I know she’s young, but a bit of commonsense would have gone a long way to preventing her trip through the time-space continuum! I think she improved as a person whilst in the alternate universe, but not enough to protect her family. She was too proud and self righteous to back down from the nasty girl at school, despite knowing that it wasn’t a good idea. The other characters didn’t make much of an impression on me.

I think this could have been a great book. It was let down by the irritating nature of the main character, and the lack of other interesting characters. It didn’t capture my attention enough for me to seek out the second book in the series.

Gone was an easy read suitable for upper primary school and high school students. The novel is very clean, with a little superficial romance, and no foul language. It is the first book in the Parallel Trilogy.

 

 

Jan26

Delilah Dusticle by A. J. York

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DD coverDelilah Dusticle by A. J. York, e-book, 81 pages, published by Smashwords in 2013.

Delilah is a whizz at removing dust; she waves her special feather dusters and it simply disappears. She works in a grand house in London, and is in love with her employers’ son. When he announces his engagement to another, Delilah goes into a deep funk, creating dust everywhere she goes instead of removing it. Unemployed, and all alone, will Delilah ever recover herself?

Delilah Dusticle is quite an uplifting story, one which I enjoyed a lot. It is amazing what the power of friendship can do, and while Delilah waits for a long time to find that friendship, when it arrives, it is beautiful.

With short chapters and easy language, Delilah Dusticle is a sweet chapter book for young independent readers to try. It is also a charming story to read aloud, or for older children to lose themselves in. There are simple colour illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. These pictures represented the contents of the chapter quite well. My daughter was very taken with the little spider that appears in some of the illustrations.

Delilah is an intriguing character (she actually likes to clean!). I wish I could eradicate dust with a swish of my duster! Yet, when her heart is broken, she can’t help but leave a thick layer of dust all over. Picturing her room and belongings covered in dust, and the little mouse making tunnels in it was amusing, but the reason behind it is so sad. Poor Delilah. No one should have to be alone like that, and it is wonderful when she begins to become friends with Abi. I love their meetings at the park, feeding ducks and talking. I liked both Delilah and Abi.

This book is most suitable for lower and middle primary school children, but older children and adults can also appreciate this lovely tale. I’m excited to see what Delilah gets up to in her next book, Delilah Dusticle’s Transylvanian Adventure, which is also available now.

 

*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.

Jan24

Eliza Bluebell by A. J. York

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elizabluebellEliza Bluebell by A. J. York and illustrated by Gavin Childs, e-book, 97 pages, published by Smashwords in 2015, first published in 2014.

Eliza Bluebell has a special talent; her shadow is a separate entity and is invisible to all bar Eliza. When Eliza and her shadow arrive in Blossom Brook they begin running a tearoom on the high street. On the side, Eliza and her shadow help members of the community with any problems they might be having.

This is a delightful chapter book! Some magic and humour, and a lesson that helping others can be very rewarding. The language is simple with short chapters, perfect for younger children. Each chapter began with a black and white silhouette illustration of the main theme of the chapter. The flow of the story was very smooth without the interruption of illustrations within the text. I love the cover of Eliza Bluebell too, it’s so simple, yet striking.

Eliza is a bit like Mary Poppins, arriving when needed, and leaving quietly when she is no longer required. She is kind and gentle, while her shadow is quite cheeky. I really liked grumpy old Mr Groop, with his sour expression and insistence on telling the bus driver how late the bus is running. I’m glad someone was able to cheer him up though!

Eliza Bluebell is suitable for lower and middle primary school students. It would make a great read for early independent and reluctant readers, as well as being a nice story to share. I liked this story very much, and I hope there will be more  Eliza Bluebell adventures in the future.

 

*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.

Jan24

Tony Taylor and Summer with Grandpa by B.C. Mullins

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tonytaylorTony Taylor and Summer with Grandpa by B.C. Mullins, paperback chapter book, 70 pages, published in 2015.

Tony spends his summers on his grandparents’ farm. He loves every moment of it, as he explores, fishes and helps out with the chores. His Grandpa’s dog, Skippy, is his constant companion. He’s not so keen on the early mornings, but he does like to walk down along the stream. It is here that he meets a little girl picking wildflowers. Tony wonders who she is and where she comes from.

An easy to follow story with largish text and short chapters make this book great for kids learning to read independently. The subject matter will be enjoyable for a broad range of children.

Tony is an average kid, ready to explore and adventure. I liked him well enough, and his grandparents are nice. I liked the simple story, which is mostly realistic and contemporary. However, there is a hint of magic on the farm! The story seemed to end a little suddenly, yet it still felt adequately completed. Now I’m wondering what adventures Tony will go on next!

Tony Taylor and Summer With Grandpa is suitable for lower to middle primary school children. Older reluctant readers might also enjoy this tale. Overall this was a nice chapter book that I will happily give to my first grader to read.

 

*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.

Jan23

Cyclops by Rachel Meehan

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cyclops coverCyclops by Rachel Meehan, e-book, 53 pages, published by Cherry House Publishing in 2015.

Cyclops lives on a beautiful island which is invaded by evil pirates looking for a place to rest and relax. Frightened by the giant with one eye, the pirates decide to capture him and sell him to a traveling circus. He becomes a prisoner to be gawked at, prodded and tested by underhanded scientists.

Cyclops is an illustrated ballad, and is the first book in the Chronicles of Curious Creatures series. It is cleverly written with lyrical text; I got into quite a rhythm as I read. It described all the characters and locations well and with humour. I really liked that the evil pirate was called I.M. Mean!

The text was white on a black background, which I normally find more difficult to read, but it suited this story quite well. The size of the text also changed through the story, which just worked. There were lovely coloured illustrations throughout. I particularly like the way the villains are depicted in the pictures.

Cyclops is suitable for middle primary school students to lower high school students. It is a good story for sharing aloud too, I just love the way the story rolls off my tongue! More books in this series will be available 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.

Jan15

Time Sailors of Pizzolungo by Scott Abrams and Adam Blockton

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Time Sailors - imageTime Sailors of Pizzolungo by Scott Abrams and Adam Blockton, e-book, 257 pages, published in 2015.

Guillermo comes home on the last day of the school year to find a strange package. He opens it, and inside is an exquisite model sailing ship. Along with his sister, Piccola, and their friends they take the ship down to the water. It is no ordinary ship, however, and soon the kids are heading out to the open sea atop a massive and splendid sailing ship, and right into a raging storm. Before they know it, they are facing pirates who are determined to wrest control of the glorious Grande Infante, meeting famous mariners such as Christopher Columbus, and diving for treasure off the Canary Islands.

A grand adventure on the high seas and across time! A magic ship, time travel, pirates, treasure, sea battles, a variety of historical figures and a pet pig called Romeo make this a very entertaining read. A wonderful combination of adventure, action, geography and history will engage readers of all ages.

I love the idea of a group of sixth graders taking on pirates and crewing such a massive ship. All of the kids had unique characteristics, and I liked them all. I was amused by Luca’s insistence on avoiding the water, Tony’s attachment to his ipad, Enzo’s overly large chin and Mario’s focus on food, but I was drawn to Guillermo’s determination and Piccola’s intelligence. I’m not sure an eleven year old would know that much Latin though! As the story progressed, I felt like I got to know the small crew of the Grande Infante, and I was able to tag along for the ride.

I’m not very familiar with sailing, and even though nautical and sailing terms are used within the story, that didn’t matter because everything was well described. The detail provided clear images of the ship, crew and surrounds. That also applied to the uncouth pirates, which I could almost smell as they tried to board the Grande Infante! I think washing was very under-rated in those days!

Time Sailors of Pizzolungo is most suitable for middle to upper primary school students, but it is really an adventure open for everyone to enjoy. It was lots of fun, and I do hope that there might be another adventure for the Time Sailors of Pizzolungo 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.

Jan5

Dr Hedgehog and the Post Box Rescue by Jerry Mushin

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IMG_6058Dr Hedgehog and the Post Box Rescue by Jerry Mushin, paperback picture book, published by Sweet Cherry Publishing in 2014.

Martin Mouse has disappeared again. His mum is very worried, so she calls Dr Hedgehog to help search for Martin.

This simple picture book is part of a series covering the mishaps of Martin Mouse and his saviour, Dr Hedgehog. Each book is able to be read independently of the other books in the series.

The plot is basic, the language simple and the text large, great for early readers to try. I read this book to my younger children, and they all seemed to enjoy the story. My eldest child, at eight, thought it was much too easy for her.

The illustrations are large and clear, though I wasn’t keen on the image of Dr Hedgehog. I normally find hedgehogs rather cute, but Dr Hedgehog is actually a little scary. Maybe it’s the spines coming through his doctor’s coat, or his grumpy expression throughout the book. Even when the rescue is complete and he can finally go home, he still doesn’t look happy. This kind of spoilt the book for me, though my kids didn’t seem to mind, and asked for a re-read.

Dr Hedgehog and the Post Box Rescue is suitable for preschoolers and children in lower primary school.

*I received  this book for free through Goodreads First Reads Giveaways.

Dec26

Willakaville: Baffling Ballads of Boisterous Braveness by Bald Guy (Mathew Heinecke)

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willakavilleBWillakaville: Baffling Ballads of Boisterous Braveness by Bald Guy (Mathew Heinecke), short stories, 124 pages, published in 2015.

Be chased by quicksand in Mexico, go on a quest in Snobbleland or eat candy in the sewer in this odd, yet funny collection of short stories. This is the second book of stories from Willakaville, where the weird and wacky happen often.

Overall I did enjoy this collection, the stranger the story, the better it was. There were gentle lessons through these stories, such as an anti-bullying message and believing in yourself. While all of the stories are unique and imaginative, there were a couple that stood out for me. “Souper Duper” was about a boy who gains superpowers by eating soup, and battles a supervillain, The Mad Milker. He used special milk from his cow as a weapon, which made me laugh. Another story saw a small girl go adventuring with a friendly snow monster that she created. This one really captured the imaginative ability of children. The exploration of the caves in Mexico was very exciting, and somewhat Indiana Jones-esque. I’d like to see more adventures like that in the future books.

The poems in this collection were good. There is one about scary things in the night, and another about making a big sandwich. These simple and fun poems are great for getting kids interested in poetry.

There were some spelling and syntax errors, nothing serious though. Except, in the middle of “Robot Insects”, when the main character Jerry is suddenly referred to as Jimmy for a few paragraphs.

These self-contained and easy to read stories are suitable for lower to middle primary school children. However, anyone can enjoy the humour of these stories. A third volume will be available from Willakaville 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.

 

Dec16

A Fairy Extraordinary Christmas Story by A.J. York

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Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00002]A Fairy Extraordinary Christmas Story by A.J. York, chapter e-book, 67 pages, published by A.J. York in 2015.

Tallulah is a Christmas Fairy in a beautiful white gown, with white feathery wings. During the festive season she adorns the very top of the Anderson’s tree, otherwise she lives in the attic. There, she can mingle with the other Christmas decorations, and those that belong to the Easter box and the Halloween box. After many years, a Christmas arrives when the decorations are not taken out of the attic, and the house is very quiet. Tallulah and her friends venture downstairs to investigate.

A Fairy Extraordinary Christmas Story made me think of the movie ‘Toy Story’, except with holiday decorations. It reminds us that the holidays are best shared with everyone, and that the magic of Christmas lives in all of us, even when we have grown up and have children of our own.

The story is easy to follow and uses reasonably simple language. It is a good length for children not long reading chapter books too. The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter were simple and cute. I really liked the Easter Bunny, both the illustration and the character. He was a nervous little fellow, but I could easily picture him with his little line of Easter chicks.

This Christmas themed chapter book is suitable for lower to middle primary school students. It would be a nice book to share with young children in the lead up to Christmas.

 

*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.