BOOKS FOR CHILDREN: How do you know what's good?

While there are many places (especially on the internet) where you can read book reviews, how do you really know if it's a good book or not when a single book might receive anywhere from one to five stars?
The answer: read the reviews of a book-addicted teacher librarian.


NOTE:
** The age recommendations are guidelines only; whether or not a certain book is suitable for a particular child depends on multiple factors, including their maturity, reading level, interests, and in some cases their experiences.
** While the ratings are largely based on my own personal appreciation/enjoyment of the book, they are also influenced by my experiences as a teacher and the potential attraction for the target-aged child (acknowledging that what one child may love, another may find exceptionally boring). A rating of 5 indicates the book is likely to be popular with the majority.


Saturday, February 13, 2016

Series: Phyllis Wong Mysteries (Middle Grade Fic)

AUTHOR: Geoffrey McSkimming (US)
PUBLISHED: Allen & Unwin ; 2014.
PAGES/ILL: ~390 pages.
SERIES: Phyllis Wong Mysteries. Phyllis Wong and the Forgotten Secrets of Mr Okyto ; Phyllis Wong and the Return of the Conjuror ; Phyllis Wong and the Waking of the Wizard.

PLOT: (Book 2: Phyllis Wong and the Return of the Conjuror)
Phyllis Wong, the girl magician, returns to solve a crime from history. Someone has been selling mint-condition copies of Shakespeare's collected plays and Phyllis suspects someone is up to no good. With a secret from her great-grandfather, and with help from her friends Clement and Chief Inspector Inglis, it's up to Phyllis to solve the puzzle and prevent the theft of Shakespeare's missing play.

REVIEW:
This is a fun story, and although I won't go out of my way to read another in the series for my personal choice, I can see it being popular with middle-grade girls. I would have no problem recommending it to children who like 'Matilda' by Roald Dahl.
The book series also has a web-site.

AGE: 9+.
GENRE: Realistic fantasy.
RATING: 3 1/2 stars.
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