Sunday, May 11, 2014
The Day I Swapped My Dad For Two Goldfish (PB)
AUTHOR: Neil Gaiman (AUS); ILLUSTRATOR: Dave McKean
PUBLISHED: Australia : HarperCollins, c1998.
PUBLISHED: Australia : HarperCollins, c1998.
PLOT:
When a boy swaps his dad for his friend's goldfish, chaos ensues. Mum is not impressed and demands that he swap them back, but in the meantime, his friend has swapped his dad for something else. The boy and his sister go on a hunt to get their dad back.
REVIEW:
Very funny. Lots of subtleties to the story that may go over the heads of some kids, but enjoyable all the same; even more so for the child who gets the jokes. It would lend itself well for children to create their own stories about something that keeps getting swapped for something else and how one might hunt it down.
AGE: 4-10.
RATING: 5 stars
When a boy swaps his dad for his friend's goldfish, chaos ensues. Mum is not impressed and demands that he swap them back, but in the meantime, his friend has swapped his dad for something else. The boy and his sister go on a hunt to get their dad back.
REVIEW:
Very funny. Lots of subtleties to the story that may go over the heads of some kids, but enjoyable all the same; even more so for the child who gets the jokes. It would lend itself well for children to create their own stories about something that keeps getting swapped for something else and how one might hunt it down.
AGE: 4-10.
RATING: 5 stars
Fox (PB) (Jnr Fic)
AUTHOR: Margaret Wild (AUS); ILLUSTRATOR: Ron Brooks
PUBLISHED: Australia : Kane/Miller, c2000.
PUBLISHED: Australia : Kane/Miller, c2000.
PLOT:
A one-eyed dog and an injured magpie form an alliance and a deep friendship, living together in the forest. When a fox comes along, Magpie tries to tell Dog not to trust him, but Dog dismisses his friend. Eventually, the cunning fox convinces Magpie to betray her friend and go for a ride on his back. He abandons her in the forest, telling her now they will know what it means to be alone.
REVIEW:
This is a very dark story; both the words and pictures are foreboding. While this is a picture book, it is NOT for young children. The sociopathic fox, the naive dog, and the magpie who allows herself to be conned into hurting her friend are not themes to share before naptime.
This does not mean it is not a good book, but it is certainly an example of why you should read a story yourself before reading it to a child.
AGE: 7-12.
RATING: 4 stars
A one-eyed dog and an injured magpie form an alliance and a deep friendship, living together in the forest. When a fox comes along, Magpie tries to tell Dog not to trust him, but Dog dismisses his friend. Eventually, the cunning fox convinces Magpie to betray her friend and go for a ride on his back. He abandons her in the forest, telling her now they will know what it means to be alone.
REVIEW:
This is a very dark story; both the words and pictures are foreboding. While this is a picture book, it is NOT for young children. The sociopathic fox, the naive dog, and the magpie who allows herself to be conned into hurting her friend are not themes to share before naptime.
This does not mean it is not a good book, but it is certainly an example of why you should read a story yourself before reading it to a child.
AGE: 7-12.
RATING: 4 stars
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