AUTHOR: Terry Pratchett (UK)
PUBLISHED: ~1998
SERIES: Bromeliad
BOOKS: A three-book series (Truckers, Diggers, Wings)
PLOT (Truckers):
A group of nomes (not Gnomes) are forced out of their hole in the ground and discover tribes of other nomes living in a store. When they discover the store is to be demolished, they make plans to leave, and thus begins the adventure.
Along the way, the nomes find out a lot about the world, humans, and themselves.
REVIEW:
BRILLIANT social commentary and satire on everything from why people wear name tags to the development of language, religion, and egocentricity. The knowledgeable child (or adult) will adore it.
AGES: From whenever reading ability allows it, but the satirical undertones will go over young children's heads. Probably from ages 11-12 will get the most out of it.
GENRE: Fantasy, Humour, Adventure
RATING: A strong 5 stars.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Series: Jack Brown (Fic)
AUTHOR: Greg Pyers (Aust)
PUBLISHED: ~2006
SERIES: Jack Brown
FIRST BOOK: Jack Brown and the Labyrinth of the Bats
PLOT:
A teenage boy has the ability to see through the minds of animals he encounters. The series begins when he rescues a baby gorilla from infamous poachers, who then make him a target of revenge. Together with his cousin (a girl who happens to be an expert in martial arts), these circumstances take them on a variety of adventures as they sporadically fall into (and escape) the clutches of the poachers.
REVIEW:
Great descriptions, action, suspense, and characterisation.
AGES: 9 (with high reading level) - 16
GENRE: Adventure
RATING: 4 1/2 - 5 stars
SERIES: Jack Brown
FIRST BOOK: Jack Brown and the Labyrinth of the Bats
PLOT:
A teenage boy has the ability to see through the minds of animals he encounters. The series begins when he rescues a baby gorilla from infamous poachers, who then make him a target of revenge. Together with his cousin (a girl who happens to be an expert in martial arts), these circumstances take them on a variety of adventures as they sporadically fall into (and escape) the clutches of the poachers.
REVIEW:
Great descriptions, action, suspense, and characterisation.
AGES: 9 (with high reading level) - 16
GENRE: Adventure
RATING: 4 1/2 - 5 stars
Series: The Midnight Library (Fic)
AUTHOR: Nick Shadow (UK)
PUBLISHED: 2004
SERIES: The Midnight Library
PLOT: for example: "The Whisperer" contains three short stories. "The Whisperer" is about a "haunted" computer which writes for the user and predicts the future, eventually predicting the user's death (which comes to pass). "Gabriel" is a demon in disguise as a teenager. A girl (who has a crush on him) suspects he is a vampire, but she discovers the truth when he 'eats' her soul. "Fast Forward" is perhaps more predictable. A tween boy sees a fortune teller at a fair. After he wishes he were old, he travels through a haunted train ride. When he emerges he is indeed an old man and dies of a heart attack.
REVIEW: Each book contains two or more short stories in the Goosebumps vein, although in some ways, they are a little more sophisticated. Both series contain similar horror themes: haunted/possessed items/houses, fantasy horror (vampires, zombies), religious horror (voodoo, demons, etc). Similar to the Anthony Horowitz Horror series.
AGES: 10+. This, of course, depends on the individual child. If a child currently enjoys Goosebumps (without being overly frightened by them), you could recommend this series.
As always with horror, knowledge of the child is important. Some children are more imaginative (some may call it 'sensitive') than others and reading horror fiction may lead to nightmares.
GENRE: Horror, Thriller.
RATING: 4 1/2 stars.
PUBLISHED: 2004
SERIES: The Midnight Library
PLOT: for example: "The Whisperer" contains three short stories. "The Whisperer" is about a "haunted" computer which writes for the user and predicts the future, eventually predicting the user's death (which comes to pass). "Gabriel" is a demon in disguise as a teenager. A girl (who has a crush on him) suspects he is a vampire, but she discovers the truth when he 'eats' her soul. "Fast Forward" is perhaps more predictable. A tween boy sees a fortune teller at a fair. After he wishes he were old, he travels through a haunted train ride. When he emerges he is indeed an old man and dies of a heart attack.
REVIEW: Each book contains two or more short stories in the Goosebumps vein, although in some ways, they are a little more sophisticated. Both series contain similar horror themes: haunted/possessed items/houses, fantasy horror (vampires, zombies), religious horror (voodoo, demons, etc). Similar to the Anthony Horowitz Horror series.
As always with horror, knowledge of the child is important. Some children are more imaginative (some may call it 'sensitive') than others and reading horror fiction may lead to nightmares.
GENRE: Horror, Thriller.
RATING: 4 1/2 stars.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Where Is The Green Sheep? PB
AUTHOR: Mem Fox (Aust)
PUBLISHED: 2004
NOTES: Starting with colours (red sheep, blue sheep), the book follows a predictable pattern (Here is the __ sheep. (x2) .... But where is the green sheep?)
The ideas are connected and follows an ABCB rhyming pattern.
VERY cute story!
AGES: birth to 3
RATING: 5 stars
PUBLISHED: 2004
NOTES: Starting with colours (red sheep, blue sheep), the book follows a predictable pattern (Here is the __ sheep. (x2) .... But where is the green sheep?)
The ideas are connected and follows an ABCB rhyming pattern.
VERY cute story!
AGES: birth to 3
RATING: 5 stars
Where's My Cow? (PB)
AUTHOR: Terry Pratchett (UK)
PUBLISHED: 2005
REVIEW: Pratchett may not be known for picture books, but you only need to skim this one to see his style coming through. It's a story about reading a story and making up a story. May go over the heads of some children (it's quite unusual, and the double/triple layering of the story can take a bit for young minds to wrap their head around), but a great book which lends itself to adult-child discussion about what is happening.
AGES: 5+.
RATING: 5 stars.
PUBLISHED: 2005
REVIEW: Pratchett may not be known for picture books, but you only need to skim this one to see his style coming through. It's a story about reading a story and making up a story. May go over the heads of some children (it's quite unusual, and the double/triple layering of the story can take a bit for young minds to wrap their head around), but a great book which lends itself to adult-child discussion about what is happening.
AGES: 5+.
RATING: 5 stars.
The Elsewhere Chronicles (GN)
AUTHOR: Nikko Bannister (U.S.)
PUBLISHED: 2007.
PLOT: Rebecca, Noah, Max and Theo discover a passageway into another world in the abandoned house of Grandpa Gabe, Rebecca's grandfather. When Rebecca and Max are trapped on the other side of the passageway, Noah and Theo rush to their aid. In ElseWhere they meet monsters - wicked spies called Shadows, - and strangers who become friends. They use their wits, brawn, and light to fight off the Shadows - and to protect our own world.
REVIEW: A 4-book graphic novel series by Lernerbook publishers. Linked to a website. Excellent illustrations. Story takes some understanding and interpretation (some links between the dialogue and the illustrations need to be made by the reader).
AGES: 8+.
GENRE: Adventure, Horror, Graphic Novel.
RATING: 5 stars.
PUBLISHED: 2007.
PLOT: Rebecca, Noah, Max and Theo discover a passageway into another world in the abandoned house of Grandpa Gabe, Rebecca's grandfather. When Rebecca and Max are trapped on the other side of the passageway, Noah and Theo rush to their aid. In ElseWhere they meet monsters - wicked spies called Shadows, - and strangers who become friends. They use their wits, brawn, and light to fight off the Shadows - and to protect our own world.
REVIEW: A 4-book graphic novel series by Lernerbook publishers. Linked to a website. Excellent illustrations. Story takes some understanding and interpretation (some links between the dialogue and the illustrations need to be made by the reader).
AGES: 8+.
GENRE: Adventure, Horror, Graphic Novel.
RATING: 5 stars.
Series: The Magic School Bus (Jnr Fic)
AUTHOR: Joanna Cole, Bruce Degen (USA)
PLOT: A class of school children learn in unusual ways thanks to their unusual teacher and a bus which can take them anywhere.
NOTES: The original books have been adapted into Scholastic Readers. The Scholastic website also links to classroom and home activities. Some books can be read online as Google Books.
This brilliant series will help children learn and encourage interest in a large variety of topics.
There are also tv series and films based on the books.
AGES: 5+.
GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure.
RATING: 5 stars.
PLOT: A class of school children learn in unusual ways thanks to their unusual teacher and a bus which can take them anywhere.
NOTES: The original books have been adapted into Scholastic Readers. The Scholastic website also links to classroom and home activities. Some books can be read online as Google Books.
This brilliant series will help children learn and encourage interest in a large variety of topics.
There are also tv series and films based on the books.
AGES: 5+.
GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure.
RATING: 5 stars.
Series: Ace Detectives (Kids Inc series) (Jnr Fic)
AUTHOR: Geoff Patton (AUST) (2007)
PLOT: A group of teenagers join together to create a detective agency, solving crimes in their town.
NOTES: A 4-book series. Well-written. Children will enjoy following the clues along with the characters. Part of the Kids Inc series'.
Good follow-up books would be Encyclopaedia Brown, etc.
AGES: 7-10.
GENRE: Realistic Fiction, Adventure.
RATING: 4 - 4 1/2 stars.
PLOT: A group of teenagers join together to create a detective agency, solving crimes in their town.
NOTES: A 4-book series. Well-written. Children will enjoy following the clues along with the characters. Part of the Kids Inc series'.
Good follow-up books would be Encyclopaedia Brown, etc.
AGES: 7-10.
GENRE: Realistic Fiction, Adventure.
RATING: 4 - 4 1/2 stars.
Series: Rainbow Magic (Jnr Fic)
AUTHOR: Daisy Meadows (UK) (2004)
PLOT: Two young girls help the fairies recover wands and other magic items stolen by Jack Frost, who uses them to wreak havoc across Fairyland and the real world.
NOTES: Linked to a website, there are several sub-series: 7 books for 13 types of fairies (Weather Fairies, Rainbow Fairies, Ocean Fairies, PetKeeper Fairies, Party Fairies, Dance Fairies, etc) and a 3-book series for a further three types of fairies (Holiday, Christmas, Special Fairies), etc. They are now published in "reader" format, too.
AGES: Girls aged 6-8.
GENRE: Fantasy.
RATING: 4 stars.
PLOT: Two young girls help the fairies recover wands and other magic items stolen by Jack Frost, who uses them to wreak havoc across Fairyland and the real world.
NOTES: Linked to a website, there are several sub-series: 7 books for 13 types of fairies (Weather Fairies, Rainbow Fairies, Ocean Fairies, PetKeeper Fairies, Party Fairies, Dance Fairies, etc) and a 3-book series for a further three types of fairies (Holiday, Christmas, Special Fairies), etc. They are now published in "reader" format, too.
AGES: Girls aged 6-8.
GENRE: Fantasy.
RATING: 4 stars.
Series: Fairy Realm (Jnr Fic)
AUTHOR: Emily Rodda (AUST) (2000)
PAGES: >100.
PLOT: A young girl discovers a door to a magic realm of fairies, unicorns, elves, etc at the bottom of her grandmother's garden. In each book she must show courage and solve problems to save the realm.
NOTES: Previously published as the Storytelling Charms series under the name Mary-Anne Dickinson. Multiple sub-series: 6 books in series 1; 4 in series 2.
AGES: Girls aged 6-9.
GENRE: Fantasy.
RATING: 4 stars.
PAGES: >100.
PLOT: A young girl discovers a door to a magic realm of fairies, unicorns, elves, etc at the bottom of her grandmother's garden. In each book she must show courage and solve problems to save the realm.
NOTES: Previously published as the Storytelling Charms series under the name Mary-Anne Dickinson. Multiple sub-series: 6 books in series 1; 4 in series 2.
AGES: Girls aged 6-9.
GENRE: Fantasy.
RATING: 4 stars.
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