|
Bloomsbury Book Reviews Page 3 |
 |
The
Trouble with Dragons by Debi Gliori
ISBN: 9780747595403 £10.99
The world is populated by some beastly dragons who care nothing for how
much they mess up the oceans, chop down the trees, gobble up all the
food and use everything up without stopping to think. Those dragons need
to wake up to what they are doing to their world before it is too late.
This is a delightful and energy-filled picture book that addresses
concerns about the environment in the most child-centric and delightful
way possible.
Totz2teens Member Review: A colourful book where the
pictures have all been drawn delightfully. To many children this
story will be about the cute dragons and the problems they encounter but
to the reader we all know that it is talking about us and Earth.
Fantastic idea to translate it to Dragons and introducing it into a
childrens story too. I read this with my older child too as I
wondered if they would notice and at 8 yes they did and knew why too
which was interesting. So this opens up a whole new conversation
in the household. My younger child enjoyed this immensely and asked for
it to be read a second time immediately. This was a nice book to
read as it flows easily and you know when to make your voice change too.
We really enjoyed it. Thanks.
Totz2teens Member Rating: 5/5
|
 |
Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore
ISBN: 9780747593621 £5.99
Once upon a time there was a little girl
who was just like everybody else - except for two things! She had red
hair and freckles. Freckleface Strawberry is very self conscious of her
freckles and does everything she can to hide them. Until, with a
little unexpected help, she realises that feeling different and being
different are not always the same thing.
Totz2teens Member Review: Freckleface strawberry is sad because she
has lots of freckles all over her body. She is fed up with friends
asking about them so she hides them. But finds her friends cant
see her so dont play. She learns that she should be liked for who
she is and lives happily ever after. This was a sweet story and we
found it a fun and interesting read.
Totz2teens Member Rating: 3/5
|
 |
If I were You
by Richard Hamilton
ISBN: 9780747552499 £10.99
When Dad puts Daisy to bed, he
suggests 'If I were you ...I'd go to sleep.' So cheeky Daisy starts
thinking about what things would really be like if she and Dad swapped
around. She could feed Dad porridge while she ate chocolate fromage
frais and wheel him past the neighbours all dressed in pink! Dad thinks
it would be great not to have to do any cleaning or cooking but to visit
the zoo and play in the park instead!
Totz2teens Member Review: If I were you is a beautifully
illustrated and written book. It is fun and easy to read.
Daisy and her Dad talk about swapping lives and what they would get up
to. A lovely enjoyable story.
Totz2teens member rating: 4/5
|
 |
The Selfish
Crocodile Book of Nursery Rhymes by Faustin Charles
ISBN: 9780747595236 £12.99
Faustin Charles has specially
created for this collection over 40 new rhymes inspired by traditional
nursery rhymes and all featuring animal characters. The rhymes
throughout are illustrated by Michael Terry, illustrator of the
bestselling The Selfish Crocodile , and whose animal portrayals have
become legendary. Combined with a fantastic audio CD that has Faustin
Charles narrating the poems with lots of amazing animal sounds and
noises, this will make a much-loved and much-listened to collection for
younger readers.
Totz2teens Member Review: The accompanying
CD is a real bonus with this joyous book. We loved listening and
reading the new nursery rhymes. They made us smile. A
pleasure to look at the fun illustrations too.
Totz2teens Member Rating: 5/5
|
 |
Otto's Trip to the Moon by
Katherine Lodge
ISBN: 9780747593423 £7.99
It's Otto's birthday and his friends have bought him a very special
present. Join the gang as they go for a picnic on the moon, but
dont worry, they will be home in time for bed!
Totz2teens Member Review: The adventures of
Otto's trip to the moon is fab. His friends bought him a very nice
present for his birthday which they used for their adventure. The
pull tabs make the book come to life and great fun. We really
liked reading this book.
Totz2teens Member Rating: 5/5
|
 |
Peepo Paw Print by Melanie Mitchell
ISBN: 9780747595359 £6.99
Children will love putting their hands right on to the pages of this
book - to pull down the flaps, feel the bumpy animal paw prints and find
the peepo mirror.Totz2teens Member Review:
A perfect book for little ones. My daughter loved feeling all
of the animal prints and guessing the animal. The surprise at the
end was so sweet.
Totz2teens Member Rating: 4/5
|
 |
Sir Bigwart -
Knight of the wonky table by Alan MacDonald
ISBN: 9780747594680 £4.99
When King
Eggnog rashly offers the hand of his
daughter Princess Miranda in marriage, Sir
Bigwart sets out on a daring, quest with his
faithful squire Toby in tow. The quest is to
bring back a tooth of the Ogre of Ghastly
Fell, a fearsome, flesh-eating giant whose
breath is so bad it can knock you at a
hundred paces and whose two heads are
constantly squabbling with each other. Sir
Bigwart's real talent is for empty boasting
so he's going to need a lot of help from his
resourceful squire on the way - which is a
little awkward since Toby is secretly in
love with Princess Miranda himself . To make
matters more complicated, Miranda is bored
of embroidering her dad's coat of arms on
cushions - she's coming along for the ride
and anyone who tries giving her orders had
better watch out.
|
 |
Madame
Pamplemousse and her Incredible Edibles by Rupert Kingfisher
ISBN: 9780747592310 £6.99
Madame Pamplemousse is the story of Madeleine, forced to work in her
unpleasant uncle's horrible restaurant, The Squealing Pig. By chance she
comes across the most marvellous shop, run by Madame Pamplemousse, which
is quiet, discreet, yet full of delicious and otherworldly 'edibles' -
Pterodactyl Bacon, scorpion tails in smoked garlic oil, and great squid
tentacle in jasmine-scented jelly. A quiet comradeship develops between
Madeleine, Madame Pamplemousse, and Madame's cat, Camembert. And
together they create some wonderful culinary magic. Exquisite,
beautifully formed prose that has echoes of Angela Carter belies a
narrative that is full of pace. A wonderful fairy tale that will appeal
to both adults and children.
Totz2teens Member Review:
what a delightful and enchanting book, a
pleasure to read.
Totz2teens Member Rating: 5/5
|
 |
Fledge Star by Titania Woods
ISBN: 9780747592068 £5.99
Twink can't wait to start her
second year in Bluebell Branch at Glitterwings Academy. And even more
excitingly she finds out that she is to be substitute for the
Glitterwings Fledge team - a fairy flying sport that is high speed and
takes skill and daring to play well. But when Twink is unexpectedly
called upon to play she fluffs her chance. Twink is so disappointed. How
can she get back on the team? And why is Mariella being so nice to her
when the rest of the team is being rather horrible to her? Both Twink
and Mariella have much to learn about the nature of team spirit. "Glitterwings
Academy" is a lovingly created series by acclaimed author Lee Weatherly,
writing as Titania Woods.
Totz2teens Member Review:
This is a very detailed book about two
fairies who try out to be on the team to play fledge ( a game where you
try to catch the flea) but only end up as reserves. When a player is
injured one of the fairies Twink gets to play but the other reserve
Mariella sets out to ruin her chances in the team by tricking her into
staying up at night to reread the rules rather than getting an early
night and so she falls asleep during the match and gets taken off the
team leaving Mariella tp take over in the team.
In the end Twink gets another chance and finds out what Mariella has
been up to but she finds it it her to forgive her and even lets her
catch the flea so the team can win the game, all though they do not
become friends but both agree to do their best for the team. I
would say it is a very girly book with lots and lots of details not one
for children who get bored easily as it can be a little hardgoing at
times , but still a pleasant book great for 6+.
Totz2teens Member Rating:
4/5
|
 |
Hero & the Sinking Ships by
Richard Hamilton
ISBN: 9780747595564 £5.99
Forced to leave their beloved nest by a cook, a cat and the freezing
cold, the Morgan Street Rats set sail for the delectable promise of
peace and quiet, hot grime and stench in the Tropics. (Or so they
think). But, before too long, it becomes startlingly clear that the
young family of rodents are far from headed for their dream destination!
And that is not the only surprise on the horizon. Little Hero is showing
signs of rather unusual behaviour - he prefers the sweet taste of
raisins to old fish bones, and wants to explore the more refined side of
life. If he doesn't see the error of his ways soon, Hero could land
himself in extremely deep water. A wonderfully entertaining novel full
of jeopardy, humour and wit as well as lots of rats, a Russian sea
captain, his pig, sinking ships and much much more!
|
 |
Ghostsitters by Angie Sage
ISBN: 9780747598268 £6.99
Araminta's Aunt Tabby has won a
Transylvanian holiday for four so she and all the adults of Spook House
are going for a much-needed break but it just so happens to be
Araminta's birthday, too. So who will keep an eye on Araminta and her
friend Wanda? Mathilda, Araminta's 'grown up' cousin, arrives to
babysit, along with two rowdy teenage ghosts. At first, Araminta and
Wanda are in heaven - staying up late, playing loud music, and ordering
take aways - no more of Aunt Tabby's rules! But they soon find
themselves cleaning up after everyone else; being home alone isn't
turning out as they'd hoped. So Araminta and Wanda come up with a plan.
They have to find a way to move their unreliable ghost-sitters to
another house. Maybe then Araminta can start to have a proper birthday.
Totz2teens Member Review: A quirky
and spooky, but gentle, tale of a young girl dealing with a pair of
badly behaved ghosts. It's lots of fun, and perfectly pitched to its
young audience of girls and boys alike. The illustrations are in a
quirky style which works very well with the story and we were really
pleased to read this and happy to recommend to any other readers.
Totz2teens Member Rating: 5/5
|
 |
Dark Alchemy by Garth Nix, Eoin Colfer & Neil Gaiman
ISBN: 9780747589549 £8.99
Wizards and witches have lived in the human imagination for centuries.
From ancient to modern times they have held great power in our literary
lives. Here for a brand new audience is a collection of electrifying
stories that show us benign and evil, ambivalent and determined
characters that will stalk our imaginations and thoughts for some time
to come. From the pens of Eoin Colfer, Garth Nix, Neil Gaiman, Jane
Yolen and many more spring an incredible array of stories that will
thrill readers young and old. This book includes stories by Neil Gaiman,
Garth Nix, Mary Rosenblum, Kage Baker, Eoin Colfer, Jane Yolen, Orson
Scott Card, Patricia A. McKillip, Elizabeth Hand, Andy Duncan, Peter S.
Beagle, Nancy Kress, Tanith Lee, Terry Bisson, Terry Dowling, Gene
Wolfe, Tad Williams and Jeffrey Ford.
Totz2teens Member Review:
Dark Alchemy is perfect for any fan of fantasy
stories. If you enjoy short stories especially ones by your
favourite authors all rolled in to one then this is a great book for
you.Totz2teens Member Rating: 4/5
|
 |
The Castle Corona by Sharon Creech
ISBN: 9780747593614 £6.99
When a brother and sister find a missing pouch containing some princely
treasure, their lives take an unexpected change of direction. The pouch
belongs to the king and, as its finders, Pia and Enzo find themselves
thrown into the life of the court. At first Pia and Enzo are in awe of
this wonderful place, but they soon find that life there, with
everyone's dreams and ambitions not always in tune with what others
expect of them, is not so different to the lives the siblings are used
to down in a small hut in the village. In this wonderful 'fairy tale' of
a story, lives collide, mysteries unfold and people come to realise
their dreams.
Totz2teens Member Review:
The Castle Corona is a joy to read. It
was a little predictable but still a lovely read.
Totz2teens Member Rating: 4/5 |
 |
Hocus Pocus
by Paul Kieve
ISBN: 9780747590941
£6.99
Ever since the
author, Paul Kieve was given a magic set at
the age of ten, he has been buying magic
books, props and posters and honing his
skills as a magician. He keeps all his
magical paraphenalia in his house in
Hackney, right around the corner from the
magnificent Hackney Empire, a venue played
at by all the great illusionists of the
golden era of magic, some hundred years ago.
One day, as Paul is on the phone to his
friend, sitting in his 'Poster Room',
chatting to a friend about how well his
magic show went from the night before, he
gets a strange sensation ...Suddenly, the
huge figure of Alexander steps out of the
poster and starts telling Paul off for
getting too big-headed! Alexander and the
other brilliant magicians in the posters are
going to show Paul what magic is really
about!
Totz2teens Member Review:
I really
loved this book. The ingenious way
that the book is written and how each
chapter shows you a famous magician and what
they were famous for. The book has
some fantastic ways of working tricks and
what you need. My son is now really
into his magic.
Totz2teens Member
Rating: 5/5
|
 |
Santa's Little Helper
Travels the world by Anu Stohner & Henrike Wilson
ISBN: 9780747593584 £5.99
Santa's Littlest Helper is always first to finish
wrapping his presents and packing his sleigh, and the other helpers
tease him. But when Christmas Eve arrives and they are all struck down
with Christmas pox, it's the littlest helper who comes up with a plan to
save Christmas. While the bigger helpers deliver to human children, the
littlest helper delivers presents to the animals, and he enlists their
help to ride the sleighs and visit all the cities and villages in time
for Christmas morning.
Totz2teens Member Review: For a
christmas story this one sat a bit wrong for me personally. In
this story santa has helpers that go out doing the deliveries but they
get the christmas pox (really sweet pictures of all the santas laid up
in bed with the pox) so the littlest helper gets to help and
encourages the animals to help. Personally I believe that Santa
delivers ALL the presents not his helpers and this was why I didnt
really like this book. I think it would be confusing for children
but maybe different families have different views on Christmas so it may
work for them. However, the story is well written and illustrated.
Totz2teens Member Rating: 2/5
|
 |
The Comic Strip History
of the world by Sally Kindberg and Tracey Turner
ISBN: 9780747594314 £6.99
From the Big Bang, to the present day, via Ancient
China, The Roman Empire, Attila the Hun, The Dark Ages, Enlightenment,
Revolution! etc. The entire history of the world has been packed into
one hilarious, irreverent comic strip. From Goths and Visigoths, to
Newton and Copernicus, all the significant facts and titillating trivias
of the world's most important periods, starting with the Big Bang, have
been condensed for your entertainment and of course, education. Written
by Tracey Turner ( 101 Things ) and illustrated by celebrated cartoonist
Sally Kindberg, this is the ultimate book for absolutely everyone. (Why
let kids have all the fun.)
Totz2teens Member Review: The Comic Strip History of the
world is a great book which actually both my children read - which I can
tell you is a minor miracle. Both children said this was a funny
and interesting book that they enjoyed reading. Each chapter is a
different historical time from the big bang right up to the 20th
century. A great little book that really did help my children
understand a little more of history in an amusing way.
Totz2teens Member Rating: 5/5
|
 |
Are
we nearly there yet? by Katherine Lodge
ISBN: 9780747594789 £9.99
With five great finger puppets and cut-through pages,
this sturdy board book will entertain little readers for hours.
When the Seriously Cute friends decide to go on a journey
to visit another friend who lives far away, they begin a very busy day
involving lots of travelling and lots of vehicles.
A funny, action-packed story with boats, trains, buses
and planes for vehicle-obsessed toddlers to relish.
Totz2teens Member Review: Giving this to my youngest son
was a picture. He took great delight in playing with the finger
puppet characters first and was walking around the room with them on his
fingers. Once I caught him again we were able to sit and read this
lovely board book. He particularly liked the windows
in the pages whereby the character behind changes when the page is
turned.
A really sweet little book which was thoroughly enjoyable
Totz2teens Rating: 5/5
|
 |
Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
ISBN: 9780747587439 £9.99
Escaping from the enchanted tree
where Mother Gothel imprisoned her, Rapunzel sets off alone through the
ghost towns and Badlands of Gothel’s Reach. She is determined to find
Gothel’s Villa and teach Mother Gothel a long-overdue lesson for her
years of treachery and lies, and help her real mother get out of the
mine camps where Mother Gothel has kept her enslaved.
Rapunzel’s adventures take her across a country much akin to the Wild
Wild West, where she is soon wanted – dead or
alive – for horse thieving, kidnapping, jail breaking and using her hair
in a manner other than nature intended!
In this highly original take on the familiar story of Rapunzel, Shannon
and Dean Hale introduce us to a feisty and dynamic heroine and Nathan
Hale’s illustrations offer a striking visual feast, ensuring this is a
truly unforgettable reading experience.
Totz2teens Member Review: I enjoyed reading Rapunzel's
revenge. The cartoon style is fun and light and easy to read.
The comic pictures really help tell the story. The story isn't
really anything like the original Rapunzel story that we all know and my
son found this a bit confusing to begin with. The story develops
and the young girl is trapped in a dug out tree tower. She then
escapes and then finds help in the finding her true family. It is
a quite bizarre story and although it is a really well done book it is
so remarkably different I wonder if it would be better to have called
her something completely different. An interesting read for boys
and girls that like a bit of action.
Totz2teens Member rating: 3/5 |
 |
No Babysitters Allowed by Amber
Stewart
ISBN: 9780747598473 £5.99
Hopscotch is a
very brave bunny - except when his parents go out
and Mrs Honeybunch comes to babysit. She wants to
play, but Hopscotch would much rather be alone in
his special NO BABYSITTERS ALLOWED camp that is,
until he hears Mrs Honeybunch reading his books all
wrong. Is Hopscotch brave enough to help her read
them correctly?
Totz2teens Member Review: We really liked
this story. The little boy rabbit is worried
because his mum & Dad are going out and leaving him
with a babysitter. The story tells of him
hiding himself away but curiosity getting the better
of him he comes out to see the babysitter and have
an enjoyable evening. How Brave is Hopscotch.
The pictures are really sweet and when Hopscotch is
pressing his nose up at the window all sad you
really feel for him. Lovely book to read.
Totz2teens Member Rating: 5/5
|
 |
My
Animals by Xavier Deneux
ISBN: 9780747597100 £6.99
With small splashes of colour and
crafty peep-through holes in the page, animals are revealed to entice
and delight readers. Animals leap into life in this glorious
introduction to the animal kingdom.
Totz2teens Member Review: A Smart black and white book with a
foam feel cover. This is a very sweet picture book crammed full
with lovely mainly black and white pictures of different animals for the
youngster to name. The added part is the peep holes that allow
different things to be shown through but also the ability to stick your
finger through to become a part of the animal on the other side.
Totz2teens Member Rating: 3/5
|
 |
Hot Like Fire and other poems
by Valerie Bloom
ISBN: 9780747599739 £5.99
When de July sun hot like fire, Den I have jus' one desire, To run down
to de shop an' buy a Kisko pop. The World Is Sweet and Hot Like Fire
published in one volume for the first time. Valerie Bloom's poetry is
beautifully crafted yet full of energy and fun. Her mixed use of
standard English and dialect is a delight to read and hear. Children
love reading and listening to her work! Valerie's subjects range from
global pollution, problems with maths homework and the sad demise of pet
frogs (he croaked of course) to taking sandwiches to school and being
afraid of ghosts.
Totz2teens Member Review: I enjoyed reading this book of poetry.
It is totally for my age group - 10 as it has all the things that I like
in it. Even about a cat that kills the fish in the pond.
Really funny. It then mixes in some foreign themes which make it
really interesting and you can imagine you are working the crops in
Africa. I could easily put myself into these poems as lots really
relate to me and times when things happen - or dont like when I am
bored. An Enjoyable read.
Totz2teens Member Rating: 4/5
|
 |
How Kirsty Jenkins stole
the elephant by Elen Caldecott
ISBN: 9780747599197 £5.99
Kirsty Jenkins adores the allotment her grandfather lovingly tends and,
just before he dies, he asks Kirsty to look after it for him. But when
horrible Mr Thomas from the council insists it must go to the next
person on the waiting list, Kirsty is determined to find a way to keep
her promise. After pleading with Mr Thomas and demonstrating at the
council offices, Kirsty and her half-siblings undertake their most
daring plan of all: to 'borrow' the stuffed elephant from the museum
that Mr Thomas loves so much, in a last-ditch attempt to gain his
attention and understanding. Perhaps this risky ruse might also shake
Kirsty's dad from the quiet sadness he has fallen into ever since her
grandfather died. A warm, funny and moving novel about family
relationships, dealing with bereavement, green beans and marrows.
|
 |
Everything Beautiful
by Simmone Howell
ISBN: 9780747597858 £6.99
When Riley's Dad gets a new girlfriend, life turns upside down for
Riley. She doesn't like Norma and Norma doesn't like her. But it is not
until Riley finds herself shipped off to 'camp' that she realises just
how bad things have become. Determined to continue on her path of bad
behaviour and general obnoxiousness, Riley Rose is sure that she can
turn this 'spiritual camp' upside down. And when she meets Dylan Luck,
recent paraplegic, she thinks she has found a fellow troublemaker. What
follows is a very surprising week for Riley. Truths are told and secrets
revealed, and sex, cigarettes and booze prove to be a potent cocktail,
but in the end Riley has learnt quite a lot about herself, Dylan and
exactly why she appeared hell-bent on self-destruction.
|
Back to page 1, 2
Back to Review Menu
|
