Mabel and Me Best of Friends by Mark Sperring & Sarah Warburton ★★★★★

Reviewed by Carmela Pollio.  Meet Carmela

“Mabel and Me” is a  brilliant book embracing the wonders of true friendship. Mark Sperring and Sarah Warburtan have created a book which transcends all ages and will surely be embraced internationally. It appeals on so many levels that my entire family enjoyed this book.

The story is told via the character “Me” who is by no means just a mouse. It has a bestest, bestest friend named “Mabel”, a likeable little girl who, whilst strolling down a “strolly” street, stops the mouse in his tracks and asks why they are bestest, bestest friends.

The two friends then encounter a Famous French Photographer and a Spanish Ballerina who help the mouse discover the answer to this tricky question.

The moment my children realised the hilarious twist, when the mouse misinterprets the photographer and the ballerina’s remarks and defends his friend Mabel, was a treat for me.

Sarah Warburtan’s visual portrayal of the four characters is delightful. There is a real sense of movement and emotion thanks to her artistic talent.  This combined with Mark Sperring’s cleverly written story means this is a book to be read and enjoyed over and over again.

Thank you to Harper Collins Australia for our review copies.

Available in hardback and ebook

Visit the Mabel and Me Best of Friends information page 

Brillustrators Mark Sperring and Sarah Warburton discuss their book project history together and the creation of Mabel and me Best of Friends:  CLICK HERE

The Fearsome, Frightening, Ferocious BOX – Frances Watts and David Legge ★★★★

Reviewed by Carmela Pollio.  Meet Carmela

Open the box, if you dare,

But danger lies within: beware!

Frances Watts and David Legge have cleverly partnered to create fearsome, frightening, and ferocious images using poetic words and marvellous pictures in this intriguing story of brave animals.

When reading “The Fearsome, Frightening, Ferocious Box” to my three children we were drawn into discovering the mystery of the box. My children were attentive and curious throughout the read and enjoyed the challenge of spotting hidden creatures.  

It was a pleasure for me to read using the wonderful, descriptive words which captured the ferocious creatures so well. The clues, to the identity of the hidden creature in the box, create a gripping eagerness to discover the box’s contents. All three children were surprised by the box’s revelation and I was most amused.

My four-year-old said some of the pictures were too scary and didn’t like it. The nine-year-old thought the pictures were great and enjoyed the book. She said, “It was interesting because every time you turn the page you wonder what is next until the very end.”  The book did not appeal to my eleven-year-old as he found it too repetitive and slow. He thought the pictures were good though.

Due to the repetition and marvellous use of rhythmical and flowing words I would enthusiastically recommend for an emergent reader. This book is well suited for six to eight year olds.

Thank you to Harper Collins Australia for our review copies.

Available in hardback and ebook

Visit the The Fearsome, Frightening, Ferocious Box information page 

About the author and illustrator

Visit the author’s Website: http://www.franceswatts.com./

Frances Watts was born in Lausanne, Switzerland and moved to Sydney when she was three. She worked as a bookseller and editor for nearly ten years before she began her writing career. Her first picture book, KISSES FOR DADDY (illustrated by David Legge), was an Honour Book 2006 CBCA Awards and has sold thousands of copies around the world. Her next two picture books with David Legge, PARSLEY RABBIT’S BOOK ABOUT BOOKS and CAPTAIN CRABLAW'S CREW, both won accolades in the CBCA Awards. In 2012, her picture book with illustrator Judy Watson, GOODNIGHT, MICE!, won the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Children's Fiction. She is also the author of the EXTRAORDINARY ERNIE series for younger readers, and THE GERANDER TRILOGY, which follows the adventures of four plucky mice.

David Legge is the illustrator of many innovative picture books, including the award-winning BAMBOOZLED, BABY BOOMSTICKS, KISSES FOR DADDY, PARSLEY RABBIT’S BOOK ABOUT BOOKS and CAPTAIN CRABCLAW’S CREW. David lives in Sydney's west.

Vanishing Acts by Leslie Margolis ★ ★★★

A Maggie Brooklyn Mystery

Reviewed by Annabelle (Aged 11)  Meet Annabelle

       Maggie Brooklyn is a clever detective at only age eleven. In her spare time she walks dogs but at the same time she needs to solve the mystery of a vanishing actor, tween heartthrob Seth Ryan who starts filming in Maggie's neighborhood and is also aged eleven. Meanwhile she has one other mystery to solve which has to do with the dogs that live in her area.

The story is very unpredictable. You think you hae solved the mystery already but really there’s a different end to it. You think it’s this person but it’s not. It’s a very tricky situation.

I would recommend this book to all girls that are in between the age of ten-thirteen.

Our review copy of VANISHING ACTS thanks to the wonderful people at Bloomsbury Publishing Australia

For purchasing details of this book and more information: CLICK HERE  

Leslie Margolis's Website:  CLICK HERE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LESLIE MARGOLIS is the author of more than fifty books for young readers, including two Annabelle Stevens books: Boys Are Dogs and Girls Acting Catty. She lives with her family in Park Slope, Brooklyn-which is also the setting of her new series, the Maggie Brooklyn Mysteries.

Leslie answers reader's questions about herself:  CLICK HERE

All Monkeys Love Bananas by Sean E Avery ★★★★

Reviewed by Felicity (Aged 11)  Meet Felicity

All monkeys love banana’s… or do they?

'All Monkeys Love Bananas' is a highly amusing book for young children.  It is simply worded so that little kids know what’s happening.

I really enjoyed reading this book so I decided to road test it. I tested it on three age groups.  So, I read it to a one year old, a three year old and a five year old.

The one year old's reaction was pleasing. He looked at the pictures and smiled a lot too! The three year old's reaction to the book was also very pleasing. She said she loved the furry monkeys on the front page and she also said she would definitely read it again.

The five year old's reaction to the book was by far the best. He said he liked all of it especially the furry monkeys.  He also found it funny and he said he would read it again.

Sean Avery has written a monkey pleaser and I would recommend it as a bed time story.

Thank you to Fremantle Press for our review copy.  They are lovely people who love books.  For more information on this book and where to purchase please CLICK HERE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sean E Avery is a young sculptor, author and illustrator who started his first newspaper column at age 12 and whose artworks are featured in the SciTech (Perth) and Ripley’s Believe it or not exhibitions in the USA. Born in South Africa, he grew up in Western Australia he is currently living in Canada.

Visit Sean’s website: http://seaneavery.com/home.html

Jake’s Cooking Craze by Ken Spillman with illustrations by Chris Nixon ★★★½

Reviewed by Sophia (Aged 10)  Meet Sophia

          Jake’s cooking craze is an adventure story. It starts off with Jake the odd one out at his school because everyone is watching a new cooking show except him.  

          Then Jake persuades his dad to watch it too. It was only a matter of time until Jake is addicted to the show. Not only to the actual show, but to the art of cooking. Nana helps with the basics of cooking but soon Jake is hearing the importance of hand washing and cleaning up progressively.

          At school he tells his friend Jonah about his cooking progress. Over the P.A system at school Jake hears that there will be a cooking contest, and that three people will be chosen. Stephanie, Jake and Almina get picked to do it.

         Jake tries to think of something Stephanie or Almina would never dare to cook. He thinks and thinks and thinks and finally he knows what he’s going to cook.

         I found this book to be good. It was a bit crazy when I discovered the ingredients being used by Jake in the competition. Overall I found this book interesting and imaginative.

Thank you to Fremantle Press for our review copy.  For more information on this book and where to purchase please CLICK HERE

SAMPLE CHAPTER

Jakes cooking craze sample chapters.pdf

Others in this Series

·                     Jake's Gigantic List 2009

·                     Jake's Monster Mess 2010

·                     Jake's Balloon Blast 2011

·                     Jake's Great Game 2011

·                     Jake's Concert Horror 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

     Ken Spillman is one of Australia’s most versatile and prolific authors, editors and critics. He is the author of more than 35 books spanning many genres.

          Ken’s Jake series for younger readers has enjoyed remarkable success since 2009, and now appears in around a dozen countries across Asia, Europe, Oceania and North America. His adventure series, The Absolutely True Fantasies of Daydreamer Dev is also attracting many fans in India.

         An entertaining and inspiring speaker, Ken has presented sessions to many tens of thousands of schoolchildren in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Oman, Philippines and Singapore.

VISIT Ken Spillman’s Website: http://kenspillman.com/index.html

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Chris Nixon is an illustrator and designer based in Perth, Australia. His work is influenced by surf, skate, music and contemporary pop culture with an emphasis on the hand-drawn form. Accompanying his commercial work, Nixon has created several large scale artworks which have been installed around the state.

In addition to his commercial illustration, Nixon has been published in over 10 childrens books including his internationally acclaimed work on the Jake Series which has been published across several continents and languages. In 2011 Nixon was named in the top 100 New Creatives by CMYK Magazine.

PIVOT POINT by Kasie West ★★★★½

Reviewed by Rhiannan (Aged 11)  Meet Rhiannan

Imagine looking into the mountain range, but the mountains aren’t really mountains. Instead, the mountain is a secret world known as “The Compound”, where people have special powers.

Addie is a part of this very secret world. One day, she comes home from school to see her parents both sitting down on the couch. They tell her they are getting a divorce, which means Addie has to choose who to live with. She has to decide whether she goes with her dad, who is leaving the place that Addie grew up in or stay with her mum, who is remaining in The Compound.

Addie has to make a big decision that will affect the rest of her life. Addie’s best friend, Laila, offers to help Addie find the best choice for her.

Addie is a Searcher, which means that when faced with a choice she can look into the future and see what the outcome of her decisions will be. Instead of crying, Addie goes into her room and uses her secret powers to search the future of both her choices. Addie searches for six weeks, living both lives and trying to work out which life she can’t live without.

I think Pivot Point is a great book for ten to eighteen year olds and it is now one of my favourite books.  I would definitely recommend this to everyone!

The reason I liked this this book is that some of the stuff is true and I think the author went through this when she was at high school. Pivot Point is a little bit of fantasy, mystery and adventure.

Our review copy of Pivot Point thanks to the fantastic people at Harper Collins Australia

To buy or learn more visit PIVOT POINT Page at Harper Collins

eBook is also available here eBook

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

http://www.kasiewest.com/

Kasie West is a mother of four-three daughters and one son.  She lives in Central California where the summers try to kill her with their 115 degree heat waves.

Kasie loves to water ski. Kasie’s skill level on a wakeboard does not match her passion for the sport. Kasie would claim that maybe she could get better at it, but she’s too chicken!

Beach Sports Car by Darlene Oxenham ★★★★

Reviewed by Sophia (Aged 10)  Meet Sophia

In BEACH SPORTS CAR written by Darlene Oxenham, Annie wishes to have a beach sports car, to ride along the beach and to have picnics there. When dad told Annie that they were getting a beach sports car she can hardly believe it! When they get the sports car Annie’s in Shock! It takes a lot of work and a fair bit of imagination to turn dad’s old dump into the beach sports car of Annie’s dreams. 

I thought this was a great story, even though it was short and I strongly recommend this book.

BEACH SPORTS CAR is part of the Waarda series for young readers.

Thank you to Fremantle Press for our review copy.  For more information on this book and where to purchase please CLICK HERE

ABOUT THE WAARDA SERIES

        Waarda, Nyungar for talking and sharing stories and information is an exciting new Indigenous children’s series. Edited by Sally Morgan, the series is designed to support the literacy needs of Indigenous children in primary school by making available to them stories written by Indigenous authors. At the same time, it will introduce non-Indigenous children to the richness and depth of Indigenous storytelling. Above all, it is a collection of fun, interesting and diverse first chapter books for new readers.

         For more information on indigenous writers and the Waarda series, CLICK HERE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darlene Oxenham is a Malgana woman from Shark Bay on the coast of Western Australia. Her story Beach Sports Car was inspired by her time growing up in Useless Loop. Darlene has worked in Higher Education for over twenty years and is a Professor at the School of Indigenous Studies at The University of Western Australia.