Castlecliff and the Fossil Princess, Whale Pot Bay
Book reviews by KidsBooksNZ
Castlecliff and the Fossil Princess by Elizabeth Pulford (Walker Books Australia) ISBN 978 192115011 1 RRP $17A gentle and contemplative story with a lot going on under the surface. Jamie travels to a house built high on a cliff with his mother and new stepfather. There he makes friends with a girl called Lani who gathers fossils. But he’s very upset to learn that Lani has lymphoma. Jamie becomes determined to make a dangerous swim to a forbidden cave in order to find a fossil for Lanie… Elizabeth Pulford is a New Zealand author who has had more than 40 books published, including readers, picture books, chapter books, junior fiction novels, a young adult's novel and one adult's novel. Two of her junior fiction novels, "The Memory Tree" and "Call of the Cruins" were finalists in the New Zealand Post Book Awards.Reviewed by Lorraine Orman
Whale Pot Bay by Des Hunt (HarperCollins NZ) ISBN 978 1 86950 730 5 RRP $19
This is Des Hunt’s seventh novel combining adventure, mystery and environmental awareness. Jake and his father live in a remote settlement on the Wairarapa coast. They enjoy surfing, fishing, and pottering around with automobile engines. But this idyllic life stops when Jake’s father invites his lady friend and her daughter to stay. The situation is made more complex by the fact that a world-famous rock star, Milton Summer, owns a property nearby – and he’s being stalked by an annoyingly persistent journalist. Everyone’s attention focuses on a pygmy sperm whale and her calf when they get into trouble on the beach. Milt and Jake and the others try to help the whale – but only make things worse for her. The story ends with a grand final scene where Milt and Jake risk their lives to save the journalist from a massive tidal wave. Intermediate-aged boys will love the non-stop action and adventure, and will probably also be interested in the factual details about whales. Des Hunt lives and teaches in the Coromandel‚ and is a highly experienced non−fiction author for children‚ with a string of science texts to his credit. Reviewed by Lorraine Orman
Absentminded Mister Whistler always has a song in his head and a dance in his feet. In a rush to catch the train, he is so distracted he loses his ticket. Is it in the bottom pockets of his big coat or the top pockets of his jacket? Perhaps he slipped it into his waistcoat…Where is Mister Whistler’s ticket?
I’m liking
As we have come to expect from Gecko Press, the production values in this book are very high. It’s superbly produced and the images, by Gavin Bishop, are outstanding. I love the attention to detail in this book – the cover to cover, it’s delicious!!
This book is one of Mahy’s last – published posthumously – and has all of her vim and vigour. It’s the kind of book that you can get your child to predict what’s going to happen next and have a laugh together at Mr Whistler’s antics.
The conclusion
Fabulous. Definitely one for the permanent collection and a great reminder of Mahy at her best.
Review
"This is a delightful story which encompasses the settlement of New Zealand, from the Maori and European to immigrants and then cities and more people from other countries who come to make a life in this country. The little hall with its wooden arms is surely a metaphor for the indigenous people of New Zealand and how they welcomed each wave of these newly arrived settlers. The little hall represents their generosity and warmth but it also is a part of every person's dream to have a special place for them and their family and the old adage home is where the heart is comes to mind. Wooden Arms is a real little gem and such a touching story, my compliments to author Sarah Johnson and also to Scott Tulloch for the charming illustrations. Definitely a must have book for children's bedtime stories."The Jewel Fish of Karnak
Graeme Base. Abrams, $19.95 (40p) ISBN 978-1-4197-0086-6
 |  |
Set in ancient Egypt, Base's latest dynamic, clue-laden adventure stars two wily thieves, Jackal and Ibis; the Cat Pharaoh offers to pardon them if they steal back a jeweled fish sculpture from the Crocodile Prince. The quest, complete with a chase and more imprudent deeds, ends badly for the two. They are condemned to a lifetime of angling for the Jewel Fish that springs to life when it gets wet and goes missing. Readers can release the pair "from their endless task" by deciphering which fish among many in an underwater scene is the Jewel Fish (and by manipulating wheels embedded in the back cover to replicate the jeweled pattern on the fish's fins). Base (The Legend of the Golden Snail) doesn't disappoint his sleuthing fans, providing decodable hieroglyphic messages on painted stone tablets across the bottom of each spread. This tale packs in plenty of puzzle solving and Egyptology amid the boldly animated scenes; the illustrations' exquisite details—right down to the comical facial expressions of the bumbling thieves—tell much of the story. Ages 5–8. (Sept.)| BOOK Review Llama Drama - for kids of all ages |  |  |  |
| LAA Resource Library | |||
| Written by . | |||
| Friday, 01 March 2013 00:57 | |||
|
LLAMA DRAMA
Text: Yvonne Morrison
Illustrations: Neroli WilliamsPublished by Scholastic New Zealand LimitedReviewer: Dr Helen Smith Burston, Llama Assn of Australasia  ‘Llama Drama’ is a charming story for children aged between about four and seven. It tells the tale of a group of llamas with one particular female named Pam who is prone to exaggeration. This exasperates the rest of the group who decide she is over reacting:
‘Stop making a fuss. Stop making a scene. You’re just a llama drama queen!’
None of this deters Pam who continues to carry on and is finally ‘discovered’ by a film
director for a movie he is producing. Pam is then whisked away to the city where she is in her element in front of the cameras.
The story is told over 16 pages of well-paced rhyming couplets with enough repetition
at the end of each episode to encourage the child to join in. An appropriate amount of text is placed on each page to allow time for the picture to be examined without the flow of the story being interrupted. The font is easily read with points of emphasis in larger type.
The illustrations in watercolour pencil are of good size, clear and well executed. They are authentic anatomical representations
of llamas, if in caricature.
The format of the book is slightly less than A4 size with a soft cover. The binding is stitched which augurs well for a long life in
junior hands.
The only flaw, and it is a very minor one, is the suggestion that llamas ‘bleat’ where most people describe their noise as a hum.
Otherwise this is a captivating tale for the age group and thoroughly recommended. Grandpa Ngata and the Seagull  "Mr Ngata likes to take his grandchildren to the beach to have lunch and feed the birds. The rowdy seagulls are quick to spot the bread but one bigger gull always seems to miss out on his share. The children ask why and discover that Ngoiro is a teenager, with bigger wings and oversize feet that make him awkward and clumsy. As the children watch, a dog suddenly lunges at Ngoiro; the bird is rescued, taken to a local women who takes in injured animals, and the children visit him every day"--Supplied by publisher. Includes brief factual information about bird rescue. Suggested level: junior, primary. - See more at: http://christchurch.bibliocommons.com/item/show/742296037_grandpa_ngata_and_the_seagull#sthash.T3Vkh8K3.dpuf
|
Manukura: The White Kiwi
True story by world-renowned writer Joy Cowley about the beautiful rare white kiwi Manukura in picture book format for young children
Subject: Picture books
True story by world-renowned writer Joy Cowley about the beautiful rare white kiwi Manukura in picture book format for young children.
When a rare white kiwi was born in captivity at Pukaha Mount Bruce, Maori recognised this as something very special – a treasure and a sign of new beginnings.
In this beautiful picture book Joy Cowley tells the story of Manukura the little white kiwi and offers an uplifting message to all young New Zealanders.
With strikingly naturalistic illustrations by Bruce Potter, this is a treasure of a book that will be loved by generations to come.
- See more at: http://www.randomhouse.co.nz/books/joy-cowley/manukura-the-white-kiwi-9781869798383.aspx#sthash.rAigS89k.dpuf
Subject: Picture books
True story by world-renowned writer Joy Cowley about the beautiful rare white kiwi Manukura in picture book format for young children.
When a rare white kiwi was born in captivity at Pukaha Mount Bruce, Maori recognised this as something very special – a treasure and a sign of new beginnings.
In this beautiful picture book Joy Cowley tells the story of Manukura the little white kiwi and offers an uplifting message to all young New Zealanders.
With strikingly naturalistic illustrations by Bruce Potter, this is a treasure of a book that will be loved by generations to come.
When a rare white kiwi was born in captivity at Pukaha Mount Bruce, Maori recognised this as something very special – a treasure and a sign of new beginnings.
In this beautiful picture book Joy Cowley tells the story of Manukura the little white kiwi and offers an uplifting message to all young New Zealanders.
With strikingly naturalistic illustrations by Bruce Potter, this is a treasure of a book that will be loved by generations to come.
Mr Tripp Goes for a Skate
Mr Tripp Goes for a Skate by Sandy McKay illustrated by Ruth Paul (Walker BooksAustralia)
PB RRP $11.95
ISBN – 9781921529733
Reviewed by Emma Cameron
Using the same characters as the highly successful Mr Tripp Smells a Rat, this book sees Mr Tripp and Room Five learning about the invention of the wheel. Told in three chapters, each with their own titles, this book will have beginner readers able to easily follow the story of how studying the wheel is more fun when incorporating an event like “Wheels Day” so everyone can get involved.
For some reason, however, Mr Tripp is less enthusiastic about riding in the playground than everyone else is. Everyone brings something different to ride on wheels day. Bikes, rollerblades, scooters abound. Mr Tripp’s skateboard, however, brings real drama. He tries a number of ways to avoid riding it, until Miss Filipo insists he do so. And he crashes.
Fortunately, Mr Trip’s fall is without injury and he can laugh about it. Readers will be relieved and the use of jokes and riddles, as well as familiar themes of school, transport and safety, makes for an engaging, entertaining and accessible way for readers to move from shorter stories to chapter books. Text, however, isn’t all that there is to keep readers on track.
Oodles of clever and funny illustrations show plenty of action to go with each scene’s text, giving numerous enjoyable visuals. Besides making the overall appearance of an early chapter book far less daunting than they could be, illustrations also ensure readers will take breaks between paragraphs, allowing them to build familiarity with the chapter book experience more easily.
This book is sure to bring out confidence in beginning readers and thereby a desire to try more books. This can only be a good thing. As such, this book is highly recommended for every school library at the very least but also an ideal gift for children just who are spring boarding into longer works.
Review by Buzzwords Books
AUTHOR: EOIN COLFER 
The Legend of Spud Murphy
Will has four brothers and it's chaos in his house! If he's not being teased by his big brother Marty, he has to deal with the terrible, three-headed bundle of cuteness that is his three younger brothers. Even worse, his mother has the brilliant idea of packing Will and Marty off to the library during the holidays. She just doesn't understand! Not only is the library no fun, it's also the habitat of the legendary librarian Spud Murphy. If you put a foot wrong, it's rumoured she will use her dreaded gas-powered spud gun and you don't want that just ask Ugly Frank how he got his nickname! Eventually Will and Marty discover a love of books and that Mrs Murphy isn't so bad after all!
Review by Penguin Books
No comments:
Post a Comment