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Posts tagged ‘Animals’

Thelma The Unicorn

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By: Aaron Blabey

Thelma only wants to be a unicorn. She believes everything would be wonderful if only that would happen. One day it does, a happy accident transforms Thelma into a magnificent unicorn and she becomes ever so famous. It doesn’t take long for Thelma to realise that maybe just being herself is better, that being a unicorn isn’t everything she thought it would be.

Aaron Blabey stories are always such fun and often have a good little gem of a message in them. This story is about being true to yourself and those who are good to the real you. Also how being famous may not in fact be the best or most important thing in life. This is a thoroughly enjoyable story, dealing with a big topic in an easily accessible way, accompanied by wonderful illustrations.

Highly Recommended

Publisher: Koala Book Company

 

Published: 1st August 2017

Key Words: Fun, Fame, Dreams

ISBN: 9781742764085

Category:

Picture Books

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Flapper VC

images
By: Mark Wilson
Flapper is a homing pigeon whose life became one big adventure that began at a young age when he was trained to be a homing pigeon. It took on grander dimensions when he was shipped off to war.
Based on a true story of war time communications this tale will give readers a glimpse of history. The story is a little dark by nature of the topic. The illustrations beautifully detailed and varied to give additional dimension and emotion to the story. Mark Wilson always does a wonderful job with these historic picture books.
Publisher: Hachette Australia
Published: 31st January 2017
Key Words: Historic, Animals
ISBN: 9780734416759

Category:

Picture Books

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The Great Paper Caper

the-great-paper-caper

By: Oliver Jeffers

Something is happening in the woods. Something is happening to the trees. Something must be done so the animals get together to investigate. At first they find nothing, no clues, then they catch a break. Bear hasn’t meant to cause trouble, he’s just trying to practice for the great paper plane race. He really wants to win. Will bear achieve what he wants, and will he stop taking the trees?
A fun mystery story, with easy to read text. Jeffers stylised illustrations are always wonderful and tell the story more completely than just the text can. An enjoyable read.
Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: 1st Nov 2009
Key Words: Crime, Mystery, Paper Planes
ISBN: 9780007182336

Category:

Picture Books

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Hughes Douglas and the Great Cake Bake

hugless-douglas-and-the-great-cake-bake
By: David Melling
Hugless Douglas has woken up hungry but all his honey is missing. Following the sticky trail of honey footprints, he finds the sheep have taken it so they can bake honey cakes. Douglas is still hungry but he likes honey cakes so he helps. Will Douglas get something to eat when all the messing around is done? Will he try something new.
Fun, familiar characters for those who’ve read other books from this series. Easy to understand text, accompanied by fun illustrations.
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
Published: 9th August 2016
Key Words: Humour, Fun, Animals
ISBN: 9781444919899

Category:

Picture Books

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Blood Ties

I received my copy from the publisher.
blood-ties
By: Garth Nix and Sean Williams
Spirit Animals bk 3

Meilin has had enough of waiting and working with the others, she wants to help her father, her people. She has no idea what state her land is in but that isn’t going to stop her, she knows what she wants and she knows how capable she is, so she chooses to leave the group and go home, where she feels she might at least be able to do some good. The welcome she receives though is not quiet what she expected. Whilst she is trying to get home, the enemy are still pushing forward and her friends face a deadly foe.
This is Meilin’s story, it is a very interesting arc for her, because as capable as she is she is ruled by emotions and to find she isn’t always right and can make mistakes is a big thing for her to try and come to terms with. The others still have their part to play and ultimately it turns out that they really work best when they work together. This is a story of adversity and coming together as a team to deal with the challenges thrown up in front of them.
Publisher: Scholastic Australia
Published: 01 April 2014
Format: Paperback 208 pages
Categories: Science Fiction Fantasy
ISBN 13: 9781743620007
Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on side of page

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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The Last King of Angkor Wat

I was sent this book by the publisher
the-last-king-of-angkor-wat
By: Graeme Base
Tiger, Gibbon, Water Buffalo and Geeko are sitting around talking about who would be the best king. They each think they are the best for the role. An Elephant appears and sets them a task, if they truly believe they are worthy of being king. Each set off to the temple convinced they are the best. Throughout the journey each discovers more about themselves and about what it takes to be a king.
This is a beautifully illustrated (as always) picture book. The story can be as simple as a challenge between friends or a deeper lesson of working together and learning that it takes a collection of traits working together to make someone a good leader.
Highly Recommended.
Publisher: Viking Australia
Published: 24 September 2014
Format: Hardback 32 pages
Categories: Storybooks Fiction
ISBN 13: 9780670077151
Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on side of page

Category:

Picture Books

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Hunted

I received my copy from the publisher.
hunted
By: Maggie Stiefvater
Spirit Animals bk 2
Conor, Abeke, Meilin and Rollan are some of the lucky few able to summon spirit animals, in fact they are strangely gifted to have summoned four of the great animals. The problem is they don’t really know how to bond and work properly with their animals yet and they don’t have a lot of time to learn. They are charged with finding another of another talisman but the way is fraught with danger the enemy have found a way to force the bonding but it is a twisted thing and for Conor things are particularly difficult because the boy he used to be servant to has had a forced bonding and is claiming to be better than Conor ever could be, putting Conor’s home firmly on the other side of the battle. This also leaves him with a very difficult dilemma that only he can face.
The four youngsters are interesting for all their differences, the ways they struggle to interact with each other and their animals is what makes for such interesting reading. None of them find the journey they are now on easy. They each have their own choices and for Conor this instalment is particularly tough because his family are in such danger. There is plenty of action and a tight story that drags you in and keeps you interested. I can’t wait to read the next one.
Publisher: Scholastic Australia
Published: 01 January 2014
Format: Paperback 208 pages
ISBN 13: 9781742839998
Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on the side of the page

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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Annabelle and the Missing Turtles

I received this from the publisher

annabelle-and-the-missing-turtles

By: Rose Inserra

An Australian Girl book

Annabelle is very interested in turtles, in fact she is really determined to find the hatchlings that have gone missing. It’s a real mystery that no one seems to be able to figure out, not even the people at Marine World know where they went. Annabelle enlists the help of her friends Matilda, Emily, Amy and Jasmine to track the missing hatchlings. In the process they meet a famous explorer, act as pirates and run a successful campaign to raise awareness of the plight of the hatchlings.

This is an appealing story. The five friends are very different and complement each others strengths and weaknesses. The added element of time travel gives the story the interesting aspect of including a real life explorer in the tale, which is a cool little detail to encourage little ones to look at Australian history. The chapters are short and the text easy to understand. A good choice to look at if you have a little one who is just getting into reading chapter books and is interested in animals.

Publisher: Wombat Books

Published: 01 November 2013

Format: Paperback 90 pages

Categories: Animals, Friendship

ISBN 13: 9781921632389

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on the side of the page

Category:

Fiction 4-9

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Flora & Ulysses – The Illuminated Adventures

I received this from the publisher

flora-and-ulyssesBy: Kate DiCamillo

Illustrated By: KG Campbell

Flora Belle Buckman is a little different. Flora considers herself a cynic. She loves comic books, practices hard at ignoring her mother and misses her father who no longer lives with them. One day she witnesses something strange, a squirrel getting vacuumed up. She races out to rescue him and a most amazing thing happens. The squirrel has been changed by his ordeal and Flora takes it upon herself to take care of him, starting with giving him the name of Ulysses.

Flora talks to Ulysses, he understands. He types poetry, has amazing strength and can even fly. Together they will be able to do remarkable things. Flora’s mother however sees things differently, fortunately Flora’s father is more understanding. Then the two are separated, will they find their way back to each other?

This is a truly beautiful tale of a unique friendship and a dysfunctional family. Flora is different and that makes her open to seeing the potential in Ulysses but it also makes her fascinating in her own right, as she grows in their journey together to find positive things a cynic might otherwise not see. This is a heartwarming story told with a masterful hand and complemented wonderfully by illustrations, sometimes in the form of comic book like panels. It is the sort of story that you really want to share with your children, you know the ones I’m talking about; they tug at your heart, they delight and they beg to be revisited over and over.

Highly recommended.

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Published: 24 September 2013

Format: Hardback 240 pages

Categories: Adventure, Friendship, Fantasy, Family, Humour

ISBN 13: 9780763660406

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on side of page.

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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Wild Born

I received my copy from the publisher.wild-bornBy: Brandon Mull

Spirit Animals bk 1

When a child turns 11 they are tested to see if they have the ability to bond with a Spirit Animal. It is a special gift that gives great powers to both. Some people come from long lines of bonded others are never expected to have the ability. Still all are tested. Things are unsettled throughout the land though and from four different corners four children summon the most unheard of animals. Wolf, leopard, panda and falcon. There is a reason no-one summons these creatures, for they are creatures from legend. Now though things have changed as Connor, Abeke, Meilin and Rollan each find themselves bonded to a great beast.

It soon becomes apparent that these four are key to the great battle that is drawing upon them, they will all have a part to play as the fate of Erdas has fallen on their shoulders, however unprepared they are for it.

A great adventure story. The four central characters are very different and this makes for an interesting dynamic. They are very distinctive characters who have different backgrounds that influence them, different cultures they come from and different motivations that drive them. The story itself is interesting, a great threat, the return of creatures of legend whose power isn’t what it once was because they are so young again. The world created by Mull is detailed, the races distinctive and easy to visualise as they are drawn from that which many would find familiar. There is much growth needed in the following books and it will be interesting to see where it goes. A fun concept, a battle of good and evil, a wonderful (hopefully) adventure in the process.

A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Published: 01 October 2013

Format: Paperback 208 pages

Categories: Adventure, Fantasy

ISBN 13: 9781742839974

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on the side of the page

 

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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